This is why Christian unity is such a joke to anyone who looks on and sees Christians from the outside. But I suppose if you’re going to have a Holy punch-off, you might as well do it in the Holiest shrine in all of Christianity and duke it out by using the holy relics as weapons. These folks trust each other so little, that the keys to the Holy Church have to be left with Muslim families!
November 11, 2008 at 7:18 pm |
This is why Christian unity is such a necessity. The pettiness and triviality between various Christian groups (my own included) is a shocking scandal and should be an embarrassment for all Christians. God’s work isn’t being furthered by anyone when crap like this happens.
November 11, 2008 at 7:25 pm |
Oh, and I’ve been in that Church. Kneeling and praying where Our Lord’s body was laid was one of those truly profound religious experiences for me. I can’t even imagine how a fight could break out in such a holy place.
Part of the problem in that place (and all the holy sites in Israel) is that you have various religious groups all owning or claiming ownership to a piece of the site. Under the same roof you can have a Catholic altar, an Armenian altar, and a Greek altar. Even though theologically they are very, very similar, they cling to their differences enough to stay divided, even on hallowed ground. It’s ridiculous.
November 12, 2008 at 1:58 am |
(*sigh*)
And you can see, just from the commentary, what a great witness it is.
It’s all just further proof that the only raw material with which God can build His church, is sinners (and God, I know I’m one). . .
November 17, 2008 at 3:26 am |
Here’s the thing: these two factions represent two of the oldest and most orthodox of all Christianity. You would think they would know better. But these two fought not long ago at the Church of the Nativity and had to rounded up by Palestinian police! They fight over turf like the gangstas!
Is the dirt those buildings and relics sit on that valuable? I think God allows it to stand just to demonstrate how foolish we really are. Plus it gives the Israeli Jews and Muslim Palestinians something to laugh at together.