Palestinian Christians Living in Fear

There is a lack of leadership in much of the world but I believe the lack of international Christian leadership in confronting the abuses that face Christians in the Holy Land is without question the worse.
Except for some Evangical churches in the US, the Christian church has basically turned its back on the Christian plight.

If the Church thinks that "Silence is Golden" when it comes to protecting Christians from Muslim violence, land grabs, firebombings and rape then how to explain their activity when it comes to divestment-from-Israel politics? Christian leaders in the US and Europe have no hesitancy in holding church votes recommending divestment politics and writing position papers, taking out ads and carrying on a very aggressive campaign. But on behalf of Christians under a Muslim boot -nothing. Not even an Op Ed in a liberal paper. Why?

It seems to me there are two possibilities. One is total fear that any political action would result in a slaughter of Christians by Muslims. Of course, if that is true then how can the church support Muslim politics on anything?

The second and to me the most plausible, is the understanding that any defense of Christians in the Holy Land could be construed as pro-Israel and that is something to be avioded at all costs accepting the continued degrading of Christians under Muslim rule.

A very sad view, one might say even preverted but a view in which anti-Semitism thrumps all including the well being, safety and continued existence of their own "flock".

That is the depth of continued Christian anti-Semitism.

Posted by: Rick at Feb 20, 2008 5:19:05 PM

I believe that some of the major news organizations in the world to day have made it fashinable to be anti-Israel. On top of this list is BBC, New York Times, NBC, and others. They are run by naivr Liberals who have taken on the cause of the Palestinians. These people are not awrae of the history of the area or what is going on today.
Several Decades ago the Liberal movement was more on the side of the Jews in general and Israel in particular. They felt sorry for us after the Holocust. Now that time has passed they are going back to age old anti-semetism desgised as anti-Israel.
I don't understand how the American Jews of today are still so enamoured with the Liberal Democrat party.The supported by the Leftist media.

Posted by: Dov Matz at Feb 20, 2008 6:48:51 PM

There is no free press in the U.S. either. Try to send something critical on Israel, no matter how truthful it is, and see how fast the media rejects it.. My good Jewish friend and syndicated columnist on media and politics and co-author of "Unreliable Sources: A Guide to Detecting Bias in News Media," Norman Solomon, once wrote: " In the world according to U.S. media, the high ground in the Middle East belongs to Israel's government --even when it slaughters Lebanese civilians." He goes on to say " Israel's most crucial allies include the mass media of the United States. Together with top officials in Washington, news outlets keep reinforcing the assumption that the Israeli government can do little wrong."

Posted by: Brigadier General, retired, James J. David at Feb 20, 2008 8:55:31 PM

More convenient distortion by HR.

The unpalatable reality (for HR and other stridently pro-Israel partisians) is that the primary cause of suffering for Palestinian Christians is Israels occupation. 80+% of Palestinian Christian immigrants cite the Occupation as their reason for leaving Palestine, versus 8% citing religious intolerance.

Posted by: Michael at Feb 21, 2008 12:06:51 AM

I believe there is a quote that goes..."The only thing we have to fear is "fear" itself" There will come a day that this quote will be on the minds and lips of all mankind. I can hardly wait! But we haven't created a large enough monster for all to live with and fear. We have a wild and ruthless imagination though, don't we. An imagination of a wild animal with no conscious and foresight. Let's hope and pray that we never see that monster and try to conjure up thoughts of love and see and appreciate the beauty around us instead of destroying it. Granted, it is harder even to try to get along then it is to despise your fellow man. For me, I like a hard day's work, it makes you sleep better at night knowing you've done something to foster the good of man.

Posted by: Syl Rachel Quinn at Feb 21, 2008 1:17:10 PM

Good first post by Rick. But I would qualify it by pointing out that he has exposed the attitude of the Christian left, but certainly not that of other Christians, many of whom support Israel. Michael would do well to read that post and ponder it. The "occupation" was not responsible for Gaza Muslims killing a Christian bookseller and continually destroying Christian centres. The oppression of Christians by Muslims is rife throughout the Middle East and worldwide.

As for the Brigadier General, he should understand that the fact of his friend being Jewish doesn't necessarily mean that he has any insight into anything involving Jews.

Posted by: Bryan at Feb 22, 2008 2:06:01 PM

Genesis 12:3, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob notes to Abraham, that He "will bless them that bless you, Abraham, and your seed through Isaac and Jacob, and I will curse them that curse thee."

The christian arabs, living in judea, samaria and gaza, have chosen to stand in solidarity with the muslim arabs who spend their days in hate-filled "cursing" of the jews. Thus, the christian arabs have heaped upon themselves the same "curses" as are being piled on the jews -- it is a condition they have brought upon themselves. The State of Israel had nothing to do with the "curses" the christian arabs are living under. Wise people would start moving into "blessing" the seed of Abraham through Isaac and Jacob.

Moll, a messianic gentile

Posted by: moll at Feb 25, 2008 12:34:04 AM

It is strange that people like the Archbishop of Canterbury never opened their mouths when Arafat substituted the governor of Bethlehem with a Muslim one, causing many Christians to lose their lives, their voices also failed to condemn the Arab terrorists who holed themselves up in the Church of the Nativity, desecrating it by using it as a toilet. Funny Reuters didn't report that either.
Yet the voices were deafening in their condemnation of Israel for looking after the Church and not allowing it to be blown up.
I've come to the conclusion that, when Israel does good she"s bad in the eyes of the world.
So please Israel stop being so damned democratic.

Shirley Hiller London.

Posted by: Shirley Hiller at Feb 25, 2008 2:21:50 AM