Fw: No Christmas in Bethlehem this yeare1

 

----- Original Message -----

From: Ken Freeland

To: kenfree@swbell.net

Sent: Saturday, December 25, 2004 6:36 AM

Subject: FW: No " Merry Christmas " to me this year please!

 

-----Original Message-----
From: Riad Elsolh Hamad [mailto:pcwfaustin@yahoo.com]
Sent: Friday, December 24, 2004 7:10 PM
To: Riad Elsolh Hamad
Subject: Re: No " Merry Christmas " to me this year please!

Dear Friends,
            Please do not send me a Hallmark Christmas card because the town of Christmas is now a prison for children of God who were entrusted with Jerusalem, Nazareth and Bethlehem.

Please do not bother go to Walmart and buy me a Made in China novelty that I have no use for when it will only end up in my 60 gallon recycling bin.

Please NO “Merry Christmas”  to me this year and please do not feel offended.  No, it is not because I was born and raised a Muslim and am supposed to celebrate only the Eid Al-Fitre and the Adha Eid. Christmas was a holiday to celebrate the King of Peace in the land of peace where everyone lived together in peace. 

Please NO “Merry Christmas” to me this year because the hometown of the King of Peace is now a prison that has forgotten the meaning of joy and is awash with the blood of its inhabitants even though Someone Else’s blood was shed for them 2004 years ago.

Please, tell me how I can celebrate Christmas when there are more Christians from Nazareth in Sydney, Australia than in Nazareth, Palestine because “the Chosen people” have built a wall and have driven millions of the children of Abraham and followers of the King of Peace away from their homes. The Christians of Nazareth now celebrate Christmas with a “Made in China” tree rather than with the palm trees that had shaded them for millennia.

Please NO “Merry Christmas” to me this year again. How can I celebrate Christmas when the children of Bethlehem, Nazareth, Jerusalem, Gaza and Jayyous are waiting for someone else’s charity to live and to eat? These children whose ancestors have taught humanity what charity is and have given humanity, Abraham, Moses, Jesus and Mohammad: the messengers of mercy and charity.

Please NO “Merry Christmas” to me this year again. How can I celebrate Christmas when the Christians of Nazareth cannot break bread with their brethren and fellow Christians in Bethlehem? 

Please NO “Merry Christmas” to me this year again. How can I celebrate Christmas when the believers in Cairo, Beirut and Damascus are welcomed with guns and humiliation at checkpoints to the homes of their brethren who welcomed them for centuries in peace and love?

Please NO “Merry Christmas” to me this year again because I will only celebrate Christmas when the people of Bethlehem can go to Halab Al Shahba * and follow the footsteps of Abraham and Sarah to the town of Khalil Al Rahman** and visit the grave of Rachel.

Please NO “Merry Christmas” to me this year again until I can ride a donkey from Halab to Damascus and Beirut to visit the Capucian churches where the Muslims who attended the services with their Christian brothers and sisters shared the joy of Christmas just like the Christians shared with them the joys of Eid Al Adha.

Please NO “Merry Christmas” to me this year again until I can walk the streets of Beirut, Al Jazayer Street, Wadi Abu Jamil, Souk Al Tawileh..Souk Ayas, Wakf Alrrom with my friend Henry P. who now lives in San Francisco, Californai. Henry, the Jew, who left his home in Beirut because someone thought that his Jewish faith meant he supported the fascists who have tarnished the land of peace and the Jewish faith. Henry, we will go to Beirut soon and drive to Jerusalem to celebrate peace and justice for all and bury the hatred and violence that has been imposed on us for the last one hundred years. The hatred and violence perpetrated by people whose only connection to Judaism is a flag that flanks the star of David with two blue vertical lines.***  They are not the face of Judaism that we were taught, mercy, kindness and charity to your fellow humans, animals and yes, olive trees.

Please NO “Merry Christmas” to me this year again until Abdul-Massih of Cairo and Alexandria joins his family in Jerusalem to light the candles under the palm trees where Jesus walked.  Abdulmassih who was jailed just because he dared to cross an artificial border to do his holy duty and kiss the ground where the King of Peace walked two millennia ago.

Please No “Merry Christmas” to me this year again until they stop uprooting OUR olive trees, the olive trees of the people who look to Palestine for hope, peace and justice for all: Muslims, Christians and Jews.

Til then, there is NO Justice, and there is NO Peace. We will wait another year. We will say Merry Christmas in Beitlehm when WE RETURN.

  

* The historical events recorded indicate that father Abraham milked his cow at the gates of the city to feed his children hence the name of the city Halab Alshaba. Halab means milked and Alshaba means the cow in the Arabic langauge.

** Alkhalil is the Arabic word for Hebron. Alkhalil means an intimate friend, The Muslims belief that Abraham was an intimate friend of God because of his piety and holiness. Alrahman in Arabic means the Merciful, one of the 99 names of Allah/ God in Arabic.

*** The two vertical lines in the flag symbolize the Tigris and the Euphrates Rivers that the Zionists claim are the borders of their “promised land.”

 

Thanks for your friendship and support

Salamat

Riad Hamad

 

http://www.pcwf.org , http://www.paypalestine.com, Palestine Children's Welfare Fund. 201 W. Stassney # 201, Austin, Texas 78745 Click to buy Palestinian arts and crafts online, sponsor a Palestinian child ,buy a flag or a kufiya, donate a book to teach one or plant an olive/ orange tree in Palestine to honor a loved one

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http://www.pcwf.org , http://www.paypalestine.com, Palestine Children's Welfare Fund. 201 W. Stassney # 201, Austin, Texas 78745 Click to buy Palestinian arts and crafts online, sponsor a Palestinian child ,buy a flag or a kufiya, donate a book to teach one or plant an olive/ orange tree in Palestine to honor a loved one

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Fw: Christ in Christmas

 

----- Original Message -----

From: BDozer1947@aol.com

To: cwolman@mcn.org

Sent: Saturday, December 25, 2004 1:18 PM

Subject: Christ in Christmas

Put Christ in Christmas!
Jingle Bells what the Hell, spend some more this year!
by Robert W. Barker  â€¢  The Netherlands  â€¢  December 24, 2004  
 Send thanks & comments to:     BDozer1947@aol.com   

One of my pet peeves is commercial Christmas, I turn into a scrooge and bah humbug a lot, at this time of year.
I love the Christmas season with its charity and love, lively parties and cheer! Its the quest for what's best to buy for whom, that irritates me to no end. The pressure to get the right thing, to cover that list to make sure everyone gets a "Gift."

Baby Jesus received gifts at his birth and somehow that set off a Macy's day Parade to the department store. Christmas trees surrounded by thousands of gifts prove we are happy and fulfilled somehow. Prosperity is proof God loves us according to the Gospel of Commercialism, preached from the gold plated pulpit of avarice, in many prosperity churches.

Impoverished Americans feel shame that they cannot provide such happiness, frustration and guilt make poor Christmas presents.

Christ was not about commercial advances, bottom line, traditional buying sprees, required gifts or opulence, or cash value request in our prayers.

Jesus does not peer into your bank account or require a certain total of gifts under the tree.

Jesus requires one thing, according to those often quoted Gospels, "love of God and your fellow man." Many so called Christians forget this and cheer the death in Iraq, promote the rich and shame the poor by their prosperity Gospel.

Yet American society does require a bit more, there is a certain pressure to get the kids as much as the next door neighbors kid, or somehow we feel less Christian, or American.

I have spent a few Christmas in Europe, they have commercial Xmas too, but not quite as buy crazy as Americans, we are the three kings of consumption.

Here I find myself on the side of the TV evangelist, I too would like to see more Christ in Xmas, Only my reasons are not quite the same as theirs.

They seem to want to keep our attention on their program, and off the gifts a bit, as the coffers fill faster when people spend less on Christmas.

I know this sounds a bit cynical but this is the feeling I get from these greedy TV preachers.

Personally, I know that if the real Christ were back in Christmas, love would increase proportionately, Charity would suffice for giving, and kids would be happy with a small gift, a great meal, and a prayer to God.

Ah, I know what your thinking our economy depends on a commercial Xmas. Our souls cry out for understanding but you cannot purchase that.

But I can dream, that like our forefathers we can have a Christmas about love understanding and forgiveness.

Once again I dream of a  return to a simple Christmas celebration of Christ birth. But until then, "Hey Jesus got a tree yet?"

R.W.Barker

Fw: Dennis' message of Peace and Hope

 

----- Original Message -----

From: rainbow7

To: rainbow7

Sent: Friday, December 24, 2004 9:10 PM

Subject: Dennis' message of Peace and Hope

Dennis has a CD out that you may want to check out .. see some of his beautiful & inspiring words: (thank You Larry for sending this)

Love
serena
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Dear Friend of Dennis Kucinich,

2004 has been quite a year! Dennis' message of Peace and Hope which he brought to our community, and to communities all across the nation, was one of the bright lights of the year.

Here are a few of Dennis' inspiring words from the talk on this CD:

   "Take spiritual principles and pour them into political
    actions, as did Gandhi.
    It’s about freedom, not control."

   "We can’t sustain a democracy without courage. 
    What are we doing to diminish fear and increase
    courage in our lives? Courage is the power of the
    human heart to create new possibilities,
    to change the world, and to open paths
    where previously there were none."

   "Something of spirit
    informs everything that is of matter."

   "Ethical principles can inform, sustain,
    and elevate the material world."

   "No matter how grim things look,
    we have this potential for helping to catalyze change,
    but it’s not out there. It’s in here [in our hearts]."

   "This country’s role in the world today
    doesn’t express our hearts."

   "Coming together in community,
    we encourage and connect with hearts.
    Public meetings -- this is how our nation was born.
    It starts with fearlessness."

   "We can’t walk in fear and faith at the same time."

   "When we’re ready to risk it all, we’ll win it all. 
    That’s what we [Americans] should be known for: 
    The strength of our morality
    and the openness of our hearts."

Commemorating Dennis Kucinich's visits to southern Oregon, we have prepared an audio CD of Dennis speaking at the Spirituality in Politics Forum in Ashland at the Wind Mill Inn on May 2nd of this year. This Forum provided a special opportunity for Kucinich to expound on the topic of Spirituality in Politics and to answer some poignant questions from the community.

The three fold purpose of this CD project is

   1) to make available Dennis' inspiring talk in Ashland
   2) to pay off remaining local expenses from Dennis'
       Presidential campaign
   3) to help actualize Dennis' vision of a US Dept. of Peace

Please consider helping us with these goals by purchasing one or more copies of this CD, and by letting your friends know about this project.

Adding to the appeal of this recording is a bit of music from the event. The cd starts off with an amazing rendition of the "Star Spangled Spirit" by Ashland singer-song writer Aletha Nowitzky. This is her inspired version of the Star Spangled Banner. And after Dennis' talk, world peace troubadour James Twyman sings his Peace Medley, consisting of "May Peace Prevail on Earth", "Imagine", and "Give Peace a Chance." Both performances are awesome, and both Aletha and James have graciously allowed us the use of their songs for this project.
http://www.SpiritualityInPolitics.org
Scroll to the bottom of that page for a full size picture.

Copies of the CD are available for a $12 donation.
All funds raised go 1) to pay for the cost of making the CD, 2) to cover remaining local expenses from the Kucinich for President campaign, and 3) to help actualize Dennis' vision of a US Dept. of Peace, by supporting the work of the Department of Peace Campaign
http://www.DOPCampaign.org

Copies of the CD are available at the following locations.

In Ashland:
   Sound Peace, 199 East Main St.
       On the "Books on CD" spinning rack in the back room, or ask
   Music Coop, 181 "A" St.
       Ask for the CD by name. Copies are under the front
       counter (not visible) in a manila envelope, just like
       how they do ticket sales.

In Cave Junction
   Blue Moon Cafe
       Should be visible in a display box, or ask Judy

In Mount Shasta
   Golden Bough Books, 219 North Mount Shasta Blvd.
       Should be visible in a display box, or ask Jessie

Please support these stores (which have graciously agreed to support this project by carrying copies of the CD) by purchasing your copies from them, if that is convenient.

If you go to one of these stores and they have sold out, *please* email me right away to let me know, so I can get them more copies:
Peace@SpiritualityInPolitics.org

Or Get Your Copy By Mail

     simply go to:
http://www.SpiritualityInPolitics.org
From there you can pay via PayPal, either using a credit card or your PayPal account, and we will send you your copy by US mail.

These CDs make thoughtful New Year's gifts, for yourself and for your friends and family. Give the gift that inspires hope and promotes peace.
Peace@SpiritualityInPolitics.org
http://www.SpiritualityInPolitics.org

Fw: Families of Slain Troops Raise $600,000 for Fallujah Refugees

Titus 3:4
Beloved: The kindness and generous love
of God our savior appeared

http://www.nccbuscc.org/nab/122504.htm

----- Original Message -----

From: ftully

To: Tom Tully

Sent: Saturday, December 25, 2004 10:00 AM

Subject: Families of Slain Troops Raise $600,000 for Fallujah Refugees

Fallujah, a human tragedy and a politically motivated military blunder!

This humanitarian effort by those who have lost sons and daughters fighting Bush's war is America at its best!

The eye for an eye policies of the Bush administration has blackened Americas Image and is losing this, so called, war against terrorism. Wouldn't it be great if The Bush administration publicly supported this humanitarian program.

Peace

Tom

U.S. Families of Dead Raise 600,000 Dollars for Fallujah Refugees     Agence France Presse     Friday 24 December 2004     Los Angeles - Families of US troops killed in the offensive on the Iraqi city of Fallujah are to travel to Jordan next week with 600,000 dollars worth of humanitarian aid for refugees of the attack.     The November assault on Fallujah left 71 US military dead, according to the families, and the Iraqi government said more than 2,000 Iraqis were killed.     "This delegation is a way for me to express my sympathy and support for the Iraqi people," said Rosa Suarez of Escondido in California.     "The Iraq war took away my son's life, and it has taken away the lives of so many innocent Iraqis. It is time to stop the killing and to help the children of Iraq," she added in a statement released by the families.     The families said with peace groups, physicians' organisations and relatives of the September 11, 2001 attacks victims, they raised 100,000 dollars in an internet appeal. Humanitarian groups such as Middle East Children's Alliance and Operation USA contributed 500,000 dollars worth of medical supplies.     The families are to fly to Amman on December 26 and hand over the supplies to humanitarian and medical workers there.     -------   Jump to TO Features for Saturday December 25, 2004    Today's TO Features -------------- Powell Advised Bush to Add Iraq Troops Carol Giacomo | U.S. Living in 'Fantasy Land' over Iraq Intel. Gap in Iraq Widens in the Face of Lasting Insurgency Bush to Renominate Conservative Judges Maureen Dowd | Christmas Eve of Destruction 3 Marines Killed, Insurgents Operate at Will Logging Fears as Bush Eases Forestry Laws France Welcomes Kidnapped Reporters Home Recount Reverses Washington Election Outcome, Legal Challenges Looming Rebecca Solnit | Hope at Midnight Gunmen Kill 28 in Honduras Ukraine Prepares for Second Runoff Families of Slain Troops Raise $600,000 for Fallujah Refugees Voting Problems in Ohio Spur Call for Overhaul t r u t h o u t  Home © Copyright 2004 by TruthOut.org