Pakistan: Christians celebrate Christmas behind steel gates manned by armed security personnel

Why were those steel gates and armed security personnel necessary? Are militant atheists patrolling Peshawar? Marauding bands of "freethinkers"? Or maybe the local Christians worried about being caught by mistake in "Islamophobic" attacks on the area Muslims?

Or could it be that Islamic jihadists were menacing the Christians? Naaah. That couldn't be it. After all, as everyone but greasy Islamophobes know, "jihad" is just getting in your exercise and taking the kids to school.

"Christmas celebrations: Merrymaking, hymns and carols colour the day," from the Express Tribune, December 26 (thanks to Lookmann):

Like elsewhere in the country, Christmas was celebrated with religious fervour across Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) and the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata) on Tuesday.

Hundreds of resident Christians gathered at Swat Church to offer prayers for peace and prosperity of the country. Enthusiastic girls and boys sang carols in a chorus. The grand function was organised after almost five years.

“It’s a special occasion as people are rejoicing in the company of their family and friends after so long,” said Hina Patrus, a social activist. Maryam, a Christian woman who works in the provincial health department, said she was happy to see people celebrating with their loved ones.

Meanwhile, scores of people also came in from other parts of the province to participate in the function. “Having to celebrate by the scenic valley doubles the joy of Christmas,” said Usha Roy, who had come from Mardan with her family.

Father Samuel Gil, the church in-charge, conducted all proceedings at the event. While talking to The Express Tribune, he said, “the Muslim community in Swat is very warm and welcoming and we all live in harmony. On this occasion, we send out a message of peace and pray for eternal peace in this serene valley.”

The function was organised by the district administration in collaboration with Pakistan Army.

Prayers and presents in Peshawar

Owing to the volatile security situation in the city, most of the celebration was limited to the churches throughout Peshawar. “This year we did not cut the Christmas cake to honour the slain Senior Minister Bashir Ahmed Bilour, who rendered great services for our community,” said St. Micheal’s Catholic Church General Secretary Nadeem James.

He added that that although the two main churches are situation in the red zone, the Christians were allowed to move freely to their place of worship....

Strict security measures were taken by installing steel gates manned by armed security personnel. During his sermon, the bishop of the churches stressed on maintaining interfaith harmony....

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When a church is so rare, people come from afar to worship. This is unseen in the west. It shows the strong bond of fellowship. Christians in secure west have lost this sense.

The strong iron gate and security guard are useless. I was in a situation like it at one time, but we were trucked and locked up until our relatives paid them to release us. Before my relative could come to town, I had no meal, but another man's wife brought some so that I could eat. I was very young and stupid then, so I was not affected much.

If you are a Christian in the midst of the Children of Satan, you just have to be joyful that you are redeemed. You just have to be ready to die any moment, so you celebrate with your brothers when you come together--at any rate. When you have no money, you can walk up to 60 km. The interesting part about it is that in that walk, you will learn that not all Muslims are ready to kill you until God is ready for you to go. While God wants you to stay, God moves the hearts of some Muslims to spare you a meal. Christians in the west can never grow to know what it means to depend on God like this. Just don't think that Christmas is fun, but it takes courage to make it fun.

Christians need not suffer to be a good Christian, but it's important to take interest of other Christians in the midst of the enemy. Indifference is evil. What disappoints me the most about in the west is that there is no genuine Christian fellowship to be found at church. People like to be popular at church. Humility is dead. Everyone of them is bible expert--this makes me vomit. I can still find humble Christians in the west, but they are usually despised.

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