Priests brawl in Bethlehem's Church of the Nativity

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Priests brawl in Bethlehem's Church of the Nativity

Post by klr » Wed Dec 28, 2011 3:49 pm

... Yet again. It's now as much part of Christmas as Santa Claus. :hehe:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-16347418
Scuffles have broken out between rival groups of Greek Orthodox and Armenian clerics in a turf war at Bethlehem's Church of the Nativity.

Bemused tourists looked on as about 100 priests fought with brooms while cleaning the church in preparation for Orthodox Christmas, on 7 January.

Palestinian police armed with batons and shields broke up the clashes.

Groups of priests have clashed before in the church, built on the spot where Christians believe Jesus was born.

"It was a trivial problem that... occurs every year," Bethlehem police Lt-Col Khaled al-Tamimi told Reuters.

"No one was arrested because all those involved were men of God," he said.

Nobody was seriously injured in the scuffles, according to the police.

Previous clashes between the denominations which share the administration of the church have been sparked by perceived encroachments on one group's territory by another.

The 1,700-year-old church, one of the holiest sites in Christianity, is in a bad state of repair, largely because the priests cannot agree on who should pay for its upkeep.

Jerusalem's Church of the Holy Sepulchre, built on the site where many Christians believe Jesus was crucified, has also seen similar incidents.
Italics mine ...
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Re: Priests brawl in Bethlehem's Church of the Nativity

Post by Svartalf » Wed Dec 28, 2011 3:54 pm

Dammit Kevin, as an Irishman, you of all people should know that a good fight is just about necessary to get truly festive spirit in any occasion.
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Re: Priests brawl in Bethlehem's Church of the Nativity

Post by klr » Wed Dec 28, 2011 3:57 pm

Svartalf wrote:Dammit Kevin, as an Irishman, you of all people should know that a good fight is just about necessary to get truly festive spirit in any occasion.
I know, but who amongst us here can pass up this annual freebie from these "men of god"? :awesanta:
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Re: Priests brawl in Bethlehem's Church of the Nativity

Post by maiforpeace » Wed Dec 28, 2011 4:18 pm

Bad behavior from Orthodox Jews...who would have thunk. I hope they continue doing this sort of thing, it only helps to make their religion(s) more and more irrelevant.

http://www.haaretz.com/print-edition/ne ... s-1.402021
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Peace and Goodwill Fight Breaksout in Bethlehem

Post by Atheist-Lite » Wed Dec 28, 2011 10:39 pm

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-16347418

Priests brawl in Bethlehem's Church of the Nativity

Scuffles have broken out between rival groups of Greek Orthodox and Armenian clerics in a turf war at Bethlehem's Church of the Nativity.

Bemused tourists looked on as about 100 priests fought with brooms while cleaning the church in preparation for Orthodox Christmas, on 7 January.

Palestinian police armed with batons and shields broke up the clashes.

Groups of priests have clashed before in the church, built on the spot where Christians believe Jesus was born.

Bethlehem police
"It was a trivial problem that... occurs every year," Bethlehem police Lt-Col Khaled al-Tamimi told Reuters.

"No one was arrested because all those involved were men of God," he said.

(continued) :fp:
nxnxm,cm,m,fvmf,vndfnm,nm,f,dvm,v v vmfm,vvm,d,dd vv sm,mvd,fmf,fn ,v fvfm,

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Re: Priests brawl in Bethlehem's Church of the Nativity

Post by John_fi_Skye » Wed Dec 28, 2011 10:58 pm

I saw this on the TV news tonight. :funny:

There's another thread here that invites us to say three good things about religion, and I couldn't think of three. :thinks: But I've thought of ONE, now: the good thing I've thought of is that religion is so fucking absurd that surely it'll disappear up its own arsehole very soon. :pop:
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Re: Priests brawl in Bethlehem's Church of the Nativity

Post by redunderthebed » Wed Dec 28, 2011 11:15 pm

maiforpeace wrote:Bad behavior from Orthodox Jews...who would have thunk. I hope they continue doing this sort of thing, it only helps to make their religion(s) more and more irrelevant.

http://www.haaretz.com/print-edition/ne ... s-1.402021
Is this the same cretins that spat on an 8 year old girl for dressing "immodestly". :nono:
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Re: Priests brawl in Bethlehem's Church of the Nativity

Post by Gawdzilla Sama » Wed Dec 28, 2011 11:33 pm

I got attacked over at ArmchairGeneral for posting that link. :funny:
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Re: Priests brawl in Bethlehem's Church of the Nativity

Post by Animavore » Thu Dec 29, 2011 12:21 am

Clergy fighting over their interpretations of their imaginary friends is a source of amusement to me.
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Re: Priests brawl in Bethlehem's Church of the Nativity

Post by JimC » Thu Dec 29, 2011 5:22 am

At least rival troops of chimpanzees fighting over territory makes sense...

This has the same derivation, but has transformed it into a theatre of the absurd...
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Re: Priests brawl in Bethlehem's Church of the Nativity

Post by HomerJay » Thu Dec 29, 2011 9:43 am

Cross post from RatSkep:
DoctorE wrote:Obligatory

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Re: Priests brawl in Bethlehem's Church of the Nativity

Post by Ayaan » Thu Dec 29, 2011 10:02 am

I thought this statement was telling:
The 1,700-year-old church, one of the holiest sites in Christianity, is in a bad state of repair, largely because the priests cannot agree on who should pay for its upkeep.
Give it a few more years and this won't be a problem because the place will have fallen down around their ears.
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Re: Priests brawl in Bethlehem's Church of the Nativity

Post by Rum » Thu Dec 29, 2011 11:15 am

My dad was in the Palestine Police from 1946 to the end of the UN?British mandate and had to police this little circus on a couple of occasions. It was hard not to fall about laughing, he has told me, at the ridiculousness of the sight!

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Re: Priests brawl in Bethlehem's Church of the Nativity

Post by Gawdzilla Sama » Thu Dec 29, 2011 1:32 pm

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Re: Priests brawl in Bethlehem's Church of the Nativity

Post by amok » Fri Dec 30, 2011 5:58 pm

Since it apparently happens year after year, I wonder if it's become (at least in part) some sort of act for the tourists. The broom swatters I saw didn't connect with anyone (though I didn't see where the one the guy chucked across the room landed), and the police were just waving their batons in the air half-heartedly. It reminds me of the "slap fights" I occasionally had with my sisters when we were little kids - lots of arm-flapping but no actual violence.
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