Islamic militias in Baghdad and Mosul order Christians to pay the jizya, a poll tax which dates back to the period of the Ottoman Empire, which guaranteed non Muslims the right to practise their religion as well as Muslim protection; the groups are ordered "not to reveal their activities" to Iraqi authorities while all contributions are given in alms to the Mosques.
Baghdad :– "Non Muslim subjects must pay a contribution to the jihad if they wish to be allowed to live and practise their faith in Iraq". These orders are being imposed on the Christians of Mosul and Baghdad by Islamic militias. Besides these threats of extortion, thousands of non Muslims are also being forced to leave their homes by letters assigning their house to Muslim citizens. The initiative is part of the general campaign to Islamafy the entire country, which begun with the imposition of the veil on all women. The website Ankawa.com was the first to carry news of this latest development; the website has eye witness accounts of Iraqi refugees in Erbil, in the semi autonomous region of Kurdistan.
The fourth anniversary of the US military's arrival in Baghdad, March 20th 2003, brings with it little improvement in the conditions of the ever decreasing Christian community. Bomb attacks, kidnappings and threats continue to mark the daily existence of those few who so far have not been able to leave. The latest sign of the increasingly worrying situation is news that the community is now being forced to pay the jizya, a "poll tax" requested from non Muslims according to the Koran, guaranteeing "protection" form the Islamic umma. The tax was once extracted by the Ottoman Empire until its collapse in 1918, but now Baghdad and Mosul's Mosques have ordered it be put in place again, "without revealing it to authorities".
According to local Christians it really is a contribution to the holy war, which – the jihad maintains - will also protect the
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The foolishness of the Iraq war
We can observe here one of the results of recent US foreign policy. Saddam Hussein tolerated and even welcomed Christians - he had a nominal Christian as deputy Prime Minister - but now, thanks to the disastrous US foreign policy in the Middle East, based as it was on lies and deception, we have a situation where Christians in the Middle East are being looted and subjected to humiliating taxes by islamic militants.
Iraq is likely to turn into a radical islamic hotbed of murder and global terrorism - BECAUSE and not in spite of, US activities. If you add gasoline to a fire it will not put it out.
Will this be an excuse for the neo-cons in America to further take away the liberties of the American people? Probably. They made the problem, and then they "solve" it by taking away the freedom of the people and subjecting more and more people to a police state.
I believe the correct way to deal with Islam is through prayer, fasting and bold witnessing with love and kindness. A military approach will multiply hatred and turn multitudes of ordinary muslim people into raving suicide bombers.
Muslims seem to believe their afterlife narrative unlike the vast majority of Christians who will not sacrifice their enormous wealth and comfortable lifestyles here and now to tell people the good news of Jesus Christ. This is why God is permitting this thing. Unless we live as if what we believe is true, God will eventually allow others to rise up and oppress us.
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