Comments on: Pray for peace in Jerusalem…and Gaza http://www.bloggernews.net/119270 High-quality English language analysis and editorial writing on the news. Wed, 25 Nov 2009 10:36:42 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.3.3 By: Paddy Briggs http://www.bloggernews.net/119270#comment-873351 Paddy Briggs Mon, 05 Jan 2009 09:24:16 +0000 http://www.bloggernews.net/119270#comment-873351 campanas When contributors to debate resort to invective against those that they disagree with they lose their argument - if they have one. Your ignorance is forgiveable. Your abuse is not. campanas

When contributors to debate resort to invective against those that they disagree with they lose their argument - if they have one. Your ignorance is forgiveable. Your abuse is not.

]]> By: Nancy Reyes http://www.bloggernews.net/119270#comment-872464 Nancy Reyes Sun, 04 Jan 2009 22:15:49 +0000 http://www.bloggernews.net/119270#comment-872464 I was pointing out several things: One, that the wars are more ethnic than religious, and predate Islam and even Judism. Two: The Arab world has clout so small neutral countries won't go against them. That is why the "human rights" violations in Israel make headlines, but those in the Arab world rarely get mentioned. Three: praying for peace changes our hearts: Lord, make me an instrument of your peace where there is hatred, let me sow love Where there is despair, hope where there is sadness, joy... I've worked in poor areas and during wars. It is prayer that keeps us going,and keeps us from despair. I was pointing out several things:

One, that the wars are more ethnic than religious, and predate Islam and even Judism.

Two: The Arab world has clout so small neutral countries won’t go against them. That is why the “human rights” violations in Israel make headlines, but those in the Arab world rarely get mentioned.

Three: praying for peace changes our hearts:
Lord, make me an instrument of your peace
where there is hatred, let me sow love
Where there is despair, hope
where there is sadness, joy…

I’ve worked in poor areas and during wars. It is prayer that keeps us going,and keeps us from despair.

]]> By: campanas http://www.bloggernews.net/119270#comment-872107 campanas Sun, 04 Jan 2009 18:23:12 +0000 http://www.bloggernews.net/119270#comment-872107 (invective removed by editor)...Paddy Briggs. Read a book (or even an article) about the history of the region. Using civilians as human shields, teaching hatred of Jews in schools, posting propaganda online - all part and parcel of the so-called Palestinians. Any time - and I mean ANY TIME there is a civilian death caused by Israel - there is an official apology and compensation to the family of the victim. You NEVER hear about this. All you see and read about are the poor Palestinians. No on wants civilians to be injured or killed (but it's OK if they are Israelis). Heaven forbid the Palestinian government ever truly apologized for suicide bomber deaths, attacks, etc. There is always a condition and never a sincere expression of regret. What about the thousands of human rights violations by the Palestinians? Oh, I forgot, they are the victims. Never the Israelis, because they are self-sufficient, educated, hard-working and actually take responsibility for their actions. Boo hoo. (invective removed by editor)…Paddy Briggs. Read a book (or even an article) about the history of the region. Using civilians as human shields, teaching hatred of Jews in schools, posting propaganda online - all part and parcel of the so-called Palestinians. Any time - and I mean ANY TIME there is a civilian death caused by Israel - there is an official apology and compensation to the family of the victim. You NEVER hear about this. All you see and read about are the poor Palestinians. No on wants civilians to be injured or killed (but it’s OK if they are Israelis). Heaven forbid the Palestinian government ever truly apologized for suicide bomber deaths, attacks, etc. There is always a condition and never a sincere expression of regret. What about the thousands of human rights violations by the Palestinians? Oh, I forgot, they are the victims. Never the Israelis, because they are self-sufficient, educated, hard-working and actually take responsibility for their actions. Boo hoo.

]]> By: Paddy Briggs http://www.bloggernews.net/119270#comment-871571 Paddy Briggs Sun, 04 Jan 2009 09:48:46 +0000 http://www.bloggernews.net/119270#comment-871571 So whose God should I be praying to Nancy? The God of an “Eye for an Eye”? The God of “Allah is great”? The God of “Blessed are the peacemakers”? The God of “Those who do good will reap good results.” The God that asks me to find my “Universal Soul”…? No I won’t be praying for peace, for the very act of praying suggests that I and the rest of humankind can suspend personal guilt and responsibility for the crimes being perpetuated from and in Gaza. It isn’t God’s will – if it is, and therefore there is a God, then he isn’t likely to be the kind of God who would be persuaded by my prayers, or yours! The solution in Gaza has to come from the realisation by this evil Israeli Government that there actions are not only unacceptable to the international community (as yesterday’s mass protests around the world clearly showed); that they are not only a grotesque violation of human rights and natural justice; but that they are utterly counter-productive – as my recent post here has argued: http://www.bloggernews.net/119236 So whose God should I be praying to Nancy? The God of an “Eye for an Eye”? The God of “Allah is great”? The God of “Blessed are the peacemakers”? The God of “Those who do good will reap good results.” The God that asks me to find my “Universal Soul”…?

No I won’t be praying for peace, for the very act of praying suggests that I and the rest of humankind can suspend personal guilt and responsibility for the crimes being perpetuated from and in Gaza. It isn’t God’s will – if it is, and therefore there is a God, then he isn’t likely to be the kind of God who would be persuaded by my prayers, or yours!

The solution in Gaza has to come from the realisation by this evil Israeli Government that there actions are not only unacceptable to the international community (as yesterday’s mass protests around the world clearly showed); that they are not only a grotesque violation of human rights and natural justice; but that they are utterly counter-productive – as my recent post here has argued: http://www.bloggernews.net/119236

]]> By: Daniel99 http://www.bloggernews.net/119270#comment-871471 Daniel99 Sun, 04 Jan 2009 08:10:30 +0000 http://www.bloggernews.net/119270#comment-871471 "And the bad news is that even if Israel disappeared..." is a moot point, my friend Nancy Reyes. Israel is not going to "disappear". I hope that does not disappoint you. In the mean time, USA will be supporting Israel. You should, too. “And the bad news is that even if Israel disappeared…” is a moot point, my friend Nancy Reyes.
Israel is not going to “disappear”. I hope that does not disappoint you. In the mean time, USA will be supporting Israel. You should, too.

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