Everywhere I look in America today, I see Christians circling the wagons, hiding out of plain sight as much as possible. The principle of "Separation of Church and State", as sound and important as it is, has been used as the ultimate twenty-first century boogeyman, with Christian folks everywhere walking on pins and needles in the fear that they be accused of bigotry. Let's face it, Christians are an easy target. When I was a child in the 1970s and 1980s, the liberal academic pressure groups initially forced their brand of Sex Education into our public school system and then picked up the "Separation of Church and State" banner, not bothering to determine first if everyone agreed with their interpretation of that sensitive phrase. In the beginning, even the Christian groups avoided getting overly involved. The basic idea of Separation of Church and State is very American, and makes sense to people. The United States has been seeded with people who left their home countries to escape all sorts of tyranny, including religious oppression. Its about having the freedom to worship as you choose, and not having to worry about any government introducing a "state religion". For centuries, most of Europe was Roman Catholic because the ruling monarchies were loyal to the Pope. More recently, Atheism has been encouraged by some Socialist governments, especially in Africa and Eastern Europe. Before the end of the Cold War and the fall of oppressive governments in Bulgaria, Romania, Hungary, Poland, Czechoslovakia and the Baltic States, Socialist and Communist governments openly harassed Christians. Atheism was the state religion in Albania for many years, as it is today in Communist China.
Excuse the little side trip down memory lane, but a bit of history will help us to understand the balance we try to strike in the United States. The right not to worship is just as important as the right to worship as we choose. Once the effort to remove some of the more obvious examples of religion within public schools was successful, the left put things into high-gear. Remember as a child, participating in a Christmas Play that included the Christ child and a manger scene? What about the plaque emblazoned with the Ten Commandments that was donated by the local chapter of the VFW, and the continued use of the term Christmas, as included in Christmas vacation, Christmas tree, Christmas present, etc.? If it has anything to do with public school, it has to go. Most people weren't very happy with the removal of the word Christmas, while others could not see the harm in displaying the Ten Commandments (sometimes you have to remind folks that other religions aside from Christianity are present in our communities). I believe that the left has done a very convincing job justifying its efforts to remove religion from public schools, and they did so by repeating ad nauseam the Constitutional obligation to make it so. Have you read the First Amendment to the Constitution lately? Why not stop reading right here, google and read it, then come on back.
Nowhere in the Constitution will you find the phrase, "Separation of Church and State". What the First Amendment does say is that the government shall make no law "respecting an establishment of religion or prohibiting the free exercise thereof". The more I re-examine the Constitution and the separate writings of our founding fathers, the more apparent it is to me that they had no intention of removing religion from the fabric of our nation. They were, with very few exceptions, practicing Christians, who took advantage of every opportunity to credit God for the success in establishing a free and bountiful nation. As for the message that was left for us, it seems to me that the Founding Fathers mentioned God in just about everything that was intended to last. Aside from the documents establishing our political experiment, take a look at your coins and currency; God always seems to make an appearance. In our Justice system, what book is used to guarantee that the speaker intends to be fully truthful, and what book is used to swear in Presidents every four years? Of course, its the Bible. We can surmise the intent of the Founding Fathers, but can we explain why young people today mock and make jokes about people who attend church? Why has Hollywood and the Entertainment Industry declared war on religion? You will hear the superstars giving credit to God in their speeches, but how often, outside of the gospel industry, do you hear someone singing about their faith?
Religion has become the enemy because it comes with rules, and the left doesn't believe in rules. More accurately, the left doesn't believe in responsibility. We have been through eight years of a Democratic Administration, and it appears likely we will suffer through an additional eight. One of the most successful campaign tools for the left has been the "you are owed" message. It goes hand-in-hand with the "it's someone else's fault" mantra. During the Obama Administration, the National Debt has more than doubled, to nearly twenty-trillion dollars. Conservatives like to quickly point at the "entitlements" boogeyman, but our debt is an unending stream of giveaways that goes way beyond entitlements. Social Security has been empty for years, at least as it was originally designed. Persons collecting Social Security today are borrowing it from someone way into the future. Add all sorts of welfare, including unemployment, corporate welfare, and the almost criminal never-ending welfare packages paid to farmers (farmers in the United States just can't fail, the government will see to it). The most recent surge in government dependency has been the increase in persons on disability. I can't blame the Democrats for all of the giveaway, but I'm happy to dump most of the blame at their feet. We have raised one, possibly two generations who have no idea how to take responsibility for anything, let alone their own lives. At the end of the day, this works well for the Democrats, who believe that government must exist, if not control, every aspect of our lives.
I didn't write this commentary in defense of the tele-evangelists and the Westboro Baptist Church. Hate is hate and its ugly and evil, no matter the source. I try to keep things simple in my life, and when I noticed so many empty churches, and organizations having no problem misrepresenting the intentions of our Founding Fathers, I went in search of the simple explanation; it wasn't hard to find. Many young people live their lives with abandon. To them, life is one short crazy ride that ends with death, so why not experience everything? Suicide seems to be a pastime for the younger generations, and drug use impacts children more so now then ever. Its true that young people today seem more politically active than in recent time, but have you listened to what they support? Free school, free books, free travel for education, everything is free. The lessons of the recent past, of September 11, 2001, of the Cold War, seem irrelevant. They have been mislead into thinking that money grows on trees, mostly in Bernie Sander's backyard. The message of my youth, of family, faith, responsibility, patriotism and kindness, are hard to find. We are so fortunate to live in a country that does not enforce a national religion, but I am convinced that the left-wing war on organized faith in our nation has been at cross-purposes with many parents. In most instances (not all), being raised in a Christian household creates responsible, hard-working adults, who would prefer to work than to receive lodging, food and clothing for free. Sadly, I believe that the numbers are turning in the wrong direction, as the last two Presidential elections have demonstrated. Donald Trump says he can make America great again. Although I never realized it previously, Trump claims to be a Christian conservative. That's great, but we don't necessarily need someone claiming to be a Christian conservative. We need someone who can set the right example, so that young people will be interested in how they can help build a strong country, with opportunity for anyone willing to sacrifice, instead of preferring to wait for a free ride. Today, the only time you will hear Barack Obama mention religion, is when he is obliged to repeat the tired cliché, "our hearts and prayers........". I hope President Trump won't shy away from talking about faith, and won't avoid saying "Islamic Extremist" when the term applies. God Bless America.
Showing posts with label Christmas. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Christmas. Show all posts
Sunday, July 10, 2016
Thursday, December 25, 2014
A True Christmas Story
Link: History of The Assyrian People
For those of you who eventually read my book, you will find a longer, more spiritual version of this story. Given that Christmas is upon us, and this is a true story, I chose to share it with everyone. Sometimes when you least expect it, and in the most unlikely places, a little miracle with sneak up on you. Rejoice!
It was December, 2003, and Mike and I were going about our daily routine of ops meetings and paperwork. I had been in Baghdad for roughly eight months, and Mike had been in country for five. Mike and I lived in the Green Zone, within the Agency compound, and we worked together on a daily basis. It was not normal for two case officers to work together as a team, but we gravitated to each other from the start, and modesty notwithstanding, we were as productive as three officers. Otherwise, I can guarantee you, the arrangement would have come to an end. Why did we work so well together? If was a combination of Mike's amazing sense of direction, intelligence, his work ethic, and his patience, mixed with my experience. We had separate cases and met with our own list of contacts, and we always managed to not let it get complicated. Unfortunately, both Mike and I were missing one important skill: neither of us spoke Arabic. We always seemed to have a shortage of linguists in Baghdad, but we managed. The entire compound was lucky to have a family of brothers, all older gentlemen, travel out to Baghdad and share their Arabic skills. The three Hanani Brothers, Lucas, Luther, and Nicholas, were all American citizens and all over the age of sixty-five (Lucas being the oldest at seventy-eight). The Hanani's were ethnic Assyrians, with Lucas having been born in Baghdad. The large Hanani family were successful merchants in Baghdad, but the unstable political situation following the second world war convinced Hanani Sr. (the father of Lucas, Luther, and Nicholas, who is still around) to move to the United States. Over the Years, hard-work and sacrifice led to tremendous success in business, and the Hanani's were proud to call themselves Americans. The family in the United States did its best to keep in contact with family in the relatively large Assyrian community in Baghdad, but communication was never consistent. While the American Hanani's enjoyed the opportunities and freedoms of the United States, life became more and more difficult for Assyrians living in Iraq.
Assyrians originally come from Syria, and most have always been Orthodox Christian. As has been the case with Armenians and Kurds, Assyrians have faced episodes of pogroms and ethnic cleansing related to both religion and culture. During the years of the Ottoman Empire, the Assyrian community was heavily involved in trading, and close, trusting relationships were developed between the Ottoman authorities and Assyrian leaders. In reality, the Assyrians were able to determine who to bribe and when, which made life so much easier for everybody. But one morning, soldiers came and kicked in the doors and took everything of value. This repeated occurrence over the years ended with Assyrian neighborhoods in Baghdad, Mosul, and Arbil becoming little more than slums. Mike and I really enjoyed discussing the history of Iraq and the Assyrian community with the Hanani Brothers, who were usually posted to Baghdad at the same time (their request). But when it came time for work, the Hanani's were first in line and ready to go. I recall many times that an unscheduled meeting was triggered, and a Hanani Brother happily got out of bed in the wee hours of the morning to come translate a meeting. During a conversation with Mike and I, the two older brothers, Lucas and Luther, announced that their father had ordered them to find their relatives in Baghdad while they were here on duty. If we had made a formal request to go cruising around the slums of Baghdad looking for Assyrians, no doubt we would have been denied. But Mike and I were convinced that if we didn't get involved, these old farts were going to just walk out of the Green Zone and head for downtown Baghdad one afternoon. Lucas told me that he spoke Arabic and had no fear of Muslims. I needed more assurances that that. Mike and I told the boys to sit tight, and went to work. We reached out to our local contacts, and also hit the internet. before long we had a good idea of the last known location of an Assyrian community. That night Mike and I did a RECON, in order to confirm the existence of a church, a relatively safe place to park, and an open flow of traffic...no bottlenecks. The next day, December 23, we told the three brothers that we had located an Assyrian Church and possibly the remnants of an Assyrian community in the Ad Dora neighborhood of Baghdad (south bank of the Tigris). We informed them that on Christmas Eve, we would take them out to the Church at noon, and leave them long enough to enjoy a Mass; they could call us when they were ready for a pickup. They were ecstatic; it may not have been the family reunion that their patriarch has requested, but at least it was something. Mike and I also went in to talk to our Chief, whose response was, if something goes wrong, call, but I don't know a thing. We will pull your ass out, only to hang it out to dry later.
The next morning at 1100 am, we picked up the three Hanani boys (age or no age, I can't help but think of them as boys, because together they were always laughing and playing jokes on each other), who were showered, combed, and dressed as nice as they could be (no one brings a suit to Baghdad). We had no problems getting to Dora, but we were depending on parking relatively close to the Church. This wasn't possible because of the number of cars already taking up all available space. We had no choice but to park in front of this one large, nondescript house about five hundred yards from the Church, and two hundred yards from the end of the street. The boys would not listen or wait; as soon as the car was parked in front of this house, they were on the street. I hopped out quickly as well, and thank goodness for my speed because I was able to see the first glimpse of recognition. Someone from inside the house had come outside to see what big, obviously not-local vehicle had parked in front of their house. The old man and woman that came outside were the Hanani Brother's Aunt and Uncle. By chance (and because of the traffic), we had parked directly in front of the Hanani-Baghdad home. Once the shouting and hugging began, people started appearing from everywhere. I was so amazed at how many of these people recognized each other, after fifty, maybe sixty years. The commotion in the street soon moved into the house, and Mike and I were dragged inside virtually against our will. When I complained to a younger, French-speaking Hanani that I had safety concerns, he laughed as said that the "truck" and its occupants were completely safe. We had to meet everyone, and had to eat food...lots of food. I don't particularly like food from this part of the world, but everything was sweet on that day. The tears never stopped. After roughly an hour, the group prepared to leave for the first Christmas Mass. Mike and I took the opportunity to say our goodbyes, and confirm our contact arrangements with the boys. When they were ready for pickup, they would call, and we would be there.
They didn't call until the next morning, but we weren't concerned. We could have called them, but we chose to leave them in peace. Mike and I were petrified that a shortage of linguists would create a "where's the Hanani's?" contagion ,but it never happened. After picking up the brothers on Christmas Day, they never included Mike and I in their family meeting arrangements again. They knew that Mike and I had jeopardized our careers by taking three older U.S. citizens "off campus" and into the heart of Slumville, Baghdad. They made arrangements to meet their newly discovered family in the Green Zone, which was the safest option to begin with. Its my understanding that our efforts were instrumental in reconnecting a family that had not spoken in decades, and all the newly discovered young members of the Hanani clan now had the opportunity to learn the entire history of their heritage. For the rest of my life, I will remember the look on Lucas' face when he recognized his Aunt...it was instantaneous, and it was beautiful, and a moment of pure love. Who could ask for more from a Christmas miracle?
For those of you who eventually read my book, you will find a longer, more spiritual version of this story. Given that Christmas is upon us, and this is a true story, I chose to share it with everyone. Sometimes when you least expect it, and in the most unlikely places, a little miracle with sneak up on you. Rejoice!
 |
| Medieval icon depicting Ephrem the Syrian |
It was December, 2003, and Mike and I were going about our daily routine of ops meetings and paperwork. I had been in Baghdad for roughly eight months, and Mike had been in country for five. Mike and I lived in the Green Zone, within the Agency compound, and we worked together on a daily basis. It was not normal for two case officers to work together as a team, but we gravitated to each other from the start, and modesty notwithstanding, we were as productive as three officers. Otherwise, I can guarantee you, the arrangement would have come to an end. Why did we work so well together? If was a combination of Mike's amazing sense of direction, intelligence, his work ethic, and his patience, mixed with my experience. We had separate cases and met with our own list of contacts, and we always managed to not let it get complicated. Unfortunately, both Mike and I were missing one important skill: neither of us spoke Arabic. We always seemed to have a shortage of linguists in Baghdad, but we managed. The entire compound was lucky to have a family of brothers, all older gentlemen, travel out to Baghdad and share their Arabic skills. The three Hanani Brothers, Lucas, Luther, and Nicholas, were all American citizens and all over the age of sixty-five (Lucas being the oldest at seventy-eight). The Hanani's were ethnic Assyrians, with Lucas having been born in Baghdad. The large Hanani family were successful merchants in Baghdad, but the unstable political situation following the second world war convinced Hanani Sr. (the father of Lucas, Luther, and Nicholas, who is still around) to move to the United States. Over the Years, hard-work and sacrifice led to tremendous success in business, and the Hanani's were proud to call themselves Americans. The family in the United States did its best to keep in contact with family in the relatively large Assyrian community in Baghdad, but communication was never consistent. While the American Hanani's enjoyed the opportunities and freedoms of the United States, life became more and more difficult for Assyrians living in Iraq.
Assyrians originally come from Syria, and most have always been Orthodox Christian. As has been the case with Armenians and Kurds, Assyrians have faced episodes of pogroms and ethnic cleansing related to both religion and culture. During the years of the Ottoman Empire, the Assyrian community was heavily involved in trading, and close, trusting relationships were developed between the Ottoman authorities and Assyrian leaders. In reality, the Assyrians were able to determine who to bribe and when, which made life so much easier for everybody. But one morning, soldiers came and kicked in the doors and took everything of value. This repeated occurrence over the years ended with Assyrian neighborhoods in Baghdad, Mosul, and Arbil becoming little more than slums. Mike and I really enjoyed discussing the history of Iraq and the Assyrian community with the Hanani Brothers, who were usually posted to Baghdad at the same time (their request). But when it came time for work, the Hanani's were first in line and ready to go. I recall many times that an unscheduled meeting was triggered, and a Hanani Brother happily got out of bed in the wee hours of the morning to come translate a meeting. During a conversation with Mike and I, the two older brothers, Lucas and Luther, announced that their father had ordered them to find their relatives in Baghdad while they were here on duty. If we had made a formal request to go cruising around the slums of Baghdad looking for Assyrians, no doubt we would have been denied. But Mike and I were convinced that if we didn't get involved, these old farts were going to just walk out of the Green Zone and head for downtown Baghdad one afternoon. Lucas told me that he spoke Arabic and had no fear of Muslims. I needed more assurances that that. Mike and I told the boys to sit tight, and went to work. We reached out to our local contacts, and also hit the internet. before long we had a good idea of the last known location of an Assyrian community. That night Mike and I did a RECON, in order to confirm the existence of a church, a relatively safe place to park, and an open flow of traffic...no bottlenecks. The next day, December 23, we told the three brothers that we had located an Assyrian Church and possibly the remnants of an Assyrian community in the Ad Dora neighborhood of Baghdad (south bank of the Tigris). We informed them that on Christmas Eve, we would take them out to the Church at noon, and leave them long enough to enjoy a Mass; they could call us when they were ready for a pickup. They were ecstatic; it may not have been the family reunion that their patriarch has requested, but at least it was something. Mike and I also went in to talk to our Chief, whose response was, if something goes wrong, call, but I don't know a thing. We will pull your ass out, only to hang it out to dry later.
The next morning at 1100 am, we picked up the three Hanani boys (age or no age, I can't help but think of them as boys, because together they were always laughing and playing jokes on each other), who were showered, combed, and dressed as nice as they could be (no one brings a suit to Baghdad). We had no problems getting to Dora, but we were depending on parking relatively close to the Church. This wasn't possible because of the number of cars already taking up all available space. We had no choice but to park in front of this one large, nondescript house about five hundred yards from the Church, and two hundred yards from the end of the street. The boys would not listen or wait; as soon as the car was parked in front of this house, they were on the street. I hopped out quickly as well, and thank goodness for my speed because I was able to see the first glimpse of recognition. Someone from inside the house had come outside to see what big, obviously not-local vehicle had parked in front of their house. The old man and woman that came outside were the Hanani Brother's Aunt and Uncle. By chance (and because of the traffic), we had parked directly in front of the Hanani-Baghdad home. Once the shouting and hugging began, people started appearing from everywhere. I was so amazed at how many of these people recognized each other, after fifty, maybe sixty years. The commotion in the street soon moved into the house, and Mike and I were dragged inside virtually against our will. When I complained to a younger, French-speaking Hanani that I had safety concerns, he laughed as said that the "truck" and its occupants were completely safe. We had to meet everyone, and had to eat food...lots of food. I don't particularly like food from this part of the world, but everything was sweet on that day. The tears never stopped. After roughly an hour, the group prepared to leave for the first Christmas Mass. Mike and I took the opportunity to say our goodbyes, and confirm our contact arrangements with the boys. When they were ready for pickup, they would call, and we would be there.
They didn't call until the next morning, but we weren't concerned. We could have called them, but we chose to leave them in peace. Mike and I were petrified that a shortage of linguists would create a "where's the Hanani's?" contagion ,but it never happened. After picking up the brothers on Christmas Day, they never included Mike and I in their family meeting arrangements again. They knew that Mike and I had jeopardized our careers by taking three older U.S. citizens "off campus" and into the heart of Slumville, Baghdad. They made arrangements to meet their newly discovered family in the Green Zone, which was the safest option to begin with. Its my understanding that our efforts were instrumental in reconnecting a family that had not spoken in decades, and all the newly discovered young members of the Hanani clan now had the opportunity to learn the entire history of their heritage. For the rest of my life, I will remember the look on Lucas' face when he recognized his Aunt...it was instantaneous, and it was beautiful, and a moment of pure love. Who could ask for more from a Christmas miracle?
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