A Brightly Burning Flame
by Bruce Bawer:
“Her name is Fiamma,” the young man said to me over dinner, “and that is what she is to us – our fiamma! What is that in English?”
It took me a second. “Flame,” I said.
“Yes, that is what she is. Our flame! Our heroine!”
The year was 2007. I was in Rome for a conference called “Fighting for Democracy in the Islamic World” and the man speaking to me was a conference participant and a member of Italy’s Jewish community. The woman he was speaking of with such enthusiasm, who was sitting at a nearby table (a bunch of us from the conference had pretty much taken over the restaurant), was Fiamma Nirenstein.
If you don’t know her name, you should. A prolific newspaper columnist, author of widely read books on Israel, Islam, democracy, and anti-Semitism, and winner of a long list of awards (most recently from the Israeli Knesset and the Committee for Accuracy in Middle East Reporting in America), she is one of the most prominent members of Italy’s Jewish community and has held a seat in the Italian Parliament since 2008. She has used her government position as a bully pulpit, speaking out in support of freedom and human rights, against terror and anti-Semitism, and for a clear-eyed view of Israel and Islam. On a continent where most politicians hesitate to say certain things for fear of offending certain groups, Nirenstein is a straight shooter of the first order, standing up foursquare for Western values and against the “leftist ideologies” which, she proclaims, have been used to “justify…violent crimes” and “disgusting verbal attacks” against Jews and Israel.
[...]
The Left’s Worst Crime in the Middle East
by Daniel Greenfield:
The left’s worst crime in the Middle East has been its support for the region’s Arab-Muslim majority at the expense of its minorities. It has supported the majority’s terrorism, atrocities, ethnic cleansing and repression of the region’s minorities. Very rarely has it raised a voice in their support, and even then only in muted tones completely different from their vigorous defense of the nationalism of the Arab Muslim majority.
The left is obsessed with the Arab Spring, which rewards the ambitions of Arabist and Islamist activists at the expense of Coptic, African and other minorities. It is dementedly fixated on statehood for the Arab Muslims of Israel, (better known by their local Palestinian brand), but has little to say about the Kurds in Turkey or the Azeri in Iran. The million Jewish refugees and the vanishing Christians of the region never come up in conversation. They certainly don’t get their own flotillas.
The Africans of Sudan could have used a flotilla, or an entire UN organization dedicated to their welfare, which the Arab Muslims who had failed to wipe out the region’s Jewish minority are the beneficiaries of. But instead they had to make do with third tier aid.
Unlike the Arab nationalists and Islamists of Libya, the French, English and American air forces did not come to their rescue. They came to the rescue of the Libyans who showed their gratitude in the time honored way of the Arab majority by massacring the African minority. All under the beaming smiles of the selective humanitarians of the left. But what’s a little genocide between friends?
[...]
WATCHING OUR CIVILIZATION DISINTEGRATE
By Lee Duigon:
What does it look like when a civilization falls apart at the seams?
Let the four recent news stories below serve as vignettes to show exactly what it looks like.
[...]
Black tea partier calls Democrats the ‘party of the KKK,’ says abortion is black ‘genocide’
Black tea partier calls Democrats the ‘party of the KKK,’ says abortion is black ‘genocide’
Protesters’ corporate pals
Charles Gasparino:
The Tea Party and Occupy Wall Street movements were both born out of the despair following the 2008 financial crisis, and both have tapped into the public’s anger over the unfairness of bank bailouts and huge bonuses for the risk takers while the rest of the country has struggled with unemployment, falling home prices and anemic economic growth.
Yet the elite media has constantly vilified the peaceful Tea Party as right-wing rabble for prodding politicians to do nothing more than reduce the bloat of government.
Meanwhile, politicians, the press — and now CEOs — have generally celebrated Occupy Wall Street as the second coming of the civil-rights movement — no matter how many times its followers have clashed with police in the name of Mao and Che Guevara.
[...]
Global Warming — RIP
By Victor Davis Hanson:
Not long ago, candidate Obama promised to cool the planet and lower the rising seas. Indeed, he campaigned on passing “cap-and-trade” legislation, a radical, costly effort to reduce America’s traditional carbon energy use.
The theory was that new taxes and greater regulations would make Americans pay more for fossil-fuel energy — a good thing if it reduced our burning of coal, oil and gas. Obama was not shy in admitting that under his green plans, electricity prices would “necessarily skyrocket.” His energy secretary, Steven Chu, at one point had even said, “Somehow we have to figure out how to boost the price of gasoline to the levels in Europe” — that is, about $8-$10 per gallon. Fairly or not, the warming movement seemed to cast a tiny elite imposing costs on a poorer and supposedly less informed middle class.
[...]
Syria in Turmoil 1
WALID SHOEBAT:
Syrian uprising documentary showing the hell of Syria. The uprising was a a result of a few kids who wrote graffiti criticizing the government. The children were arrested and torchered in prison, which caused the spark for the uprising to take hold. The Muslim Brotherhood Islamists will organize and help the uprising succeed over next several months. Assad will eventually suffer the same fate at Khadafy and Syria will become a satellite of Turkey.
The Persecution & Prayer Alert
The Persecution & Prayer Alert
The Voice of the Martyrs, Canada
http://www.persecution.net
Thursday, October 27, 2011
“Who will separate us from the love of Christ?
Will tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or
nakedness, or peril, or sword?
But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who
loved us.”
– Romans 8:35,37
Sign up now to receive our free Monthly Newsletter at
http://www.persecution.net/nlorder.htm
.
***********************************
In this week’s edition: reports from Somalia, Maldives, Nigeria and
China.
***********************************
1. Islamic extremists behead 17-year-old Christian in Somalia
(Source: Compass Direct News)
Al Shabaab militants murdered a teenage boy on September 25 after
monitoring Bible studies hosted by the boy’s family near Mogadishu,
says a journalist in the Somali capital. Islamic militants began
watching the family of Guled Jama Muktar after the family arrived in
the country from Kenya in 2008. “I personally know this family as
Christians who used to have secret Bible meetings in their house,” the
source said. According to witnesses, al Shabaab members arrived at
Guled’s home at 6 a.m. while he was getting ready for school and his
parents were already at work at an area market. “The neighbours heard
screaming coming from the house, and then it immediately stopped,” the
source said. The neighbours informed the parents, who quickly returned
home to bury their son fearing further violence. The family then fled.
This latest killing is not an isolated occurrence. A mother of four
was brutally killed for her Christian faith in January (for more, see
http://www.persecution.net/so-2011-01-20.htm
), a young Christian man was shot dead this past spring (click
http://www.persecution.net/so-2011-04-28.htm
for details), and a kidnapped Christian convert’s decapitated body
was found in September (read the story at
http://www.persecution.net/so-2011-09-22.htm
). Muslim extremists from al Shabaab, which has ties to al Qaeda,
control the south and centre areas of the country. Al Shabaab has been
designated a terrorist organization by several western governments.
Please pray that the family of Guled would find peace and rest in the
Lord and that their faith would remain strong despite this loss. Pray
that al Shabaab would be thwarted in their efforts to harm and kill
Christians and that God’s love and protection would surround His
faithful followers in Somalia. Pray for lasting peace in this war-torn
nation.
To post a prayer of solidarity with those mourning the loss of Guled,
go to our Persecuted Church Prayer Wall at
http://www.persecution.net/prayerwall
. To learn more about persecution in Somalia, please visit
http://www.persecution.net/somalia.htm
.
***********************************
2. Indian teacher arrested and deported for owning a Bible in Maldives
(Source: Compass Direct News)
Police in Maldives arrested and held Shijo Kokkattu, a 30-year-old
teacher from India, for more than two weeks before deporting him
earlier this month for keeping a Bible in his home, according to a
foreign source in the capital city. Shijo was arrested during a police
raid in late September prompted when his colleagues found Christian
materials on a school computer he had used and reported it to
authorities.
The country’s 2008 Constitution is decidedly anti-Christian and states
that a “non-Muslim may not become a citizen of the Maldives.”
Expatriates following other religions can practice their faith only
individually and within their respective homes. Last month, the
Ministry of Islamic Affairs published new regulations to control
propagation of non-Islamic religions in the country. Any violation is
punishable by imprisonment of between two and five years, banishment
or house arrest. Foreigners who are found proselytizing are to be
deported.
Please pray that Shijo’s position would be restored and that the
Maldivian authorities would relent in their efforts to further
restrict and repress the Christian faith. Please pray that Christian
leaders and teachers would continue to persevere in their efforts in
Maldives despite the risks to their careers and well-being. Pray that
religious freedom will be respected in Maldives.
Go to http://www.persecution.net/maldives.htm
for more on persecution in Maldives.
***********************************
3. Evangelist murdered in Nigeria
(Source: Compass Direct News)
A 36-year-old Christian evangelist was shot and killed in
violence-ridden Borno state, Nigeria, the day after his family
members, along with other Christians, were evacuated from the region
in the face of death threats by Boko Haram extremists. Mark Ojunta was
ministering in Nigeria’s northeastern state with Calvary Ministries
(CAPRO) when he was murdered. “Brother Mark took his family out on
Friday (Aug. 26), but he went back to the field because he had a class
with some believers on Saturday,” said CAPRO international director
Amos Aderonmu. “It was in the night that the sect came to where they
were staying and knocked at the door, and he tried to escape but could
not get away.” Mark is survived by his wife, Ema, and two children,
3-year-old Kambe and 9-month-old Akira, as well as his parents and
sisters. The killing came less than three months after the June
murders of a Church of Christ pastor and his church secretary in
Maiduguri (for more information, go to
http://www.persecution.net/ng-2011-06-30.htm
).
Boko Haram leaders, who have claimed responsibility for these and
other attacks and church bombings, have declared they want to
establish an Islamic theocratic state in Nigeria. They reject
democratic institutions, which they associate with Christianity. Many
Christians have left the area, and some churches have shut down as
many of their members have lost their lives.
Please pray that the Lord will place a hedge of protection around
Christian leaders and teachers so they can reach more souls in
northern Nigeria. Please pray that Ema, Kambe and Akira would find
peace and strength amid their loss and lean on the Lord through their
grief. Pray that God will receive glory as more Nigerians turn to Him
despite efforts to deter the spread of the gospel.
To learn more about Nigeria’s suffering believers, go to
http://www.persecution.net/nigeria.htm
.
***********************************
4. Christian student fellowship banned in Inner Mongolia, China
(Source: China Aid Association)
Chinese police and government officials shut down a Christian student
fellowship group in Inner Mongolia, China, and detained its leader in
September. Authorities cited “illegal evangelism” as the reason for
the ban. Mengfu (Blessed) Fellowship was forced to close and its
leader, Liang Guangzhong, was put into administrative detention for 15
days as part of China’s ongoing persecution of house churches and
Christian groups that meet outside government-approved churches.
Officials also confiscated cash from the offering collection box as
well as electronics and materials used for teaching. The Mengfu
Fellowship has hired a Christian lawyer to formally request a review
of the orders.
Please pray that the Mengfu Fellowship would be legally vindicated and
their fellowship would be restored. Pray their faithfulness will
encourage other believers facing similar challenges in the region.
Pray that God will raise up many more young people in China to
wholeheartedly follow and serve Him.
For more on our suffering brothers and sisters in China, please visit
http://www.persecution.net/china.htm
.
***********************************
The Persecution & Prayer Alert is a ministry of The Voice of the
Martyrs, Canada. (Mailing address: P.O. Box 608, Streetsville,
Ontario, L5M 2C1)
Tel. (905) 670.9721. Website: http://www.persecution.net
Billionaire Facing Death Threats Says Egypt Risks Becoming Iran
Billionaire Facing Death Threats Says Egypt Risks Becoming Iran
Autocracies United
by Clifford May:
It should by now be apparent: The 21st century has ushered in an era of competition among three divergent visions of how mankind should be governed. Liberal democracy is one. Autocracy is a second. The third is Islamism, which it would not be inaccurate to describe as theocratic autocracy. In any case, more and more, the autocrats and Islamists have been finding common ground and making common cause against their common enemy: liberal democracies.
[...]
Willful blindness
Jerry Philipson:
The United States Department of Justice, which includes the Federal Bureau Of Investigation (the FBI) and the National Security Division, has been ordered to remove all references to Islam from any examination of Islamic terror in its training materials and procedures. That means investigation of the Islamic beliefs, motives and goals of Islamic terrorists in the U.S. is verboten in the Department Of Justice and the rest of the Federal Government because accurate, knowledgeable, honest and objective discussion of Islam has been forbidden and is no longer possible there. Islam cannot be examined in depth or criticized in any way, shape or form and woe betide any government employee who does.
[...]
The Risk of Revolution Grows
By Dean Stephens:
Our world is coming apart. The reactions to this are daily becoming more ridiculous. The reactions to this are daily becoming more serious. Are we in a repeat of the dichotomy once summarized “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times”?
Like this opening to the famous tale about the French Revolution with its anarchist extremes and brutal bloodletting, the world is reaching a crisis, and the world’s people are confused and angry. The dichotomies identified in that opening paragraph are being repeated today, “… it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity.[.]” The rich are adamant that the world is perfect as it is. The poor are adamant that the world must be torn apart. Neither is right. Neither is wrong.
It is happening globally.
[...]
End of a valiant era as last Polish pilot from the Battle of Britain dies aged 97
End of a valiant era as last Polish pilot from the Battle of Britain dies aged 97
Full Interview: Herman Cain on Hannity
by The Right Scoop:
Another great interview by Herman Cain. He defends his 999 plan well and explains the other hiccups he’s had in the recent past:
[...]
Obama administration policy views Americans as the enemy
Napolitano: Jailed Illegals Will Get Phone Number to Report Civil Rights Violations
Make work scheme for lawyers paid for by the American tax payer.
Special interest appointees
First Lady: Kagan, Sotomayor Will Protect Right to ‘Love Whomever We Choose’
Delinking Islam And Terror
IBD:
The bleaching of Islam from the terror picture is almost complete. Eric Holder has ordered a purge of FBI training manuals. Soon the 9/11 hijackers’ religion will be censored, too.
Last week, top Justice Department officials huddled with several Islamic groups — including a Muslim Brotherhood front implicated in a terror-finance scheme — to discuss “post-9/11 discrimination.” They promised the aggrieved they’d pull back references to Islam from terror-training materials.
[...]
The hidden meanings of jihadist terrorism
Louis Rene Beres:
The essence of any capable counter-terrorist policy must be an awareness that jihadist violence is never truly rooted in political or revolutionary ideology. Such violence stems instead from remorselessly vengeful images of religious obligation, which in turn are the earthly expressions of a more-or-less desperately longed-for immortality.
[...]
Israeli Democracy vs. Arab Apartheid
By JanSuzanne Krasner:
It is a falsehood to say that Israel is an apartheid state. This indictment, made by Mahmoud Abbas repeatedly in his speeches, is an Orwellian distortion of the truth, but it has been extremely effective in the public relations war of words that plays out in the United Nations, on the international stage, in the media, and on college campuses every day.
This is a grave and toxic travesty that needs to be made right. In light of the “Arab Spring” spreading seeds of sharia law throughout the Middle East, Western civilization needs to see the truth. Americans are being hijacked by propaganda against Israel…and not defending Israel’s right to be a Jewish state will lead to our own eventual downfall.
[...]
Anatomy of an Occupation
By Robin of Berkeley:
If you’re wondering whether I was at Occupy Berkeley on October 15, the answer is no. I didn’t have to attend; every day around here is Occupy Berkeley.
Because every moment of every day, I am surrounded by people who believe the insanity spewed by the occupants of Occupy. When I listened to the well-crafted video produced by three intrepid, Bay Area tea partiers at Occupy Oakland, none of what I heard surprised me. I thought, “Just another day in Berkeley or Oakland.
Around here almost everyone thinks like these Marxist spewing militants. While in your neck of the woods random strangers may comment, “Nice day if it doesn’t rain,” around here the words would be, “Nice day for a revolution.”
While the video didn’t shock me, it did disturb. What troubled me wasn’t just how widespread is the diatribe, but that up until a few, short years ago, I believed all of it. Before Obama came on the scene, I could have been interviewed, mumbling and bumbling, just like those other frothing-at-the-mouth leftists.
I would also have parroted the Third-World loving party line. I too would have angrily and self-righteously proclaimed that the US was the root of all evil in the world.
To me, capitalism was bad, communism good (which I discovered after watching the handsome Warren Beatty in the sweeping thriller, Reds). I envied Cuba, home of the finest health care system in the world (thank you, Michael Moore). And I, like our current occupiers, ranted and raved about the racist, patriarchal, capitalist system with its millionaire fat cats (which I learned from reading books by those millionaire fat cats, Noam Chomsky, Al Franken, Gloria Steinem and the late Howard Zinn.)
[...]
While calling for civility, Obama demonizes everyone in sight.
Victor Davis Hanson:
After only one year plus of campaigning and three years of governance, there is already a sizable corpus of Obama’s targets. The common theme is less ideology, politics, race, class, or gender than a sense that many groups and people simply don’t measure up to Obama’s high standards. Some are deemed lazy, stupid, greedy, fearful, or clinging; others are too affluent, of questionable ethics, and ill-informed and ill-intentioned — and thus are culpable for our current problems.
Where did the president pick up this habit of hypercriticism and easy caricature? Who knows? Michelle Obama showed similar tendencies during the campaign, when she labeled the U.S. a country that is “just downright mean,” until recently not worthy of pride, and variously talked about unnamed persons who perennially “raise the bar” on those struggling to get ahead.
Yet lecturing, demonizing, and caricaturing are not just symptoms of narcissism or being socially dense, but are also a revelation that Obama feels that he can say almost anything he wants, with the expectation — always borne out in the past — of few consequences.
[...]
Kent St. Prof. Reportedly Yells ‘Death to Israel’ at Event With Israeli Diplomat
by Christopher Santarelli:
A Kent State history professor, who has allegedly been linked to elements of Muslim extremism, reportedly lashed out at a former Israeli diplomat speaking at the university Tuesday night.
The event was co-sponsored by the undergraduate student government and entitled “An Evening with Ishmael Khaldi.” Khaldi spoke in regards to his book, A Shepherd’s Journey, which details his life journey from a small tent in a Bedouin village to the inner-circles of the Israel Foreign Service. When his speech ended, Khaldi opened the floor to a Q&A, where History Professor Julio Pino rushed to be the first to question Khaldi.
John Milligan of KentWired, an independent student publication,reports that Pino began to question how Khaldi could justify speaking of foreign aid given from Israel to countries like Turkey, when that aid was financed by “blood money that came from the deaths of Palestinian children and babies.” Milligan, a senior majoring in magazine journalism, then captured the the most shocking part of the exchange:
“The crowd fell into an awkward silence as the two continued to exchange words from across the auditorium.
‘It is not respectful to me here,’ Khaldi said.
Pino responded by saying ‘your government killed people’ and claimed Khaldi was not being respectful to him.
‘I do respect you, but you are wrong,’ Khaldi said. ‘It’s a lie.’
The exchange ended as Pino stormed out of the auditorium shouting ‘Death to Israel!’”
[...]
Voices of Palestine: Mahmoud al-Zahar
by Frank Crimi:
Editor’s note: Below is the second profile of Frontpage’s new series, “Voices of Palestine,” which will illuminate the core beliefs, in their own words, of leading figures in the Palestinian death cult. To view the profile of Ahmad Bahr, click here.
When Hamas released Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit after five years in captivity in exchange for over 1,000 jailed Palestinian terrorists, it was met with considerable opposition from those who believed it would only encourage more kidnappings and terrorism. Almost immediately, Hamas leader Mahmoud al-Zahar fully confirmed this worry, saying in a newspaper interview, “The lessons we’ve learned by kidnapping soldiers leads us to continue the kidnappings. We still have 7,000 prisoners in (Israeli) jails, and they also need to be released.” But, unlike Israel, al-Zahar is not interested in these prisoner exchanges for the purpose of liberating innocent Palestinians. Rather, he is determined to amass as many foot soldiers as possible in order to obliterated Israel and drive its Jewish population into the sea.
[...]
Coptic Christians Rally for Human Rights
by Faith J. H. McDonnell:
Thousands of Egyptian Americans representing oppressed and persecuted Coptic Christians streamed down Washington, DC’s Pennsylvania Avenue Wednesday, October 19, 2011. Their demonstration had begun in front of the White House. It ended with a rally at the U.S. Capitol.
Copts, who traveled by the busloads from such places as Chicago, New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania, came to Washington to protest the brutal treatment of Egypt’s Christians and demand that the Obama administration pressure Cairo to protect the rights of non-Muslims. They also wished to call attention to congressional legislation that supports Copts and other vulnerable people groups. The demonstration was a response to an Egyptian army-led massacre of Christians on Sunday, October 9, in Cairo.
[...]
The Anti-Semites of Occupy Wall Street
by Ben Shapiro:
There is a disturbing undercurrent to the current Occupy Wall Street movement. It isn’t merely its passionate denunciations of capitalism and excuses for corporatism. It isn’t merely its perverse love for a president who has received more Wall Street money than any candidate in American history, and its hatred for Wall Street itself.
It’s anti-Semitism.
Even as President Obama comes out in support of Occupy Wall Street, more and more Occupy rallies are laced with anti-Semitic signs, placards, and slogans. In New York, ralliers hold signs reading, “Google: (1) Wall Street Jews; (2) Jewish Billionaires; (3) Jews & Fed Rsrv Bank,” “Gaza Supports The Occupation of Wall Street,” and shouting ugly canards like “Jews control Wall Street.” The American Nazi Party is supporting OWS, with leader Rocky Suhayda stating, “Who holds the wealth and power in this country — the Judeo-Capitalists. Who is therefore the #1 enemy who makes all this filth happen — the Judeo-Capitalists.”
Not everyone occupying Wall Street is an anti-Semite. But there is far too high a comfort level among those in the movement for anti-Semitism.
[...]
Welcome to the Islamist Middle East and It’s Not Going to Be Moderate
by Barry Rubin:
Ladies and gentlemen, liberals and conservatives, Obama-lovers and Obama-haters, no matter what your race, creed, gender, national origin, or level of unpaid college loans, two things should be clear to all of you:
First, to describe the Obama administration’s Middle East policy as a disaster — I cannot think of a bigger, deadlier mess created by any U.S. foreign policy in the last century — is an understatement.
Second, the dominant analysis used by the media, academia, and the talking heads on television has proven dangerously wrong. This includes the ideas that revolutionary Islamism doesn’t exist, cannot be talked about, is not a threat, and that extreme radicals are really moderates.
I won’t review all the evidence here, but it amounts to a retreat for moderates, allies of the West, and American interests coupled with an advance for revolutionary Islamists.
[...]
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