Do Muslims inspire fear in the Christians of Nazereth?

Question

Islamic groups held a large militant march down the main streets of Nazareth this weekend, highlighting for some there the plight of Christians in this ancient city, where Muslims have become a majority, and members of the dwindling Christian population say they suffer regular intimidation.

Nazareth, considered one of the holiest cities for Christians, is described in the New Testament as the childhood home of Jesus. It contains multiple important shrines and churches, including the famous Church of the Basilica of the Annunciation, the site at which many Christians believe the Virgin Mary was visited by the Archangel Gabriel and told that she had been selected as the mother of Jesus.

The Islamic Movement, the main Muslim political party in Nazareth, said it organized yesterday's march to celebrate Eid el-Adha, or the Feast of the Sacrifice, which commemorates the Muslim belief Abraham was willing to sacrifice his son Ishmael for Allah.

Makavelli would like you to believe that there is no problem between Muslims and Christians in Nazereth. Nazereth, it will be recalled, as a major city in Israel.

"The march is meant to intimidate Christians," said Saleem, a Nazareth Christian resident who asked that his last name be withheld for fear of what he said was "Muslim retaliation" for speaking out.

"It's part of the methods used by the Muslims in very obvious ways to create an atmosphere where the Christians should know the Muslims are the main power and we are not welcome anymore," Saleem said.

Jim W is a real swwety pie. He makes a few true statements and tries to sneak in a whopper. But he did not succeed this time!

There is no arrest and torture of Israeli Arabs. That is a libel.

And just for the record, Nazareth is a city and not a town.

Jim, check your facts before you make yourself look silly.

Answer 1

How can a smart civilise Christian could ever be intimidate by a Muslim barbarian...

There would be few Christians in this part of the world and they would have a right to be concern for their safety as they are out numbered. I would not want to live there.

Answer 2

Evidently from their quotes, they do feel fear. It's tough being a minority. I don't doubt the Christian Arabs get it from both the Israelis and the other Arabs.

And yeah, there are Muslim groups that try to intimidate Christian groups, and other Muslim groups. And Christian groups that do the same, though less succesfully as they're a giant minority. That's on the Palestinian side though.

But none of that should have anything to do with Nazereth because Nazereth is on the Israeli side of the green line. Those people are ISraeli Arabs. If they're being intimidated, the ISraeli Police should be notified, or it might be they don't care about even their own Arab citizens.

I think they're probably a bit jumpy and interpret any large gathering as intimidating, and the Israeli police realize and go on with their day when they get called..

You are incorrect though about the status of Nazereth. Nazereth is a town. It's not a major city.

And the guy above me is correct. Christian Arabs are still Arabs, and they would view Israel as the big enemy. That's even true for Israeli Arabs. Strange how arrest and torture without trial can turn people against each other.

EDIT: Brother, I'm not sure you realize, but the Israeli police have the power to detain anyone in the country indefinitely. They only need to tell a judge why your being held, and you don't get a chance to defend yourself when they do. There are no habeas corpus laws here, so after that, you might not see trial. And yes, torture is legal. Not burning, but handcuffing someone to a bar so that they can neither sit down, stand up fully, or lean against anything is legal, and unpleasent.

Also, what is your definition of a city?

As to the accuracy of my information, where do you live? I live by Har HaZeitim.

Answer 3

What do you think the Christians of Nazareth look like? What Language do you think they speak? Guess what food they like to eat for dinner? I'm thinking Arabic.

The muslims and Christians of the region share the same language and culture. they are the same in all respects exept in the way they choose to believe in Allah (oh, for those of you who don't know Allah means God, not Mohammad or some magical Camel God. If you go to an ancient Church in Nazareth thats the word they use for the big guy, ALLAH)

If you were to ask the average Christian in Palesitne who his most feared enemy was he would tell you ISRAEL. The Israelis do not treat the Christians any better than the Muslims (they are all gentiles anyway right?) The ISRAELIS are the ones with tanks and guns and Military checkpoints and neighborhood curfews and stifleling taxes that kill trade. The ISRAELIS have killed FAR more Christians than any Muslim has.

Don't forget what is going on over there. Don't play Muslims and Christians against each other when Israelis are killing them both. Remember Muslims love and believe in Jesus too. It is the Jews who called him a Bastard and humiliated him and his mother. They broght him to the Romans and THE JEWS wanted him DEAD.

Answer 4

I can not speak for the Christians of Nazareth, but I spent some time in a village near Bethlehem, and the Palestinian Christian Arabs were cautious of the Palestinian Muslim Arabs, but not afraid of them like they were of the Jewish Israelis, Jewish Immigrants from Eastern Europe, and the Evangelical Americans who were funding the settlement of the hill tops around their villages.

The Arab Christians are Coptic, Armenian Orthodox, Assyrian Orthodox, Greek Orthodox and Greek Catholic in Faith. They speak Arabic, and view them self as Palestinian, and living under occupation, by the invading Israelis. They are worried about Sh'ia Arabs, as traditionally they had had only Sunni neighbours, But the keys to the holiest shrine in Christendom have always been held by Muslims, those to the door of the church of the Holy Scelputure.

Why should they worry, when as Arabs, they see themselves as descendants of the same son of Abraham as the Muslims Arabs do.

Answer 5

Christians have been the 1st to grant computerized get admission to into heaven and forgiveness of all sins for killing. Islam observed the worthiness of this and further virgins. wager you're choose you have been Islamic now do no longer you.

Answer 6

After the pathetic end of Saddam, one would have expected that the endless bragging of Muslims would abate at least for some time. But it does not seem to be so. Leave the Christians alone I say.

Answer 7

What are you - a Christian fundamentalist! What makes you believe that the march was "militant"?

A friendly advice - drop your prejudice and there'll be peace on this world.

Answer 8

Nope, but last time I checked, we did not have that many Muslins in our city. We have enough nuts here with out them.

Answer 9

We put our faith in God and don't worry about it carry we at the end times.