Easter Hope

 

Easter Bombing in Pakistan

Today, I reproduce a post written ten years ago about attacks on Christians at Easter time. Ten years later I still find it difficult to understand why so many hate Christians and Easter.

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 Reputed members of the Islamic State murdered four nuns of the Missionaries of Charity working in an elder care facility in Aden, Yemen on March 4, 2016. The only crime of these nuns, like some many thousands of others brutally persecuted in recent years, was that they were Christians. What is so bad about Christianity? 

Personally, I like practically everything about it, especially the belief in, and hope in the resurrection from the dead. 

It is clear from Scripture that, even after the Resurrection of Jesus on Easter Sunday, his subsequent Ascension forty days later, and the incredible events of Pentecost, St. Peter did not fully understand the implications of the Resurrection. Only after a personal vision convinced him that Jesus died and rose for all, did Peter see the light. He said,

“Now I really understand that God is not a respecter of persons, but in every nation he who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him. He sent his word to the children of Israel, preaching peace through Jesus Christ (who is Lord of all). You know what took place throughout Judea: for he began in Galilee after the baptism preached by John: how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, and he went about doing good and healing all who were in the power of the devil; for God was with him. And we are witnesses of all that he did in the country of the Jews and Jerusalem; and yet they killed him, hanging him on a tree. But God raised him on the third day and caused him to be plainly seen, not by all the people, but by witnesses designated beforehand by God, that is, by us, who ate and drank with him after he had risen from the dead. And he charged us to preach to the people and to testify that he it is who has been appointed by God to be judge of the living and the dead. To him all the prophets bear witness, that through his name all who believe in him may receive forgiveness of sins.” *

I have come to believe with Peter that “God is not a respecter of persons, but in every nation he who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him.” Nevertheless, I like being a Christian, especially a Catholic.  As I said, I like a religion that believes in and holds out hope for resurrection, for a life after death. 

I like to think that the four nuns murdered in Yemen by Moslem fanatics earlier this month are living a new life, and that they are not just rotting bodies being picked apart by vultures. It also strikes me that those four nuns, like tens of thousands of other Christians who have also been brutally persecuted in our own time, had already given up their lives in the service of others when they took their initial vows. Like Jesus, they went about doing good and healing.

Even today, the day after Easter, there is the terrible news that Taliban suicide bombers murdered at least 65 people and wounded over 300 in Pakistan just because they were Christians celebrating Easter.

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*Acts of the Apostles 10: 25-37.

Deplorables and Islamophobia

In the now famous “Deplorables” speech that Hillary Clinton gave before an LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender) meeting she added Islamophobia to the list of phobias possessed by half of Donald Trump’s supporters. For Clinton “Islamophobia” is a foolish, irrational and dangerous reaction to the recent bombings and shootings carried out by Moslem fanatics in this country.

So far Islamophobia has not led to even local persecution of the Moslem population in this country. In fact, the fanatics who carry out these crimes are given all the protection of the laws. As Donald Trump noted the Chelsea bomber will receive the best of medical treatment while recovering from his wounds, and then free, professional legal advice when he is brought to trial. He will not be publicly humiliated and tortured before having his head cut off while millions watch on the Internet.

It is hardly surprising that Clinton never seems to notice or speak out about the widespread persecution of Christians in many Moslem dominated countries. How serious is Islamophobia compared to the murder, rape, looting, and devastation visited on Christian communities in places like Iraq, Syria, Egypt, and Libya?

In fact, the Obama, Clinton policy of support for the so-called Arab Spring and various rebel groups has led to one of the most brutal persecution of Christians ever witnessed in the past 2000 years. It is true that President Obama and Secretary Clinton supported rebel groups in Egypt and Libya and succeeded in overthrowing dictators in both countries. The result has been devastating for Christians in both countries.

Even after the Egyptian army overthrew the radical Islamic government, the persecution of Christians in that country has continued. Our support of rebels in Libya has led to total chaos in that country highlighted by the terrible attack on the U.S. Embassy in Benghazi.

Things are not much better elsewhere. A friend of mine compiles a daily report, “Today’s Martyrs”, that highlights the everyday atrocities perpetrated against Christians throughout the world. Here is a recent excerpt of how our Kurdish rebel friends behave in Iraq. 

 

Archbishop Jacques Behnan Hindo (UPDATE: narrowly missed death when Kurdish militia fired into his residence, said "At that moment, the area was presided over by Kurdish militias, and there were no other armed persons nearby...Whenever the Kurdish militia enter in action to reaffirm its military hegemony over the city, the epicenter of their raids and acts of force is always the area of the six churches, where most of the Christians live. In many cases they expelled the Christians from their homes under the threat of Kalashnikovs. And where they enter, they loot everything"

The situation in Syria is much the same. The Obama administration has armed and supported the rebels fighting the Assad dictatorship. The rebels may oppose the Assad regime but their rockets seem to be directed at Christian targets. Here is another recent excerpt from “Today’s Martyrs.”           

Fr Ibrahim Alsabagh OFM (aged 44; UPDATE: said "we were awakened by a rocket that fell near here [which] hit the Syrian Catholic bishop's residence...Neither the bishop nor his vicar were present at the time, this prevented casualties or injuries. The damages to the building remain", added that the cathedral had "been targeted by rockets and mortar fire for a while" by rebel forces)

The first Presidential debate will take place this Monday night. These debates could be decisive in determining the winner. I believe that it will include a discussion of foreign policy. Islam and Islamophobia may come up for discussion in the debate, but I doubt if the persecution of Christians by the rebel friends of the Obama administration will be an issue. ###