Part 1: Fishers of Men
The “Jesus Fish,” more properly known as “Ichthys,” is very popular in the world of American bumper stickers and car decals. In addition to being the name of a visual symbol, “ichthys” is an acronym for the Greek words meaning “Jesus Christ, God’s Son, Saviour.” As tradition tells, the symbol of two intersecting arcs making the outline of a fish was used as a secret code among Christians living under the harsh rule of the Roman Empire. It is said that Christian houses or meeting places would be identified by this secret symbol. If a Christian met a stranger in the road, he could draw one arc in the dirt, and if the stranger was also Christian, he would know to draw the other arc to complete the fish.
In America, people are free to practice their religion without fear for their safety. What was once a covert message is now proudly displayed on every other minivan you see on the road. In this culture, it’s easy to forget that not everyone is as fortunate. The Roman Empire has fallen, but Christians are still being persecuted for their faith around the world.
Part 2: Deja Vu
The featured image for this article is the Arabic equivalent of the letter “N.” It stands for “Nasrani,” which means “Christian.” Resembling Jews in WWII being stamped with the Star of David, history is repeating itself yet again. “N” is the new ichthys. A radical militant Islamic group is gaining power, and they’re marking Christian homes with this symbol to set them apart. Christians living in Mosul, the 2nd largest city in Iraq, were forced to convert to ultra-conservative Islam, pay a hefty tax, leave the city, or be killed for their faith. This very moment, there is a rising trend in social media to change one’s profile picture to this symbol, to show solidarity with one’s fellow Christians being persecuted.
I think this social media trend is a nice gesture. I’ve changed my picture, and I’ve told several Christian friends of mine about it. I want to do more, but I don’t have the slightest clue as to how I could. What I can do, in the meantime, is explain to you, my beloved reader, where the modern Coliseum is, and who exactly are the lions we’re being fed to.
My next post will explain in detail the historical events that led up to the ISIS terrorist group you’ve been seeing in the news for the past couple months. Even if you don’t pay attention to current events (and I desperately hope you do!) you should, after reading, understand just how and why the Middle East is currently boiling over in chaos, and what we can expect to see in the future.
Duke Dynasty 