Persecution of Christians in Israel

[Angela53510]

Here is an interesting article about how Palestinian Christians suffer under Israeli rule. I knew a woman who was a Palestinian Christian and lived in Bethlehem. She talked about all the restrictions, the checkpoints and the prejudice against Palestinians of any sort. Her mother was even a Jew, but her father being Palestinian was all the Israelis cared about.

Remember, these Christians who are being persecuted by Jews in Israel are our brothers and sisters!


"Archbishop Sebastia Theodosios (Atallah Hanna), 49, is the only Orthodox Christian archbishop from Palestine stationed in Jerusalem and the Holy Land, while all other bishops of the Patriarchate of Jerusalem are Greeks. The Israeli authorities had detained him several times, or stopped him at the border, and taken away his passport. Among all Jerusalem clergymen he is the only one who has no privilege of passing through the VIP gate in the airport – because of his nationality. “For the Israeli authorities, I am not a bishop, but rather a Palestinian,” explains his Beatitude. When talking on the phone he says a lot of words you would normally hear from a Muslim: “Alhamdulillah, Insha’Allah, Masha’Allah”. He speaks Arabic, and the Arabic for ‘god’ is Allah, whether you are a Christian or a Muslim."

http://rt.com/op-edge/227871-palestinian-orthodox-christian-bishop/#.VR2H62csIqR.facebook

Interesting about the Arabic for God. I had never thought of it that way!

 

[Viligant_Warrior]

Israel imposes restrictions on Palestinians because of the danger the vast majority of Palestinians pose to Israel. Palestinian Christians are not likely to attack Israel, but that doesn't negate the possibility of someone using their community as a cover for terrorist activity. Therefore, the restrictions are wise.

As for how Palestinians are treated, there is prejudice everywhere. All people have prejudice, and express it to varying degrees of boorishness. However, Palestinians in Israel are allowed to vote, hold jobs, even be self-governing. Jews in Palestine are killed.

Seems to be a huge disparity in the level of expressed prejudice between the two societies, hm?

I'll get excited about Israeli treatment of the population within Israel's borders when the Israelis start launching rocket attacks into those communities for no reason whatsoever, as Hamas does to Israel under the cover of the Palestinian territories in Gaza.

 

[Agricola]

Here is an interesting article about how Palestinian Christians suffer under Israeli rule. I knew a woman who was a Palestinian Christian and lived in Bethlehem. She talked about all the restrictions, the checkpoints and the prejudice against Palestinians of any sort. Her mother was even a Jew, but her father being Palestinian was all the Israelis cared about.

Did she talk about how the Muslims were ethnically cleansing Bethlehem and just about everywhere else and how they force Christians to convert and kill them just for being Christians? The real hardships for Palestinian Christians are from their Islamic neighbours and the people who rule over Gaza, not Israel.

 

[G4JC]

Orthodox Christians/Palestinian Christians = Mostly catholics, with some Chrislam in the mix.
Not to say some of these people cannot be saved, but many are the same one's who booed Ted Cruz off the stage saying they will not stand with Israel. Furthermore, Israel isn't in the business of mercilessly killing Palestinians, unless in self-defense. The same cannot be said of many muslim Palestinians currently waging "jihad"/holy-war against Israel with terror attacks.

One could then go into discussion about the disparity of Roman Catholicism vs. Christianity, but that has been covered in other topics.

I would be skeptical of the rising anti-Semitic movement quickly increasing across the globe.

 

[Angela53510]

Actually, Palestinian Christians are a mix of Orthodox, Catholic and a few evangelicals mixed in. And the point is that they are our brothers and sisters. We have no right to judge if they are saved, if they love Jesus, they are saved. My grandparents were Orthodox, and they loved Jesus with all their hearts. My grandmother's prayers are what saved me, along with her fervent witness that one had to believe in Jesus to be saved.

It pains me when people minimize the sufferings of Christians in Israel, because of favoritism for the Jews, who are not Christians and may never be! Dispensationalism aside, of course!

 

[PennEd]

I have not personally been to Israel, but I have spoken to countless Christians who have, and to a person they rave about how well they are treated by the Israelis. The purpose of this thread seems to be to trash Jews. If I were a Jew in Israel I would mistrust EVERY single Palestinian. I agree we should pray for our Christian brothers and sisters ALL over the world, but in comparison to having your head cut off (all over the middle east) or being shot in the back of the head as you pray (Kenya yesterday) Palestinian Christians living in Israel are doing pretty well.

 

[Angela53510]

I posted an article that outlines the facts of how Palestinian Christians are discriminated against and systematically persecuted, BECAUSE they are Palestinian. Their Christian faith means nothing to the Jews. I also talked about a person I actually knew who experienced this persecution, who was a Christian, and half Palestinian.

Very sad that Christian in the west will believe an atheistic Jew over genuine Christians. Israel is a SECULAR state. It has abuses that western Christians, if this thread is any indication, are completely willing to ignore, because of faulty theology and dispensationalism.

I also have quite a few Jewish friends, including one whose family was killed in Hitler's concentration camps. I am very sympathetic to the Jews, and what has happened to them. I also know that during and after the war, neither Canada nor the US would accept Jewish refugees. The only place they had to go was Palestine, which did not want them. However, that does not blind me to the plight of the Palestinian Christians, who are my brothers and sisters.

I do not appreciate being told I am trashing Jews, when in fact, I am trying to educate people that there are two sides to this story, and most people have absolutely no idea that there are many Palestinian Christians, who also have no place to go. Israel, (formerly Palestine) has been their home continuously since the time of Christ.

People need to understand that God is still at work spreading the gospel in Israel, but some of these people are being purposely discriminated against, on the basis of their ethnicity. That is just wrong!

When you support a secular state over persecuted Christians, you have walked away from God, and into the territory of the myths and lies of bad teachers like Scofield, Darby and Hal Lindsay and Tim LaHaye. Blind support of any country or government on the basis of faulty interpretations of Scripture is just wrong. Even if this Israel is promised in Scripture, it does not mean they have the authority to take away the rights of Christians.

A solution for the middle east, especially Israel is extremely complicated. Maybe impossible. But we do have to stay aware of what is happening to our brothers and sisters in Israel, instead of rationalizing it is ok, on the basis of what ISIS has done in Syria and Iraq. Because Palestinian Christians are NOT ISIS radicals nor even Syrians or Iraqis and certainly NOT Muslims. They are people who need our help and our support. Because they serve Jesus Christ, just as we do!

 

[kennethcadwell]

Actually, Palestinian Christians are a mix of Orthodox, Catholic and a few evangelicals mixed in. And the point is that they are our brothers and sisters. We have no right to judge if they are saved, if they love Jesus, they are saved. My grandparents were Orthodox, and they loved Jesus with all their hearts. My grandmother's prayers are what saved me, along with her fervent witness that one had to believe in Jesus to be saved.

It pains me when people minimize the sufferings of Christians in Israel, because of favoritism for the Jews, who are not Christians and may never be! Dispensationalism aside, of course!

I think your thing here is the Palestinian side of things and not the Christian, for I know and have seen Christians that go over there all the time and they are not persecuted. The only time they say Jews even get on them is when they try and preach Jesus near the temple mount. They are free to preach and teach everywhere else, and even some Jews come and listen to them.
I do believe Christians are being persecuted but we should be careful and not turn this into a Jews verses Christians thread because we are all God's children.

 

[maxwel]

Angela,

I'm sure this stuff goes on.

However, I've also known some Palestinian Christians who've told me they DON'T have any problems, because they live/work in "Christian areas" that are not frequented by Hamas.

That doesn't make everything alright. I'm just saying there seems to be quite a variety of strangeness over there.

 

[Jeff_56]

it is good that 'christians' and other non-jews are learning the truth as yahweh permits, by grace in yahshua.

not many are saved, but some are, and more daily from among the Jews, a testimony of yahweh's mercy, grace, truth, and salvation purpose in yahshua hamashiach.

not many are svaed, but some are, and more daily from among the gentiles, a testimony of yahweh's mercy, grace, truth, and salvation purpose in yahshua hamashiach.

remember less than , well, only a few, anywhere, are saved according to GOD'S WORD.

perhaps 7000 have not bowed their knee to baal,
perhaps 144000 serve yahweh faithfully, as it is written, but only a few percent of billions of souls.... ....

 

[Viligant_Warrior]

I posted an article that outlines the facts of how Palestinian Christians are discriminated against and systematically persecuted, BECAUSE they are Palestinian.

Yes you have, and it is valuable information.

Our point -- most who've posted, at any rate -- is that the plight of Palestinian Christians pales in comparison to the treatment of Jews and Christians alike by Hamas, Hezbollah, ISIS, al-Qaeda, and other terrorist groups. Palestinian Christians in Israel face what could best be described as minor civil rights violation.

Christians and Jews are murdered daily by terrorists in Palestine and throughout the Mideast. You are asking us to do the equivalent of carrying a glass water to a thirsty man in the middle of a deluge. It doesn't make sense to whine about minor violations in the face of slaughter.

 

[skipp]

Yes you have, and it is valuable information.

Our point -- most who've posted, at any rate -- is that the plight of Palestinian Christians pales in comparison to the treatment of Jews and Christians alike by Hamas, Hezbollah, ISIS, al-Qaeda, and other terrorist groups. Palestinian Christians in Israel face what could best be described as minor civil rights violation.

Christians and Jews are murdered daily by terrorists in Palestine and throughout the Mideast. You are asking us to do the equivalent of carrying a glass water to a thirsty man in the middle of a deluge. It doesn't make sense to whine about minor violations in the face of slaughter.

Would you be okay with minor civil rights violations in the US due to your Christianity? Should we stop complaining about Christian bakers and gay weddings then since there is far worse persecution going on in the world?

 

[p_rehbein]

Yes you have, and it is valuable information.

Our point -- most who've posted, at any rate -- is that the plight of Palestinian Christians pales in comparison to the treatment of Jews and Christians alike by Hamas, Hezbollah, ISIS, al-Qaeda, and other terrorist groups. Palestinian Christians in Israel face what could best be described as minor civil rights violation.

Christians and Jews are murdered daily by terrorists in Palestine and throughout the Mideast. You are asking us to do the equivalent of carrying a glass water to a thirsty man in the middle of a deluge. It doesn't make sense to whine about minor violations in the face of slaughter.

Given the number of times the plight of Christians being persecuted by Muslims and others is discussed here, is it not OK to have just one thread to speak about this issue?

Seriously..............Our Church has a Missionary in Israel. I will not say where, or the name of this person, or if they are male or female, or alone, or part of a group. I know for a fact that they face persecution from Ultra conservative Jews every day of their lives. They live in constant fear of the Israeli Government arresting and deporting them because of the commotion these radical Jews stir up around them. They have been stoned, had their homes sprayed with horrible words, and many other things. Now, is this the norm? Our Missionary says not........but it is very real and very dangerous to publically announce the Christian faith.

So, just one thread where it can be discussed doesn't seem too much to ask.........goodness

 

[Agricola]

The Palestinians are treated identically regardless of religion or colour or anything else. If you are a Palestinian you have to just learn to live with what the rulers of the PA Authority get up to, which basically means turn a blind eye and even encourage and help state sponsored terrorists continue the conflict against Israel.

IF Hamas and everyone else genuinely gave up all weapons, stopped murdering and blowing up Israelis and there was genuine peace then there would be no need to bring up "civil rights" and highlight how badly Palestinians are treated.

Israel is treating all palestinians the same, with distrust and caution. I ask again, what about the ethnic cleansing of Bethleham which has been carried out by the Muslims? Gaza is run under Shari law which is utterly nasty towards non-muslims.


A large number of Christians in Gaza are just Christians by birth and are easily converted, indeed whole churches are sometimes converted to Islam. The genuine deliverers are no better off than living in any other Islamic country, Muslims who have accepted Jesus and are born again believers have to keep their faith secret for fear of death, this is the real threat not a few restrictions put in place by Israel to protect its people.

 

[p_rehbein]

and what about the persecution of Christians IN Israel? That is my point............We ALL understand and detest what Muslims do to Christians and even other Muslims.............point is, that isn't what the OP is addressing

 

[crossnote]

This is very long but very good. I just don't buy..or drink.. the Palestinian Kool-Aid...sorry.

[video=youtube;XLKoNoSbnMc]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XLKoNoSbnMc[/video]

 

[crossnote]

Actually, Palestinian Christians are a mix of Orthodox, Catholic and a few evangelicals mixed in. And the point is that they are our brothers and sisters. We have no right to judge if they are saved, if they love Jesus, they are saved. My grandparents were Orthodox, and they loved Jesus with all their hearts. My grandmother's prayers are what saved me, along with her fervent witness that one had to believe in Jesus to be saved.

It pains me when people minimize the sufferings of Christians in Israel, because of favoritism for the Jews, who are not Christians and may never be! Dispensationalism aside, of course!

Why is Israel being singled out? How free are Christians in Saudi Arabia? How many Churches are allowed to be built there? N.Korea?
Israel is a tiny speck of land compared to all the land mass occupied by the Arabs. Let the Arabs take the Palestinians and give them a small parcel of their huge amount of land...I doubt the Palestinian Christians will fare any where as well in a place like Saudi Arabia as they do in Israel.

 

[p_rehbein]

Brother Cross.............This ONE thread is simply discussing the persecution of Christians in Israel. They are not being singled out for a SPECIFIC purpose, other than to show that there are Jews in Israel who DO persecute Christians.

I don't know why several folks on this thread can not understand that there are UNTOLD numbers of threads concerning the persecution of Christians by other Nations/religions. So what is the BIG DEAL about one single thread to discuss the very real events taking place in Israel?

Hey, next we can start a thread about how Christians are persecuted here in the US..............oh, no, wait...........there are already numerous threads about that.............

 

[Stephen63]

Here is an interesting article about how Palestinian Christians suffer under Israeli rule. I knew a woman who was a Palestinian Christian and lived in Bethlehem. She talked about all the restrictions, the checkpoints and the prejudice against Palestinians of any sort. Her mother was even a Jew, but her father being Palestinian was all the Israelis cared about.

Remember, these Christians who are being persecuted by Jews in Israel are our brothers and sisters!


"Archbishop Sebastia Theodosios (Atallah Hanna), 49, is the only Orthodox Christian archbishop from Palestine stationed in Jerusalem and the Holy Land, while all other bishops of the Patriarchate of Jerusalem are Greeks. The Israeli authorities had detained him several times, or stopped him at the border, and taken away his passport. Among all Jerusalem clergymen he is the only one who has no privilege of passing through the VIP gate in the airport – because of his nationality. “For the Israeli authorities, I am not a bishop, but rather a Palestinian,” explains his Beatitude. When talking on the phone he says a lot of words you would normally hear from a Muslim: “Alhamdulillah, Insha’Allah, Masha’Allah”. He speaks Arabic, and the Arabic for ‘god’ is Allah, whether you are a Christian or a Muslim."

http://rt.com/op-edge/227871-palestinian-orthodox-christian-bishop/#.VR2H62csIqR.facebook

Interesting about the Arabic for God. I had never thought of it that way!

But..... if you're a former muslim & became a christian, you'd know the difference & NEVER use allah, because you cut all allegiance to the muslim faith. Makes one think.......

 

[Viligant_Warrior]

Would you be okay with minor civil rights violations in the US due to your Christianity?

The question is along the same lines as "When did you stop beating your wife"? It totally misses the point. No, I'm not OK with minor civil rights violations, but alongside the slaughter of Christians and Jews, they are insignificant. Let's put out the four-alarm blaze first. We can worry about the campfire in the forest later.

Should we stop complaining about Christian bakers and gay weddings then since there is far worse persecution going on in the world?

Totally off topic question, but to answer it:

I'm not complaining about Christian bakers denying service to cater a gay wedding. Neither should any Christian. It is a fundamental right that the liberals supported wholeheartedly in 1993. Now they abandon the very language the approved of then so as to manufacture outrage aimed at conservatives and Christians, simply because we are conservatives and Christians.

Now, if the baker refuses service to all LGBT customers simply because they are LGBT, that's not right. But being required to provide a service that goes against your faith -- i.e., endorsing a gay marriage by providing a cake and other services for it -- is protected by the Freedom of Religion Restoration Act of 1993, passed nearly unanimously and signed by Bill Clinton into law. The state-level religious freedom laws simply extend what the federal government says is legal to the state level, which isn't covered by the federal law.