Posted on 10/18/2001 12:41:37 PM PDT by truthandlife
I was responding to the claim that a locations spiritual importance is directly related to the number of times it is mentioned is scripture. By that standard then the three places I mentioned mean nothing to the religions who have a spiritual hold there. Is that true?
It may be noted here, that in spite of being in control of Jerusalem, since 1967, the Jewish people have not yet demolished the Dome of the Rock or the Haram Al Sharif as many would like them to do. Neither has any other religious community so far given umbrage to the Muslims by destroying or even attempting to demolish the Kaaba at Mecca. This is in spite of the fact that Muslims have with impunity gone about destroying the religious places of every other religious community for the last Fourteen Centuries since the formation of Islam in the 7th century.
I am not sure if the above section is true, but none the less an intersting point of view and totally changes the equation of the middle east situation if the above is true. I found it in THIS WEB PAGE.
Why the significance of the Western Wall? It is the only accessible remnant from the Temple Complex. This is as close as the Israelis can worship near the original Temple site that was located somewhere on top of the Temple Mount.
As an aside, Radical Muslims are excellent at destroying archaelogical evidence. The Wafti at present are destroying artifacts on the Temple Mount and earlier this year the Taliban destroyed several Buddhist monuments in Afghanistan.
By comparison most "palestinians", as noted in the article, are comprised of many different nationalities many of whom migrated to the region after the Israelis cultivated the land so that it was more desirable.
Because a Jewish Holy site stood there and the muslims erected a mosque there to deny the Jews their Holy place. The muslims have done this in every country that they have invaded. They either destroy or build a mosque over any other religeon's Holy places.
So, the only thing holy about that mosque is that it denies the site to Jews.
If I don't share your religion, none of your sites are Holy to me. The most I can do is agree that they're obviously Holy to you.
(Download from <http://www.cmep.com/temple2.htm>
The photos which can be downloaded from the above website were taken in 1875 by the family Bonfils of Lebanon. It seems amply clear that for centuries the Dome of the Rock and the Al-Aksa Mosque were left unattended, without the flood of Muslim worshipers who would have come IF this was indeed the third holiest site in all Islam. The buildings show decay and lack of repair. The weeds and grass grew up between the stone flooring, proving that few Muslim feet trod the Temple Mount. (Recall that Jews were prohibited by their rabbis from walking across the surface of the Jewish Temple Mount since, without intent, they might tread on the place where the Holy of Holies stood with the Ark of the Covenant.)
The Temple Mount was held by the Muslim Turks for several hundred years. Nothing was done to repair the walls or the roof tiles on the Dome of the Rock and the El-Aksa Mosque. There are no records of high Muslim clerics or kings paying homage to Jerusalem by visiting El-Aksa or the Dome of the Rock nor is there evidence of caretakers or clerics to greet or preach to Muslims coming to worship during those hundreds of years. Granted the Temple Mount was a magnet for conquerors seeking its power but, once in hand did not give up her secrets. Only the Jews seemed to want to stay and bask in its spiritual glow.
It wasn't until the Jews recaptured the Temple when they reunified Jerusalem in the 1967 Six Days War that the Arabs paid any attention to the area. King Hussein of Jordan previously held the area for 19 years and did nothing to reclaim it. His only interest was to destroy the 58 Jewish synagogues, desecrate the ancient Mt. of Olives Jewish cemetery and drive the Jews out of what is now called East Jerusalem by the Arabs. King Hussein (along with the Arab nations who lost the wars they started to wipe out the Jewish State) vented his fury by destroying everything Jewish.
The Muslims claim that either the Temple Mount or Jerusalem is holy to Islam is false based upon irrefutable historical evidence. Arafat, however, has found it quite easy to tell the Big Lie since he received such positive support from the Nations and the Media. Strangely, he also received support from the Catholic Church who were willing to cut off the branch upon which their own religion rested. If, as Arafat claims, there was no Jewish Temple, then J...s, the Jew, could never have thrown out the money changers from the Temple, not studied there or even existed.
Regrettably, he has also received support from Leftist Jews who despise their heritage and have no honor for their national memory. Their willingness to give up what constitutes the foundation and core of Judaism did not bring them the affection and acceptance they sought but rather they have earned undisguised contempt from the Arab world who do honor their religion.
While their Koranic teachings (fervently passed on to their children) mandate them to despise the infidel (Jews and Christians), nevertheless they have a certain respect for People of the Book (the Torah). However, Jews who give up their religion, land, water and Holy sites are viewed as beneath contempt deserving conquest and serving Muslims as ‘Dhimmis' (low people). Provoking the uneducated Muslim masses with myths and religious fantasies is not a new method to be used in a war. The political or religious demagogue can stir up their followers into a frenzy of riots, wars, suicide bombings, road ambush with automatic weapons - simply by proclamation - as Arafat is doing now.
As for Arafat's twisting of Koranic law and customs by claiming what Mohammed had rejected, that is, Jerusalem is holy to Islam, Arafat would likely be condemned by a ‘Fatwa' in Mohammed's time. In our time, his leaders will discard any agreements he may have made with the Jews as inconsistent with Koranic law and declare the agreements null and void. Arafat's likely replacements have already stated this loud and clear.
The claiming of Jewish Holy Sites, like Joseph's Tomb, has been a successful gambit by Arafat. His efforts are consistent with the goals of many nations to remove the thought and presence of the Jews from the Land of Israel. Separating the Jews from our historical touchstones of religious sites (especially, the Tombs of the Patriarchs, Rachel and Joseph) and the memory of our glorious past is intended to weaken our resolve to stay. Sadly, this has been assisted by the Jewish Left in the mistaken assumption that a Jewish nation unattached to an old religion would be more acceptable to Islam and even to the Christian Nations of Europe and America.
Many observant Jews and Christians who believe in the destiny of the Jewish Nation as ordained by G-d to be a light unto the nations, feel that we will experience G-d's wrath for challenging His Laws. The Arab Nations' challenge to western civilization, with their accumulation of catastrophic weapons of mass destruction, including NBC (Nuclear, Biological and Chemical) missiles, then the Biblical prophecies of the War of Gog and Magog could soon prove true. (Read: Ezekiel: Chapters 36-39)
I have drawn the above facts from various scholarly sources, including Dr. Manfred Lehman, z'l, a scholar and writer for the ALGEMEINER JOURNAL and Encyclopedia Judaica. The photos (which can be downloaded from the Internet) were called to my attention by Dr. Murray Kahl, a dedicated research scholar whose clear reporting makes it difficult for the Media to take too many liberties in their efforts to distort and spin the news.
It must be understood that the history of Jerusalem and the Temple Mount fills hundreds of volumes which cannot be offered in this brief review. However, it is all there if you wish to look for it.
Where the Church of the Ascension once stood marking the location of Christ's ascent into heaven, there is now a mosque - a pitiful, miserable mosque but a mosque nonetheless. This was never a Jewish holy site, so the Israelis left the Muslims in control of this mosque. The site is visited by all sorts of Christians from around the world and nary a Muslim enters the gate unless they are trying to sell Christians post cards or Holy Land kitsch.
Muslim control of the Temple Mount has taken on new meaning in the conflict with the Jewish state. But Muslim control of the Temple Mount was really about denying Christians access to the site after the Muslims recaptured Jerusalem. The Rock and the Al-Aksa mosque were churches and command centers for the Crusaders -- because of a bloody slaughter of Muslims by Christian forces on the Temple Mount, the Muslims vowed that Christians would never worship or control that site again. For us these events took place centuries ago. For Muslims all of this happened last Monday.
How does the article reconcile the Balfour Declaration with the referenced myth from the article?
What Palestine do you think came to Lord Rothschild's mind as he read Arthur James Balfour's letter? What Palestine do you think the letter was referring to when it spoke of communities in Palestine or is it just a matter of what the definition of “in” is?
Foreign Office
November 2nd, 1917
Dear Lord Rothschild,
I have much pleasure in conveying to you, on behalf of His Majesty's Government, the following declaration of sympathy with Jewish Zionist aspirations which has been submitted to, and approved by, the Cabinet.
"His Majesty's Government view with favour the establishment in Palestine of a national home for the Jewish people, and will use their best endeavours to facilitate the achievement of this object, it being clearly understood that nothing shall be done which may prejudice the civil and religious rights of existing non-Jewish communities in Palestine, or the rights and political status enjoyed by Jews in any other country."
I should be grateful if you would bring this declaration to the knowledge of the Zionist Federation.
Yours sincerely,
Arthur James Balfour
Was Deir Yasin among the aspirations of the Jewish Zionist?
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