Peace on earth, goodwill toward men--Bless the Iraqi Christians

This is the season for peace and goodwill. A time for Christians to celebrate the birth of the Savior. A time for family and friends. A time to reflect and remember the things that matter most.

And then there is this:

Amid the carols and decorations, Iraq Christians fear extinction, by Alice Fordham, The Times.

"It could be a scene from a Victorian Christmas card. The young people gather in the church, decorating a tree, while in the background the choir rehearses for Christmas Day — the tune of God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen playing out. In the theatre next to the church two clowns are playing musical chairs with hundreds of children, while a bishop and an inflatable Father Christmas look on.

"The words to the carol are in Iraqi-accented Arabic — Feltestereh qolubikum, ya ayuha al jumoor — “may your hearts take comfort, you who are gathered here”. The church is Our Lady of Deliverance Syriac Catholic Church in Baghdad, and outside is the more familiar Iraqi scene of barbed wire and armed guards. Behind the tinsel and carols lies a fear that Christians in Iraq are a community under threat of extinction. Proportionally more Christians are leaving Iraq than any other group.

"Last week 100 Christian leaders and politicians of all religions held an emergency meeting just before fresh violence broke out in the northern city of Mosul, with attacks on churches and Christian schools. On Tuesday a baby was killed and 40 people, including schoolchildren, were injured in three simultaneous bombings. Two days ago a Christian man was shot dead as he travelled to work."

Iraqi Christians Face Bombs, Attacks in Run-Up to Christmas, Fox News.

""Instead of performing Christmas Mass in this church, we will be busy removing rubble and debris," said Hazim Ragheed, a priest at the Mar Toma Church."

Iraq Christians Face More Bloodshed As Bombings Kill 118 (Dec. 8, 2009) by Worthy News Middle East Service.

"Archbishop Basile Casmoussa of Mosul said that the bombings were clearly part of an intimidation campaign against the Christian minority. Iraqi Christians reportedly described the attacks as "a Mafia warning," and said they were being warned "to get out of the city."

Tuesday's bombings in Baghdad, were another reminder of growing tensions in Iraq."

New Violence Flares in Iraq, With Christians and Shiites as Targets, by John Leland, The New York Times.

"As Muslims in Iraq observe the 10-day holiday of Muharram, and Christians warily prepare for a subdued Christmas, episodes of violence erupted around the country on Wednesday, some of them aimed at worshipers of each faith.

"There were four separate bomb attacks in Baghdad on Shiite pilgrims marching toward Karbala in observance of Muharram, and a fifth attack on people giving food and drinks to the marchers."
...

"In the northern city of Mosul, where sectarian violence has continued to run high, a bomb placed in a handcart opposite the Syrian Orthodox Church of St. Thomas killed two people, both Muslim, and damaged the church, which was built in 770. The attack followed threats to blow up churches at Christmas, and was the sixth attack on Christians in Mosul in less than a month. Threats and attacks against Iraqi Christians typically rise during the Christmas season."

I will never understand.