In recent weeks we’ve seen horror stories come out of Iraq as the fanatic Islamist “Caliphate” has begun a genocidal campaign against Christians and other religious minorities in Iraq.
The Yazadis, a group following the Zoroastrian religion of the ancient Persian Empire, with a mixture of Islamic and other religions, faced extinction as the Caliphate army has driven them out of their homes. The Caliphate also set their sights on the Kurds, a Muslim people group living in Iraq, Turkey, and Iran who are related to the Iranians. The Kurds, who have appreciated the U.S. for freeing them from persecution under Saddam Hussein, are asking for help to fight off the Caliphate forces. And, finally, it appears that America has responded with humanitarian aid for the Yazadis and military aid for the Kurds.
Meanwhile the Chrsitian population of Mosul (formerly Nineveh) and other areas in Northern Iraq has been told to convert or die. These ancient communities were actually welcomed by the real Islamic Caliphate of 1200 years ago, and included Nestorian Christians who has carried the Gospel to China. Even before the Caliphate persecution, over a million Christians had fled from the increasingly hostile area of Northern Iraq. The persecution and genocide against Christians, it seems, has not drawn the humanitarian outcry and response that the persecution of the Yazadis has drawn. As Americans, we were right to help the Yazadis but wrong to neglect the Christians.
American politics has snatched defeat from the jaws of victory in Iraq. We have wasted the sacrifices of our troops and abandoned our friends in a shameful rush to make political points back home. Now the consequences of our reckless retreat, easily foreseen and easily preventable, have come to pass. Their blood is on our hands.
The Church in America cannot turn its back on the suffering Church and people in Iraq. We must intercede for our brothers and pray that our leaders will have wisdom and compassion, repenting of their errors and not compounding them by covering them over.
We must also pray that the American Church will be moved with compassion to meet the needs in Iraq. The refugees need food, water, clothing and shelter. We can and should send help in the name of Jesus. We must also pray blessings on the Islamists, that their eyes will be opened to the truth and their hearts to God.
Oh, and don’t foreget to pray that the Yazadis will be open to the saving message of Christ.
In the end, our spiritual weapons of prayer and love can overcome Satan’s weapons of hate and fear. Lets start using them.