Words Are Not Enough: America Must Intervene on Behalf of Mideast Christians

on January 15, 2016

(Published on Breitbart on January 5, 2016)

It’s refreshing when statements issued by the President of the United States correspond to reality – as in President Obama’s 2015 Christmas statement, when he acknowledged that Christians and other religious minorities are persecuted because of their faith.*

But words cannot prevent the jihad against Christians, Yazidis, Shabaks, Mandaeans, and other Middle Eastern minorities. The U.S. government must match words with deeds on behalf of those who have been raped, tortured, enslaved, and murdered by ISIS and other jihadists.

On Wednesday, December 23, the White House released President Obama’s statement on “Persecuted Christians at Christmas.” After certain other statements by Obama, the acknowledgment was a pleasant surprise to many global religious liberty advocates and others who track such issues. Recall that in February 2015, a White House statement on the 21 Coptic Christians beheaded by ISIS in Libya referred to “Egyptian citizens.” Only later was it acknowledged that they were Christians. In April 2015, the President lamentedthe slaughter of 148 college students in Garissa, Kenya by al Shabaab, not mentioning they had been singled out for death specifically because they were Christians.

In his Christmas statement, the President gave thanks for being “fortunate enough to live” in a country that honors “the birthright of all people to practice their faith freely.” He said that he and Michelle were “ever-mindful” that many of their fellow Christians “do not enjoy that right,” and their hearts and minds were with “those who have been driven from their ancient homelands by unspeakable violence and persecution.” Obama deplored the “brutal atrocities committed against these communities by ISIL,” and urged prayer on their behalf.

(Read the rest on Breitbart)

  1. Comment by Mark Brooks on January 22, 2016 at 11:32 pm

    Though the title mentions Christians, the body of the text mentions many non-Christians, so this comes across as one of those Wilsonian progressive America-as-the-world’s-policeman articles.

    No, we do not need to engage in military intervention anywhere to save the Body of Christ, or any other peoples in foreign lands, for that matter. That’s not a U.S. obligation, nor is it a U.S. mission.

    We would do better to save Christianity in the United States. That we can do something about, if we have the will. If we can’t defend Christianity here, we can’t pretend to save it elsewhere.

  2. Comment by Aaron on May 26, 2017 at 1:00 am

    It’s nice. Let’s remember the religous minorities everywhere, including the United States where muslims, hindus, buddhists and others are persecuted for not being WASPS. (white anglo saxon protestants) As christians we are called to love our enemys and our neighbors, for even a sinner loves only those who love him/her. Like Jesus calls us, we must be better and love all our neighbors, here and abroad.

    Thanks for sharing Ms. Faith.

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