Petition

Religious Liberty Prayer Bulletin – No. 283 – Wed 04 Aug 2004

————————————- IRAQ: CHRISTIANS TARGETED WITH TERROR plus Sri Lanka Petition ————————————-

Iraq’s Christian minority has been under seige for months. Christian leaders have been desperately calling for help, security and assurance that they will not be forgotten or abandoned (as they have been before). There has been a string of bombings of Christian homes and businesses, and targeted killing of Christians in their homes and on the streets. Because they are despised by Islamists and made vulnerable by their minority status, Christians are also prime victims for rape and extortion in a lawless society. Many towns (like Al-Fallujah) coming under Islamic warlord/cleric control operate as Islamic mini states, with Islamic police enforcing Islamic dress codes and practice.

Much of the battle for a free Iraq was lost when the new Iraqi Constitution stated, ‘Islam is the official religion of the state.’ (Article 7). According to Iraq’s leading Shi’a cleric, the Grand Ayatolla Al-Sistani, Islam deems a Christian to be ‘kafir’, that is ‘an infidel’, whose entire body ‘including his hair and nails, and all liquid substances of his body, are najis [unclean]’. Sistani explains further: ‘The following ten things are essentially najis: [Excreta and bodily emissions], Dead body, Blood, Dog, Pig, Kafir [infidels, i.e. Christians], Alcoholic liquors, and the sweat of an animal who persistently eats najasat.’ (<http://www.sistani.org/html/eng/>)

On 1 August the situation for Iraq’s Christians turned from bad to worse. During Sunday evening services, four churches in Baghdad and one in Mosul became the victims of horrific, co-ordinated terror attacks. An explosive device filled with mortar rounds left outside a sixth church (in Baghdad) was defused. The death toll stands at 11 with some 50 injured, many seriously burned. Iraqi leaders appear to be correct in blaming the attacks on the al-Qaeda linked Jordanian Islamist leader, Abu Mussab al-Zarqawi, and his band of local and foreign mujahideen.

The Qur’an gives Muslims basically three options in dealing with infidels: (1) Leave them alone (‘there is no compulsion in religion’, Sura 2:256) – this was given to Muslims living as a minority and today is claimed by all peace-loving Muslims. (2) Let them pay a tax to live in humiliation and subjugation (‘dhimmitude’ based on Sura 9:29) – this was used primarily when conquering Muslim armies needed to exploit local Jewish and Christian business, administration, agricultural and other skills. (3) Kill them (some 80 Qur’anic references) – the jihad texts apply in positions of strength when Muslims had or have the ability to wage victorious jihad and establish the Islamic order, and are cited by all militant Islamists. If al-Qaeda has determined to wage jihad to ‘cleanse’ Iraq of Christians, then this is a truly terrifying scenario for Iraq’s Christians. They are in grave danger.

PLEASE PRAY SPECIFICALLY FOR:

* God to ‘frustrate the plans of the wicked’, (Psalm 146:9). ‘Let the wicked fall into their own nets…’ (Psalm 141:10).

* God to open the eyes of, and give wisdom to, all those who make decisions in and concerning Iraq, so that Iraq’s Christians will not be abandoned by their allies but will be treasured and made secure in their ancient homeland. (Proverbs 21:1)

* Iraqi Christians to come close to God in prayerful dependence, calling upon HIM. ‘Some trust in horses and some in chariots, but we trust in the name of our Lord our God.’ (Psalm 20:7)

‘Have mercy on me O God, have mercy on me, for in you my soul takes refuge. I will take refuge in the shadow of your wings until the disaster has passed.’ (Psalm 57:1)

* ‘the peace of God, that transcends all understanding’ to come upon all those grieving the loss of loved ones, all those suffering injuries and all those who fear, guarding their hearts and minds in Jesus Christ. (Philippians 4:7)

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SUMMARY TO USE IN BULLETINS UNABLE TO RUN THE WHOLE ARTICLE: ————————————————————

IRAQ’S CHRISTIANS TARGETED WITH TERROR

Iraq’s Christians face a terrifying scenario as it emerges that Jordanian Islamist leader Abu Mussab al-Zarqawi is most probably responsible for the co-ordinated terror attacks on five churches during evening worship on Sunday 1 August. The virtually simultaneous bombing left 11 dead and some 50 injured, many seriously burned. Iraq’s Christian minority has suffered a series of targeted killings and bombing of their homes and businesses over recent months. As a religious minority they are also extremely vulnerable to rape and extortion. An orchestrated terror campaign by an al-Qaeda linked terror group, aimed at forcing Christians out of Iraq, raises the stakes considerably. Please pray for God to ‘frustrate the plans of the wicked’ (Psalm 146:9) and surround his treasured people.

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URGENT PRAYER NOTE FROM SRI lANKA: The Petition against the proposed Bill on Prohibition of Forcible Conversion is due to be heard by the Supreme Court on 6th and 9th August 2004.

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The WEA Religious Liberty Commission sponsors this RL Prayer List to help individuals and groups pray specifically and regularly for religious liberty issues, and in particular to uphold the Church where it is suffering persecution.

RL Prayer is moderated by Ron Clough, a commissioner of the WEA RLC and convenor of the Australian EA RLC.

Elizabeth Kendal researched and authored this message.