Posted on 09/20/2012 6:24:40 AM PDT by marshmallow
JERUSALEM (AP) — After a series of attacks by vandals on Christian holy sites in Israel, normally tight-lipped Roman Catholic officials are beginning to speak out, publicly appealing to authorities to take a stronger stand against the violence.
The Rev. Pierbattista Pizzaballa, one of the church's top officials in the Holy Land, said he is worried about relations between Jews and Christians in the Holy Land. He believes the blame can go all around.
"I think the main atmosphere is ignorance," Pizzaballa told The Associated Press in an interview.
Because the local Christian population is tiny, "we do not exist for the majority ... They have other priorities," he said. "On the other side, we as a minority maybe didn't invest enough energy and initiatives" to reach out to Israeli Jews.
That may be changing following this month's attack on a well-known Trappist Monastery in Latrun, outside Jerusalem. Vandals burned a door and spray-painted anti-Christian graffiti on the century-old building with the words "Jesus is a monkey." Suspicion has fallen on extremist Jewish West Bank settlers or their supporters, who are believed to be behind a series of attacks in recent years on mosques, Christian sites and even Israeli army property to protest moves against settlements.
In response, the church's top officials, including Pizzaballa, the "custos," or custodian of Catholic holy sites, to issue a rare "declaration" calling on Israeli leaders to take action.
"Sadly, what happened in Latrun is only another in a long series of attacks against Christians and their places of worship," the Catholic leaders said. "What is going on in Israeli society today that permits Christians to be scapegoated and targeted by these acts of violence?"
It said authorities should "put an end to this senseless violence and to ensure a 'teaching of respect' in schools....
(Excerpt) Read more at chron.com ...
There has been no evidence released to show that Jews wrote graffiti on the monastery in Latrun. I don’t believe that theydid. Jews don’t call people monkeys; that’s not in the common vocabulary. On the other hand, Muslims are calling Jews and Christians the children of pigs and monkeys.
I believe that the Christians in Israel are being coerced by Muslims to try to create a wedge between Jews and Christians and the man quoted in this article is following his orders.
On the other hand, Muslims are calling Jews and Christians the children of pigs and monkeys.
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agreed. but, if it was Jewish settlers, i wouldn’t blame them, when our media continually proclaims Obama is a Christian, and he helps Islamists take over Egypt and Libya (with help from Christian McCain), and turns his back on Israel and Jerusalem.
“Sadly, what happened in Latrun is only another in a long series of attacks against Christians and their places of worship,” the Catholic leaders said. “What is going on in Israeli society today that permits Christians to be scapegoated and targeted by these acts of violence?”
It said authorities should “put an end to this senseless violence and to ensure a ‘teaching of respect’ in schools....
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1) what does he think happens to Christians under Islamist governments? Like Kosovo churches burned. Coptic and Pakistani girls being kidnapped, raped, and forceably converted?
2) why doesn’t that coward call for the MUSLIMS to end violence, and teach respect in THEIR schools ?
The "indigenous" chrstians of 'Eretz Yisra'el and their leaders have been opposing Israel and supporting the moslems for decades. Even the PLO invading the Church of the Nativity and using the chrstian bible for toilet paper didn't change anything.
American-style pro-Zionist Fundamentalist "bible chrstians" are an anomaly in chrstendom. Historical chrstianity is very, very different from American chrstianity. Unfortunately most American chrstians live in a hermetically sealed world and are unaware of this, and when they learn about it, they reject the truth because it clashes with their dogmas.
Thankfully with social media, that is begining to change.
Israel is the safest place in the middle for Christians.
In fact it is the ONLY safe place in the middle east for Christians.
Tens of thousands of Evangelical Christians travel to Israel from this country alone each year with no problems . Can you say that for any other country in the middle east ?
I don't know about that. I have a good friend who is a Christian immigrant from Jordan and he says Jordan is very tolerant of Christians. He returns there every year to visist family.
“Israel is the safest place in the middle for Christians. In fact it is the ONLY safe place in the middle east for Christians.”
I don’t know about that. I have a good friend who is a Christian immigrant from Jordan and he says Jordan is very tolerant of Christians. He returns there every year to visist family.”
With what has been going on as of late, in Egypt, Libyia, and elsewhere in the ME, I would consider that of Jordan of tolerating the Christians very well is simply nothing short of a MIRACLE.
I would not be surprise if Jordan is keeping a “nervous” eye on the stiuation going on in the ME, besides Israel.
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