Yes, you see, WND made it all up: not only the present difficulties, but 1,400 years of oppression, jizya and dhimmitude.
From WND, with thanks to Twostellas:
JERUSALEM – An article published Sunday by WorldNetDaily quoting Bethlehem residents as saying local Muslim persecution prompted tens of thousands of Christians to flee the city is "all lies" and the "kind of American reporting [that] is the real reason for any rift between Muslims and Christians," a major Palestinian newspaper stated yesterday, claiming inter-religious relations in Bethlehem "have never been better.""There is no problem between Christians and Muslims in Bethlehem, but any problem that may exist is because of this kind of article in the American media," stated a piece in the Al Manar Palestinian daily.
The Palestinian paper went on to quote several sections of WND's article, "Muslim grinches steal Bethlehem Christmas," calling the report "all lies. This is an effort to separate Christians and Muslims in Bethlehem."
WND reported many Christians in Bethlehem say they face constant Muslim hostility, prompting the Christian population to decline from 90 percent of the city to the current demographic of less than 25 percent. The drastic decline started in 1995, the year the Palestinian Authority took control of Bethlehem.
What a coincidence! But since they can't blame that one on Israel, WND will do for now. Read it all.
The world's Christians should not permit a combination of Muslim Arabs and Arab islamochristians (the only kind that will be left in Bethlehem) to control Bethlehem. They should figure out ways to rescue some of the endangered Christians in Iraq, or for that matter other Muslim places (what about some from Indonesia and Pakistan) who should deliberately be settled in Bethlehem, and the Muslims moved out -- for it is absurd to claim any Muslim attachment to Bethlehem. This can only be possible if it becomes a Christian cause.
Ideally the Israelis will take back Bethlehem, which they never should have given up, but their decision to do so merely reflected the intolerable pressure put on them, not only by the Arabs and Muslims, but by countries which once formed part of what was called Western Christendom, and the leaders and peoples of which, now so thoroughly brainwashed by decades of Arab propaganda or propaganda on behalf of the "Palestinians," have failed to realize what would happen -- inevitably, not accidentally happen -- once the real "Palestinians" (i.e. the Muslims) took control, and had their way in Bethlehem.
And that is exactly what happened. And it is a much greater affront to Christianity and to Christians than they realize, and not only an affront -- a clear sign, and taken as such, of the Muslim triumph over Christians. And Christians, as Muslims call even those who no longer are observant or believers but who inhabit the lands, and have inherited the civilization that is called Christian or, more generously and more accurately (as if an adjective could help make amends), Judeo-Christian, are the most powerful enemy, and the one to be conquered after or while that little affair in "Palestine" continues.
Personally, I do not put much stock in "holy" places, relics, books or anything else of a purely material nature that is purported to hold some mystical spiritual power. I don't think the kingdom of heaven is to be found on this earth, in the outer world of the material senses.
That being said, I do think that pressure should be exerted on every level to ensure that what is left of our historical Judeo-Christian heritage is preserved. This emphasis on historicity would go a long way in exposing the Islamic fallacy of the "three Abrahamic faiths."
How can Islam claim to be an "Abrahamic faith" when Muhammad threw out the texts that form the basis of the other two real Abrahamic faiths? That would be like saying "we're going to remain the Catholic Church of Ipswich, but we're going to chuck the bible and all the canons of Catholicism."
Not so fast, there, Mohammed.
"Ipswich," Rebecca?
What does John Updike, in pre-Georgetown days, or Crane's Beach, have to do with it?
There has to be some sense of personal responsibility in order for a family, town, state or country to function.
If i dont go to work because i am tired...
I will be unemployed....
If i watch a crime being committed and dont even pick up the phone to call the police the criminals will have free reign over our block.
Personal responsibility also requires that if i am being told by someone that what i am doing is wrong...
Just the fact that I am being informed of this would demand i look into the facts...
At least a little???
But in muslim countries
The muslims come in (either by immigration or by force)
Take over the area..
Then run out all of the Christians , Jews, Infidels , anything else that moves and is non muslim...
Then
Blow up the infrastructure...
Kill the tourists...
Destroy Hospitals, schools, government offices
Threaten employers with death if they dont hire
Uneducated, untrained, unwilling workers
Then when the Economy FALLS APART...
Blame ALL the NON Muslims who they just ran out of town for ALL their problems....
I'm sorry
Muslims....
Get your head out of your ASS!!!
Why should I or my family go to Israel when
If our plane isnt shot down by a muslim with a missle and we manage to arrive at the airport
Upon arrival we may be shot by palestinians in the airport...
Going to the hotel a palestinian will shoot up the taxi...
At the Hotel it may be blown up by a suicide bomber..
On the way to the church of the nativity we will be spit on
My wife will have insults hurled at her "being called a whore" etc etc.
If we make it to manger square there is not to much to see as the palestinians burned most of the churches to the ground...
Trying to go into the church of the nativity would be nice (Except the palestinians nearly destroyed it) including using the Holy Bible as toilet paper...
Why would i even BOTHER...
Risking the lives of my family just to spend some of hard earned money to support
Islamic and Palistian terrorists..
Muslims it's your mess
You CLEAN it up...
Note: Just found on LGF this link
http://www.chiesa.espressonline.it/dettaglio.jsp?id=44202&eng=y
Apparently Hamas has just stated publicly
The general plan of Hamas also includes the imposition of a special tax, called al-jeziya, upon all of the non-Muslim residents in the Palestinian territories. This tax revives the one applied through all of Islamic history to the dhimmi, the second-class Jewish and Christian citizens.
In an interview with Karby Legget, published in the December 23-26 edition of “The Wall Street Journal,” Masalmeh, the leader of the Hamas contingent at the municipal council of Bethlehem, confirmed: “We in Hamas intend to implement this tax someday. We say it openly – we welcome everyone to Palestine but only if they agree to live under our rules.”
Now i wonder WHY bethlehem muslims are having such a hard time..
Come here but only if you pay the protection racket tax.. and Become an insalmic slave..
Sure i will be right over...
Hugh, that was yet another case of your literary knowledge being deeper than mine. I'm afraid John Updike of whatever bizarre and ignominius period, has nothing whatsoever to do with it. I just like the word Ipswich.
Unfortunately, Israel is living under the bizarre fantasy that the PA has a future and are building a wall (another exercise in futility) on the WRONG side of Bethlehem.
see: http://web.israelinsider.com/Articles/Security/7272.htm
Israel needs to recognize the indigenous Christians as a completely separate people from the Muslims and let them be governed separate from the current PA/Hamas reservation. Otherwise they must flee to survive or if they cannot flee, will be forced to adopt the conditions of dhimmitude.
God knows the PA and Hamas are armed to the teeth while Christians have no protection. It is time the Christians are armed and form their own militias.
"Better to die on your feet than live on your knees" Emilio Zapata
just as well WND did not mention any names.
The BBC website has also celebrated Christmas by blaming the Jews for the exodus of palestinian Christains under PA administraion quoting islamochristian clerics.
Once the remaining islamochristinas are used and disposed of, all that will be left is islamic cannabilism.
Hugh,
a historic sidelight on Bethlehem in the 19th century. The Muslim-Arabs on the Judea-Samaria mountain ridge revolted against Muhammad Ali of Egypt in 1834 because he wanted to enforce a military draft on them and was too nice to the dhimmis, etc. The Christians in Bethlehem refused to join the Muslims in their revolt. After suppressing the revolt, Muhammad Ali or his son, Ibrahim Pasha, asked the Bethlehem Christians what they wanted as a reward. They asked that Muslims be forbidden to live in Bethlehem and those there already be forced out.