Posted on 12/29/2010 10:28:37 AM PST by abu afak
One of the staples of television news over the Christmas holiday is coverage of celebrations in the Holy Land, providing a familiar and comforting nod to the ancient roots of Western civilization.
Even in our increasingly secular society, images of Christians worshipping in Nazareth and Bethlehem provide welcome confirmation that we have a long and substantial history - even if we're fuzzy on the details. It all looks so traditional and Christmassy.
Unfortunately this comforting image depends to a large extent on a dwindling number of embattled Christian communities. We are, in fact, witnessing the twilight of Christianity across much of the Middle East.
Not so long ago Bethlehem was a majority Christian town - about 80 per cent - and now is down to less than a third. Nazareth, too, has seen its Christian population almost halved in recent decades, and in Jerusalem itself the Christian community has fallen from a slight majority 80 years ago to below two per cent today.
Christians are leaving the West Bank, in particular, to escape the instability and a long-standing Muslim boycott of Christian businesses that has ravaged the community's economic foundations.
Thankfully this modern-day exodus is mostly peaceful, which puts it in marked contrast to much of the history of Christian depopulation in the Middle East.
This is history the West has largely forgotten and ignored. Your average European or North American will certainly be more familiar with the story of the Palestinians and the much-publicized grievances of the Arab world in general.
Yet we're not talking ancient history here. [........] http://www.calgaryherald.com/life/Dwindling+persecuted+Christians+Holy+Land+most+Unreported+story/4030136/story.html
KaPINNNGGG!
One of two things will happen.
Either the Christians will all leave the moslem countries and we will then nuke those countries. In which case the moslems will all go to hell.
or
The Christians will leave the moslems countries and Jesus will return for us, in which case the moslems all go to hell.
Either way it doesn’t look good for the moslems in the long run.
Option C: The middle-east will become a vigorous source of Christian progress, after Islam is discredited.
Words seem insufficient to describe the condign contempt due the prophecy pimps, the Christians who claim the ability to peek into the future -- and see nothing there but disaster. None of the so=called "prophecy experts" predicted the sudden collapse of the Soviet Union. In the aftermath of that gracious act of God, those wickedly ungrateful lunatics and evildoers desperately scurried around, seeking other antichrist candidates to suck up to, cower before, grovel before, demean the gospel before. This hideous ingratitude may incline our God to demolish America's state religion, secular humanism, before He turns to Islam. I pray not -- I live here! -- but our family is covering its bases, by undermining secular humanism (we home school) and reaching out to Muslim students.
It’s unreported because the media likes what’s happening.
"Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature." -- Mark 16:15
So how is islam going to be discredited in the eyes of the moslems? It just won't happen. Without a personal visit from God (and while many moslems do get Damascus road experiences the number is still way to small to eradicate the culture over there) a moslem will never change. The brainwashing is just too severe, especially while living in a moslem country.
It really will take the death of every last moslem to cleanse the earth of this plague.
Words seem insufficient to describe the condign contempt due the prophecy pimps, the Christians who claim the ability to peek into the future -- and see nothing there but disaster.
How can you equate Jesus coming back to disaster? The return of teh Lord would be the absolute best thing to ever happen (at least for those of us who are already saved) None of the so=called "prophecy experts" predicted the sudden collapse of the Soviet Union.
Neal Lipken, a teahcer in Indianapolis talked about this in one of his classes. He is unfortunately not broadcast anywhere as he teaches end time bible prophecy as a hobby (He's an orthodontist by trade). Russia will attack Israel. The only question is when.
In the aftermath of that gracious act of God, those wickedly ungrateful lunatics and evildoers desperately scurried around, seeking other antichrist candidates to suck up to, cower before, grovel before, demean the gospel before.
Odd, I don't reacll anyone doing any of those actions, but the again maybe we watch different TV.
This hideous ingratitude may incline our God to demolish America's state religion, secular humanism, before He turns to Islam.
He will. Either we will be conquered by islam or become something worse. We (the US) is not mentioned in end time prophecy except as "they who dwell carelessly in the isles (coastlands)". BUt we do take part in the war against israel along with the rest of the world. The Christians will already be out of here when that happens however.
I pray not -- I live here! -- but our family is covering its bases, by undermining secular humanism (we home school) and reaching out to Muslim students.
Always a wise thing to do, regardless of the outcome.
Beautiful. We are too, but probably like yourself, are not limiting our outreach to Muslims.
RJR fan is a fan of Rushdoony the looney, known for his Post-Millennialism doctrine. Postmill believes Christian influence is going to improve society more and more until such a point we will have a thousand years of Christian theocratic rule over this world, a veritable utopia. A Christian one world government if you please.
And all of this MINUS the second coming Christ. Christ comes AFTER this thousand years of Christian one world government according to the Rushdoony cult. The New Testament, of course, says just the opposite, the world will NOT get better and better but worse and worse before Christ comes.
Perhaps now you see why fan of RJR is always trashing “prophecy pimps.” The post-mills with their polyanna utopia consider those of us who see the Bible quite differently, that things are going to get worse and worse in this world (Premillennialist), are their worst enemies. They are on these threads deceiving everybody they can with their silly view.
Ah, I so wish I could post YouTube.
Here is a message from the Palestinian Minister of Uncontrollable Rage upset about the declining numbers of Christians in Bethlehem:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9uK3jAzSv9c
(It’s from LatmaTV, the Israel equivalent of SNL.)
The religion that practices prejudice and religious bigotry as its policy everywhere demands religious freedom for itself wherever it goes. Two faced hypocrites!
>>One of two things will happen.<<
Actually if you read Ezek 38-39 you will see what will happen. Russia, Iran, Turkey and other Muslim countries will attack Israel. The Muslim countries don’t stand a chance.
>>The health of Christianity in Israel is a matter of supreme indifference to so-called Christian “prophecy teachers.”<<
RJR-You are totally wrong on that one. Read Ezek 38-39 and you will see what happens to those who attack Israel. We know they are safe. Our faith is greater then yours evidently.
Ditto on that.
>>They are on these threads deceiving everybody they can with their silly view.<<
Actually if you analyze it the RJR Dominionists are pretty much the same as the Muslims in that they believe they need to dominate the world in order for Paradise to come.
Not so long ago Bethlehem was a majority Christian town -- about 80 per cent -- and now is down to less than a third. Nazareth, too, has seen its Christian population almost halved in recent decades, and in Jerusalem itself the Christian community has fallen from a slight majority 80 years ago to below two per cent today.Thanks abu afak.
Understood and agreed. I was just cutting right to the end.
Thank you. That will save me much time.
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