[Thundarr]

Well, how about that.  Even the beloved Pope Francis says there's a Christian genocide going on at the hands of ISIS and other Muslim terrorist groups around the world:

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.yahoo.com/amphtml/news/pope-francis-genocide-against-christians-middle-east-004706737.html?client=safari

This sounds pretty straightforward to me. Christians around the world are being targeted with the end-goal of eliminating all of us "infidels" who practice the faith.  More non-fake news from very reliable sources on this topic:

http://www.christiantoday.com/article/pope.francis.sees.christian.genocide.as.persecution.affects.200.million.christians/60393.htm

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3156055/Pope-Francis-condemns-pursuit-money-dung-devil-decries-genocide-Christians-Middle-East-World-War.html

http://www.jpost.com/Christian-News/Pope-Francis-demands-end-to-genocide-of-Middle-East-Christians-408585

And later he even states that persecution of Christians extends BEYOND genocide:

http://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/pope-christian-persecution-extends-beyond-genocide-81178/

Deny it all you will.  As I remember, much of the world denied the atrocities happening in Germany before the concentration camps were liberated.  Just imagine if people had kept their head in the sand a few years longer.....

In related news, it appears that President Trump will reissue the temporary travel ban this week and will exempt green cardholders so there should be no problems this time.  Thank God someone is doing something to protect Christians in this country.

[elray]

In that article you posted it said the majority of the victims have been Muslim. Your supporting article acknowledges that fact - so why do we only care about the Christians. Why don't we care that thousands of PEOPLE are being killed?

Yes, there are many forms of violence in the world.  I would highly recommend researching why genocide has particular sociological concerns and triggers international war criminal status automatically. 

[calamity]

I'm way, way more cynical than the rest of you here.  I think Trump has, by banning Muslims, fulfilled an election promise.  He'll be prevented by US law and then he can blame the judiciary for his failure to deliver.  Win win.  I don't think Trump cares one way or the other about Muslims or any other group including Christians.  He cares about getting elected and staying elected and to that end, he'd probably support a $50/h minimum wage.  IF it was a popular issue.

The real danger is that, the opposition will focus on Trump, use up all their political energy on opposing and defeating Trump and ignore the real problem:  the congress and senate are controlled by Republicans.

Dialogue is important but, we should use some of our energy organising and engaging in real life politics.  And talking to real people.

I googled 'how to live in a Trump world'--yes there are things to do.

[Reallytrying]

In that article you posted it said the majority of the victims have been Muslim. Your supporting article acknowledges that fact - so why do we only care about the Christians. Why don't we care that thousands of PEOPLE are being killed?

Yes, there are many forms of violence in the world.  I would highly recommend researching why genocide has particular sociological concerns and triggers international war criminal status automatically.

When it's convenient to your narrative.  Please don't suggest I read - I find that offensive. I am an intelligent woman who doesn't take positions lightly and without research.

I'm sure we all remember Rwanda. Where was the US outrage when hundreds of thousands of people were being slaughtered there? The outrage is only there now because it is Christians who are on the receiving end. As far as I am concern innocent lives are ALL worthy. Who they worship or whether they worship at all is irrelevant to me.  So I do not see the Christians as more worthy of refugee status from Syria than the Muslims who are also being slaughtered.

[osb]

Nothing is more ridiculous than a great, bloviating white man standing on a soapbox claiming discrimination, "I'm the underdog! They said happy holidays to me in the mall! It's genocide, I tell you!"   

And Thundarr, please don't tell me you gave a rat's ass about the Yazidis (or the Armenians, or the Jews for that matter) until the former popped up on Fox news last year. Forgive me, but you just don't sound like the SJW type     

There IS a horrible amount of violence in the world - everything on the flipped list was indeed a documented act of violence committed by Christians; and there are obviously equivalent atrocities committed by Muslims (and Hindus, and Buddhists...). Civilized people just hold that against the individual perpetrators, not against the religion as a whole.

But with respect to genocides, you particularly don't get to use the Holocaust as permission to discriminate against Muslims. Not when every Jewish man and woman I know is standing next to a mosque in solidarity against people like you, saying "Never Again".

[forthetrees]

Last I knew, Christians in the US were not under any threat.

But- LGBTQ- yes, those with disabilities- yes, minorities- yes, impoverished- yes, women- yes, Jews- yes. But then these groups have been on the short end of the stick since long before Trump. It´s just that he is voicing the antipathy that has remained "politely" under the surface. What we are seeing is mainstreaming of KKK and white supremacist points of view by Trump including Bannon and Miller in his inner circle.

T- you have not had the kinds of conditions that the above groups have experienced. Your scare was when you thought you´d lose your job and health care. As soon as you knew your health care was secure, you stopped worrying about it. How is it that having been in that limbo, you could not desire a nation where everyone has health care? I mean not just access (anyone can go visit the ER), but actual ongoing care. If you think that the GOP has your interests as a priority, I think you are going to be sorely disillusioned. The GOP does not lose sleep at night worrying about the middle or lower economic classes. We waste so much human potential in this country by not having a universal health system and high quality education no matter one´s wealth. Poor does not equal stupid and Rich does not equal smart.

[Thundarr]

You're right, OSB.  ISIS, Boko Haram, al Qaida and the others are all so misunderstood.  They really just need a hug, and for someone to say, "Everything's going to be okay."

[osb]

You're right, dude, that's exactly what I said      

[Thundarr]

What I really find interesting about this discussion is how the topic keeps changing based on assertions being disproven.  The most recent assertion was that Christians had nothing to fear from ISIS and other terrorist agencies as their targets were solely other Muslims (Muslims as victims).  Then when documented verification from Obama and the Pope was cited stating just the opposite of that, the topic changed to Christians here and now healthcare.  It's like trying to hit a moving target, as each time a question is answered the question is changed to suddenly make the answer given wrong.  Now who's doing the gaslighting?

What makes anyone think that Christians here are NOT part of the plan for ISIS and other terrorist agencies?  Are we somehow immune here in our ivory towers?  Does anyone know how many countries there are where it's not safe for Americans to walk the streets in broad daylight?  Even the ones who wouldn't behead us just because of our Christian faith would do so because we're Americans.  True, we're not under immediate threat that we know of but we also have zero idea how many terrorist plots get thwarted by the FBI, CIA and Secret Service every single day in this country.  Can anyone say with a clear conscience that someone in Syria or one of the other 6 countries affected by the ban who believes all Christians deserve to convert to Islam or die is going to magically change their mind when they get here and decide to become an upstanding US citizen?  What do we say about our spouses living in some sort of fantasy Disney-like world?  If they hate us there they will hate us here.  I'd just prefer the people who want us dead do so from the other side of the world.  Do I feel unsafe?  Not in the slightest.  I don't live in a major city and I proudly exercise my 2nd Amendment rights so I think I'm good.  What I DON'T want to see is suicide bombers in shopping malls, sporting events and schools.  How many of THOSE would it take for that false sense of security to wear off?  We may be safe now (although we have NO idea what is being planned from within our borders already) but unless we take action to ensure that safety is protected we could easily find ourselves in a situation like the one lady described where bombs were being detonated and bullets fired in the streets as part of our daily lives.  Stop with the petty personal attacks ("people like you," etc) and have a frank, honest and respectful discussion wherein you cite facts to back up your points just as El and I have.  Every single claim we're made has been backed up, so now I challenge everyone else to either put up or.......well, you know the rest.

Peace.

[stayed]

We may be safe now (although we have NO idea what is being planned from within our borders already) but unless we take action to ensure that safety is protected we could easily find ourselves in a situation like the one lady described where bombs were being detonated and bullets fired in the streets as part of our daily lives. 

And those bombs and bullets will mostly come from guns fired by A$$HOLES just like you!  Personal attacks, do you listen to yourself.  Substantiated points!  Proof!  Good gawd, Thundarr, you need to start taking some of the meds you dish out to those delusional clients you supposedly counsel.

The truth is and you will never admit it, nor any others just like you... you white boys have been feeling threatened, disenfranchised, emasculated... and now you feel like you have a champion in your corner, called TRUMP!  For now, you do, UNTIL his power hungry thirst needs more and more and more power.  I can't wait until he throws you and your feeble white male friends and your silly white women who scream, God first, Husband second...under the bus.  TRUMPSTER demands loyalty... but he doesn't return it.

Try to remember where you heard this from... cause you'll see all this come to fruition in good time. 

Calamity, I totally agree with you, the dumpster doesn't give a tinkers dam about anybody but himself.  His latest thing is being president, he will never see it as what it really is... A PUBLIC SERVANT to your people.   All he wants, is to be KING of America. 

osb, you are a brilliant lady but quite frankly you are dealing with UTTER STUPIDITY here... nothing anybody can say that will change the mind of STUPID!