Posted by
InchDeep on Wednesday, July 02, 2008 3:50:59 PM
www.catholicnewsagency.com
Rome, Jun 25, 2008 / 07:41 pm (CNA).-
Auxiliary Bishop Shlemon Warduni of Baghdad warned this week that there
is an effort underway “to rid the Middle East of Christians.” According
to the bishop, “The war has destroyed everything and even the tradition
of coexistence. One-third of Christians have fled the country because
of threats, abuse and violence.”
The Italian news agency SIR is reporting that the bishop made his
comments in an address to the scientific committee of the Oasis
International Study and Research Center, which is meeting in Amman,
Jordan, to discuss the situation in Iraq. Bishop Shlemon also
mentioned the “kidnapping of men of the Church, like the 16 priests
that were kidnapped, some of which were killed, like Archbishop Faraj
Rahho of Mosul.”
Despite all this, he continued, “God is the source of freedom and
truth, and bearing witness to Christ does not mean being a fanatic.
Our churches have taken in many during the war, with no distinction of
ethnicity or faith. The same is true of our schools and ecclesial
institutions. And this allows us to get know our Muslim friends,” he
said.
However, the bishop continued, we should not forget that “our young
people have no hope, they are not accepted. A fleeing Iraqi is taboo.
The situation right now is unbearable as well because of the
difficulties of daily life: little water, electricity and high prices.
Ironically we have all this oil but we are poor.”
Bishop Warduni encouraged the continuation of dialogue with Muslims
and noted, “There are common beliefs that can serve as starting points:
prayer, fasting, eternal life, but we should not ignore the
differences,” he said.