Another Nasty Aspect Of This War

I really hate the war in Iraq. I hate the lies that dragged the U.S. into the war, I hate the destruction of so many lives, both military and civilian. I hate the corruption which feeds the whole thing. I also hate the fact that, due to this military action, Christians in Iraq are no longer safe. Now, I'm not totally naïve; I realize that the regime of Saddam Hussein mistreated Christians at times, I realize that some churches were closed and some Christian communities relocated, but they didn't experience the persecution that the Shia and Kurds did. From what I have read, Christians were considered less threatening to the Baath Party and were granted a greater degree of religious freedom. But with the U.S. "liberation" of Iraq, churches are being bombed, clergy are being kidnapped and murdered. It starts with insults and threats and demands that Christians convert, and then escalates to bombing and murder. Here is a quote from one of the articles I found on Ekklesia: "More and more Christians have to put up with being insulted and offended on the streets and girl students at university are forced to wear the Muslim veil." "Christians are asking: who will protect us? If we ask the Americans to help we will be called traitors and risk death. If we ask the Kurds to protect us we will be accused of working against unity in Iraq." It sounds to me like Christians are running out of options. I hope the Jerry Falwell-Pat Robertson-Christian Right crowd remember what is happening to Christians in Iraq the next time they are belly-aching about not being allowed to pray around a flag-pole and calling that persecution.

So now the Christians who can are leaving Iraq for Syria and Jordan and some even for the U.S. Christians have been living in Iraq since the earliest days of the faith, but now they are being threatened and forced to leave their homes.

Pray for the Christians and all people in Iraq.

Almighty God our heavenly Father, guide the nations of the world into the way of justice and truth, and establish among
them that peace which is the fruit of righteousness, that they may become the kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
Amen.

Grant, O God, that your holy and life-giving Spirit may so move every human heart, that barriers which divide us may crumble, suspicions disappear, and hatreds cease; that our divisions being healed, we may live in justice and peace;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.