CHRISTIAN FEAR IN SYRIA – AT 11:37 A.M. ET:  On this Easter Sunday we might pause to note the plight of Christians in Middle East countries.  Ironically, some of the dictators have done a better job of protecting Christians than the people who may replace them, if the current revolutions slide downhill.  From the Washington Post: 

DAMASCUS, Syria — In the days leading up to Easter Sunday, Syria’s Christian community should have been busy preparing. This year, however, signs of festivities were hardly visible.

Following anti-government protests that have been violently suppressed, leaving about 300 people dead, street parades and other forms of public celebration have been declared illegal by authorities.

Meanwhile, fear is mounting among the nation’s Christians that the uprising that has rocked this tightly controlled country over the past month will bring them only misery.

For decades, the government of President Bashar al-Assad has protected Christian interests by enforcing its strictly secular program and by curbing the influence of the Muslim Brotherhood. In recent years, Assad has visited the town of Maaloula and other Christian communities to pray and pass on messages of goodwill. At Christmas, he addresses Syria’s Christians, carrying similar tidings. Assad is himself from the minority Alawite sect, a branch of Shia Islam, and many Christians feel they can relate to him.

Christians, who make up about 10 percent of Syria’s population, have largely stayed out of the anti-government protests, fearing what change could bring.

COMMENT:  This is also the case in Egypt.  We recently witnessed a Muslim riot in one part of Egypt over the appointment of a Christian (Copt) to a government position.

There seem to be no good choices in many of these Mideast countries.  Jews have already been driven out of many, or have chosen to leave out of fear.  Many Christians have left the Palestinian territories – those acres of tolerance – and it's quite possible we'll see a Christian exodus from other Arab countries.

We're glad the Washington Post has noticed.

April 24, 2011