http://news.yahoo.com/iraq-christians-flee-mosul-militant-threats-111010578.html Three options submit to Islam, pay a tax or face the sword. There is a fourth option, flee without any possessions. Christians fleeing Mosul had to pass a check point. Their cash and possessions were taken. They left with the clothes on their back and a warning to never return. Christian homes have been marked and seized by the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria.
To be fair I think is not only Christians (but that is what the media care about) other minority ethnic groups are also being targeted.
Some coverage: http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2014/07/...reatment-of-minority-christians-by-jihadists/ http://www.buzzfeed.com/miriamberger/iraqi-christians-are-using-this-powerful-symbol-to-protest-t
No question many other ethic groups were targeted, but specific to my post, not much was reported about the treatment of Christians in the US media.
It was reported by NPR on this past friday on my drive home that the Christians in Aleppo and Northern Iraq have churches that go all the way back to the time of the Apostles outreach(post Jesus of Nazareth on Earth) and there was one American scholar who had taken the time to record the ancient chants and songs of these communities. These chants and songs have been passed down for generations and are in the Aramaic language, which was the common language of the hebrews of that era. And thus, like Jesus and his first splinter Jewish followers. The recordings had to be done in secret as to not bring down any reprisals on the communities. Until recently, there was 5 men that knew these old chants and songs. Now their is only three. I lack the vocabulary to describe how powerful these ancient songs sounded.
Well it seems that the Christians and Yazidis are what the US media is talking about now. And I guess the Kurds, but that is more about the US/West arming the Kurds to take on ISI
Yes. There is a CD made. The man that braved the recent conflict/has lived over there for years, he, iirc is an American that is looking to preserve what is left of that region before the historical sites are gone and or the people that have links to the past are killed off. I was in the car driving home and he announced his website, confident I would remember, I promptly forgot after finally getting home. Houston rush hour will do a number on anyone, much less one that lacked a pen to write down his website specifically to order the music and support his efforts. I am interwebing at this moment to see what I can dig up. The PBS website was of no help.
Is this it? I know you mentioned an American scholar but the guy that did this was a drummer in a punk band. I might consider Steve Ignorant a scholar but who is frodus?
Again, I was on my way home on a Friday, enduring Houston rush hour, which is second only in U.S. culture to Los Angeles in insanity of drivers/traffic jams so I was eager to listen to the man speak of his efforts to record the songs and chants in Aramaic and as well get home after the work week. I use scholar=any person looking to salvage heritage and music. If you have the down low on this topic, please post. No te entiendo flaco, ayudame bostero mio!
I just moved from Austin which is number four in the country for worst traffic so I feel ya. I probably know as much about the topic as you, I just remembered from listening to NPR while burning a stick. Something about it was haunting to listen to. I don't envision myself jamming out to it anytime soon but cool to be exposed to. Steve Ignorant was one of the founding members of a punk band called Crass. They were very political in the UK for a long while. Some of their stuff was over the top hard charging but you can tell a lot of thought went in to the writing. Frodus is apparently the band the guy in my link drummed for. I've never heard of them and still check in on the punk scene from time to time. I will likely never google him or them so that I never have to know of them.
I know exactly what you speak of! I will be completely honest, as an old agnostic that came to believe in the promised Jewish Messiah, to hear those Aramaic chants and to know the heritage it has with Him, piercing is the word I would offer if someone desired a description.
And more here. http://news.yahoo.com/fleeing-iraqi-christians-reveal-horror-islamic-state-191611943.html I just hope those ********ers die.