From the Church Militant blog
, April 21, 2015
Bishop Oliver Dashe Doeme, head of the Diocese of Maiduguri in Nigeria’s Borno State, was in a chapel praying before the Blessed Sacrament last December when, he says, something extraordinary happened: Jesus Christ appeared holding a sword, which He offered to the prelate.
According to Bishop Dashe, the moment he took the sword from Jesus’ hands, it transformed into Rosary beads. He then heard Christ repeat three times, “Boko Haram is gone.”
The bishop recalls, “I didn’t need any prophet to give me the explanation. It was clear that with the Rosary we would be able to expel Boko Haram.”
Boko Haram is the Islamic group that’s been massacring Christian civilians in Nigeria and beyond for several years. 
It originally was tied to Al Quaeda, but now formally pledges allegiance to the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria. Bishop Doeme says he’s seen the size of his diocese cut in half since Boko Haram started ramping up its violent activity in 2009. Most fled for safer grounds.
“Despite all this,” the Nigerian prelate says, “we do not give up our public witness to our faith.” He affirms, “I wear my episcopal robes publicly, because on the day I agreed to be bishop I knew I was signing my death sentence.”
Boko Haram has reportedly been used in the recent past as a bargaining tool by the United States. Bishop Emmanuel Badejo of Oyo, Nigeria states, “The United States actually said it would help Nigeria with Boko Haram only if we modify our laws concerning homosexuality, family planning and birth control.”
Bishop Dashe also has problems with the West, which he notes isn’t free of problems itself. “In Europe and America you have your own demons: abortion, homosexual pseudo-marriage and secularism.”
The bishop hesitated in the beginning to tell anyone about the apparition, but soon began getting strong urges from the Holy Spirit to share its message. So he started to tell priests in his diocese what happened. Eventually, he announced it at a Catholic event in Spain supporting Christian victims of Islamic violence.
He’s since gone on a “consolation tour” through diocesan communities, promoting prayer, forgiveness and persistent faith. He believes Jesus wants him to advocate praying the Rosary in order to assist them in these efforts.
“Maybe that’s why He did it,” Bishop Dashe remarks about the apparition.
“Our faith is unwavering,” he remarks. “Even when they suffer killings, Christians still go to church, and Christian activities in public life continue.”
Continuing, the bishop declares, “They can destroy our buildings and our lives, but they cannot destroy our faith in Christ.”
He expresses further confidence in the intercession of Blessed “Mamma Mary” toward instilling a peaceful recovery of his diocese.
His country’s bishops have already jointly consecrated Nigeria to Our Lady in recent years.
“Boko Haram is evil, demonic, and can only be removed through prayer,” Bishop Dashe says.
Citing Jesus’ words in the apparition, he insists that no matter how long it takes, with faith in the Most Holy Rosary, “Boko Haram is gone.”
Catholicism Pure & Simple 
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““Boko Haram is evil, demonic, and can only be removed through prayer,” Bishop Dashe says.”
…Like the Nazis, then.
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Buridan’s Ass. I shan’t leave a link. Everything in Toad’s pond is absurd, except him. No choice makes a difference. We are doomed. To him, no pain really matters, except his own. He doesn’t think any pain, except his own, is worth talking about. Crimes against humanity today, which we can do something about, weigh as lightly on his ‘mind’ as crimes from 70 years ago, which we can’t.
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“To (Toad), no pain really matters, except his own. He doesn’t think any pain, except his own, is worth talking about. “
…Vicious, mindless, nonsense, JH. But, it’s your prerogative to spout it, if it pleases you.
Toad is no less absurd than anything, or anyone, else.
Do we think these bastards can just be prayed away? Was Hitler? Pray by all means. Does no harm at all. But a few drones might also help.
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Prayer will work in the end, but at the cost of many many martyrs and a nation of traumatized children.
On the other hand, prayer might give the good people of Nigeria the courage to resist this evil minority, and help a good leader to arise from their midst.
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“Toad is no less absurd than anything, or anyone, else.”
I rest my case. The GREAT TOAD admits he’s as ridiculous as anything imaginable.
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Exactly, JH. ….More ridiculous – if that’s possible.
(But I am very small.)
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It’s possibly impossible to be more ridiculous than you, Toad, I agree, but that aside: for you to fart on this thread about the Nazis – as if Bishop Oliver Dashe Doeme is in anyway responsible for Nazis, or has anything to do with Nazis, or that his people’s pain must surpass your Nazi litmus test before you sympathize with them – that really does exemplify “vicious, mindless nonsense” far more than my (05:56) criticism of your crap comment does.
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for you to fart on this thread about the Nazis – as if Bishop Oliver Dashe Doeme is in anyway responsible for Nazis, or has anything to do with Nazis, or that his people’s pain must surpass your Nazi litmus test before you sympathize with them – that really does exemplify “vicious, mindless nonsense” far more than my (05:56) criticism of your crap comment does.
Oh for heavens sake
JH your reading comprehension skills have utterly failed you. Toads point* — quite obviously — was that prayer alone won’t solve the Boko Haram problem. it would, he claims, also take fighting.
Try reading his comment again:
““Boko Haram is evil, demonic, and can only be removed through prayer,” Bishop Dashe says.”
…Like the Nazis, then.
You may recall that it took more than prayer to remove the Nazis, and see that the point is in the sarcasm.
The problem isn’t with the comment, it’s with your apparent inability to see the point that was being made. or that his people’s pain must surpass your Nazi litmus test before you sympathize with them — his comment makes no such claim!!
*with which one may or may not agree
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Disinterestedly generous of you, to explain so calmly and patiently, Tom.
Though, it’s a shame it was necessary to have to.
Made me get a bit snitty with him, which I now regret.
Uncharitable, and Unchristian of me.
So…. I’m sorry JH. We clearly simply misunderstood one another.
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Actually, Tom Fisher, I understood before you what the Toad was saying, but unlike you I chose to ignore his ‘reasoning’ and to focus instead on his out-of-place, vicious and mindless “sarcasm”. That I scorned to address what you call his “point” – choosing instead to put my own negative rhetorical spin on his crap comment – is all that he deserved.
And as for your recollection that it took more than prayer to remove the Nazis, thank you ever so much for that blinding flash of insight. I’m forever in your debt. Bishop Doeme could probably also profit from reading your collected works, not to mention Toad’s.
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“..unlike you I chose to ignore his ‘reasoning’ “
That is your choice, of course JH.
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Actually, Tom Fisher, I understood before you what the Toad was saying, but unlike you I chose to ignore his ‘reasoning’ and to focus instead on his out-of-place, vicious and mindless “sarcasm”. That I scorned to address what you call his “point” – choosing instead to put my own negative rhetorical spin on his crap comment – is all that he deserved.
But it was hardly vicious (vicious to whom?), and hardly mindless (there was a clear claim about the supposed necessity for action as well as prayer).
Your angry response to his comment makes some sense given the assumption that you misunderstood it. Your initial responses led me to believe you had misinterpreted Toad’s comment as as a sneer at the Bishop’s remarks — As if Toad had said Oh suuure, they’re just like the Nazis — my evidence that you read it that way (and wrongly) is the following, (amongst others):
that his people’s pain must surpass your Nazi litmus test before you sympathize with them.
That remark makes literally no sense unless you misunderstood Toad in the way I suggest you in fact did.
In the last analysis it’s pretty clear that your angry response was based on a misunderstanding, however I appreciate that you’re now unwilling to acknowledge that, and are annoyed with me for pointing it out.
Fair enough
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I choose to pass over your patronizing penultimate and everything that precedes it…
…but “Fair enough”? What does that mean in your condescending lexicon? Was I being fair to Toadspit? Was my “angry response” to him fair enough? Or do you employ “Fair enough” as a synonym for whatever? If the latter, whatever to you, too.
You may remember Sidney Lumsden from the 1980s TV series, Sorry, starring Ronnie Corbett as Timothy Lumsden. A weak old fool was Sidney. His signature line was “Fair enough”.
Just saying.
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It’s not patronising, it’s biting my tongue.
This kind of nonsense:
To him, no pain really matters, except his own. He doesn’t think any pain, except his own, is worth talking about. Crimes against humanity today, which we can do something about, weigh as lightly on his ‘mind’ as crimes from 70 years ago, which we can’t
needs to be called out for what it is. Especially when it’s quite obviously based on a failure to understand what the poster was getting at.
You posted a whole lot of vitriol, without provocation, and I’m glad to have called you on it. Since Toad apparently decided not to bother.
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You take me, Toad and especially yourself far too seriously ofttimes. Fair enough. Whatever. Toadspit’s first comment on this thread was the same old flippant garbage he posts in reply to most serious pieces, but enjoy! [Can’t make a smiley for you, not that I would if I could]
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Tom: Not wanting to be a blog hog, I was waiting for you to finish your lunch and reply to me before commenting further, but since you’re involved with other business today, and since I too must now depart, I shall note, for the record, some of the personal insults levelled here by you at me:
“…your reading comprehension skills have utterly failed you.”
“…your apparent inability to see the point that was being made…”
“Your angry response…”
“…your angry response …”
“You posted a whole lot of vitriol…”
….
“Your, your, your, your, you…”. No, it’s not all about me, Tom. It’s about looking at what this post says regarding heroic Christian witness, and then at what your fellow commenter says in response. You find his words worthy of consideration. Fair enough. Whatever. I find them worthy of derision, mockery and contempt.
And, Tom, I was not the first one to use the words “vicious” and “mindless” on this thread. Despite your perspicacious recall concerning what you perceive to be the limited role played by the power of prayer in the defeat of the Nazis, you couldn’t even recall that your fellow commenter used those ad homs before I did! In fact, unlike you and him, I’m fairly restrained when it comes to personal insults. I use a sharp needle, not a caveman’s club like you (see above) nor – as in Toad’s case – a corkscrew.
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Ah well JH, that’s probably a good place for us to leave it. Time for quiet reflection
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Toad: Recent torrential Floods found a man stranded on the roof of his House. He decided to pray that God would rescue Him…… A few Hours later a power boat arrived. The man declined the offer of Help saying that he had great Faith that God would save him… A few hours a helicopter hovered overhead and lowered a rope with rescuer attached. The man waved him away saying God would save him. An army rescue team arrived to rescue him but the man waved them away assuring them that God would save him.
After several hours more of rain a huge flood washed him to his death.
He fronted the pearly gates and started complaining to God, that despite repeated prayer, ‘why didn’t you save me????’
God said, I sent a boat… I sent a Helicopter.. I sent the Army…..
Mate if you cant understand the nature of Prayer and the way God responds to it, by the above then you never will….
I hope I am not being too absurd or vicious or speaking mindless nonsense…..?
Sorry for labouring the point but with some people you just have to speak slowly
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PS… I call on everyone that has a Rosary to commit themselves to praying for the Bishops intentions… Who knows Tom and Toad may end up on the front line with an AK 47 or a Bazooka (now that’s showing my age) .
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Who knows Tom and Toad may end up on the front line with an AK 47 or a Bazooka
Imagine that.
I don’t think I’d have the courage.
Boko Haram is an ongoing nightmare, and there is no relief in sight. That is partly to do with U.S. strategic interests of course. But only partly.
I don’t deny the value of prayer Geoff.
I’ll stop commenting for a while now, and that’s probably overdue.
I really like this photo (sorry to re-post):
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Apology accepted.
Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ. (Galatians 6:2)
But tarry not too long, Mr Fisher:
Who hath woe? who hath sorrow? who hath contentions? who hath babbling? who hath wounds without cause? who hath redness of eyes?
They that tarry long at the wine; they that go to seek mixed wine.
Look not thou upon the wine when it is red, when it giveth his colour in the cup (GC:!), when it moveth itself aright.
At the last it biteth like a serpent, and stingeth like an adder.
(Proverbs 23:29-32)
(just kidding 😉 )
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just kidding
If I may break my self imposed exile for just a moment GC, I’m glad to hear that you’re kidding, — such that I’ve been in a bad mood — it has not been a product of tarrying long at the wine. A cup of coffee and a glance at the news normally does the trick these days. 🙂
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