Last Vicar Of Baghdad Leaves Iraq...

[agchristie]

Canon Andrew White leaves for Jerusalem amid security fears. It couldn't have been an easy decision for him. His followers widely respected him. What future for them I wonder? As the Canon himself said 'the first thing we must do is pray'....

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/baghdad-church-big-leaves-isis-fears-article-1.1964829

[jourdain2]

I'm glad he has accepted the advice to leave. As per OP it can't have been an easy decision. Whilst he is alive there is a figurehead for the poor people trapped behind and also a link with the western world which one day may be established in a peaceful country. Any of us who feel able to pray will do so, I'm sure.

[naomi24]

Keyplus, //One thing is sure that Iraq is a better place now than it was under Saddam. Atleast Americans and their allies will claim that. //

You claim it - but I've not seen the Americans and their allies claim it. Have you got a link?

[agchristie]

Naomi, I've not seen such claims either.

Keyplus, I take it that was sarcasm?

[naomi24]

A bit more information about Dr Sarah Ahmed. She’s a Muslim, and a relief worker. It appears she’s still working in Iraq, although not in Baghdad.

[douglas9401]

A shaft of brilliant light cutting through the clouds of delusion as the truth dawns that if his god was going to do anything to help it would have been a while ago.
Meanwhile as the locals wait for the arrival of the bestial hordes of Allah, the good parson will be able to chat about it from the studios of the Today programme.
In short, when the chips were down, he ditched his reason for being and deserted his flock.
He will no doubt utter words of support from afar but in the end self preservation has overtaken faith.
Now begone, and quote me no tripe about Christian martyrs from the days before air travel.

[naomi24]

Douglas, as I said, this is where faith and reality part company.

[Quizmonster]

Yes, Andrew, there is definitely a whiff of the Costa Concordia captain about the good canon!

[Quizmonster]

My apologies, Douglas. I have no idea where the name Andrew came from in my earlier post, but it was you I was referring to.

[ludwig]

He says he was told to leave, which seems fair enough. If he was overly concerned about his personal safety I don't think he'd be there in the first place.

I can't see what's to be gained from him hanging around to get his head chopped off.

[janbee]

I fear for all those he left behind

[retrocop]

Well if he can leave the sinking ship and I was one of his flock and wasn't afforded the same privilege I would be trawling round the Baghdad bookshops by now picking up a few copies of the Koran ! He keeps his head his way and I try it my way. Good grief. No wonder the C of E congregations are dwindling !!!

[ludwig]

If we had to evacuate everyone from Iraq that was in danger of being killed by terrorists we'd need alot of helicopters. It's basically the whole population.

[Zeuhl]

Most of the Iraqi Christians are not CofE

It's supposedly about 5% of the population but I expect most of them have moved away now and left behind 2,000 years of history.

[retrocop]

Zeuhl
I was actually referring to the C of E members of the congregation in this country (UK) seemingly dwindling through lack of faith, leadership, inspiration or call it what you will >

[Zeuhl]

no probs retro - i wasn't having a go at you :-)

just reflecting on the fact that this guy ( the self styled 'Vicar of Baghdad') is being focused on when there are a lot more christians in iraq than his 'flock'.

[ludwig]

.and the point I was making was that it isn't just Christians that need to be worried. It's the wrong flavour of muslim, or anyone else the terrorists think they have a right to kill - ie everyone.

[Zeuhl]

indeed so lud

witness: poor old Yezidis

[agchristie]

Canon White has had a very eventful past. He previously returned to Britain from Iraq in 2007 after safety fears.

He has been hijacked, kidnapped, locked up in rooms with body parts, held at gunpoint, attacked and in a single year 11 of his assistants have been killed.

He has an approximate 25% success rate at negotiating to get hostages released.

Obviously, the threat of ISIS was in a different league. They have relentlessly forged on taking over churches and tearing down crosses. He wouldn't have stood a chance despite being no stranger to danger.

It is easy to be dismissive of him deserting the sinking ship but, as I have already stated, he has directly faced several serious threats to his life and he has witnessed many horrific things but he is not invincible.

He's left Iraq before, who would bet on him returning one day?

[naomi24]

I would.

[agchristie]

Sorry, I spotted a typo!

Should have said 'who wouldn't bet'...