And you are asking why some - a lot - see this war as a holy war ......

Post-9/11 Era Forum

http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/rele...4/20030419.html


For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
April 19, 2003

THE PRESIDENT: Good morning. This weekend, families across America will come together to celebrate Easter, and continue the observance of Passover. This holy season reminds us of the value of freedom, and the power of a love stronger than death.

This year, Easter and Passover have special meaning for the families of our men and women in uniform who feel so intensely the absence of their loved ones during these days. More than 250,000 American troops are serving in Operation Iraqi Freedom to protect our security and to free an oppressed people. Their families await their safe return, and our grateful nation remembers them in prayer.

Our whole nation has also shared in the happiness of learning that seven American prisoners of war were rescued in Northern Iraq earlier this week and are now safe. Thanks to the courage of our Marines and the help of Iraqis, their families have even more reason to celebrate this weekend.

After hearing the good news, the parents of rescued helicopter pilot Ronald Young, Jr. of Georgia, thanked people from across America and as far away as Australia and Japan for their cards and flowers and prayers. Kaye Young, Ronald's mother, said, "You can't believe the blessings that have come out of this. Even as sad as we were, as upset as we were to think that he was being held, there have been so many blessings." Mrs. Young continued, "All over this country, people cared so much about us and about our son."

As a nation, we continue to pray for all who serve in our military and those who remain in harm's way. We also pray for those who have lost people they love in this war. I have met with some of these grieving families, and I have seen their sorrow and their strength.

Corporal Henry Brown, a 22-year-old soldier from Natchez, Mississippi, was lost in battle earlier this month. After the news arrived, his best friend, Frank Woods, Jr., said this about Henry: "He believed God was working through him and he was part of the plan. I guess part of the plan now is God calling his soldier home."

America mourns those who have been called home, and we pray that their families will find God's comfort and God's grace. His purposes are not always clear to us, yet this season brings a promise: that good can come out of evil, that hope can arise from despair, and that all our grief will someday turn to joy, a joy that can never be taken away.

Laura and I wish you all a happy Easter and a blessed Passover. Thank you for listening.

END

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dy...-2003Apr18.html

At Pentagon, Graham Lets Controversy Sit Silently


Saturday, April 19, 2003; Page A04


The Rev. Franklin Graham, who has assumed the mantle of his famous father, evangelist Billy Graham, preached to a packed auditorium at the Pentagon yesterday over the objections of Muslim employees.

Several Muslims who work for the Department of Defense had urged the Pentagon chaplain's office to disinvite Graham because he has called Islam a "very evil and wicked religion" bent on "world domination."

Graham made no mention of the controversy, and there were no protesters inside or outside the 270-seat auditorium during the Good Friday prayer service. Most of the attendees appeared to be mid-level civilian and uniformed personnel, with a sprinkling of senior officers but not the top brass. Army public affairs officers prevented reporters from interviewing Graham or members of the congregation.

Graham began with a patriotic message. "We look back at the events of the last few weeks, and we come today to thank God for this nation, the freedom that He has given us and the principles on which this nation was built," he said.

The rest of his 10-minute sermon was on Good Friday's standard theme, the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus Christ. "He's alive. He's risen. And friends, one day He's coming back -- and I believe He's coming back soon," Graham concluded.

The service also included a military color guard, the U.S. Army Brass Quintet and songs by Christian music performers Ken Turner and Kenna West.

According to one official, three Muslim employees met with the Pentagon's deputy chaplain last week to object to Graham's appearance, but they were told that they were raising the issue too late, as Graham had been invited months before. The lay leader of the Pentagon's Muslim community and one other employee also wrote letters calling Graham a "divisive" figure and asking the chaplain's office to find a "more inclusive and honorable Christian clergyman" to speak on Good Friday.

-- Alan Cooperman


© 2003 The Washington Post Company

Hmmmm, so because the Office of the Press Secretary issues a memo wishing people a Happy Easter and Passover you think this equates to a holy war somehow? Uh huh, I think logic took the last train leaving your head when you wrote this.

The only people who see this as a holy war are the uneducated Arab masses who are force-fed government propaganda without having access to any other media sources.

@MikeXXL

it's not the happy easter, it's the one which is invited to celebrate it ......

Nowar,
I really don't get what point you are trying to make. Please explain how these articles equate to a holy-war. Also, when is it that Franklin Graham made these comments about muslims? Was it before or since, he was invited?

@T.L.B.

I never said that it was a holy war ....
what I said is a lot of people see this war as a holy war .....


Just to let you know that it's a the request of Rumsfeld that rev Graham came to celebrate/wish Happy Easter and Passover.

Check what he said/wrote and think about Islam: http://www.google.be/search?hl=fr&i...he+Google&meta=

if you understand what this means for mulsims, you don't invite people like that to celebrate whatever you want, especialy in the Department of Defense.

Knowing that ( http://www.familypolicy.net/nf/franklin-11-20-01.shtml):

Ok Nowar. I just didn't know when the statement from Graham was made. I agree that he should not have been invited to give a sermon. I can't say that I see why people think it is a holy-war, but I guess I can say that I see room for argument.

@T.L.B.

I think that the idea of the holy war comes from Bush speaking, behaviour and mistakes.

When you have a lot of people already hating you - fanatics muslims - you don't use "God" name each time you speak about Iraq.
Starting with the "axe of evil", coming from someone which seems - I say seems - have a so big faith in God and on the other side you have another one which is not as stupid as so many think which start to include some Mola and imam in his government, start to pray before and after his councils - as Bush does -, showing that on TV, I can tell you that not only the fanatics - Christians and Muslims - will start to think that it's a holy war .....

locate Iraq on the following map:

http://www.nowar.tchacheurs.com/pics/Muslim_Distribution_map.gif

.........

and ho, for those who doesn't know where I'm coming from, locate Zaire ........

And about Zaire, you should check the US gov history about that country and who was the leader and what he did .......

And I have spent 20 years of my life there ...