MISUSE OF LITTLE ONES

The motivation for this week's column is the abduction recently in Nigeria of roughly 300 young girls. Their ages estimated between 9 and 17.

Nigeria is in the midst of a civil war. The war could also be called a religious one. Different Muslim groups are involved. The war affects everyone. Even Christians.

The Islamist militants who stole the girls plan to sell them into marriage and slavery. Their leader reportedly has said he could get $12 a piece for them.

Life is cheap in certain countries.

Islamist militants are active in Syria, also. In both Nigeria and Syria, Christians are being crucified. Yes, hung on a cross to die. Be-headings  are also popular in  both countries.

It has been reported that in a Damascus school recently, a young boy was told to renounce his faith or be crucified. He was Catholic. He refused to renounce his faith. He was crucified. Shades of early Christians being fed to the lions.

Compounding the hanging, the boy was crucified in front of his father. Then the father was killed.

In another city, Islamist militants went on a rampage killing Christian men, women and children. Note, children also. The militants were then observed playing football with their heads.

The Muslim world has never forgotten the Crusades and the wrongs done them at that time by the Christian world.

The recent abduction reminded me of the Children's Crusade. Scholars are divided as to whether it actually happened. An interesting story to share as it involves Christians and Muslims.

The Children's Crusade was born of two male children. The year 1212. Involved Steven of Cloyes in France and Nicholas of Germany. Neither knew each other.

Stephen claimed he had a vision. Jesus had spoken to him. He was instructed to raise an army of children and win back the Holy Land from the Muslims. Nicholas some how ended up with a letter from God which instructed him to raise an army of children. God's written direction was to peacefully convert Muslims to Christianity.

Europeans bought the stories. Between these two young men, thirty thousand children were assembled.

Christian parents thought the venture proper. It was God's will delivered to them by the two boys. They were proud their children had joined to win back the Holy Land.

Stephen claimed Jesus had told him to travel over the Alps into Italy and then cross the Mediterranean. The waters of the Mediterranean would be parted. Similar as God had done with Moses. The children could walk across to the Holy Land.

They reached the Mediterranean. The sea never parted. However two merchants offered to ferry then across. Hugh the Iron and William the Pig. The children were betrayed. Numerous boats were involved. Some were shipwrecked during a gale with all lives lost. The vessels that survived made it to Egypt and Tunisia where the remaining children were sold into slavery.

Nicholas' group crossed the Alps from Germany into Italy. They traveled south. The group stopped in Rome to meet with the Pope. Many of the children had already died of exhaustion, the weather and starvation by the time they made Rome. The Pope convinced Nicholas and what was left of his group to return home.

The Children's Crusade was a failure. As well as a waste of lives.

It is said a folktale was born of the Children's Crusade. The Pied Piper. The man who led the children of a town away forever. 

The purpose of this column. Simple. Children of yesterday and today suffering and dying because of Muslim involvement.

Most parts of the world are dealing with religious fanatics who only know the ways of yesterday. Slavery, beheadings, and the like. Can Muslims, Christians, and Jews ever live together in peace? The eternal question. I do not know the answer. I will venture however that at this time it does not look good.