• Christians in Syria face 'uncertain, perilous future' under HTS, persec

    From Steve Hayes@21:1/5 to All on Mon Dec 9 03:46:51 2024
    XPost: alt.politics.religion, alt.religion.christianity, alt.christnet.religion XPost: alt.religion.christian.east-orthodox, alt.christian.religion

    Christians in Syria face ‘uncertain, perilous future’ under HTS, persecution watchdog warns

    By Anugrah Kumar, Christian Post Contributor Sunday, December 08, 2024

    Anti-government gunmen gather outside Damascus's historic Umayyad
    Mosque in the Old City on Dec. 8, 2024, after Islamist-led rebels
    declared that they have taken the Syrian capital in a lightning
    offensive, sending President Bashar al-Assad fleeing and ending five
    decades of Baath rule in Syria.

    Anti-government gunmen gather outside Damascus's historic Umayyad
    Mosque in the Old City on Dec. 8, 2024, after Islamist-led rebels
    declared that they have taken the Syrian capital in a lightning
    offensive, sending President Bashar al-Assad fleeing and ending five
    decades of Baath rule in Syria. | SAM HARIRI/AFP via Getty Images
    Christians in Syria confront an uncertain and perilous future under
    the control of Islamist-led rebel forces, a human rights group has
    warned. The city’s minority Christian population, significantly
    diminished by years of civil war, now grapples with fears of
    escalating threats and restrictions.

    Islamist rebel forces, led by Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham, which is
    designated as a terrorist organization by the U.S. and U.K., captured
    Aleppo about a week ago, followed by Homs and Damascus late Saturday
    night in a sweeping offensive that toppled Syrian government forces.
    Bashar al-Assad resigned and left the country on a flight to Russia on
    Saturday night.

    Since Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham's takeover of Aleppo, many Christians have
    fled, leaving behind a small but resolute group trying to maintain
    their faith and traditions.

    “The coming days and weeks will be crucial for the fate of [the]
    Christian community," said Jeff King, president of International
    Christian Concern, in a statement shared with The Christian Post.
    "Christians, with roots stretching back nearly two millennia, now face
    an uncertain and perilous future.”

    Bread shortages have worsened, and drinking water remains unavailable
    in several areas, Catholic News Agency reports as being among the
    hardships residents are facing.

    Curfews imposed by the militant group from 5 p.m. to 5 a.m. further
    restrict daily life, leaving many residents, including Christians,
    feeling confined and vulnerable. Small vans distributing free bread
    and water in some neighborhoods offer limited relief.

    A key highway between Damascus and Aleppo has also been blocked,
    leaving residents with only a congested and hazardous alternative
    route, according to CNA.

    The isolation has claimed lives, including that of Dr. Arwant
    Arslanian, a Christian physician killed by sniper fire while
    attempting to flee the city, reported the Facebook page of Armenians
    of Syria.

    A bus carrying young Christians was also stranded on the Aleppo Road,
    later finding refuge at the Syriac Orthodox Archdiocese.

    Many Christian leaders have remained in the city, providing spiritual
    guidance and practical support to their communities.

    Syriac Orthodox Metropolitan Bishop Mor Boutros Kassis and other
    Christian leaders have been communicating through social media where
    they held prayers and liturgies. They are encouraging Christian
    residents to face the reality with awareness, courage and faith, he
    was quoted as saying.

    Franciscan Father Bahjat Karakach, representing the Latin Church,
    acknowledged, “The Church knows no more than the people do.” It’s up
    to individuals and families to decide if they want to stay or leave
    Aleppo, he stressed. “No one can make it on behalf of another. We
    friars are staying and waiting to see how things unfold,” he was
    quoted as saying.

    Meanwhile, the Islamist faction, an offshoot of al-Qaeda, has pledged
    to protect civilians, including Christians. HTS leader Abu Mohammed
    al-Jolani visited Aleppo’s citadel and stated, “Aleppo has always been
    a meeting point for civilizations and cultures, and it will remain so,
    with a long history of cultural and religious diversity,” as reported
    by Al-Monitor.

    Despite assurances, fears persist among Aleppo’s estimated 30,000
    Christians, down from hundreds of thousands before the Syrian conflict
    began in 2011.

    Switzerland-based group Christian Solidarity International responded
    to the assurance given by HTS, saying, “HTS’ ideology and history give religious minorities in Aleppo serious reason to doubt these
    promises.”

    HTS has often targeted Christians throughout Syria in violent attacks
    and kidnappings, repeatedly killing Christian civilians and
    confiscating their property, CSI explained.

    “In the Salafist worldview that animates HTS, Christians are not
    heretics to be destroyed (like the Alawites and the Druzes), but
    ‘people of the Book’ — followers of religions that were revealed
    before the coming of the [Islamic] prophet Muhammad. In lands ruled by
    Islam, they should be made dhimmis — a protected people who are kept
    in legal subjugation and pay an additional tax called the jizya,” CSI continued.

    “Until now, HTS has avoided imposing dhimmi status on Christians in
    Idlib by referring to them as musta’min, or temporary residents,” the
    group acknowledged. “But how long will HTS maintain this distinction?”
    CSI asked.

    However, Archbishop Boutros Marayati of the Armenian Catholic Church
    sought to reassure worshipers during a Mass, telling them, “Do not
    fear, dear brothers. We have received assurances from all parties.
    Continue living normally, and everything will remain as before, even
    better,” as quoted by AL Monitor.

    The Christian community in Aleppo has historically aligned with the
    Syrian government, which President Bashar al-Assad, a member of the
    Alawite minority, has positioned as a protector of minorities.

    The rebel takeover represents a dramatic shift, stirring memories of
    prior persecution during the Islamic State’s reign over parts of
    Syria. IS systematically targeted Christians, destroying churches and
    engaging in mass kidnappings before being defeated in 2019.

    Source: <https://www.christianpost.com/news/christians-in-syria-face-perilous-future-watchdog-warns.html>
    --
    Steve Hayes from Tshwane, South Africa
    Web: http://www.khanya.org.za/stevesig.htm
    Blog: http://khanya.wordpress.com

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  • From Lawrence D'Oliveiro@21:1/5 to All on Tue Dec 10 08:40:24 2024
    XPost: alt.politics.religion

    It’s not just Christian lives, people: *ALL* lives matter.

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  • From Steve Hayes@21:1/5 to ldo@nz.invalid on Tue Dec 10 20:23:25 2024
    XPost: alt.politics.religion

    On Tue, 10 Dec 2024 08:40:24 -0000 (UTC), Lawrence D'Oliveiro
    <ldo@nz.invalid> wrote:

    It’s not just Christian lives, people: *ALL* lives matter.

    So they do, but in some situations some lives are more vulnerable than
    others.


    --
    Steve Hayes from Tshwane, South Africa
    Web: http://www.khanya.org.za/stevesig.htm
    Blog: http://khanya.wordpress.com

    For information about why crossposting is (usually) good, and multiposting (nearly always) bad, see:
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  • From Lawrence D'Oliveiro@21:1/5 to Steve Hayes on Sun Dec 15 21:55:55 2024
    XPost: alt.politics.religion

    On Tue, 10 Dec 2024 20:23:25 +0200, Steve Hayes wrote:

    On Tue, 10 Dec 2024 08:40:24 -0000 (UTC), Lawrence D'Oliveiro <ldo@nz.invalid> wrote:

    It’s not just Christian lives, people: *ALL* lives matter.

    So they do, but in some situations some lives are more vulnerable than others.

    Who are the most vulnerable? Ones which are seen as allied with
    oppressors, current and former, perhaps?

    Like the Allawites, the group that the Al-Assad family comes from?

    Why would Christians be seen as a threat? Surely not, unless perhaps they
    were supporting the atrocities that Israel has been committing ...

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  • From Steve Hayes@21:1/5 to ldo@nz.invalid on Mon Dec 16 09:45:43 2024
    XPost: alt.politics.religion

    On Sun, 15 Dec 2024 21:55:55 -0000 (UTC), Lawrence D'Oliveiro
    <ldo@nz.invalid> wrote:

    On Tue, 10 Dec 2024 20:23:25 +0200, Steve Hayes wrote:

    On Tue, 10 Dec 2024 08:40:24 -0000 (UTC), Lawrence D'Oliveiro
    <ldo@nz.invalid> wrote:

    It’s not just Christian lives, people: *ALL* lives matter.

    So they do, but in some situations some lives are more vulnerable than
    others.

    Who are the most vulnerable? Ones which are seen as allied with
    oppressors, current and former, perhaps?

    Like the Allawites, the group that the Al-Assad family comes from?

    Why would Christians be seen as a threat? Surely not, unless perhaps they >were supporting the atrocities that Israel has been committing ...

    Not a threat, just as inferior species to be eliminated, in the eyes
    of Islamists, which the new rulers of Syria have the reputation of
    being. In much the same way as all Muslims are seen as inferior being
    to be eliminated in the eyes of Christianists, of whom there have been
    some in Lebanon (I don't know about Syria), called phalangists.


    --
    Steve Hayes from Tshwane, South Africa
    Web: http://www.khanya.org.za/stevesig.htm
    Blog: http://khanya.wordpress.com

    For information about why crossposting is (usually) good, and multiposting (nearly always) bad, see:
    http://oakroadsystems.com/genl/unice.htm#xpost

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  • From Lawrence D'Oliveiro@21:1/5 to Steve Hayes on Mon Dec 16 21:20:30 2024
    XPost: alt.politics.religion

    On Mon, 16 Dec 2024 09:45:43 +0200, Steve Hayes wrote:

    ... just as inferior species to be eliminated, in the eyes of
    Islamists, which the new rulers of Syria have the reputation of being.
    In much the same way as all Muslims are seen as inferior being to be eliminated in the eyes of Christianists, of whom there have been some in Lebanon (I don't know about Syria), called phalangists.

    Basically, everybody else is an “inferior species” in the eyes of any religion that says their god is the only true god, all other gods are
    false?

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  • From David Dalton@21:1/5 to Lawrence D'Oliveiro on Mon Dec 16 19:36:51 2024
    XPost: alt.politics.religion

    On Dec 16, 2024, Lawrence D'Oliveiro wrote
    (in article <vjq5iu$1aari$1@dont-email.me>):

    On Mon, 16 Dec 2024 09:45:43 +0200, Steve Hayes wrote:

    ... just as inferior species to be eliminated, in the eyes of
    Islamists, which the new rulers of Syria have the reputation of being.
    In much the same way as all Muslims are seen as inferior being to be eliminated in the eyes of Christianists, of whom there have been some in Lebanon (I don't know about Syria), called phalangists.

    Basically, everybody else is an “inferior species” in the eyes of any religion that says their god is the only true god, all other gods are
    false?

    In my workings, anyone who believes that all those outside
    their religion (or sometimes even denomination) are eternally
    damned is at at least the mild end of medium criminal and
    will miss out on the extra long lifespan benefits of the
    sudden magickal physical evolution unless they change
    that belief.

    --
    David Dalton dalton@nfld.com https://www.nfld.com/~dalton (home page) https://www.nfld.com/~dalton/dtales.html Salmon on the Thorns (mystic page) “And now the angry morning; Gives the early signs of warning; You must
    face alone the plans you make; Decisions they will try to break" (S. McL.)

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  • From Steve Hayes@21:1/5 to ldo@nz.invalid on Tue Dec 17 10:23:48 2024
    XPost: alt.politics.religion

    On Mon, 16 Dec 2024 21:20:30 -0000 (UTC), Lawrence D'Oliveiro
    <ldo@nz.invalid> wrote:

    On Mon, 16 Dec 2024 09:45:43 +0200, Steve Hayes wrote:

    ... just as inferior species to be eliminated, in the eyes of
    Islamists, which the new rulers of Syria have the reputation of being.
    In much the same way as all Muslims are seen as inferior being to be
    eliminated in the eyes of Christianists, of whom there have been some in
    Lebanon (I don't know about Syria), called phalangists.

    Basically, everybody else is an “inferior species” in the eyes of any >religion that says their god is the only true god, all other gods are
    false?

    If you say so.

    I won't ask you how you know that, but bow to your superior knowledge
    as a member of a superior species.






    --
    Steve Hayes from Tshwane, South Africa
    Web: http://www.khanya.org.za/stevesig.htm
    Blog: http://khanya.wordpress.com

    For information about why crossposting is (usually) good, and multiposting (nearly always) bad, see:
    http://oakroadsystems.com/genl/unice.htm#xpost

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  • From Lawrence D'Oliveiro@21:1/5 to Steve Hayes on Thu Dec 19 00:30:25 2024
    XPost: alt.politics.religion

    On Tue, 17 Dec 2024 10:23:48 +0200, Steve Hayes wrote:

    On Mon, 16 Dec 2024 21:20:30 -0000 (UTC), Lawrence D'Oliveiro <ldo@nz.invalid> wrote:

    On Mon, 16 Dec 2024 09:45:43 +0200, Steve Hayes wrote:

    ... just as inferior species to be eliminated, in the eyes of
    Islamists, which the new rulers of Syria have the reputation of being.
    In much the same way as all Muslims are seen as inferior being to be
    eliminated in the eyes of Christianists, of whom there have been some
    in Lebanon (I don't know about Syria), called phalangists.

    Basically, everybody else is an “inferior species” in the eyes of any
    religion that says their god is the only true god, all other gods are
    false?

    Ever wondered why “Crusade” is a bad word in the Middle East, even unto today?

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  • From Steve Hayes@21:1/5 to ldo@nz.invalid on Thu Dec 19 08:36:44 2024
    XPost: alt.politics.religion

    On Thu, 19 Dec 2024 00:30:25 -0000 (UTC), Lawrence D'Oliveiro
    <ldo@nz.invalid> wrote:

    Ever wondered why “Crusade” is a bad word in the Middle East, even unto >today?

    Yes.

    Have you?

    And, just in case you hadn't, FWIW "crusades" were an earlier form of
    Western imperialism, which is still a problem in Syria today.

    PS They weren't the earliEST, Alexander the Great and the Romans were
    somewhat earlier.




    --
    Steve Hayes from Tshwane, South Africa
    Web: http://www.khanya.org.za/stevesig.htm
    Blog: http://khanya.wordpress.com
    E-mail - see web page, or parse: shayes at dunelm full stop org full stop uk

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  • From Lawrence D'Oliveiro@21:1/5 to Steve Hayes on Thu Dec 19 19:50:07 2024
    XPost: alt.politics.religion

    On Thu, 19 Dec 2024 08:36:44 +0200, Steve Hayes wrote:

    On Thu, 19 Dec 2024 00:30:25 -0000 (UTC), Lawrence D'Oliveiro <ldo@nz.invalid> wrote:

    Ever wondered why “Crusade” is a bad word in the Middle East, even unto >>today?

    Yes.

    It’s because of what Christians did. And, through, Israel, what they
    continue to do.

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  • From Steve Hayes@21:1/5 to ldo@nz.invalid on Fri Dec 20 10:18:37 2024
    XPost: alt.politics.religion

    On Thu, 19 Dec 2024 19:50:07 -0000 (UTC), Lawrence D'Oliveiro
    <ldo@nz.invalid> wrote:

    On Thu, 19 Dec 2024 08:36:44 +0200, Steve Hayes wrote:

    On Thu, 19 Dec 2024 00:30:25 -0000 (UTC), Lawrence D'Oliveiro
    <ldo@nz.invalid> wrote:

    Ever wondered why “Crusade” is a bad word in the Middle East, even unto >>>today?

    Yes.

    It’s because of what Christians did. And, through, Israel, what they >continue to do.

    Syrian Christians were in no way responsible for the Crusades. The
    Crusades were what Westerners did and it was done to them (the Syrian Christians).


    --
    Steve Hayes from Tshwane, South Africa
    Web: http://www.khanya.org.za/stevesig.htm
    Blog: http://khanya.wordpress.com

    For information about why crossposting is (usually) good, and multiposting (nearly always) bad, see:
    http://oakroadsystems.com/genl/unice.htm#xpost

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  • From vjp2.at@at.BioStrategist.dot.dot.co@21:1/5 to All on Sat Jan 4 05:49:05 2025
    XPost: alt.politics.religion, alt.religion.christianity, alt.christnet.religion XPost: alt.religion.christian.east-orthodox, alt.christian.religion

    COncur, I don't wish them harm, but they are liable.

    First, the Ba'ath Party of Saddam and Assad was founded by an Orthodox Christian Michel Aflaq and many of the followers were allied with Hitler. And the PLO was founded also by an Orthodox Christian George Haddad who was
    clearly a soviet agent. Andropov and Mitrokin archives betray the PLO
    informed the soviets of all their terrorist activities. Further Alois Bruner, the grand nazi atrocitor of the Balkans, died as a houseguest of the Assads.


    --
    Vasos Panagiotopoulos panix.com/~vjp2/vasos.htm
    ---{Nothing herein constitutes advice. Everything fully disclaimed.}---

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