The Christians in New Iraq المسيحيون في العراق الجديد

Between 10,000 and 30,000 of Iraq's 800,000 Christians have fled the country since the fall of Saddam Hussein's regime, according to Christian groups in Baghdad. Although Christians make up only about 3% of Iraq's 25 million people, the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees has said they account for about 20% of the refugees fleeing Iraq for Syria. They are escaping a climate of violence and a surging Islamic radicalism that have made the practice of their faith a deadly enterprise.
The violence in Iraq threatens one of the world's oldest Christian communities, dating back 2,000 years. The population includes Chaldean Assyrians (Eastern-rite Catholics who recognize the Pope's authority); Assyrians, who form an independent church; Syrian Catholics; and Armenian Catholics. Under Saddam, Christians coexisted more or less amicably with the Muslim majority. Easter services were broadcast on state television.
Christians today keep a low profile. While most of the anti-Christian violence has been committed by a small group of Islamic extremists, Christians say they are encountering rising anger among their Muslim neighbors. Layla Isitfan says taxi drivers have insulted her when they realized she was Christian, in some cases saying all Christians should be shot and killed. At work, she wears a Muslim head scarf and tells colleagues that she is Muslim. Raja Elias, a Syrian Catholic in Baghdad, says that recently a neighbor began to dump garbage on her front porch. When Elias complained, the neighbor said, "You are a Christian, and I can put it inside your house if I want to."
For Iraqis like Elias, the best option is to leave. Many Iraqi Christians say their reversal of fortune has been especially disappointing given the backing the Bush Administration receives from evangelical Christians. "Why did the U.S. come here?" asks Mardirosian, the Armenian-Catholic leader. "To protect the Christians or allow others to kill them?"

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• iraq
• baghdad
• new
• war
• christians
• المسيحيون
• في
• العراق
• الجديد

[saidpiero]

I am a Iraqi Muslem and i am sorry about what happend to the Chrsitians in Iraq but you are not

alone .

Iraq will come back .

log live IRAQ UNITED

[Murtadha79]

انا مسلم عراقي

اكول

الي يقتل بريء من اي دين فمو مسلم ولايستحق الرحمة من رب العالمين

وبعدين مسيحيين العراق لاحول ولاقوة ناس مسالمين كلهم محبة

الله ينتقم من كل ظالم دمر العراق واولهم صدام المجرم

[AMOKHAN786]

@alevonto 100% truth iraq was much better place then...and now with american help its terrible i also love other humans christian hindu ....

[choloperuvian]

I realy feel sorry for Iraqis refugees, victims of US invasion and spread of sectarian terrorist bands under the US occupation. Syria has welcomed and supported Iraqis, but Syria is not a rich country and need help to assist Iraqis refugees. Now Syrian society es targeted by USA-NATO (including Turkey), Israel, and Arab monarchies, vassals of Western neocolonial powers. Non sectarian and secular Syria is under threat and Christian and Muslim Iraqis in Syria,too.

[ninbazi]

“To Muslims from a Christian poet; I am a Christian and proud of that, but I love the Arab Prophet … and love the glory of Islam and I fear for it … I respect the Koran but disdain those who use it as a means against the cause of Muslims… as I disrespect those who use the Bible as a means to control Christians ... take it from me O Muslims, a message from a Christian… Jesus lives in one half of my heart while Mohammed resides in the other”.

-Khalil Gibran of Lebanon-

[GodOfUnbelief]

Its too bad they all have to flee abroad

[MYASSYRIANPRIDE773]

to call us iraqi christian is to translate us as christian arab from iraq...and thats not the case

assyrian and proud

[moonfruit100]

please come together all Iraqi and live in peace

[iraqibodybuilder]

i am muslim iraqi. and i love and respect all the christians in iraq. we all one big family. and we all suffered and sacrificed at the hands of those criminals who are not humans at all... JESUS .MOHAMMAD. ALI CALL FOR PEACE. love u all.

[zatara29]

God be with Iraqi Christians!

But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you. Matthew 5:44

You will be hated by everyone because of me, but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved. Matthew 10:22

"Then you will be handed over to be persecuted and put to death, and you will be hated by all nations because of me. Matthew 24:9

“Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Matthew 5:11

[Blakster1357]

John 3:17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. When you read it for what it is, Jesus is not God he is the son of God. To get into heaven you have to believe he was sent here by God to pay for all of man kinds sins. The problem is that a radical denomination of Christianity called Evangelicals say that Jesus is God but there is no verse in the bible that says he is God. When Jesus is being nailed to the cross he yells

[aboualbard]

رحم الله شهدائكم