www.byzcath.org Forums General Discussions Town Hall Catholic Response to Palestinian Suffering

Dear Yuhannon,

The problem I find with your style of posting is that you make a statement and then follow it up with pages and pages of copied reports.

It's as if you are using the reports and comments of others as "proof positive" that you are right or that your position is correct.

In fact, we are free to agree or disagree with the positions taken in the reports you give. They are not "infallible" and they do represent various subjective views - as all positions do.

Perhaps you could summarize in your own words what you feel is germane in the reports you have read and why they provide support to your position.

Alex

Yuhannon:

I have to agree with Alex regarding your copied posts. Most news organizations have copyright standards regarding the use of articles from their websites onto to other news forums. Given that some of these articles can be quite long, I am going to insist as the moderator of the "Town Hall" forum that a short summary of the article be given and a link be provided to the article in the post. This follows even the strictest requirement of most news organizations.

Thank you.

Shlomo Alex,
I am using the reports to show the Church's position on the subject.

You are correct that they are not infallible, but since our Eparchs are also our teachers on issues of faith and morals they do carry a lot more weight than just my opinion.

I also publish them in their entirety so that people will know that I am leaving nothing out, and trying to bias their words.

Poosh BaShlomo,
Yuhannon

Shlomo Deacon John,
Thank you for your concern, but I do have permission from the Catholic sites for the use of said matterial, or they have a disclaimer on the site itself.

Poosh BaShlomo,
Yuhannon

Yes, but when you do that, Yuhannon, it looks more like a monologue than a conversation.

Yuhannon

You bring up some excellent points, they just need more condensing.

Actually I appreciate Yuhannon's lengthy posting of relevant documents and statements - it's easier to read them than if there is just a link provided. And if I don't wish to read a specific document or statement, it's no bother to scroll past it. Incognitus

And what would you call Mr.Sharon?


The occupation is not Israel's fault??

Dear OrthodoxSWE,

Don't forget to blame Israel for the suicide bombers too!

Alex

Dear Yuhannon,

Since Incognitus is in your corner, and he just might be my bishop, I don't know, I will defer to his judgement!

But there is always bias present in any writing. The only people who believe that there can be "bias-free" points of view are liberals!

Alex

Shlomo Alex,
I truly understand that all writings are bias, that is another reason that I post in its entirety what the Bishops said. Because editing too can be biased.

Further, this is why I do post what the Christian leaders from the Holy Land and the Middle East have to say, because they are not calling for the "death of the Jews," but for "Justice for the Palestinians." They cry out to their co-religious because they understand that the Media in the States does not report what they say. They cry out because they understand that guilt has caused this travesty. They cry out, because they understand that there are certain Christians that seek the distruction of the World, and are using the Jews, Christians, and Muslims of the Middle East to achieve it.

Lastly, by posting the entire relivant text most peoples questions are already answered. For example made a point about the violence. If they read the full texts before they would have seen this:

We have to ask ourselves what are we doing to help stop young people in the region from becoming so desparate they wish to kill themselves and others?

As a Maronite and an Arab I am use to the idea of the Church, or any religious body, speaking in the Political arena. Also, as an American, I truly believe in the separation of Church and State, but that does not mean that we as citizens should not apply our moral and Christian values to the political discussion.

Poosh BaShlomo,
Yuhannon

Shlomo Teen,
I am answering your point on this thread about my Church seeming to be Old Testement. Thank You!!! That is one of the hallmarks of my Church. All of the Antiochene-Edessan Churches are more grounded in the Old Testement than the Churches of the West (to us that includes the Byzantine Churches ).

Poosh BaShlomo,
Yuhannon

Shlomo Lkhoolkhoon,
In today's New York Times, there is a great editorial by Thomas Friedman. Here is the link:

New York Times: Friedman Editorial [nytimes.com]

I would like to quote a couple of the passages, because it sums up what I have been trying to say.

Let's not mince words. American policy today toward the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is insane.

Can anyone look at what is happening � Palestinians, gripped by a collective madness, committing suicide, and Israelis, under a leadership completely adrift, building more settlements so fanatical Jews can live in the heart of Palestinian-populated areas � and not conclude the following: That these two nations are locked in an utterly self-destructive vicious cycle that threatens Israel's long-term viability, poisons America's image in the Middle East, undermines any hope for a Palestinian state and weakens pro-American Arab moderates. No, you can't draw any other conclusion. Yet the Bush team, backed up by certain conservative Jewish and Christian activist groups, believes that the correct policy is to do nothing. Well, that is my definition of insane.

The Bush team rightly speaks of bringing justice to Iraq. It rightly denounces Palestinian suicide madness. But it says nothing about the injustice of the Israeli land grab in the West Bank. The Bush team destroyed the Iraqi regime in three weeks and has not persuaded Israel to give up one settlement in three years. To think America can practice that sort of hypocrisy and win the war of ideas in the Arab-Muslim world is a truly dangerous fantasy.

Poosh BaShlomo Lkhoolkoon,
Yuhannon

Habeebna Yuhannon,

It's been a long while since I've visited the board, but I managed to come across this thread and the thread it is succeeding.

I've been having my own scuffles concerning this topic on an Orthodox board, but looking at this, bravo 'aleik ya batal.

I will second Alex's suggestion though. Add commentary of your own where possible.

Keep it up.

In IC XC
Samer