O little town of Bethlehem
How still we see thee lie
Above thy deep and dreamless sleep
The silent stars go by
Yet in thy dark streets shineth
The everlasting Light
The hopes and fears of all the years
Are met in thee tonight.
Since I wrote this blog entry US Vice-President Pence has postponed his visit the Middle East -- again. A visit to Bethlehem was part of his original itinerary but that wouldn't have happened because the little town is not still. After President Trump announced that the American embassy would be moved from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem the protests began, and the assumption might be that the outrage stems from Arab Muslims in the West Bank. In fact, the beleaguered Christian communities of Israel, the Occupied Territories, and in neighbouring Egypt are deeply concerned about this decision. There have been protestors at the Church of the Nativity every day since the announcement and they are Christian.
Here is the irony. Trump probably made this controversial decision to shore up support amongst his evangelical base in the United States. It was decided with little regard for the shrinking Christian population in Israel and the Territories who are most likely to suffer from the frustration of their Arab Muslim neighbours. For decades the Israeli government has made it difficult for Christians to thrive in the country, resulting in a steady exodus from the country where Jesus was born and lived.
The word is that Christian leaders in Israel, the Occupied Territories, and Egypt are unwilling to meet with Pence and don't want him to visit the holy sites. Despite the enthusiasm of American evangelicals about the Trump decision it may have made visiting the region safely that much more difficult for Christian pilgrims. And some evangelical churches seeking approval from the Palestinian Authority may be denied status. Of course the Trump administration is denouncing the Palestinians for stepping back from conversations and negotiations because of what has transpired.
So, messenger Pence will not be trusted as a messenger of peace. And can he claim to be a servant of the Prince of Peace, even though he wears his Christianity on his sleeve.
Thoughts?
1 comment:
I think the actions of Trump and Pence and most of the republicans in the US government show beyond a doubt that they are NOT servants of the Prince of Peace - they do nothing to help the poor and unfortunate or to promote a peaceable world - they do the opposite, for the benefit of the rich in America, only. .
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