‘Bethlehem church brings people to tears after redesigning Christmas nativity scene to reflect Israel-Hamas war-(headline, Fox News, Dec. 8, 2023)
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“A church in Bethlehem, the biblical birthplace of Jesus, is receiving attention for its decision to redesign its Christmas nativity scene to reflect the impact of the ongoing Israel-Hamas war.
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By Barbi on 2023 12 09
Wow...all I can say is Wow. They are missing the whole point, and Christmas is the time to REMEMBER and HONOR His birth the way it happened - without bombs!
By Goudsmit Linda on 2023 12 09
I am Jewish. I didn’t think anything could be more offensive or outrageous to Christians than a chocolate Jesus, but baby Jesus wrapped in a kiffeyeh is outrageous on so many levels it takes my breath away. This "redesigned" manger scene is the epitome of historical revisionism and the height of religious disrespect.
By TomSJr on 2023 12 09
Stupid is as stupid does and it is VERY hard to fix STUPID.
Jesus IS JEWISH, not ARAB.
What HAMAS DID by attacking Israel, taking hostages and raping and killing them, INCLUDING cutting off the heads of innocent babies, WAS NOT WHAT JESUS WAS ABOUT NOR WOULD HE CONDONE ANY OF IT AND HE WILL AVENGE IT soon enough. This is why hell IS SO MUCH LARGER THAN Heaven.
IF Hamas or Arab had ANY kind of love inside them at all, they would see the TRUTH that would set them free, but since ISLAM celebrates SATAN, we will never see any of that. ARABS, LIBERALS, DEMOCRATS, AND FOOLS ARE DELUSIONAL PEOPLE.
The GOD of the Universe would NOT MURDER the very people he made nor does He need anyone to do it FOR HIM. THAT WOULD BE SATAN'S JOB.
By bob F on 2023 12 09
I guess the irony of this pathetic display is completely lost on idiots who put this up...disgusting and disgraceful.
By FD on 2023 12 09
THEY DON'T DO CHRISTMAS IN GAZA !!!
THEY ARE M U S L I M S !!!
By Barbi on 2023 12 09
FD: "They don't do Christmas in Gaza. Well, apparently some do since it is a Lutheran church in Bethlehem. Christians come to visit Bethlehem as the birth place of their Savior.
How many Christian are in Bethlehem? 11,000 people
According to the city's mayor, Vera Baboun, as of 2016, the Christian population of Bethlehem has dropped to 12%, merely 11,000 people. The most optimistic estimates place the overall number of Palestinian Christians in the whole of Occupied Palestine at less than 2%.
What is the largest Church in Bethlehem?
Church of the Nativity
Location Bethlehem, West Bank
Geographic coordinates 31°42′15.50″N 35°12′27.50″E
Architecture
Architectural type Byzantine (Constantine the Great and Justinian I)
What is the main religion in Bethlehem?
Bethlehem - Wikipedia
Arab Muslims
While it was historically a city of Arab Christians, Bethlehem now has a majority of Arab Muslims; it is still home to a significant community of Palestinian Christians, however.
Why is Bethlehem special for Christians?
Bethlehem is situated approximately five and a half miles west of Jerusalem. It is the place where Christians believe Jesus was born. The most important site in Bethlehem is the Church of the Nativity in Manger Square, which was built in the fourth century.
West Bank Churches and Cathedrals - https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attractions-g6697292-Activities-c47-t175-West_Bank.html
By Barbi on 2023 12 09
FD The article specifically mentions a Lutheran church.
By Daniel R. on 2023 12 10
They forgot to include the official endorsement: "I'm Satan, and I approved this Nativity Scene."
By Robbie Potter on 2023 12 10
Complete Blasphemy!
By FD on 2023 12 10
GAZA does not celebrate Christmas. Gaza is 99 percent Muslim.
Bethlehem is not in Gaza, it is in the West Bank. The West Bank is 92 percent Muslim.
Gaza is under the control of Hamas.
The West Bank is under the control of the PA/Fatah.
Bethlehem is the location of the church with the manger scene.
Bethlehem's economy is tourist driven, largely at Christmas, which is likely a reason the public display of Christmas is allowed in a predominately Muslim area. Further, the PA (controlling Bethlehem) has recognized Israel's existence, while Hamas (Gaza) refuses to do so.
The intent of the "new manger scene", via the church spokesman himself clearly delineated the purpose:
"The imagery symbolizes the destroyed Palestinian communities IN GAZA and the ongoing war between Israel and the Hamas terror group, a church official said."
The fighting in the current conflict is in Gaza, not the West Bank. If Jesus was born today in Bethlehem, it would not be in rubble, as is implied by the church's new take on the manger scene. The West Bank and Bethlehem are not in rubble.
Our Lord and Savior was born in Bethlehem Israel, not Gaza, nor the West Bank, nor Palestine.
The Bible and written history clearly tell us of the nature of sinful man and his history of wars, persecutions, conflicts, and the fallen world's natural disasters, but that is NOT the message of Christmas. Christ came to redeem- to save sinful man and THAT is the message of Christmas.
This church is using the remembrance and celebration of an event sacred and full of Joy to people the world over and re-imaging it into a politically motivated message.
It may be recalled that that Jesus was born in perilous times, an evil Idumean king demanded his death, and the babies of Bethlehem were murdered.
While that story is mentioned in the Bible, the focus of the Bible narrative of the Nativity is not on the surrounding current events of that time, but on the One who would save mankind from the evil that always besets him. The picture from the Bible is of the joyful announcement to shepherds in the fields by heavenly angels of the birth of mankind's Savior, of a virgin mother with her babe in swaddling, of an obedient step-father, of wonderous shepherds come to see the King, and a star to mark His birth.
We keep the Joy and Hope and the Promise of Salvation as the features of the manger, just the way the Angels of God proclaimed:
And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.
By Barbi on 2023 12 11
Thank you for explaining the difference between Gaza and the West Bank, I did not understand that before. The article absolutely listed Bethlehem, but then referring to the Gaza war I just put 2 + 2 together and came up with 5. My bad. However, your first comment was about them not celebrating Christmas in Gaza because they were Muslims. Apparently the article did not say they were celebrating in Hamas/Gaza. The article was about Bethlehem that does have Christians. Thus, more confusion. When I was looking up facts I was looking for information on Bethlehem since that was the town the article was specifically about - not realizing we were talking about 2 separate things. I couldn't understand why you were talking about NO Christmas and No Christians since Bethlehem specified a church.
The Gaza Baptist Church is one of only three Christian churches in the Gaza Strip, and the only one that is Protestant and evangelical – the two remaining Christian churches in the Gaza Strip are the Catholic Church of the Holy Family and the Orthodox Church of Saint Porphyrius.
Gaza Baptist Church - Wikipedia
Are there any Christians in Gaza?
Gaza's Christians fear 'threat of extinction' amid Israel war ...
Only 800 to 1,000 Christians are believed to still live in Gaza, constituting the oldest Christian community in the world, dating back to the first century. Nov 10, 2023
Who are the Christians of Gaza? https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/11/1/under-israeli-attack-who-are-the-christians-of-gaza
I propose that these Christians are the people in Gaza who celebrate Christmas.
By parcelman007 on 2023 12 11
That's why I don't like to refer to myself as an evangelical. That term doesn't mean what it used to mean. Evangelicals used to believe that homosexuality(the lifestyle)was an abomination to God(Leviticus 18:22). The evangelical lutherin church has no problem with homosexuality. I like to call myself a follower of Jesus or even a fundementalist. Fundementalist is not a term that is very popular in our "progressive" society but at least it is accurate. Fundementalists follow the fundementals of the christian faith as laid down by the bible.
By FD on 2023 12 11
Yes Barbi, I agree, those Christians in Gaza would certainly celebrate Christmas. However, Gaza does not - it is overwhelming Muslim. In the US currently, public Christmas celebrations are being interrupted by protesting Muslims and pro-Palestinians - interesting counterpoint, given the sympathy this false rendition of the manger story has produced.
One must remember, that in many places in the world Christians are in the minority, and they often have to celebrate Christmas very quietly, even only in their hearts. God says He always has a remnant, and that includes in Gaza, but taking the the scene the Bible paints and re-imaging it as the Bethlehem church has done is wrong, and its intent is to tug at man's heartstrings for the wrong reasons.
The current situation in Gaza for the 3 churches is very bad. Joel Rosenberg has been closely following their plight, and trying to help. He has a new article at:
https://allarab.news/time-is-running-out-getting-aid-to-gaza-christians-thwarted-by-looting-snipers-intense-street-battles-between-hamas-and-idf/
that you may find interesting to read. What is chilling about the article is that in addition to other difficulties, the Christians who have taken refuge in the three churches are fearful of what the supporters of Hamas in Gaza would do to them, should they try to flee southward.
It would have been better if the Bethlehem church had used their influence to help their fellow Christians in Gaza.
While Jesus did come with the offer of salvation open to ALL who accept it - Muslims included- that does not change the fact that when a church in Bethlehem makes the nativity story into a story of the rubble in Gaza, as Judi stated in the article: it is simply Wrong. It is misleading in the physical, and totally misses the mark (sin) in the spiritual.
God Bless, and a Joyful Christmas !
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