By: Elias Bejjani
There are no sufficient or adequate words or sentiments that can express our sorrow, grief and pain with regard to Saturday's barbaric and savage attack that targeted by a car full of explosives and a booby-trapped bomb a Christian Coptic church in the vicinity of the Egyptian city of Alexandria as about a thousand worshipers were leaving the church after taking part in the New Year’s mass prayers. Reports stated that 21 Christian worshipers were killed, while more than 80 others seriously injured.
Egyptian President Mubarak publicly condemned the massacre and promised to prosecute and punish the criminals alleging that they were not Egyptians. Meanwhile, many countries all over the world, Church leaders, legal advocates and numerous international humanitarian organizations strongly deplored the brutal bloody premeditated attacks that constantly target and persecute Egyptian Christians. In the same context, two days ago 2 Christians were killed and 11 others injured in the Iraqi capital, Bagdad, when their neighborhoods were hit by an orchestrated series of terrorist explosions.
Apparently, rhetorical means of condemnation, denunciation and deploring are falling on deaf ears and numbed consciences in both Egypt and Iraq. We strongly believe that it is time for the UN and its General Council, Arab states, USA, Russia, Canada and all democratic and free countries to immediately step in and take all needed measures on all levels to actually and not just verbally protect Christians in both Egypt and Iraq, where sadly the ruling authorities and their security apparatuses bear full legal and humanitarian responsibility for the attacks. These authorities in both countries do not only abstain from carrying out their designated security duties, but also encourage encroachment on Christians and their churches, turn a blind eye on all terrorist attacks targeting Christians and help the attackers to escape judicial accountability. Ridiculously most of the Egyptian fanatical attackers who assaulted Christians and their churches were falsely alleged to be mentally sick.
Egypt, the biggest Arabic country, is one of the most notorious countries worldwide that systematically oppresses, discriminates and persecutes its Christian citizens. Egyptian authorities deprive their 12-15 million Christian population of most of their basic rights, while rigorously nurturing and promoting a culture of intolerance, hatred, and fanaticism that tags Christians as infidels and heretics. In the same realm, Egypt does not honor the Charter of Human Rights and instead governs its Christian population in accordance to the discriminative, racial and brutal Ottoman law known as the "Hamayouni Decree". It is worth mentioning that the Arab League has always been indifferent and silent in regard to all the assaults that target Egyptian Christians.
We strongly condemn the failure of the Egyptian authorities on all levels in fulfilling their legal, security and human obligations to protect Christians and hold them fully responsible for the heinous crime that on Saturday targeted faithful, peaceful and unarmed Christian worshipers in the city of Alexandria.
We urge our government of Canada to exert its utmost diplomatic efforts in a bid to help the persecuted Egyptian Christians, advocate for their just humanitarian cause at the UN, take all necessary measures to safeguard their rights, and ensure the freedom of their religious belief.
From the Lebanese Canadian Coordinating Council (LCCC), we extend our warmest heartfelt condolences to the families, relatives and friends of the victims, and wish a fast and complete recovery for all the wounded and injured.
Our conciliation for the ongoing Egyptian Christian ordeal is in the Gospel of Saint Matthew 5/9-12: “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called children of God.” 5:10 “Blessed are those who have been persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven. 5:11 “Blessed are you when people reproach you, persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely, for my sake.” 5:12 “Rejoice, and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven. For that is how they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”
Background
The Hamayouni Decree (Wikipedia, encyclopedia).
The Hamayoni Decree, also "Hamayonic", or "Hamayouni" (Arabic: الخط الهمايونى), is a clause in Egyptian law, dating back to Ottoman rule (February 1856) that regulates church construction and maintenance. It is currently a cause of much controversy due to the conditions that need to be fulfilled in order for the permit to be granted. These same restrictions do not apply to mosques. The law requires that each permit must be issued by the Egyptian President. The requirements are complex, and frequently arbitrary, for building and repairing churches or church-owned buildings. These culminate in the requirement that the state president must personally approve all building applications, and the provincial governors must approve all applications for repairs, even for something as small as repairing a toilet or a broken window.
Click here to read the Arabic version of the editorial/ http://www.10452lccc.com/elias.arabic09/elias.maser02.1.11.htm
*Elias Bejjani
*Canadian-Lebanese Human Rights activist, journalist and political commentator
*Email phoenicia@hotmail.com
*Web sites http://www.10452lccc.com & http://www.clhrf.com
*Mailing phoenicia group http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Phoenicia/.
Sunday, January 2, 2011
Friday, December 31, 2010
Lebanese Diaspora leaders call on Christian Sunnis and Druses to resist Hezbollah in Lebanon
In an article published in daily As Siyasa http://www.al-seyassah.com/AtricleView/tabid/59/smid/438/ArticleID/120955/reftab/76/Default.aspx
several Lebanese Diaspora leaders called on Christian, Sunni and Druse leaders in Lebanon to form "defensive areas" against Hezbollah's terror and penetration.
The Diaspora leaders called on President Michel Sleiman, Prime Minister Hariri, the Lebanese Army and Internal Security Forces to stop the infiltration by Hezbollah cells into areas outside the Shia enclaves and defend what is known as "March 14" zones of support. But the emigres' leaders also addressed the top politicians from the legislative majority who oppose Syrian influence to "work immediately on setting the defenses of the zones contiguous to the areas dominated by the Iranian backed militia.
As Siyasa reported that coordinated statements were issued today december 30th by Sheikh Sami el Khoury, the President of the World Maronite Union based in Miami, Florida, Joe Baini the President of the World Council of the Cedars Revolution based in Sydney, Australia, Elias Bejjani the chairman of the Lebanese Canadian Coordination Council based in Toronto and the Secretary General of the International Committee for UNSCR 1559 Tom Harb, who briefs Western Governments on Lebanon.
The statements called for removing the weapons deployed by Hezbollah and its allies including Christian Michel Aoun, Sunni Abdel Rahim Mrad, Druse Wi'am Wahhab, and the Syrian National-Socialist Party (SSNP) in the districts with Christian, Sunni and Druse majority and enable civil society to defend itself if Hezbollah would wage military offensives and terror acts in the near future.
The Diaspora leaders claimed the Iranian and Syrian backed militias have been smuggling weapons from the Hezbollah areas of control into opposing regions and that Christian, Sunni and Druse communities should stop Hezbollah's advances into their areas.
several Lebanese Diaspora leaders called on Christian, Sunni and Druse leaders in Lebanon to form "defensive areas" against Hezbollah's terror and penetration.
The Diaspora leaders called on President Michel Sleiman, Prime Minister Hariri, the Lebanese Army and Internal Security Forces to stop the infiltration by Hezbollah cells into areas outside the Shia enclaves and defend what is known as "March 14" zones of support. But the emigres' leaders also addressed the top politicians from the legislative majority who oppose Syrian influence to "work immediately on setting the defenses of the zones contiguous to the areas dominated by the Iranian backed militia.
As Siyasa reported that coordinated statements were issued today december 30th by Sheikh Sami el Khoury, the President of the World Maronite Union based in Miami, Florida, Joe Baini the President of the World Council of the Cedars Revolution based in Sydney, Australia, Elias Bejjani the chairman of the Lebanese Canadian Coordination Council based in Toronto and the Secretary General of the International Committee for UNSCR 1559 Tom Harb, who briefs Western Governments on Lebanon.
The statements called for removing the weapons deployed by Hezbollah and its allies including Christian Michel Aoun, Sunni Abdel Rahim Mrad, Druse Wi'am Wahhab, and the Syrian National-Socialist Party (SSNP) in the districts with Christian, Sunni and Druse majority and enable civil society to defend itself if Hezbollah would wage military offensives and terror acts in the near future.
The Diaspora leaders claimed the Iranian and Syrian backed militias have been smuggling weapons from the Hezbollah areas of control into opposing regions and that Christian, Sunni and Druse communities should stop Hezbollah's advances into their areas.
Wednesday, December 22, 2010
Christmas and Prayers for the Wicked
By: Elias Bejjani*
The most effective, productive and everlasting participation that we can offer on this Holy Christmas Day is our authentic and honest prayers for the repentance and salvation of evildoers. We must pray for those evil and wicked world leaders, rulers, politicians, fundamentalists and outlawed militants whose devastating culture of greed and vicious acts of terrorism are threatening peace and tranquility over four continents.
Apostle Paul in his Letter to the Romans speaks about these evil people and describes thoroughly their thinking and conduct 03/10-18: "As it is written, ‘There is no one righteous; no, not one. There is no one who understands. There is no one who seeks after God. They have all turned aside. They have together become unprofitable. There is no one who does good, no, not, so much as one.’ 3:13 Their throat is an open tomb. With their tongues they have used deceit. The poison of vipers is under their lips; “whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness. Their feet are swift to shed blood. Destruction and misery are in their ways. The way of peace, they haven’t known. There is no fear of God before their eyes."
One might wonder why we should pray and particularly on the Christmas Day for those that are creating world-wide havoc, advocate grudges and hatred, classify us as infidels, allege we are their worst enemies, call openly for our death, and proudly legitimize our slaughter?
The answer is very simple. We should pray for them because they are lost, evil, morally sick and need our help. Jesus has already answered this question in Matthew 9/12 & 13: "Those who are healthy have no need for a physician, but those who are sick do. But you go and learn what this means: I desire mercy, and not sacrifice, for I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.".
The faithful and righteous man has an obligation to love his enemies and forgive them as well as to bless those who hate, persecute and curse him. Luke 6:28: "bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you."
The secret and magic formula word in all this holy cycle of forgiveness, meekness, patience, endurance and acceptance of others is LOVE, and as the bible teaches us LOVE is GOD. Proverbs 19:11: "A man's wisdom gives him patience; it is to his glory to overlook an offense".
Apostle Paul in his First Letter to the Corinthians explains what love is and what it encompasses: 13/4-13: "Love is patient and is kind; love doesn’t envy. Love doesn’t brag, is not proud, doesn’t behave itself inappropriately, doesn’t seek its own way, is not provoked, takes no account of evil; doesn’t rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth; 1 bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will be done away with. Where there are various languages, they will cease. Where there is knowledge, it will be done away with. For we know in part, and we prophesy in part; but when that which is complete has come, then that which is partial will be done away with. When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I felt as a child, I thought as a child. Now that I have become a man, I have put away childish things. For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I will know fully, even as I was also fully known. But now faith, hope, and love remain—these three. The greatest of these is love."
If we love those who love us, help those who do not need help, pray for those who are righteous, and feed those who are not hungry, we do nothing different from anybody else including the sinners and wicked. But when we can tame ourselves to love those who hate us and help those who need help, than we are making something different. 1 Samuel 24:17: "You are more righteous than I, he said. You have treated me well, but I have treated you badly."
Almighty God loves us, we His children, and wants us to return back to His heavenly mansions that have been prepared for us. Therefore, He has sent His begotten son to be humiliated, tortured, persecuted and crucified in a bid absolve our original sin and be a role model in love and sacrifice. John15/12 & 13: “This is my commandment, that you love one another, even as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends"
With the Christmas Spirit let all genuinely pray for those of us who are hurt, lonely, feel betrayed and deserted by their beloved ones. Those who are enduring in silence pain, anguish, and are deprived of happiness, warmth and joy on this holy and adorned day.
Let us all take Jesus a role model in our lives. Let us learn from Him the graces of forgiveness, sacrifice, love and the obligation for helping those who need our help and even those who hate and hurt us. Romans 12:20: "If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head."
May God Bless you all and shower upon you, your families, friends, and beloved ones all graces of joy, health, love, forgiveness, meekness and hope. 1 Thessalonians 5:15: "Make sure that nobody pays back wrong for wrong, but always try to be kind to each other and to everyone else".
I call on you all to pray for the salvation of our beloved country of Lebanon and ask Almighty God to lead and bless the peace endeavors of righteous politicians and leaders all over the world.
On this Christmas Day may Jesus Christ, God of love, justice and mercy, dwell in your hearts, minds, souls and conscience to purify you and lead your steps into righteousness.
Merry Christmas
*Elias Bejjani
*Canadian-Lebanese Human Rights activist, journalist and political commentator
*Email phoenicia@hotmail.com
*Web sites http://www.10452lccc.com & http://www.clhrf.com
*Mailing phoenicia group http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Phoenicia/.
The most effective, productive and everlasting participation that we can offer on this Holy Christmas Day is our authentic and honest prayers for the repentance and salvation of evildoers. We must pray for those evil and wicked world leaders, rulers, politicians, fundamentalists and outlawed militants whose devastating culture of greed and vicious acts of terrorism are threatening peace and tranquility over four continents.
Apostle Paul in his Letter to the Romans speaks about these evil people and describes thoroughly their thinking and conduct 03/10-18: "As it is written, ‘There is no one righteous; no, not one. There is no one who understands. There is no one who seeks after God. They have all turned aside. They have together become unprofitable. There is no one who does good, no, not, so much as one.’ 3:13 Their throat is an open tomb. With their tongues they have used deceit. The poison of vipers is under their lips; “whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness. Their feet are swift to shed blood. Destruction and misery are in their ways. The way of peace, they haven’t known. There is no fear of God before their eyes."
One might wonder why we should pray and particularly on the Christmas Day for those that are creating world-wide havoc, advocate grudges and hatred, classify us as infidels, allege we are their worst enemies, call openly for our death, and proudly legitimize our slaughter?
The answer is very simple. We should pray for them because they are lost, evil, morally sick and need our help. Jesus has already answered this question in Matthew 9/12 & 13: "Those who are healthy have no need for a physician, but those who are sick do. But you go and learn what this means: I desire mercy, and not sacrifice, for I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.".
The faithful and righteous man has an obligation to love his enemies and forgive them as well as to bless those who hate, persecute and curse him. Luke 6:28: "bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you."
The secret and magic formula word in all this holy cycle of forgiveness, meekness, patience, endurance and acceptance of others is LOVE, and as the bible teaches us LOVE is GOD. Proverbs 19:11: "A man's wisdom gives him patience; it is to his glory to overlook an offense".
Apostle Paul in his First Letter to the Corinthians explains what love is and what it encompasses: 13/4-13: "Love is patient and is kind; love doesn’t envy. Love doesn’t brag, is not proud, doesn’t behave itself inappropriately, doesn’t seek its own way, is not provoked, takes no account of evil; doesn’t rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth; 1 bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will be done away with. Where there are various languages, they will cease. Where there is knowledge, it will be done away with. For we know in part, and we prophesy in part; but when that which is complete has come, then that which is partial will be done away with. When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I felt as a child, I thought as a child. Now that I have become a man, I have put away childish things. For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I will know fully, even as I was also fully known. But now faith, hope, and love remain—these three. The greatest of these is love."
If we love those who love us, help those who do not need help, pray for those who are righteous, and feed those who are not hungry, we do nothing different from anybody else including the sinners and wicked. But when we can tame ourselves to love those who hate us and help those who need help, than we are making something different. 1 Samuel 24:17: "You are more righteous than I, he said. You have treated me well, but I have treated you badly."
Almighty God loves us, we His children, and wants us to return back to His heavenly mansions that have been prepared for us. Therefore, He has sent His begotten son to be humiliated, tortured, persecuted and crucified in a bid absolve our original sin and be a role model in love and sacrifice. John15/12 & 13: “This is my commandment, that you love one another, even as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends"
With the Christmas Spirit let all genuinely pray for those of us who are hurt, lonely, feel betrayed and deserted by their beloved ones. Those who are enduring in silence pain, anguish, and are deprived of happiness, warmth and joy on this holy and adorned day.
Let us all take Jesus a role model in our lives. Let us learn from Him the graces of forgiveness, sacrifice, love and the obligation for helping those who need our help and even those who hate and hurt us. Romans 12:20: "If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head."
May God Bless you all and shower upon you, your families, friends, and beloved ones all graces of joy, health, love, forgiveness, meekness and hope. 1 Thessalonians 5:15: "Make sure that nobody pays back wrong for wrong, but always try to be kind to each other and to everyone else".
I call on you all to pray for the salvation of our beloved country of Lebanon and ask Almighty God to lead and bless the peace endeavors of righteous politicians and leaders all over the world.
On this Christmas Day may Jesus Christ, God of love, justice and mercy, dwell in your hearts, minds, souls and conscience to purify you and lead your steps into righteousness.
Merry Christmas
*Elias Bejjani
*Canadian-Lebanese Human Rights activist, journalist and political commentator
*Email phoenicia@hotmail.com
*Web sites http://www.10452lccc.com & http://www.clhrf.com
*Mailing phoenicia group http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Phoenicia/.
Saturday, December 4, 2010
Statement by Elias Bejjani on Forest Fire in Israel
Statement by Elias Bejjani on Forest Fire in Israel
On behalf of the Lebanese Canadian Coordinating Council (LCCC), I offer my condolences to the families and friends of those who lost their lives in the recent devastating forest fire in the State of Israel, and wish a quick recovery to those who were injured. My thoughts are with all those affected by this terrible fire.
The LCCC strongly supports the Statement issued yesterday in this regard by Canada's Minister of Foreign Affairs, The Honourable Lawrence Cannon.
Elias Bejjani
LCCC Founder & Chairman
http://www.10452lccc.com
On behalf of the Lebanese Canadian Coordinating Council (LCCC), I offer my condolences to the families and friends of those who lost their lives in the recent devastating forest fire in the State of Israel, and wish a quick recovery to those who were injured. My thoughts are with all those affected by this terrible fire.
The LCCC strongly supports the Statement issued yesterday in this regard by Canada's Minister of Foreign Affairs, The Honourable Lawrence Cannon.
Elias Bejjani
LCCC Founder & Chairman
http://www.10452lccc.com
Wednesday, October 20, 2010
Lebanon First and Last
By: Elias Bejjani*
Psalm 92:12: "The righteous will flourish like a palm tree, they will grow like a cedar of Lebanon".
There are numerous reasons behind the ongoing devastating internal and external wars that are being waged against Lebanon and his people. These reasons have varied throughout contemporary history with the changing instruments of fighting, circumstances, financiers and profiteers. However, the main reasons and targets were always and still are the privileged Lebanese distinctive identity, multiculturalism, freedoms and coexistence. Almost every nation and people in the Middle and Far East look upon Lebanon as a heaven for freedoms and as an oasis for the persecuted.
At the present time and since 1982, the Iranian armed terrorist militia, Hezbollah, which was created by the Iranians with its mini-state during Syria's bloody occupation era of Lebanon (1976-2005) imposes an extremely serious and fundamental threat to all that is Lebanese: culture, identity, history, civilization, freedoms, coexistence, tolerance, democracy, peace, openness, order and law.
But as our deeply rooted history teaches us, this Stone Age armed terrorist group shall by God's will be defeated as was the fate of all invaders, tyrants, dictators and occupiers whose sick minds fooled them that Lebanon could be tamed and his people could be subdued and enslaved. They all were disappointed and forced to leave with humiliation and disgrace. The Syrian occupier in 2005 and after almost 30 years of savage occupation had to face the same scornful fate. Hezbollah will have ultimately the same end sooner or later although its armed militiamen are Lebanese.
We thank God for the ultimate failure of all savage attacks which the faithful Lebanese shattered with stubbornness, perseverance, courage and self-confidence, and remained attached to their identity, and steadfast against hatred, foreign expansionism schemes and evil conspiracies.
The distinction of Lebanon is that it is a nation of diverse religious denominational groups and civilizations living together in agreeable coexistence, without coercion or oppression or becoming a melting pot, despite transient harsh confrontations at certain periods of history always instigated and orchestrated by external forces. Lebanon’s air of liberty has been made equally available to its extensive mosaic of communities to help them maintain freedom of their cultural and religious particularities and distinctions.
All Throughout history these distinctions gave Lebanon his pluralist flavor and made the majority of the Lebanese people into a homogeneous society attached heart and spirit to the one Lebanese identity that personifies their roots, cultures, hopes and civilizations.
The confessional diversity permits each of Lebanon’s 18 ethnic communities to express its original goodness within its core and the sanctity of its faith. Even though the communities’ perspective towards God may be different, they do not disagree on the truth of God’s essence, and He remains the All Mighty Creator and the source of all good to all people.
Accordingly, all Lebanese have learned that none of them should presume to monopolize God’s relationship through himself, or seek to acquire all God’s graces by eliminating others, because these others were also created by God and are also His children, and that He is the only ultimate judge.
All religions in Lebanon worship the same God, and He definitely accepts them all each according to their sincerity and trust. God knows the content of hearts and intents, and He is not fooled by the various rituals and styles of worship. The majority of the peace loving Lebanese people strongly believe that no one Lebanese community should claim that it is the best, or the closest, or the only path to God. They all trust in the fact that God knows all wants, and uncovers all intents. Hezbollah is an odd exception among the Lebanese communities.
Despite the ongoing Lebanese success of coexistence and diversity of civilizations, cultures and religions within the scope of the uniform Lebanese identify, and despite the good and civilized relationship that the Lebanese always endeavor to maintain with neighboring countries, Syria still keeps on trying by force, vicious interferences and terrorism to impose on them an alternative identity, life style, regime and ideology.
The Syrian Baathist regime has been, and still is, an actual disaster for Lebanon and his people and an ongoing annoying headache in all levels and domains. Syria has been ferociously behind all Lebanese problems, wars and sufferings for the last 30 years, including the creation of the Terrorist Hezbollah and its mini-state, as well as the status quo of havoc and disorder in the 13 Palestinian camps of which the Lebanese government has zero control.
To know Lebanon well and to understand his importance in the Middle East, one needs to review his rooted history. In this context, below are some historic excerpts that address Lebanon’s "particularity", the spoken languages of his people and other related documented historical facts:
Lebanon has been known since ancient through modern times, as a crossroad of civilizations and peoples. Since 4000 BC, waves of people settled and fought on his land, including Kananites, Phoenicians, Aramites, Egyptians, Persians, Greeks, Romans, Byzantines, Arabs, Crusaders, Europeans, and Syrians. Lebanon's spoken language varied with the times. Originally, Phoenician was the mother tongue followed by the Egyptian and Babylonian languages for commerce.
During the Persian rule (539-332 BC), Aramaic was the official language of the empire, in addition to Phoenician in Lebanon. During Greek rule (322-63), ancient Greek became the official language equivalent to the Aramaic mother language. With the Roman rule, Latin became the language of law and administration, in addition to ancient Greek as the language of culture next to Aramaic which remained the mother language.
With the Arab conquest (625 AD), Arabic imposed by the Amawites rulers started to compete with the Aramaic/Syriac variations and replaced them. Then the Ottoman Turks taught Turkish, while schools of the era taught and continue today to teach French, English, and Armenian. Lebanon's current official language is Arabic, although the Lebanese dialect language spoken is a combination of many languages, especially Aramaic and Syriac.
Union with diversity within the distinct Lebanese identity is Lebanon’s civilization and the choice of its multi-ethnic-religious people. This diversity is known as the "Lebanese particularity” and as Lebanon’s humanistic message to its neighbors, as well as to the whole world, and if it is lost, God forbid, Lebanon would lose the reason of his existence (his raison d’etre).
Lebanon’s "particularity" yielded his national covenant and his political system. The covenant is coexistence amongst Christians and Moslems. The Christian Lebanese adhere to it by abandoning their tendency for Western style secularism and by renouncing the protection of any Western nation, and the Lebanese Moslems, in turn, abandon their tendency to Islamic theocracy and cease their quest for protection under any Arabic or Islamic nation.
The National Covenant specifies the principles of "coexistence" from Independence and President Becaharra Khoury on the day of his election on September 20, 1943, as well as the first Governmental Communiqué issued by Prime Minister Riad Solh on October 7, 1943. The most important clauses of the Covenant are:
*Lebanon is an independent republic, with complete independence, and a final homeland for all his children, sovereign, free and independent in his internationally recognized borders.
*Lebanon is a founding active member of the Arab League and is adherent and committed to its principles. Lebanon is also a founding and active member of the United Nations and committed to its principles and to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
*There would be no hegemony requested, no protection sought, and no special privileges granted to any other nation, and no union nor unification with any other nation.
*Maximum cooperation with the Arab countries, by maintaining equilibrium with all of them, and maintaining friendship with all foreign nations that recognize Lebanon’s total independence and respect it. There will be no legitimacy to any authority that contradicts the covenant of national coexistence. It was on the basis of this covenant that the political system in Lebanon was conceived distinctively from all other political systems in the Arab and Western nations, and it is on this same basis that all Lebanese ethnicities agreed to unite within the scope of the Lebanese identity. This political system produced special attributes that distinguished Lebanon from its neighbors and they are:
*The democratic parliamentary system;
*the National Concord;
*the public liberties and most significantly the freedom of opinion, religion, and free enterprise. The system also yielded a dialogue without duress (conciliatory dialogue) about the affairs and politics of the nation as specified in the constitution, such as the modification of the constitution, war and peace and treaties with other nations.
This Lebanese civilization which constitutes the heritage of Lebanon, and which is the result of existential living and political dialogues among all successive cultures and civilizations on his land, has continued to allow the Lebanese to remain steadfast in the face of conspiracies of partition and settlement and regime change, and to survive his most critical stages during years of fierce wars.
"Lebanon First"", is the patriotic emblem under which the "Cedars Revolution" united the majority of the Lebanese people in 2005 against the Syrian occupation and liberated the country. The Lebanese identity which distinguishes Lebanon has held steadfast in the past and will prevail and be ultimately victorious. It will also firmly endure in the protection of our forefather’s inheritance, God willing. All the forces of hate and evil including Syria, Iran and Hezbollah shall fail to marginalize it or replace it with another identity.
In conclusion, for Lebanon, the land of the holy cedars to be victorious in the face of the Axis of Evil powers dirty and evil wars against his existence, Each and every Lebanese in both Lebanon and Diaspora has a patriotic and ethical obligation and a holy duty to preserve by all means Lebanon's graceful identity and solidify its implantation in the conscience, hearts and souls of the new Lebanese generations and to root it in their awareness, as well as in Lebanon's blessed soil.
*Elias Bejjani
*Canadian-Lebanese Human Rights activist, journalist and political commentator
*Email phoenicia@hotmail.com
*Web sites http://www.10452lccc.com & http://www.clhrf.com
*Mailing phoenicia group http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Phoenicia/.
Psalm 92:12: "The righteous will flourish like a palm tree, they will grow like a cedar of Lebanon".
There are numerous reasons behind the ongoing devastating internal and external wars that are being waged against Lebanon and his people. These reasons have varied throughout contemporary history with the changing instruments of fighting, circumstances, financiers and profiteers. However, the main reasons and targets were always and still are the privileged Lebanese distinctive identity, multiculturalism, freedoms and coexistence. Almost every nation and people in the Middle and Far East look upon Lebanon as a heaven for freedoms and as an oasis for the persecuted.
At the present time and since 1982, the Iranian armed terrorist militia, Hezbollah, which was created by the Iranians with its mini-state during Syria's bloody occupation era of Lebanon (1976-2005) imposes an extremely serious and fundamental threat to all that is Lebanese: culture, identity, history, civilization, freedoms, coexistence, tolerance, democracy, peace, openness, order and law.
But as our deeply rooted history teaches us, this Stone Age armed terrorist group shall by God's will be defeated as was the fate of all invaders, tyrants, dictators and occupiers whose sick minds fooled them that Lebanon could be tamed and his people could be subdued and enslaved. They all were disappointed and forced to leave with humiliation and disgrace. The Syrian occupier in 2005 and after almost 30 years of savage occupation had to face the same scornful fate. Hezbollah will have ultimately the same end sooner or later although its armed militiamen are Lebanese.
We thank God for the ultimate failure of all savage attacks which the faithful Lebanese shattered with stubbornness, perseverance, courage and self-confidence, and remained attached to their identity, and steadfast against hatred, foreign expansionism schemes and evil conspiracies.
The distinction of Lebanon is that it is a nation of diverse religious denominational groups and civilizations living together in agreeable coexistence, without coercion or oppression or becoming a melting pot, despite transient harsh confrontations at certain periods of history always instigated and orchestrated by external forces. Lebanon’s air of liberty has been made equally available to its extensive mosaic of communities to help them maintain freedom of their cultural and religious particularities and distinctions.
All Throughout history these distinctions gave Lebanon his pluralist flavor and made the majority of the Lebanese people into a homogeneous society attached heart and spirit to the one Lebanese identity that personifies their roots, cultures, hopes and civilizations.
The confessional diversity permits each of Lebanon’s 18 ethnic communities to express its original goodness within its core and the sanctity of its faith. Even though the communities’ perspective towards God may be different, they do not disagree on the truth of God’s essence, and He remains the All Mighty Creator and the source of all good to all people.
Accordingly, all Lebanese have learned that none of them should presume to monopolize God’s relationship through himself, or seek to acquire all God’s graces by eliminating others, because these others were also created by God and are also His children, and that He is the only ultimate judge.
All religions in Lebanon worship the same God, and He definitely accepts them all each according to their sincerity and trust. God knows the content of hearts and intents, and He is not fooled by the various rituals and styles of worship. The majority of the peace loving Lebanese people strongly believe that no one Lebanese community should claim that it is the best, or the closest, or the only path to God. They all trust in the fact that God knows all wants, and uncovers all intents. Hezbollah is an odd exception among the Lebanese communities.
Despite the ongoing Lebanese success of coexistence and diversity of civilizations, cultures and religions within the scope of the uniform Lebanese identify, and despite the good and civilized relationship that the Lebanese always endeavor to maintain with neighboring countries, Syria still keeps on trying by force, vicious interferences and terrorism to impose on them an alternative identity, life style, regime and ideology.
The Syrian Baathist regime has been, and still is, an actual disaster for Lebanon and his people and an ongoing annoying headache in all levels and domains. Syria has been ferociously behind all Lebanese problems, wars and sufferings for the last 30 years, including the creation of the Terrorist Hezbollah and its mini-state, as well as the status quo of havoc and disorder in the 13 Palestinian camps of which the Lebanese government has zero control.
To know Lebanon well and to understand his importance in the Middle East, one needs to review his rooted history. In this context, below are some historic excerpts that address Lebanon’s "particularity", the spoken languages of his people and other related documented historical facts:
Lebanon has been known since ancient through modern times, as a crossroad of civilizations and peoples. Since 4000 BC, waves of people settled and fought on his land, including Kananites, Phoenicians, Aramites, Egyptians, Persians, Greeks, Romans, Byzantines, Arabs, Crusaders, Europeans, and Syrians. Lebanon's spoken language varied with the times. Originally, Phoenician was the mother tongue followed by the Egyptian and Babylonian languages for commerce.
During the Persian rule (539-332 BC), Aramaic was the official language of the empire, in addition to Phoenician in Lebanon. During Greek rule (322-63), ancient Greek became the official language equivalent to the Aramaic mother language. With the Roman rule, Latin became the language of law and administration, in addition to ancient Greek as the language of culture next to Aramaic which remained the mother language.
With the Arab conquest (625 AD), Arabic imposed by the Amawites rulers started to compete with the Aramaic/Syriac variations and replaced them. Then the Ottoman Turks taught Turkish, while schools of the era taught and continue today to teach French, English, and Armenian. Lebanon's current official language is Arabic, although the Lebanese dialect language spoken is a combination of many languages, especially Aramaic and Syriac.
Union with diversity within the distinct Lebanese identity is Lebanon’s civilization and the choice of its multi-ethnic-religious people. This diversity is known as the "Lebanese particularity” and as Lebanon’s humanistic message to its neighbors, as well as to the whole world, and if it is lost, God forbid, Lebanon would lose the reason of his existence (his raison d’etre).
Lebanon’s "particularity" yielded his national covenant and his political system. The covenant is coexistence amongst Christians and Moslems. The Christian Lebanese adhere to it by abandoning their tendency for Western style secularism and by renouncing the protection of any Western nation, and the Lebanese Moslems, in turn, abandon their tendency to Islamic theocracy and cease their quest for protection under any Arabic or Islamic nation.
The National Covenant specifies the principles of "coexistence" from Independence and President Becaharra Khoury on the day of his election on September 20, 1943, as well as the first Governmental Communiqué issued by Prime Minister Riad Solh on October 7, 1943. The most important clauses of the Covenant are:
*Lebanon is an independent republic, with complete independence, and a final homeland for all his children, sovereign, free and independent in his internationally recognized borders.
*Lebanon is a founding active member of the Arab League and is adherent and committed to its principles. Lebanon is also a founding and active member of the United Nations and committed to its principles and to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
*There would be no hegemony requested, no protection sought, and no special privileges granted to any other nation, and no union nor unification with any other nation.
*Maximum cooperation with the Arab countries, by maintaining equilibrium with all of them, and maintaining friendship with all foreign nations that recognize Lebanon’s total independence and respect it. There will be no legitimacy to any authority that contradicts the covenant of national coexistence. It was on the basis of this covenant that the political system in Lebanon was conceived distinctively from all other political systems in the Arab and Western nations, and it is on this same basis that all Lebanese ethnicities agreed to unite within the scope of the Lebanese identity. This political system produced special attributes that distinguished Lebanon from its neighbors and they are:
*The democratic parliamentary system;
*the National Concord;
*the public liberties and most significantly the freedom of opinion, religion, and free enterprise. The system also yielded a dialogue without duress (conciliatory dialogue) about the affairs and politics of the nation as specified in the constitution, such as the modification of the constitution, war and peace and treaties with other nations.
This Lebanese civilization which constitutes the heritage of Lebanon, and which is the result of existential living and political dialogues among all successive cultures and civilizations on his land, has continued to allow the Lebanese to remain steadfast in the face of conspiracies of partition and settlement and regime change, and to survive his most critical stages during years of fierce wars.
"Lebanon First"", is the patriotic emblem under which the "Cedars Revolution" united the majority of the Lebanese people in 2005 against the Syrian occupation and liberated the country. The Lebanese identity which distinguishes Lebanon has held steadfast in the past and will prevail and be ultimately victorious. It will also firmly endure in the protection of our forefather’s inheritance, God willing. All the forces of hate and evil including Syria, Iran and Hezbollah shall fail to marginalize it or replace it with another identity.
In conclusion, for Lebanon, the land of the holy cedars to be victorious in the face of the Axis of Evil powers dirty and evil wars against his existence, Each and every Lebanese in both Lebanon and Diaspora has a patriotic and ethical obligation and a holy duty to preserve by all means Lebanon's graceful identity and solidify its implantation in the conscience, hearts and souls of the new Lebanese generations and to root it in their awareness, as well as in Lebanon's blessed soil.
*Elias Bejjani
*Canadian-Lebanese Human Rights activist, journalist and political commentator
*Email phoenicia@hotmail.com
*Web sites http://www.10452lccc.com & http://www.clhrf.com
*Mailing phoenicia group http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Phoenicia/.
Wednesday, October 6, 2010
Ahmadinejad on the Lebanese - Israeli border
By: Elias Bejjani*
"For He who would love life, and see good days, let him keep his tongue from evil, and his lips from speaking deceit. Let him turn away from evil, and do good. Let him seek peace, and pursue it. For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and his ears open to their prayer; but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.”( 01 Peter1/3/10-12)
Unfortunately, Lebanon is facing at the present time a crucial and fatal Syrian-Iranian threat to the core and essence of its existence, soul of coexistence and freedom. And as if Lebanon's ongoing very serious and extremely explosive internal tribulations are not enough, the Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is ruthlessly and sadistically planning to pour oil over these volatile problems in a bid to fully control the country. Recklessly, with cold blood and numbed conscience his planned, irresponsible acts in south Lebanon might set the whole Middle East on the verge of a very dangerous military confrontation.
It has been confirmed by both the Iranian and Lebanese authorities that on October 13/2010 during Ahmadinejad’s controversial official visit to Lebanon, he will be the star of a number of show off public events in south Lebanon adjacent to the Israeli border. These events will be organized and fully controlled by the terrorist fundamentalist Hezbollah militia.
Two of these southern events are the inauguration of a garden financed by Iran, and an egotistical visit to the "Fatema Gate". Both sites are located on the Israeli - Lebanese border. At the "Fatima Gate", Ahmadinejad plans to throw a stone towards the Israeli side of the border to practically demonstrate his deeply rooted hatred and hostility against the Jewish state. This display of abhorrence, lack of tolerance, and anti-peace conduct goes along with his ongoing avert threats to annihilate the Jewish state that his country staunchly refuses to recognize.
It is worth mentioning that Hezbollah had started the symbolic stone throwing ritual at the "Fatima Gate" towards Israel after the unilateral Israeli withdrawal from south Lebanon in 2000. The hasty and questionable Israeli withdrawal gave this Iranian armed terrorist militia a golden opportunity to fully control the whole southern Lebanese region after Syria that was occupying Lebanon at that time did not allow the Lebanese Army to fill the Israeli withdrawal gap and deploy in the south and on the Lebanese Israeli borders. That bizarre status quo laid the foundation for the 2006 war between Hezbollah and Israel.
Ahmadinejad is expected to visit an established Iranian center in the village of Maroun A-Ras, where a fierce battle took place in the 2006 war between Hezbollah and the Israeli army. He will also deliver a provocative and fiery demagogic speech in the southern city of Bint-Jbiel through which he will attack the Israeli-Palestinian peace talks that Iran, Syria, Hamas and Hezbollah oppose and are endeavouring by all means to discredit and abort.
Diplomatic officials in Jerusalem said that Lebanon, not Israel, would be the party to suffer most from Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s scheduled visit to southern Lebanon. “Lebanon is the primary victim, and if it wants to stop slipping into the jaws of the Iranian crocodile, it – and the moderate Arab world – should raise a strong voice and say this provocateur is not welcome,” Israeli Foreign Ministry spokesman Yossi Levy said.
The USA on its part has raised serious concerns with the Lebanese officials including President Michele Suleiman about the visit. The American administration is worried about possible incidents along the volatile Lebanon-Israel border and is questioning the Lebanese wisdom and rationale in allowing the Iranian president to visit the tense border area. A USA official said on 05/10/10: "stone-throwing - either figurative or literal - is not a constructive behavior".
What is really scary about Ahmadinejad’s visit is that many Middle East analysts see it as a pretext to an imminent Hezbollah coup in Lebanon. According to a report published by the "DEBKAfile web site" on October 4, 2010: "The presidents of Iran and Syria agreed in Tehran on Saturday, Oct. 2, to support a Hezbollah military takeover of Lebanon's power centers, including the capital Beirut, right after Mahmoud Ahmadinejad ends his controversial visit to the country on October 13-14. Ahmadinejad and Assad also decided to continue to harass Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri by delegitimization of his government, as well as intimidation and humiliation to force him to dissolve the Special Tribunal for Lebanon-STL which has brought charges against Hezbollah officials for the murder of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafiq Hariri in 2005. If this campaign disables the Hariri government, so much the better, because then Hezbollah will be able to walk in and set up a transitional administration together with its allies, the Druze leader, Walid Jumblatt, and the Christian ex-general, Michel Aoun. This administration will rule the regions dominated by Hezbollah gunmen and proclaim its legality as a viable alternative to the failed Hariri government, http://www.debka.com/article/9062/.
Sadly, Lebanon at the present time is not a free or an independent country because of the Syrian - Iranian military hegemony enforced directly through Hezbollah's armed militia that remains the most technically-capable terrorist group in the world and a continued security threat to the United States, Arab and Middle East countries and to all the Free World. Hezbollah is responsible for some of the deadliest terrorist attacks against Americans in history. The United States, Australia, and Canada have designated Hezbollah as a foreign terrorist organization.
Hezbollah is not a Lebanese party by any criterion, but rather a foreign army in Lebanon. Its decision-making process, financing, ideology, training, supplies and weapons all come from the Iranian Revolutionary Guard headquarters and leadership. It has been well documented by several informed resources that Iran annually pays Hezbollah billions of dollars.
This militia was founded in Lebanon by the Iranian mullahs and the Syrian regime in 1982 and its main mission was and still is to export, advocate and spread by force the Khomeini religious ideology to all Middle Eastern countries. Hezbollah has been entrusted by the Iranian mullahs and the Syrian Baathist regime to topple the Lebanese Free State and erect in its place an Iranian satellite state.
The Lebanese people who oppose the growing Syria - Iranian devastating influence over their country are totally against Ahmadinejad’s visit and envisage it as a real threat to the fragile peace in the region and a dire infringement on their country's sovereignty and independence, especially that Ahmadinejad and other high ranking Iranian officials have boldly announced publically that "Lebanon is Iran's border with Israel" and that "Iran will defeat the Satanic USA and Israel in Lebanon".
In the same realm, many members of the Lebanese democratic March 14 Alliance - the political bloc headed by Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Harri - have criticized the planned Iranian visit as a bid to underline Iran's potential to disrupt Middle East peace efforts. Meanwhile, the Christian Lebanese Forces leader, Dr. Samir Geagea, has called on the Iranian president to act as a respected official visitor and not as an instigator, to honor Lebanon's sovereignty and to utter his hostile and hate mongering stances from Iran and not from Lebanon.
In conclusion, Ahmadinejad’s provocative visit to Lebanon is not welcomed at all by the majority of the Lebanese people. Meanwhile, many Lebanese pro-peace and -democracy groups and parties are planning massive peaceful protest demonstrations in several towns and cities to show their opposition to visit.
*Elias Bejjani
*Canadian-Lebanese Human Rights activist, journalist and political commentator
*Email phoenicia@hotmail.com
*Web sites http://www.10452lccc.com & http://www.clhrf.com
*Mailing phoenicia group http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Phoenicia/.
"For He who would love life, and see good days, let him keep his tongue from evil, and his lips from speaking deceit. Let him turn away from evil, and do good. Let him seek peace, and pursue it. For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and his ears open to their prayer; but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.”( 01 Peter1/3/10-12)
Unfortunately, Lebanon is facing at the present time a crucial and fatal Syrian-Iranian threat to the core and essence of its existence, soul of coexistence and freedom. And as if Lebanon's ongoing very serious and extremely explosive internal tribulations are not enough, the Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is ruthlessly and sadistically planning to pour oil over these volatile problems in a bid to fully control the country. Recklessly, with cold blood and numbed conscience his planned, irresponsible acts in south Lebanon might set the whole Middle East on the verge of a very dangerous military confrontation.
It has been confirmed by both the Iranian and Lebanese authorities that on October 13/2010 during Ahmadinejad’s controversial official visit to Lebanon, he will be the star of a number of show off public events in south Lebanon adjacent to the Israeli border. These events will be organized and fully controlled by the terrorist fundamentalist Hezbollah militia.
Two of these southern events are the inauguration of a garden financed by Iran, and an egotistical visit to the "Fatema Gate". Both sites are located on the Israeli - Lebanese border. At the "Fatima Gate", Ahmadinejad plans to throw a stone towards the Israeli side of the border to practically demonstrate his deeply rooted hatred and hostility against the Jewish state. This display of abhorrence, lack of tolerance, and anti-peace conduct goes along with his ongoing avert threats to annihilate the Jewish state that his country staunchly refuses to recognize.
It is worth mentioning that Hezbollah had started the symbolic stone throwing ritual at the "Fatima Gate" towards Israel after the unilateral Israeli withdrawal from south Lebanon in 2000. The hasty and questionable Israeli withdrawal gave this Iranian armed terrorist militia a golden opportunity to fully control the whole southern Lebanese region after Syria that was occupying Lebanon at that time did not allow the Lebanese Army to fill the Israeli withdrawal gap and deploy in the south and on the Lebanese Israeli borders. That bizarre status quo laid the foundation for the 2006 war between Hezbollah and Israel.
Ahmadinejad is expected to visit an established Iranian center in the village of Maroun A-Ras, where a fierce battle took place in the 2006 war between Hezbollah and the Israeli army. He will also deliver a provocative and fiery demagogic speech in the southern city of Bint-Jbiel through which he will attack the Israeli-Palestinian peace talks that Iran, Syria, Hamas and Hezbollah oppose and are endeavouring by all means to discredit and abort.
Diplomatic officials in Jerusalem said that Lebanon, not Israel, would be the party to suffer most from Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s scheduled visit to southern Lebanon. “Lebanon is the primary victim, and if it wants to stop slipping into the jaws of the Iranian crocodile, it – and the moderate Arab world – should raise a strong voice and say this provocateur is not welcome,” Israeli Foreign Ministry spokesman Yossi Levy said.
The USA on its part has raised serious concerns with the Lebanese officials including President Michele Suleiman about the visit. The American administration is worried about possible incidents along the volatile Lebanon-Israel border and is questioning the Lebanese wisdom and rationale in allowing the Iranian president to visit the tense border area. A USA official said on 05/10/10: "stone-throwing - either figurative or literal - is not a constructive behavior".
What is really scary about Ahmadinejad’s visit is that many Middle East analysts see it as a pretext to an imminent Hezbollah coup in Lebanon. According to a report published by the "DEBKAfile web site" on October 4, 2010: "The presidents of Iran and Syria agreed in Tehran on Saturday, Oct. 2, to support a Hezbollah military takeover of Lebanon's power centers, including the capital Beirut, right after Mahmoud Ahmadinejad ends his controversial visit to the country on October 13-14. Ahmadinejad and Assad also decided to continue to harass Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri by delegitimization of his government, as well as intimidation and humiliation to force him to dissolve the Special Tribunal for Lebanon-STL which has brought charges against Hezbollah officials for the murder of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafiq Hariri in 2005. If this campaign disables the Hariri government, so much the better, because then Hezbollah will be able to walk in and set up a transitional administration together with its allies, the Druze leader, Walid Jumblatt, and the Christian ex-general, Michel Aoun. This administration will rule the regions dominated by Hezbollah gunmen and proclaim its legality as a viable alternative to the failed Hariri government, http://www.debka.com/article/9062/.
Sadly, Lebanon at the present time is not a free or an independent country because of the Syrian - Iranian military hegemony enforced directly through Hezbollah's armed militia that remains the most technically-capable terrorist group in the world and a continued security threat to the United States, Arab and Middle East countries and to all the Free World. Hezbollah is responsible for some of the deadliest terrorist attacks against Americans in history. The United States, Australia, and Canada have designated Hezbollah as a foreign terrorist organization.
Hezbollah is not a Lebanese party by any criterion, but rather a foreign army in Lebanon. Its decision-making process, financing, ideology, training, supplies and weapons all come from the Iranian Revolutionary Guard headquarters and leadership. It has been well documented by several informed resources that Iran annually pays Hezbollah billions of dollars.
This militia was founded in Lebanon by the Iranian mullahs and the Syrian regime in 1982 and its main mission was and still is to export, advocate and spread by force the Khomeini religious ideology to all Middle Eastern countries. Hezbollah has been entrusted by the Iranian mullahs and the Syrian Baathist regime to topple the Lebanese Free State and erect in its place an Iranian satellite state.
The Lebanese people who oppose the growing Syria - Iranian devastating influence over their country are totally against Ahmadinejad’s visit and envisage it as a real threat to the fragile peace in the region and a dire infringement on their country's sovereignty and independence, especially that Ahmadinejad and other high ranking Iranian officials have boldly announced publically that "Lebanon is Iran's border with Israel" and that "Iran will defeat the Satanic USA and Israel in Lebanon".
In the same realm, many members of the Lebanese democratic March 14 Alliance - the political bloc headed by Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Harri - have criticized the planned Iranian visit as a bid to underline Iran's potential to disrupt Middle East peace efforts. Meanwhile, the Christian Lebanese Forces leader, Dr. Samir Geagea, has called on the Iranian president to act as a respected official visitor and not as an instigator, to honor Lebanon's sovereignty and to utter his hostile and hate mongering stances from Iran and not from Lebanon.
In conclusion, Ahmadinejad’s provocative visit to Lebanon is not welcomed at all by the majority of the Lebanese people. Meanwhile, many Lebanese pro-peace and -democracy groups and parties are planning massive peaceful protest demonstrations in several towns and cities to show their opposition to visit.
*Elias Bejjani
*Canadian-Lebanese Human Rights activist, journalist and political commentator
*Email phoenicia@hotmail.com
*Web sites http://www.10452lccc.com & http://www.clhrf.com
*Mailing phoenicia group http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Phoenicia/.
Saturday, October 2, 2010
Woe to those who cause divisions and occasions of stumbling
By: Elias Bejjani*
James 4:14: "Whereas you don’t know what your life will be like tomorrow. For what is your life? For you are a vapor, that appears for a little time, and then vanishes away"
In this earthly life each and every human being is a mere temporary guest in a mortal body, and the moment almighty God calls back his soul, the body becomes cold, motionless and dies, after which it quickly disintegrates and turns back to dust. Genesis 3:19: " By the sweat of your brow you will eat your food until you return to the ground, since from it you were taken; for dust you are and to dust you will return"
If human beings keep in mind this reality and act accordingly, not even one person will never ever be greedy, envious, harm others, do or say things that are
un-Godly and sinful. But sadly many of us blindly chose to ignore the significant fact of death and act as if they are immortal. Those who cause divisions and occasions of stumbling fall under this category of blinded people.
Life is full of all sorts of human struggles conflicts, strives, difficulties, hardships and sophisticated problems. In every encounter man's responses are motivated, managed, and determined either by righteousness or evilness . Needless to say that it is the responsibility of each person to see that the evil instincts are always tamed, restrained and put under control. Meanwhile it is a religious obligation for every faithful individual to handle all kinds of adversities with fear of God, commitment to the Bible teachings, love, forgiveness, fairness and openness.
The bible teaches us to respect and love others as we and respect love ourselves, hail their rights, honour their dignity and respond to the cries of help uttered by all those in need in all walk of life. When we do so, and help others we are in fact helping Jesus Himself. This is exactly the heavenly criteria according to which God will judge us on the last day because every person who is lonely, sick, crippled, retarded, hungry, thirsty, persecuted, and imprisoned is Jesus Himself. "1Corinthians10:24 "Let no one seek his own, but each one his neighbor’s good" John 15/12-13: “This is my commandment, that you love one another, even as I have loved you. 15:13 Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends"
Almighty God is our Holy Father and we are all His beloved children no matter what is our skin colour, or our physical, educational or social status. He sent His only son, Jesus Christ, to be tortured, persecuted, humiliated and crossed in a bid to clean us from the original sin and set us free from the yoke of the devil's slavery. Accordingly He expects us, we His children to love and help each other.
Meanwhile many people chose to defy the Holy Father, ignore His Ten Commandments, defile and tarnish all heavenly graces, ridicule the Holy Bible and live in sin. These sensual mockers and sinners do not have the spirit, walk after their own ungodly lusts and fall preys to the devil's temptations. These un-Godly men creep like snakes and viciously endeavour to turn the grace of our God into indecency, and boldly deny our only Master, God, and Lord, Jesus Christ. They are opportunists, lairs, murmurers and complainers, walking after their body desires and their mouths speak proud things, and show respect of persons to gain advantage.
Matthew 18:7 “Woe to the world because of occasions of stumbling! For it must be that the occasions come, but woe to that person through whom the occasion comes" They are the ones who by their smooth and flattering speech and camouflaged conduct deceive the hearts and souls of the innocent and cause divisions and occasions of stumbling among them contrary to the Bible teachings. They are the ones who don’t serve our Lord, but their own belly and instincts. We are ought to identify these chameleons and trouble makers and turn away from them.
Luke 17:1-4: "He said to the disciples, “It is impossible that no occasions of stumbling should come, but woe to him through whom they come! It would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were thrown into the sea, rather than that he should cause one of these little ones to stumble".
God will keep these wicked people in everlasting bonds under darkness for the judgment of the great day when He shall cast them into the unquenchable fire of Gehenna.
Romans 12:19: "Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God's wrath, for it is written: "It is mine to avenge; I will repay, says the Lord".
We all suffer because of such wicked peoples' deeds who love to cause divisions and enjoy planting seeds of evil where ever they can. They are people whom we deal with around the clock in all walks of life and could be family members, beloved ones, friends, colleagues, acquaintances as well as strangers. Sadly their venomous and mockery deeds are the same and accordingly our faithful defensive stances needs to be the same. We have a religious obligation to genuinely help them by all available means, and try to pull them out of their viciousness, but if all our efforts fail we ought to turn away from them and watch out to see that they do not make us preys for their immorality and subtleness. James 4:17: " To him therefore who knows to do good, and doesn’t do it, to him it is sin".
Turning away from them does not mean hatred and grudges, but mere cautionary stances. Meanwhile we are supposed to be always ready to forgive them when they repent.
Luke17:3 Be careful. If your brother sins against you, rebuke him. If he repents, forgive him. If he sins against you seven times in the day, and seven times returns, saying, ‘I repent,’ you shall forgive him.”
The Bible calls on the faithful to be wise and cautious, but at the same time humble, meek and transparent. Matthew 10/16-20: “Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves. Therefore be wise as serpents, and harmless as doves.
Let us pray that Almighty God shall save us from the traps and wickedness of those problem, heart, and family breakers.
*Elias Bejjani
*Canadian-Lebanese Human Rights activist, journalist and political commentator
*Email phoenicia@hotmail.com
*Web sites http://www.10452lccc.com & http://www.clhrf.com
*Mailing phoenicia group http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Phoenicia/.
James 4:14: "Whereas you don’t know what your life will be like tomorrow. For what is your life? For you are a vapor, that appears for a little time, and then vanishes away"
In this earthly life each and every human being is a mere temporary guest in a mortal body, and the moment almighty God calls back his soul, the body becomes cold, motionless and dies, after which it quickly disintegrates and turns back to dust. Genesis 3:19: " By the sweat of your brow you will eat your food until you return to the ground, since from it you were taken; for dust you are and to dust you will return"
If human beings keep in mind this reality and act accordingly, not even one person will never ever be greedy, envious, harm others, do or say things that are
un-Godly and sinful. But sadly many of us blindly chose to ignore the significant fact of death and act as if they are immortal. Those who cause divisions and occasions of stumbling fall under this category of blinded people.
Life is full of all sorts of human struggles conflicts, strives, difficulties, hardships and sophisticated problems. In every encounter man's responses are motivated, managed, and determined either by righteousness or evilness . Needless to say that it is the responsibility of each person to see that the evil instincts are always tamed, restrained and put under control. Meanwhile it is a religious obligation for every faithful individual to handle all kinds of adversities with fear of God, commitment to the Bible teachings, love, forgiveness, fairness and openness.
The bible teaches us to respect and love others as we and respect love ourselves, hail their rights, honour their dignity and respond to the cries of help uttered by all those in need in all walk of life. When we do so, and help others we are in fact helping Jesus Himself. This is exactly the heavenly criteria according to which God will judge us on the last day because every person who is lonely, sick, crippled, retarded, hungry, thirsty, persecuted, and imprisoned is Jesus Himself. "1Corinthians10:24 "Let no one seek his own, but each one his neighbor’s good" John 15/12-13: “This is my commandment, that you love one another, even as I have loved you. 15:13 Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends"
Almighty God is our Holy Father and we are all His beloved children no matter what is our skin colour, or our physical, educational or social status. He sent His only son, Jesus Christ, to be tortured, persecuted, humiliated and crossed in a bid to clean us from the original sin and set us free from the yoke of the devil's slavery. Accordingly He expects us, we His children to love and help each other.
Meanwhile many people chose to defy the Holy Father, ignore His Ten Commandments, defile and tarnish all heavenly graces, ridicule the Holy Bible and live in sin. These sensual mockers and sinners do not have the spirit, walk after their own ungodly lusts and fall preys to the devil's temptations. These un-Godly men creep like snakes and viciously endeavour to turn the grace of our God into indecency, and boldly deny our only Master, God, and Lord, Jesus Christ. They are opportunists, lairs, murmurers and complainers, walking after their body desires and their mouths speak proud things, and show respect of persons to gain advantage.
Matthew 18:7 “Woe to the world because of occasions of stumbling! For it must be that the occasions come, but woe to that person through whom the occasion comes" They are the ones who by their smooth and flattering speech and camouflaged conduct deceive the hearts and souls of the innocent and cause divisions and occasions of stumbling among them contrary to the Bible teachings. They are the ones who don’t serve our Lord, but their own belly and instincts. We are ought to identify these chameleons and trouble makers and turn away from them.
Luke 17:1-4: "He said to the disciples, “It is impossible that no occasions of stumbling should come, but woe to him through whom they come! It would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were thrown into the sea, rather than that he should cause one of these little ones to stumble".
God will keep these wicked people in everlasting bonds under darkness for the judgment of the great day when He shall cast them into the unquenchable fire of Gehenna.
Romans 12:19: "Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God's wrath, for it is written: "It is mine to avenge; I will repay, says the Lord".
We all suffer because of such wicked peoples' deeds who love to cause divisions and enjoy planting seeds of evil where ever they can. They are people whom we deal with around the clock in all walks of life and could be family members, beloved ones, friends, colleagues, acquaintances as well as strangers. Sadly their venomous and mockery deeds are the same and accordingly our faithful defensive stances needs to be the same. We have a religious obligation to genuinely help them by all available means, and try to pull them out of their viciousness, but if all our efforts fail we ought to turn away from them and watch out to see that they do not make us preys for their immorality and subtleness. James 4:17: " To him therefore who knows to do good, and doesn’t do it, to him it is sin".
Turning away from them does not mean hatred and grudges, but mere cautionary stances. Meanwhile we are supposed to be always ready to forgive them when they repent.
Luke17:3 Be careful. If your brother sins against you, rebuke him. If he repents, forgive him. If he sins against you seven times in the day, and seven times returns, saying, ‘I repent,’ you shall forgive him.”
The Bible calls on the faithful to be wise and cautious, but at the same time humble, meek and transparent. Matthew 10/16-20: “Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves. Therefore be wise as serpents, and harmless as doves.
Let us pray that Almighty God shall save us from the traps and wickedness of those problem, heart, and family breakers.
*Elias Bejjani
*Canadian-Lebanese Human Rights activist, journalist and political commentator
*Email phoenicia@hotmail.com
*Web sites http://www.10452lccc.com & http://www.clhrf.com
*Mailing phoenicia group http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Phoenicia/.
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