Sunday, August 3, 2008

Dwindling numbers of Arab Christians

From time to time nice people blame Israel for the dwindling number of Christian Arabs in Israel and the PA. This is spite of the fact that the number of Christian Arabs all over the Mideast has been sinking dramatically for generations and is now close to zero in most countries. Apparently, Christian Arabs have an easier time getting out and into Europe, or North or South America, and they're taking advantage of it. Anyway, here's an article about the single large Christian Arab community that seemed, at least until recently, still mostly to be hanging on: the Copts in Egypt. Apparently, even though there are millions of them, it's getting harder and harder for them to remain amongst the majority Muslims.

By the way, it's interesting to note that the number of non-Arab Christians in Israel is actually rising, what with the influx from the ex-Soviet Union, and foreign laborers.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

FROM CAROL HERMAN

The "former" soviet union supplies communists. And, males who are not circumsized. They also supply Israel with new citizens who are quite angry they couldn't go to their "state of first choice," which was in the Borough of Brooklyn. NEW YORK. (Brighton Beach.)

After receiving about 5-million russians, American immigration clamped down.

As to the "dwindling number" of Christians in arabian environs, that has something to do with "ethnic cleansing." Whether you choose to mention this. Or not.

The Christian population in the USA, however, grows. What with the influx of Hispanics. And, the influx from the Orient. You'd be surprised at home many Japanese, for instance, now belong to Christian church groups. It's a private matter.

Also, whatever happened to the secular nature of being Jewish? You mean, you didn't know?

Here, in the USA, I usually assume the Jews I meet are secular. Or really not that involved in temple politics. (But then I'm not a member of any temple where you'd find Morris Talansky. Though I know it took a bag full of money to get him to support the Likud's take-out of Olmert.

What's ahead?

Well, from history, you'd learn that the local Jewish population had it in for Baruch Spinoza.

Over time, Spinoza's greatness was recognized. While temple politics, then, as now, stinks a lot.

What's really dwindling in Israel is good will. The IDF suffers from the attacks done by the settler "yoots." Led by rabbis. And, then by the heavy handed way the IDF now goes about forcing the arab villages to put up with Israeli tactics.

If you think things are ahead? Good for ya.

On the other hand, if you think things are going to hell in a hand basket, let me remind you that America, herself, almost collapsed in her first 11 years. (From 1776 to 1787.) Why? Because separately the states didn't think they had to afford George Washington a dime. So his troops starved. And, were shoeless. Yes, it was a miracle to win against the British; given the discrepancies in power.

Even more so, to WIN when the Founding Fathers discovered policians weren't saints. And, a system to reign in power was found in the US Constitution; where you see a better distribution of powers. (Without changing policians all that much.)

What's ahead?

I'd like to see more information coming out on Bush. And, the stinking ways he was backing the Saud's.

Heck, even the rising gas prices are due to the Saud's anger at Bush, now, for not giving them "jewels" in the Mideast. (Olmert was supposed to take Assad's head off. So the sunnis could "collect" Syria.)

One day? The word games will stop.

Meanwhile? People seem to sit silently. Waiting for the current storms to break. And, for the truth to peek out.

Good luck to ya! Perhaps, all you'll get are the russians, instead?

By the way, I do expect that the Holocaust was an event on par with the destruction of the First Temple. Which the Jews survived. How did they survive? They adapted. Even as they wandered, they adapted.

Now? I think EINSTEIN will talk to the next 1000 years. And, I think the US Constitution will be a guidinng light on politics.

You tell me. Can the knesset be divided into groups, where 2/3rd's of the seats are up for grabs every two years? Others? 1/3 would be available for 6 year hitches. And, you'd elect a prime minister, directly. For terms of 4 years, each.

Possible. But not probable.

Meanwhile "to be religious" should be a private choice.

Anonymous said...

FROM CAROL HERMAN, AGAIN

If you're interested in how languages survive, you'd learn that the Coptic Church in Eygpt still does its prayers in what "sounds like" ancient Eygptian. Converted to arabic script. (But the notes are there.)

Hebrew? Also an interesting story. Only about 200 years ago, was Hebrew brought to life. (No. I don't know the name of the European rabbi. Sorry.)

But I do know that ancient Hebrew was composed of about ... oh, 836 '3-letter' words. If you added a letter? You created another meaning. (And, remember, no vowels were shown.)

That's how life came back to Hebrew.

While life remains in the ancient Eygptian tongue; that puzzles so many who look at hirogliphics. The past seeming to be in such a haze.

The other thing I know is that Jesus was sold to JEWS who lived in Eygpt. Since Josephus wrote in GREEK, for an audience that spoke Greek. And, lived in Alexandria ... (and, perhaps, Carthage), which the Romans destroyed, totally ...

I'd guess that there was a welcome audience for the stuff that became the Christian Church. But started as an offshoot of Jewish beliefs.

Heck, that's why Peter travelled to Eygpt. To collect followers.

Meanwhile, what was going on in Israel at that time? How come the Jews, who valiantly fought the Romans, get such short shrift?

You know Herrod was paid for by the Romans. And, was hated by the local populace. Because he represented Rome.

Yes. Herrod got money to fix up the Temple. But this was being done to "prepare" the Temple to become a Roman House for one of their gods. Believe it. Or not.

The record, however, belongs to those who saved the paperwork.

Just like today's trying times. There doesn't seem to be much truth that escapes for people to read.

Just the same old, same old.

With history being one of the least favored topics you need to study, just to matriculate. (And, according to Ha'Aretz, more than half of today's "yoot" aren't passing the test.) This then breeds teachers who aren't qualified to teach. And, it's a viscious circle, indeed.