He never expected such a thing to happen?
But Sri Lanka’s police chief Pujuth Jayasundara, according to AFP, “issued an intelligence alert to top officers 10 days ago, warning that suicide bombers planned to hit ‘prominent churches.’ ‘A foreign intelligence agency has reported that the NTJ (National Thowheeth Jama’ath) is planning to carry out suicide attacks targeting prominent churches as well as the Indian high commission in Colombo,’ the alert said. The NTJ is a radical Muslim group in Sri Lanka that was linked last year to the vandalisation of Buddhist statues.”
Did Jayasundara alert the “prominent churches”? If he did, did Ranjith disregard the warning? We may never know the answers to those questions, but in a larger sense it is easy to see, despite escalating Muslim persecution of Christians worldwide, why Ranjith “never expected such a thing to happen,” and so had no guards at the churches for Easter Sunday: all those who have been for years calling attention to this threat have been branded as “racist,” “bigoted” and “Islamophobic,” and dismissed as “fearmongering.” Everyone in the Catholic Church knows that Islam is a religion of peace; dissenters are shunned and ostracized. Would it have been “Islamophobic” to have Sri Lankan churches guarded for Easter?
“Sri Lanka explosions: More than 200 killed as churches and hotels targeted,” BBC, April 21, 2019:
At least 207 people have been killed and 450 hurt in explosions at churches and hotels in Sri Lanka, police say.
At least eight blasts were reported. Three churches in Negombo, Batticaloa and Colombo’s Kochchikade district were targeted during Easter services.
The Shangri-La, Kingsbury, Cinnamon Grand and a fourth hotel, all in the capital Colombo, were also hit….
Cardinal Archbishop of Colombo, Malcolm Ranjith, told the BBC: “It’s a very difficult and a very sad situation for all of us because we never expected such a thing to happen and especially on Easter Sunday.”…
MikeR says
Cardinal Archbishop Ranjith said “we never expected such a thing to happen”. Really? How naive can a person be? Hasn’t Ranjith ever read the Koran? Doesn’t he know that muslims think he and other Christians are hated infidels? Doesn’t he pay attention to the almost daily acts of terror by muslims reported in the news?
Dapto says
Just another tool of the Jihad pope.
CRUSADER says
True enough.
The Pope set everybody up for a crestfallen systemic failure….
in that he set the tone of naïveté and acquiescence….
The Fool!!!
Best to replace this clueless Pope with one from Africa, where they face the devil daily.
Malcolm (South Afric) says
Crusader
The Pope has nothing to do with this, you might have issues with the Pope that is your right however to lay the blame at his feet is out of place.
The ideology of Islam and those who carry the commands of pathology of Mohammed are to blame.
Certain quarters of western ideology (the extreme left) in government, has allowed this to happen by paralysing opposition through law. The general society has still voted for them to power.
We need to get our own hose in order.
I wish you well in the future.
Malcolm (South Afric) says
correction: (house)
Westman says
Sorry, Malcom, but the Pope is complicit for declaring the falsehood of a peaceful Islam to the flock that left them vulnerable. Perhaps he could undo some of the damage by going to Sri Lanka and raising the newly dead?
This Pope lives in a fantasy of butterflies and unicorn ponies while in a real world of religious assassins. He’s a idealistic Marxist who is emptying the US church with his past support for gay priests and delusions about Islam. He’s a pencil in a world that needs a wrench.
Malcolm (South Afric) says
Westman
I prefer to deal with facts and evidence, to blame the pope would be to ignore the fact that these attacks on Christians have been going on since Islam happen to be invented by an evil man.
Most reasonable people would agree.
As a Catholic I have issues with the Pope but this murderess behaviour of Mohammed is not one of them.
This morning my Family and I went to celebrate the risen Lord, the Church was packed, my heart was uplifted by the Mass and the community. The universal Church is important to all Catholics and we remain focussed on that. We are against evil wherever that may reside.
Thank you Westman.
Westman says
Malcom,
I’m glad you are enjoying this Easter celebration of what much of humanity considers the conclusion of the greatest life and work done on earth.
This surge of jihad is just beginning as the former citizens of Islamic nations spread into free ntions, bringing “radicals” with them.
You’ll be fine. It’s Europe and the Vatican, on their list.
The Pope is a beautiful man but still a pencil when a wrench was needed.
All of this has little to do with Jesus, and it’s his day, so,
Happy Easter. Hope the sun is shining there.
christianblood says
MikeR
The Vatican has surely blinded the eyes of Archbishop Ranjith about the real dangers of Islamic jihadist hate, violence and mass-murder!
The Vatican is EVIL!
Malcolm (South Afric) says
Westman I live in Africa, it is ten times worse than Europe. Have been in war. If you have experience combat you would avoid it, It has unintended results.
Wish you well for Easter
christianblood says
CRUSADER
christianblood says
Malcolm (South Afric)
Africans tell me that South African is, by far, the most violent country in Africa! What say you?
Happy Easter Bro!
gravenimage says
No, South Africa is not the most violent country in Africa–it is not even in the top ten:
https://answersafrica.com/top-10-most-dangerous-countries-in-africa.html
FYI says
@malcolm{Sotuth Africa}
Pope francis is leading FAITHFUL catholics astray{see filial correction 2017,Dubbia 2016:google them.He has not retracred his errors]
If a pope is shown to be promoting HERESY{and this pope has} then one cannot,in good conscience go along with such errors{consult the Cathecism of the Church}
There is absolutely nothing wrong with the Catholic faith itself:it is the Church Administrators,this pope and the fruits of the Errors of vatican 2..that “smoke of satan” Pope Paul Vi famously warned about}
If you don’t wish to accept the Truth about this pope then I suggest you keep a very close eye on what comes out of the Vatican..
Catholics are obliged to take seriously the prophetic warnings in scripture etc{Fatima 1917,st Francis Assisi prophecy about a false pope who would promote grave errors etc}
Most will choose to ignore these warnings:they are the ones referred to in Matthew Chpt 25 as “the foolish bridesmaids”.At least take Scripture seriously!
christianblood says
gravenimage
Your statics are wrong!
Ethiopia, an ancient majority Orthodox country
is one of the most peaceful countries in Africa! It is the only country (it is a major country with over 107million people, the 2nd most populated country in Africa) where tourists could travel around without security!
South Africa has drugs, violence, gangs, class-based society and racism more than any other country in Africa! They say South Africa is
the African “Jamaica”.
It is right. Somalia is the most dangerous place on Earth!
BTW, Located in North East Africa, or the “Horn of Africa” as is known, Ethiopians, Somalis, Eritreans and Djiboutians are ethnically related and are known as “Afro-Asiatic” people but Somalis are violent because of the type fundamentalist Islam they believe in and their extreme nomadic culture! Two hundred years ago, all this region is called Abyssinia and was basically one country but due to colonialism of the Somali part, the Djboutian part and the Eritrean part by the Europeans they become different countries! Ethiopia proper was never colonized and it is the only country of 52 countries in Africa that was never colonized, the second uncolonized country in Africa is Liberia!
An Ethiopian country song below!
gravenimage says
Of course I am familiar with the history of Abyssinia.
The claim that the problems there were caused by the filthy Infidels rather than Islam is quite false.
And yes–South Africa is a mess, but is still vestigially more civilized due to its Western laws. It mostly looks so bad now because it was Africa’s most modern nation for many years.
South Africa is ranked 112th in terms of safety on this site–or the fiftieth most dangerous nation:
https://safearound.com/danger-rankings/
That means it is nowhere near the most dangerous country in Africa.
Malcolm (South Afric) says
@Mike
There are practical methods, that all Christian Churches can take to beef up security measures. It does not take much to employ them.
The design of churches leaves parishioners vulnerable, it is only those in the sanctuary that can see to the back, the parishioners are facing the front.
It is the Bishops who are responsible for the flock. It is well in the rights of the laity to question bishops if they have a security plan in place, in case of an attack.
They need to consult the laity who know better how to protect themselves from violence.
CRUSADER says
This Pope has a tin horn. He is tone deaf to Islam’s threat to the West and to the Church.
As the leader of the Catholic “Faith”, he has been duped by influencers and has demonstrated dereliction of duty as Defender of the Faith….much as some Popes had during the Crusading period and afterwards, when Constantinople was threatened continually by collapse due to pressures by Jihad.
The African bishops and cardinals have been wrestling issues of concern face to face, and they are far more deserving of wearing the shoes of the Fisherman.
Pope Frank is a globalist socialist who is blind to matters of Jihad, as Robert Spencer has clearly and consistently pointed out, there Malcolm.
Please pay attention to it.
Malcolm (South Afric) says
The Pope has no option other than to seek peace. We on the other hand have a right to defend ourselves.
To insert the Pope in this particular situation is not the right thing to do. We need to stand in solidarity with our brothers and sisters in Sire Lanka, keep them in mind who the perpertrators are and what inspires them.
gravenimage says
Malcolm, no one says the Pope has to go into battle.
But his speaking the truth about Islam–as former pontiffs have indeed done–would be a good thing.
Malcolm (South Afric) says
gravenimage
You articulated the problem that many Catholics and bishops have with Pope Francis.
What others are advocating is Francis is responsible for the Jihad against Sire Lanka or the bombing of Churches. Which is ridicules.
Catholics do not have to agree with the pope on his personal opinions. In fact during the Mass we have a thing called rubrics of the liturgy. I for one follow them.
In the Mass we do the Lords prayer. As a child we were taught by the Dominicans to have our hands in prayer, at a 45 degree angle pointed to the crucifix and focus on the prayer.
Where I attend Mass, the community hold hands. My wife is on my right and children next to her. I do not hold her hand in that situation, she knows I follow the rubrics of the liturgy, if a stranger is on my left I explain the situation, as not to offend them. The priest knows that I am correct yet he is afraid to change this practice, that he has not instituted.
The point is : I cannot change the priest nor can I change the Pope or his opinions or inaction. I can however follow the Church Teachings and the rubrics. These things should not affect the laity’s faith in the Church or the Mass. This is not a personal opinion it is the teaching of our Church.
Have a good Easter
gravenimage says
I would never hold the Pope responsible for the Jihad terror attacks in Sri Lanka–that was the Jihadists.
I do wish the Pope would speak out more about the threat of Islam, though.
Despite all these horrors, I hope you had a wonderful Easter.
CRUSADER says
Malcom,
If the Pope cannot come to the aid of Christian churches
and ensure the focus is increased on awareness about
Perfection against Christians….he is complicit in matters.
He is the leader, and there are many ways to lead the church.
“Peace”? What is peace in this case? This is far broader an
issue than the platitude of stating the Pope has to “seek peace”.
What is the point of being on JW if one doesn’t follow that this Pope
is as clueless about the threats and as much as a dhimmi to Islam as
others in authority.
I wouldn’t want Pope Frank in my foxhole. I really wouldn’t.
=============
Virtue in Distress
Vice in Triumph
make atheists of us….
Malcolm (South Afric) says
This is from Ezechiel. Christians take this passage seriously, it certainly does not prohibit us from defending ourselves.
However if any pope would take a different line he will be in error. The crusades were defensive wars, yet the secular up to this day cannot see it. You need to know what a bishops duty is.
18:23. Is it my will that a sinner should die, saith the Lord God, and not that he should be converted from his ways, and live?
Numquid voluntatis meae est mors impii dicit Dominus Deus et non ut convertatur a viis suis et vivat
18:24. But if the just man turn himself away from his justice, and do iniquity according to all the abominations which the wicked man useth to work, shall he live? all his justices which he hath done, shall not be remembered: in the prevarication, by which he hath prevaricated, and in his sin, which he hath committed, in them he shall die.
Si autem averterit se iustus a iustitia sua et fecerit iniquitatem secundum omnes abominationes quas operari solet impius numquid vivet omnes iustitiae eius quas fecerat non recordabuntur in praevaricatione qua praevaricatus est et in peccato suo quod peccavit in ipsis morietur
18:25. And you have said: The way of the Lord is not right. Hear ye, therefore, O house of Israel: Is it my way that is not right, and are not rather your ways perverse?
Et dixistis non est aequa via Domini audite domus Israhel numquid via mea non est aequa et non magis viae vestrae pravae sunt
CRUSADER says
The Popes during the Crusades were staunch defenders of the Christian Faith
from the Latin Church point of view. They stood up to Islam. Pope Frank doesn’t!
Who is more error for their times? Have you read Robert Spencer on this matter?
The Pope is the leader of the Bishops!
He is the Bishop of Rome!
Regarding EZEKIEL 38….
Global lack of leadership as the mice all come out of their holes…
In this, the final part of our session, Pastor Jack and Amir Tsarfati discuss the Antichrist, lawlessness, the Ezekiel battles, Damascus and much more. What should a Christian be doing at a time like this?
Jack Hibbs and Amir Tsarfati – What in the World is Going On? – Part 4
Malcolm (South Afric) says
Times have changed, the pope has no army, He cannot call on kings and princes for troops, we have secular government and democracy. You need to ask your M.P. or congressman the question.
If a pope called for a defensive war a “CRUSADE” where in the world would we train and outfit the millions that would arrive. What we Christians have learnt, we fight our country’s wars, yet they do not give a damn about attacks on Christians, our Churches been blown up.
Perhaps we need to look at reality and work in that direction and pray about it.
Rufolino says
“We must not insert the pope in this” ??
The Pope inserts HIMSELF in this, and abets an ongoing disaster with his ignorance !
CRUSADER says
The point is as leader of the church, the Pope has a position of authority to LEAD and to set the tone….
He does a poor job at protecting persecuted Christians.
He does a masterful job at appeasing Islam, as the Neville Chamberlain that he is.
To this aspect, Robert Spencer often mentions the “Blind leading the Blind….”
elee says
+1. And as I’ve posted elsewhere: HOW MANY LIVES WOULD HAVE BEEN SAVED BY A CRIPPLING PREEMPTION?
Emilie Green says
The bishop says, “we never expected such a thing to happen”
Then you’re not paying attention. Attacking/killing the non-Muslim is the inherent nature of Islam. And you as a leader would know this if you read Islam’s source documents and know of Islam’s 1400 year history.
CRUSADER says
Easter death toll in Sri Lanka over 200 at Christian centers…
https://www.foxnews.com/world/easter-sunday-explosions-at-multiple-churches-and-hotels-rock-sri-lanka-death-tolls-rises
More than 207 people died and hundreds more injured after six nearly simultaneous explosions struck three churches and three luxury hotels in and just outside of Sri Lanka’s capital on Easter Sunday. They were followed hours later by two more blasts.
======================================
Damnation be on the perpetrators of this atrocity.
Peace be on the souls of those who perished.
+ + +
James Cameron says
For pity’s sake, Archbishop, you’re in Colombo, on the principal Christian holyday, in a city full of people whose Koran tells them fight and terrorise Christians. What the Hell do you expect from them, you blind guide ? Killing Christians, bombing them, murdering them, is what their idol allah commands of them. If you don’t know that you’re unfit to be an archbishop 🙁
Joe says
He is also a cardinal which is a “prince” of the Church. You have to wonder if he has always demonstrated that he was so clueless, how he was promoted to the elite level of the Church. It would be bad enough if he was an isolated mistake, but the Church seems to have many cardinals who know almost nothing about religion.
Hugh Fitzgerald says
Let’s see. Did European “colonialism” cause Muslim terror attacks on Christians in Sri Lanka? Did American intervention in Iraq and Afghanistan? Did the Administration’s move of our embassy to Jerusalem? Did Turkish resentment over not having been admitted to the E.U.? Or was it perhaps the burkini ban in France, or the latest speech by Geert Wilders in the Netherlands? It’s not Islam vs. the West, but Islam vs. All the Rest.
Lu says
Excellent points – but yours will never be used by the enemedia; rather a widely trumpeted “fear of backlash against Muslims” will be all over their version of the “news”.
We live in very sad times; the proverbial straw breaking the camel’s back is lurking just behind the corner, though.
CRUSADER says
“ENEMedia” — that is an apt moniker for the truth-twisters!
Kay says
Did Jayasundara alert the “prominent churches”? If he did, did Ranjith disregard the warning?
—————
These are fair questions and fair to ask in each archdiocese if there is communication with warnings and alerts.
gravenimage says
Good questions.
Older Canadian says
This country knows this group, and their intent, and has experienced prior serious incidents from this group. I guess Sri Lanka is like western democracies and allows the threat of an extremist group to fester instead of using their laws or creating a law to prevent, making it illegal to belong to a hate group that endorses murder, regardless of their stripes. Why isn’t the freedom and safety of the majority rule one.
CRUSADER says
ACT for Canada .ca
!!!!!!
James Lincoln says
We know for a fact that the Sri Lankan churches were not guarded for Easter.
This was inexcusable considering:
-Warnings from Sri Lanka’s police chief Pujuth Jayasundara.
– Escalating Muslim persecution of Christians worldwide.
– The fact that scores of known Sri Lankan ISIS fighters have returned from Syria in recent years.
-Many of the deaths could have been prevented with proper security.
Many lives could have been spared if not for the nonsensical “Islamophobia.”
If this is not a wake-up call, nothing will be.
And I make this post with great sadness…
Malcolm (South Afric) says
James Lincoln
Agree with what you say. Would add that a Catholic, is both subject to the laws of the State and Church. The Bishop is responsible for the safety of his flock, the State is responsible for the safety of its citizens.
There is a duty of both to fulfill their functions, the state outside the Church the bishop inside the Church.
James Lincoln says
Very well put, Malcolm.
CRUSADER says
The Bishop of Rome better take more care of his flock….
CRUSADER says
OpenDoorsUSA.org
Christian Persecution is pervasive yet is virtually ignored by churches in the West.
Lack of shepherdly leadership!
Spread of dread by Dhimmitude!
gravenimage says
It is unclear whether the police chief actually warned churches or not of what he knew of the threat.
James Lincoln says
gravenimage, you stated correctly:
“It is unclear whether the police chief actually warned churches or not of what he knew of the threat.”
I was inexact in my analysis of the article – and I strive for evidence-based logic.
Fact: The churches were not guarded even though the police chief had informed his top officers 10 days ago, with warnings that suicide bombers planned to hit ‘prominent churches.’
Either the top officers:
-Took no further action on this information
Or
-They informed the churches and they took no further action on this information.
However, given the situation in Sri Lanka over the last few years regarding Islam, Christian churches should have had at least a baseline level of security – regardless of any new threats.
Since Cardinal Archbishop of Colombo, Malcolm Ranjith stated that “we never expected such a thing to happen” suggests irresponsible complacency regarding the real protection of his flock.
And, truth be told, we may never know whether or not political correctness, etc. may have played a role in this.
gravenimage says
James, apparently both American and Indian intelligence gave warnings to Sri Lankan authorities. At this point it seems that they did little with this information, including not passing it along to churches and tourist destinations.
Ineptitude? Disbelief? I have no idea.
Simon Platt says
Cardinal Ranjith is one of the good guys and cut from very different cloth from Pope Francis.
gravenimage says
He may well be a good guy–but he also seems to be in denial over the threat of Islam.
gravenimage says
Sri Lanka: Archbishop of Colombo says “we never expected such a thing to happen and especially on Easter Sunday”
………………
Alas, he should have. This is how pious Muslims act.
Rarely says
With the usual 20/20 hindsight it is easy to see what “should” have been done in Sri Lanka. Or in Trinidad, or Paris or Cape Town. I guess that all non-muslim religious gatherings and religious buildings need armed protection — world wide. Even the mosques are at risk from muslims of other muslim branches.
Naively the Pope has been trying to arrive at “peace” through various muslim leaders. Unfortunately, the “real” power in islam is wielded by the individual imams in each mosque. That doesn’t bode well for any hope that this violence will subside.
BTW. The Popes of the Crusade Era were hardly religious men and certainly not worthy of imitation. The Crusades were anything but defensive. Also, Constantinople was looted and pillaged by the crusaders in advance of islam. It had been Europe’s greatest defence against muslim invaders until then.
elee says
The Crusades were undertaken to protect Christian pilgrims from Seljuk and Ottoman abuses. This became necessary after the Byzantine failure at Manzikert in 1071. And yes they made a huge botch of it, so much more could have been accomplished.
b.a. freeman says
Would it have been “Islamophobic” to have Sri Lankan churches guarded for Easter?
—
possibly, but no doubt it would have been white supremacist.
Eric Jones says
If security officials had warnings why was no action taken to preempt the attackers? Why were no screening methods deployed? Example,. bomb sniffing dogs?
We Christians must stop apologizing for looking out for our own safety. We have a right to ask questions where our security is concerned. I am not calling for profiling here. I suspect it does not work. In my experience in living here in NYC, bad guys always give themselves away.
Eric
tim gallagher says
On the news about the Sri Lankan atrocity on the radio in Australia this morning, the Archbishop of Colombo was quoted as saying the people who carried out the attacks had to be punished “without mercy” because “only animals” would carry out such actions. So, I was going to praise the Archbishop as having the right attitude and point out how different such fighting words are to those that the Islamophile Pope always seems to use. So the Archbishop of Colombo was foolish, if he failed to see the attacks coming, but I thought he sounded like someone who reacted with some strength once the attacks happened. He sounded a bit like those Popes back at the time of the Crusades who had a tough attitude and condemned Islam as being completely evil. Hearing the radio report saying “without mercy” struck me as a strange thing to hear from a Christian leader, but, I thought, he’s on the right track. It’s the attitude people in the democratic parts of the western world had towards the Nazis during WWII and it’s right when approaching Muslim terrorism. Of course, a lot of these Muslim terrorists have blown themselves up anyway. Also, it’s inaccurate to say only “animals” behave this way. No animals have such cruelty. Only the worst of human beings can be such sadistic creatures. Still, I want to praise the Archbishop (if the reports on the radio were accurate) and say he is far better than the current Pope with his ridiculous, far too soft support for islam.
somehistory says
Malcolm
I am not Catholic, so I don’t listen to the pope in any case. But, he says he speaks for Christ and many Catholics believe that he does. So, when he says to take in moslims and befriend them and show hospitality to the “stranger…meaning moslims who are coming into the country”…then these Catholics who listen to him…are not going to view moslims as a danger to them.
If a Catholic does not see moslims as a danger to them, then they are unprepared for bombings and stabbings, and other terror acts that are going to be coming their way.
Because the pope is saying to show hospitality to the moslims, he bears some of the responsibility for the Catholics all over the world who face terrorism…like happened in Sri Lanka.
It’s much like the government here warns Americans about traveling to various countries where terror and crime are on the rise. if they know of these things, but tell Americans that it is safe to travel, then they would bear some of the responsibility if Americans get killed.
The pope has taken it upon himself to tell Catholics…even all Christians…to show hospitality to those who seek to kill them…moslims seek to kill Christians…and the pope says show hospitality to them. he bears some responsibility for this church leader and his congregation “not knowing or expecting this.”
CRUSADER says
This will give a major sense of what the Crusader period had been like at Holy Sepulcher….
Patriarch of Jerusalem receives Holy Fire
Faith is God’s Plan of Salvation for the Human Kind.
Christ is risen!
tgusa says
“He never expected such a thing to happen?”
He may have taken the advice of GWB after 9-11.
Mario Alexis Portella says
I’d like to know how come nothing was done after the warnings.