Sectarianism and the Irrational New Discourse: Why Arabs Must Worry | Ramzy Baroud

[Tace]

Ramzy Baroud -- World News Trust

June 12, 2013

My friend Hanna is Syrian and also happens to be Christian. The latter fact was rarely of consequence, except whenever he wished to boast about the contributions of Arab Christians to Middle Eastern cultures.

Of course, he is right. The modern Arab identity has been formulated through a fascinating mix of religions, sects and races. Christianity, as well as Islam, is deeply-rooted in many aspects of Arab life. Needless to say, the bond between Islam and Christianity is simply unbreakable.

“I am Christian, but, in terms of culture, I am equally a Muslim,” he told me by way of introduction to a daunting realization. “But now, I am very worried.”

Hanna’s list of worries is long. Lead amongst them is the fact that Christian Arabs in some Arab societies are increasingly viewed as "foreigners" or "guests" in their own countries. At times, as was the case in Iraq, they are punished by one extremist group or another for embracing the same religion that U.S.-western zealots claim to represent. Churches were blown up in brutal retribution for a savage war that President George W. Bush and many of his ilk maintained to be between good and evil, using the most brazen religious references as they savaged Iraq, sparing neither Muslims nor Christians.

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http://worldnewstrust.com/sectarianism-and-the-irrational-new-discourse-why-arabs-must-worry-ramzy-baroud

[delrem]

1. Ramzy Baroud is a complex and accurate writer, solidly grounded.

Reading that article made my day.

[delrem]

2. From the beginning I thought it was likely that this was "false flag".

"Churches were blown up in brutal retribution for a savage war that President George W. Bush and many of his ilk maintained to be between good and evil, using the most brazen religious references as they savaged Iraq, sparing neither Muslims nor Christians." Baroud speaks of Christian churches, but my credulity was first challenged by the deliberate bombing and destruction of Mosques, kindling a sectarian Shia/Sunni war at the exact time when unity was most necessary.

I can't imagine how movements like these are happenstance when war machines have departments to examine every aspect, every opportunity - then to act on them, in effect doing "field research".