The ringing of Church bells is, of course, forbidden in Islamic law. From VOANews, with thanks to Susan:
The strength and character of Iraqi Christians was evident Sunday when they answered the call of bells and prayed in churches that had been bombed just the day before.It was a brave and determined act of solidarity in the name of God. About 100 parishioners of St. Joseph's Catholic church in Baghdad held Sunday services, just one day after the church was almost completely destroyed by a powerful bomb.
"We carry on as we did before. Its just symbolic, to say that whatever they do to us, or to others, we carry on believing in God and praying," said Father Vincent, the priest at St. Joseph's.
Parishioners consoled one another and hugged. And, when the small choir of young girls began to sing, only but a few managed to hold back their tears.
With tears in his eyes, the 13-year-old alter boy, Avil Nabil says the bombing of his church is so terrible. He asks, "what did we do to have this happen to us?" He said he was crying when he saw what happened because, he said, this is a sacred place, a holy place. He said, this is a house of God.
Saturday, five churches in Baghdad were attacked with bombs. At St. Joseph's, the resulting fire gutted the church. The explosion blew gaping holes in two walls and shattered all of the structures stained glass windows.
Saturday, few would have believed services could be held the very next day.
But, in a near non-stop effort, parishioners gathered at the church and worked throughout the night to clear away enough of the charred debris so that Sunday services could be held as scheduled.
Hallelujah, Praise the lord!!!
Now that the churches have been raised to the ground will the new Iraqi government allow them to be rebuilt?
There aren’t many Muslim countries where the repair or rebuilding of churches would be allowed (they are disappearing fast in "secular" democratic Indonesia). Whether they will or won't be rebuilt will be an important litmus test for the level of Islamist thought/influence in the new government. If they are not "eventually" rebuilt I think Iraq will be a just another democratic failure.
The best way around this would be to use Islam to build a new Temple,Muslims claim that Jesus is in the Quran as a Prophet and revered
by all Muslims.
Ergo,apply for a permit to erect and Temple to pay tribute to the Prophet Jesus,one of the beloved messengers from Allah.
Muslims can claim it to be for a Prophet while
Christians use it for services to praise Jesus and Allah.
Certainly would put Iraq in a awkward position
of agreeing Jesus is in the Quran and a tribute to him is fitting,call it a Mosque/Church or whatever you want.
Any opposition to rebuilding will only prove Islam is not based on Peace and Tolerance.
NO ISLAM - KNOW PEACE
These Iraqi Christians have more POWER than 100,000 Moslems with bombs strapped to them! I like how the Iraqi Christians don’t cry “victim” like the Moslems do!
They pickup the pieces and move on.
Be blessed Iraqi Christians for your reward in Heaven is great!
I regret that I cannot recall how to say "Christ is Risen" in Aramaic.
Good for them,since Muslim in the USA want prayer speakers on Mosques to blair out five times a day,I say keep them quiet until all Churches in Muslim Countries have the same luxury.
If I wanted to live in an Islamic State I would have moved to one.
NO ISLAM KNOW PEACE