Posted on 12/21/2015 12:02:18 PM PST by marshmallow
A Christmas choir had a surprise visitor overnight after Bashar Assad made an appearance at a church in the Syrian capital of Damascus where rehearsals were taking place.
The Syrian president and his wife, Asma, visited the Notre Dame de Damas Church, an ancient cathedral located just 2 kilometers from the rebel-held neighborhood of Jobar in the eastern suburb of Ghouta in Damascus.
Assad and his wife chatted with the men and women of the "Joy Choir," who were practicing ahead of a performance on Christmas Eve, state media said Saturday.
The couple were seen smiling and posing for pictures with the group and also listened to the recital of Christmas poems at the church, which was hit by mortar fire on Friday.
(Excerpt) Read more at rt.com ...
Rumors have it Assad is a closet Christian.
Hardly looks like a monomaniacal Islamic nutcase to me...
Obviously a PR stunt but, as bad as he is, he probably has done more for Middle Eastern Christians than the Obama Administration.
He’s your standard issue Middle East strongman. He’s bad alright. But if he falls what comes after would be far, far worse.
L
Considering he owes his skin to the Russians, I hope that he will be even more friendly to the Christian minority in Syria.
I like this guy. I mean, he’s harder on the muslim terrorists than Barky over here is. Also if ISIS is against him, I guess that makes me pro-Assad.
Assad needs to learn that “the future does not belong to those who slander the prophet of Islam” Geez, no wonder Assad has to be removed.
“umors have it Assad is a closet Christian.”
Baloney. Assad is Alawite, a sect of Shia.
The Christian minority in Syria has always been close to the Alawite and Assad out of mutual protection and alliance, not theology. Assad trusts the Christians because he knows they have no power base and need his protection. Similarly, Assad is a megalomaniac, but not a religious whack job, and the Syrian Christians give him support.
Wonderful. Another murderer performing PR stunts with the local church.
Good call.
How Assad a megalomaniac? Why because he will not let the Saudi Arabian build a pipeline through Syria?
Whatever be your reasons I rather see Assad there than ISIS.
The U.S. should Allie with Syria and Russia to finish off ISIS.
“Rumors have it Assad is a closet Christian.”
No. He’s an Alawite. He doesn’t believe there is any reason to be a Christian since he already believes he has all the good things Christianity has to offer as an Alawite. Muslims are more likely to become Christians than Alawites are.
Oh, that false religion?
Good point.
Bigtime owes.
I don’t disagree that Assad is probably better than Isis.
Be like saying AIDS is better than pancreatic cancer, though.
Neither is great.
Remember that the Assad family are themselves part of a religious minority, Muslim but not Sunni, the Alawi and they have always been protective of other such groups including the various Christian communities in Syria. That doesn’t mean they’re nice people. Their main means of staying in power has been to run a police state the Stasi would envy and ruthlessly eliminate any opposition before it could get started. That principle opposition is the Sunni Muslim Brotherhood, the same radicals that overthrew Mubarak in Egypt and whose main beach head in the USA is at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave.
That explains why Obama hates him..Catholic
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