Telegraph
New study: Christianity “close to extinction” in the Middle East
The “lion’s share” of persecution faced by Christians arises in countries where Islam is the dominant faith, the report says, quoting estimates that between a half and two-thirds of Christians in the Middle East have left the region or been killed in the past century.
“There is now a serious risk that Christianity will disappear from its biblical heartlands,” it claims.
The report shows that “Muslim-majority” states make up 12 of the 20 countries judged to be “unfree” on the grounds of religious tolerance by Freedom House, the human rights think tank.
It catalogues hundreds of attacks on Christians by religious fanatics over recent years, focusing on seven countries: Egypt, Iraq, Pakistan, Nigeria, India, Burma and China.
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The author, of course, has to take a cheap shot at Booooooooosh!
Blake on December 24, 2012 at 1:23 PM
Progressives Rejoice!
rob verdi on December 24, 2012 at 1:24 PM
A cult is never going to tolerate dissent or free will, so nothing shocking here.
NotCoach on December 24, 2012 at 1:27 PM
I had a friend who was a Christian Palestinian. His father had once been mayor of Bethlehem. In the 70′s it became possible to immigrate to the US which they did. Specifically because they saw Islam gradually taking over. Got out while the getting was good.
BullShooterAsInElk on December 24, 2012 at 1:31 PM
I don’t think so.
JellyToast on December 24, 2012 at 1:32 PM
It’s Israel’s fault /sarc
But, really, I’ve heard priests and pastors say just that.
BoxHead1 on December 24, 2012 at 1:33 PM
“The blood of the martyrs is the seed of the church.”~Tertullian
davidk on December 24, 2012 at 1:35 PM
Sanity always go extinct first..
HotAirian on December 24, 2012 at 1:36 PM
Because it isn’t in Europe? Or is forcing a people to abandon their heritage and culture really worse than simply leeching it out of them over the course of many generations in an unending war of attrition?
abobo on December 24, 2012 at 1:41 PM
Tertullian was a self-admittedly abusrd heretic who wouldn’t qualify as a Christian today.
abobo on December 24, 2012 at 1:42 PM
Well, that should make Obama and progressives happy.
darwin on December 24, 2012 at 1:44 PM
Perhaps it is time for another crusade?
LincolntheHun on December 24, 2012 at 1:50 PM
The religion of peace and tolerance can tolerate no other religion.
Grunt on December 24, 2012 at 1:50 PM
Meh. details.
davidk on December 24, 2012 at 1:54 PM
I expect that distinction wouldn’t impress modern-day persecutors, either.
Knott Buyinit on December 24, 2012 at 2:16 PM
If all the religions were close to extinction in the Middle East there might be some hope.
Annar on December 24, 2012 at 2:22 PM
So is Liberty.
Obama enables tyrannies all over.
Name one free people due to Obama.
Schadenfreude on December 24, 2012 at 2:23 PM
Troll much?
davidk on December 24, 2012 at 2:23 PM
If all the religions were close to extinction in the Middle East there might be some hope.
Annar on December 24, 2012 at 2:22 PM
yep you reprobates would have your secular humanistic rationalist(lmfao!) utopian hell on earth a la the soviet union.
tom daschle concerned on December 24, 2012 at 2:26 PM
Bad guess, I’ve been here since the beginning.
Annar on December 24, 2012 at 2:31 PM
I did not know TIG defined a troll.
Your comment is deliberately inflammatory, designed to elicit responses.
davidk on December 24, 2012 at 2:43 PM
In a few years Egypt will be as ‘Christian freien’ as it is today ‘Jude frei.’ Those Copts that can will flee and those that remain will be assimilated of eliminated. The complete process may take a decade to run its course but Egypt will eventually be an Islamic state with no irritating ‘People of the book’ around as an irritant.
The continual reference to the old Soviet Union in these pages ignores the fact that it was in fact a religious structure where the godhead was the state being just as ineffable and unquestionable as any of the other gods so often referenced on these pages. Its founders knew very well how religious structures could be used to coerce the people.
Happy Holidays.
Annar on December 24, 2012 at 2:49 PM
TIG is not a defining trait of troll.
Your comment is deliberately inflammatory designed to elicit response.
Not that there’s anything wrong with that. I’ve done it myself.
Your comment is so absurd, it is not worthy of rebuttal. Only a total ignoramus or someone who is obviously trying to agitate would make such a statement. I do not believe you are the former–unless you really believe what you said.
davidk on December 24, 2012 at 2:55 PM
I still think that no religion in the middle East is a better alternative than an Islamic Caliphate. I realize that this is impossible so it becomes a rhetorical question. Nonetheless Christians are fleeing Lebanon and North Africa in droves so the only question that remains is how militant the emerging Islamic structure will become.
Annar on December 24, 2012 at 3:01 PM
Yep the only truly safe place for a christian in the middle east is Israel..Saudi Arabia, Iran, Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan all are very hostile to christians….heck, Afghanistan no longer has a church there..yeah, pretty bad
sadsushi on December 24, 2012 at 6:34 PM