Orthodox patriarch calls for reopening of Istanbul’s Halki Seminary

Speaking truth to power, His All Holiness Bartholomew is not allowing the Ecumenical Patriarchate to be closed without a struggle.

Hurryet Daily News via Pravmir
July 22, 2013

Fener Greek Orthodox Patriarch Bartholomew repeated his call to the Turkish government for the reopening of the Heybeliada Halki Seminary, saying that the religion was entering a dangerous phase due to a lack of proper religious officials.

Bartholomew was speaking at an iftar event organized by the Istanbul Müfti office, with Müfti Rahmi Yaran present, where the patriarch mentioned the closed Halki Seminary.

“We would like to mention at this time the importance of qualified religious officials in the society. Religious officials should always be properly educated and set examples based on their trainings throughout their life. We would like to emphasize the gravity of the situation of the Halki Seminary, closed since 1971, now that we are entering a stage of danger by lacking qualified religious officials,” the patriarch said.

Previous efforts have also focused on the Heybeliada Halki Seminary to be reopened, with the subject remaining on Turkey’s political agenda. The realization of plans however, has still failed to materialize.

Taking Action: State Initiatives to Combat Islamism in the U.S.

The below article was originally published by The Clarion Project on June 27, 2013. Since that time, the North Carolina state senate has passed anti-foreign law legislation, adding another state-level victory. The point of such initiatives is for states to reassert their role in upholding the U.S. Constitution against the supremacist aspects of Islamic sharia law.

Informed, fervent and practicing Christians can aid such efforts through educating our families, our fellow parishioners, and our neighbors as to the incompatibility of Islam with Christianity, American culture, and the U.S. Constitution and jurisprudence, as I discuss in my book. Those with legal skills or who are suited for the active political promotion of such initiatives are encouraged to get involved.

Taking Action: State Initiatives to Combat Islamism in the U.S.

The failure to confront the Islamist ideology on the federal level does not mean that nothing can be done. States laws are now taking on this task.

NEWS ANALYSIS by Christopher Holton and Ryan Mauro

The Clarion Project - June 27, 2013

The failure to recognize, let alone confront, the Islamist ideology on the federal level does not mean that nothing can be done. An increasing number of states are passing or considering legislation designed to take on this task.

Below are five initiatives you can promote in your state:

1. American Laws for American Courts

In 2011, the Center for Security Policy released a studied titled Shariah Law and American State Courts: An Assessment of State Appellate Court Cases. The study found 50 appellate court cases in 23 states where Shariah-based legislation from 16 foreign countries contradicted American law.

VIDEO: 11-year-old Yemeni girl escapes forced marriage: "They have killed our dreams. They have killed everything inside us. There's nothing left."

This video is riveting and heart-breaking.  English subtitles and transcript included.

This poor little girl has been horribly abused.

According to Islam's own revered hadiths, Muhammad married Aisha when she was only six years old, consummating the marriage (having sexual intercourse with her) when she was nine years old.

The Prophet wrote the (marriage contract) with Aisha while she was six years old and consummated his marriage with her while she was nine years old and she remained with him for nine years (i.e. till his death). (Sahih Al Bukhari 7.62.88)

Because Muhammad is the "beautiful pattern of conduct" for all Muslims for all time, little girls like this will continue to be sexually exploited by Muslim men as long as Islam is treated with respect. Thank God her uncle had enough of a conscience to help her... this time.

MEMRI via Jihad Watch

VIDEO: Europe in Flames as Muslims Riot (Again) in Paris

Violence continues in France over Islamic veil ban...

CBS News via Creeping Sharia (which has more video and related news links)

Some 20 cars have been torched and four people detained in a second night of violence in suburbs west of Paris.

[Will the French police issue parking tickets to the owners of the burned out cars as the Swedish Police recently did during a week of Muslim riots recently?]

France’s interior minister said Sunday that the incidents overnight targeted the town of Elancourt.

Police union official said on BFM television that about 50 assailants were involved, some firing weapons and a gasoline bomb at police.

The night before, about 250 people hurling projectiles clashed with police firing tear gas in the nearby town of Trappes in apparent protest over the enforcement of France’s ban on Islamic face veils. Five people were injured and six detained in the violence, authorities said Saturday.

Student Ordered to Remove Cross Necklace at California College

Orthodox Christians will also be required to remove our crosses or conceal them, and we will be told we cannot make the Sign of the Cross in public places. We will no longer be allowed to make processions outside of our church buildings as part of our divine services.

These are just the early warning signs. Gird your loins.

Student Ordered to Remove Cross Necklace at California College
Daily Caller via Pravoslavie.ru

An official at Sonoma State University ordered a student working at a freshman orientation fair to remove or hide a cross necklace on two separate occasions. The unnamed official feared that other students could be offended by the two-inch-long symbol of Christianity. The first of the two incidents occurred at the public school in Northern California’s wine country on June 27, reports Fox News. The official, an orientation supervisor, warned Sonoma State student Audrey Jarvis that “the chancellor” enforced a policy against wearing religious items. “The chancellor” is presumably Timothy P. White, the chancellor of the entire 23-school California State University system. According to Hiram Sasser, an attorney representing Jarvis, the supervisor advised the practicing Catholic “that she could not wear her cross necklace because it might offend others, it might make incoming students feel unwelcome.”

Hamburg, Germany: Over 150 Muslims Attack Policemen, Shouting 'Allahu Akbar'

"Muslim young people’s Ramadan parties have become a real threat to public order in all European countries..."

Pravoslavie.ru - July 18, 2013

In Hamburg, on the night of July 12, after fasting, a group of young Muslims gathered in Holstenstraße street for a night meal after the Muslim fast. Soon after that the police received complaints from the drivers who were driving by: some people were blinding drivers in the street with laser pointers. A squad arrived in response to a call and tried to check the documents of sixteen gathered young men, however they began to behave aggressively, reports Bild.de. The youths started to yell threats at the policemen, beat the police car, and some of them attempted to attack the police officers. When the police tried to arrest the trouble-makers, one of them made a phone call and after some time, around 150 other Muslims assembled from the neighboring streets to the scene, and blocked the police officers. According to police evidence, those gathered were behaving extremely aggressively, making threats of reprisal and yelling, "Allah Akbar".

Genocide against Christians in Syria seeks 'to finish off what has survived after the Ottoman Turks'.

"I believe that what is happening should only be called a genocide." —Joseph Hakim, President, International Christian Union (ICU)

Jihadista Performing Ethnic Cleansing of Christians in Syria Pravoslavie.ru - July 22, 2013 The president of the International Christian Union (ICU) Joseph Hakim believes that radical groups in the Syrian opposition are using the civil war to perform the ethnic cleansing of Christians, reports FRONTPAGEMAG.COM. The native Christians who are a minority in Syria at the present time "have to flee from their towns and villages" and seek refuge in less dangerous regions of the country and abroad. The ongoing bloodshed in Syria gives islamists an opportunity "to finish off what has survived after the Ottoman Turks", said the expert, referring to the genocide of Armenian Christians during the First world war. "I believe that what is happening should only be called a genocide," said Hakim. Hakim is complaining about the passiveness of the European community which is a witness of killing of Christians, beheading of priests, destroying of churches and kidnapping of bishops in Syria. In the expert’s view, it is a matter of coordinated efforts aimed at eradicating the Christian populations of Syria, Egypt, Iraq, Lebanon and the Middle East.

Russian Orthodox Leader Condemns Gay Marriages, Warns of Apocalypse

What His Holiness warns about same-sex marriage is equally applicable to the frightening global resurgence of orthodox Islam.  Both of these deviant abnormalities are signs "of the approaching end of the world," and are "dangerous and apocalyptic symptoms."

Pravmir - July 21, 2013

MOSCOW, July 21 (RIA Novosti) – Head of the Russian Orthodox Church warned Western governments on Sunday against legalization of same-sex marriages what he called a sign of approaching end of the world.

Patriarch Kirill said during a service at Moscow’s major cathedral that the recent initiatives in a range of countries to legalize same-sex marriages “is a dangerous and apocalyptic symptom” that should not spread over to Russia, according to Russian media reports.

While those who “fight the laws imposed by the minority are subject to repressions,” Kirill, who leads the Church known for its conservative views, was quoted as saying during his speech at Kazan Cathedral near Red Square on Sunday.

Russian authorities have been repeatedly criticized by human rights groups and Western officials over a recently passed law introducing punishment for “the promotion of nontraditional sexual relationships” among minors.

Orthodox Convent in Bethany being intimidated by criminals and Islamists

Related to this article and interview.

Pravoslavie.ru - Bethany, July 18, 2013

Nuns of the Greek Orthodox Convent of Sts. Mary, Martha, and Lazarus in Bethany have sent a letter to the President of the Palestinian Authority Mahmoud Abbas with the call to take appropriate measures against an escalation of attacks by criminals and Islamists, reports Sedmitza.ru. The Convent is currently experiencing a time of troubles. Attacks, damage to property, thefts and robberies have become more frequent over recent months. According to Fides, residents of Bethany—both Christians and Muslims—have visited the Convent as a sign of solidarity, to show that aggression is alien to the local populace. "Someone wants us to go away,” writes Mother Abbess Eupraxia. “But we will not go anywhere". The building of the separating wall between Israel and the Palestinian territories has considerably worsened the security situation in the region. Moreover, over recent months there has been a sharp rise in land prices in this region. A part of the convent's lands earlier belonged to a local Muslim family, which is now illegally trying to lay claim to them.

Monks in Egypt’s Lawless Sinai Hope to Preserve an Ancient Library

Fears of Muslim attacks following the "Arab Spring, " and the ouster of Egyptian President Mohammed Morsi have elevated safety concerns and caused the ancient monastery to step up its efforts to preserve its priceless collections.

Ladan Cher   Jul 22nd, 2013

Time via Pravmir

Just as they have done for 17 centuries, the Greek Orthodox monks of St. Catherine’s Monastery in Egypt’s Sinai desert and the local Jabaliya Bedouins worked together to protect the monastery when the 2011 revolution thrust Egypt into a period of uncertainty. “There was a period in the early days of the Arab Spring when we had no idea what was going to happen,” says Father Justin, a monk who has lived at St. Catherine’s since 1996. Afraid they could be attacked by Islamic extremists or bandits in the relatively lawless expanse of desert, the 25 monks put the monastery’s most valuable manuscripts in the building’s storage room.