Follow-up, and some goodness left in the world.
Edit: It looks like less than 1/4 of those who have read this post today actually follow the links, so I’ll summarize. A happy intelligent 5-year old boy in Iraq is playing in the park, then is randomly seized by fellow Iraqis, doused in gasoline, and set ablaze while his attackers flee. He survives, but what kind of life can he lead? What kind of twisted evil people do this to a child?
I am grateful for the burn center and what it is doing to help this boy. That is what it is all about.
I was heartbroken when I read that story.
I don’t think the kid should go to hell.
Yeah, I realized after I posted that the title was somewhat ambiguous.
I would say that God and Jesus agree with you, Nitsav.
Matt 18:6, Mark 9:42 and Luke 17:2 all say pretty much the same thing:
“But whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea.”
The story about the help on the way gladdens my heart. Evil may do its thing but all ends can be turned to good when we follow Jesus’ example. These men added to the pain and insanity in Iraq; helping this family is good and right and I’m glad of it whatever happens but I hope all this help coming from the Western World can help this family and their friends and neighbors to see the West in a better light.
One problem with the story – no motives mentioned. Makes a person wonder.
Words fail me too. It is simply too terrible to think about.
What happened to that precious little boy was just as bad as anything the Nazi’s under Hitler did in the past. It is inhuman, unthinkable and beyond words!
These men, whoops… excuse me, I mean these monsters should have the same fate performed on them if ever captured. Not only did they do the unthinkable but they, being so brave, hid their faces behind masks which means they knew it was wrong. May they burn in hell a thousand times over.
My prayers are with Youssif, God bless him.
my heart goes out to Youssif and his family .. you know what should really be said that may god take those unfortunate people who are still alive who can’t manage to love there country no matter what state its in … why hurt your own people … this is the effects of War on a person .. no one can flee from its horrible smoke everyone gets a bit or the other.. may ALLAH bring peace to that country and there country men. and may that piece of land gets its freedom that they can start living like average people!!!
This story breaks my heart and brought me to tears. My son is 5-years-old. How horrible.
I’m just glad that people are helping out this boy and his family. Thank you for getting the word out so more can help out.
I don’t know what “average” is anymore. Talking about retribution and punishment for these perpetrators doesn’t help much (although it may comfort us to think that we’re not them). I have no doubt that the realm of retribution and revenge is where those people “live.” Eye for an eye. What was done to them? Their families? The wall between retribution and pure evil is a very thin one, bridged with a thought, followed by a split second of action. Although what was done was evil, sure enough, and those “men” were “evil,” or possessed by evil, it is madness that’s unhinged them.
Back when I was in Iraq I saw many kids. They always seemed so happy, even with explosions going off all day. I’ve got some pictures I took of them playing in the reeds by the banks of the Euphrates. It reminds me of when I was a kid.
Anyway, I’d like to post a small excerpt from Michael Yon, who witnessed some horrible things there.
“An American soldier told me today that he has been telling kids to stay away from his unit so they won’t be killed. This is harder, on all parties, than it might seem to anyone who hasn’t seen firsthand how much the kids here love the soldiers. The sound of heavily armored trucks rumbling through the streets has the same effect on these kids as the tinkling bells of the “ice cream man” back home. Imagine having to tell kids to run the other way when they hear the ice cream truck on a summer afternoon.
“Recently, an insurgent hid behind a child in order to attack Americans. The tactic came as no surprise to the soldiers here. Terrorists routinely play wounded or feign their surrender in order to get close enough to launch an attack on Coalition or Iraqi Forces. In January I wrote about one bomber who grabbed the hand of a small child while she was playing on a sidewalk. Smiling, he walked with the child in hand, approaching some Iraqi police, and exploded. Americans standing close by were unharmed.”
Their hate is mind-boggling.
Oops, I forgot to close the link on my last comment.
Edit: Fixed
I note that not one American posting here is in anyway taking responsibility for their nation having (deliberately) created the conditions that allowed this. I notice lots of outrage at the individual evil Iraqis who did this, I notice no outrage at the American leaders who made it all possible. Take responsibility, stop being outraged at everyone else, acknowledge the beam in your own nation’s eye.
Rhetorical question, anon: How do you know who’s an American and who isn’t on this blog? I wasn’t born in the US.
I noted in the original post that this was *not* a political post, so be warned that further political comments will be deleted.