Pope Deplores Latest Killings of Christians in Pakistan

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By John Thavis
Catholic News Service

VATICAN CITY (CNS) – Pope Benedict XVI deplored the killing of eight Christians in Pakistan by a Muslim mob and urged the minority Christian community not to be deterred by the attack.

The Christians, including four women and a child, were either shot or burned alive Aug. 1 when a crowd attacked the eastern Pakistani town of Gojra, setting fire to dozens of Christian homes. Authorities said tensions were running high in the area, fueled by a false rumor that a Quran, the sacred book of Islam, had been desecrated.

A telegram sent in the pope’s name said the pontiff was “deeply grieved to learn of the senseless attack” on the Christian community. Noting the “tragic deaths” and the immense destruction in the neighborhood, he sent condolences to the families of the victims and expressed solidarity with the survivors.

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It is most heart breacking news to see peaceful Pakistani Christians being murdered and burned alive on malicious rumors that probably have now base in truth. The convenient blasphemy laws are in place in Pakistan and the fundamentalist use them to accuse Christians and other minorities when they want to flare up a riot which often is deadly for the minorities. Can some peace loving government in the world please take up this issue for the minority Christians. Raise it in the UN; raise it with the Pakistani government; raise in all forums. No Pakistani Christian in their right mind can even think of descrating the Quran. The Christians are out numbered 1 to 185. It is no fighting match. These people are dirt poor and have no recourse but prayer. I wish we pray to God for his invisible hand and help. Brings John 15:18 to mind. May God help minority Christians every where in the world.

Paul
 
Let’s raise this discussion to another level. When religious freedom of any man is threatened by the abuse of laws, the first link of chains that enslave man has been forged. Regardless of one’s religious belief, the rights of every believer must be safeguarded by a civilized society. Violence is not religious, regardless of the affiliation of the perpetrator. Violence is nothing more than a form of cowardice and a grave sin against God and man. It cannot be tolerated by a civilized world. We have an obligation to communicate our support for a free society where faith and conscience are never prosecuted in the name of God. I would encourage every reader of this article to write a letter to the Pakistani ambassador in Washington, DC. This is not an issue about Christians, but about human rights.

Fraternally,

Br. JR, OSF 🙂
 
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