{"id":686,"date":"2011-05-18T06:48:34","date_gmt":"2011-05-18T10:48:34","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blog.beliefnet.com\/pray_for_the_persecuted_church\/?p=686"},"modified":"2011-05-18T06:48:34","modified_gmt":"2011-05-18T10:48:34","slug":"iraqi-christian-dad-of-three-tortured-murdered","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/pray_for_the_persecuted_church\/2011\/05\/iraqi-christian-dad-of-three-tortured-murdered.html","title":{"rendered":"Iraqi Christian dad of three tortured, murdered"},"content":{"rendered":"

In the ongoing violence against Christians in Iraq, a 29-year-old father of three was kidnapped for ransom,\u00a0then when his family did not have the $100,000 demanded, he was\u00a0tortured, his eyes gouged out and he was beheaded.<\/p>\n

The horrific death of Ashur Yacob Issa was decried by the Archbishop of Kirkuk, who called it an \u201cinhuman act\u201d\u00a0that goes \u201cagainst every human and religious principle\u201d.<\/p>\n

Violence against Iraq’s small Christian community has skyrocketed in recent months. Issa’s last name means “Jesus” and is a common surname among Iraq’s\u00a0 Christians.<\/p>\n

The crime sent a shockwave through the city, especially in its Christian community.<\/p>\n

\u201cNo man who believes in God and respects life can commit such acts,\u201d said Archbishop Louis Sako speaking to AsiaNews. <\/em>\u201cLet them think about those who are left without a father and a husband. Even if human justice is not done, divine justice shall, sooner or later.\u201d<\/p>\n

Large numbers of Iraqi Christians have fled the country in the last three years, leaving only a very small church that keeps a low profile.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

In the ongoing violence against Christians in Iraq, a 29-year-old father of three was kidnapped for ransom,\u00a0then when his family did not have the $100,000 demanded, he was\u00a0tortured, his eyes gouged out and he was beheaded. 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