Blinded bishop defiantly picks up where he left off — at altar where Islamic terrorist tried to butcher him



The Christian bishop brutally stabbed in Sydney earlier this month by an Islamic terrorist defiantly returned to church Sunday, sporting an eye patch and picking up where he left off. Assyrian Orthodox Bishop Mar Mari Emmanuel thanked his well-wishers, forgave his attacker, criticized censorship, and emphasized that discussions of human rights fall flat without an understanding of human purpose, which he underscored is anchored in God.

The livestream of the Sunday service at Christ the Good Shepherd Church — which the Australian government has not yet attempted to censor as it has the video of Emmanuel's stabbing on April 15 — the bishop can be seen receiving an enthusiastic welcome upon entering the sanctuary.

#Breaking\n\nAfter miraculously surviving a recent stabbing attack by an Islamist at a Sydney church, Assyrian Bishop Mar Mari Emmanuel receives a standing ovation from the congregation as he resumes preaching.
— (@)

The bishop opened with a commemoration of Jesus Christ's triumphant entry into Jerusalem on a mule, noting, "He came to crush evil, to crush condemnation, to crush Satan, and to crush death for once and for all. He who has Christ has life and life eternal."

After thanking the various Christian leaders, parishes, and government officials who signaled support for him in the wake of the attack, Bishop Mar Mari, who was blinded in one eye, noted, "This young man who did this act almost two weeks ago, I say to you, my dear, you are my son and you will always be my son. I will always pray for you. I will always wish you nothing but the best. I pray that my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ of Nazareth, to enlighten your heart, enlighten your soul, your entire being — to realize there is only one God who art in heaven. ... That God is Jesus Christ of Nazareth."

The bishop noted further that he forgives his attacker and whoever else was behind the terroristic assassination attempt.

Blaze News previously reported that seven teens were arrested in Sydney Wednesday in connection to the terror attack. Two of the suspects, ages 16 and 17, were charged with conspiring to engage in a terrorist attack. Another suspect was charged with carrying a knife in public.

The Detroit News reported that four of the teens allegedly used the encrypted messaging app Signal — run by a company whose board NPR boss Katherine Maher chairs — to plan their attack.

"I wanna die and I wanna kill ... I'm just excited. ... Is your plan to get caught or die or escape?" a 17-year-old suspect allegedly wrote.

Another teen reportedly responded, "We're gonna be planning for a while ... we prefer to escape, but whatever happens, it's the qadr [predetermination] of Allah."

The parents of the teen charged with terrorism for stabbing the bishop suggested he was violent and potentially autistic but not a terrorist, despite his reported affinity for videos of Osama bin Laden online and use of a photo of bin Laden for his WhatsApp profile picture.

Bishop Mar Mari also had some words for the Australian government, which has been fighting Elon Musk's X in an effort to erase video evidence of the attack from social media. He stressed that "every human being has the right to their freedom of speech and freedom of religion. Every human being."

The bishop, who spoke out last week against his country's global censorship demands, rattled off various belief systems entitled to free speech, concluding with "also the Christians have the right to express their beliefs."

"For us to say that 'free speech is dangerous,' that 'free speech cannot be possible in a democratic country,' I'm yet to fathom this," said Mar Mari. "I am yet to fathom this. We should be able as civilized human beings — as intellectuals — we should be able to criticize, to speak."

"Maybe, at some certain times, we may sound or we may come across offensive to somewhat degree. But we should be able to say, 'I should not worry for my life to be exposed to threat or to be taken away,'" said the bishop. "A non-Christian can criticize my faith, can attack my faith. I will say one thing: 'May God forgive you and may God bless you.' This is a civilized way, an intellectual way of approaching such events if or when they take place."

The clear intimation was that the path chosen by the Islamic teen was the barbaric way of dealing with speech perceived to be offensive.The bishop is no stranger to the well-trodden barbaric way, having originally come from Iraq where Sunni and Shia Muslim groups have brutally oppressed Christians, driving them in recent years to the brink of extinction. Iraq has been home to Christians since gifted the faith in the first century by Thomas the Apostle and Thaddeus of Edessa.

The bishop further appeared to insinuate a commonality between his attacker and the government, stating, "To say that 'because of this freedom of speech, it is causing dramas and dilemmas, therefore everything should be censored,' then where is democracy? Then where is humanity? Where is integrity? ... Where are the values which the Western world more so have been fighting for?"

Last week, Bishop Mar Mari expressed concern in an audio statement that bad actors were using his attack "to serve their own political interest to control free speech."

"I do acknowledge the Australian government's desire to have the videos removed because of their graphic nature," said the bishop. "However, noting our God-given right to freedom of speech and freedom of religion, I'm not opposed to the videos remaining on social media."

Bishop Mar Mari is not the only victim of the Islamic terror attack who was back in church on Sunday.

Fr. Isaac Royel, a parish priest who rushed to the bishop's defense and ultimately suffered stab wounds of his own, celebrated Palm Sunday with the bishop and his Orthodox congregation. He can be seen on the bishop's right in the video of the Sunday sermon.

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'Australian censorship commissar' orders X to globally remove video of Islamic terror attack on Christian bishop



A bearded teen complaining in Arabic about insults to Muhammad rushed the sanctuary of an Assyrian Orthodox church in Sydney last week, savagely stabbing Bishop Mar Mari Emmanuel and Fr. Isaac Royel. Australian officials determined that the attack on Christian clergymen, which was captured on video, was an act of religiously motivated terrorism.

While apparently willing to admit the attack was what it appeared to be on video, the Australian government has attempted to erase the video evidence from social media.

X, formerly known as Twitter, indicated Friday that the Australian government has ordered it to remove the video evidence of the anti-Christian attack. While the platform appeared willing to accommodate the Australian eSafety Commissioner regionally, that apparently was not enough for the Australian state, which has since demanded global censorship of the video.

South African billionaire Elon Musk and his company have effectively told the government to pound sand.

The terror attack

Blaze News previously reported that police were dispatched Monday evening to the Christ the Good Shepherd Church in Wakeley, a suburb of Sydney, in response to reports that a "number of people were stabbed."

A 16-year-old radical previously charged for knife-related offenses had rushed the altar with a knife concealed in his hand.

In the video the Australian government appears keen to hide from the public, the attacker can reportedly be heard saying, "If he [the bishop] didn't get himself involved in my religion, if he hadn't spoken about my prophet, I wouldn't have come here. … If he just spoke about his own religion, I wouldn’t have come."

The attacker lunges at Bishop Mar Mari Emmanuel, a past critic of radical Islam, then repeatedly stabs the 53-year-old bishop.

The bishop and the parish priest who was cut up protecting him survived their injuries.

New South Wales Police Force Commissioner Karen Webb indicated Tuesday, "We believe there are elements that are satisfied in terms of religious motivated extremism."

"After consideration of all the material, I declared that it was a terrorist incident," added Webb.

Nothing to see here

X's Global Government Affairs team revealed Friday morning that after the attack, "The Australian eSafety Commissioner ordered X to remove certain posts in Australia that publicly commented on the recent attack against a Christian Bishop. These posts did not violate X's rules on violent speech."

Australia's woke commissar is Julie Inman Grant, an American who allegedly turned down a CIA job to work in the U.S. Congress before heading off to work for Microsoft. The censorious commissioner, who also worked for Twitter as the director of public policy in Australia, has been celebrated by the World Economic Forum as among "the world's most influential leaders revolutionizing government."

Grant indicated last week that she personally was not "satisfied enough is being done to protect Australians from this most extreme and gratuitous violent material circulating online," reported News.com.au.

Seeking satisfaction on the matter, Grant indicated she was "exercising [her] powers under the Online Safety Act to formally compel them to remove it."

While convinced "eSafety's order was not within the scope of Australian law," X initially complied with the directive, geo-blocking the relevant content in Australia pending a legal challenge. However, it was apparently met with a subsequent demand to "globally withhold these posts or face a daily fine of $785,000 AUD (about $500,000 USD)."

The Global Government Affairs team noted, "While X respects the right of a country to enforce its laws within its jurisdiction, the eSafety Commissioner does not have the authority to dictate what content X's users can see globally. ... Global takedown orders go against the very principles of a free and open internet and threaten free speech everywhere."

Musk noted, "The Australian censorship commissar is demanding *global* content bans!"

Angry censors

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese told reporters, "By and large, people responded appropriately to the calls by the eSafety Commissioner. X chose not to. They stand, I think — I find it extraordinary that X chose not to comply and trying to argue their case."

Albanese insinuated that the video evidence of the attack on a Christian cleric amounted to "misinformation."

"We know, I think overwhelmingly, Australians want misinformation and disinformation to stop. This isn't about freedom of expression," said the prime minister. "This is about the dangerous implications that can occur when things that are simply not true, that everyone knows is not true, are replicated and weaponized in order to cause division and in this case to promote negative statements and potentially to just inflame what was a very difficult situation."

"Social media has a social responsibility," added Albanese.

Musk responded Monday, writing, "I'd like to take a moment to thank the PM for informing the public that this platform is the only truthful one."

The tech magnate also noted that it is "absurd for any one country to attempt to censor the entire world."

The prime minister was apparently not the only Aussie official who figured video evidence amounted to "misinformation."

NSWPF Commissioner Web condemned "misinformation," stating, "I think leading a social media platform should bring with it big social, corporate responsibility."

"I think to have images like that online, they need to be removed immediately and not left up there," added Webb.

Tanya Plibersek, Australia's environment minister, suggested Elon Musk's commitment to free speech and transparency just "beggars belief."

"This egotistical billionaire thinks that it's more important for him to be able to show whatever he wants on X or Twitter or whatever you wanna call it today, it's more important for him to have his way than to respect the victims of the crimes that are being shown on social media and to protect our Australian community from the harmful impact of showing this terrible stuff on social media," said Plibersek.

Plibersek enthusiastically noted how Australia has quadrupled the eSafety Commissioner's budget.

With that increased budget, the commissioner had Australian mother and breastfeeding advocate Jasmine Sussex censored for daring to suggest that men cannot breastfeed. The taxpayer-funded commissioner also demanded that X censor Canadian activist Chris Elson over a post criticizing a United Nations-affiliated transvestite.

Australian court demands global censorship

Vastly exceeding his jurisdiction, an Australian judge ruled Monday that X must block the video across the globe.

The Associated Press reported that Justice Geoffrey Kennett demanded that the tech company block all users from seeing the footage, including sovereign American citizens. X has been given 24 hours to "hide" the video.

Stephen Tran, lawyer for the censorious commission, suggested that continued circulation of the footage would cause "irreparable harm."

In the meantime, the Australian censorship regime has been targeting individuals who have shared the video. Popular X user Ian Miles Cheong, for instance, indicated that X had received a report from the Australian government over content he shared but that the platform would not be taking action.

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Brutal stabbing of bishop deemed a 'terrorist incident' — prompting Australian officials to consider tougher knife laws



Australian officials have determined that the savage stabbing that left Assyrian Orthodox Bishop Mar Mari Emmanuel, a priest, and at least two others wounded during church services in Sydney Monday was an act of terrorism.

While authorities have indicated there is a religious motive for the attack and indicated the attacker was speaking Arabic at the time, they appear unwilling to name the 16-year-old bearded attacker's obvious religious affiliation.

Extra to remaining mum about critical details pertaining to the terrorist attack, New South Wales officials are apparently considering tightening knife laws as if that might amount to a deterrent for future attacks.

The attack

Blaze News previously reported that police officers were dispatched around 7:10 p.m. to the Christ the Good Shepherd Church in Wakeley, a suburb of Sydney, in response to reports that "a number of people were stabbed."

As the church was livestreaming the bishop's sermon, the horrific incident was caught on video. The footage shows the 16-year-old attacker, dressed in a black hooded sweatshirt, march up to the altar with a knife concealed in his hand.

The Guardian reported that Mike Burgess, the director-general of security in charge of the Australian Security Intelligence Organization, indicated the attacker appears to have been speaking in Arabic at the time of the attack.

In the video, the attacker can reportedly be heard saying, "If he [the bishop] didn't get himself involved in my religion, if he hadn't spoken about my prophet, I wouldn't have come here. … If he just spoke about his own religion, I wouldn’t have come."

The attacker lunges at Bishop Mar Mari Emmanuel, a past critic of radical Islam, and stabs him repeatedly while parishioners scream out in terror and a group of worshippers rush the sanctuary to intervene.

The attacker brings the 53-year-old bishop to the ground and continues stabbing but is quickly pulled off by the incensed Christians.

According to Fairfield City Deputy Mayor Charbel Saliba, "His Grace Mar Mari got stabbed but he got up, bleeding, and prayed on his attacker before he was taken to hospital."

Police subsequently took the attacker into custody.

The New South Wales Police Force indicated that the bishop suffered lacerations to his head and a 39-year-old priest who attempted to intervene was dealt a shoulder wound and multiple lacerations. Both were taken to Liverpool Hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

Their attacker apparently failed to get out unscathed, as he too ultimately had to be taken to a hospital. The Assyrian National Broadcasting agency alleged that "in response to Mar Mary's three stabs, three fingers were cut off from the assailant's hand."

Fr. Daniel Kochou, secretary to the bishop, released a statement Tuesday saying, "The Bishop is currently receiving treatment at hospital for sustained wounds and his condition, by God's divine grace and your prayers, is stable and improving."

Fr. Kochou indicated the attacker delivered multiple blows to the bishop's head and body, then "made another attempt on one of our Parish Priests, Fr. Isaac Royel, who is also receiving treatment for injuries sustained."

The priest further underscored that persecution against Christians is nothing new, stressing, "The Holy Saints and Church Fathers all attest to this same form of persecution, since early times, for Christ's namesake."

The Coptic Orthodox Diocese of Sydney noted in a statement Tuesday, "We strongly condemn the senseless act of violence that took place during [Bishop Mari Emmanuel's] sermon. Such actions not only bring distress but also contradict the cherished values of compassion and unity that are integral to our Australian identity."

The diocese further stated, "The desecration of a sacred space where individuals seek solace and spiritual nourishment is particularly distressing."

The Ancient Church of the East similarly condemned the terror attack and called on Australian authorities "to take the necessary steps to prevent such heinous acts."

The Church of Christ the Good Shepherd is presently closed until further notice.

The response

Chris Minns, the state premier of New South Wales, stated shortly after the attack, "Disturbing scenes tonight in Wakeley tonight."

"It's 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 it’s important that we all stick together, particularly in the face of adversity," added Minns.

"I understand a lot of members in our community are really distraught but what is important is I believe that the bishop has been taken to hospital and should be okay," Fairfield Mayor Frank Carbone told Sky News Australia. "We live in difficult times right now … so I can understand frustration and the anger from the communities but I ask them as the mayor just to please be calm."

Minns, Carbone, and other officials appeared concerned over the possibility that the terrorist action might provoke a significant reaction. After all, thousands of Christians and concerned citizens had swarmed the church after the attack in protest.

Some demonstrators, cognizant that police were still holding the attacker at the church for the sake of his safety, demanded that authorities hand him over, according to Reuters.

According to the NSWPF, "two police officers were injured and a number of police vehicles sustained damage" in the ensuing clashes between authorities and the agitated mob.

One constable reportedly sustained a twisted knee and a chipped tooth. Another constable had his jaw broken after being struck in the face with a brick.

Armored police used tear gas to disperse the crowds, and the attacker was taken by police to an undisclosed location.

The Guardian reported that Minns gathered the leaders of the local Assyrian, Melkite, and Muslim communities together Monday night and had them condemn the violence and call for calm.

"It's a combustible situation and I'm not going to sugarcoat it," said the premier.

Anti-Christian terrorism

Following a preliminary investigation, NSWPF Commissioner Karen Webb declared during a press conference Tuesday morning, "We believe there are elements that are satisfied in terms of religious motivated extremism."

"After consideration of all the material, I declared that it was a terrorist incident," added Webb, who had just days earlier declared that the mass stabbing at the nearby shopping center was not similarly terroristic.

Australian Federal Police, the Australian Security Intelligence Organization, and the NSW Crime Commission will be aiding the NSW Joint Counter Terrorism Team and the NSWPF in its investigation.

"We'll allege there's a degree of premeditation on the basis this person has traveled to that location, which is not near his residential address, he has traveled with a knife and subsequently the bishop and the priest have been stabbed," said Webb.

While a violent ideology appears to have been the problem, Australian officials may take a page out of American leftists' playbook and blame the weapon.

Premier Minns confirmed that the attacker had a run-in with the law in November over his illegal possession of a switchblade. A judge reportedly cut the prospective terrorist free for good behavior earlier this year.

Minns indicated he was open to exploring tightening knife laws in the wake of the mass shopping center stabbing Saturday and Monday's terrorist attack.

"I'm not prepared to rule anything out right now. Obviously when people are being killed and you've got a situation where a knife is being used, then it would be irresponsible not to look at," said the premier.

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