Has the Church ever had a worse group of bishops than the current crop? Their ongoing silence and indifference in the face of the Muslim persecution of Christians, and their refusal even to allow discussion of it among Christians, for fear of harming their spurious and self-defeating “dialogue” with Muslims. If what they preach is even remotely true, they will be judged very, very harshly.
Meanwhile, the Muslims in Raqqa are operating in accord with the Quran: “Fight against those who do not obey Allah and his messenger, and do not forbid what he has forbidden, even if they are of the People of the Book, until they pay the jizya with willing submission, and feel themselves subdued” (9:29)
“ASIA/SYRIA – 25 Christian families still in Raqqa. Obligation to pay a ‘protection tax,'” Agenzia Fides, November 15, 2014 (thanks to The Religion of Peace):
Raqqa (Agenzia Fides) – In Raqqa, the city of northern Syria which has become a stronghold of the jihadists of the Islamic State (IS) since 2014, counts only 23 Christian families of the 1500 who lived there before the beginning of the Syrian conflict. The violence of Islamist fanaticism strikes down on this small community made up of Armenian Christians, who were unable to leave the city for lack of resources or because of age and health reasons with the methodical aspect of the administrative and bureaucratic practices: they have recently been informed about the parameters of the jizya, the “protection tax” they will have to pay from 16 November if they do not want to be expelled and dispossessed of their homes and that amounts to the equivalent of $ 535. The information reported by the Christians in Raqqa, was released by the Arab site, ankawa.com. In all likelihood Christian families, impoverished by the war, will not be able to pay the tax and will have to leave their homes.
The jizya tax had to be paid, until the nineteenth century, by every non-Muslim subject to the Islamic authorities as a clause of the “pact” which guaranteed them protection from external aggression and freedom of worship. In Raqqa the jihadists of Is – who took total control of the city in early 2014, after having met with other Islamist anti-Assad factions – have turned the main Armenian church in offices for the management of Islamic affairs and the promotion of sharia. In the stronghold city the militia of the Islamic State have already expropriated the property of the Christians fled, and they also organized symbolic actions, such as the burning of Bibles and Christian books. The kidnapping of the Jesuit Fr. Paolo Dall’Oglio is attributed to the jihadist faction of IS.
noellsq says
Cowards all the Christians in the world,Christianity is going by by and the dark ages will be upon us.
AnneM says
Good news, the Christian is still growing bigtime, bellow the Saharia and in other parts of Asia.
Christopher Mantei says
Has the Church ever had a worse group of bishops than the current crop? The answer unfortunately, is no.
sanjulcle says
Justin Welby, who even by the standards we have come to expect of our bishops, comes across as a Very Nice Smiley Zombied-Out to the World man, has much more important things on his mind than a few million Christians and Jews subject to the horrors of mohammed and his murderous, adulterous, little-girl loving hoards – such as homophobia, women bishops and, generally ,Being Seen as Being Nice. He can’t be seen to have anything worth hearing to say on such un tea-time conversation as beheadings, rapes,sexual slave markets, sharia enforcing thugs, hangings and General Wicked Acts of muslims all over the world against Christians, yazidis and other muslims. That just would go with his cucumber sandwiches.
dumbledoresarmy says
Sorry to be picky, but it’s “hordes”, not “hoards”.
A hoard is comprised of money, or treasure, stashed away somewhere. A pile of stuff with a dragon sitting on it. Or someone’s life savings hidden in their mattress.
A horde is a swarm, army, or mob of living beings.
I see this horde/ hoard mixup all the time on the internet and it does get a bit annoying after awhile.
sanjulcle says
I meant to say that just would NOT go with his cucumber sandwiches! There he sits with his Smiley Bishops all around him, totally unconcerned, or not concerned enough to make comment about – the sufferings Christians are going through. I knew him over 30 years ago when he was in Paris – then he had fire in his belly. Now it is just jelly.
kate5778b says
‘Christians’ in the 21st century ought to be following the example of Jesus. Seems to me that 21st century Christianity is a hit for the masses e.g. Greenbelt to make people feel good about hating the covenants of Hashem. Yes, I am all for acceptance and even tolerance has its place (tho that means you’re putting up with something you don’t like) Matthew 5:17 is clear, even if Christians think that the TNK has been ‘done away with’ listen to the real ‘the buddah’, Jesus.
mortimer says
Message to our bishops: Dialogue? Worthless, pointless, fruitless.
Empty exercise of Islamic DISINFORMATION!
Dialogue with Muslims? FOR THE GULLIBLE ONLY!
AnneM says
You cannot dialogue with those who desire our destruction.
sanjulcle says
I don’t even know who our bishops are – they never say anything worth listening too. Never warning us of the judgement to come, never telling people to turn from their sin, just obsessed with pandering to society. I am one of the few women I know who thought making women priests was an abomination. it just opened the way for doctrinally and theologically weak, compromised and Pink Women, some of them lesbians, to come into the church. And now we have the abomination of women bishops to be brought in. I thought this was outvoted last year. Nowhere in all of Scripture does it allow for women priests, deacons or bishops. Yet, for all the terrible suffering of Christians in the world, THIS pathetic vote is all the Bishops seem to care about! Pathetic.
CogitoErgoSum says
All the “peaceful” Muslims of the world should set aside a day each year for atonement for all the evil the “misunderstanders” of their religion have done in the world. They should take up a collection on this day solely to pay back the extortion money collected by those “misunderstanders” in the name of Islam.
Im-stressed says
Brilliant! Should we get a petition going to send to Cair?
TH says
Bishops generally take their cue from the winds coming from the Vatican. The present pope esconced in the Vatican is either clueless about Islam or he has bought into the prevailing politically correct positions. He may think like Pope Pius XII did in World War II that speaking out would provoke more atrocities. Pope Pius based his decision on the fact that the Dutch bishops spole out and the Nazis increased their atrocities. He also did a great deal to help Jews, even by providing them with shelter in Vatican properties. We don’t actually know what Pope Francis thinks, except for what he wrote in Evangelii Gaudium, which is false. He obviously believes in dialogue with Islam. However, dialogue has to be based on the truth about Islam, not just about being nice, as they see that as a sign of weakness.
bindon blood says
Possibly but that does not excuse the protestant churches,the Church of England and the Anglican communion have done nothing to stop this persecution;if they have then they have done it very quietly and ineffectually. The Armenian Christians have suffered dreadfully at the hands of Muslims;they were almost exterminated by the Turks and Kurds and others on two occasions within the last 130 years. But no one in the West seems to care. The church and the professional clergy have a lot to answer for;they are selling their followers into slavery. This is how the powerful Christian nations of the Middle East were conquered so swiftly.It wasn’t just jihad,although that was terrible on it’s own,it was also the cowardice and capitulation of the church leaders and authorities. History is repeating itself. Now,perhaps ,the lefty critics of the crusades can grasp what the crusaders faced and were trying to stop,extermination of Christians in their own land.
TNT says
Pope Benedict knows the truth about Islam, but the world condemned him for it to the point that he stepped down, but he was telling the truth, if he was Pope now there would be a different story, God didn’t hit the Vatican with lightening for nothing. He should of stood his ground. But maybe that was Gods way of taking the Pope out of the picture for the falling away to liberalism. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/09/11/pope-benedict-xvi-islam_n... Cached
Jas says
The Vatican has a seat in the UN, funnily enough they are there as observers, they offer this advice (i suppose to whoever has the means to send things into Space)
Its a very down to earth “Intervention</b)" which could not possibly raise anyone's hackles, after all man has hardly any impact in Space (just yet) i wonder who picks the scripts though.
The Holy See at the United Nations advocates a peaceful use of space
Vatican City, 3 November 2014 (VIS) – “For a peaceful use of space” was the theme of the intervention by Archbishop Bernardito Auza, Holy See Permanent Observer at the United Nations, during the session of the Special Political and Decolonisation Committee which took place on 17 October and focused on “International cooperation in the peaceful uses of outer space”.
“Since the earliest days of human history, humanity has looked to the sky with wonder, longing to understand celestial realities and their meaning in relation to humanity itself”, observed the nuncio. “Because of the fundamental questions it has always raised, the exploration of the universe has also deepened the understanding of faith and its rapport with science. The Holy See believes that faith is capable of both expanding and enriching the horizons of reason; thus, it rejoices in the marvellous progress of science, seeing it both as a product of the enormous God-given potential of the human mind and as manifestation of the vastness and richness of creation”.
“Our responsibility is to ensure that the fruits of these advances also benefit the poor around the world”, he continued. “My delegation is fully aware of the constraints to a universal access to the beneficial uses of outer space, considering the huge investments put into explorations and questions related to intellectual property, patents, etc. However, in a time when outer space has become a huge economic asset and hosts information and communications technologies, States must work together to ensure that these benefits do not become yet another cause of increasing economic and social inequalities, but rather a shared resource for the common good of the entire global community. Vital to promoting this common good is ensuring the peaceful use of outer space. To this end, the ongoing discussion on the development of an International Code of Conduct for Outer Space Activities represents a positive step toward furthering a fairer and safer use of outer space. It would undoubtedly help toward preventing an arms race in outer space and, consequently, toward averting a new, grave threat to international peace and security”.
The archbishop went on to emphasise the importance of using outer space for an ever greater understanding of our planet. “Satellites monitor the health of oceans and forests. They provide data on water cycles, climate patterns and other atmospheric phenomena. We trust that this knowledge can convince us to change lifestyles and practices detrimental to our environment. If we do not work together, there will be no winners, only losers”.
“The Holy See wishes to highlight the use of satellites in the diffusion of knowledge and the elimination of illiteracy”, he concluded. “Indeed, satellites can reach not only those places where illiteracy is a thing of the past, but also those where many still cannot read or write, especially in far-flung areas. However, care must be taken that this outer space technology does not become an instrument of dominion and a vehicle to impose certain cultures and values on others”.
I bet you have to be in a very important committee to get to say all pap this in front of the whole of humanity when there are far bigger issues the UN should be dealing with.
Wheres John The Baptist
jas
PJG says
(From the article): “…the jihadist fction of IS.”
There is a NON-jihadist faction of IS?
Whatever ghastly manifestation of Islam turns up, it always divides at some point into “moderate” and “radical” varitions, that is, in the minds of writers and politicians at least.
I’m curious to know a little more about this “non-jihadist” faction.
PJG says
“variations”
Salah says
“If what they preach is even remotely true, they will be judged very, very harshly.”
True, but make no mistake, so shall we.
“..we MUST understand and remember that Our Lord is ANGRY. Very, very angry. And as St. John Eudes told is in no uncertain terms, when God is angry with His people, we get bad clergy. Given the unprecedented sins of the once-Christian world, it should be no surprise whatsoever that we now have not just bad priests, but a bad pope. Hey, if we had the pope we deserved we would have Pope Snoop Dogg right now, so… yeah. Sigh.”
http://www.barnhardt.biz/2013/11/28/unpacking-the-latest-hot-mess-from-pope-francis/
Arthur says
Someone please post how we can help these people! Can they be sponsored for asylum in the US?
Aunt Turtle says
Attacks by people who claim to be Holy Warriors can only be repulsed by Holy Warriors of our own. The answer to JIHAD has to be CRUSADE.
EYESOPEN says
A portion of the article states that “jizya” was a clause of the ” pact which guaranteed them protection from external aggression and freedom of worship.”
Jizya NEVER guaranteed the infidels “protection from external aggression”, only (supposedly) protection from aggression by the muzlim overlords themselves.
In addition, there was no real “freedom of worship”. Those who paid the extortion were under all sorts of “rules” that applied to that so-called “freedom of worship”, including NOT saying prayers loud enough to “offend” nearby muzlims, NO ringing of church bells, NO singing of hymns that might disturb their muzlim overlords, NO wearing of crosses or Stars-of-David, NO construction of new churches/synagogues, and NO repair of churches or synagogues that might have been desecrated or destroyed. In addition, only the so-called “people of the book” even qualified for these so-called “freedoms”. Any/all others were given the “choice” to convert or die. Ask any Hindu, Buddist, Seik, Confucian, etc.
ben t says
Eyes Open you went right to the heart of the mohammedan claim about being a peaceful and just people. It refers ONLY to other mohammedans. All the rest of the world’s peoples are trash to them.
Mark says
And even then, only the right kind of Mohammedans
prophecyheadlines inthenews says
Has the Church ever had a worse group of bishops than the current crop?
No, and that’s because they’re not real shepherd’s, they’re only hirelings who would never lay down their lives for the sheep.
Whenever the wolves come, in this case islam, they remain quiet or run and hide, not wanting to draw attention to themselves.
bobfincher says
All these comments are justified. Being from the UK I can see the issues that we Christians face and the slow destruction of the church. Being a proud evangelical Christian, it breaks my heart to see Birmingham moving farther and farther away from Jesus.Do we need to see Europe where it was centuries ago before we find our bottle to defend ourselves?
shabeer_hassan says
SPENCER & GANGS PLZ TAKE THE NOTE BOOK & PEN WRITE FOLLOWING ISLAMIC LAW
2: 188. And eat up not one another’s property unjustly (in any illegal way e.g. stealing, robbing, deceiving, etc.), nor give bribery to the rulers (judges before presenting your cases) that you may knowingly eat up a part of the property of others sinfully.
4: 29. O you who believe! Eat not up your property among yourselves unjustly except it be a trade amongst you, by mutual consent. And do not kill yourselves (nor kill one another). Surely, Allâh is Most Merciful to you.
30. And whoever commits that through aggression and injustice, We shall cast him into the Fire, and that is easy for Allâh.
9:34. O you who believe! Verily, there are many of the (Jewish) rabbis and the (Christian) monks who devour the wealth of mankind in falsehood, and hinder (them) from the Way of Allâh (i.e. Allâh’s Religion of Islâmic Monotheism). And those who hoard up gold and silver [Al-Kanz: the money, the Zakât of which has not been paid], and spend it not in the Way of Allâh, -announce unto them a painful torment.
Jizya prohibited some poor’s:
Bukhari :: Book 9 :: Volume 88 :: Hadith 208
Jizya prohibited to oppressed/weak/torment people:
Muslim :: Book 32 : Hadith 6327 6328, 6329,6330
Forced jizya prohibited:
Muslim :: Book 32 : Hadith 6328,6330
Jizya a charity for poor:
Bukhari :: Book 3 :: Volume 43 :: Hadith 656
Bukhari :: Book 3 :: Volume 34 :: Hadith 425
Muslim :: Book 1 : Hadith 287 ,289
Non Muslim Women & children no need to pay jizya & only for wealthy non Muslim:
Malik :: Book 17 : Hadith 17.24.46
Malik said, “The sunna is that there is no jizya due from women or children of people of the Book, and that jizya is only taken from men who have reached puberty. The people of dhimma and the magians do not have to pay any zakat on their palms or their vines or their crops or their livestock. This is because zakat is imposed on the muslims to purify them and to be given back to their poor, whereas jizya is imposed on the people of the Book to humble them. As long as they are in the country they have agreed to live in, they do not have to pay anything on their property except the jizya.
Malik :: Book 17 : Hadith 17.24.44
Jiziya for the protection for non Muslim
Dawud :: Book 19 : Hadith 2955
Narrated Umar ibn al-Khattab:
A son of Adi ibn Adi al-Kindi said that Umar ibn AbdulAziz wrote (to his governors): If anyone asks about the places where spoils (fay’) should be spent, that should be done in accordance with the decision made by Umar ibn al-Khattab (Allah be pleased with him). The believers considered him to be just, according to the saying of the Prophet (peace_be_upon_him): Allah has placed truth upon Umar’s tongue and heart. He fixed stipends for Muslims, and provided protection for the people of other religions by levying jizyah (poll-tax) on them, deducting no fifth from it, nor taking it as booty.
Isa[a]stop the jizya, because Money will be in abundance
Bukhari :: Book 3 :: Volume 43 :: Hadith 656,657
Narrated Abu Huraira:
Allah’s Apostle said, “The Hour will not be established until the son of Mary (i.e. Jesus) descends amongst you as a just ruler, he will break the cross, kill the pigs, and abolish the Jizya tax. Money will be in abundance so that nobody will accept it (as charitable gifts).
Bukhari :: Book 3 :: Volume 34 :: Hadith 425
Narrated Abu Huraira:
Allah’s Apostle said, “By Him in Whose Hands my soul is, son of Mary (Jesus) will shortly descend amongst you people (Muslims) as a just ruler and will break the Cross and kill the pig and abolish the Jizya (a tax taken from the non-Muslims, who are in the protection, of the Muslim government). Then there will be abundance of money and no-body will accept charitable gifts.
Muslim :: Book 1 : Hadith 289
It is narrated on the authority of Abu Huraira that the Messenger or Allah (may peace be upon him) observed: I swear by Allah that the son of Mary will certainly descend as a just judge and he would definitely break the cross, and kill swine and abolish Jizya and would leave the young she-camel and no one would endeavour to (collect Zakat on it). Spite, mutual hatred and jealousy against one another will certainly disappear and when he summons people to accept wealth, not even one would do so.
Bukhari :: Book 4 :: Volume 55 :: Hadith 657
Muslim :: Book 1 : Hadith 287,289
Dawud :: Book 37 : Hadith 4310
CHRISTIANITY &JIZYZ
This obligation is commented by Rabbi Chavel:
“This Commandment … will be better understood in the light of the following passage from the ‘Mishneh Torah’: ‘
We are not to engage in war with anyone whatever unless we [first] proclaim peace to him; [this is applicable to both] an optional and an obligatory war; for it is said, When thou drawest nigh a city to fight against it, then proclaim peace unto it (Deut XX, 10).
If [the inhabitants] accept the offer of peace… we are not to slay a soul among them, and they merely become tributary, for it is said, [All the people … therein] shall become tributary unto thee, and shall serve thee’.” (Ibid.)
Step 1 — Give them the option of peace
Step 2 —- If they want to keep their religion, they must pay the Tribute (Head Tax)
Step 3 —- If they deny the above two options then kill them all or enslave them.
JEW;
Baba Mezia 24a . If a Jew finds an object lost by a gentile (“heathen”) it does not have to be returned. (Affirmed also in Baba Kamma 113b). Sanhedrin 76a. God will not spare a Jew who “marries his daughter to an old man or takes a wife for his infant son or returns a lost article to a Cuthean…”
Sanhedrin 57a . When a Jew murders a gentile (“Cuthean”), there will be no death penalty. What a Jew steals from a gentile he may keep.
CogitoErgoSum says
Shabeer, what you have posted here is a perfect example of the mish-mash of gobbledygook spouted by Muhammad and set forth in non-chronological order in the Quran. You say give everyone the option of peace but it has to be peace on your terms and if they don’t like your terms to subdue them or kill them. All you have proven to me is that your “peace” is not peace at all …… it is submission. Stop confusing peace with submission. I think you are the one who needs to re-examine his way of thinking. Why don’t you write that down in your little memo book so you won’t forget it. “Note to self: Get the cobwebs out of my brain first thing each morning ….. then start thinking.” Oh, and one additional note from me to you: “Islam is full of cobwebs.”
The Buffster says
Cogito – I believe Shabeer is offering a challenge by presenting Christian and Jewish material that has the same objectionable material in it as the Muslim texts. Note the reference “Deut XX, 10”.
The Buffster says
Shabeer, I know that there are many Muslims who just want to live and let live. I want no harm to come to those people. I wish them well.
But I also know that there is a significant portion of Muslims who take the example of Mohammad waging violent jihad to spread Islam as an example that they must emulate. And from what I have learned about Islam, they are not going against the religion, but are fulfilling it, and they mean to bring the full harshness of Sharia Law to the world, or die trying.
Because this *is* a significant part of Islamic scripture and of Mohammad’s example, and because *it is not a dormant part* that no one takes seriously anymore, but has become a real threat to non-Muslims worldwide, we non-Muslims have to take it seriously.
There is no comparable, present-day aim of fanatics of any other religion to impose their religion on the world by force and stealth. Therefore, it is Islam that we’re worried about.
What I would like to know from anti-jihad Muslims – and I’ve been looking for a sensible answer to this question for many years – is how does such a Muslim justify rejecting jihad and the subjugation of unbelievers, given the content of the Koran on the matter and given the example of Mohammad regarding the duty of jihad. I’m interested – genuinely interested – in understanding how a truly moderate – that is, a peaceful, modern, anti-jihad, live-and-let-live Muslim – gets around the jihad and Sharia requirements?
What is the thought process?
Is there a convincing theological argument you can use to uphold a rejection of jihad and the harshness of the Sharia laws? If there is, I want to know.
I mean, is there a sound way for a serious Muslim to reject those things as wrong and still be considered by the scriptures to be a good Muslim?
PRODOS says
I’d like to ask Shabeer Hassan a couple of questions:
– What do you know about The Sanhedrin, whose writings you reference? What is your understanding of their writings and the status of these writings in Jewish Law?
– You indicate that the term “Cuthean” is interchangeable with the term “gentile”. Why?
– What is your view of those parts of Jewish Law which forbid stealing from Gentiles?
– You quote the following passage from a Judaic scholar: “If [the inhabitants] accept the offer of peace… we are not to slay a soul among them, and they merely become tributary, for it is said, [All the people … therein] shall become tributary unto thee, and shall serve thee’”
Are you suggesting that this is meant to apply to all non-believers?
i.e. To all non-Jews?
Are you suggesting this has the same meaning in Judaism as it has in Islam?
Thanks.
Best Wishes,
PRODOS
Melbourne, Australia
blameitonthemoonlight says
Abrogation (The repeal or abolition of a law, right, or agreement):
“Whichever Ayah We “nansakh” or cause to be forgotten We replace it with its equal or with that which is greater, did you not know that God is capable of all things?” 2:106
“When We “baddalna” (substitute) one Ayat (revelation) in place of another, and God is fully aware of what He reveals” 16:101
Lookmann says
According to a report ( thanks to The Religion Of Piece)
http://www.fides.org/en/news/36768-ASIA_SYRIA_25_Christian_families_still_in_Raqqa_Obligation_to_pay_a_protection_tax
25 Christian families were already evicted from their millennia -old homes
(after all,their ancestors were earliest adherents of Christianity)
Ian Marshall says
For a personal endorsement of their uselessness, I actually wrote on paper to all our UK Archbishops back in the summer (2014). One didn`t reply, but ALL the others wrote back waffling on about working together, dialogue, respect, tolerance, etc.
Hard evidence that, far from champions of Christ, they`re all a bunch of limp willies.
Jerry says
And what does the poop in the Vatican has to say about it, except appease the devil worshippers of Mohammedan Cult of Death?
Blameitonthrmoomlight says
Christy,
You say it is ‘not all about Islam’ and that identifying Chistian persecution with Islam is ‘misleading’. Have you read the Koran? And since when is repeatedly stating a simple fact ‘misleading’ anybody?
You open your post by clearly stating “A disproportionate share of anti-Christian persecution is, indeed, fueled by radical Islam”. I would personally remove the word ‘radical’ but otherwise this statement is obviously correct! And you can add Jews ,woman ,atheists, gays and ex-Muslims to the persecution list if you like! Therefore we have nothing ‘misleading’ here and your post clearly reenforces the fact. Obviously, making readers aware that “A disproportionate share of anti-Christian persecution is, indeed, fueled by radical Islam” is not ‘misleading’ as it is a fact, which we both agree on.
I think it is you doing the ‘misleading’ (or at least trying to do so).
The question is…why?
deja vu says
Blameitonthemoonlight, she/he will not reply. All she/he does is copy and paste this article on every other thread ad nauseam. It’s from the National Catholic Reporter and dates from January 2012.
She/he seems to get a buzz from duping us into answering. Many have tried to engage (including me), but she/he/it appears to be an automaton programmed to regurgitate every few hours. Best ignored.
The Buffster says
I think Christy raises important points to be aware of – that Islam is not the *only* persecutor of Christians or other religious groups, and that we should be aware of these other persecutions going on in the world.
But that does not change the fact that Islam mandates jihad against unbelievers in order to establish Islamic rule throughout the world. And that at present we face a concerted effort on the part of jihadis to fulfil that mandate, which is a threat to everyone, including those Muslims who do not want to take their religion that far.
If there is a movement among Buddhists or Hindus to conquer the world for their religion, I haven’t seen evidence of it, and don’t know of any scriptures in those religions that command such things.
While it’s important to take note of persecutions done by members of other groups, and to condemn them, there is an extra magnitude of concern when a religion’s scriptures command the religion’s spread by jihad and when the most ardent of believers are taking that aim seriously.