Bishops' kidnapper surrounded by Kurdish fighters

[ArmyMatt]

hope it's not true as well, Gxg. Lord have mercy!

 

[Nephi]

Just the other day, His Beatitude Patriarch John spoke briefly on an upcoming synod I believe, saying that they have heard no word from either the bishops nor their kidnappers.

 

[Catherineanne]

Praying that this wouldn't be true:

• Syrian archbishops ‘most likely dead’

There is a lot of untruth in that article, so there is little chance that the information about the Archbishops would be true either; it is just one person's opinion, based on no evidence whatever.

It is not the case that the longer it goes without hearing from someone, the more likely they are to be dead. I have not heard of family members for years on end; that means they are alive and well. The one time we would hear about them is if they had died.

Therefore, the fact that we have NOT heard that these men are dead, and NOT found their bodies, indicates to me the same as with Terry Waite all those years ago; no news is good news. Ours is a faith of hope against hope; I refuse to despair, and I will continue to pray for their safe return.

Lord, have mercy,
Christ, have mercy,
Lord, have mercy.

 

[Nephi]

Ours is a faith of hope against hope; I refuse to despair, and I will continue to pray for their safe return.

Very well put!

Lord, have mercy!

 

[Gxg (G²)]

There is a lot of untruth in that article, so there is little chance that the information about the Archbishops would be true either; it is just one person's opinion, based on no evidence whatever.

I can understand that you feel that there "untruth" in the article - although asserting such isn't necessarily the same as showing where such is the case...or showing that what you may say in your own opinion is different than being based on "one's own opinion" as you claimed they did.

It is not the case that the longer it goes without hearing from someone, the more likely they are to be dead. I have not heard of family members for years on end; that means they are alive and well. The one time we would hear about them is if they had died.


Therefore, the fact that we have NOT heard that these men are dead, and NOT found their bodies, indicates to me the same as with Terry Waite all those years ago; no news is good news. Ours is a faith of hope against hope; I refuse to despair, and I will continue to pray for their safe return.

Lord, have mercy,
Christ, have mercy,
Lord, have mercy.

Categories make a WORLD of difference. I don't assume that because I've not heard from my Great-Grand aunt for 10 yrs that she's dead - as it's understood that we don't have contact ...

On the same token, when someone I know is KIDNAPPED and they've been gone for a good while (yrs), I also don't assume they're still alive since there are just as many cases of others gone for a long time where they were really dead ....as there are cases where others were gone and they were missing.

The article was one focusing on how it's likely they could have perished already in light of what has happened with many others in similar circumstances - and it is because of that fact that it was mentioned that we should pray counter to that.

No news is NOT always good news - but on the same token, there's always the case that it could be good news. It can go both ways - and in those cases, we simply pray for God's mercy. Our faith is one of hope - as well as one of dealing with the nature of living in a fallen world and being honest on what happens to saints all the time..in line with where the Lord promised sufferings to happen in the life of believers - including death.

Nonetheless, prayer will continue to occur for them

 

[gracefullamb]

.

 

[Gxg (G²)]

G, I realize your intentions were well meaning and that you were reminding us all to continue to pray but I think Catherineanne has a good point. The speculation pieces are not very helpful. Such a piece will cause some to despair and quit praying thinking the bishops are already dead so what is the use. It is kind of like the false reports that they were rescued. Those caused people to stop praying for the bishops safe release and instead praising and thanking for something that had not occurred.

With that in mind I think it would be best for all of us to not post speculation or unverified reports. Instead to just bump these threads up to the front page when the fall off it, so we are all reminded to continue praying until we hear something verified by our church, since the press has already shown they cannot accurately report this matter.

My continued prayers they are released and without any bloodshed!

Your point is well-taken and I appreciate you explaining the issue as you did - as I thought back months ago when others said the bishops were found "What if they're still captured and it turns out that others ceased praying?" - and I can see how the same would be the case here if others got encouraged to give up.

Blessings and may those men continue to be in our prayers

 

[Catherineanne]

Your point is well-taken and I appreciate you explaining the issue as you did - as I thought back months ago when others said the bishops were found "What if they're still captured and it turns out that others ceased praying?" - and I can see how the same would be the case here if others got encouraged to give up.

Blessings and may those men continue to be in our prayers

Any prayers offered on behalf of the captured bishops will strengthen, comfort and help them. We don't have to get the words right, only the love.

Lord, have mercy,
Christ, have mercy,
Lord, have mercy.

 

[Catherineanne]

On the same token, when someone I know is KIDNAPPED and they've been gone for a good while (yrs), I also don't assume they're still alive since there are just as many cases of others gone for a long time where they were really dead ....as there are cases where others were gone and they were missing.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_McCarthy_(journalist)

Mr McCarthy was held for more than five years; April 1986 to August 1991. Many people despaired for his life.

Terry Waite - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Mr Waite was missing from January 1987 to November 1991; 1,763 days.

There was practically no news of him during that time; many assumed the worst. I am sorry to say, I was one of those who thought they must be dead.

But some continued to hope, to pray, to write to Mr Waite, and to trust in God. People even sent him postcards, and some of them reached him in captivity; one was of John Bunyan in prison.

When these men were released I made a conscious decision never to give up on anyone who goes missing, until we know for certain what has happened to them.

Apologies if this seems to be a derail. I know this is not about Lebanon.

 

[Gxg (G²)]

Any prayers offered on behalf of the captured bishops will strengthen, comfort and help them. We don't have to get the words right, only the love.

Lord, have mercy,
Christ, have mercy,
Lord, have mercy.

I agree 100% (Although sincerely, that has long been understood and noted elsewhere in Prayers for Metropolitans Paul Yazigi & Youhanna Ibrahim who were KIDNAPPED.....and thus, not really certain as to why there seemed to be a need to bring it up since it seemed redundant as I already said that earlier). But nonetheless, glad you're praying as others (Myself included) have been sharing .


We really have to pray for them, and all our brothers suffering in Syria due to the ways

Ephesians 6:18
18 And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.

Hebrews 13:3
3 Remember the prisoners as if chained with them—those who are mistreated—since you yourselves are in the body also.​

 

[Catherineanne]

I agree 100% (Although sincerely, that has long been understood and noted elsewhere in Prayers for Metropolitans Paul Yazigi & Youhanna Ibrahim who were KIDNAPPED.....and thus, not really certain as to why there seemed to be a need to bring it up since it seemed redundant as I already said that earlier). But nonetheless, glad you're praying as others (Myself included) have been sharing.

Really? If you say something in a completely different thread which I have never even seen, then I should not say it here?

I will try to bear that in mind.

Meanwhile, back to the topic in hand ... the missing Archbishops.

Lord, have mercy.

 

[Gxg (G²)]

Really? If you say something in a completely different thread which I have never even seen, then I should not say it here?

.

The thread here followed the thread elsewhere originally - and as it concerns here, it is kind of basic when it comes to knowing that prayers of many kinds - regardless of length - are important...kind of like hearing others bring up the need to pray for the president and having another note "You all should remember that prayers don't have to be long for the man" - it's a basic that others well understand.

the missing Archbishops.

Lord, have mercy

Lord have Mercy...

 

[Trying_to_be_Orthodox]

Does anybody know - is it really killing of Syrian kidnapped priest SYRIA Children Among Crowd As Islamist Rebel Beheads Two Men Who Are Supposedly Christians - YouTube ?

http://beforeitsnews.com/christian-...ed-by-natoeuusapetromonarchies-2-2477992.html

 

[E.C.]

According to this site: Syria Militants Behead Two Christians in Idlib Countryside

It was one priest and one layman who were martyred. Lord Have Mercy!

 

[ArmyMatt]

Lord have mercy!

 

[Gxg (G²)]

Lord Have Mercy...