Rudyard Kipling"
“When you're left wounded on Afganistan's plains and
the women come out to cut up what remains, Just roll to your rifle
and blow out your brains,
And go to your God like a soldier”
General Douglas MacArthur"
“We are not retreating. We are advancing in another direction.”
“It is fatal to enter any war without the will to win it.” “Old soldiers never die; they just fade away.
“The soldier, above all other people, prays for peace, for he must suffer and be the deepest wounds and scars of war.”
“May God have mercy upon my enemies, because I won't .” “The object of war is not to die for your country but to make the other bastard die for his.
“Nobody ever defended, there is only attack and attack and attack some more.
“It is foolish and wrong to mourn the men who died. Rather we should thank God that such men lived.
The Soldier stood and faced God
Which must always come to pass
He hoped his shoes were shining
Just as bright as his brass
"Step forward you Soldier,
How shall I deal with you?
Have you always turned the other cheek?
To My Church have you been true?"
"No, Lord, I guess I ain't
Because those of us who carry guns
Can't always be a saint."
I've had to work on Sundays
And at times my talk was tough,
And sometimes I've been violent,
Because the world is awfully rough.
But, I never took a penny
That wasn't mine to keep.
Though I worked a lot of overtime
When the bills got just too steep,
The Soldier squared his shoulders and said
And I never passed a cry for help
Though at times I shook with fear,
And sometimes, God forgive me,
I've wept unmanly tears.
I know I don't deserve a place
Among the people here.
They never wanted me around
Except to calm their fears.
If you've a place for me here,
Lord, It needn't be so grand,
I never expected or had too much,
But if you don't, I'll understand."
There was silence all around the throne
Where the saints had often trod
As the Soldier waited quietly,
For the judgment of his God.
"Step forward now, you Soldier,
You've borne your burden well.
Walk peacefully on Heaven's streets,
You've done your time in Hell."
Bangladesh: Christians and other minorities protest against establishment of Islam as state religion
Thursday, June 24, 2021
Jihad Watch : Anywhere Islam is the state religion, freedoms are usurped and human
rights abuses become rampant. Christian leader Nirmol Rozario states his
concerns about the future of Bangladesh under Islam:
“In its Constitution, Bangladesh declares itself a
secular country. But at the same time, it says that the state religion
is Islam. This is a clear contradiction. And if this state of affairs
continues, Islamic fundamentalism and religious hatred will end up
creating serious problems.” “Christians, religious minorities protest establishment of Islam as state religion in Bangladesh,” by Anugrah Kumar, Christian Post, June 21, 2021:
Christians and other religious minorities in Bangladesh
recently took part in the annual “Black Day” protest against the 1988
constitutional amendments that established Islam as the state religion,
leading to persecution and discrimination against non-Muslims in the
Muslim-majority country.
“With the amendment, the seed of sectarian politics has been
planted,” Asia News quoted Nirmol Rozario, a Christian leader who was
part of the march on June 9, as saying. “In a country where Hindus,
Buddhists and Christians also live, a single religion cannot proclaim
itself as the state religion. We do not agree.” The number of Christians in Bangladesh is estimated at 1.6 million, which comprises around 1% of the country’s population.
Rozario added, “In its Constitution, Bangladesh declares itself a
secular country. But at the same time, it says that the state religion
is Islam. This is a clear contradiction. And if this state of affairs
continues, Islamic fundamentalism and religious hatred will end up
creating serious problems.”
Muslim radicals often have a level of impunity because police in
Bangladesh tend to turn a blind eye to the persecution of religious
minorities, Christian Freedom International said in an earlier report. Despite reports that Christianity is growing in the country, CFI
emphasized that Christians are forced to keep their worship activities
secretive to prevent “retaliation” for their faith.
“Churches, especially house churches where Muslim-background
believers meet, prefer not to display any Christian symbols in order to
avoid being recognized,” a report from the Christian persecution
watchdog ministry Open Doors U.K. stated earlier. “Sometimes, even
historic or mainline churches face opposition and restrictions in
putting up a cross or other religious symbols.”
“Religious minorities are often persecuted by the majority group,”
Rana Dasgupta, secretary-general of the Bangladesh Hindu Buddhist
Christian Unity Council, was quoted by Asia News as saying. “For our
security, we strongly demand a minority ministry and a commission for
religious communities.”
Bangladesh’s society is deeply divided along political lines. Bengali
nationalists, who are proud of the country’s language and culture,
favor the country’s independence from Pakistan, which was established
during the 1971 Bangladesh Liberation War, as they believe that religion
alone does not form a cohesive national identity.
They also believe
that West Pakistan, what’s called Pakistan today, imposed religious
hegemony on its Eastern territory, East Pakistan, as Bangladesh was
called before its independence…..
