No Christmas for Iraqi Christians in Iraq

[Charles]

That's too bad. Looks like tolerance is a one way street in some parts of the world.

"Peace On Earth, Goodwill To All Mankind"

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Iraqi Christians cancel Christmas amid threats

'We cannot find a single source of joy that makes us celebrate,' archbishop says

By SAMEER N. YACOUB, YAHYA BARZANJI
The Associated Press

2010-12-23

KIRKUK, Iraq — Iraqi Christians on Wednesday called off Christmas festivities across the country as al-Qaida insurgents threatened more attacks on a beleaguered community still terrified from a bloody siege at a Baghdad church two months earlier.

A council representing Christian denominations across Iraq advised its followers to cancel public Christmas celebrations out of concern over new terror attacks and as a show of mourning for the victims of the church siege and other violence.

Church officials in the northern cities of Kirkuk and Mosul, the southern city of Basra and in the capital confirmed they will not put up Christmas decorations or hold evening Mass and have urged worshippers to refrain from decorating their homes.

Even an appearance by Santa Claus was called off.

"Nobody can ignore the threats of al-Qaida against Iraqi Christians," said Chaldean Archbishop Louis Sako in Kirkuk. "We cannot find a single source of joy that makes us celebrate. The situation of the Christians is bleak."

Christians across Iraq have been living in fear since a Baghdad church attack in October that left 68 people dead.

Days later insurgents targeted Christian homes and neighborhoods across the capital with a series of bombs.

Reign of terror

An al-Qaida front group, the Islamic State of Iraq, which claimed responsibility for the church siege, vowed at the time to carry out a reign of terror against Christians.

Full article here.

[Charles]

There are people suffering persecution in Muslim lands where the religion of peace is supposed to be practiced.

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Gunmen target Christian homes, 2 killed

Attacks send fear into already terrified tiny Iraqi community

Read the story.

[Charles]

And not just in Iraq.

There's been bombings of Christian churches in Egypt where little to nothing is done to bring justice and protection to the ancient Christian communities there.

The persecution of very small Christian communities, micro minorities in Muslim countries, is constant and growing, and almost never mentioned in the news. Things are getting so bad that finally the media is taking notice.

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Final body could hold clues in Egypt church bombing

Security officials reportedly looking at homegrown Islamic extremists

CAIRO — Egyptian investigators are focusing on a remaining set of unidentified remains from the bomb attack on an Alexandria church that may be linked to the attacker, a security official said Monday.

Investigators believe a suicide attacker carried out the bombing on the Saints Church in the coastal city of Alexandria as worshippers were emerging from midnight Mass, killing 21.

No group has claimed responsibility for the attack, the worst on Egyptian Christians in a decade. In the immediate aftermath, President Hosni Mubarak blamed foreigners, but security officials now say police are looking at homegrown Islamic extremists perhaps were inspired by al-Qaida.

Read more here.

[jeffnevins]

Thanks for the post.
My former housemate (Christian), his wife & child are currently living in Alexandria.