More information on yesterday’s al-Qaeda led attack on the Christian village of Maaloula near Damascus, Syria. Not only did they firebomb the village, and threaten to slaughter all Christians once the U.S. helps “liberate” Syria, but they also fired missiles and mortars at two ancient churches, St. Alias Church and St. Grace Church, while spraying the entrances of the churches with bullets.
Around eight defenders of the village were killed by the al-Qaeda led jihadis, who in the video below can be heard shouting “Allahu Akbar,” Islam’s ancient war cry. Nonetheless, John McCain, who wants the U.S. to aid al-Qaeda in Syria, absurdly insists that shouting “Allahu Akbar” is equivalent to a Christian saying “Thank God,” and that the rebels in Syria are “moderates and I guarantee you they are moderates.”
Maaloula is one of the oldest archaeological sites in the world, with ancient vestiges of Christianity (now being destroyed by U.S. supported al-Qaeda). The population still speaks Aramaic, the same language spoken during Jesus’ time
Update: A new Bloomberg report confirms all the above and gives more detail:
One resident said the rebels — many of them wearing beards and shouting, “God is great!” — attacked Christian homes and churches shortly after seizing the village. “They shot and killed people. I heard gunshots and then I saw three bodies lying in the middle of a street in the old quarters of the village,” the resident said by telephone. “So many people fled the village for safety.”… “Where is President Obama to see what befallen on us?” asked the man, who fled the village on Sunday. He declined to give his name out of fear for his safety. Another resident who escaped earlier in the day said Assad’s forces were deployed on the outskirts of the village, while gunmen inside refused to allow anybody in. He said that one of the churches, called Demyanos, had been torched and that gunmen stormed into two other churches and robbed them. A third resident reached by phone said he saw militants forcing some Christian residents to convert to Islam.
This is what I plan to disseminate to my Pastor/Priest, and to as many people as I can. All readers are free to use this and “spread the word”. This is truly the only thing that will work:
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Sept. 4, 2013
To my dear brothers and sisters in Christ:
I am saddened and disappointed that few among us, it seems, have noticed or have spoken out about the sufferings of our Christian brothers and sisters everywhere throughout the Muslim-dominated countries of the world: the Syrian Christians (where constant outrages against Christians, their homes, villages and churches are happening on a daily basis, and against whom Al Qaida-aligned “rebels” have sworn to exact “revenge”1); the Copts in Egypt 2,3,4; Christians in Pakistan5,6; Afghanistan; Iran7, Iraq, Turkey8; Sudan; Nigeria9,10,11; the Central African Republic12; Somalia; Libya; Kenya; the Sinai13; and in Indonesia14; not to mention the tiny island of Lampedusa (off the coast of Sicily, which is being over-run by Tunisian and Libyan “refugees”)15 – just to name a few.
But my greatest disappointment lies with our Christian “leaders” – our Reverends, Pastors, Priests, Bishops, Cardinals, yes, even with the Roman Catholic Pope, Francis I. While they waste their time with useless “inter-faith dialogues”, our Christian brothers and sisters in the above-mentioned countries are left at the mercy of Muslims in those places. They have been subject to rapes, kidnappings, torture, forced conversions and murder. Yes, these are the new martyrs, for whom I have not heard but few voices cry out against these horrible injustices.
Why not? Are we afraid? Afraid to be labeled “Islamophobes”, “racists”, or what have you? Are we Christ’s body on Earth or aren’t we? If God is for us, who can be against us?
“What can we do about it?” you might ask.
What I urgently propose is that whenever we gather in God’s houses of worship – to hear His Word, to pray, or to celebrate Mass – to close our services with a prayer to Almighty God for the conversion of Muslims to His love. I know that Jesus is working His miracles among Muslims in many lands, and has converted many. These stories of conversion fill my heart with joy at what He is able to accomplish; and you can see that same joy on the faces and in they eyes of many ex-Muslims, as well as hear it in their voices and in their testimonies. These brave individuals, knowing well that Islam prescribes death for their conversion, are unafraid to speak out – about their former lives, and the love and peace that they have now found in Jesus Christ. (You can find many of their testimonials on YouTube.)
But if we – all of us – Catholic, Orthodox, Protestant – were to lift our voices in prayer as one, God would indeed hear our prayers. Simply because this is the sort of prayer that would please Him, for us to show true Christian love and ask Him to shower his grace upon those who have not had the joy of knowing Him.
To those who might feel squeamish about asking our Heavenly Father for conversions, who might feel that this would be an act of religious “chauvinism”, I ask you this question: Do you truly believe Jesus Christ when He said that “I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”?
If so, then you should have no problem in helping our Muslim brothers and sisters to salvation through our Lord, Jesus Christ with prayer. If not, I suggest you pray to Almighty God for Him to increase your faith, for you do not believe as a disciple of Christ.
I implore that we, as Christians, openly and fervently say the prayer I have attached to close our worship services of Him – our Lord, our Creator and our God – for four good reasons:
1.) To help our Christian brothers and sisters around the world who are suffering so much at the hands of Muslims.
2.) To bring down God’s grace upon our Muslim brothers and sisters throughout the world who have been deceived into following an alien “god” that seems to only want hate, suffering, human degradation and death.
3.) To show the entire world the love, power and glory of Almighty God such that it might wake up those among us who have fallen asleep in disbelief and disillusion.
4.) To give all honor and glory to Almighty God – where all honor, glory and power belongs anyway.
Come, my brothers and sisters in Christ! Let us raise our voices as one in supplication for something greater than ourselves – something that would please God for a change. Let’s shake that fence where so many still seem to be sitting, shall we?
With love, from a fellow disciple of Christ.
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A Prayer Request for Conversion of Muslims:
Almighty, all-merciful and ever-loving God, our Heavenly Father: We love You as Your Son, Jesus, loves You; and we beseech You to soften the hearts of all Muslims, everywhere upon Your Earth.
Let the love of Your perfect Son, Jesus Christ, lift the hate from their hearts and leave His love in its place; lift the weapons of hate from their hands and leave Your Holy Word instead.
For the Muslims are Your children as much as we are, though they do not yet know Your love. Let Your peace be upon their hearts, in their minds and in their souls.
Almighty Father, You for whom nothing is impossible, please grant our prayer.
We ask this in the name of your loving and beloved Son, Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit – One God, forever and ever.
Amen.
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Sources:
1: http://www.jihadwatch.org/2013/09/al-qaeda-promises-to-slaughter-christians-after-us-liberates-syria.html
2: http://www.jihadwatch.org/2013/09/egypt-christians-killed-for-ransom.html
3: http://www.jihadwatch.org/2013/08/brotherhood-supporters-place-x-marks-on-coptic-homes.html
4: http://www.jihadwatch.org/2013/08/egypt-the-islamists-burnt-and-destroyed-everything-their-goal-was-to-erase-all-the-traces-of-a-chris.html
5: http://www.jihadwatch.org/2013/08/pakistan-christian-widow-threatened-by-husbands-muslim-family-with-islam-or-death.html
6: http://www.jihadwatch.org/2013/08/im-a-prisoner-because-i-used-the-same-cup-as-those-muslim-women-because-water-served-by-a-christian-.html
7: http://www.jihadwatch.org/2013/08/iran-convert-from-islam-to-christianity-gets-10-years-prison.html
8: http://www.jihadwatch.org/2013/08/turkey-muslims-attack-monastery-police-confront-christians-with-pepper-spray-but-leave-attackers-unt.html
9: http://www.jihadwatch.org/2013/08/interfaith-outreach-in-nigeria-muslim-group-has-attacked-50-churches-since-2012.html
10: http://www.jihadwatch.org/2013/08/nigeria-muslim-mob-with-motorcyle-chains-wooden-clubs-knives-and-iron-rods-beats-church-leaders-choi.html
11: http://www.jihadwatch.org/2013/08/nigria-muslim-group-murders-44-villagers-by-slitting-their-throats.html
12: http://www.jihadwatch.org/2013/08/central-african-republic-muslims-murder-dozens-in-attacks-on-christian-villages.html
13: http://www.jihadwatch.org/2013/08/bedouin-muslims-torture-and-enslave-african-christians.html
14: http://www.jihadwatch.org/2013/08/interfaith-outreach-in-indonesia-muslims-throw-molotov-cocktails-at-catholic-school.html
15: http://www.jihadwatch.org/2013/08/an-island-in-revolt-a-window-into-europes-future.html
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Testimonies: (There are more on YouTube. Check “Muslim converts to Christianity”)
Kamal’s story:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RMOJ3IR23YA
Al Fadi’s story:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=myEN9bkWfVg
Afshin’s story:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2-L1KIU7lao
Khalil’s story:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HIn3pBsd-SA
Jerry Rassamni’s story:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kR9m6SR6wy4
Converting religions is not going to help, it is the vicious circle of revenge that many Christians as well as Muslims are taking part in. Stop and think about what would happen if your family had a drone come and kill most of your family as you are at a funeral burying a loved one… If you are left with only memories of your loved ones, nothing else to loose, you probably would be beyond enraged to the point that only one could really comprehend once they have experienced such a tragic event. I can easily see how revenge could be so easily sought after, although it needs to stop with forgiveness for that vicious circle to stop!
US attacking and killing MANY innocents in the name of fighting terrorism needs to stop as well. Capturing someone may not be as easy as a drone attack, but a drone attack killing someone who hasn’t even had a chance to fight to prove their innocence is very problematic. Killing a truly innocent person can only spawn more anger among all of their family and friends… One innocent killed can result in many more angry people, whereas one person captured and proven to be guilty, will have much better results.
Google: ‘innocent drone strikes’ and you will be appalled with the information that has not been reaching the main stream media.
Wonderful, noble sentiments. Tad naive, but wonderful and noble.
Got somethings for you to ponder, Chris.
1) Don’t see too many Christians out there shooting drones at Muslims. Can’t remember the last time our Pastor did so. See, we tend to follow the Bible and what Jesus said, you know “Love thy neighbor as thyself”. We aren’t perfect, and many do things “in God’s name” contrary to what Jesus taught.
2) DO see quite a few Muslims out there with bombs strapped to their chests, built into cars, buried next to heavily traveled roads. Please, don’t hand me the “it’s the radical Muslims doing it” line. It’s not the radicals, it’s the fundamentalist Muslims, the ones following the teaching in the Koran and Hadith.
3) Google the term “human shield”. That is a favorite tactic of your Muslim buddies. See, they ain’t much for a stand-up fight. They like hiding out in hospitals, schools, neighborhoods. You know, them places with loads of “human shields”. They’ll pop off a few mortar rounds or fire a few rockets at their targets. Then, like cockroaches, they’ll scurry back into their holes. When the other side fires back, who ends up getting hurt? The Muslim “freedom fighter”? Nah, it’s his human shield. The woman’s skirt he’s hiding behind. The child he’s holding out in front of him. Yep, leads to innocents getting hurt. Sad, horrible, monstrous. Y’all take your happy butt over there and tell ’em to come out of hiding, maybe it won’t happen that way any longer.
4) Innocents being attacked by the US? Kinda the way your Muslim buddies flew that there plane into the building? How they pop off a murder vest (refuse to dignify their actions by using suicide) on a crowded bus, in a busy cafe? The US ain’t perfect, chum, but it’s a whole hell of a lot better than any Muslim country I’ve ever seen. Only country in the Middle East worth more’n two whiz holes in a snow bank is Israel, and bleeding hearts call Israelis occupiers, say they are practicing apartheid on the “Palestinians” (ain’t no such thing as a Palestinian like what most bleedin’ hearts say are Palestinians).
Oh, and as for converting religions (?), y’all might want to take a gander at that idea of yours.
You don’t wanna be a Christian any longer? That’s between you and God.
Don’t want to be a Muslim any longer? Heresy!!! Blasphemy!!! You shall die for that choice!!!
So, maybe,just maybe, y’all might want to get a lil perspective and learn some before y’all start spoutin’ off. Ya feelin’ me?