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| Israel-Palestine-Jordan | |
| Catholic School, Convent Desecrated in Gaza | |
| 2007-06-18 | |
| A school and convent belonging to the Gaza Strip's tiny Roman Catholic community were ransacked and looted during clashes around a major security headquarters, the head of the community said Monday. Crosses were broken, a statue of Jesus was damaged, and prayer books were burnt at the Rosary Sisters School and nearby convent, said Father Manuel Musallem, head of Gaza's Latin church. SOP c. 650 AD The damage took place on Thursday, but wasn't reported until days later because of the chaos that has prevailed since Hamas militants wrested power in Gaza, Musallem said. The religious compound is located near a key security headquarters Hamas captured Thursday on the final day of its Gaza takeover. Gunmen used the roof of the school during the fighting, and the convent was "desecrated," Musallem said. "Nothing happens by mistake these days," he said.
Haniyeh condemned the attack on the religious compound and President Mahmoud Abbas of the rival Fatah movement said in statement late Sunday that the "barbaric" attack was the act of Hamas' militia. "There may be some in Hamas who wanted to cause strife between Muslims and Christians," Musallem said. That is a bravely-spoken understatement. Not a jot of Seattle-like gobbledygook sentiment to be found in Gaza today. Hamas lawmaker Salah Bardawil denied that Hamas had a hand in the vandalism. "The Christians are our brothers in Gaza and everywhere, and we will protect their holy places and school, as we do our Islamic schools," he said. "But there are some dirty elements who work to harm Hamas' image ... and relations, but this will not happen."(AP) Yessir. Just belly up to the bar, grab the nearest glass of Ol' Grandad's Taqqiyah, an' down the hatch. | |
| Posted by:mrp |
| #12 It will defeat death, and the cults of death. While I laud your optimism, a vigorously militant response at all levels—be they spiritual or strategic—will be needed to overcome Islam's aggression. I also think that before the church begins sending |
| Posted by: Zenster 2007-06-18 20:29 |
| #11 Zenster, the Roman Catholic Church has been dealing with militant Islam for almost 1500 years. In that time hundreds of thousands of Christians have been martyred, tortured, and enslaved by the self-proclaimed slaves of Allah. Benedict is only the most recent Pontiff to confront this menace, and yet for all its suffering the Church not only endures, but thrives. Christianity is outpacing Islam in Africa, and probably in Asia. The virulence of the Islamic reaction to modernity and Western philosophies, I believe, is an admission of its own feebleness and the strength of the Church's message of Christ's love for all mankind. And that love embraces Muslims, too. As a Christian, I believe that the Church will survive, because Love is the greatest power on earth. It will defeat death, and the cults of death. |
| Posted by: mrp 2007-06-18 19:56 |
| #10 I'll grant that Benedict has shown some real spine where all of his predecessors most definitely did not. I've already made my admiration for the man quite clear. However, as leader of the most powerful church on this planet, he owes it to his flock to call Islam on its crapulence whenever and wherever it happens. He must not just be a shepherd but the domini canis, his flock's watchdog. If Benedict flinches at wielding his potent influence, how can anyone expect those in lesser stations to do half as much? Only by assiduously taking Islam to task for its endless atrocitiies will public opinion finally be molded around a core of adamant opposition to Muslim predation. Other religions have the most to lose with respect to Islamic domination. It's time they began acting like it. Any sort of flaccid response gets you what's happening in Thailand. |
| Posted by: Zenster 2007-06-18 19:30 |
| #9 Well, what about it. Are you going to stand up for your flock or not? Afraid some Islamo-nut is going to pop a cap in your estremità ? Just my personal opinion, but I think Pope Benedict XVI is the bravest, holiest man on the face of the earth. |
| Posted by: mrp 2007-06-18 17:57 |
| #8 Yo! Paging Pope Benedict to the white courtesy phone. This is your cue to highlight Islam's abject refusal to engage in reciprocity, follow its own doctrine or allow for any religious freedom. You remember, don't you, how you were railing about the "lack of religious freedom in some countries"? Well, what about it. Are you going to stand up for your flock or not? Afraid some Islamo-nut is going to pop a cap in your estremità ? |
| Posted by: Zenster 2007-06-18 16:57 |
| #7 If I was muslim this would be a good excuse to seethe, whine and possibly go shoot a nun in the back. |
| Posted by: Excalibur 2007-06-18 15:12 |
| #6 Crosses were broken, a statue of Jesus was damaged, and prayer books were burnt at the Rosary Sisters School and nearby convent... The outrage in the muslim community in the U.S. and in the MSM will begin in 10, 9, 8 ......Nevermind. Good thing I didn't hold my breath. I'd start turning blue. |
| Posted by: JohnQC 2007-06-18 13:05 |
| #5 "The Christians are our brothers in Gaza and everywhere, and we will protect their holy places and school, as we do our Islamic schools,"... Provided the infidel make their weekly jizya payments in a timely fashion AND if we feel in the mood to give protection to the so-called koranic people of the book. |
| Posted by: Mark Z 2007-06-18 12:47 |
| #4 "But there are some dirty elements who work to harm Hamas' image ... and relations, but this will not happen." Oh...well...those "dirty elements". I guess ya can't control them. |
| Posted by: tu3031 2007-06-18 11:36 |
| #3 If somebody will pick up my ticket, I'll fly over there and blame the USA and Israel. Nevermind, you don't have to pay for my ticket. |
| Posted by: dhimmi carter 2007-06-18 11:29 |
| #2 It's those darn Lutherans again. |
| Posted by: Chuck Simmins 2007-06-18 11:14 |
| #1 The Christians need to leave. Gaza is going the way of the dodo. |
| Posted by: DarthVader 2007-06-18 11:08 |