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Newly discovered Byzantine-era cross shows Islamic intolerance

Sep 23, 2018 2:17 pm By Robert Spencer

Much is made today of the early Islamic caliphates as being marvelously tolerant of their non-Muslim populations. But this is historical myth and revisionist history. This story shows the reality — a cross being concealed for fear of offending Muslims. For much more, documented from primary source material, about what Islamic rule was really like for non-Muslims, see my book The History of Jihad From Muhammad to ISIS.

“Newly discovered Byzantine-era cross sheds light on Muslim-Christian ties,” by Tamara Zieve, Jerusalem Post, July 11, 2018 (thanks to Lookmann):

A deliberately-concealed silver cross inlaid on the obverse of a Byzantine weight was discovered at Hippos (Sussita) in northern Israel during University of Haifa excavations at the site, the university announced Wednesday.

The brass weight weighs approximately 160 grams and archaeologists consider the find to be “groundbreaking evidence of the delicate relations between the Christian residents of the city and its new Muslim rulers,” beginning in the mid-seventh century CE.

“More or less by chance, we discovered a stain covering the cross on the obverse of the weight,” said Dr. Michael Eisenberg of the Zinman Institute of Archaeology at the University of Haifa, who is the head of the Hippos-Sussita excavations. “At first we were convinced that it was just dirt, but in fact the stain was made deliberately to conceal a cross, a Christian religious symbol used by the Christian population, so that they could continue to use the weight in their contacts with the new Muslim rulers. This is the first time that we have found a weight featuring this type of concealed element.”…

A few weeks later, Iermolin contacted Eisenberg with the news that a strange dark stain on the obverse of the weight had been concealing a cross inlaid in silver; the other decorative elements on the weight were not concealed in this manner. “At first we thought this was random pollution. We intended to simply remove the dark stain and then continue the preservation process. But something smelled strange to us, so we decided to take time out,” Eisenberg recalled.

Instead of simply removing the stain, they forwarded the weight to Prof. Sariel Shalev at the University of Haifa, who is an expert in ancient metallurgy.

After preparing a chemical profile of the weight and the stain, Shalev discovered that while the weight is made of brass, the stain was made from a metallic paste containing lead and tin.

“The melting temperature of the paste was around one-third the melting temperature of the other components of the weight. Since people during this period had a strong mastery of craftsmanship, it was clear that the stain had been made deliberately. Moreover, small sections of the silver cross had been chiseled out in order to ensure that the weight of the object remained unchanged. In short, there was no chance that the stain was coincidental,” Shalev concluded.

The researchers then considered why someone went to the trouble of concealing the cross, given that numerous historical testimonies indicate that at least during the early stages of Muslim rule, the new authorities showed a tolerant attitude toward the Christian population.

At Hippos, for instance, at least seven churches have been discovered, most of which continued to operate during this period, without any signs of destruction.

Eisenberg says that while the Muslim rulers allowed the Christian residents to continue their religious worship, their tolerance had its limits.

“The cross was deliberately covered by church officials during the early Islamic period so that they could continue to use the weight, together with other weights in the official city weights set kept at the central church in Hippos, as well as in their contacts with the Muslim administration in Tiberias. This situation offers a precise illustration of the dividing line during this period of regime change between considerable religious and cultural freedom and the point when a Muslim official might be forced to hold an object displaying an overtly Christian emblem,” Eisenberg said….

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Filed Under: Islamic supremacism Tagged With: Hippos, Sussita


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Comments

  1. Frank Anderson says

    Sep 23, 2018 at 2:27 pm

    One of the most disappointing conversations I have ever had was with an honored friend and Rabbi who furiously denied muslin intolerance and utterly refused to reconsider. That was totally contrary to the teaching, “Ask every question repeatedly.” It was the start of my departure. The Exodus lesson 1-No matter how well things start they change.

    • Indiana Tom says

      Sep 23, 2018 at 5:27 pm

      The United Methodist Church is just as bad. Yes, I departed but it was not just the Muslim issue.

      • Frank Anderson says

        Sep 23, 2018 at 6:34 pm

        I continue mentioning the lessons of Exodus that the same wonderful Rabbi taught. I could not understand his fury when I tried to tell him what I had read. It turned out the accepted view of much of the community was the same as the judge when I presented a case of bankruptcy fraud, “I don’t want to hear it!”

        In the case, it took 3 short notice emergency hearings in 2 weeks to convince her of the fraud and kill the case as I wanted. But where hospitality was originally the rule of the community, the rule became disrespect and hostility. I was embarrassed at the thought of inviting Christian friends to see what they didn’t know about Judaism because I felt they would be treated with similar discourtesy as I was. I am better on my own in being with God than in that mess and confusion.

      • gravenimage says

        Sep 23, 2018 at 11:02 pm

        This is grimly true. Many dhimmis–even those who are otherwise very intelligent–just don’t *want* to hear about the savagery of Islam. This is not just ignorance, but willful ignorance, which is much more dangerous.

    • Elisha says

      Sep 23, 2018 at 7:29 pm

      Do you listen, Frank? Do you accept fulfilled BIblical prophecy in verses like Micah 5:2, Zechariah 9:9 or Isaiah 53?

      • Frank Anderson says

        Sep 23, 2018 at 7:48 pm

        Elisha, without hearing voices, I believe I have seen enough in my life that belief and hope in God is strong. I could exhaust my welcome with some of the true stories I have lived. To my satisfaction, and beyond my ability to prove to others I believe God Lives, God is Present in my life, and God Cares.

        • Dovid says

          Sep 24, 2018 at 11:40 am

          Frank,

          Shalom akhi. Not sure what this guy is saying to u about prophecies but it sounds a bit meshugas.

          Chabad might be a place to stop by if you get a bit nostalgic. You don’t have to say yechi or anything. And its ok if you are a bit snagish even.

          Much love!

        • Frank Anderson says

          Sep 24, 2018 at 7:28 pm

          Dovid, I dearly love Judaism. I treasure the time I had with my honored, unnumbered Jewish Mother by Choice and the more than 23 years I had with the local Jewish community. I have no wish to get into a fight or create a disturbance in a community that does not share enough of my views to at least tolerate the differences. I will NEVER pass up an opportunity to do good for anyone in the Jewish community any more than I would pass up an opportunity to do good for anyone else. WE are each God’s Child. WE have a choice to accept or not His Fatherhood. Even when we reject Him, He does not reject us. I am a living witness to that promise by 7 years of harsh, direct questions when I was much younger. In His Way I believe He gave me my Answer. Sincerely Peace Be With You.

      • Indiana Tom says

        Sep 23, 2018 at 9:27 pm

        Do you accept fulfilled BIblical prophecy
        Just wait until we get to Daniel and Revelation.

    • TWG says

      Sep 24, 2018 at 9:57 am

      Frank Anderson
      I share your disappointment. I’ve been forced to sever ties with all family members and life long “friends” over this nightmare.
      Do you ever ask yourself “Will they ever wake up and apologize?”
      I do. And the next question I ask myself is “Would I forgive them if they did wake up and apologize?”
      I can forgive them for what they’ve done to me, but what they’ve done, and will continue doing, to destroy our children and all future generations is abhorrent, and most unforgivable in my eyes.
      Academia is absolutely CRUSHING this nation. And they will continue to do so until there are no freedom and liberty minded individuals left to fight with. They need only wait just a few more years to reach their diabolical goals. They’re a patient bunch.

      Will you forgive those who aided and abetted this national suicide?

      • Frank Anderson says

        Sep 24, 2018 at 11:49 am

        TWG, your most honest questions and answers demand honest thought and response.

        I have been leaving unpleasant circumstances since I was 4 years old and walked home the first day I was left at a kindergarten. I can’t think of a single time in over 60 years that I have gone back. My understanding of forgiveness is when I can stop worrying about settling scores and move on. “Living WELL IS the best revenge.”

        I will continue to write about the difference between murder and suicide. Murder is an unlawful decision by another person to end YOUR life. Suicide is an arguably lawful decision of a person to end his own. People in charge do not have the authority to choose death for those they owe a FIDUCIARY duty of care. They are traitors and in breach of their long recognized and legally established duty to act in the best interest of those represented.

        We can look backward; we can look forward. Looking backward all the time can make us hit something we didn’t want to. Looking forward all the time will let something hit us. There must be some measure of both. Some decisions should wait until all facts are present instead of speculative. That is my opinion based on my experience.

        • TWG says

          Sep 24, 2018 at 3:18 pm

          Thank You, Frank.
          I’m 58 yrs old, and lived a rough life full of challenges and, what I now consider to be, “bad actors”. I learned decades ago that true forgiveness is the only way to remain free from it all, in so many ways. As “they” say “I can forgive, while not forgetting.” Lessons are learned….

          But THIS…… This is all so incredibly wide in scope and chillingly diabolical on so many levels….. There is no excuse whatsoever, other than willfully suicidal (murderous) ignorance and/or pathological lying. It can be nothing else today.

          I Pray for the ability to forgive them, but after all these years of fighting them, I fear it will be impossible for me. And that is a conversation I’ll need to face when my time has expired here.

        • Frank Anderson says

          Sep 24, 2018 at 4:12 pm

          TWG Imagine having the power and influence of an entire state against you. in 1982, the day I returned to work from my honeymoon, I was ordered to intimidate the company’s internal auditor into concealing from the board of directors and federal government the theft of approximately $200 Million in Present Value. Less than 3 weeks later there was a staff meeting in which I was threatened with murder of my entire family. They were not joking; and neither was I.

          In the following years of warfare I was on my own, with extremely little litigation experience, no money and a sullied reputation. With God’s help I lasted long enough to earn friends and learn how to fight. I still have the two things they wanted to take most: my life and my law licenses. I intend to keep both more than anything else just to infuriate the corrupt incompetent liars that destroyed my professional life and family. Will I forget-NAW!. Will I forgive-ONLY if the people who did this pay and pay dearly for their wrongs. I can move on while looking both ways. But in the meantime I never miss a chance to do something good. Those are decisions we are free to make.

  2. Indiana Tom says

    Sep 23, 2018 at 5:25 pm

    Eisenberg says that while the Muslim rulers allowed the Christian residents to continue their religious worship, their tolerance had its limits.
    Which was very, very, limited.

  3. Lydia Church says

    Sep 23, 2018 at 9:07 pm

    When they start hiding the cross, they start losing their Christian witness.
    Something we can never, ever do.

    I too have heard the tall tales of how ‘tolerant’ they were back then but it’s all fairytales.
    The truth can be found in Robert Spencer’s new book instead!!!
    But so many don’t want to know the truth.

    On the other issue, it is like, oh sure, you have religious freedom to worship any way you want, and as long as you still openly pledge allegiance to the devil… they will still let you live! How ‘nice.’

    • Sons of Liberty says

      Sep 23, 2018 at 9:35 pm

      Exactly, Lydia . I believe it was a Lutheran pastor in Sweden that had the Cross of Christ removed from her church so as NOT to offend the invading Muslim refugees . We must not offend the intolerant followers of allah .

    • ibrahim itace muhammed says

      Sep 24, 2018 at 5:16 am

      Lydia mithraist church, did you witness the time pagan doctrines of Godman and begotten son of God were imported from mithraism inspired by the satan you call Holy Spirit and mixed with what prophet Isa taught and Cross as the symbol?

  4. Indiana Tom says

    Sep 23, 2018 at 9:25 pm

    China is getting pretty bad in treatment of Christians as of late. Not just the Muslims. Red Green Axis is the unholy marriage with Satan.

    • Cicero says

      Sep 24, 2018 at 2:27 pm

      What has your statement about China treatment of Christians have to do with monitoring jihad ?

      Have you researching the activities of the Christian Evangelical churches in China? Are you not aware that Conversion is psychological violence ? Are you cognisant of the tactics of the Evangelical Christian churches which destroy families and familial relationships since the convert will attempt to convert the rest of his friends and family by criticising and denigrating their traditional spiritual customs .

      At least China is trying to protect its Chinese people and their character and is not afraid to show force when dealing with the wily cunning and deceptive operational manner of these Evangelical Christian Churches.

      Unlike our friend India whose weak attempts to control and limit Christian conversions are met with hatred and hostility of the Indian MSM as well as of her governing Indian elite

  5. Ade Fegan says

    Sep 24, 2018 at 4:57 am

    Enough of this religious intolerance Robert Spencer !

    • terry says

      Sep 24, 2018 at 2:00 pm

      Funny, but I rather think that the 90% plus intolerance of religion was perpetrated by islam practicing muslims???? Did I miss something?

    • brane pilot says

      Sep 24, 2018 at 7:29 pm

      Revealing religious intolerance practiced by a religion is not religious intolerance. It is, in fact, a struggle against religious intolerance.
      Basic logic.
      Very basic.

  6. Baucent says

    Sep 24, 2018 at 6:58 am

    A very interesting find, not the least as it shows the skill and craftmanship of the Byzantine Christians. Their muslim overlords wouldn’t have had the skills or ability to produce a metallic patch like that.

  7. gravenimage says

    Sep 24, 2018 at 10:10 pm

    Newly discovered Byzantine-era cross shows Islamic intolerance
    …………………..

    Christians have been oppressed and murdered by Muslims for centuries.

    God, I hate Islam.

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