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Former Lebanese President Warns of Extinction of Middle Eastern Christianity

  • Carrie Dedrick Religious persecution, missions, Christianity around the world
  • Updated Mar 30, 2015

Former Lebanese President Amine Gemayel warned of the extreme danger Christians face in the Middle East in a recent speech. Speaking at Boston College, Gemayel said that 2014 was “a year of existential crisis” for Middle Eastern Christians, as ISIS and other extremists pose the threat of Christian genocide. 

"I have never in my life witnessed Middle East Christians in such extreme danger," Gemayel said. 

The former president warned that Christianity could cease to exist in the region. 

He said, "If present negative trends continue to intensify, we must start thinking about the unthinkable: the extinction of Christianity.”

Gemayel called the U.S. to action saying that so far, "the response by the United States has been a resounding non-response."

According to the former president, the U.S. has "the military means to do more," and has "strong relationships with regional governments” to take action. 

Breaking Christian News reports that Gemayel specifically called on Americans to support "a UN-backed military force, with Muslim participation, to stop religious cleansing in the Middle East,” and to support Lebanon in its fight against ISIS. 

The speech was sponsored in part by Christian Solidarity International. 

Publication date: March 30, 2015