How are Christians Living in the Palestinian Territories Treated?

What about the fate of Christians living under the rule of the Palestinian Authority?

At a 2009 Vineyard National Leadership Conference in Galveston, Texas, Palestinian Christian Sami Awad, founder of the Holy Land Trust told his evangelical audience the Christian population in the Palestinian territories is shrinking. 

In the area governed by the PA, 27,000 Christians live among 3 million Muslims. Mitchell Bard in his book Myths and Facts: A Guide to the Arab-Israeli Conflict, agrees with Sami Awad that the "proportion of Christians in the Palestinian territories has dropped from 15 percent of the Arab population in 1950 to less than 1 percent today."

Sami Awad, in his Vineyard speech did not qualify why the Palestinian Christian population is dwindling.  He leaves his hearers with the implication the Israeli soldiers bear the brunt of the blame.

Sami seems to forget that when Muslim authorities have control in whatever Arab country they reside, Christians do not always fair well. So tell me, Sami, how is it the Christian population in Israel proper is growing if the "Israelis are to blame for the shrinking Palestinian Christian population?" 

The Christian population declined 29 percent in the West Bank and 20 percent in the Gaza Strip from 1997. Does it have anything to do with the fact Christians are generally unwelcome in Arab countries dominated by Muslims.  Even today Islamic extremists are burning Coptic churches in Egypt as a sign of their disgust towards Christianity.

A 2004 NY Times article reported how Palestinian Christians were leaving Bethlehem and other historically Christian towns in the West Bank. Unsurprisingly, the article pinned the blame for the Christian exodus on the Israelis:

Four years of violence, an economic free fall and the Israeli separation barrier have all contributed to the hardships facing Palestinian Christians in Bethlehem, one of the largest concentrations of Christians in the region.

The Times piece failed to give the real reason for the Christian migration - official and unofficial Muslim discrimination against Arab Christians, amid a rising tide of Islamism in the Palestinian territories. Sure, it's possible the economic problems in the West Bank and the Israeli security wall  have contributed to Christians leaving the Palestinian territories. Yet it must be noted the Christian population is dwindling in the rest of the  Islamic world as well.

Like Sami Awad the NY Times article did not mention the Christian population within Israel's borders is growing. In the period 1995 – 2003 Israel’s Arab Christian population grew from 101,400 to 115,700, a growth rate of 14.1 percent.  Today there are 145,000 followers of Christ living in Israel!

Sticking out like a sore thumb Palestinian Christians like Sami Awad do not want to treat is the fact Palestinian Christians are the victims of Islamic violence in the PA.  A 2002 Boston Globe article underscored the fact Christians in the Palestinian territories are not safe:

... details were emerging of a rampage of Palestinian Muslims against Christian shops and churches in Ramallah after a road-rage slaying last Thursday. 

... police made no attempt to stop the mob, which besieged and damaged a widely respected youth center associated with the Boy Scouts of America after torching the Christian properties. Palestinian police and security agencies finally stepped in when the rioters moved on local churches. 

... "The truth is this is a problem between Christians and Muslims," said one Christian businessman. "There is no security for us. Everyone is taking the law in his own hands. 

... "This [accused] man's brother, they burned his house, his shops, his cars, and the police of Ramallah stood by and watched. This is the democracy of Palestine?" .. "The chief of security at Kalandia was in charge of this rampage," said a Muslim shopkeeper. "The mayor of Ramallah came, saw what was happening, and withdrew. I am a Muslim, but I condemn this. These are savage people." 

"We do not have democracy; we do not have security," he said. "The fault is with our leaders and our society. We need to clean up our society."

Additional information on how Palestiniann Christians are treated in Palestinian controlled areas is found in a report compiled by the Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs written by David Raab entitled The Beleaguered Christians of Palestine Controlled Areas.

Sami Awad must be asleep when he points his finger at Israelis for causing the migration of Palestinian Christians from the territories. Awad has a lot of explaining to do when he trashes the Israeli military for treating his people so poorly when Palestinian Muslim vigilantes are taking the law into their own hands and heaping havoc on the Christians.  Sami would rather make the IDF the culprit for their problems since they are an easier target.  Do you blame him?

Knowing this information, we see how bad Palestinian Christians look when they attempt to pin all the blame for their problems on the Israelis. They are even willing to buy into the thinking that says the Palestinians are victims of the Jewish state "much like Jesus Himself."
 Even PLO leader Yasser Arafat tried to do a makeover on the historical Jesus to transform Him into the first radical Palestinian armed freedom fighter or fedayeen.

Today Bethlehem Bible College is calling their 2012 conference Christ at the Checkpoint: Hope in the Midst of Conflict. The name of the conference Christ at the Checkpoint depicts the Jewish Jesus as a Palestinian under scrutiny at an Israeli IDF checkpoint.  How absurd! Jesus was never scrutinized by military authorities in his day for carrying weapons or having a bomb strapped to His back. What a slap in the face to Christianity and the biblical significance of Christ.

Don't forget the official religion of the PA is Islam.  The PA has not stopped Islamic clerics giving speeches in mosques in the Palestinian territory in which they brand Christians (and Jews) as infidels. What comfort does a Palestinian Christian have listening to the violent military Islamic rhetoric and actions of Hamas, Islamic Jihad and Hizbolleh?

I doubt if Sami Awad would go around to pastors conferences in the U.S. complaining about the Muslim's treatment of Palestinian Christians for fear of retaliation.  Mum is the word for Sami when it comes to the harassment Palestinian Christians experience from the Isalmic thugs who plunder the property of Christians under the watchful eye of the PA (Maariv, 12/24/01). 

Sami failed to tell his gullible Christian audience that when the Palestinian War started in 2000 Palestinian Muslims attacked Palestinian Christians in Gaza. Many Muslims at that time viewed the Palestinian Christians as a fifth column for Israel.  Christians are not treated so great in Palestine - a fact Sami Awad does not want to speak of lest he stir American Christian animosity towards Muslims.  

Why didn't Awad speak of the anti-Christian graffiti found in Bethlehem claiming, "First the Saturday people (the Jews) then the Sunday people (Christians)." Christian cemeteries have been defaced, monasteries have had their phone lines cut and break-ins at convents have occurred in the PA territories. Palestinians Christians live under pressure from Islamic extremists to swear loyalty to the PA and to support the attacks against Israel.  

Awad preaches to the Vineyard crowd that as a Christian he is to "love his enemies", the Israeli soldiers.  He never actually tells how he shows love to Israeli soldiers patrolling in the Palestinian territories.  In light of the injustices shown by Muslims towards Christians, Sami and the non-violent evangelicals need to show the love to the radicals in his own Islamic backyard of three million Palestinian Muslims. 

Perhaps the reason why Sami Awad does not speak out against mistreatment committed by Islamic activists against Christians is that he does not possess the freedom to do so? Sami and his Palestinian Christian brothers do not enjoy the freedom enjoyed by Christians who live in Israel and therein lies the great contradiction fostered by those like Lynne Hybels, Dr. Gary Burge, Colin Chapman, Don Wagner and so many other evangelicals who foster theological hostility towards Israel.  

How are Christians Living in the Palestinian Territories Treated?

Is Israel At Fault for the Shrinking Palestinian Christian Population?

At the 2009 National Vineyard Leadership Conference in Galveston, Texas, Rich Nathan, Senior Pastor of  the Vineyard Church of Columbus in Ohio, gave a talk on Learning to Love Your Enemies in the Middle East.

Nathan, a Jewish follower of Jesus, has made a dramatic change in his life by rejecting his Zionist prophetic interpretation of the Bible in "pursuit of Jesus' kingdom ministry." What this means is that Nathan has embraced a theology that is hostile towards Israel in the name of advancing the kingdom of God.

During his seminar Rich invited Palestinian Christian Sami Awad, who is working with Palestinians and Israelis to bring healing to the Middle East conflict. Awad, raised under the violence connected to the disputed Palestinian territories, is now leading a movement that encourages Palestinians Christians to  love the Israelis soldiers in order to bring about reconciliation.

During the course of Nathan's interview, Sami strongly blamed the diminishing population of Palestinian Christians due to the Israeli presence ever since 1848. Awad shared that the biggest loss he has experienced while living under "Israeli occupation,"  is a hope for the future. His options are now limited due to the presence of the Israelis. The only option in occupation, says Awad, is to leave. Therefor, since the Palestinian Christians are living in a state controlled by Israelis, they have no other choices other than to leave the country. The Palestinian Christians are victims of the situation.

Is Awad telling the entire truth when he speaks to American evangelicals, the majority of whom have little knowledge of the history of the Israeli/Palestinians conflict?

Let me try to iron out some of the wrinkles in Awad's thinking and anti-Israel propaganda he's spoon- feeding to evangelicals.

Prior to 1948 before the War of Independence, the percentage of Palestinian Christians living in the Palestinian territories was 30% but now the percentage is less than 1.5%. Today 1.2 percent of the population in the Palestinian territories is Christian.

Nathan claims this diminishing of Palestinian Christians is due to Israeli policies mostly supported by the United States especially Christians. Nathan wrongly claimed, "We as Americans supporting Israel displaced an entire population of Christians."

I'm not trying to ignore the shrinking population of Christians in the territories, but Awad uses this fact as a means to make Israel appear intolerant of Christians. This is so typical of writers, speakers and others who have an anti-Israel stance. They are quick to point out Israel's alleged faults, but fail to mention the fact Christians are extremely unwelcome in Islamic countries such as Saudi Arabia. The practice of Christianity in Saudi Arabia is illegal!

Yes, Christians are a minority in Israel, but it is the only Middle Eastern country where the Christian population has grown in last 60 years!

In 1948 there were 34,000 Christians in Israel and now there are 145,000 followers of Christ in the Holy Land.  Could it be because Christians find more freedom to practice their faith in the Jewish state than in any other Islamic state?

If Sami Awad wants to bash Israel for the shrinking Christian population in the disputed Palestinian territories, then he should also acknowledge and applaud the growing population of Christian believers in the Israeli state. This is my biggest problem with Palestinian Christians. It's not what they state about Israel; it's what they leave out in their attempts to demonize Israel.

This week at church  I was handed a prayer list of  suggested prayers Christians should pray for Muslims during their Ramadan fast.  One of the prayers stated, "Pray that Muslims as well as Christians will show due respect for the 'holy places' of other religions." I thought it was an odd prayer since it assumed Christians and Jews are not showing respect for Muslim places of worship in the Middle East. Recent history tells us that Israelis and Christians have shown the most respect towards one another's sacred sites.

In the holy city of Jerusalem Christians churches have maintained custody of the Christian holy places ever since the Ottoman Empire. These rights known as the "status quo arrangement for the Christian holy places in Jerusalem" still remain in tact today.

If my memory of history serves me well, it was the Palestinian terrorists during the Palestinian War 2000-2005 that took over Christian holy places as locations to launch their armed attacks against Israeli soldiers. One example took place when Palestinians fighters hijacked the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem causing a tense standoff.  These radical Islamics staged their attack on Israeli soldiers from one of the holiest locations for traditional Christians. Where was the outcry from evangelicals and mainline denominations back then?

Also, let it not be forgotten that it was during Jordan's control of the Old City from 1948 to 1967 that Christian rights were violated.  Israeli Christians were barred from visiting their holy places by the Jordanians. Jewish worshippers were also prevented from visiting the sacred Western Wall, the only remaining section of the Herod's temple in Jerusalem.

When the Israelis defeated the Jordanians and released their grip on Jerusalem's holy sites, both Christians and Jews had access to their respected places of worship. During the 1948-1967 period the Christian population declined from 25,000 to 12,646. Since 1967 the Christian population has grown exponentially thanks to the Israeli forces. I wonder why?

Critics of Israel will point to the security fence has hurt Christians living in East Jerusalem.  At the same time these critics fail to mention that the fence was constructed in order to protect Christians. When Palestinian terrorists attack, their bombs show no discrimination between Christians and Israelis. The security fence was never meant to be a tool to persecute Christians but to save their lives.

Sami Awad and supporters of the Holy Land Trust have a long way to go to prove Israel is responsible for the shrinking population of Palestinian Christians.  Tomorrow's blog asks, "How are Christian Living in the Palestinian Territories Treated?"

Is Israel At Fault for the Shrinking Palestinian Christian Population?

Florida's Mr. Nice Guy Islamic Terrorist

Izhar Khan,  iman of a Margate, Florida's mosque was arrested recently on charges of funneling money to Pakistan's Taliban.  Southern Florida's Sun Sentinel  reported before the spiritual leader could begin his Friday 6 a.m. worship service, he was arrested by federal agents and city police.

Officials report Khan was part of a larger conspiracy linked to the Pakistani terrorist group. According to the indictment against Kahn, "it was the purpose and object of the conspiracy to advance the jihad of the Pakistani Taliban against the Pakistani government and its perceived allies, including the United States, in order to displace the lawful government of Pakistan and to establish Sharia."

Kahn's mosque was stunned at the arrest of their iman.  However, the most stunning aspect of the charge against Khan was the description of their spiritual leader.

Worshipper Navin Singh, 34 stated "He's not a bad person at all, he's very good, very respectful. He's into his religion and sports and that's it." Such shocking words to describe a man who covertly sent funds to the terrorist Taliban organization.

The Taliban are known to not only have killed Pakistani supporters of their government but also conspired to kill American troops sent to Pakistan to overthrow the Taliban.  Consequently, Mr. Nice Guy was sending funds to Pakistan that were used to kill members of the U.S. military.  "He's not a bad person at all."  In my book Khan is a murderous Islamic monster; not a nice guy who is just into his religion and sports.

Another congregant described Khan as a "typical 76-year-old grandfather just preaching and teaching good values, just  'do's and don'ts' and we did not have any inclination that he had any kind of political motivations."

How do you describe a person who has been accused of supporting terrorism as a "typical grandfather" just preaching good morals? Have these people lost their minds, knowing their leader may be responsible for funding the deaths of hundreds or thousands of Muslims and Americans?  Is Islam that blinding that its adherents can no longer recognize evil?

What blind devotion to a supporter of terrorism. The members of the Masjid Jamaat Al-Mumineen mosque should be hanging their heads in shame.

Thank God the Council on American-Islamic Relations suspended Izhar Khan as leader of the mosque.  CAIR announced "The Muslim community rejects and condemns terrorism . . . and any support of terrorism."

The odd part of the Sun Sentinel article, written by Linda Trischitta and Paula McMahon, is that the two journalists devoted three columns quoting congregants who had nothing but positive words to say about their arrested leader.  "He's a man of spirituality and humble, peace loving." "Whenever I came here [the mosque], he prayed and was peaceful."  The article was slanted in the direction of making Khan out to be an everyday Joe-Iman.

Kahn was not a nice guy at all. In a private conversation included in the indictment against him, the iman was described, "[Hafiz] Kahn, upon hearing that mujahedeen in Afghanistan had killed seven American soldiers, declared his wish that God bring death to 50,000 more."

Florida's Mr. Nice Guy Islamic Terrorist

Is Barak Obama a Muslim . . . or Not?

Is he or isn't he? Why is it so hard to determine the religious affiliation of a potential President of the U.S.?

In an interview with Jewish reporters on Monday January 21, 2008 Sen. Obama addressed the rumors aimed at his religious commitments. Obama was strong to attack a "constant and virulent smear campaign via the Internet that I know has been particularly targeted at the Jewish community . . . it states that I am a Muslim, that I was sworn into my Senate office with my hand on a Koran, that I don't pledge allegiance."

Obama normally does not respond to such "falsehoods" but these reports appear to have gotten traction in the right wing sector of the Jewish community.

Obama clarified his relationship to Islam on an ABC Sunday morning news show (March 2, 2008): "I have never practiced Islam. I was raised by my secular mother. I have been a member of the Christian religion and have been an active Christian. I was sworn in with my hand on my family Bible, and have been pledging allegiance since I was three years old." I have no reason to not take him at his word. I complain that he's a "fog of a man." Here's is trying to clear up the murkiness, so I'll give him the benefit of the doubt.

But the emails and attacks against Obama continue. Last week a photo of Obama wearing Kenyan tribal raiments appeared on the Internet. The photo was taken during Obama's visit in 2006 to the country where his father was born. The photo implied, "Look, here's proof Obama is a Muslim." How childish!

In response to the photo Obama said last week to Jewish leaders in Cleveland, "If anyone is still puzzled about the facts, in fact I have never been a Muslim."

Where are the photos of Barak being sworn in with his hand on the Koran? I want some solid proof other than rumors via emails and blogs.

Where are photos of Barak worshipping in a mosque on his face prostrate to Allah? If he's a Muslim, he had to pray 5 times a day. Some journalistic photographer has got to catch this "Muslim" on his knees and snap a photo of this "closet Muslim" in action ? No?

Obama says he's a Christian. Though I have serious issues with Obama's liberal black nationalist Pastor Jeremiah Wright, I think Barak is telling the truth. However, I am not convinced he's an evangelical Christian.
Listen to Obama's words from a 2004 Chicago Sun Times article in which Cathleen Falsani interviewed the Senator: "So, I have a deep faith. I'm rooted in the Christian tradition. I believe that there are many paths to the same place, and that is a belief that there is a higher power, a belief that we are connected as a people." Obama is more of a universalist than a true New Testament Christian. Obama is a "sort-of" and "barely" a Christian but he's not a Muslim.


What about the fact he lived in Indonesia for four years? "In an Associated Press article from 2/26/98, Obama explains again, "My grandfather, who was Kenyan, converted to Christianity, then converted to Islam. My father never practiced; he was basically agnostic. So, other than my name and the fact I lived in a populous Muslim country [Indonesia] for four years when I was a child, I have very little connection to the Islamic religion." I'll take him at his word. However, to say there's no Islamic influence on Obama from having lived in an Islamic country is naive. I lived in Vietnam for one year and came back to the States spouting off Buddhism. I'm a Christian today but I was touched by living among a Buddhist people-the south Vietnamese,

Some people accuse Obama of turning his back on the flag when the Pledge of Allegiance is stated. How in the world could a man run for U.S. President, attend dozens of political rallies where the Pledge is said, and have gotten away for this long spurning the U.S. flag and the pledge? How about another rumor? Barak Obama is really a reincarnation of Harry Houdini? I'm not even sure David Copperfield could pull off a stunt like that.

Finally, Obama is said to have attended a Muslim madrassa school as a child in Jakarta. After being born in Hawaii, he moved to Indonesia at the age of six to live with his mother and stepfather. From investigations it has been learned by the AP that the school he attended for six years before returning to Hawaii is a "public and secular institution and has been open to students of all faiths since before Obama attended in the late 1960s." The principal of the school admitted most students in the school are Muslim, but there are Christians as well.

The evidence that Barak Obama is a Muslim is weak, based on circumstantial evidence. I am more concerned with Obama's concession last week to begrudgingly denounce the endorsement of Louis Farrakhan. Barak only conceded after Hillary Clinton pressed the candidate. Does Obama know the seriousness of any connection with Minister Farrakhan, an avowed anti-Semite and a Caucasian hater?

Let's put the focus on the familiarity of Obama's pastor Jeremiah Wright with Black Muslim leader Louis Farrakhan. Why would Obama continue to attend a church spearheaded by the pastor of Chicago's Trinity United Church of Christ who feels the "Christian" conviction to give an award from the "Trumpet Newsmagazine, a Trinity church publication, to Louis Farrakhan for his "greatness."

If my pastor awarded a person who hated Jews and blacks, I would say my piece to that pastor and I'd be out the door. I'd never sit comfortably is a Christian church that embraces a hater of Jews and whites.

The Rev. Jerome Wright will be an albatross around the neck of Barak Obama. If Obama wins the presidency, do we want Wright giving the inaugural prayer . . . a man of the "Christian" cloth who awards a racist black Muslim? Shame on us all if we tolerate such Christian hypocrisy!

Is Barak Obama a Muslim . . . or Not?