Greta Van Susteren, a well known Fox News anchor, has come under fire for saying on Twitter that she interviewed a “Yazidi Christian” woman. Social media users were quick to remind her—in both a civil manner as well as mockingly—that Yazidis and Christians follow two separate religions.
She described in the same tweet how the woman had been subject to Daesh brutality for “not converting to ISIS” (Daesh). Some called her out for this statement as well, noting that “ISIS” is not a religion to convert to.
I just interviewed a 20 yr old Yazidi Christian woman who was raped multiple times by ISIS for not converting to ISIS...
— Greta Van Susteren (@greta) December 20, 2015
Yazidis are an ethnoreligious group who live primarily in Iraq. Both Christians and Yazidis have been heavily persecuted by Daesh in the region, with many fleeing their homes to escape kidnap, rape and death.
Like Christians, Yazidis are monotheists, but their religion is very different from Christianity. They are often targeted because their worship of a fallen peacock angel, which many equate to devil worship.
Van Susteren, herself reportedly a Scientologist, appears to have been ignorant to the difference between the two.
See some of the reactions below, via Twitter.
@greta Pardon? Yazidis are certainly not Christian. Secondly, I don't recall anyone ever converting to "ISIS"
— Yonatan (@yntn) December 21, 2015@greta Pretty sure Yazidi describes a specific religion, so that's like saying I just spoke to these Muslim Buddhists, right?
— Bensvoice (@Bensvoice) December 21, 2015@greta yezidi christian? yezidi's are yezidi, not christian.
— Frederike Geerdink (@fgeerdink) December 21, 2015@greta you interviewed her and still think the Yazidi religion is Christian?
— The 47th (@THE_47th) December 21, 2015Yazidi Christian? Converting to the Islamic State? Congratulations, you've reached a new level of stupid. https://t.co/KucXQlwkj5
— Sakir Khader (@sakirkhader) December 21, 2015Yazidi.......christian? Fire whoever your ghost writer is lady https://t.co/Qib3cjkiS3
— A concerned citizen (@melek_alghuraba) December 21, 2015
