Syrians who claim Christianity Fear a New Genocide In Wake of US Pullout

Damage from Syrian Conflict

There are concerns among professors of Christ in Syria that a pull-out of US troops may mean genocide for them:

KOBANE, Northeast Syria – With the pullout of US troops, Christians here in northeast Syria told CBN News their future hangs in the balance. With the region on the brink of chaos, they’re fearful and warning of a new genocide.

Just a few years ago, ISIS left a scar on the land in the form of an historic genocide in parts of Iraq and Syria. Now Christians fear another potential apocalypse with enemies all around them.

Turkey is the main concern.

“After the threats of (Turkish President) Erdogan to this region that he wants to take the place of the great force of America, we felt danger because of this void. If it was filled by the countries of this region or another power, there would be danger in general for the people and especially the Christian people,” said Sanharib Barson, co-president of the Syriac Union Party.

The reason many people in northeast Syria are afraid of Turkey is because of what happened last year in northwest Syria, the Turkish invasion of Afrin.

In January 2018, its army along with Islamic militias called the Free Syrian Army began a military campaign to capture the city of Afrin.

Charmaine Hedding of the Shai Fund told CBN News what Turkey’s goals are.

“We know it from the statements that they’ve made that they want to get rid of the people in this area and bring in other people from Syria. So, it’s a population displacement,” Hedding said. 02/01/19 https://www1.cbn.com/cbnnews/israel/2019/february/syrian-christians-fear-a-new-genocide-in-wake-of-us-pullout

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – A joint statement by Syriac Christian organizations in Syria, Europe, and the US on Thursday demanded the establishment of a no-fly zone to stop a possible Turkish attack following an announced US withdrawal, fearing it could effectively end Christianity in northern and eastern Syria.

“We urgently need protection from Turkey’s threats to invade and ‘cleanse’ our territory from Christianity, religious freedom, and democracy. US President Donald Trump’s sudden decision to withdraw US troops, leaves us powerless and open to be destroyed by either Turkey, or other regimes scrambling to see our demise in the vacuum this will create.”

Turkish senior officials have threatened that their military would cross the southern border to attack areas in Syria east of the Euphrates, both before and since the announcement of Trump’s decision in late December.

A significant population of Christians lives in the territory that Turkey has said it will attack, now under the control of the Self-Administration in Northern and Eastern Syria (NES).

According to the statement made by groups which include the Syriac National Council of Syria, the American Syriac Union, and the European Syriac Union, “Turkey committed war crimes and ethnic cleansing against the religious minorities [in Afrin].”

“All the Christians had to flee the area as Turkey’s jihadi troops conducted door to door searches to hunt the Christians down, to kill them and destroyed all of Afrin’s churches. They had to flee with nothing, and take refuge in the area that Turkey is now threatening to invade; north and east Syria.” 01/05/19 http://www.kurdistan24.net/en/news/deeea6a9-a23a-40bf-95ab-4094a1d924f7

The situation in Syria has been horrible. I have been praying for those affected in Syria for some time and again ask others to also do so.

Several years ago, a COG member sent me the following:

My mom’s side relatives have lived in Aleppo, Syria all their lives, which has had a large thriving Eastern Orthodox Christian Armenian community for nearly a century. A number of them have left during the recent turmoil if they were able. An article in a recent daily news update on cogwriter referred to Christian persecution there. Well, the rebel groups are the ones bombing churches and persecuting those who refer to themselves as Christians (including Armenians). Two of my relatives were kidnapped by rebel forces (now released by ransom money). My relatives are upset at the so-called Arab Spring. It has destroyed the peace, the economy and their way of life, which they were happy with. The more secular Arab leaders like Assad have treated professing Christians very well for decades (though they may be harsh in other ways). The Armenians had no trouble with their religion, churches, schools, cultural activities, and speaking the language. They were highly regarded in the community. Now the rebels want to overthrow the regime and have a fanatical Moslem government, and, like you say, eventually try to establish a caliphate across the Middle East. They persecute any group calling itself Christian and are causing the disintegration of the Orthodox Christian communities.

The post at COGwriter that he specifically referred to was Obama Administration considered to be a facilitator of ‘Christian’ persecution.

While the Continuing Church of God does not consider that the modern Armenian Orthodox are part of the Church of God, there are certain doctrinal similarities (as well as important doctrinal differences, see Some Similarities and Differences Between the Eastern Orthodox Church and the Continuing Church of God).

The Armenians have been distrustful of Turks for a long time and blame them for the Armenian holocaust of 1915.

Murdered Armenians 1915

Such atrocities should not happen.

Between civil war, chemical weapons, murders, deaths, and war crimes, it is terrible what the people in Syria, professors of Christ, Muslim, or otherwise have had to endure.

They, along with all of us, need to pray “Thy kingdom come” (Matthew 6:10, KJV).

Items of possibly related interest may include:

Persecutions by Church and State This article documents some that have occurred against those associated with the COGs and some prophesied to occur. Will those with the cross be the persecutors or the persecuted–this article has the shocking answer. There is also a YouTube video sermon you can watch: The Coming Persecution of the Church. Here is information in the Spanish language: Persecuciones de la Iglesia y el Estado.
Nazarene Christianity: Were the Original Christians Nazarenes? Who were the Nazarene Christians? What did they believe? Should 21st century Christians be modern Nazarenes? Is there a group that exists now that traces its history through the Nazarenes and holds the same beliefs today? Here is a link to a related video sermon Nazarene Christians: Were the early Christians “Nazarenes”?
The Pergamos Church Era was predominant circa 450 A.D. to circa 1050 A.D. An especially persecuted Church.
The Thyatira Church Era was predominant circa 1050 A.D. to circa 1600 A.D. The Church during the Inquisition.
Some Similarities and Differences Between the Eastern Orthodox Church and the Continuing Church of God Both groups claim to be the original church, but both groups have differing ways to claim it. Both groups have some amazing similarities and some major differences. Do you know what they are?
Did The Early Church Teach Millenarianism? Was the millennium (sometimes called chiliasm) taught by early Christians? Who condemned it? Will Jesus literally reign for 1000 years on the earth? Is this time near? Two related sermons are available Millennial Utopia and The Millennium.
Does God Have a 6,000 Year Plan? What Year Does the 6,000 Years End? Was a 6000 year time allowed for humans to rule followed by a literal thousand year reign of Christ on Earth taught by the early Christians? Does God have 7,000 year plan? What year may the six thousand years of human rule end? When will Jesus return? 2027 or 20xx? There is also a video titled 6000 Years: When will God’s Kingdom Come? Here is a link to the article in Spanish: ¿Tiene Dios un plan de 6,000 años?
When Will the Great Tribulation Begin? 2019, 2020, or 2021? Can the Great Tribulation begin today? What happens before the Great Tribulation in the “beginning of sorrows”? What happens in the Great Tribulation and the Day of the Lord? Is this the time of the Gentiles? When is the earliest that the Great Tribulation can begin? What is the Day of the Lord? Who are the 144,000? Here is a version of the article in the Spanish language: ¿Puede comenzar la Gran Tribulación en 2018 o 2019? ¿Es el Tiempo de los Gentiles? You can also see the English language sermon videos: The Great Tribulation from the Mount of Olives and Can the Great Tribulation begin before 2020? A shorter and newer video is: Might the Great Tribulation start in 2019?
The Times of the Gentiles Has there been more than one time of the Gentiles? Are we in it now or in the time of Anglo-America? What will the final time of the Gentiles be like? A related sermon is available and is titled: The Times of the Gentiles.
The Gospel of the Kingdom of God This free online pdf booklet has answers many questions people have about the Gospel of the Kingdom of God and explains why it is the solution to the issues the world is facing. Here are links to three related sermons: The World’s False Gospel, The Gospel of the Kingdom: From the New and Old Testaments, and The Kingdom of God is the Solution.
Donald Trump in Prophecy Prophecy, Donald Trump? Are there prophecies that Donald Trump may fulfill? Are there any prophecies that he has already helped fulfill? Is a Donald Trump presidency proving to be apocalyptic? Two related videos are available: Donald: ‘Trump of God’ or Apocalyptic? and Donald Trump’s Prophetic Presidency.
Trump Presidency Magic 8 Ball or Bible Prophecy? BBC reported that one might as well use a ‘Magic Eight-Ball’ to try to predict what will happen in the remaining time of Donald Trump’s presidency. What is a ‘Magic Eight-Ball’? Dr. Thiel not only explains that, but also briefly goes over 10 biblically-based warnings he wrote would happen if Donald Trump were elected that have already began to come to pass. He also goes over something he wrote back in 2008 that the Trump presidency is also helping lead to fulfillment. Should you trust Bible prophecy or not? Dr. Thiel says that Bible prophecy can be trusted, despite the view of skeptics and others that either overlook or despise the Bible. This is a video.
Damascus and Syria in Prophecy Will Bashar Assad hold power as he has it? Does the Bible show that Damascus, the capital of Syria, will be destroyed? What will happen to Syria? Will the Syrians support the final King of the South that the Bible tells will rise up? Which scriptures discuss the rise and fall of an Arabic confederation? Does Islamic prophecy predict the destruction of Syria. This is a YouTube video.