The horrifying news reports continue to pour out from the Middle East, and from Syria and Egypt in particular, where millions of Christians are suffering one of the worst persecutions of recent years (despite a history of decades of persecution). Christians in the west feel a profound sadness, anxiousness and impotence. What can we do to put a stop to this barbarity against our brothers and sisters facing constant brutal attacks to their person, churches and properties, forced displacement and even imminent martrydom?
Our access to the internet, and thus the eyes and ears of people all over the globe, is often the only way to get the news out at least, in an effort to awaken consciences, since our secular media tends to generally ignore or overlook the plight of Christians.
Every Three Minutes a Christian is Being Tortured in the Muslim World
(Warning: some of these images are very distressing and might affect the sensibilities of viewers)
Taken from “Midnight Watcher” comes this report today: “Egypt: ‘Panic and Terror’ reported as Muslim Brotherhood Islamists Mark Christian Homes”: http://midnightwatcher.wordpress.com/2013/08/30/egypt-panic-and-terror-reported-as-muslim-brotherhood-islamists-mark-christian-homes/#comment-43248
The “Prophet” Mohammed, Al Bukhari Hadith 2977, “I have been made victorious with terror.”
By Raymond Ibrahim, Jihad Watch – “The Christian Copts of Shubra al-Khaima, Egypt, are in a ‘state of panic and terror’ as ‘a number of supporters of ousted President Muhammad Morsi have been placing markings on Christian homes in the area for [future] targeting.’
Speaking anonymously, one Copt from the region told Veto News agency that they ‘recently noticed strange movements in the streets. When they went to inspect, they discovered large numbers of bearded men, who began to quicken their steps. They tried to catch up with them but couldn’t. When they returned, they discovered ‘X’ marks in black on the homes of Copts, separating them out [from Muslim homes].’
Such markings are likely in preparation for the Brotherhood’s scheduled mass protests, or terrorist rallies, for Friday, so they know which homes to attack, plunder and/or burn as they call for the return of Muslim Brotherhood rule in Egypt.
Incidentally, the last time a minority was singled out, including with markings and badges, a genocidal holocaust soon followed. Thus, and once again, the Obama-supported Muslim Brotherhood proves itself to be a fascistic, supremacist regime.” Source – Jihad Watch.
Finally, despite the Coptic Christians being the victims of so much violence and horror, they are heroically refusing to react to the islamist provocations. From the same website:
Catholicism Pure & Simple 
“What can we do to put a stop to this barbarity…?
1. Invade, except we’d lose, and Christians reject that option anyway.
2. Press our governments to grant refugee status to every Christian who asks for it.
3. Adopt a Christian family and make their survival as important as that of our children.
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“(Warning: some of these images are very distressing and might affect the sensibilities of viewers)”
What on earth do they mean “might”? Is there any possibility that they won’t?
There is plainly no end to man’s inhumanity to man. Administered – as often as not – in the name of this God, or that.
“Man cannot make a worm, yet he makes gods by the dozen,” said Montaigne.
Something to consider here, maybe.
The opening words on the screen – featuring, as usual, the word “Hate,” frequently – are also worth careful consideration and analysis.
Or so I suspect.
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Well Toad, the word “might” was used because people differ in their sensibilities. Some could watch these images and manage to keep their hearts more detached, but I found them (in particular the beating up of defenseless Christians) very upsetting and thought I should warn others, so they could avoid watching the video if they preferred.
The word “Hate” is not used without reason, but to describe a very real part of our Fallen World. Our Blessed Lord Himself used the word quite often too, e.g.: “If the world hate you, know that it has hated me before you.” (John 15:18)
Naturally Christians are urged to “love one another”, even our enemies, and to hate no one or anything except Sin, but sometimes (and in some extreme circumstances) that takes a lot of prayer and grace to fulfil! For instance, our Coptic Christian brothers, who are not responding in like fashion to the persecution and attacks of the islamist fundamentalists, are demonstrating to the whole world true Christian charity and obedience to God’s commands. We should learn from them.
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Coptic Christian brothers, who are not responding in like fashion to the persecution and attacks of the Islamist fundamentalists, are demonstrating to the whole world true Christian charity and obedience to God’s commands. We should learn from them.
Indeed we should, Kathleen.
“Forgive them their trespasses,” and “Turn the other cheek.” In other words, “Don’t fight back.” If everyone in the world did those two things, there would be universal peace.
Unfortunately, it is – and always has been – a rare course of action for any religion to follow.
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“If everyone in the world did those two things, there would be universal peace.”
Reblogged on isthepopecatholic.com
But one anodyne cliché deserves another: Time heals all wounds
Trouble is, neither is true – not in this world at least. Much as we might like to put hurt behind us, we cannot forget the hurt caused to us, nor the hurt we’ve caused. Much as we might like to turn the other cheek, we know that total pacifism is a formula for slavery. None here are warmongers, but, speaking just for myself, violence is sometimes the only answer for oppression.
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I disagree.
But far more importantly, Christ and the Copts apparently do, as well.
When Christ says, “Turn the other cheek, “ and “Forgive them their trespasses,” I believe these are instructions, not suggestions.
And I think they are the best instructions Christianity has to offer.
But I’m probably wrong
And I don’t think my statement above is (technically) a cliche.
And I can’t do accents on this keyboard. Doh.
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…And “Time heals all wounds.” is true.
Because in the long run, we’re all dead.
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“When Christ says, “Turn the other cheek, “ and “Forgive them their trespasses” I believe these are instructions, not suggestions.”
Toad, one would hope, after your 70+ years, you’d have learned that Christ’s words need to be interpreted in light of human experience, or at least let those with more learning than you interpret them for you.. What are you, some sort of fundamentalist who wrestles with snakes and drinks poison because the Gospel says you can? The Church, to which Catholics – not sure about you – turn for instruction, teaches a Just War doctrine. If you reject the doctrine, so be it, but it hardly lies in the mouth of an agnostic like you to instruct me as to what Our Lord meant by the words you quote.
As for time healing all wounds, as is often the case, you don’t take the time to read what one has written. I said that is not true in this world, which you deny, but then accept with your next silly aphorism: Because in the long run, we’re all dead.”
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Well JH as your namesake ( the gelding that is – not the celibate) would have neighed, that’s horse racing.
Which is to say that you and I and anyone on here can be of different minds – and yet still discourse in perfectly amiable fashion with each other. And each come to our own conclusions.
…And if you took the time to read what I wrote, you will see I was not ‘instructing’ you. Merely offering an opinion, and even then suggesting that the opinion might be wrong..
“Christ’s words need to be interpreted in light of human experience, “
Could not have put it better and neater myself. But whose interpretation can we safely rely on? .
Certainly not Agnostics.
What do they know?
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This just in, from the current Pope:
“Never has the use of violence brought peace in its wake. War begets war, violence begets violence.”
We can each interpret that according to our biases.
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Well, Toad, you’re the one who twice used the word instructions when giving us the benefit of your mere opinion about the meaning of “turn the other cheek”. Instructions by proxy? You’re correct, however, to dispute my calling your prescription for universal peace a cliché when banal truism is what I should have said. You’re good at those, but in a very nice way.
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In my opinion, (on careful re-reading ) JH, they were Christ’s instructions, not mine.
I’m all for “Just Wars,” myself.
And make sure you get your retaliation in first, is always a good idea.
(Was World War One, “Just,” do we think?)
Does Proust get better as you go on?
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I have to withhold final judgment vis-à-vis M. Proust. There are some passages that are truly luminous and memorable, whilst others are marked by extreme turgidity. Paragraphs, for instance, that go on for several pages. One thing I’ve noticed is that Maugham’s Of Human Bondage, published 2 years after Swann’s Way (the first volume of Temps Perdu), seems to have lifted – plagiarize might be too strong a word – a major theme from Proust, namely Swann’s obsession with Odette – the similarities between their affair and the one between Philip and Mildred in Of Human Bondage being more than just slightly “coincidental”. Aleister Crowley accused Maugham of committing plagiarism in an earlier book The Magician, which was a caricature of Crowley. On the other hand, Maugham, who thought Proust to be the greatest novelist of the 20th Century, was no doubt deeply and subconciously influenced by Proust and may never have intended to copy him. He once said that he’d rather be bored by Proust than delighted by lesser writers.
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Stendhal once said he’d sooner be stabbed by his wife, than ignored by her.
Trouble is, occasionally both happen.
Is it possible to plagiarise a “theme” ? Aren’t vast numbers of books (and films: e.g. The Seekers) based on “The Odyssey”?
Is Joyce a plagiarist? I don’t know.
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