This will end badly.

That works ... considering that Christmas is such a huge Muslim holiday and all ...

TheOther: For some reason, it made me think of this...Target practice?

Holy. Crap.

A "Far Side" I have never seen! I did not think such a thing possible!

And this accomplished what, exactly?

Praise the lord and pass the ammunition.

Lane83: This will end badly.

It will end?

Could be worse...

Well, that was worth it. Hundreds of thousands dead so that the 5 Christians left in Baghdad can freely celebrate Christmas!

Iraq has always had a sizable Christian Population. They have churches everywhere so isn't exactly underground. So is this first ever, or first since we invaded or first with Santa and Christmas trees?

why are we in Iraq again?

The money quote for me, from TFA:

"...and our lives went back to normal."

fillahbuster: Iraq has always had a sizable Christian Population. They have churches everywhere so isn't exactly underground. So is this first ever, or first since we invaded or first with Santa and Christmas trees?

Well, the CIA says that Iraq is 97% Muslim, 3% Christian or other. I wouldn't call that sizable.

This sort of seems like the definition of cultural imperialism.

Yeah... 'cause that won't make them equate us with the crusaders anymore.

pics or it didn't happen
/pre-emptively declaring "shopped"

How long was it before the first RPG hit it?

Gyrfalcon: How long was it before the first RPG hit it?

Three of the most Christmasy minutes EVER.

They had children worshiping Santa singing "We are building Iraq!"
If this does not result in horror and hatred for years to come, I will become a very cynical man.

sinanju: Yeah... 'cause that won't make them equate us with the crusaders anymore.

Santa is Richard the Lionheart?

Fa-la,la,la,la,la-la,la,la,la,la-La,la,la,la,la-ful.

fillahbuster: Iraq has always had a sizable Christian Population. They have churches everywhere so isn't exactly underground. So is this first ever, or first since we invaded or first with Santa and Christmas trees?



...one of the few places in Al Daura not full of bullet holes.

Well, Muslims do technically believe in Jesus...

Wait wait...which Jesus?
Anglo-Saxon Jesus?
Historically Accurate Jesus?
Zombie Jesus?

fillahbuster: Iraq has always had a sizable Christian Population. They have churches everywhere so isn't exactly underground. So is this first ever, or first since we invaded or first with Santa and Christmas trees?

Hell, some of Iraq's senior government officials (e.g., Tariq Aziz) were Christians. Saddam Hussein was a murderous thug, but his Iraq was not some kind of Islamic theocracy. One of my U.S. Senators (John Thune) gave an interview to Christianity Today where he expressed support for the Iraq war, saying that perhaps it could allow Christianity to "take root" in Iraq. I wrote him a letter asking if he could tell me what it was like to go through life that stupid.

/no reply

And this place is where this whole "civilization" thing started.

?

I thought an evangelical Republican's wet dream was an alter boy sporting an unopened bottle of Morgan David and a warm seat next to the organ.

The things Fark teaches me, I tell ya.

Wow. What a terrific propaganda victory for our enemies.

Another colossal blunder brought to you by BushCo.

Hopefully it gets shot down with some form of RPG or missile. One less missile used on people, one less huge stupid eyesore. It's win, win.

Because Jesus, as a devout Jew, would be just thrilled to see people worshiping his image! After all, it's not like worshiping idols was one of the top ten things God specifically says is a no-no.

pacified: why are we in Iraq again?

Because the French wouldn't do it! And as Americans, anything the French do, we have to do the opposite.

/fark ya!

pacified: why are we in Iraq again?

For the same reason that Jesus Sucks! banner is flying?

This is what happened to the last Iraqi leader that opposed Islamic fundamentalism in his home country.

But who will bring Christmas to the poor Iragi children?

Wow. Either one of two things to note...

Either, 1) this was totally forced and staged so that Muslim participants were there, because the expression of Islamic Fiqh would, while permitting the celebration of Christmas for others, would forbid a Muslim from celebrating Christmas. OR

2) This is just another expression of Iraqis knowing nothing about the actual rulings of their own religion.

There are several reasons Islamic law looks down upon Muslims celebrating Christmas (of course, it is encouraged to build ties with Christians by both permitting observance of their holiday and extending expressions of peace upon them on their holiday, but...):

A) Santa Clause is a fictional character made to be real by parents on Christmas, and parents should not lie to their children.

B) Santa Clause represents a person who "knows if you've been naughty or nice," meaning he has the capability of seeing beyond human capability, both physically and through intention. To suggest such a thing of a man is offensible to the nature of God, All-Seeing and All-Powerful.

C) Christmas is celebrated upon the foundation of several polytheistic rituals, including its date, which is set affixed to a season. To observe the birth of Jesus, the Prophet, by giving thanks to God is not a problem: it's the tree, the yule log, the whole appeasement of Mithraic ideas through history, the massive orgyistic history of the date, etc.

seventypercent: fillahbuster: Iraq has always had a sizable Christian Population. They have churches everywhere so isn't exactly underground. So is this first ever, or first since we invaded or first with Santa and Christmas trees?

Hell, some of Iraq's senior government officials (e.g., Tariq Aziz) were Christians. Saddam Hussein was a murderous thug, but his Iraq was not some kind of Islamic theocracy. One of my U.S. Senators (John Thune) gave an interview to Christianity Today where he expressed support for the Iraq war, saying that perhaps it could allow Christianity to "take root" in Iraq. I wrote him a letter asking if he could tell me what it was like to go through life that stupid.

/no reply

Why would you ask him that? You're the one reading 'Christianity Today.'

The Christmas diorama showing police capture and shooting terrorists captures the spirit of the season in a way that mall santas just can't.

The guys who run my local convenience/variety are Iraqi Christians. One said that his family members moved north, nearer to Kurdish territory, because Baghdad is too dangerous. I asked him about the shoe thrower. He said there is not one family in the country that has not been touched by the decision to invade. He reserved any direct comment about the shoe thrower, then added "but I understand."

Hmm, who could have predicted the Christianization and Americanization of Iraq?

/raises hand

Christianization and Americanization?

WTF?

Christianity was in Iraq centuries before it was in the US. Santa Claus, if that's what you're referring to, has existed in cultures around the world long before he did in the US. Same for balloons, Jesus, models, etc. American culture is in its infancy compared to the cultures of the Middle East. While many of them haven't seemed to have evolved from 2 B.C., they are older at least.

Now, maybe if the story had mentioned something like McDonald's hamburgers or Levi's blue jeans, you might be on to something. But your premise is severely lacking otherwise.

While it will go down in the global history of Iraq as a spec on a blotter, for a few shining hours, religious tolerance won out. Nobody died for prosthletizing. And a nice party was had.

So why are people complaining again?

Nudge

Lighten up, Francis.

Anybody tell the Bushies that most of the Iraqi Christians have already fled the country, fearing outright extermination?

ilambiquated: This is what happened to the last Iraqi leader that opposed Islamic fundamentalism in his home country.

Yeah, just like those German leaders (new window) who opposed communism in their home country.

Nudge: Either, 1) this was totally forced and staged so that Muslim participants were there, because the expression of Islamic Fiqh would, while permitting the celebration of Christmas for others, would forbid a Muslim from celebrating Christmas. OR

2) This is just another expression of Iraqis knowing nothing about the actual rulings of their own religion.

Or, y'know,

3)There are some Iraqi Christians. Some neighborhoods even have a mosque and a church next door to each other.