'Several dead' in Baghdad blast

[ceo_pte]

A massive explosion shook the Mount Lebanon Hotel in the Karrada district of central Baghdad today. Iraqi police said there were "several dead." TV footage showed raging fire, a destroyed chunk of a building, and people in the rubble being carried away. A coalition military official said he believed the blast was caused by a car bomb.

http://www.cnn.com/

 

[Tonio]

Were the Baptist relief workers who were murdered the other day also proselytizing while in Iraq? Not that I think they deserved to die or anything like that. Still, I can imagine even the Muslims who condemn terrorism resenting aid workers with a religious agenda.

 

[ceo_pte]

Originally posted by Tonio
Were the Baptist relief workers who were murdered the other day also proselytizing while in Iraq? Not that I think they deserved to die or anything like that. Still, I can imagine even the Muslims who condemn terrorism resenting aid workers with a religious agenda.

So you must be condeming these peoples right to practice another religion. I have no clue what you are talking about, but at least the people in the U.S. have the opportunity to explore other religions without being killed for it.

 

[Tonio]

Originally posted by ceo_pte
I have no clue what you are talking about, but at least the people in the U.S. have the opportunity to explore other religions without being killed for it.

Excellent point, and that's one reason I'm proud to be an American.

Here's my point--suppose we had a natural disaster like Hurricane Isabel. Imagine you were one of the people left homeless by the hurricane, and relief workers from, say, a Hindu charity in India came to help you build a new house. Normally you would be grateful for the help. But if they crossed the line and implied that part of their motive for helping you was to convert you to Hinduism, wouldn't you feel somewhat put off? I can easily imagine the malcontents who killed the Baptist relief workers using that behavior to justify their murderous actions.

 

[ceo_pte]

Originally posted by Tonio
Excellent point, and that's one reason I'm proud to be an American.

Here's my point--suppose we had a natural disaster like Hurricane Isabel. Imagine you were one of the people left homeless by the hurricane, and relief workers from, say, a Hindu charity in India came to help you build a new house. Normally you would be grateful for the help. But if they crossed the line and implied that part of their motive for helping you was to convert you to Hinduism, wouldn't you feel somewhat put off? I can easily imagine the malcontents who killed the Baptist relief workers using that behavior to justify their murderous actions.

No, I understand that if they seriously believe that religion and it's teachings that they should want to share it with others. I would not kill them or even hold hatred towards them b/c they attempted to share their beliefs with me. I would simply let them know what I stood on and that while I didn't believe totally as they did, I support their right to make that choice. There are alot of faith based organizations in the U.S. and many travel to foreign countries sharing their ministry & food/clothing. That's good though, b/c in many of these countries the people have been oppressed and do not know anything other than what their parents taught them. I'm not saying that this is wrong, but it could be like the blind leading the blind. The ministries also take that mission from the scripture where Jesus said "Do whatever you do, in My Name." I personally do it. If I give a homeless person money, I give it to him in the name of Jesus. But I believe that is why I am blessed with the money to give. I am looking at it from a different angle than you.

 

[Hessian]

If I heard correctly...the Christian workers were working on a water purification project...

Isn't it obvious: These insidious crusaders were trying to poison the Iraqi water system!!! They deserve death!
How dare their infidel hands touch the sacred waters of the life-giving Tigris? Allah be praised for the deaths of these dangerous foreigners.



It is a totally different world Tonio

 

[ceo_pte]

You gotta love the slant...

The attack on the Jabal Lebanon Hotel wounded 41 people. Rescuers pulled bodies from the rubble and searched for other victims, said Army Col. Ralph Baker of the 1st Armored Division. Americans , Britons, Egyptians as well as other foreigners were staying at the hotel, said Baghdad resident Faleh Kalhan.



The Jabal Lebanon was a so-called soft target because it did not have concrete blast barriers and other security measures of the kind that protect offices of the U.S.-led coalition and other buildings where Westerners live and work.

Westerners usually means Americans.... Right.

 

[Tonio]

Originally posted by Hessian
If I heard correctly...the Christian workers were working on a water purification project...

Isn't it obvious: These insidious crusaders were trying to poison the Iraqi water system!!! They deserve death!
How dare their infidel hands touch the sacred waters of the life-giving Tigris? Allah be praised for the deaths of these dangerous foreigners.

I'm sure that there are demagogues in Iraq going around saying that kind of horseshiat.

 

[ceo_pte]

Either me or you missed the point of Hessian's comment. Now I am not sure who it was... ?

 

[Tonio]

Originally posted by ceo_pte
Either me or you missed the point of Hessian's comment. Now I am not sure who it was... ?

I was suggesting that some Iraqis may be deeply suspicious of all foreigners, especially Westerners. These people might hear a Christian missionary's pitch and perceive it as a putdown of Islam. Whether or not they're right is not the point. The point is, should missionaries exercise more caution when working in non-Christian countries? That's a tough audience, even if there weren't Islamist demagogues stirring up anti-Christian hatred.