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Posted on 01/24/2005 5:52:00 PM PST by Salem
Bombed bus prompts mixed reactions
INLAND: A pro-Israel Christian group displays evidence of a year-old terrorist attack.
08:13 AM PST on Monday, January 24, 2005
HEMET - The bent and burned shell of an Israeli bus destroyed by a suicide bomber last year is a reminder that people in the Middle East live with violence every day, some said as they inspected The Jerusalem Connection International's display Sunday.
But a handful of Palestinian Christians who visited the display at First Baptist Church after morning services said it implies that all Palestinians are terrorists.
The Rev. Dr. James M. Hutchens, a retired Army chaplain and president of The Jerusalem Connection International, told church members during two services that the national tour of Bus 19 is intended to increase awareness in the United States of global terrorism.
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The Jerusalem Connection is a non-profit whose aim is to raise support for Israel among Christians.
"What we have seen with this bus is a bonding together of Christians and Jews because they see there are people who really love them and are willing to take a stand," Hutchens said.
With anti-Semitism on the rise in Europe and terrorist attacks occurring with increasing frequency, it is important for Christians to acknowledge the covenant God made with the Jews, Hutchens said. Christians and the Church have not replaced Jews and Israel as God's chosen people, he said.
"Some people refer to us as Christian Zionists," he said of The Jerusalem Connection. "We believe the state of Israel is part of the covenant promise that God would provide a home for the people of Israel. ... A covenant is an inviolable agreement."
As children and adults studied the bus and photos of the 11 people who died in the Jan. 29, 2004 blast that destroyed it, Nabil and Arlette Matar of Hemet pointed to a sign that read, "When Palestinians love their children more than they hate Israel, then there will be peace in Palestine."
"This brings hatred instead of love," said Nabil Matar, 49, a Palestinian Christian who has lived in Hemet for 12 years. "People are going to leave here thinking all Palestinians are terrorists."
The display's organizers should have acknowledged the recent destruction of thousands of Palestinian homes and 1.5 million olive trees in Bethlehem, Arlette Matar, 44, said.
"We should be putting pressure on each side," she said. "... I'm very sad to see this."
Kristina Silver, 29 and a member of First Baptist Church, said the display was meant to remind Americans about the level of violence in the Middle East.
Terrorist acts are the work of Satan, Silver said.
"It's sad to see these people (terrorists) are misguided in thinking they will achieve heaven," she said. "Love is not killing people."
Rhoda and Charlie Jackson of Spokane, Wash., have been to Israel. The retirees spend their winters in Hemet.
"We care about Israel because they (Jews) are God's chosen people," said Rhoda Jackson, 66. "Jesus is going to come back there."
Acknowledging criticisms of the Israeli government's demolition of Palestinian homes and businesses, Charlie Jackson, 73, said, "They're human beings. Their government isn't the government called for in the Bible. ... We're all sinners."
I was fortunate to be able to go to this event and witness this display, as well as meet personally retired Army Brigadier General and chaplain Rev. Dr. James M. Hutchens. After talking to a deacon of the church in the parking lot I introduced myself to Mr. Hutchens and said I headed the Christian Supporters of Israel list at Free Republic, as well as telling him where I also went to church for twenty-five years (not here where this project was displayed). He mentioned he would be interested in bringing his project to where I go to church regularly, and I promised I would petition them on his behalf. We talked for sometime. We talked about their recent visit to Berkley, Free Republic and the FReepers efforts on behalf of the war on terror, as well as his project, Bus19.org. He was a little hoarse after speaking at two services that morning, but it was a wonderful time and opportunity to make contact with someone and an organization accomplishing much in the cultural arena; the War of Ideas, on behalf of our ally Israel and America's war on terror.
I took pictures but don't have any to post right now because they aren't developed. "The Jerusalem Connection" will still be in my area until the first of February so hopefully I can get together with these people again.
If this man and "The Jerusalem Connection" happen to be in your area, make sure you see this display and tell them you heard about them on Free Republic!
The Christian Arab has a point. Maybe somebody needs to add a disclaimer to the bus, like a sign that says: "This is Jihad." or "Courtesy of the TROP (TM)".
ZOMBIE TIME.com: "ANTI-TERROR DEMONSTRATION, FEATURING THE BUS 19 EXHIBIT, IN BERKELEY, ON JANUARY 16, 2005 - Part 1" (Vew Photos;Read More...)
ZOMBIE TIME.com: "ANTI-TERROR DEMONSTRATION, FEATURING THE BUS 19 EXHIBIT, IN BERKELEY, ON JANUARY 16, 2005 - Part 2" (Vew Photos;Read More...)
"Implying"? Those Palestinians who blew up the buses, were clearly terrorists, without the shadow of a doubt.
That would be a heck of a lot of buses.
Hard to believe that some person decided after seeing the remains of the city bus that "pressure must be put on both sides".
Unless of course we put pressure on Israel to drive the Arabs out. This homeland for terrorist crap has been the death of many a person. The only advantage I can see of making another dictatorship for Islam out of Israel is that it will make Oslama easier to find.
Ping!
WARNING: This is a high volume ping list
A very large percentage of them are. Deal with the reality.
"This brings hatred instead of love," said Nabil Matar, 49, a Palestinian Christian who has lived in Hemet for 12 years. "People are going to leave here thinking all Palestinians are terrorists."
No, my brother. What brings hatred instead of love is getting on a bus and blowing 11 people to bits. And trust me, only the bigoted would leave there even more bigoted because of the words on a sign.
And those words are true. I'd Like to see Mr. Matar try to prove them wrong.
I agree. I think we need to be calling it what it is - Islamic terrorism. What's a Palestinian anyway?
And the Palestians complaining above the mowed down olive trees and demolished houses suggests other good ideas. Perhaps video film of the Palestinian terrorists shooting at Israelis while using those trees as shelter would be very explanatory, even for the dullest.
And graphic photos of the slaughtered Israelis that caused the IDF to try and discourage future bombers by tearing down their families' homes (yet not killing them) would help. Plus personal testimony from any willing Israelis civilians that were crippled, blinded, or mained by Palestinian terrorists.
This is a hideous terrorist war, and put it all out there for the world to see!
Check my tag line if you have not already.
It actually says nothing of the sort, but guilty consciences are hard to keep quiet.
The hit dog always yelps.
A self exploding palesitic infestation.
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