The mass exodus of Christians from the Muslim world (and how it is ignored in the MSM)

[BlackTerrel]

The author is a Catholic Egyptian.

Interesting article. Also notes that in most cases where we've intervened it has caused things to get much worse. The dictators in these countries usually defended the minority religions from the majority extremists. When they went away it was open season. The same is/will happen in Syria it appears.

http://www.foxnews.com/opinion/2013/05/07/mass-exodus-christians-from-muslim-world/


A mass exodus of Christians is currently underway. Millions of Christians are being displaced from one end of the Islamic world to the other.

We are reliving the true history of how the Islamic world, much of which prior to the Islamic conquests was almost entirely Christian, came into being.

The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom recently said: “The flight of Christians out of the region is unprecedented and it’s increasing year by year.” In our lifetime alone “Christians might disappear altogether from Iraq, Afghanistan, and Egypt.”

Ongoing reports from the Islamic world certainly support this conclusion: Iraq was the earliest indicator of the fate awaiting Christians once Islamic forces are liberated from the grip of dictators.

The 2010 Baghdad church attack, which saw nearly 60 Christian worshippers slaughtered, is the tip of a decade-long iceberg.

In 2003, Iraq’s Christian population was at least one million. Today fewer than 400,000 remain—the result of an anti-Christian campaign that began with the U.S. occupation of Iraq, when countless Christian churches were bombed and countless Christians killed, including by crucifixion and beheading.

The 2010 Baghdad church attack, which saw nearly 60 Christian worshippers slaughtered, is the tip of a decade-long iceberg.

Now, as the U.S. supports the jihad on Syria’s secular president Assad, the same pattern has come to Syria: entire regions and towns where Christians lived for centuries before Islam came into being have now been emptied, as the opposition targets Christians for kidnapping, plundering, and beheadings, all in compliance with mosque calls telling the populace that it’s a “sacred duty” to drive Christians away.

In October 2012 the last Christian in the city of Homs—which had a Christian population of some 80,000 before jihadis came—was murdered. One teenage Syrian girl said: “We left because they were trying to kill us… because we were Christians…. Those who were our neighbors turned against us. At the end, when we ran away, we went through balconies. We did not even dare go out on the street in front of our house.”

In Egypt, some 100,000 Christian Copts have fled their homeland soon after the “Arab Spring.” In September 2012, the Sinai’s small Christian community was attacked and evicted by Al Qaeda linked Muslims, Reuters reported. But even before that, the Coptic Orthodox Church lamented the “repeated incidents of displacement of Copts from their homes, whether by force or threat.

Displacements began in Ameriya [62 Christian families evicted], then they stretched to Dahshur [120 Christian families evicted], and today terror and threats have reached the hearts and souls of our Coptic children in Sinai.”

Iraq, Syria, and Egypt are part of the Arab world. But even in “black” African and “white” European nations with Muslim majorities, Christians are fleeing.

In Mali, after a 2012 Islamic coup, as many as 200,000 Christians fled. According to reports, “the church in Mali faces being eradicated,” especially in the north “where rebels want to establish an independent Islamist state and drive Christians out… there have been house to house searches for Christians who might be in hiding, churches and other Christian property have been looted or destroyed, and people tortured into revealing any Christian relatives.” At least one pastor was beheaded.

Even in European Bosnia, Christians are leaving en mass “amid mounting discrimination and Islamization.” Only 440,000 Catholics remain in the Balkan nation, half the prewar figure.

Problems cited are typical: “while dozens of mosques were built in the Bosnian capital Sarajevo, no building permissions [permits] were given for Christian churches.” “Time is running out as there is a worrisome rise in radicalism,” said one authority, who further added that the people of Bosnia-Herzegovina were “persecuted for centuries” after European powers “failed to support them in their struggle against the Ottoman Empire.”

And so history repeats itself.

One can go on and on:

In Ethiopia, after a Christian was accused of desecrating a Koran, thousands of Christians were forced to flee their homes when “Muslim extremists set fire to roughly 50 churches and dozens of Christian homes.”
In the Ivory Coast—where Christians have literally been crucified—Islamic rebels “massacred hundreds and displaced tens of thousands” of Christians.
In Libya, Islamic rebels forced several Christian religious orders, serving the sick and needy in the country since 1921, to flee.

To anyone following the plight of Christians under Islamic persecution, none of this is surprising. As I document in my new book, “Crucified Again: Exposing Islam’s New War on Christians,” all around the Islamic world—in nations that do not share the same race, language, culture, or economics, in nations that share only Islam—Christians are being persecuted into extinction. Such is the true face of extremist Islamic resurgence.

[AngryCanadian]

Same in Bosnia.

[heavenlyboy34]

Tragic :(

[COpatriot]

This is posted in the FP forum too so I'll just repost what I put.



I'm very surprised that an article like this would be seen on Faux Noise's website because it basically acknowledges that our interventionist Mideast policy under both parties has left middle eastern Christians as deer in the headlights.

[enhanced_deficit]

US media is to great part still neocons controlled, they are not going to highlight fruits of their policies. No suprise that they have been mostly silent about exodus of Christians from mideast at very high rate ever since "freedom" bombing of Iraq started in 2003. Ironically CBS 60 minutes recently had done a damaging piece on exodus of Christians from Israel but didn't put it in full perspective.


I'm very surprised that an article like this would be seen on Faux Noise's website because it basically acknowledges that our interventionist Mideast policy under both parties has left middle eastern Christians as deer in the headlights.

Iraq "liberation" attack by neocons led to exodus of millions of Christians from there. Syria was one of the pro-Christian and secular state that opend doors & gave refuge to many of the Iraqi Christian arabs looking for refuge. Now Syria is under "freedom" attack from Al Qaeda, Obama/Saudi dictator supported militants, Israel etc. It is like every country that provides relatively better security to Christians becomes a target for neocons "freedom" attacks.

[Mani]

I've read about this topic before and was shocked and disgusted. It's not a one time thing, it happens EVERY time.

As soon as the dictator falls the chaos the ensues is almost like a Christian genocide. Like gets almost unbearable for the Christians and they flee.

Christians are slaughtered....EVERY SINGLE TIME.


I could never quite comprehend how the NEOCON Right wingers could stomach knowing that when they achieve their goal of toppling a Dictator in a middle eastern country, they just lead to the slaughter of thousands upon thousands of innocent Christians. It's predictable and known and it's a FACT.

But we gotta keep that warmachine going and keep the GreenBack as the only currency to sell oil...That trumps getting innocent people slaughtered for no reason...

[COpatriot]

I've seen neocon commentors in sites like RedState defending the Iraq "liberation" and advocating for the same thing in Syria flat out say "I don't care" when this issue was raised.

[Paulatized]

To where do they flee?

[BlackTerrel]

To where do they flee?

A decent number are here in the US. I have friends that are Egyptian and Lebanese Christian which is the only reason I know about it. I stole this article off one of my friends Facebook posts.

[enhanced_deficit]

To where do they flee?

Israel is the closest democracy if they opened their doors for fleeing Christians as Syria and Jordan did after Iraq liberation.

Although CBS 60 minute may have scared many Christians away after this "hatchet job":

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=toNtRx2NV8Q&feature=player_detailpage#t=140s

[Smart3]

Israel is the closest democracy if they opened their doors for fleeing Christians as Syria and Jordan did after Iraq liberation.

Although CBS 60 minute may have scared many Christians away after this "hatchet job":

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=toNtRx2NV8Q&feature=player_detailpage#t=140s
Israel has long been home to Christian refugees and will continue to be.

[jmdrake]

Ongoing reports from the Islamic world certainly support this conclusion: Iraq was the earliest indicator of the fate awaiting Christians once Islamic forces are liberated from the grip of dictators.

The 2010 Baghdad church attack, which saw nearly 60 Christian worshippers slaughtered, is the tip of a decade-long iceberg.

In 2003, Iraq’s Christian population was at least one million. Today fewer than 400,000 remain—the result of an anti-Christian campaign that began with the U.S. occupation of Iraq, when countless Christian churches were bombed and countless Christians killed, including by crucifixion and beheading.

The 2010 Baghdad church attack, which saw nearly 60 Christian worshippers slaughtered, is the tip of a decade-long iceberg.

Now, as the U.S. supports the jihad on Syria’s secular president Assad, the same pattern has come to Syria: entire regions and towns where Christians lived for centuries before Islam came into being have now been emptied, as the opposition targets Christians for kidnapping, plundering, and beheadings, all in compliance with mosque calls telling the populace that it’s a “sacred duty” to drive Christians away.

^That didn't happen when Saddam ruled Iraq. The neocon policies hurt Christians. Yet many an ignorant Christian in America thinks the war was "doing God's will". Sure, God can bring good out of persecution, but woe unto those who cause it.

[Carsten2012b]

*sigh* All of this radicalism and extremism is shedding bad light on Muslims. Don't blame the actions of a few on the many. Why can't we all live in peace? There were times when that happened ya know!

[ClydeCoulter]

Israel is the closest democracy if they opened their doors for fleeing Christians as Syria and Jordan did after Iraq liberation.

Although CBS 60 minute may have scared many Christians away after this "hatchet job":

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=toNtRx2NV8Q&feature=player_detailpage#t=140s

And it appears that some people didn't want that video shown to the U.S.A.

[enhanced_deficit]

And it appears that some people didn't want that video shown to the U.S.A.

Apparently 29,000 angry "Christian Zionists" sent emails to CBS to protest this broadcast.

Mideast Arab Christians and Israel's relationship is complex. Here are few reading samples to piant a rough picture of their history.
This may also explain why numbers of Christians living in Iraq, Syria, Egypt, Palestine under Israeli occupation have dewindled after recent freedom wars neocons imposed there and number of Christian refugees who were given refuge by our close ally Israel in the region remains close to Zero. Syria was a relatively safe haven for Christian arab refugees in mideast until Al Qaeda , Saudi dictators, Israel and Obama's puppet maters started supporting attacks there.




Michael Oren: I think that the major problem in the West Bank as in elsewhere in the Middle East is that the Christian communities are living under duress.
Bob Simon: And this duress is coming from Muslims, not from the Israel occupation?
Ambassador Michael Oren: I believe that the major duress is coming from that.
[Zahi Khouri: Great selling point. Easy to sell to the American public.]
Zahi Khouri is a Palestinian businessman. He owns the West Bank Coca-Cola franchise.
Zahi Khouri: I'll tell you I don't know of anybody and I probably have 12,000 customers here. I've never heard that someone is leaving because of Islamic persecution.
Ari Shavit, one of Israel's most respected columnists, believes Christians have become collateral damage.
Ari Shavit: I think this is a land that has seen in the last century a terrible struggle between political Judaism and political Islam in different variations.
Bob Simon: And the Christians are being squeezed in the middle between the Jews and the Muslims?


In 2009, this group of Christian activists did something unprecedented. They published a document called Kairos, criticizing Islamic extremism and advocating non-violent resistance to the Israeli occupation which they called a sin against God.

It was endorsed by the leaders of 13 Christian denominations including Greek Orthodox, Roman Catholic, Lutheran and Anglican.

Michael Oren: These are denominations who have been exceedingly critical of the State of Israel. And sometimes to the point of going beyond legitimate criticism. And so--
Bob Simon: What does that mean to go beyond...
Michael Oren: Well, I think--
Bob Simon: --legitimate criticism?
Michael Oren: Accusing of us-- of crimes that would be very, I think, historically associated with anti-Semitism. And it was actually so inflammatory, Bob, that we didn't-- many of us didn't even bother responding to it.
Mitri Raheb: They are fearful of this document because they are afraid this might influence the Christian world.
Reverend Raheb, who helped write the document, says it's anything but anti-Semitic.
Mitri Raheb: This document is-- doesn't ask for violent. It doesn't ask for revenge. The most powerful thing in this document actually is that asking for hope and love and faith.
Bob Simon: Do you think the Israeli government ever thinks of the fact that if Christians aren't being treated well here, and America is an overwhelmingly Christian country, that this could have consequences?
Ari Shavit: Israel is not persecuting Christians as Christians. The Christians in the Holy Land suffer from Israeli policies that are a result of the overall tragic situation. And this, of course, has consequences for everybody.
For Israel, there could be serious economic consequences. According to Israeli government figures, tourism is a multi billion dollar business there. Most tourists are Christian. Many of them are American. That's one reason why Israelis are very sensitive about their image in the United States. And that could be why Ambassador Oren phoned Jeff Fager, the head of CBS News and executive producer of 60 Minutes, while we were still reporting the story, long before tonight's broadcast. He said he had information our story was quote: "a hatchet job."



http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-18560_162-57417408/christians-of-the-holy-land/?pageNum=4


ADL: Anti-Semitism persistent among Arab Christians

Anti-Defamation League says Coptic patriarch’s claim that ‘Jews killed Christ’ contributes to 'already virulent anti-Semitism that is part of mainstream in many Arab nations'

Ynetnews



05.29.07,



According to a translation of an interview with Egyptian Copt Patriarch Shinoda III, provided by The Middle East Media Research Institute (MEMRI), the Coptic leader told an interviewer on Egyptian TV that the Vatican was wrong to apologize for longtime church teachings about Jews as Christ killers.



http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3406280,00.html


Ron Paul - Israel Created Hamas

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yb3vF6Vcjr0

[BlackTerrel]

Apparently 29,000 angry "Christian Zionists" sent emails to CBS to protest this broadcast.

And yet it aired anyway. On Prime Time. In our "pro-Israel" media.

Meanwhile pretty much zero talk about the mass exodus of Christians from countries like Egypt and Iraq.

[Lucille]

Bushbama's proxy war on Christians continues apace.

Killing The Copts
http://www.theamericanconservative.com/dreher/killing-the-copts/


Islamists mobs are conducting anti-Christian pogroms in Egypt, and the military dictatorship is standing by and letting it happen – this, even though the Coptic pope pledged loyalty to the new regime:


Hundreds of Islamists poured into the street, torching, looting and smashing the village’s two churches and a nearby monastery, lashing out so ferociously that marble altars were left in broken heaps on the floor.

Over the next few days, a wave of similar attacks on the Coptic Christian minority washed over the country as Islamists set upon homes and churches, shops and schools, youth clubs and at least one orphanage, killing at least three people, according to an Egyptian human rights group. As Christians were scapegoated for supporting the military ouster of Mr. Morsi, the authorities stood by and watched: in Nazla, as in other places, the army and the police made no attempt to intervene. Few Christians in Nazla expected an investigation into the attacks.

A police station in the area had been attacked before the churches. Ebraam Sami, who lives near one of the gutted churches, said fire trucks appeared on the edge of the town, but never entered. “They said it was difficult,” he said.

Leaders of the Muslim Brotherhood, the Islamist party that propelled Mr. Morsi to power, encouraged or tolerated incitement against Christians at their sit-ins, but they have started belatedly to condemn the attacks. And the military-backed government, which has done little to protect Christians, is trying to capitalize on the church burnings to paint the Brotherhood as terrorists.

TMatt explains some of the complexity of this story:


It’s crucial to note that the Copts do not believe they can trust the police and military to protect them. Why? Because the simple truth is that the vast majority of Egyptians want some kind of Islamic state and the role of the nation’s religious minorities in that future state is problematic, to say the least. At the same time, there are many Egyptian Muslims who see the ancient Copts — to one degree or another — as part of the nation’s past and its future.

Thus, some Muslims have helped protect the churches and monasteries, while others have attacked them. That’s the reality: This conflict INSIDE ISLAM can be seen throughout Egyptian life. If the military elites win, that reality will remain — only at less urgent threat level.

The Copts are damned no matter what. Back in 2006, I met a Coptic bishop, a man of luminous gentleness. I talked to him about what daily life was like for his people. It was horrifying to hear. I wonder about him and his flock today…

http://the-classic-liberal.com/conservative-war-christians/


"Where is the outrage?" There can't be any outrage. Conservative Pro-War Orthodoxy forbids it. Just ask the (supposedly) former-communist David Horowitz. War has no undesirable consequences. War gnosticism trumps Christianity. War is America!

There is nothing remotely "conservative" about war. War is pro-government, pro-despot, pro-collectivist, pro-revolutionary, pro-inflation, anti-society, and anti-Christian. Nation-building is pro-central planning and utopian. Nation-building is the very definition of "to immanentize the eschaton."

Today, thanks to the blind support of a war that allowed American blood to be shed to build an Islamic State, Christians are being eradicated to make the Middle East wholly Islamic for the first time in history.

How will this lead to peace with the West?

It won't.

[georgiaboy]

agonizing.

[jmdrake]

You know what? It's time we start calling into conservative talk show hosts, point out what happened, and then pose the question "Did we really help Iraqi Christians by overthrowing Saddam Hussein?"

[BlackTerrel]

The Egyptians are going to continue to come here. It's really the only solution. I have a friend and he's trying to get his whole family out. His brothers and sisters have lived here for years and he finally got his parents to agree to come with the latest round of violence.

They finally admitted they have no future there.

[Lucille]

Islamists Break 1,600-Year Coptic Streak
http://www.theamericanconservative.com/dreher/copts-islamists-egypt-1600-years/


Another historic achievement for the Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood:


“We did not hold prayers in the monastery on Sunday for the first time in 1,600 years,” Priest Selwanes Lotfy of the Virgin Mary and Priest Ibram Monastery in Degla, just south of Minya, told the al-Masry al-Youm daily.

He said supporters of ousted president Mohammed Morsi destroyed the monastery, which includes three churches, one of which is an archaeological site. “One of the extremists wrote on the monastery’s wall, ‘donate [this] to the martyrs’ mosque,’” Lotfy added.

Artur Rosman comments:


It’s also a sad fact that the vast majority of Western Christians have only become aware of non-Western Christianities only as they are being destroyed. For example, in the wake of the American occupation of Iraq, and more recently in the much covered events in the areas surrounding Cairo.

How should we respond to these sorts of situations? Will violent intervention by the US help the Copts? Or will it just create more resentment toward Christians in the region? Then again, will Western Christians just sit by and watch the decimation of these communities?...

Those are not the only options. Like BT said above, let them come here.

[BlackTerrel]

Islamists Break 1,600-Year Coptic Streak
http://www.theamericanconservative.com/dreher/copts-islamists-egypt-1600-years/



Those are not the only options. Like BT said above, let them come here.

There are already a million here by some estimates. Or about 10% of the Egyptian Coptic population. Most of the ones I know here have plenty of family still over there. They'll continue to bring them to the US as the situation gets worse.