Mosques increasingly not welcome in Europ

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   How about building a church in Saudi Arabia, Iran, Irag, Afghanistan? 

I know this has been repeated but how about building a mosque in the Vatican?

There are churches in Iran, beautiful churches that flourished because the Muslims did not persecute the early Christians like the early Christians did: 

Church of Beit-ol Lahm (Bethlehem) in Esfahan, Iran
The majority of churches in Iran that possess historical and artistic value were built around the eight century A.H. or the 14th century AD, and the period thereafter. Of course, this does not mean that there were no churches existing in the country before that period. 

During the reign of Shah Abbas, the Safavid king, his sagacious policies caused a sizable number of Armenians from Armenia and Azarbaijan to transfer and settle in Esfahan and other regions of Iran. A place called Jolfa was built at the banks of the Zayande-rud River in Esfahan and became the residence of these migrating people. Consequently, churches were erected in that town. Meanwhile, after a short lapse of time, some Armenians moved to Gilan and some resided in Shiraz. 

After the death of Shah Abbas the First, his successor, Shah Abbas the Second, also paid close attention to the welfare of Armenians and more churches were erected in Jolfa. 

The influx of many Europeans during the reign of the Qajars led to the flourishing of other churches, in addition to those that were constructed previously. A number of these edifices have lasted and acquired architectural and artistic significance.

http://www.iranchamber.com/monuments/historical_churches_iran.php

Afghanistan has been a country at war since the 1970's. I think the Afghanis would be happy just to have homes and hospitals that aren't being blown up by Americans right now....

Before the United States decided to liberate the Iraqis Christians lived in Iraq quite peacefully. So, I suppose that the Christians suffering there now have only their fellow Christians to blame.

AMMAN-CHRISTIANS Feb-28-2007 (600 words) With photos and map. xxxi

Iraqi Christians face danger; some say it was better under Saddam

By Judith Sudilovsky
Catholic News Service

AMMAN, Jordan (CNS) -- Seen as allies of the West, Christians and their institutions have become targets of extremist Islamic groups in Iraq, say Iraqi Christians.

"Christians are facing a big problem in Iraq. Maybe all Iraqis are facing big problems, but I am talking about the Christians now," said Ra'ed Bahou, the Pontifical Mission for Palestine's regional director for Jordan and Iraq.

Saddam Hussein's regime -- no matter how cruel and despotic -- kept the lid on any sectarian violence, said one Iraqi Catholic refugee in Jordan, who asked that his name not be used. He said Saddam, a secular leader, was especially good for Christians, as long as they stayed out of the way.

"Saddam (controlled) everything. Nobody could say anything bad especially (about) us Christians," he said. "Christians in the Middle East are very good people. We are peace-loving people."

Another refugee said that after years of living in fear and daily bombings many Iraqi Christians felt they were actually safer with Saddam.

"We are getting tired. When Saddam was in power there was no fighting. Saddam loved the Christians. We were safer with Saddam; now we just leave the country," he said.

Christians make up about 5 percent of the 1.5 million Iraqi refugees in Jordan, said Bahou, whose agency is under the auspices of the New York-based Catholic Near East Welfare Association.

Most of the Christians in Iraq were part of the middle class and had a relatively good standard of living before the war, Bahou said. Like most Christians in the Middle East, they devoted a lot of their time to their children and their education.

"When there is a threat (against) their children's lives, they leave Iraq," he said. "People are leaving for their children."

At least six Iraqi priests have been kidnapped and five Christian churches bombed in the past few years. At first the Islamic extremists targeted mainly Christians, but now they have turned against each other, said one relief official who works with the Iraqi refugees.

"In the end there will be no Iraq," she said.

Bahou said he was "not optimistic about what is going on demographically."

"Before there used to be 1 million Christians in Iraq; now there are only half a million left. Everything is changing, and it will never be like it was before," he said.

With only one Chaldean Catholic priest attending to the pastoral needs of the Chaldean refugees in Amman, many Iraqi Catholic refugees have had to find their place within the churches of different rites. Jordanian churches have never been so full, said Bahou, and worshippers must come early to find a seat at Sunday Mass.

Through the Franciscan Sisters of Mary, the Pontifical Mission in Jordan has sponsored a catechism training program for Iraqi religious educators who have remained in Iraq. For at least three years, workshops were held four times a year, twice in Jordan and twice in Iraq, in coordination with Chaldean Archbishop Louis Sako of Kirkuk. Religious experts from Lebanon also take part in the meetings, said Bahou.

"Last year we held the two workshops in Amman but we were not able to hold it in Iraq because of the political situation," Bahou said. Nevertheless, he said, "outside contact is very important" for the Christian religious community in Iraq.

In addition, with so many Iraqis now living in Jordan, keeping the lines of communication open with their religious and spiritual leadership in Iraq becomes very important, Bahou said.

END

Believer, you make these sweeping generalities without checking the facts. If you want to believe that all Christians in the Middle East are living lives of terrible persecution then go ahead, but repeating such just makes you appear uneducated. Christians have lived in the Middle East for centuries without any problems, and any difficulties they are experiencing now are a direct result of western interference. 