The martyr Church and the comfortable pew

• "Congo groups: 400 massacred on Christmas day" (CNN, December 30, 2008): Rebels blamed for attack at Church-sponsored concert; twenty children abducted.
• "Why Christmas was peaceful in Orissa, India" (Religious Intelligence, December 29, 2008): Christian minority targeted in the last 10 years.
• "Scores of refugees hacked to death at Catholic church in Congo" (International Herald Tribune, December, 29, 2008): 120 homes set ablaze in same area, thousands flee homes.
• "Suicide bombing ouside Sri Lanka Catholic church kills five" (Times of India, December 28, 2008): Army takes control of the area after the blast.
• "Turkish youth convicted of stabbing priest" (International Herald Tribune, December 29, 2008): Anti-Christian crime nets attacker four years in prison.
• "Nine Christians slaughtered in Jihadist killing spree on Christmas Eve in Philippines" (Winds of Jihad, December 27, 2008): Wave of jihadist attacks hits southern Philippines in time for Christmas.
• "Vendée French call for recognition of 'genocide'" (Telegraph.co.uk, December 26, 2008): 1794 massacre slaughtered thousands in cold blood.
• "Christmas bashing begins in annual secularization" (djournal, November 26, 2008): Florida university bans all holiday displays, decorations

And a very Merry Seventh Day of Christmas to everyone out there shopping for the Spring sales and looking ahead to Valentine's Day and chocolate Easter bunnies -- yum, yum.

[Hat tip to New Oxford Review News Link Archive]