Roman Colosseum To Be Lit Red for Persecuted Christians

[guy]

 

Quote

Rome, Italy, Feb 7, 2018 / 01:49 pm

The Roman Colosseum will be illuminated by red lights later this month to draw attention to the persecution of Christians around the world, and especially in Syria and Iraq.

On Saturday, Feb. 24, at 6 p.m. the Colosseum will be spotlighted in red, to represent the blood of Christians who have been wounded or lost their lives due to religious persecution.

Simultaneously, in Syria and Iraq, prominent churches will be illuminated with red lights. In Aleppo, the St. Elijah Maronite Cathedral will be lighted, and in Mosul, the Church of St. Paul, where this past Dec. 24, the first Mass was celebrated after the city’s liberation from ISIS.

 

 

https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/colosseum-to-be-lit-red-for-persecuted-christians-42868

[indianasmith]

Very worthwhile cause! The plight of Christians in the Muslim world, as well as in North Korea and China, gets swept under the rug far too often.

[caldrail]

Why are Christians getting a star treatment? What colour did the Colosseum get lit for the plight of the Rohingya moslems? Okay, some Christians are having problems. So are some moslems, hindus, Buddhists, or other faiths. Come to think of it, why hasn't anyone worried themselves about the continuing plight of Christians in parts of Africa beset with some of the worlds worst atrocities? A good cause? No, no better than anything else, just one cause someone wanted to make a big deal out of. Not that lighting the Colosseum is going to make the slightest difference whatsoever.

[guy]

On 2/15/2018 at 6:31 AM, caldrail said:

Why are Christians getting a star treatment? What colour did the Colosseum get lit for the plight of the Rohingya moslems? Okay, some Christians are having problems. So are some moslems, hindus, Buddhists, or other faiths. Come to think of it, why hasn't anyone worried themselves about the continuing plight of Christians in parts of Africa beset with some of the worlds worst atrocities? A good cause? No, no better than anything else, just one cause someone wanted to make a big deal out of. Not that lighting the Colosseum is going to make the slightest difference whatsoever.

Originally, I thought this was a fabricated and fake story.

That said, the Colosseum is in Rome (relatively close to the Vatican). As you know as well as anyone, the history of Christianity (as opposed to the other faiths you mention) is intimately bound to Ancient Rome. So, if you believe religious persecution exists (that even I, a religious skeptic, do), then it is fair for that faith to attempt to bring attention to their plight, no matter how empty that gesture may seem to us.

[caldrail]

Given how much religious persecution Christianity has handed out over the centuries, seeing them complain that it's happening to them is a bit hypocritical in my book.

[indianasmith]

It is true that the Church, especially the medieval church, has much blood on its hands.
It is also true that right now, in the 21st century, Christianity is easily the most persecuted religion on earth.

In North Korea, simply owning a Bible will get you shot.  In many Muslim countries, converting from Islam to Christianity carries a death penalty.  Whenever a specific group is systematically persecuted, it is worthwhile to take note of their plight and raise awareness.

[caldrail]

In North Korea, any overt religious display would be suspicious to the authorities. I imagine owning the Koran wouldn't be any less provocative. That's because it's a communist country which supplants religion with political worship. Russia used to do that - it was only their desperation in the early days of the Patriotic War that Stalin allowed churches to reopen in order to bolster civilian morale. I suspect something similar might be seen as a marker of DPRK's perception of their plight.