Well, yeah, even if they are on the ropes. After all, they are Christians. 10% in Egypt, give or take. 40% in Lebanon. Maybe 2 million in Iraq, similar % in Iran , Syria, even Pakistan.Why write them off ? why not --as much as can be done-- fight like hell to help them out ? Billy ===================================================== In a message dated 9/2/2010 7:59:03 P.M. Pacific Daylight Time, [email protected] writes:
Since they have just about been eradicated from Muslim lands are there really any to be concerned about? David If you don't read the newspaper you are uninformed, if you do read the newspaper you are misinformed.--Mark Twain On 9/2/2010 12:55 PM, [email protected]_ (mailto:[email protected]) wrote: I get the point, we all get the point. Criticism of Islam in America = increased persecution of Christians in Muslim countries. But do people who urge caution get the point ? What they are saying is that we should, as a "virtue," stop being critical so that unjust persecutions perpetrated by Muslims, should be minimized. Such counsel is appeasement, nothing less. Islam, American Muslims claim, is peaceful and tolerant. Sure it is, when Muslims are a tiny minority and must keep a low profile for reasons of safety. But we see what happens when Muslim numbers increase, "natural" arrogance bubbles to the surface. Hence one so-far overlooked dimension of the mosque issue, a reassertion of Muslim arrogance, which people simply don't like. I have no answers to the question of persecution of Christians overseas, but I can tell you that the responsibility we have before all else is to speak truthfully about teachings that are intrinsic to Islam, enshrined in the Qur'an, which are completely un-American, even anti-American. If Muslims in Egypt or Pakistan don't like it, their tough luck. If those Muslims attack local Christians the US gvt has the responsibility to demand that Muslim nations observe the provisions of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Will the current administration do so ? Actually, at least to limited extent, the answer is "yes." It has already done so in a number of significant cases. Too tepidly, we may say, with no teeth, we may add. But we can demand serious efforts for UDHR compliance --and make a stink about it until there are solid results and overseas Christians are not persecuted for criticisms of Islam in the United States. My humble opinion Billy ------------------------------------------------------------------------- NYC Mosque Rhetoric May Harm Persecuted Christians Thu, Sep. 02, 2010 Posted: 09:07 AM EDT ____________________________________ The sometimes hateful rhetoric being used by opponents of the proposed mosque near ground zero can result in violence against Christians living in Muslim-dominated countries, warned a ministry leader who works with persecuted Christians. “I think it’s important to remember, as Americans are often unable to do, that there are millions of Christians in the Middle East,” said Dr. Carl Moeller, president/CEO of Open Doors USA, on Wednesday. Moeller, who noted that there are some 10 million Christians in Egypt and six million in Pakistan, said the “more vile and hateful” protests against the proposed project can inflame Muslim extremists. Since extremists in the Middle East cannot take their anger out on Americans, they take revenge on local Christians, which they associate with America, he said. Several years ago, the Danish cartoons that poked fun at the Muslim prophet Mohammed caused massive rioting in the Middle East, Moeller recalled. During the uproar, angry Muslims beat up local Christians and torched churches. “We talk often about our rights as Americans to protest. It is true,” Moeller said. “But we also have responsibilities, not only to our societies but to those vulnerable communities that are at risk because of our actions.” For months, average Americans, politicians and recently even President Obama have been drawn into an emotionally-charged debate about whether a $100 million Muslim community center and mosque should be built two blocks from ground zero. Proponents of the project, called Park51, maintain it would be a symbol of America’s religious tolerance and strengthen interfaith relations. Meanwhile, opponents say the center would be an offense to the nearly 3,000 people who died in the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. Recently, New York Gov. David Paterson waded into the controversy by offering to discuss with the developers of Park51 about moving the center elsewhere. SoHo Properties, the developer of Park51, expressed interest in the discussion with Paterson. In the mean time, Moeller has called on Americans to try to remain civil in the debate. “When we let our emotions get out of hand and we let our disagreement spill over into hatred and vilification, then that is being echoed and amplified in the Muslim world,” warned Moeller. “The ultimate result is innocent people being killed, pastors being killed, and churches being burned throughout the Muslim world.” Open Doors works to strengthen believers suffering from interrogation, arrest and other forms of oppression because of their faith in over 45 of the most persecuted countries worldwide. Michelle A. Vu Christian Post Reporter -- Centroids: The Center of the Radical Centrist Community _<[email protected]>_ (mailto:[email protected]) Google Group: _http://groups.google.com/group/RadicalCentrism_ (http://groups.google.com/group/RadicalCentrism) Radical Centrism website and blog: _http://RadicalCentrism.org_ (http://radicalcentrism.org/) -- Centroids: The Center of the Radical Centrist Community <[email protected]> Google Group: _http://groups.google.com/group/RadicalCentrism_ (http://groups.google.com/group/RadicalCentrism) Radical Centrism website and blog: _http://RadicalCentrism.org_ (http://radicalcentrism.org/) -- Centroids: The Center of the Radical Centrist Community <[email protected]> Google Group: http://groups.google.com/group/RadicalCentrism Radical Centrism website and blog: http://RadicalCentrism.org
