Christians in Iraq skipping Christmas

http://www.thestate.com/mld/thestate/news/nation/10457418.htm

<snip>

BAGHDAD, Iraq — After a painful year of church bombings, death threats and assassinations, Iraq’s 800,000 Christians have all but canceled Christmas.

“All the Christians have left the country,” said Saif Sadi, a manager of a store that sells Christmas decorations, where sales this season are down 75 percent.

“Officially, we are not celebrating this year,” said Father Peter Haddad, head of the Virgin Mary Church in Baghdad.

Fearing insurgent attacks in this predominantly Muslim country, bishops around the country recently announced they would call off the usual Christmas celebrations. Some churches will also forgo Christmas Eve Mass, an unheard of step even during the Saddam Hussein regime.

More than 700 people once packed Haddad’s church during the holiday. Last Sunday, 27 brave worshipers showed up.

is yet another goal being met by the coalition of the willing.

That went over to convert? Never heard about them again.

:shrug:

...They used to celebrate it in Baghdad extremely openly. Many of the non-christians there (not just Moslems but Jews also) would often celebrate it. They wouldn't go crazy, and it wouldn't be a Norman Rockwell image, but...ya know....

People just don't want to go out in public if they can help it. Can you say chaos?

yahoos' that say Christmas is under attack here, should go and promote it, door to door, over there.

And they didn't even forgo Christmas Eve Mass during the Saddam years, but put Busco* in charge and everything falls apart.

the Irony abounds with these hypocrites!