It's been over a year now since U.S. began their attack in Iraq in March of 2003. There are many controversies of why the U.S. invaded in the first place:
-economic greed for oil
-humanitarian mission to deliver the people of Iraq from political oppression by Saddam's regime
-pay back from 9/11
Whatever it is, God will have His just at the end. As an American citizen, who has lived the comfort of the freedom and blessings of this nation; I'm (Sal) not the best person to give my analysis of this controversy. However, as a Christian, I fe el it's my duty to love all of God's people and know that He's in control. It doesn't mean I can just sit here and just enjoy the blessings of American lifestyle. It's a duty of all believers in Christ to pray and intercede for this nation. Jesus commanded us not only to love Him and our neighbors, but also share the Gospel to "all nations"-yes Muslims too!
Oppressed Nation
I'm no expert on this nation, but from my perspective; I believe the political situation going on in this oppressed nation was due to the lack of the Freedom in Christ. There is a low literacy rate amongst Muslims, which many are not educated enough to understand or read. Whose falt is this, I sometimes feel the lack of opportunity given to it's people. Yes, we can point to Saddam and it's regime, but also the lack of care from the world. Just look at the gangs and inner-city crime in America. Why are their social problems in our cities? It's because of lack of care and no compassion for the oppressed. Yes, there are a few that get that "luck" or chance in life. It's because of people taking responsibilities of their individual lives and I feel personally that they took that opportunity given by God to succeed. Again, I'm no expert, but we need to Ask Him (Matthew 7:7). I believe if one does, God will send someone his/her way to get them out of their situation. Just look at the countless testimonies of people who have!
I don't understand the political situation going on in Iraq, but I just know that God loves the people of Iraq and it's only through the love of Christ that can get them out of their situation. Yes, God uses people, but His people need to answer His call to be His light to them. Who is willing to be sent?
*E-mail Forward
From : Lois D
Sent : Tuesday, September 7, 2004 9:51 PM
To : Lois D.
Subject : Iraq
IRAQ - VERY INTERESTING - DID YOU KNOW?
1. The garden of Eden was in Iraq.
2. Mesopotamia, which is now Iraq, was the cradle of civilization!
3. Noah built the ark in Iraq.
4. The Tower of Babel was in Iraq.
5. Abraham was from Ur, which is in Southern Iraq!
6. Isaac's wife Rebekah is from Nahor, which is in Iraq.
7. Jacob met Rachel in Iraq.
8. Jonah preached in Nineveh - which is in Iraq.
9. Assyria, which is in Iraq, conquered the ten tribes of Israel.
10. Amos cried out in Iraq!
11. Babylon, which is in Iraq, destroyed Jerusalem.
12. Daniel was in the lion's den in Iraq!
13. The three Hebrew children were in the fire in Iraq (Jesus had been in Iraq also as the fourth person in the fiery furnace!)
14. Belshazzar, the King of Babylon saw the "writing on the wall" in Iraq.
15. Nebuchadnezzar, King of Babylon, carried the Jews captive into Iraq.
16. Ezekiel preached in Iraq.
17. The wise men were from Iraq.
18. Peter preached in Iraq.
19. The "Empire of Man" described in Revelation is called Babylon,which was a city in Iraq!
And you have probably seen this one. Israel is the nation most often
mentioned in the Bible. But do you know which nation is second? It is Iraq!
However, that is not the name that is used in the Bible. The names used in the Bible are Babylon, Land of Shinar, and Mesopotamia. The word Mesopotamia means between the two rivers, more exactly between the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers. The name Iraq, means country with deep roots.
Indeed Iraq is a country with deep roots and is a very significant country in the Bible.
No other nation, except Israel, has more history and prophecy associated it than Iraq.
Another E-mail Forward:
3. SADDAM'S MASS GRAVES - While the naysayers and the liberal media obsess over the "failures of intelligence" and all the reasons why we were "misled" into liberating Iraq, they conveniently gloss over the humanitarian side of the equation. In fact, after listening to the nightly news lately, one could easily come away with the impression that we have done a great injustice to Saddam Hussein! But last week brought more horrifying news that further bolsters the justification for removing this brutal tyrant. British media outlets are reporting on the discovery of yet another of Saddam's mass graves. This one, however, includes primarily women and children and "thighbones the size of matchsticks" from the skeletons of unborn babies. Also found were the bodies of "toddlers clutching toys" and in one case, "A baby had been shot in the back of its head and was found still being clutched by its mother, who had been shot in the face." The report states that Iraq's human rights ministry has identified as many as 40 potential mass graves � each with its own horrors waiting to be revealed. At times like this, I think it is instructive to remember that there were some in our own country who opposed America's entry into World War II. For years we debated while England fought alone. And in that time, Hitler strengthened his Atlantic wall and we paid the price for our delay on D-Day. Yet, when the film reels of allied soldiers liberating places like Auschwitz, Buchenwald, and Dachau returned home, the voices of reluctance fell silent in shame. Let me repeat this one more time: Saddam Hussein was a weapon of mass destruction! The bodies of "toddlers clutching toys" are silently testifying to that fact. Should we have given this madman more time to scheme against us, more time to rebuild his defenses, more time to murder additional thousands? No! Liberating Iraq was the right thing to do. It was the right war, at the right time, for the right reasons. This is another unfortunate answer to prayer: the truth IS being told! Offer praise, and ask that EVERY HIDDEN THING BE REVEALED about evil of Saddam Hussein's regime. (Matthew 10:26)
4. WHAT? IRAQ HAD WMD'S AFTER ALL? - The mainstream media and the Bush Administration's loyal opposition have used every word ever written about Iraq's weapons of mass destruction program to convince the world that Iraq did not have a weapons of mass destruction program after the first gulf war in 1991; in fact, they cherry-picked every report for the juiciest verbiage justifying this position. Now, in a letter to the United Nations Security Council, the head of the U.N.'s International Atomic Energy Agency says there appears to be "widespread and apparently systematic dismantlement" at sites related to Iraq's nuclear program. This begs the question: If Iraq had no nuclear program after 1991, then how could there be a dismantling of something the country did not have? Indeed, the U.N. is expressing some angst over where the nuclear materials it knew existed have landed. And you can bet that opponents of the war will blame the United States for allowing these materials to slip out of the country. In his final report about Iraq's weapons of mass destruction, the Chief U.S. Arms Inspector admitted, "We cannot yet definitively say whether or not WMD materials were transferred out of Iraq before the war." In July 2003, the news media took the President to task for saying in his State of the Union Address that, "The British government has learned that Saddam Hussein recently sought significant quantities of uranium from Africa." The media browbeat the President into backing off that statement, but it was later proven to be true. At that time the United Nations insisted that documented biological weapons materials sufficient to produce over 25,000 liters of anthrax and over 38,000 liters of botulinum toxin, enough to kill several million people, remained missing. To this day, like the nuclear weapons materials, there is still no accounting for these biological weapons materials. Something is amiss. Reports conclude there were no WMDs in Iraq, but the U.N. insists that known WMD materials are missing. The truth is entangled somewhere deep in the corruption of the Oil for Food program, in under the table bribes and in illegal deals between Iraq and America's so-called allies. The Apostle Paul wrote in Ephesians 5:6 "Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience." In 2 Timothy 3:13 Paul also wrote, "But evil men and impostors will grow worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived." Do not be deceived, seek the truth of Christ. (Bill Wilson; The Daily Jot)
5. GOOD NEWS FROM IRAQ - Editor's Note: Shannon Arnwine of Sonora, Texas, is a Marine Captain serving as a supply officer in Fallujah. Following is an e-mail he wrote to his parents, Tommy and Beverly Arnwine, on Sunday, October 10, 2004.
Hey Mom and Dad,
I am doing well. It was good to hear your voices yesterday. Thank God for technology. Ya'll had said that you might have a letter of mine printed in the paper or read at church. I would like at least the people in Sonora to understand what is really going on over here, not what they hear on the news. If you watch the news, especially CNN, MSNBC, ABC, NBC, or CBS � they all show you the death and destruction that is happening over here, soldiers and Marines dying daily � one would think that we were losing this war. Just like the Vietnam War, the public thinks we are losing. But just like the Vietnam War, we in truth are winning. We have won every conflict, every skirmish, every firefight, but the media wants the great American people to believe this is a losing cause. It isn't. This is why we are here. These people are good people; they are our brothers and sisters. They were so brutalized by Saddam Hussein's regime that, when I walk by them, they cower from me. Yes, some are thieves, but they try to steal out of necessity. These people need us and want us here; they have told me this themselves. Because we are here, they have jobs again, they get paid, they put food on their tables, their schools are open and children are learning, their hospitals are open and working, their infrastructure is up and running. Do you see this on the news? We are helping our neighbors. These young Marines, soldiers, sailors, and airmen are doing wonders over here. I am in complete awe of them. This cause that we are fighting and dying for is a worthy cause; what we are doing over here is the right thing to do. You have paid with your own flesh and blood. Shane Folmar (a soldier from Sonora, Texas) died a hero, on his feet, facing the enemy. He gave his life so that this battle would be fought here, not at home. God bless you all, and God bless America. Pray for us. Semper Fi. Shannon. (San Angelo Standard-Times; October 16, 2004) (Excerpted)
"BAGHDAD, Iraq (AP) - Many of the Iraqi Christians who cast ballots in yesterday's election say they voted for Prime Minister Ayad Allawi, a secular Shiite Muslim.
A Christian housewife at a Baghdad polling station said a vote for Allawi meant "choosing a strong leader who does not differentiate between Iraqis of any religion." A Christian couple said they were defying insurgents and choosing a leader who they hope will bring security to Iraq.
Another Iraqi Christian said, "This is our land and we will stay here," adding that Christians were there "even before Islam." Christians today make up just three percent of Iraq's population.
Iraqi officials estimate that as many as 15,000 Iraqi Christians have left the country since August, when car bombings at five churches killed 12 people and injured 61 others.
The City of Nineveh (capital of Assyria, which is modern day Mosul-lays in this nation too! This is where God commanded Jonah/Yunis to "preach" too. Remember Jonah and the Whale (see Jesus is Lord)!
"1 The word of the LORD came to Jonah son of Amittai: 2 “Go to the great city of Nineveh and preach against it, because its wickedness has come up before me.”
3 But Jonah ran away from the LORD and headed for Tarshish. He went down to Joppa, where he found a ship bound for that port. After paying the fare, he went aboard and sailed for Tarshish to flee from the LORD. ...
Bible.org: Nahum "Nineveh was founded by Nimrod (Gen. 10:8-12) and had a long history. It was located on the east bank of the Tigris river. The river acted as the western and southern boundaries of the city. A wall that extended for eight miles formed the northern and eastern boundaries. The city was about three miles wide and eight miles long inside the walls, but there were suburbs that extended 14 miles north and 20 miles south. When Jonah referred to a three day walk across Nineveh (Jonah 3:3) it was no exaggeration...
Nineveh was the capitol of Assyria. The destruction of Nineveh and Assyria would be a message of consolation for the nations Assyria had oppressed. Israel and Judah were two of those nations. Israel had been destroyed in 722 BC by the Assyrians, but Judah was still around. We need to remember what the Assyrians were like. They burned cities, cut off heads and stuck people on poles. We talk about taking a head count, the Assyrians really did it." *see GoodnewsEverbody: Middle Eastern-Syria Sons of Nineveh
By David LeCompte
Special to ASSIST News Service Monday, February 16, 2009 "NINEVAH, IRAQ (ANS) -- It is bigger than life….from ancient writings to fairy tales, the story of Jonah and the big fish is known in many lands. The classical Old Testament story of a Jewish prophet called by God to go and preach to the city of Nineveh, the center of the Assyrian empire…today’s northern Iraq. Nineveh was full of idolatry and violent people…feared and hated by the Jewish people. Yet, God wanted to have compassion and mercy on Nineveh…He chose Jonah as His messenger.
Mission International Co-director William Agius teaching Ephesians
Jonah’s hardened his heart….his hatred against them grew as he rebelled and fled on a boat to Tarshish to escape God’s mission for him. Jonah didn’t care that God’s judgment was certain unless the people of Nineveh repented and turned to Him. Jonah argued…God, why do you love those with a different religious view than me…or difference of race or nationality? Why do you care about the Ninavites? They are wild and barbaric, guilty of war and violence - They deserve punishment! And, I know, they will believe in Jehovah. They will become part of God’s family just like me! Then I will have to call them my brothers and love them… but me…a Jew…friends with an Assyrian…unthinkable!
Jonah had an issue with God…God sent a big fish…Jonah reluctantly obeyed…the results were historic. Jonah finally went to Nineveh…the people believed Jonah’s message of God’s love…God did have mercy…the people of Nineveh repented and their land was spared for over 200 years. Today over two thousand years later, the people of Nineveh are once again turning to God.
Recently, on the Biblical plains of northern Iraq, near the ancient city of Nineveh, over sixty Iraqi leaders and Believers gathered for an unprecedented Bible conference to learn more of God’s Word. From many ethnic backgrounds, Kurdish & Arab, orthodox Christian and Muslim backgrounds, everyone came for one purpose…to see new Christian leaders raised up to become pastors to disciple and lead the mighty influx of new Believers that are coming to Christ in to Iraq. This historical conference was conducted through Iraqi pastors and leaders from the cities of Baghdad, Mosul and Dohuk and was facilitated by Mission International, Calvary Chapel and The Joshua Fund.
In an intense six-day conference, the entire book of Ephesians was taught by several American pastors. By the time our teaching came to a close, several new Iraqi leaders had committed themselves to go into areas of the country to plant churches that have never had a Christian witness in modern history. All left with renewed courage and faith to continue serving the Lord with greater joy and fervor.
Also, during our time of fellowship, many Iraqi’s shared personal testimonies of God’s miraculous transforming power and protection that had changed their lives since the war began in 2003…The story of Hussien impacted us the most.
He began, “I was raised in a strict Muslim family. We lived in Najaf in the south of Iraq. My father was very religious and from the time I could walk he took me to the mosque every Friday to pray and be with my people…the Shia sect of Islam. As I grew older I began to study in the schools of Najaf and learn more of the Koran and its teachings.
"After I became a young man, I finished reading Koran and my teachers would like me to become a preacher in the mosque…we call this man the imam. I began praying to Allah that I could be this preacher. I graduated from holy school in Najaf in 2002.
"It was soon after this time that the Americans came to Iraq and made the war. Our Islamic leaders called on all of the faithful to join the militia‘s to fight against the infidel Americans…we called ourselves the Medhi Army and followed Mufti al Sadr.
Iraqi students study Ephesians
"My photo was taken in the black headscarf covering my face while holding the automatic machine gun to show I was ready to be a martyr in Jihad. I proudly wore the green headband with Arabic verses over me declaring that God was Great! I had pledged myself to Allah and wished to die against the Americans. My life followed the teachings of the Koran and Islam.
"One day a friend of mine questioned me about why Islam was so violent and discriminated against women. I argued with him that Islam wasn’t violent and that it was the real and true way…yet in my heart something was unsure. I found myself to be angry, hateful and so revengeful toward everyone and everything. Many days past and I secretly began asking questions about the Koran myself.
"My family was friends with an old man in a wheelchair who had a large library of holy books…I thought to go to this man and share my doubts. He handed me a book…a Holy Bible. He said many years before Saddam someone had given him this book. The Koran is a sword, but this book is a flower, he said. Looking into my eyes he instructed me to read. Without anyone knowing, I began to read this book.
"As I began to read the Bible, my soul and life begin to breathe again. What I had been searching for seemed to begin to come clear. What I had not found in Islam, I sensed Allah becoming real. I was not as angry or violent anymore. I went to see the old man again to tell him how things were changing. He told me of a group of people in Baghdad who followed the teachings of the Bible and that I should go and visit them to learn more of the ways of Jesus. I was determined to visit this place. I traveled to Baghdad to visit this group of people. I remembered, “Look for the cross on the top of the building,” the old man had said. When you see this you will know.
"Although I was a stranger, the moment I entered the building I felt a warm sensation…a sense of peace…people were greeting me and making me feel as though I was one of their family. Their smiles and love for me and each other melted my anger and doubts. The community and purpose I had searched for all my life immediately came into my heart. I felt I had been traveling and searching all my life and now I had finally found the answer….I was home.
"That was over three years ago… Today, I know understand why I was born into Muslim family. I know also why I was studying in the Islamic school. God let me learn everything that the Muslims teach…I know how they think…and now I believe God will use me to lead them to the true and living God. I am ready to go back and tell them of Esa and His love."
Hussein’s story is just a Polaroid of the incredible stories were hear coming out of Iraq today. The sons of Abraham, young men like Hussein from the Islamic Shia strongholds of Najaf are being called once again to be the witness of God’s love for mankind. In a supernatural move of God not seen since the early days of the church…the day of Pentecost is happening once again.
In God’s sovereignty, He is reaching into the hearts of young Shia Muslims by revealing Himself to them through dreams and visions and through His written Holy Word. Just as the Apostle Paul was fervent in his faith for the early church, once radicals for Islam, these young men and women like Hussein are now radical servants of the Lord and are following Him with reckless abandon.
Revival once again is coming to the Sons of Nineveh."
-Children:
*1 hour 22 minutes (with commecials)
Jonah: A VeggieTales Movie Trailer
Jonah
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia "Jonah (Hebrew: יוֹנָה, Modern Yona Tiberian Yônā ; dove; Arabic: يونس, Yūnus or يونان, Yūnān; Greek/Latin: Ionas) is the name given in the Hebrew Bible (Tanakh/Old Testament) to a prophet of the northern kingdom of Israel in about the 8th century BC, the eponymous central character in the Book of Jonah, famous for being swallowed by a fish or a whale, depending on translation. The Biblical story of Jonah is repeated in the Qur'an...."
The story of Jonah "
Jonah is also the central character in the Book of Jonah. Ordered by God to go to the city of Nineveh to prophesy against it "for their great wickedness is come up before me."[2] Jonah seeks instead to flee from "the presence of the Lord" by going to Jaffa and sailing to Tarshish, which, geographically, is 180 degrees in the opposite direction. A huge storm arises and the sailors, realizing this is no ordinary storm, cast lots and learn that Jonah is to blame. Jonah admits this and states that if he is thrown overboard the storm will cease. The sailors try to dump as much cargo as possible before giving up, but feel forced to throw him overboard, at which point the sea calms. Jonah is miraculously saved by being swallowed by a large fish specially prepared by God where he spent three days and three nights.[3] In chapter two, while in the great fish, Jonah prays to God in his affliction and commits to thanksgiving and to paying what he has vowed. God commands the fish to vomit Jonah out.
God again orders Jonah to visit Nineveh and to prophesy to its inhabitants. This time he goes and enters the city crying, "In forty days Nineveh shall be overthrown." The people of Nineveh believe his word and proclaim a fast. The king of Nineveh puts on sackcloth and sits in ashes, making a proclamation to decree fasting, sackcloth, prayer, and repentance. God sees their works and spares the city at that time.[4]
Displeased by this, Jonah refers to his earlier flight to Tarshish while asserting that, since God is merciful, it was inevitable that God would turn from the threatened calamities. He then leaves the city and makes himself a shelter, waiting to see whether or not the city will be destroyed.
God causes a plant (in Hebrew a kikayon) to grow over Jonah's shelter to give him some shade from the sun. Later, God causes a worm to bite the plant's root and it withers. Jonah, now being exposed to the full force of the sun, becomes faint and desires that God take him out of the world.
But God says to him,
And God said to Jonah: 'Art thou greatly angry for the gourd?' And he said: 'I am greatly angry, even unto death.'
And the LORD said: 'Thou hast had pity on the gourd, for which thou hast not laboured, neither madest it grow, which came up in a night, and perished in a night;
and should not I have pity on Nineveh, that great city, wherein are more than sixscore thousand persons that cannot discern between their right hand and their left hand, and also much cattle?'
Jonah and the Great Fish answersingenesis.org "...There are plausible explanations for each of these questions (see below), but we must look at this event with knowledge of God’s complete power and sovereignty.
Could God have prepared a great fish to be in the vicinity of the foundering ship, to scoop Jonah out of the raging sea, transport him to shore and vomit him up?
Absolutely! If He is the all-powerful Creator God, preparing a fish and timing the whole event was not a great drain on His power or ability. He is in no way limited by what He created.
In Matthew 12:40, Jesus used Jonah’s experience as a basis for giving His disciples information about the circumstances of His own time in the grave. The historical fact of the account of Jonah and the fish is linked to the historicity of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ.
When witnessing, we may feel pressure to try to prove the truth of the account of Jonah, but let’s never forget that the lost are saved by grace through faith (Ephesians 2:8), not by our arguing abilities.
Apologetics is a tool God may use, but we can never argue someone into the Kingdom of God. We must simply present the truth of God’s Word and let the Holy Spirit bring conversion.
To deny the event is to cut out the supernatural, just like Thomas Jefferson did two centuries ago. ..
"...Whole animals as large or larger than a man have been found in the stomachs of the sperm whale, the whale shark and the white shark. ..
RESURRECTION. A third possibility is that Jonah actually suffocated and died in the great fish and then God later brought him back from the dead. There are at least eight other such "resurrections" recorded in the Bible, as well as the glorious bodily resurrection of Christ—of which Jonah's experience in particular was said by Christ to be a prophetic sign....
-Reign of Nebuchadnezzar
City of Babylon and the King Nebuchadnezzar II 1/5
" In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah came Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon unto Jerusalem, and besieged it. And the Lord gave Jehoiakim king of Judah into his hand, with part of the vessels of the house of God: which he carried into the land of Shinar to the house of his god; and he brought the vessels into the treasure house of his god."-Daniel 1
"The most important king of the Second or Neo-Babylonian Empire was King Nebuchadnezzar II. He reigned as the most powerful King from 605 - 562 B.C. His brilliance as a military leader and his architectural accomplishments are well known even to us today.
King Nebuchadnezzar built one of the "seven wonders of the ancient world," the hanging gardens of Babylon. He improved canals and restored old religious monuments. He warred with and defeated Egypt, Tyre, Edom, and Judah.
Among his many military conquests was the destroying of Jerusalem in 586. He then took the occupants captive and brought them to Babylon. This period of the Hebrews is known as the "Babylonian Captivity." It is chronicled in the book of Daniel and was foretold in the book of Jeremiah.
"In execution of the order of President Saddam Hussein the Southern Palace has been rebuilt and with it also the walls of the Procession Street and several temples. A Babylonian theater has been built with tourism facilities. Three mounts have been put up one bearing the name of Saddam along with vast lakes, gardens and orchards.
Babylon was ruled by many dynasties, the last one was the Modern Babylonian era dynasty that lasted for almost one century. Nabukhuthnusar II era was the most distinguished eras in the history of ancient east in general and one of the most powerful empires in history. He worked on enlarging Babylon. He surrounded it by two great walls. The outside wall consists of three smaller walls. The thickness of the two smaller walls, is 7 meters but the third one is 3 meters. Around the outside walls are security towers and in front of it lies a trench, whereas, the inside wall is built of two walls. Inside the wall there are great buildings like the Southern palace, Northern Palace, Ishtar Gate, Al-Mawkeb Street, and Babylon Tower.
Hammurabi made Babylon one of the great cities of the ancient world. Archaeologists have discovered that in his city the streets were laid out in straight lines that intersect approximately at right angles, an innovation that bears witness to city planning and strong central government. "
"The son of Nabopolassar; became king of Babylon in 604 B.C. as Assyria was on the decline; died 561.His name, either in this spelling or in the more correct form, Nebuchadrezzar (from the original, "Nabu-kudurri-uṣur" = "Nebo, defend my boundary"), is found more than ninety times in the Old Testament...
BIBLE - The prophecy of the of Nebuchadnezzar's dream-Daniel Chapter 2
"The dream of Nebuchadnezzar wrote in the biblical book of Daniel chapter two reveals, centuries in advance, the flow of the history of nations until the end of time and return to the glory of Jesus Christ. It represents a source of hope for humanity beset by fears and anxiety about the future."
"1 In the second year of his reign, Nebuchadnezzar had dreams; his mind was troubled and he could not sleep. 2 So the king summoned the magicians, enchanters, sorcerers and astrologers [a] to tell him what he had dreamed. When they came in and stood before the king, 3 he said to them, "I have had a dream that troubles me and I want to know what it means.... [b] "
...14 When Arioch, the commander of the king's guard, had gone out to put to death the wise men of Babylon, Daniel spoke to him with wisdom and tact. 15 He asked the king's officer, "Why did the king issue such a harsh decree?" Arioch then explained the matter to Daniel. 16 At this, Daniel went in to the king and asked for time, so that he might interpret the dream for him.
17 Then Daniel returned to his house and explained the matter to his friends Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah. 18 He urged them to plead for mercy from the God of heaven concerning this mystery, so that he and his friends might not be executed with the rest of the wise men of Babylon. 19 During the night the mystery was revealed to Daniel in a vision. Then Daniel praised the God of heaven 20 and said:
"Praise be to the name of God for ever and ever;
wisdom and power are his....
... 26 The king asked Daniel (also called Belteshazzar), "Are you able to tell me what I saw in my dream and interpret it?"
... 46 Then King Nebuchadnezzar fell prostrate before Daniel and paid him honor and ordered that an offering and incense be presented to him. 47 The king said to Daniel, "Surely your God is the God of gods and the Lord of kings and a revealer of mysteries, for you were able to reveal this mystery."
48 Then the king placed Daniel in a high position and lavished many gifts on him. He made him ruler over the entire province of Babylon and placed him in charge of all its wise men. 49 Moreover, at Daniel's request the king appointed Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego administrators over the province of Babylon, while Daniel himself remained at the royal court.-Daniel 2
Belteshazzar
by Wayne Blank from the Church of God: Daily Bible Study
"With the help of God, Daniel successfully interpreted the dream (see Daniel's Statue) which represented the great future empires of history, from the time then of Babylonian supremacy (Daniel 2:37), to the Persians who conquered them (see Ancient Empires - Persia), to the Greeks who in turn conquered them (see Ancient Empires - Greece), to the successive revivals of the Roman Empire (see Ancient Empires - Rome) that will lead right to the Return of Jesus Christ (Daniel 2:34,44)."
"At the first deportation of the Jews by Nebuchadnezzar (the kingdom of Israel had come to an end nearly a century before at the hands of the Assyrians), or immediately after his victory over the Egyptians at the second battle of Carchemish, in the fourth year of the reign of Jehoiakim (B.C. 606), Daniel and three other noble youths named Shadrach, Meshack, and Abednego were among the Jewish young nobility carried off to Babylon (probably as hostages to ensure the loyalty of Judah's king and advisors), along with some of the vessels of the temple. Daniel and his three Jewish companions were subsequently evaluated and chosen for their intellect and beauty, to be trained as Chaldeans, who constituted the ranks of the advisors to the Babylonian court."
-Daniel in the Den of Lions "15 Then the men went as a group to the king and said to him, "Remember, O king, that according to the law of the Medes and Persians no decree or edict that the king issues can be changed."
16 So the king gave the order, and they brought Daniel and threw him into the lions' den. The king said to Daniel, "May your God, whom you serve continually, rescue you!"
17 A stone was brought and placed over the mouth of the den, and the king sealed it with his own signet ring and with the rings of his nobles, so that Daniel's situation might not be changed. 18 Then the king returned to his palace and spent the night without eating and without any entertainment being brought to him. And he could not sleep.
19 At the first light of dawn, the king got up and hurried to the lions' den. 20 When he came near the den, he called to Daniel in an anguished voice, "Daniel, servant of the living God, has your God, whom you serve continually, been able to rescue you from the lions?" "-Daniel 6
"were an ancient Iranian people, who lived in the north, western, and northwestern portions of present-day Iran, and roughly the areas of present day Kurdistan, Hamedan, Tehran, Azarbaijan, north of Esfahan and Zanjan. This abode of the Medes was known in Greek as Media or Medea (Μηδία; adjective Median, antiquated also Medean). Under Assyrian rule, the Medes were known as Mādāyu.[3] They entered this region in the second millennium BC.[4]"
Daniel in the Lion's Den - Moody Bible Story
"Moody Bible Filmstrip from 1955.
When Daniel refuses to stop praying to God, King Darius has no choice but to throw him to the lions."
- Daniel's Dream of Four Beasts (End Times) "1 In the first year of Belshazzar king of Babylon, Daniel had a dream, and visions passed through his mind as he was lying on his bed. He wrote down the substance of his dream.
2 Daniel said: "In my vision at night I looked, and there before me were the four winds of heaven churning up the great sea. 3 Four great beasts, each different from the others, came up out of the sea. "-Daniel 7
Babylon is of great interest to both religious and non-religious, and even secular journalists. For Bible students, the subject of Babylon remains of great interest due to its prevalence in Biblical history and prophecy. So, what is the Biblical History of Babylon?
*see Lion and Lamb Ministry Babylon, The Biblical History, part 2, from Godtube.com "Part 2 of our 3 part series. Babylon is of great interest to both religious and non-religious, and even secular journalists. For Bible students, the subject of Babylon remains of great interest due to its prevalence in Biblical history and prophecy. So, what is the Biblical History of Babylon? Lets learn.."
Iraq Locals Visit The Ziggurat
"Ths clip was created by a Senior Airman (Nicoletta Kanakis) and describes the first visit by some local orphans to the Ziggurat in southern Iraq. The clip highlights how our young airmen (male and female) are being good ambassadors... "
"...Also Saturday, anti-war activists said at a news conference that the WikiLeaks release revealed that 15,000 more Iraqi civilians died during the conflict than previously thought...
The Guardian said the documents detail torture, summary executions and war crimes. U.S. authorities failed to investigate hundreds of reports of abuse, torture, rape and murder by Iraqi police and soldiers, the documents show, it said....
The documents also detail Iran's role in Iraq, including the supplying Iraqi militia fighters with weapons, including the most lethal type of roadside bomb, according to the Times.
Iraqi militants traveled to Iran for training as snipers and in using explosives. Iran's Quds Force urged Iraqi extremists it was working with to kill Iraqi officials. One document appears to lend credence to claims that Iran crossed the Iraqi border to arrest three American hikers...
"
A doctor in Iraq has told Sky News that more and more children are being born with deformities in Fallujah, a city heavily bombed by the US in 2004. Lisa Holland's report contains pictures of children with severe medical conditions and deformities. ...
"SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA (ANS) -- His unit lost the first man in the U.S. invasion of Iraq known as Operation Iraqi Freedom. They also fought the most pivotal battle in the collapse of Baghdad. Through it all, God proved Himself mighty in battle, sending angelic protection during the most intense fighting of the war.
Chaplain Cash preaching in Kuwaiti desert, 2003
“We had the first man killed in action in the whole war in our unit and fought what many believe is the most decisive battle in the fall of Baghdad,” Navy Chaplain Carey Cash told Baptist Press recently.
Chaplain Cash is the great grandnephew of legendary singer Johnny Cash.
After 40 days and nights in the Kuwaiti desert, the First Battalion, Fifth Marine Regiment crossed the line into harm’s way in Iraq on March 20, 2003 — the start of the invasion that led to the toppling of Saddam Hussein.
Chaplain Cash played a key role leading many to Christ during a crucial period in the run-up to the war. As they camped in the Kuwaiti desert awaiting the invasion, Cash asked the men if they would like to explore what it means to follow Christ.
He proposed that they join him for a 12-week Bible study, according to Baptist Press.
The first half of the Bible study took place before the invasion. During those 40 days and nights, Cash held classes and conducted daily counseling sessions with Marines who grappled with the claims of Christ.
As the eternal consequences of battle confronted them, their hearts softened. Just before crossing into combat, 60 Marines received Christ and were baptized. Several others were born again and baptized while in combat, including one inside Saddam Hussein’s palace on Palm Sunday, according to Baptist Press.
In that Marine battalion of 1,000 men, Cash said, “about one out of four had a profound spiritual awakening.”
In all, more than 250 men either made professions of faith or rededicated their lives to Christ. In addition to those baptized during the deployment, many more were baptized in their churches upon returning to the U.S.
Prayers answered during invasion
When his battalion crossed the border in the early morning darkness of the invasion, they were surprised to encounter a line of Iraqi tanks. “Intelligence had not reported their presence,” Chaplain Cash told CBN in 2009.
“Their turrets were leveled at us and they were fully manned. We were exposed, at a point of critical vulnerability,” he said.
MORE.."
The Hurt Locker
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia "The Hurt Locker is a 2008 American war thriller. It was one of the most acclaimed films of 2009, earning awards and honors from numerous organizations, festivals and groups. The film swept the 2010 BAFTA Awards, winning best film, director, original screenplay, editing, cinematography and sound. It was nominated for nine Academy Awards and won six, including Best Picture and Best Director. The film follows a United States Army Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) team during the Iraq War. The story was written by Mark Boal, a freelance writer who was embedded with a bomb squad. It stars Jeremy Renner, Anthony Mackie, and Brian Geraghty as members of a U.S. Army EOD unit in Iraq and follows their tour together as they contend with defusing bombs, the threat of insurgency, and the tension that develops among them.[3][4] The title is slang for being injured in an explosion, as in 'they sent him to the hurt locker'...
*gives a perspective of a U.S. Soldier who was condemned for going "crazy" and killing all these young Iraqi children; However, the U.S. soldier explains that the media didn't give the whole story.
*just saw this the other evening (Saturday, December 6th of 2008) w/some friends
Jarhead Theatrical Trailer
Related Sites: Wikipedia "...is a 2005 film based on U.S. Marine Anthony Swofford's 2003 Gulf War memoir of the same name, starring Jake Gyllenhaal as Swofford. The title comes from the slang term used to refer to Marines (sometimes by Marines themselves). ...Anthony Swofford
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia "(born 12 August 1970 in Fairfield, California) is a former United States Marine and author of the book Jarhead, published in 2003, which is primarily based on his accounts of various situations encountered in the first Gulf War. This memoir was the basis of the 2005 movie of the same name, directed by Sam Mendes.[..
He was a Lance Corporal[6] while serving as a sniper with the STA (Surveillance and Target Acquisition) Platoon of 2nd Battalion, 7th Marines,[1] however during his deployment in the Gulf he never fired a shot in anger[2] despite being fired upon both by the enemy and his own side.[6]
Following the war Swofford was uncomfortable with the notion that he was a hero, and deliberately missed the homecoming parade near his base.[2]. As far as he was concerned, he had simply done his job, and wanted to forget it....
After leaving the Marine Corps following the end of the war in the Gulf, Swofford at first found it difficult to adapt to civilian life. In his own words, it felt "strange to be in a place without having someone telling me to throw my gear in a truck and go somewhere".[5]
Swofford returned to college, doing a variety of jobs to pay his way.[5] His first job upon his return to civilian life was as a bank teller, however after only a few months he was robbed at gunpoint, which led him to quit.[3] Swofford also found work in warehouses...
Reviews: Jarhead (2005) , from imdb.com "..I saw a promotional screening of the film, sponsored by my university. Following the screening was an audience Q&A with the author (and main character), Tony Swofford.
And it was no surprise that the very first question from the audience was, quite ambiguously, "Do you support the military?" When Swofford dismissed the question as too broad and complex to be answered with a simple yes or no, the inquirer followed up with, "Well, do you support the war?" Swofford dismissed this even more readily.
To me, this was perfectly representative of how the film handled its potential political implications.
As Troy says early on in the film, "To hell with politics. We're here now." And that's essentially how the movie went...."
"Iraq (MNN) ― There have been more violent acts against Christians in Iraq. However, this time their Muslim peers will not tolerate it.
Due to increased dangers against Christians, many have taken refuge at a safe enclave in the Nineveh Plains. Over 1,000 Christian students who live there attend Mosul University, and 15 buses usually take them from the enclave to the university each day.
Paul Estabrooks of Open Doors USA said recently this routine was upset: "On May the 2nd, three of these buses were convoying together. A suicide bomber got in between bus number one and bus number two and exploded ... Meanwhile, then another bomb that had been planted on the third bus exploded."
Around 100 students were hospitalized following the attack, and a civilian who came to help the students was killed in the second blast. Since the bombings occurred, students have not gone back to school because they fear for their lives.
However, Christians are not the only ones not attending classes. "The lecturers and professors and the Muslim students have started a sit-in ... to protest the inability of Christian students to come to school in safety."
Estabrooks said other students are very outspoken about their support for the Christian students and refuse to attend classes again until everyone can.
The act of a sit-in is unprecedented among Muslims and Christians in Iraq. Yet, Estabrooks said it well encapsulates the attitude of the younger generation.
"At the university, there's very little animosity between the two religious groups," he said. This also extends to many young Muslims and Christians across Islamic nations, where they are more willing to approach each other's differences much more peaceably. ...
"Rebuilding Iraq " Who are the Kurds? "There is a saying among the Kurds: “No friends but the mountains.” For, indeed, the world has scarcely noticed when century after century, conqueror after conqueror has driven these once nomadic tribes deep within their beloved mountains to preserve their culture, their language and their lives.
Hidden in the shadows of history, resistance against repression became the Kurdish way of life, until atrocities inflicted by a dictator named Saddam Hussein sent shock waves throughout the world causing people of ever nation to ask, “Who are the Kurds?”
For many, awareness arrived on ‘Bloody Friday’ in March of nineteen eighty-eight when Saddam dropped poisonous gas on the Kurdish city of Halabja killing five thousand within minutes, followed by seven thousand more as the bombing continued for days.
Halabja was not Saddam’s only chemical attack against Iraq’s Kurds, it was simply the worst, captured in all its horrific detail, making it a symbol of the atrocities committed by Saddam Hussein."
Thank You America / The Other Iraq: Kurdistan, from youtube.com "http://kurdians.blogspot.com/
1 2 2007 2008 3 360 50 8 9/11 911 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 2006 2009 animation anime big britney britney bush car cat chris comedy cowell crazy crocker cute dance day de dj dog fight football football fun funny funny game gay gimme girl girls goal gol guitar high high hilarious hilton hot humor john life live love me more movie mtv mtv music music musical musical my naruto naruto new news parody part paul rap rock school school sex sexy show simon soccer song spears spears trailer tv tv usa video video vma vma vs war world world wrestling x xfactor you youtube eurovision rusian british kurtce kurdish kurmanci arab jew school war army cia senate democrate bush hilary koma techno remix music mp3 ipod mobile gsm nokia sony samsung amd intel hardrock game emo " KURDISTAN... the other Iraq, from youtube.com
Babylon
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia "...was a city-state of ancient Mesopotamia, sometimes considered an empire, the remains of which can be found in present-day Al Hillah, Babil Province, Iraq, about 85 kilometers (55 mi) south of Baghdad. All that remains today of the ancient famed city of Babylon is a mound, or tell, of broken mud-brick buildings and debris in the fertile Mesopotamian plain between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers, in Iraq. Historical resources inform us that Babylon was at first a small town, that had sprung up by the beginning of the third millennium BC (the dawn of the dynasties). The town flourished and attained prominence and political repute with the rise of the first Babylonian dynasty. It was the "holy city" of Babylonia by approximately 2300 BC, and the seat of the Neo-Babylonian Empire from 612 BC. The Hanging Gardens of Babylon were one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World..." "The Word "Babylon"
Babylon is Akkadian "babilani" which means "the Gate of God(s)" and it became the capital of the land of Babylonia. The etymology of the name Babel in the Bible means "confused" (Gen 11:9) and throughout the Bible, Babylon was a symbol of the confusion caused by godlessness. The name Babylon is the Greek form of the Hebrew name Babel. ...
The Tower of Babel
tower_of_babel1.gif The Bible reveals that all false systems of religion began in the land of Babylon and will have their consummation from the spirit of Babylon in the last days. It is interesting to note that every organized system of religion in the world today has traces of ancient Babylon.
The Bible records in Genesis 10:10, that, after the great flood, all men spoke one common language and a man named Nimrod built a city and established a common religion. Nimrod was a descendant of Noah’s son, Ham. Genesis 11:1-9 describes the building of the city and its famous tower "whose top may reach unto heaven." It also records how God came down and punished the people’s arrogance by creating a confusion of different languages and possibly their racial distinctions. This way man would be forced to obey God’s original command to "be fruitful and fill the whole earth."...
In 605 BC, Nebuchadnezzar II, the son of Nabopolassar, became ruler and reigned for 44 years. Under him the Babylonian Empire reached its greatest strength. Using the treasures which he took from other nations, Nebuchadnezzar built Babylon, the capital city of Babylonia, into one of the leading cities of the world. The famous hanging gardens of Babylon were known to the Greeks as one of the seven wonders of the world. ... Tower of Babel, from crystalinks.com "...Babylon is an apostate city frequently mentioned in the Old Testament. From 2nd Kings 17:24 through Zechariah 6:10 there are at least 257 direct references to Babylon (Strong's 94-95). Webster's Ninth New Collegiate Dictionary defines ancient Babylon as: ". . . a city devoted to materialism and the pursuit of sensual pleasure" (122). In the 18th chapter of the Book of Revelation, Babylon epitomizes mankind's final organized rebellion against the sovereignty of God and is utterly destroyed. This parallels the destruction of ancient Babylon, overthrown pursuant to the prophecy of the 13th chapter of Isaiah. ...
*see (End Times "
Babel's founder was Nimrod the Hunter (Gen. 10:8-12), who also was a "king of Shinar" (Webster's 798). Nimrod was a ruthless conqueror of the ancient day with ambitious political aspirations (Willmington 53). Willmington states: "Nimrod's name means 'let us revolt'" (53). Genesis 10:9-12 shows that Babel was the first of many cities that Nimrod established.
The Assyrian capital of Nineveh is enumerated (Gen. 10:11) as one of the many cities built by Nimrod. The prophecy of the Book of Jonah records God's solemn warning to the city to repent of its evil ways. God sent the reluctant prophet Jonah to deliver the admonition. Nineveh immediately repented. However, the prophecy of the Book of Nahum declares that God's judgment would fall on the subsequently backsliding and unrepentant Nineveh and that they would be pillaged by the Babylonians, Scythians and the Medes. ..
"...Accounts indicate that the garden was built by King Nebuchadnezzar, who ruled the city for 43 years starting in 605 BC (There is a less-reliable, alternative story that the gardens were built by the Assyrian Queen Semiramis during her five year reign starting in 810 BC). This was the height of the city's power and influence and King Nebuchadnezzar constructed an astonishing array of temples, streets, palaces and walls. ..
The World Around Us - The Legacy of Iraq's Ancient Cultures
'Enlightening Entertainment - Episode 325,
The World Around Us - The Legacy of Iraq's Ancient Cultures,
Air date: August 5, 2007 (EE - 20070805) "
Christianity in Iraq
"This is a clip from a 1980 documentary on the Silk Road. These are Iraqi Christians near Mousel, one of the oldest Christian communities in the world (dating back to the 1st century AD). Around one million Christians fled Iraq's cities after the war in 2001, which left 400,000 in the villages. They are violently targeted by Islamists and ignored by the US-backed government."
"Great Ziggurat of Ur, Iraq.
Great Mosque of Samarra, Iraq.
The Arch at Ctesiphon, Iraq.
Music by Alex Tiuiaev. Used by permission.
Written and narrated by Jerry Glover.
This series is also a magazine article, The World's Top 50 Mysterious Places: http://www.flickr.com/photos/16544488....."
Mesopotamia - Ruins Of Ur Tour Highlights
"This is a very abbreviated edition of my original video. The tour guide, Dhiaf Muhsen, is the grandson of one of the original excavators back in 1922. "
*see www.livius.org
"In the midst of the ongoing massacre of Christians in Iraq, an emergency summit of the country’s top religious leaders is being convened on January 8, 2011 in Copenhagen in an effort to end the sectarian violence gripping the nation. Dr. Norm Nelson, President of Compassion Radio - “America’s Radio Voice for Global Mission,” - has been invited by the summit’s convener, The Rev. Canon Andrew White, known as “the Vicar of Baghdad,” to participate in the four-day crisis deliberations.
The gathering, which will be attended by members of The High Council of Religious Leaders in Iraq (HCRLI), brings together 10 senior religious authorities from the Sadrist, Kurdish, Sunni, Shia and Christian communities as well as government officials. Canon White has commented that “negotiations will be difficult and delicate. These men have significant enmity towards each other, yet, if they can talk together, they have the power to bring peace."
Dr. Nelson told the ASSIST News Service in an exclusive interview that he believes that “the religious genocide” occurring in Iraq is “not getting the attention it deserves in the U.S.”
He went on to say, “Neither American Christians nor the public generally seems to have an awareness of this tragedy, believing, as our politicians are inclined to say, that the Iraq War is essentially over.
"Rather, it is now recast into an attack on Christians, mobilized in large measure by the al-Qaeda in Iraq thugs whose stated intent is to purge Christianity from the now-named Islamic Republic of Iraq."
Nelson, who only days ago returned to the United States from Damascus, Syria, where he spent a week interviewing Iraqi Christian refugees who have fled the violence in their homeland.
"It is gratifying to be a part of this desperately needed summit,” he said. “The bombings, murders, kidnappings and other terrorist acts targeting the Iraqi Christian population threatens to drive Christianity – which has existed in this place since apostolic times – out of Iraq entirely.
"American Christians must not be uninformed or apathetic about this escalating tragedy which is an unintended but very real consequence of the Iraq War. Our prayers and material support of our persecuted Iraqi brothers and sisters are needed now!”
Soon after the emergency summit, Nelson will be traveling to Baghdad to gather additional material for a Compassion Radio-produced documentary that will focus on the present crisis in Iraq and the plight of refugees fleeing the country. He has traveled extensively throughout Iraq since 1997 developing close ties with Iraqi churches, meeting with governmental leaders and providing spiritual and material assistance to people in need.
The New York Times article includes this quote from the Rev. Meyassr al-Qaspotros who urged his followers not to flee the country.
"I just wonder, when does this ignorance end?” he said in an interview. “When does this bigotry end? When is there an end to weak-minded people not treating or thinking of other people as a human?"
He added, “I want to tell the Christians in Iraq not to leave their country despite the dangers. Let’s die here — better than living oppressed in another country. It’s our responsibility to sacrifice for this country in order to take it out of the deep hole and to live peacefully again among the people of Iraq as we used to live before, and even better.”
Since October, at least 1,000 Christian families have left Iraq for the relative safety of semi-autonomous Kurdistan in the north, and others have sought refuge in Syria, Turkey and Jordan, according to the United Nations. By most estimates, more than half of Iraq’s Christians have left the country.
Norm Nelson concluded by saying: “The war in Iraq is not over. I believe this is the most critical moment in the history of the modern Iraq. The repercussions of decisions to be made in the days and months immediately before us will be felt worldwide and touch the lives of every American. We must pray that God will guide the discussions at the Copenhagen Summit and we must reach out to support – both prayerfully and materially - the refugees who are struggling for survival in Syria, Jordan and other countries around the world. We fellow Christians simply cannot remain uninvolved."
Anyone wishing to interview Norm Nelson on the current Iraqi situation can do so by calling 1.800.868.2478, or 949.470.2890. Further information on Norm Nelson and Compassion Radio can be found at: www.compassionradio.com "
AUSTRALIAN:
Iraqi Orphan With No Hands Wows X Factor Audience Singing Imagine - Inspirational Videos
"Posted By theremix 15 days ago
More videos from this user
Emmanuel Kelly, a victim of chemical warfare survivor from Iraq, doesn't know how old he is but has managed to become a wonderful singer. God has blessed him with an incredibly optimistic attitude and ability to persevere. Keey singing Emmanuel!
"
*see GoodnewsEverybody.com Challenges-Physically, Mentally, Handicapped, Vulnerable, etc...
NOTE: "Ron Valiquette
Sadly not complaining, but this is a Godless song. John Lennon wrote this before he saw the senselessness of liberalism. I am joyful of his tallents and family. I pray he chooses better songs in his future to sing and to glorify God. There is a heaven, there are borders, and there is world wide strife.. and there is GOD!"
"
Less than a week after Rep. Frank Wolf (R-Va.) described the Islamist takeover of Mosul, Iraq as genocide and challenged the West to counteract it, Nina Shea, director of the Hudson Institute's Center for Religious Freedom, published a trenchant piece on the Fox News website asserting that ISIS, the Sunni Muslim insurgent group calling itself the Islamic State, presents a dangerous threat to the region.
Only a handful of Christian families too ill to flee remain in Mosul. The religious cleansing of the city where Christianity flourished for nearly 2,000 years is a human catastrophe the U.S. government can no longer ignore, Shea says. Since overrunning the city on June 10, the Islamic extremist insurgency - some 10,000 strong in the caliphate it seeks to establish in Syria and Iraq - has demanded that Christians convert to Islam, pay the jizya tax as non-Muslims or be killed.
Most Christians could not afford to pay the tax and saw no recourse but to leave. A telling exception was a Christian father reported to have committed suicide after being forced to watch members of ISIS rape his wife and daughter on June 21 because he could not pay the jizya.
Between 30,000 and 50,000 Christians had fled Mosul since Islamist violence was unleashed following the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq in 2003, and the last 5,000 departed after the June 10 takeover - professionals and tradesmen who suddenly found themselves destitute and homeless, Shea notes. Weeks passed and some Christians returned, thinking ISIS had relaxed its rules and reduced its violence. ISIS issued its rules anew, and when Christian leaders declined to attend a meeting on July 17, according to aid and advocacy group Middle East Concern, ISIS (or IS, as it now calls itself) again issued the ultimatum - leave, pay jizya or die by the sword.
"More than 200 families are reported to have fled, leaving all their belongings behind, as demanded by the IS," MEC reported. "Some were beaten or otherwise humiliated at checkpoints while fleeing, and many were stripped of their remaining possessions (including vehicles, money, jewelry, phones, ID documents and even food and medicines)."
After July 17, ISIS began marking Christian homes with the Arabic "N" or "nun" symbol, for Nazarene, identifying them as Christians subject to the Muslim terms of their continued existence there. Religious cleansing returned with renewed virulence; deprived of their possessions, all remaining Christians in Mosul were essentially deported.
"Whether these newly displaced people, among the last Christians to speak Aramaic, Jesus' own language, will be able to remain in the region at all is likely to depend on America's response," Shea writes.
Christians, children on their backs and elderly in wheelchairs, fled on foot in temperatures of up to 120 degrees F. as the Islamic extremist militants looted their properties, Shea notes.
"ISIS has set out to erase every Christian trace," she writes. "All 30 churches were seized, and their crosses stripped away. Some have been permanently turned into mosques."
Monks were expelled from the fourth century Syriac Catholic monastery outside Mosul, the Mar Behnam, and ISIS is blowing up Christian and Shiite gravesites as "idolatrous," including the traditional tomb of the eighth-century B.C. prophet Jonah and its surrounding Muslim shrine, according to Shea.
"The religious cleansing of Mosul's minorities is only part of the problem," she writes, "but it is a grave crime against humanity, as well as a humanitarian catastrophe, that should no longer go overlooked in U.S. policy."
Displaced Christians wait for humanitarian aid at a church in Hamdaniya town, east of Mosul, northwest of Baghdad
Displaced Christians wait for humanitarian aid at a church in Hamdaniya town, east of Mosul, northwest of Baghdad, July 20, 2014. Credit: Reuters/File
Iraqi Christians
"This video is a tribute to the Christians that live in Iraq. While the country is overwhelming Islamic, over one million Christians once lived in Iraq, including a community found in the city of Mousel that were one of the oldest Chistian communities that existed, dating back to first century. However, persecution has caused many Christians to flee Iraq and violent persuection continues to afflict those that stay in their homeland. And while the new government has close ties to the US, it still does nothing to prevent persecution of Christians by their Muslim neighbors"
"This video shows the many churches that were burned and destroyed as well as other scenes that depict Christian persecution in the country of Iraq. This music in this video is sung in Aramaic, the language that Jesus spoke when he walked the earth."
Iraqi Christians
"A Christian pastor in the US forces recalls his experiences with Iraqi christians living with the war."
"BAGHDAD, Iraq (CNN) -- At least 900 Christian families have fled Mosul in the past week, terrified by a series of killings and threats by Muslim extremists ordering them to convert to Islam or face possible death, officials said Saturday...
The attacks may have been prompted by Christian demonstrations ahead of provincial elections, which are to be held by the end of January, the deputy governor of Nineveh province said.
Deputy Gov. Khasro Goran said 13 Christians have been slain in the past two weeks inMosul, about 260 miles (420 kilometers) north of Baghdad. Fleeing Christians have sought refuge in monasteries and churches and with family members in other towns, an Interior Ministry official said.
The attacks began after hundreds of Christians took to the streets in Mosul and surrounding villages and towns, seeking greater representation on provincial councils, whose members will be chosen in the local elections.
Duraid Mohammed Kashmoula, Nineveh's governor, told The Associated Press that the exodus was "a major displacement."
"Of course, al Qaeda elements are behind this campaign against Christians," Kashmoula told AP.
The Interior Ministry official said the homes of three families were destroyed with explosives Saturday after the occupants left. No injuries were reported.
A week ago, leaflets were distributed in several predominantly Christian neighborhoods, threatening families to "either convert to Islam or pay the jizyah or leave the city or face death," said the Interior Ministry official.
Historically, jizyah is a tax paid by non-Muslims in exchange for protection.
Goran said that a few days after the leaflets were passed out, gunmen set up checkpoints in parts of Mosul, stopping vehicles to inspect identification papers, searching for Christian names or other signs of religious affiliation. Many of the Christians killed were targeted in this way, he said.
Bashir Azoz, 45, told AP he fled his Mosul home after gunmen warned a neighbor to leave or be killed.
"Where is the government and its security forces as these crimes take place every day?" asked Azoz, a carpenter who is staying with his wife and three children in a town about 25 miles (40 kilometers) east of Mosul, according to AP.
The Rev. Bolis Jacob, of Mosul's Mar Afram Church, told AP he couldn't understand the attacks.
"We respect the Islamic religion and the Muslim clerics," he said. "We don't know under what religion's pretexts these terrorists work."
Goran said police have set up security checkpoints in Christian neighborhoods.
In response to the violence, Iraqi Defense Minister Abdul Qader al-Obaidi visited Mosul on Saturday morning, conducting meetings with local authorities and military commanders.
His spokesman, Mohammed al-Askari, said that in addition to ordering more checkpoints in Christian neighborhoods, al-Obaidi ordered more troops deployed, additional security patrols and an increase in aerial surveillance of Christian areas.
Al-Obaidi also ordered more guards for Christian clerics, al-Askari said. "
"..Barnabas Fund, in a media advisory obtained by ASSIST News, says the Islamic State of Iraq, an Al-Qaeda front group, claimed responsibility for the attack that left 58 people dead and, in a statement on Tuesday, said that the "killing sword will not be lifted."
In its advisory to Christian media worldwide, Barnabas Fund says: "The threat was extended to 'all Christian centers, organizations and institutions, leaders and followers' when a 48-hour deadline expired for the release of Muslim women the group falsely claims that the Egyptian Church is holding captive.
Barnabas Fund explained: "This was one of the demands made by the armed militants who took around 100 worshippers hostage during an evening service at the church in Baghdad on Sunday (October 31). ..
,,"In the following days, the press reported on the indiscriminant shooting of civilians. Soldiers were dumbstruck � "They ambushed us." Maj. Larry Perino was indignant. Although none of his men was involved, he felt the sting..."
... "...Western exploitation. Iraqis are a proud people. If they think their country is being carved up for the benefit of outside economies, they will be very angry. Extremism will flourish. Pray that the Western interim administrators will take care to involve the Iraqi people in the rebuilding of the country."
"The Bible speaks extensively of Babylon, and identifies it as the evil city. It was the birthplace of the seed of Satan the devil. In the very Garden of Eden, the die was set for all of humanity. The Garden of Eden, situated in the very region of Babylon, became the place where God pronounced His curse on the arch-rebel of the universe, and all those who would follow him.
Today, that arch-rebel has begun to rebuild the ancient ruins, and to again restore his former glory. In the very land where he rebelled, and corrupted God’s human creation, he will face destruction on an unimaginative scale....
"...The ancient city of Babylon also figures in end time prophecy. It appears that Babylon will become the trade centre of the world and plans are in place for a global communication hub to be built in Babylon. It will handle all electronic mail including emails, faxes, mobile text messages and all phone calls, land line and mobile, private and commercial.
A new American embassy is also scheduled, the largest in the world will also be built in Babylon.
Before his captor Saddam Hussein had began some 24 years previously to excavate and rebuild the ancient ruins..."
"..Revelation 17 = Ecclesiastical Babylon - destroyed by the 10 kings
Revelation 18 = Commercial Babylon - destroyed by fire from Heaven
Concerning Revelation 17:3, J. Vernon McGee writes, "The woman is a
city, and the city is Rome, the religious capital of the world. She is religious Rome, which at that time will have inherited all the religions of the world...
Commercial Babylon [in Rev.18] is ancient Babylon, rebuilt as the commercial capital of the world. This city is the final capital of the political power of the Beast."
Dr. McGee contrasts the two Babylons, "The commercial center is loved by
the kings of the earth; and the apostate church is hated by the kings of
the earth."
Babylon is mentioned 297 times in the Bible-- more than any other city
except Jerusalem. Babylon is the theme of six long chapters in the Bible: Jeremiah 50-51; Isaiah 13-14 and Revelation 17-18..."
" BAGHDAD, Iraq (CNN) -- "There are the bloodstains on the wall, and here it is dried on the floor," Abu Muhanad said as he walked through a torture chamber in a Baghdad mosque where more than two dozen bodies have been found.
Two women clutch photographs of loved ones believed killed by the Mehdi Army.
Two women clutch photographs of loved ones believed killed by the Mehdi Army.
"And here, a woman's shoes. She was a victim of the militia. We found her corpse in the grave."
Chunks of hair waft lazily across the floor in the hot Baghdad breeze.
"This was the torture room," said Muhanad, the leader of a U.S.-backed armed group that now controls the mosque.
"This is what they used for hanging," he said, pointing to a cord dangling from the ceiling. "Here is a chain we found tied to an old man's body."Photo Go inside the mosque's torture chamber �
The horrific scene at this southwestern Baghdad mosque is what officials say was the work of a Shiite militia known as the Mehdi Army. Residents who live near the mosque say they could hear the victims' screams.
The militia had been in control of the mosque, called Adib al-Jumaili, from at least January 2007 until May of this year. Residents say coalition forces weren't in the region and the torture and killings went unchecked.
Some of the victims were accused of being spies for U.S. forces. Other family members don't know why their loved ones disappeared. The family members at the mosque who spoke to CNN were all Shiite, the same branch of Islam as the Mehdi militia. But, they say, some of the victims were Sunni as well. Video Watch mosque atrocities uncovered �
The neighborhood lies in an area that became one of the capital's many sectarian fault lines when violence was at its worst.
It's been about three months since the Mehdi Army, loyal to radical Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr, abandoned this mosque as it withdrew from several strongholds across the country.
Spray painted on the walls is a chilling warning: "Spies, you will dig your own graves. Long live the Mehdi Army."
Now the mosque is under the watch of the Sons of Iraq, a local armed group that is largely financed by the Americans working alongside the Iraqi police. They are charged with trying to keep the peace in the neighborhood.
Muhanad is their leader.
"We found this chain on an old man's corpse that we dug out of the grave," he said, gesturing to a bloodied chain on the floor. "We recovered about 22 corpses and then another five."
Only now are people able to understand the true magnitude of the Shiite militia's atrocities and the brutal laws they were enforcing on the people.
"This was my son's grave," Abu Wissam said, pointing to one of the many shallow holes in the mosque's garden. "We recovered his corpse completely rotten. His hands and legs were amputated, and his head was decapitated."
"He was just a college graduate," his mother sobbed, clutching her 25-year-old son's photo.
They say the Mehdi Army abducted their son about a year ago, accusing him of being a traitor. They shot up and looted his home. The family fled.
A gruesome video of their son's mutilated body was delivered to their doorstep.
The militia "still raid our homes," Abu Wissam said. "Their families are in the district. The day before yesterday, at noon, they tried to assassinate me, but I was able to call the police for help."
The neighborhood is eerily deserted. Most of the residents fled the militia's reign; many who stayed bore the brunt of the violence. Homes stand abandoned, shops shuttered, buildings shot up.
A single car drives down the main street as a pack of dogs runs through the twisted piles of metal that was once an outdoor market.
Lingering at the mosque are a handful of residents whose loved ones were also abducted, looking for clues.
"They said they were just taking him for a few minutes, for an investigation," said Karima, who only wanted to be identified by her first name, as her eyes filled with tears. "But they never released him and we heard he might be buried behind the mosque."
Umm Diab's breath came in shallow gasps as tears flowed from her turquoise-green eyes. She wiped them away using the corner of her abaya, or robe. In her hand, there's a passport photo of her father, who was abducted by the militia.
"All we want are their dead bodies," she said.
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Although the Mehdi Army has moved out of this mosque and is less visible on the street, residents know that they're not gone.
"They're still threatening us," Umm Diab said."
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