Five Questions

[1369]

Five Questions (http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/commentary/la-op-prager13nov13,0,5189241.story?coll=la-news-comment-opinions)

THE RIOTING IN France by primarily Muslim youths and the hotel bombings in Jordan are the latest events to prompt sincere questions that law-abiding Muslims need to answer for Islam's sake, as well as for the sake of worried non-Muslims.

Here are five of them:

(1) Why are you so quiet?

Since the first Israelis were targeted for death by Muslim terrorists blowing themselves up in the name of your religion and Palestinian nationalism, I have been praying to see Muslim demonstrations against these atrocities. Last week's protests in Jordan against the bombings, while welcome, were a rarity. What I have seen more often is mainstream Muslim spokesmen implicitly defending this terror on the grounds that Israel occupies Palestinian lands. We see torture and murder in the name of Allah, but we see no anti-torture and anti-murder demonstrations in the name of Allah.

There are a billion Muslims in the world. How is it possible that essentially none have demonstrated against evils perpetrated by Muslims in the name of Islam? This is true even of the millions of Muslims living in free Western societies. What are non-Muslims of goodwill supposed to conclude? When the Israeli government did not stop a Lebanese massacre of Palestinians in the Sabra and Chatilla refugee camps in Lebanon in 1982, great crowds of Israeli Jews gathered to protest their country's moral failing. Why has there been no comparable public demonstration by Palestinians or other Muslims to morally condemn Palestinian or other Muslim-committed terror?

(2) Why are none of the Palestinian terrorists Christian?

If Israeli occupation is the reason for Muslim terror in Israel, why do no Christian Palestinians engage in terror? They are just as nationalistic and just as occupied as Muslim Palestinians.

(3) Why is only one of the 47 Muslim-majority countries a free country?

According to Freedom House, a Washington-based group that promotes democracy, of the world's 47 Muslim countries, only Mali is free. Sixty percent are not free, and 38% are partly free. Muslim-majority states account for a majority of the world's "not free" states. And of the 10 "worst of the worst," seven are Islamic states. Why is this?

(4) Why are so many atrocities committed and threatened by Muslims in the name of Islam?

Young girls in Indonesia were recently beheaded by Muslim murderers. Last year, Muslims — in the name of Islam — murdered hundreds of schoolchildren in Russia. While reciting Muslim prayers, Islamic terrorists take foreigners working to make Iraq free and slaughter them. Muslim daughters are murdered by their own families in the thousands in "honor killings." And the Muslim government in Iran has publicly called for the extermination of Israel.

(5) Why do countries governed by religious Muslims persecute other religions?

No church or synagogue is allowed in Saudi Arabia. The Taliban destroyed some of the greatest sculptures of the ancient world because they were Buddhist. Sudan's Islamic regime has murdered great numbers of Christians.

Instead of confronting these problems, too many of you deny them. Muslims call my radio show to tell me that even speaking of Muslim or Islamic terrorists is wrong. After all, they argue, Timothy McVeigh is never labeled a "Christian terrorist." As if McVeigh committed his terror as a churchgoing Christian and in the name of Christ, and as if there were Christian-based terror groups around the world.

As a member of the media for nearly 25 years, I have a long record of reaching out to Muslims. Muslim leaders have invited me to speak at major mosques. In addition, I have studied Arabic and Islam, have visited most Arab and many other Muslim countries and conducted interfaith dialogues with Muslims in the United Arab Emirates as well as in the U.S. Politically, I have supported creation of a Palestinian state and supported (mistakenly, I now believe) the Oslo accords.

Hundreds of millions of non-Muslims want honest answers to these questions, even if the only answer you offer is, "Yes, we have real problems in Islam." Such an acknowledgment is infinitely better — for you and for the world — than dismissing us as anti-Muslim.

We await your response.

[Nbadan]

(1) Why are you so quiet?

Since the first Israelis were targeted for death by Muslim terrorists blowing themselves up in the name of your religion and Palestinian nationalism, I have been praying to see Muslim demonstrations against these atrocities. Last week's protests in Jordan against the bombings, while welcome, were a rarity. What I have seen more often is mainstream Muslim spokesmen implicitly defending this terror on the grounds that Israel occupies Palestinian lands. We see torture and murder in the name of Allah, but we see no anti-torture and anti-murder demonstrations in the name of Allah.

There are a billion Muslims in the world. How is it possible that essentially none have demonstrated against evils perpetrated by Muslims in the name of Islam? This is true even of the millions of Muslims living in free Western societies. What are non-Muslims of goodwill supposed to conclude? When the Israeli government did not stop a Lebanese massacre of Palestinians in the Sabra and Chatilla refugee camps in Lebanon in 1982, great crowds of Israeli Jews gathered to protest their country's moral failing. Why has there been no comparable public demonstration by Palestinians or other Muslims to morally condemn Palestinian or other Muslim-committed terror?

Um...wrong.

Muslims condemn Terrorists Attacks (http://www.muhajabah.com/otherscondemn.php)

[gtownspur]

Typical Muslim response:

1."What about the Crusades!!!?"

2."Jihad, means,.....a whole lot of money saved on my car insurance by switching to Geico!"

3."I condemn terrorism, Muslim on Muslim crime is an abomination"

3a.) "I condemn terrorism, but the ______ are over exaggerating this whole war on terror." (a)Christian world, (b)Israelis, (c) the US media (d) George Bush!!!
3b.) "Terrorism is evil, but the imperialist americans caused it."

4.)"Allah Akbar"

5.) "911 was caused by the Mossad and Keifer Sutherland's bad show."

[Nbadan]

(2) Why are none of the Palestinian terrorists Christian?

If Israeli occupation is the reason for Muslim terror in Israel, why do no Christian Palestinians engage in terror? They are just as nationalistic and just as occupied as Muslim Palestinians.

This is just silly. The Christians didn't hold the land when the UN decided to put Israel back on the map in the 50's, the Muslims did. What if the UN decided to place a new country called Jesus-land into what is now South Carolina, don't you think some South Carolinians may not like this? The UN created this problem, it is their to fix.

[Nbadan]

Typical Muslim response:

not typical, stero-typical.

[gtownspur]

^^Not true. There were MEssianic Jews and old CHristian sects living around jerusalem since the Diaspora.

How else would we of heard about the Muslim Period of Tolerance had it not been for Jews and Christians living in the mideast.

[gtownspur]

Um...wrong.

Muslims condemn Terrorists Attacks (http://www.muhajabah.com/otherscondemn.php)


OMg!! Googlemiester only found one incident of muslims condemning Terrorism. Yippee. TO bad when they came up short by not condemning killing of innocents under any scenario.

Hey if you google hard enough you'll find Rush 24/7 subscribers who condemn campaign finance laws. :lol

[Nbadan]

^^Not true. There were MEssianic Jews and old CHristian sects living around jerusalem since the Diaspora.

How else would we of heard about the Muslim Period of Tolerance had it not been for Jews and Christians living in the mideast.

The key word there is 'sect'. There is great tolerance by Muslims for other religions, for instance, Muslims and Christians lived peacefully in Iraq for may years in secular Iraq, before the U.S. led invasion.

[Nbadan]

OMg!! Googlemiester only found one incident of muslims condemning Terrorism. Yippee. TO bad when they came up short by not condemning killing of innocents under any scenario.

Hey if you google hard enough you'll find Rush 24/7 subscribers who condemn campaign finance laws. :lol

Check the link again bozo.


:hat

[gtownspur]

^^Sorry, Christian's werent allowed to vote, convert others peacefully, or openly practice their faith. By your standards Whites and blacks got along during Jim Crow.

[Nbadan]

^^Sorry, Christian's werent allowed to vote, convert others peacefully, or openly practice their faith. By your standards Whites and blacks got along during Jim Crow.

I'm not sure where you are getting this from. Christians were allowed to vote but with only 3% of the population, they weren't a powerful political voice. As far as practicing their faith, well,

Read: HISTORY OF THE CHALDEAN CHURCH OF THE EAST (http://www.chaldeansonline.net/church.html)

[Nbadan]

No church or synagogue is allowed in Saudi Arabia. The Taliban destroyed some of the greatest sculptures of the ancient world because they were Buddhist. Sudan's Islamic regime has murdered great numbers of Christians.

The Saudi's and Taliban are/were repressive governments. Maybe we should as the WH why we keep supporting a country that bans Christianity?

[gtownspur]

OK here's a modern article refuting your claim.














THE CORNERTHE CORNER

DAVID FRUM'S DIARYDAVID FRUM'S DIARY

MEDIA BLOGMEDIA BLOG

BENCH MEMOSBENCH MEMOS

TKSTKS
ALL ARTICLESALL ARTICLES

ALL AUTHORSALL AUTHORS
SUBSCRIBE TO NR MAGAZINESUBSCRIBE TO NR MAGAZINE

SUBSCRIBE NR DIGITALSUBSCRIBE NR DIGITAL
HOME HOME BLOG ROW BLOG ROW SEARCH SEARCH SUBSCRIBE SUBSCRIBE NR DIGITAL LOGIN NR DIGITAL LOGIN DONATE DONATE MEDIA KIT MEDIA KIT


HELP




E-mail Author
Send to a Friend
Print Version





January 06, 2005, 7:30 a.m.
Christian Crisis
ChaldoAssyrian Christians may soon leave Iraq en masse.

by Nina Shea & James Y. Rayis

Iraq's Christian minority is being driven out of its ancestral homeland by a wave of persecution as devastating as any tsunami. In less than four weeks, a pivotal election will take place in Iraq that represents this community's best hope for finding a secure home there, yet they find themselves marginalized and pushed aside in the electoral process — not only by their tormentors but, perhaps inadvertently, by the U.S. government. These Christians, who are both pro-Western and pro-democracy, need our help so that they can build a future in their native land with a modicum of security and freedom. Without it, they will leave, and U.S. Iraq policy will be dealt a setback so severe it may never recover.




Tens of thousands of Iraq's nearly one million ChaldoAssyrians, as this indigenous cultural and linguistic ethnic group is called under Iraq's Transitional Administrative Law, have fled into exile over the past few months. Their leaders fear that, like the Iraqi Jews — who accounted for a third of Iraq's population until facing relentless persecution in the middle of the last century — they may leave en masse. Though many Iraqis, particularly moderates, suffer violence, the ChaldoAssyrians, along with the smaller non-Muslim minorities of Sabean Mandeans and Yizidis, may be as a group all but eradicated from Iraq. Their exodus began in earnest in August after the start of a terrorist bombing campaign against their churches. With additional church bombings right before Christmas, hundreds more Christian families escaped in fear to Jordan and Syria.

In the run up to elections, Sunni terrorists and insurgents have targeted the ChaldoAssyrians with particular ferocity, linking them to the West. The main Assyrian Christian news agency AINA.org reported last week that the kidnapping tally for Christians now ranges in the thousands, with ransom payments averaging $100,000 each. One who could not afford the payment, 29-year-old Laith Antar Khanno, was found beheaded in Mosul on December 2, two weeks after his kidnapping. Cold-blooded assassinations of Christians are also on the rise. Prominent Assyrian surgeon and professor Ra'aad Augustine Qoryaqos was shot dead by three terrorists while making his rounds in a Ramadi clinic on December 8. That same week two other Christian businessmen from Baghdad, Fawzi Luqa and Haitham Saka, were abducted from work and murdered.

Both Sunni and Shiite extremists who seek to impose their codes of behavior have been ruthless toward the Christians, throwing acid in the faces of women without the hijab (veil) and gunning down the salesclerks at video and liquor stores. In the north, Kurdish administrators have withheld U.S. reconstruction funds from ChaldoAssyrian areas, and, together with local peshmerga forces, have confiscated some Christian farms and villages. Of the $20 billion that American taxpayers generously provided for the reconstruction of Iraq two years ago, none so far has gone to rebuild ChaldoAssyrian communities. The State Department is distributing these funds exclusively to the Arab- and Kurdish-run governorates — the old Saddam Hussein power structure — who fail to pass on the ChaldoAssyrian share.

Though Iraq's president, prime minister, and Grand Ayatollah Sistani have all denounced the attacks against the Christians, the persecution has not abated. The ChaldoAssyrians have endured much throughout the last century in Iraq, including brutal Arabization and Islamization campaigns. But this current period may see their last stand as a cohesive community.

Should the ChaldoAssyrian community disappear from Iraq, it would mean the end of their Aramaic language (spoken by Jesus), and their customs, rites, and culture. A unique part of Christian patrimony would disappear along with this first-century church. The United States would have presided over the destruction of one of the world's oldest Christian communities. Its reverberations would be keenly felt just beyond Iraq's borders. As Christian scholar Habib Malik wrote last month in the daily press of his native Lebanon, if the democratic project of Iraq ends in dismal failure for the ChaldoAssyrians, the future will be bleak for all the historic churches of the Middle East. No wonder Pope John Paul II used his public appearances on both Christmas and New Year's to express "great apprehension" and "profound regret" about the situation in Iraq.

Further loss of ChaldoAssyrian influence in Iraq would also have dire implications for Iraq itself and for American policy. The ChaldoAssyrians are a disproportionately skilled and educated group, and they also possess that increasingly scarce trait in the Middle East: the virtue of toleration. They are a natural political bloc for building a democracy with minority protections and individual rights. Their presence bolsters Muslim moderates who claim religious pluralism as a rationale for staving off governance by Islamic sharia law.

The ChaldoAssyrians who continue to tough it out in Iraq do so desperately clinging to the hope that liberal democracy will take root there. They and their communities in the American diaspora, numbering around 450,000, are stirring with activity in preparation for the elections at the end of January. These elections will choose a National Assembly that will draft the country's permanent constitution. They are eager to see individual rights to religious freedom and all fundamental freedoms carried over from the interim constitution into the permanent government.

It is in the direct political interest of the United States to keep the ChaldoAssyrians in Iraq and ensure they have a voice in the political process unfolding over the next year. Yet U.S. policy toward Iraq's valuable ChaldoAssyrian allies seems to be one of utter indifference.

While Iraq's hard-line Shiite parties are heavily financed by Iran, Kurdish leaders have long been bankrolled by the U.S., and Sunni insurgents are funded by Syria, the pro-democracy ChaldoAssyrians have no sponsors. The U.S. policy of providing democracy-building funds to political parties in emerging democracies, made legendary with Solidarity in Poland, ended a decade ago. The U.S. government is taking steps to compensate one religious minority that might fare poorly in the election. According to press reports, the U.S. administration has called for assembly seats to be set aside for the Sunni minority, which is boycotting the elections after warnings by extremist Sunni leaders. But no provisions have been made for ChaldoAssyrian Christians, who, unlike many insurgent Sunnis, work for the Coalition rather than build roadside bombs against it.

In short, ChaldoAssyrian candidates and parties are alone and without funds. If these Christians fail to win seats in the assembly, they will have no direct say in the critical drafting of the country's permanent constitution. Don't expect the United States to speak up for them — or for other moderates.

The same lackadaisical approach to individual and minority rights is shown in America's approach to the drafting of Iraq's permanent constitution, where it has adopted de facto a policy of strict neutrality. The State Department and the U.S. Agency for International Development are funding programs to provide outside legal and expert advice to assist in this drafting. These "independent" contractors are not supposed to exert any influence to ensure constitutional protections for individual rights to religious freedom, women's equality, or any other basic human right. As one such U.S.-funded advisor explained in an L.A. Times op-ed last month: "Outsiders should not... seek to prevent Shiite parties from advancing models for an Islamic republic." The only such existent model, of course, is the Islamic Republic of Iran — a country so devoid of individual human rights that its dissidents are sentenced to death for blasphemy, the "crime of thinking," and whose governing ideology is explicitly hostile to American interests.

The rationale for this is that the focus should be on "process," not on "imposing values" — that is they are not concerned about the outcome, only how it is achieved. A lesson of apartheid South Africa is that the rule of law only goes so far in providing for a fair and humane society. The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom, an independent federal agency, wrote an urgent letter on Iraq's religious minorities to President Bush last month, protesting this approach and recommending that the administration "give clear directives to American officials and recipients of U.S. democracy-building grants" to advocate the inclusion of religious freedom and other fundamental human rights in the permanent constitution.

Over 1,300 American soldiers have given their lives so far in Iraq. We owe it to them and to Iraqis — many of whom have also paid with their lives supporting the Coalition — to take our policy goal of democratizing Iraq seriously. One way is to level the playing field in the political arena for the ChaldoAssyrian community. We should be helping all candidates whose political ideology is based on an acceptance of liberal democracy and individual religious freedom and other fundamental human rights — even if they are Christian.

There is an urgent need for immediate private funding to help pro-democracy ChaldoAssyrian candidates and voters in the January 30 elections. The private response to southeast Asia's tsunami victims proves that concerned individuals can make a critical difference. Only a small fraction of that generous outpouring is needed to keep the ChaldoAssyrians politically competitive — through voter education, candidate spots on television and radio, campaign literature, get-out-the-vote efforts, and other election essentials. Tax-deductible donations for this purpose can be sent to: Iraq Freedom Account, Assyrian American National Federation, 5550 North Ashland, Chicago, IL 60640.

— Nina Shea is the director of Freedom House's Center for Religious Freedom. James Y. Rayis, an Atlanta lawyer, is vice chair of the Chicago-based ChaldoAssyrian American Advocacy Council.

* * *

YOU’RE NOT A SUBSCRIBER TO NATIONAL REVIEW? Sign up right now! It’s easy: Subscribe to National Review here, or to the digital version of the magazine here. You can even order a subscription as a gift: print or digital!






The latest:
Generations of Valor 11/11

Don't Write Off the Terminator 11/11

I Never Knew His Name 11/11

Maureen's Missing Link 11/11

Previous Articles The Connection

Stephen Hayes explains how al Qaeda's collaboration with Saddam Hussein has endangered America.

Buy it through NR







Document: War & Responsibility 11/11 2:18 p.m.

WFB: Gallic Disruptions 11/11 2:16 p.m.

Derbyshire: The Geology of Chaos 11/11 10:19 a.m.

Morse: Generations of Valor 11/11 8:55 a.m.

Liebau: Don't Write Off the Terminator 11/11 8:39 a.m.

Lowry: The Gullible Party 11/11 8:33 a.m.

Hanson: Why Did Athens Lose? 11/11 8:27 a.m.

Darda: Curtains for Tax Cuts? 11/11 8:25 a.m.

Factor: Privatize Fannie and Freddie 11/11 8:24 a.m.

Mathewes-Green: Same Jane 11/11 8:23 a.m.

Nugent: Bogle’s Passive Prattle 11/11 8:23 a.m.

Huerta: I Never Knew His Name 11/11 8:22 a.m.

Lukas: Maureen's Missing Link 11/11 8:20 a.m.

Looking
for a story?
Click here









NRO Marketplace . . . save 20-30% today!


Home Find an Article Find an Author Advertise Subscribe Help

[gtownspur]

^^^THese are the same Chaldean christians mind you.

[Nbadan]

^^^THese are the same Chaldean christians mind you.

See what happens when a country strays from its secular roots? When a country favors one religion, its represses all others.

[gtownspur]

Here's some DNC talking.. I mean Koranic Verses.


002:216-218: [2.216] Fighting is enjoined on you…[2.217]…fighting in it. Say: Fighting in it is a grave matter…persecution is graver than slaughter… [2.218]…strove hard in the way of Allah

002:244: …fight in the way of Allah

003:121-125: [3.121]…to lodge t

003:169: …reckon not those who are killed in Allah's way as dead; nay, they are alive (and) are provided sustenance from their Lord [meaning they are enjoying their 72 virgins in heaven];

003:173: …Surely men have gathered against you [in battle]…

003:195: …who fought and were slain…I will most certainly make them enter gardens beneath which rivers flow; a reward from Allah, and with Allah is yet better reward.

004:071-072: [4.71] …go forth in detachments or go forth in a body [to war]. [4.72] …hang back [from Jihad] …not present with them [in Jihad].

004:074-077: [4.74] Therefore let those fight in the way of Allah, who sell this world's life for the hereafter; and whoever fights in the way of Allah, then be he slain or be he victorious, We shall grant him a mighty reward. [4.75]…fight in the way of Allah… [4.76] Those who believe fight in the way of Allah, and those who disbelieve fight in the way of the Satan. Fight therefore against the friends of the Satan…[4.77] …when fighting is prescribed for them…Our Lord! why hast Thou ordained fighting for us? …

004:084: Fight then in Allah's way…rouse the believers to ardor maybe Allah will restrain the fighting of those who disbelieve…

004:089:…if they turn back [to their homes], then seize them and kill them wherever you find them…

004:091…seize them and kill them wherever you find them…

004:094-095: [4.94]…when you go to war in Allah's way… [4.95] …those who strive hard [Jihad] in Allah's way with their property and their persons are not equal…Allah shall grant to the strivers [i.e., Jihadist] above the holders back a mighty reward:

004:100: …whoever flies in Allah's way [forsakes his home to fight in Jihad], he will find in the earth many a place of refuge and abundant resources, and whoever goes forth from his house flying to Allah and His Apostle, and then death overtakes him [in Jihad], his reward is indeed with Allah…

004:102: …let them take their arms…let them take their precautions and their arms…there is no blame on you, if you are annoyed with rain or if you are sick, that you lay down your arms…

004:104: …be not weak hearted in pursuit of the enemy…

005:033: The punishment of those who wage war against Allah and His apostle and strive to make mischief in the land…

005:035: …strive hard [at Jihad] in His way that you may be successful.

005:082: …you will find the most violent of people in enmity for those who believe (to be) the Jews [compare “ with “whenever Jews kindle fire for war, Allah [Muslims] puts it out” (K 005:064)] and those who are polytheists [while they are converted to Islam on pain of death]…

008:005: …though a party of the believers were surely averse;

008:007: …Allah promised you one of the two (enemy) parties, that it should be yours: Ye wished that the one unarmed should be yours, but Allah willed to justify the Truth according to His words and to cut off the roots of the Unbelievers;-

008:009: …I will assist you [in Jihad] with a thousand of the angels following one another [see 008:012].

008:012: …make firm those who believe. I will cast terror into the hearts of those who disbelieve. Therefore strike off their heads and strike off every fingertip of them.

008:015-017: [8.15] …when you meet those who disbelieve marching for war, then turn not your backs to them. [8.16] …for the sake of fighting… [8.17] So you did not slay them, but it was Allah Who slew them, and you did not smite when you smote (the enemy), but it was Allah Who smote [Allah gets the credit for Jihad] …

008:039:…fight with them until there is no more persecution and religion should be only for Allah…

008:042: …Allah might bring about a matter which was to be done, that he who would perish might perish by clear proof [all bring success to Jihad against all the odds] …

008:045: … when you meet a party [in battle], then be firm…

008:059-060: [8.59] …let not those who disbelieve think that they shall come in first; surely they will not escape. [8.60] …prepare against them what force you can and horses tied at the frontier, to frighten thereby the enemy of Allah and your enemy and others besides them, whom you do not know (but) Allah knows them; and whatever thing you will spend in Allah’s way [for Jihad] …

008:065: O Prophet! urge the believers to war; if there are twenty patient ones of you they shall overcome two hundred, and if there are a hundred of you they shall overcome a thousand of those who disbelieve, because they are a people who do not understand [in other words, do not understand totalitarian ideologies like Islam].

008:067: It is not fit for a prophet that he should take captives unless he has fought and triumphed in the land…

008:069: Eat then of the lawful and good (things) which you have acquired in war…

008:071-072: [8.71]…He gave (you) mastery over them…[8.72] …struggled hard in Allah's way with their property and their souls [in Jihad], and those who gave shelter and helped [harbored terrorists]-- these are guardians of each other; …and if they seek aid from you in the matter of religion [Jihad against people without a treaty—see next phrase], aid is incumbent on you except against a people between whom and you there is a treaty…

008:074-075: [8.74] (as for) those who believed and fled and struggled hard in Allah’s way [Jihad], and those who gave shelter and helped [harbored terrorists], these are the believers truly; they shall have forgiveness and honorable provision. [8.75] … (as for) those who believed afterwards and fled and struggled hard [Jihad] along with you, they are of you; and the possessors of relationships are nearer to each other in the ordinance of Allah [terrorists have a close relationship with those who harbor them]…

009:005:…slay the idolaters wherever you find them…take them captives and besiege them and lie in wait for them in every ambush…

009:012-014: [9.12] …fight the leaders of unbelief

[Nbadan]

When did intolerance become vogue?


My friend, the truth hurts: Intolerance has become a standard "Christian" teaching in conservative circles and is now a badge of honor. When Antonio Scalia exhorted conservative Christians to "Be a fool for Christ!", he was speaking in the longstanding tradition of sacrificing one's pride and risking ridicule with gratitude for Christ's ultimate sacrifice for us (even semi-atheistic Mark Twain once wrote, "I'm God's fool"). But Scalia was also alluding to the proud-to-be-intolerant theme.

Scalia was urging his listeners to hold onto their intolerance even when others (liberal Christians included) accused them of being persecutory, hostile, or bigoted. They must remain intolerant because intolerance has been given a makeover: It's now the most readily observable hallmark of the virtuous and courageous conservative Christian. While intolerance was considered a grave sin back when America was marching towards civil rights instead of away from them, today that vice has become-presto!-a virtue. This means that conservative Christians must become increasingly intolerant in order to demonstrate their faith, and the more in-your-face the intolerance is, the better.

The Intolerance of Christian Conservatives (http://www.counterpunch.org/whitehurst01252005.html)

[gtownspur]

^^Your qouting an anti conservative christian peice to prove conservative christians are intolerant. Can one do the same for the democrats?