tim's journal

Rev. Faris Toma's ulcerogenic comment

Following the brutal attacks on Christian churches in Iraq, Rev. Faris Toma, pastor of St. Peter and Paul, had the following comment:

"Why do they kill all the Iraqi people?" he asks in exasperation. "Why don't they kill the Americans? They are the occupiers. We are innocent." [1]

I understand that he is grieving and I can appreciate his frustration, but this comment is just plain ulcerogenic. I hope something was lost in the translation. To be fair, if we didn't go into Iraq and destablize the political environment, they probably would not have been targeted, at least, not to this extent.

Why did he think the Christian community had been targeted? "This is the question which we are all asking." Then echoing the reaction of many Christians across Iraq, he added of the perpetrators: "It seems that having failed to divide Sunnis and Shia Muslims, they now want to cause problems between Christians and Muslims. I do not believe this will happen." [2]

At least he doesn't hold a grudge, at least, not against the terrorists...

"We cannot understand why or how they could do something like this," he said. "All we can do is ask God to give them forgiveness and grant us peace." [3]

References
[1] S. Baldauf and D. Murphy, "Iraqis decry attacks on Christians," The Christian Science Monitor, August 3, 2004.
[2] D. Macintyre, "Baghdad's Christians bear brunt of association with the West", news.independent.co.uk, August 3, 2004.
[3] A. Blomfield, "Iraqi Christians pray for their attackers", Telegraph, August 3, 2004.

Posted by torque at August 2, 2004 8:44 PM | TrackBack