Perhaps best known for his leading the investigation of Bill Clinton which led to the latter’s impeachment, Kenneth Starr is now the President of Baylor University. Starr recently wrote a column in which he called for the protection of Christians in the Middle East.
Ken Starr: touting study of Christianity and Freedom.
Via the Dallas Morning News:
Christians in the broader Middle East, it seems, are in the crosshairs. In September, two Taliban suicide bombers rushed All Saints Church in Peshawar, Pakistan, as worshippers exited. One exploded his bomb outside, one inside. Eighty-two people were slaughtered. In March, two churches and about 100 Christian homes were ransacked in Lahore.
Today, millions of Christians and other religious minorities are facing vile persecution. Many Christians are struggling to escape from the countries where their ancestors have lived for two millennia. The human tragedy unfolding in these countries is profoundly disturbing. But the tragedy extends beyond the suffering of individuals and families.
Next month in Rome, Georgetown University, in partnership with Baylor University, will showcase the findings of a two-year study on Christianity and freedom. Three dozen scholars will assemble to discuss what Christians have contributed to freedom and prosperity in their own countries, and, implicitly, what will be lost if those countries are emptied of their Christian populations.
The countries include Egypt, where the holy family fled when Jesus was a baby. Many Christians now are exiting Egypt in the wake of the badly misnamed “Arab Spring.” In August alone, scores of churches were torched, some of them dating to the fifth century.
They include Syria, Paul’s destination when he was called by Jesus. Today, many Syrian Christians have fled, fearing the prospects of an Islamist regime. One village, Maaloula, is one of the last places on Earth where Aramaic, the language of Jesus, is still spoken. In September, it was overrun by Islamist terrorists.
In Iraq, Christians once enjoyed a fragile stability under Saddam Hussein, but since his fall they have been targets of fierce persecution. The Christian presence in Iraq, as elsewhere, is rapidly diminishing. {emphasis ours}
Starr goes on to talk about how the U.S. does not help Christians in the Middle East for fear it might alienate Muslims. In macro-terms, that may be right but in micro-terms, real people are being slaughtered and the politics of it are secondary. Real people need to be rescued from persecution, torture and death. Heavy hearts must be replaced with urgent action.
We appreciate Starr drawing attention to this matter but focusing on the findings of a two-year study during which more than 300,000 Christians were slaughtered for their beliefs highlights a different problem. We need action, not academic experts gathered together for two years to research how Christianity and freedom are compatible. The irony is that Islam and freedom are incompatible and it doesn’t take rocket scientists to reach that conclusion.
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