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The leader of a Christian church in Australia, attended largely by minority Christians from Iraq, Syria, Iran, and Turkey, was attacked during a live broadcast in what authorities now say was motivated by religious extremism.
A bishop and three other people were stabbed on Monday during a worship service inside an Assyrian Orthodox Church known as Christ The Good Shepherd Church in Wakeley, Australia.
Horrifyingly, the stabbing occurred during a livestream. The perpetrator, later identified as a 15-year-old male, went directly up to Bishop Mar Mari Emmanuel and began stabbing him in the face, neck, and chest. Others present began screaming and rushed to help the bishop, leading to three others being injured.
The four victims, one of whom was a priest, were transported to a hospital, but their injuries, while serious, were said to not be life-threatening.
The suspect was apprehended by those attending the mass. A still image of the video shows the teen smiling as he is pinned on the ground.
Police, who said the teen has been arrested before for possession of knives on two prior occasions, have now declared the stabbing of Bishop Emmanuel as a terrorist attack motivated by religious animosity.
In a video taken after the attack, the teen allegedly can be heard speaking in Arabic, โIf he [the bishop] didnโt get himself involved in my religion, if he hadnโt spoken about my prophet, I wouldnโt have come here โฆ if he just spoke about his own religion, I wouldnโt have come.โ
Mike Burgess, director-general of security for the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation, stated, โWe’re aware of those comments … everything else is open lines of inquiry to understand why that individual got to where they did.โ
The congregation of Christ the Good Shepherd Church is comprised largely of Christians originally from the Middle East, including Bishop Emmanuel, who was born in Iraq but came to Australia with his family as a child.
Bishop Emmanuel has a large online following on both YouTube and TikTok and is known for thought-provoking sermons about various cultural topics, including Australiaโs COVID lockdowns, homosexuality, and Islam. In one sermon, for example, he stated that โIslam flourished and expanded with the sword. Jesus said, โMy sword is my word, and my word is loveโโฆ.you flourish through love, not by chopping heads.โ The bishop has also recently given a number of sermons calling for peace in Gaza.
After the incident, a mob of protesters appeared outside the building allegedly demanding that police bring the attacker out.
The situation devolved into violence as rioters threw bricks at police who had formed a barrier around the church. One officerโs jaw was broken due to being hit with a brick and a fence paling. Another officer was hit with a metal object and injured his knee and chipped his tooth. Both were taken to a hospital. Politicians, police, and the church all urged those outside to remain calm and not to hinder police.
One officer stated, โThe crowd was attacking us, throwing things and being aggressive as we tried to help their bishop. I said to them, โWe are not your enemy.โโ
Premier of New South Wales Chris Minns stated, โMy thoughts and prayers are with the victims and first responders who are working to keep us safe. Itโs important that the community remain calm and continue to listen and act to the directions of police and emergency services. We are a strong community in NSW and itโs important that we all stick together, particularly in the face of adversity.โ
A statement was released by the church asking for prayers; it said that the bishop and priest were specifically asking people to pray for the attacker. The church also asked that people leave the premises.
The attack is the second major knife attack in the Sydney area in the last few days. On Saturday, an assailant went on a murderous spree inside a busy shopping mall, killing six people and injuring numerous others, including a nine-month-old girl. Among those killed were two unarmed security guards. Later, an armed police officer shot and killed the assailant. The suspectโs parents said that their son was schizophrenic and had gone off of his medication.
The stabbing attack on Bishop Emmanuel underscores the importance of protecting religious freedom and freedom of speech. It is essential that all nations instill respect for those with differing views and for the right to exercise oneโs religion without fear. Islamic terrorism against Christians is occurring around the world, whether that be the genocide of Christians in Nigeria, the attempt to eliminate all Christians in Armenia, or the teenagers who recently planned terrorist attacks on churches across Germany in their quest to join ISIS.
Regarding both of these knife attacks, the question must also be asked: Would these stabbings have occurred, or have resulted in as many victims, if Australia had not implemented gun buybacks and restricted the rights of people to carry guns for self-defense?
In both incidents, Australians (including two security guards) found themselves defenseless and at the mercy of those intent on trying to kill them. Seeing the aftermath of Australiaโs effort to effectively disarm their citizens should be a wake-up call. Americans must continue to defend their Second Amendment protections so that they are able to protect themselves and those around them if they are attacked.
The response of Christ the Good Shepherd Church in asking for prayers for the assailant obeys Jesusโs commandment to pray for those who persecute us. The response of rioters, however, is quite the opposite. While outrage and frustration is understandable, attacking police officers in an attempt to seize the perpetrator who has already been taken into custody and is now defenseless is nothing less than mob violence and an attempt at vigilante justice. This has no place in a civilized society, which must always be governed by laws and a justice system based on due process.
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