Between Frying Pan & Fire
I was looking at this particular Link which laments the fact that the christian population in Iraq has fallen by nearly 50% after Saddam's removal from power. Saddam was a tyrant but he did not trouble the christians much as they were a relatively small and more importantly 'politically silent' community
The website also documents what seems to be daily occurences of atrocities agains the christians there. All of us know that it is not only the christians of Iraq who suffer there, it is all the ethnic groups along with the US army too. But for a minority group like the christians who have no real 'armed' support (like the shia 'sadr' militia) or any political representation worth speaking of, it seems to be the last flicker of a flame that continued lit for nearly 2000 years.
The christians are migrating enmasse to the West and Syria. However the church should encourage their migration to Lebanon which is definitely the last bastion of the christian community in the middle east. This will bolster the strength of the christian community there. Unfortunately, the situation in lebanon today is such that the christians there are emigrating to the West too. Israel's recent offensive there did not help her for sure and neither did it do much for the christians, many of whom lost their homes and businesses in the air strikes.
It seems christianity in the middle easty is on it's last legs. Very sad..but true.