barbaric...
Saturday, August 01, 2009
I was horrified to receive an email just a few minutes ago that read...
"... on the night of July 30, 2009 in the village of Korian Toba Tek Singh, that falls in the Pastoral and Episcopal jurisdiction of Faisalabad Diocese – Church of Pakistan, some Muslim extremists set on fire about 75 houses of the Christian community and 2 Churches of the locality were also damaged.
The Diocese of Peshawar Church of Pakistan condemns this insane and brutal act of violence against peaceful poor Christian communities and on behalf of the Church of Pakistan humbly appeals to all partners and friends to pray for the comfort of the affected families and where possible extend support for the rehabilitation of victims of this unfortunate incident. "
Sadly attacks like these are all too frequent and rarely reported in the Western press. If you are a praying person, please do pray for the families affected, and for the wider Christian community in Pakistan living in fear of further attacks. Pray too against the misguided religious loyalties that lead some people to commit such barbaric acts.
The Pakistan Christian Post gives more information 'here'
update... BBC news report (and video) 'here'
"... on the night of July 30, 2009 in the village of Korian Toba Tek Singh, that falls in the Pastoral and Episcopal jurisdiction of Faisalabad Diocese – Church of Pakistan, some Muslim extremists set on fire about 75 houses of the Christian community and 2 Churches of the locality were also damaged.
The Diocese of Peshawar Church of Pakistan condemns this insane and brutal act of violence against peaceful poor Christian communities and on behalf of the Church of Pakistan humbly appeals to all partners and friends to pray for the comfort of the affected families and where possible extend support for the rehabilitation of victims of this unfortunate incident. "
Sadly attacks like these are all too frequent and rarely reported in the Western press. If you are a praying person, please do pray for the families affected, and for the wider Christian community in Pakistan living in fear of further attacks. Pray too against the misguided religious loyalties that lead some people to commit such barbaric acts.
The Pakistan Christian Post gives more information 'here'
update... BBC news report (and video) 'here'
2 Comments:
hate only begets hate...it was true 2000 years ago and it is still true today...if we don't forgive and love we ae doomed...
Paul
thanks for your comment - I totally agree, which is why I wrote about praying against the misguided religious loyalties rather than the perpetrators. We need to pray for the perpetrators - that they would know God's love, grace and forgiveness; and experience a change of heart. Maybe I should have also added a request to pray that those who have suffered as a result of this atrocity would have the strength to forgive, so demonstrating the power of the gospel they live by.
Thanks for your important reminder.
thanks for your comment - I totally agree, which is why I wrote about praying against the misguided religious loyalties rather than the perpetrators. We need to pray for the perpetrators - that they would know God's love, grace and forgiveness; and experience a change of heart. Maybe I should have also added a request to pray that those who have suffered as a result of this atrocity would have the strength to forgive, so demonstrating the power of the gospel they live by.
Thanks for your important reminder.
commented by 
Malcolm Chamberlain, 12:43 PM
I'm Malcolm Chamberlain
from Liverpool, United Kingdom
. I'm married with two young children and, in addition to Liverpool, have lived in Leicester (for the first 18 years of my life), York, Peshawar (Pakistan), Oxford and Walsall. I've been actively involved in the emerging church since 2001, as a founding member of Dream in Liverpool City, and coordinator of the Dream network. I'm currently engaged in research into emerging missional communities, and work as a parish priest and pioneer minister.
commented by
paul mitchell, 10:12 PM