www.byzcath.org Forums General Discussions Town Hall Met. Methodios urges signing of petition

A message by Metropolitan Methodios to all faithful to support HALC�s initiative
December 29, 2012 By Greek News Leave a Comment

Dear Friends,

As we celebrate the joy of the Nativity of our Lord, I draw your attention to this urgent petition on Religious Freedom for Christians in the Middle East.

The Hellenic American Leadership Council (HALC) has launched an online White House petition urging President Obama to �Stand up for the rights of endangered Christian minorities around the world this Christmas season.� The petition can be found at www.hellenicleaders.com/freedom. [hellenicleaders.com] According to WhiteHouse.gov rules, if the petition reaches the 25,000 signatures threshold, the White House has to issue a formal written response.

The petition (www.hellenicleaders.com/freedom [hellenicleaders.com]) places issues that the Greek American community and the Orthodox Church have long advocated � especially the religious freedom of the Ecumenical Patriarchate � in a broader context. The petition language explains that:

Christians in the greater Middle East face extinction in their homelands. In Syria�s civil war, Christians who make up 10% of the population are targeted. Christians in Egypt (12% of that population) suffer social persecution and political exclusion. Christians in Iraq (1% of that population) face daily threats and violence. In Turkey, the number of Christians has plummeted to less than .1% due to systematic rights violations, including the oppression of the Ecumenical Patriarchate. In occupied Cyprus, the Turkish military has essentially snuffed out Christianity to around 400 survivors. The administration should act now to protect the rights of these groups by calling on countries in the greater Middle East to protect religious freedom, especially that of their Christian minorities.

I urge all Orthodox Christians in our Metropolis to sign the petition to the White House to take active measures to support religious freedom for Christians in the greater Middle East.

I have attached a press release, with a full explanation about the petition and, most importantly, with the URL (https://petitions.whitehouse.gov/pe...s-around-world-christmas-season/g1Dg26RG) for signing the petition. We need to reach the 25,000 threshold by 6 January, in order to require the White House to respond.

It is is our responsibility as Orthodox Christians to support the universal human right of religious freedom. What more appropriate way to act on our responsibility than by voicing our support for our brothers and sisters in Christ during this season.

Wishing you and your family a blessed and healthy New Year, I remain,

With Archpastoral love,

Metropolitan Methodios

Metropolitan of Boston

http://www.greeknewsonline.com/

I know of a few friends from the GOC, so I'll definitely be looking into this petition, and see how things are going in terms of reaching that 25K signature goal.

EDIT: Ooh, only 4.3K so far? We need to do a lot better than this.

Exactly..since the first post about it on this forum (where I saw it, and sent it to over 30 Greek Orthodox individuals I thought would sign, but do not seem to have) and other forums, the number has only increased by average 100 signatures a day! Even worse, I have only noticed one priest's name!

With so many Antiochian churches and Greek churches in this country, as well as Melkite, I cannot understand the apathy! Shame on us!

(It only takes one minute to register)

Yep, signed, sealed, and delivered. I'm on a Facebook Group with a local GOC, so I'll definitely be putting this petition within the group, and see if they'll be sharing this through.

Since Obama does not respect the rights of Christians here, what do you expect him to do to protect the rights of Christians abroad? Moreover, during the 19th century, when France, Britain and Russia were protecting Christian minorities in Turkey, the Middle East, the Balkans and Africa, success usually resulted from the threat or actual use of military force.

So, I have to ask, assuming Obama cares more about Christians abroad than he does for Christians here, how much are you willing to have this country do? Because talk is cheap, economic sanctions don't work, and moral opprobrium does not influence monsters who don't care what other people think of them.

Good point, Stuart. This is something that might come to backfire on us. Now we have reason to worry about the future of everything that's going on around the world.

Oh, I have no objection to muscular exercise of America's military power in defense of persecuted Christians. I just wonder if all the people getting into a righteous huff are willing to go all the way to save them.