[ April 27, 2024 ]
Christmas used to be the season of joy, hope, and renewal, but all that is so pre-October 7. The new Christmas spirit is one of lies, rage, and hate. In that new spirit of the woke twenty-first century victimhood Christmas, the Evangelical Lutheran Christmas Church in Bethlehem has set out a figure of the baby Jesus not in the traditional cradle in a manger, but surrounded by rubble meant to indicate buildings destroyed by the Israelis. Because nothing says Christmas more beautifully than hating Jews, right?
According to a Religion Unplugged report, the Rev. Dr. Munther Ishaq, pastor of the Evangelical Lutheran Christmas Church, explained: “This is what Christmas looks like in Palestine.” The report adds that “his crèche featuring building debris was a gesture of solidarity with Gaza’s beleaguered civilians caught between Hamas gunmen and Israeli Defense Forces.”
The Religion Unplugged report by Gil Zohar makes no mention of the fact that Gaza’s citizens are “beleaguered” because of Hamas’ massacre of 1,200 Israeli civilians on Oct. 7. Instead, it presents the plight of Bethlehem’s Christians as entirely the fault of the terrible Israelis. Ishaq, whom Zohar further identifies as a “Palestinian theologian,” laments: “Christmas celebrations are canceled this year — for it’s impossible to celebrate Christmas while our people in Gaza are going through a genocide. Usually, it’s Jesus in the manger surrounded by the shepherds, surrounded by the Holy Family Joseph and Mary and the magi who came from the east.”
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There is no indication that Zohar challenged Ishaq for his fantastically libelous claim that Israel is carrying out a “genocide” in Gaza. The source for the generally accepted casualty figures in Gaza is the Gaza Ministry of Health, which is controlled by Hamas. To take their figures at face value would be akin to trusting the word of Josef Goebbels’ Propaganda Ministry for information about the conduct of World War II. Hamas has a vested interest in exaggerating the number of civilian casualties in Gaza, because it knows how effectively civilian casualties turn international opinion against Israel.
In service of that goal, Hamas has lied repeatedly. On Oct. 19, for example, the total casualty number increased by 307, from 3,478 to 3,785. Yet at the same time, the total number of children killed went from 853 to 1,524, an increase of 671. Nor was that the only time such a thing happened. On Oct. 26, the total number of casualties increased by 481, while the number of children casualties went up by 626. Clearly, the Hamas Ministry of Health in Gaza is not too concerned that people will study these numbers closely; the idea is simply to shock and appall people with Israel’s alleged inhumanity, and that is working well enough.
Munther Ishaq is not in Gaza at all, as Bethlehem is in Judea and Samaria, now known as the West Bank. But he nevertheless wanted to claim some coveted victim status for himself and his congregation. “Here we wanted to say,” he explained about his crèche, “that it is as if they are looking for Jesus in the midst of the rubble. We wanted to send a message to the world – a message that while the whole world is celebrating Christmas in festive ways, here in Bethlehem, the birthplace of Jesus where Christmas originated from, this is what Christmas looks like to us.” Zohar tells us that this craven cleric “preached against the IDF offensive from his pulpit at the Evangelical Lutheran Christmas Church in Bethlehem and at the Evangelical Lutheran Church in the adjoining town of Beit Sahour,” but doesn’t say anything about his preaching against the Oct. 7 jihad murders.
Zohar adds that “the sermon followed the IDF’s strike on Gaza City’s oldest active church, the historic St. Porphyrius Greek Orthodox Church. The bombing killed 18 people, injured others and displaced about 400 civilians who were taking shelter in the church complex.” He gives no hint, however, of what even the Washington Post, never a friend of Israel, reported: “The Israel Defense Forces said in an emailed statement that a strike targeting a Hamas control center ‘damaged the wall of a church in the area’ and that it was ‘aware of reports on casualties’ and was reviewing the incident. They declined to provide further information and reiterated, ‘It is important to clarify that the Church was not the target of the strike.’”
Undaunted by facts, secure in the knowledge that his distortions would go unchallenged, Ishaq also said: “Christmas is the solidarity of God with those who are oppressed, with those who are suffering, and if Jesus is to be born again, this time this year he will be born in Gaza under the rubble in solidarity with the people of Gaza.” He doesn’t explain how he reconciles Jesus’ own recorded words with the oft-repeated genocidal statements of Hamas leaders, or the Gazans’ enthusiastic support for Hamas. In the world that Ishaq and Zohar inhabit, the facts don’t matter, only the narrative does. And the hatred for Jews and Israel that narrative is designed to elicit.
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40 Comments
4 months ago
As a Christian, I am appalled at the fact Jesus would be used in a political manner. Most especially to assign Him to be a Palestinian! Lol……there was no such thing as “Palestinian” at the time of Christ! Haha….ignorance is bliss, right? No, ignorance is dangerous when it comes to Islamic ideology, polemics.
4 months ago
Reply to
Makc2020
Invasion by stealth. Shariah law introduced in place for Muslim protection but really to infiltrate government law. Muruna.
D
4 months ago
Reply to
Makc2020
What we know as Palestinians was originally known as Philistines until the Romans came to Israel.
4 months ago
Reply to
Tesla_rules
The Philistines were conquered by the Assyrians and and hauled off-> never to be seen again in the Lavant region in 800BC…!
Last edited 4 months ago by mtman2
4 months ago
Reply to
Tesla_rules
The Filistines died out 500 years before Christ was born – 3000 years before Islam even existed. They have zero connection to the Egyptians and Saudis of today pretending to be Palestinians. Nor was there a country called Filistine…
D
4 months ago
Reply to
UES
If the Phillistines were ended by the Assyrians and as you suggest that was 500 years BC (before Christ). If you add 3000 years to that 500, if my calculations are correct. That would put us in the year 2500 AD. Islam came to be in and about 632 AD. Just over six hundred years after the Birth of Christ. But there was no country named Palestine.
4 months ago
Reply to
Tesla_rules
Actually, the name Palestine was used by the Greeks as their name for Israel/Judea. The Greek translation is Land of the Wrestler. They knew the story of Jacob and with their fondness for the sport were quick to apply it to the Jewish nation. For reference see Edward Jacobson’s published research (Oxford University)
4 months ago
Reply to
Martin1818
Addition.
See :
When Palestine meant Israel, David Jacobson, Biblical Archaelogy Review (27:3), May/ June, 2001
4 months ago
He let his Arab identity trump his Christianity. Hardly surprising. Don’t let this a’hole spoil your opinion of us other Christians- we are rooting for Israel and the IDF to clear out the nest of vipers
Last edited 4 months ago by Sir Peter
D
4 months ago
Reply to
Tesla_rules
I don’t see how that could ever be possible. The philosophy of the two faiths are utterly repugnant to each other!
4 months ago
Where do they think Jesus originated? He was a Jew preaching to Jews in a Jewish land under Roman rule.
There were no Paleostinians then.
D
4 months ago
Reply to
Eric Arthur Blair
Earlier this year an American told me Jesus was not a Jew. My friend clearly has failed to read the Scriptures.
Yeshua, Jesus, is and was a Jew from the Tribe of Judah. Those that fail to read the Bible and embrace it will be very sad when He returns. Consider His words in Mat5:17-20, Mat7:15-20, 21-23, 24
4 months ago
Reply to
Tesla_rules
There’s a lot of that going around today…it’s a heretical sect called replacement Theology or Full Peterists…I debate them a lot especially in Gab social media.
D
4 months ago
Well, it is clear that there is still another church that does not read the Scriptures. Look at Gen12:2, 3
“And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing: And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.”
In 6,000 years of recorded history simply look at those nations that rejected God’s Word and compare the results where HIS Principles were embraced. How many Ukrainians died due to იოსებ სტალინი, Иосиф Сталин – Joseph Stalin? His daughter Svetlana said he on his death bed was cursing God.
As a teen I had been taught Karl Marx was an atheist,but the late Richard Wurmbrand revealed that he was a God hater. He was probably a member of a satanic cult.
In America, too few Americans know what a FBI agent called Goals of the Communists, which explains what is happening there.
4 months ago
Reply to
Tesla_rules
1963 read into the Congressional Record;
45 Commie goals for America Leo Skousen
4 months ago
Another wolf in shepherd’s clothing……..
4 months ago
There is no Christmas in Palestine, you fk*nn jerk MUNTHER (Munster??) Anyone trying to remove our deep Christmas feelings is mistaken, there or in a dingbat march blocking traffic on Christmas Day .. you all hate us, and our love of God and Relgion .. We do not hate you .. we respect your Gods -but will be asked to destroy you… as in the past. MAGA.. MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL MY FIRNDS AND BROTHERS .. Black, Jews, Eskinos, American Indians ecc … ecc … the list goes on .. but I cannot put Obama, Biden, Pelosi, and many others on it …..
4 months ago
Seems to me Hamas terrorist’s did worse then the monster Herod did in “Slaughter of the Innocents” in his attempt to kill Baby Jesus…!
What did the Muslim sounding so called “pastor” say about that…?
4 months ago
Who slaughters Christians around the world? Muslims. Did he never create an exhibit for that?
4 months ago
I wonder if Hamas realizes that they are evil.
4 months ago
Rev Dr Munther Ishaq is a fake Christian… It’s just another muslim Palestinian they have groomed to play Christian to bring the Christians on the side of the Palestinian filth while the muslims are constantly intimidating and persecuting Christians not only in Palestine but across the Arab world. Let’s not underestimate to what length these satanic animals will go to play their propaganda.
4 months ago
He is so well schooled in his doctrines that he has no time left to understand reality. Book smart and street ignorant.
4 months ago
These creatures are no more than heathens themselves !
4 months ago
The people of that church are misguided and I agree they hate Israel with what they did. The Catholic faith never dishonors Jesus like that. He was a Jew and he lived in Nazareth and walked all over the countryside bringing a message of mercy and healing. He claimed to be the Messiah, the long awaited annointed one. I happen to believe him at his word and pray for Israel and her safety, prosperity and peace everyday. God bless you for all you do for our country and showing the truth however ugly it can be sometimes.
4 months ago
What happened to my comment here…I’ve stood up for Israel and Jews and as a musician I’ve played hundreds of gigs for Jewish events, yet my comments are being removed here…
4 months ago
Christians who study and rightly divide the Word understand that Christ, after he takes the Christians away on the Day of the Lord, will return as the King of Israel. We benefit from the period of Grace, but the Jews remain God’s chosen people.
4 months ago
My understanding of Islam is they don’t celebrate Christmas .
4 months ago
Islam = The great taqyyah, masters of deceit, masters of truth inversion.
4 months ago
What of the ” beleaguered ” citizens in Israel on 10/7? Of the hostages held by hamas – of the women and girls brutally raped and murdered – What about those Beleaguered citizens?
