Dear Jason,
It was nice to read your writings. I too felt sad to hear and see those news
and images of burned down churches.
It made me think of two things: the fanaticism of a religion and
helplessness of others .I have always felt a lot of respect for those
Christians in Muslim dominated countries and regions of the world. I have
often thought if I would hold on to my faith if I were in Egypt or in Sudan.
Nevertheless, it is great to see and know that there are fathers of our
faith in all these countries too. WE SHOULD PRAY FOR THEM.
Jesus said, "Blessed are those who are persecuted because of
righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven". Islam is one pain on
earth and we Christians have the greatest challenge dealing with this
nomadic religion.
Jaison, there are always things like Miss World. However, we Christians have
to depend on the Word for our loves and joys in life. I have felt it crazy
to parade a bunch of slim, half-naked girls and the world watching them tell
those silly answers! But crazy are the things of this world!! We have to
live with it. 2000 years ago, our Lord too felt it. So there is nothing new
in my feelings. "Things of God, for the people of God".
Bonded in his love
abbyabraham
- Original Message -
From: "Jason :)" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Sent: Monday, December 09, 2002 6:45 PM
Subject: [JOYnet] Beauty is in the eyes of the Beholder
> Dear JYs
>
> Beauty can be described as something wonderful in the eyes of the beholder
or
> so the saying goes. Not so when in the month of November 2002 towns like
Abuja
> and Kaduna were rocked by Riots. And the target of the riots : Christians
just
> like us. I wonder how come none of us (me included) ever mentioned about
this
> in our Prayer Requests out here.
>
> I didnt realise the gravity of the situation till the Saturday issue of
> Zenit.org really caught my eye. The writing was there. More than 200
people,
> mostly Christians, were killed; several others were maimed. As well, 15
> churches were burned and pulled down, and more than 30,000 people have
been
> displaced.
>
> What was that spark that ignited the lives of over 30,000 Christian. A
Beauty
> Paegent - The ever famous Miss World.
>
> Yep. the same Miss World that is supposed to showcase 80 of the World's
most
> beautiful women every year. Yep that same Miss World that added India to
the
> Glamour world. Yep that same Miss World that gave the ever drooling India
its
> Aishwarya Rais, its Lara Duttas etc. That same Miss World that had
millions of
> viewers (including Christians) this Saturday glued to their Television
Set.
> And yet as on today that same Miss World whcih was supposed to "declare"
some
> fortunate woman as the most beautiful woman of the world has actually dug
200
> graves for Christians and have blown the roof tops for over 30,000.
>
> That anytime trouble would be errupt was evident from the reaction from
> different Muslim circles months before the Paegant could commence in
Nigeria.
> What actually fanned the flames was after a Kaduna newspaper, ThisDay,
> published an article alleging that the prophet Mohammed would have
approved of
> the Miss World beauty pageant.
>
> According to Archbishop John Olorunfemi Onaiyekan of Abuja, the surprising
> thing was that Christians were singled out for attacks by Muslims enraged
by
> the Miss World event, given that the beauty pageant was a "purely a
secular
> project." Just like our Gujarat it is believed that the reason for
inciting
> violence seems political as elections are scheduled to be held next year.
>
> None of those christians affected might have ever expected on that
faithful
> day to find their lives suddenly uprooted. None of them must have ever
> expected that they were chosen to be one with Christ in experiencing
> sufferings and rejection. Like us they too were followers of Christ
leading
> normal 'daily lives'. I wondered how many of them during those faithful
hours
> must have questioned their faith. Sure like St, Peter there were some
> Christians who retaliated and attacked their Perpetrators.
>
> The report in Zenit.org further goes on to say that according to
Archbishop
> Onaiyekan, Christians right now are terrified in the wake of the riots,
and
> many are ready to flee their homes at the slightest sign of further
violence.
>
> So dear JYs let us not forget to pray for our bretheren whom we cannot
reach
> out to but who depend our Prayers as they face one more night of
uncertainity.
> May the Lord give us all strength in the time of our trials. May the might
of
> his strength be witnessed in the power he gives us to not only forgive
but to
> love our enemies and may his peace be always with us.
>
> ur
