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Last updated on August 9th, 2017 at 02:12 pm
A statement from former Iraq CPT hostage James Loney, now safely returned to Canada thanks to “Palestinian children”, among others:
For 118 days I disappeared into a black hole and somehow, by God’s grace, I was spit out again. My head is swirling and there are times when I can hardly believe it’s true. We had to wear flak jackets during our helicopter transfer from the international zone to the Baghdad airport and I had to keep knocking on the body armour I was wearing to reassure myself this is all really happening.
Isn’t it nice that “somehow” God’s grace saved you and equipped you with that body armour?
It was a terrifying, profound, powerful, transformative and excruciatingly boring experience. Since my release, my rescue from captivity …
Whoa! Good catch.
… I have been in a constant state of wonder, bewilderment, surprise, as I slowly discover the magnitude of the efforts to secure our lives and freedom: Tom Fox, Norman Kember, Harmeet Sooden and myself. A great of hand of solidarity reached out for us; a hand that included the hands of Palestinian children holding pictures of us and the hands of the British soldier who cut our chains with a bolt cutter. That great hand was able to deliver the three of us from the shadow of death. I am grateful in a way that can never be adequately expressed in words.
If it weren’t for those Palestinian kids and their proven photograph-holding hostage-freeing abilities, you’d be toast. Oh, and thanks for that work with the bolt cutters, mate.
There are so many people that need this hand of solidarity, right now, today, and I’m thinking specifically of prisoners being held all over the world. People who have disappeared into an abyss of detention without charges, due process, hope for release, some victims of physical and psychological torture, people unknown and forgotten. It is my deepest wish that every forsaken human being should have a hand of solidarity reaching out to them.
Alert the Palestinian photo children!
For the British soldiers who risked their lives to rescue us, for the government of Canada who sent a team to Baghdad to help secure our release, for all those who though about and prayed for us, for all those who spoke for us when we had no voice, I am forever and truly grateful. It’s great to be alive.
Finally, due recognition. Well done.
Alhamdulillah.
Hey, at least he learned a new word. How transformative.
Alhamdulillah.
Not much of a Christian if he’s taken to praising Allah.
Posted by Rob Crawford on 2006 03 27 at 09:12 AM • permalink
- Self-absorbed Anti-Christ. Not a word about his murdered collegue, no grief, nothing but relief at finding himself rescued by brave men whom he has held in contempt and whom he despises. Give a Alhamdulillahfor your murdered mate and wait your turn to roast in hell. You’ll find it much worse than the Black Hole you and your collegues live in now.
- Honestly, these people are total pratts! Is it too late to give him back? All in all, I think that he and the kidnappers deserve each other.Posted by Mr Snuffalupagus on 2006 03 27 at 09:41 AM • permalink
Alhamdulillah.
Why am I suddenly reminded of the character Benny from “The Mummy”, who reaches needs some spiritual protection and pulls out a necklace covered with crucifixes, crescents, Shivas, Buddhas and Stars of David?
Posted by richard mcenroe on 2006 03 27 at 10:05 AM • permalink
- Time to employ a gang of cult busters on this bloke.
Obviously brainwashed to spout ROP gibberish on cue, i.e. in press releases and media appearances.I think there is a serious shortage of kangaroos in the top paddock with this CPT mob.
Posted by Pedro the Ignorant on 2006 03 27 at 10:08 AM • permalink
- I presume the soldiers were from the British SAS. They were there, not because they felt anything for these clowns, but because they are part of an army, acting with the authority of a democratically elected government. And if that government is ousted at a future election and decide that they shouldn’t be there, then they won’t be there. Some people just don’t understand this and unfortunately some of these people come from those very same countries that have democratically elected governments.
At least he noted that they risked their lives. Unlike the pathetic commentary from his parent organisation. So should these soldiers have bothered? Well yes they should have – because it says everything about why we will win.
Posted by Whale Spinor on 2006 03 27 at 10:19 AM • permalink
- Yep, toss him back. He’s not a keeper.Posted by Mr. Bingley on 2006 03 27 at 10:47 AM • permalink
Alhamdulillah.
Not much of a Christian if he’s taken to praising AllahBut are these people really Christians? Harmeet Singh Sooden – one of the rescued men – sounds like a Sikh to me. Perhaps he converted or perhaps the political side of the group’s activities take precedence over the religious.
Meanwhile, CPT appears to believe itself vindicated:
Following the news that the three members of Christian Peacemaker Teams (CPT) in Iraq, Norman Kember, Harmeet Singh Sooden and Jim Loney have been freed nonviolently, a former director of the group is urging churches to consider more radical peacemaking stands.
http://www.ekklesia.co.uk/content/news_syndication/article_060324churches.shtml
Freed nonviolently! Well done everyone
- Cluemeter is reading zero with this mob. Its people loke this that makes me think abortion should be retrospective at times…Posted by thefrollickingmole on 2006 03 27 at 10:53 AM • permalink
- And yet he’s still ranting about “People who have disappeared into an abyss of detention without charges people caught red-handed with numerous AK-47s, with caches of artillery shells, explosives of every kind, you know, everyday peaceful folks just going about their business. Folks like his former hosts. Lovely people. Free them all…. and send them to Canada.
- Any address by which we can transmit our thoughts to this wanker?Posted by Susan Norton on 2006 03 27 at 11:31 AM • permalink
- Bleh, I knew alhamdulillah since I was like 3. And other words like assalammulaikum (“peace to you” – used when greeting someone at their homes) and wailaikumsalam (“what the fuck are you doing here” in reply to the previous greeting) and khinzir (a polite way of calling one a “pig”) and majlis (either a “big hall of boring people” or a “big party with no alcohol”), insya-allah (“God willing” or “if God got drunk one night…” depending on the context) and other choice Arabic words.
But then again, I lived all my life, all 20 years and 26 days of it, except for an agregrate of a month or two in Singapore, in Malaysia.
- Loney? More like Looney.
It was a terrifying, profound, powerful, transformative and excruciatingly boring experience.
Interesting how something can be terrifying, profound, powerful, transformative and excruciatingly boring at the same time.
Posted by Mystery Meat on 2006 03 27 at 01:01 PM • permalink
Free them all…. and send them to Canada.
But first, we build a high wall all along the 49th parallel, Texas Bob…..
Posted by The_Real_JeffS on 2006 03 27 at 01:21 PM • permalink
- How is it that these people and the organization they’re from could not reasonably foresee the problems that arose and the need for a rescue action to free them? The cost of the rescue, not to mention the risk it posed to the brave soldiers, are a direct result of their incompetent thinking.
They need to apologize. Profoundly. And then repay the British for the cost of the rescue.
Posted by wronwright on 2006 03 27 at 02:18 PM • permalink
- I know, jlc, I live in Washington State, and grew up along the Canadian border. Texas Bob’s idea merely compounds the problem. But, hey, the idea of a wall makes the point that if Canada wants the murderous s***s, they can stay there. 😉Posted by The_Real_JeffS on 2006 03 27 at 04:22 PM • permalink
- O/T but who is described by Sydney Morning Herald Foreign Editor Greg Sheridan as “the most articulate neo-conservative in the the world” in today’s paper?
Answer: T Blair
Of course some of you people will see this as a compliment…
Posted by Margos Maid on 2006 03 27 at 06:17 PM • permalink
- #30
Doh! The Australian newspaper that should have been.
Posted by Margos Maid on 2006 03 27 at 06:22 PM • permalink
- Michael Medved is interviewing one of the CPT loons right now. He asked Mr. CPT (didn’t catch his name) how he would deal with terrorists like, for instance, Al-Zarqawi. Mr. CPT said that first he would invite Al-Zarqawi to sit down to a meal because that was what Jesus did and would do(????). Presumably all things can be worked out over goat cheese and falafel. Who knew?!Posted by Kyda Sylvester on 2006 03 27 at 06:58 PM • permalink
- Mr. CPT says that they’re looking for volunteers go to Iraq. All you latte lovers out there, here’s your chance.Posted by Kyda Sylvester on 2006 03 27 at 07:01 PM • permalink
- #33 I, for one, will happily contribute to their airfare MEL -> BAG (one-way).Posted by MentalFloss on 2006 03 27 at 08:12 PM • permalink
- Like Pisky and Anglican bishops these clowns sound so smug and smarmy it makes one want to shout at them what idiots they are.
Pacifists propose to give free run of the world to the totalitarians, tyrants, and terrorists. Pacifists propose to let the innocent be murdered in order to allow the pacifists their moral preening. Pacifism is the negation of justice and common sense. It is moral bankruptcy.
Posted by Michael Lonie on 2006 03 28 at 12:06 AM • permalink
- I can’t agree with all the criticisms of what appear to be genuine (if vaguely anti-semitic, alas) Christian Pacifists.
They’re the Real Deal, who would turn the other cheek and genuinely try to love their enemy, no matter how homicidal, sadistic and psychopathic that enemy is.
I’d feel a lot better if they did a bit less criticising of those who aren’t Sadistic murderers.
While I respect their courage, I prefer to, you know, actually help those being raped, murdered tortured etc and don’t worry too much about my own moral tarnish in the process. By all means be careful you’re rushing in to help the right side, but when it’s clear, use the minimum force necessary to stop the evil continuing.
Sometimes that minimum is a large scale Nuclear strike of course, but if you do things right, it shouldn’t come to that. But if it does – better Hiroshima than Auschwitz.
- Ther are a couple meals that figure prominently in the New Testament, one with a lot of people and in which bread and fish make a big entree, and another towards the end that is private and humble, but none in which Jesus sits down with a bunch of thugs who’ve captured him and his desciples, killed one and and threated the rest with death in exchange for politcal favors…Posted by -keith in mtn. view on 2006 03 28 at 02:37 AM • permalink
- Call it a “cult” or call it “religion” but THIS
A great of hand of solidarity reached out for us; a hand that included the hands of Palestinian children holding pictures of us and the hands of the British soldier who cut our chains with a bolt cutter. That great hand was able to deliver the three of us from the shadow of death.
crap is EXACTLY the kind of “magical thinking” that makes me glad to be an atheist.
23, 27 How very witty.
Posted by Stoop Davy Dave on 2006 03 28 at 03:37 PM • permalink
- James Loney is gay. His lover and friends made sure that wasn’t reported to protect him from Islamic retribution. I’ll bet the Palestinian schoolchildren wouldn’t have expressed solidarity if they’d known.
I do wish the surviving hostages would say something about the torture and murder of Tom Fox, the American.
That said, I’m pleased Loney included soldiers in his message of thanks.
Posted by Joanne Jacobs on 2006 03 28 at 05:26 PM • permalink
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You were in an Iraqi cellar donkey, not a whale. Thats enough of the bible for you methinks.