In Face Of ISIS Advance, Many Iraqi Christians Insist On Staying Put

[hrmjustin]

Sophia Jones

BARTELLA, Iraq -- Across the street from a Christian church in this quiet northern Iraqi town, Mounir Behram sits down for lunch with his family. He works as an armed guard protecting the church, an easy job on most days. But now, hardline Sunni extremists -- infamous for targeting those who don't conform to their brand of Islam -- control nearby Mosul, the country's second-largest city. He is plagued by worries that the extremists will invade this predominantly Christian town.

His wife, Sabiha, calms his fears with her soothing demeanor and hot bowls of barley and vegetables. Pointing above the kitchen table to a faded painting of The Last Supper, she says, "They are our guardians."

"We will stay here," she adds. "This is our home."

Mounir nods in agreement. "Where would we go?” he asks.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/06/25/iraqi-christians-isis_n_5527266.html?utm_hp_ref=religion&ir=Religion

[PoliticAverse]

1. Best wishes to them. n/t

[NCarolinawoman]

2. So horrible and sad that it has come this.

Hard to look at the ever smiling visage of William Kristal and his ilk.

Hard to contemplate the hatred in the world. These people should not have to go through this.

[okasha]

3. How about we stop pouring 57%

of our national budget into the military black hole and spend some of it helping innocent folk get out of the mess we made for them?