Church Assistance in Gaza

[smac97]

Deseret News: Church devoting ‘significant financial resources’ to relief agencies in Gaza, Israel

Quote

On Monday, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints announced it would provide “significant financial resources” toward humanitarian aid through relief organizations in Gaza and Israel.

In line with its stated aim to provide humanitarian assistance around the world, including areas of conflict, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is collaborating with multiple international relief agencies in Gaza and Israel, the statement reads. The Church is devoting significant financial resources for critical medical and mental health care, among other needs, to help alleviate suffering wherever it is found.

On Oct. 18, the church’s First Presidency issued a statement about violence in the Middle East.

We are devastated by the recent eruption of violence and loss of life in the Middle East. Violence of this nature is abhorrent to us and is not in harmony with the gospel of Jesus Christ, which is a gospel of peace. At such times, our hearts ache for all victims of this atrocity. As servants of God, we affirm that He calls upon all of us to love our neighbors as ourselves, and we pray for a peaceful resolution of all conflicts.

I am glad the Church is helping out.  What a terrible situation that is.

-Smac

[MiserereNobis]

I wonder what agencies they're working with. Red Cross? Red Crescent? UN? Getting aid into Gaza seems pretty impossible right now. Hopefully soon.

[MiserereNobis]

I poked around to see if the LDS church has partnered up with the Catholic Church for this as in previous times. We seem to have a good humanitarian relationship with each other. We have a presence and infrastructure in so many places already that would make sense for LDS to make donations to what we've already got going on the ground.

I wasn't able to find anything concrete.

Caritas Internatinalis (International Charity) is the group of world-wide Catholic charities. Caritas Jerusalem is the affiliate that works in Israel, Gaza, and the West Bank. Here's their web page Conflict in the Holy Land

I love the quote from Pope Francis there: "I urge believers to take just one side in this conflict: that of peace."

Here's a relevant part of the page:

Quote

Caritas Internatinalis emergency response is cross-regional.

Caritas Members are prepared to respond quickly and extensively, due in large part to our longstanding presence in the Holy Land.

Caritas Jerusalem is in daily communication with its team in Gaza, providing staff care. Once a ceasefire comes into effect, CJ will provide outpatient trauma care and essential primary health care in its clinic, in coordination with the Ministry of Health.

In recent years, CJ has deployed mobile medical teams and worked in collaboration with a network of community-based organizations to deliver health services, including trauma care, in rural, marginalized areas. Once it is safe to travel , CJ hopes to form mobile medical teams to serve different areas of the Gaza Strip drawing on current staff who live near the selected areas.

They make a good point -- they've been there since 1967.

[The Nehor]

There is a lot more aid available than there is ways to get it in. It is estimated that about 4/5ths of the population of Gaza were reliant to some degree on international aid before this conflict.

The sad truth is that like a lot of humanitarian aid to war-torn regions some of it will be skimmed off. Some legally like the military aid to Israel package that passed at the same time as the Gaza aid was ‘allowed’ by Israel and by local leaders/gangs/warlords in Gaza. Generally to get aid into a conflict you have to bribe someone and often several someones. Ukraine was weirdly different in this respect but I am sure there was and is still some of this kind of skimming going on. Just at lower levels.

[blackstrap]

I just saw that air drops are happening. 

[The Nehor]

34 minutes ago, blackstrap said:

I just saw that air drops are happening. 

I’ve only read about one. It was Jordanian and was to do a critical resupply a hospital they run. I doubt it will become too regular. I doubt Israel wants a bunch of planes flying over Gaza.

[Bill “Papa” Lee]

Good for them, they are helping in Nations that will never allow us teach the Gospel of Jesus Christ. In Israel, they are opposed, fearing that the Jewish Faith will be jeopardized. In fact, I remember a story of Elder Holland was asked a question, by a passenger, while still on the runway. He would not answer until they left Israel airspace. This is because Latter-day Saints are prohibited from teaching, or preaching the Gospel in Israel. So no matter what we give, Israel will not allow, anyone to teach, or be taught, until after the “Second Coming of Jesus Christ”. The Gaza Strip is, Islam only, nothing else will be permitted, in any way. Also, and who might try to speak against Islam, will be put to death. 

So again, good for The Church, they are giving expecting nothing in return; EVER. God bless them, they see people in need, and they give accordingly. They do this to follow the teachings of The Lord Jesus Christ. I am so very proud, of our Faith. I only hope anyone does not find a way to criticize their efforts. 

[MiserereNobis]

14 minutes ago, Bill “Papa” Lee said:

The Gaza Strip is, Islam only, nothing else will be permitted, in any way. Also, and who might try to speak against Islam, will be put to death. 

There are Christians in Gaza. I was just reading a story in The Atlantic this morning about a Catholic parish there:

https://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2023/10/gaza-evacuations-catholic-parish/675639/

It might be behind a pay wall, but you can read this first little bit.

[The Nehor]

33 minutes ago, Bill “Papa” Lee said:

The Gaza Strip is, Islam only, nothing else will be permitted, in any way. Also, and who might try to speak against Islam, will be put to death. 

This is just not true.

[rpn]

3 hours ago, MiserereNobis said:

I wonder what agencies they're working with. Red Cross? Red Crescent? UN? Getting aid into Gaza seems pretty impossible right now. Hopefully soon.

The Church has lots of contacts there because of the long history of the BYU Jerusalem Center, and its intentional reaching out to accurately tell the full story of all the groups with interests there. 

[MiserereNobis]

32 minutes ago, rpn said:

The Church has lots of contacts there because of the long history of the BYU Jerusalem Center, and its intentional reaching out to accurately tell the full story of all the groups with interests there. 

Interesting. I didn't know about the center, so I just read the wikipedia article on it. Seems like it was pretty controversial in the beginning!

[Bill “Papa” Lee]

34 minutes ago, The Nehor said:

This is just not true.

In the early days of the State of Israel, Christians outnumbered Muslims. Over time, the Gaza Strip, and the West Bank, filled with countless Muslims, and many Christians were driven out, and murdered, which is why they’re so few today. Many who were not killed, are forced to worship in quiet, and those who won’t covert, are forced to pay be taxed. There are very beautiful Mosques, that are so very prominent. It is so very rare to see a Christian Church, in Muslim Nation’s. The most beautiful Christian Church in the Middle East, is found in Jerusalem. Muslims are carrying out the commandments of the Koran. Because, when Mohammed took his message very large Jewish populations in Saudi Arabia, he was rejected. Thus gave rise to the hatred of Jews for the last 1,400+ years. The same Martian Luther (not MLK Jr) went to the Jews, and he was also rejected. After this, his writings about the Jewish people, was filled with such hatred, that Hitler himself used them to gin up Germans to hate and kill the Jews. In fact, for the four years I served in (what was then) West Germany, that hatred was still was present. Not to mention the comments they used for Black American Soldiers. One last thing, Christians don’t attack and kill Jews, be they old and young. I don’t know, do you have a picture of a Christian Church in the Gaza Strip, or anywhere on the “West Bank”. But, can a Christian openly worship there, or does a Christian kill babies. I was attempting to speak of my joy for the Church, giving money to help people who would never allow a missionary, to step one foot, on their soil. Maybe we have different definitions of what a Christian are, but I am open to learning of a beautiful Christian Church in the Gaza Strip. I know there is a beautiful Christian Church in Jerusalem. Again, Both sides are suffering, and both sides need help, which is why I am personally sending aide. I do this, because both sides are filled with the Sons and Daughters of God. 

[The Nehor]

4 minutes ago, Bill “Papa” Lee said:

In the early days of the State of Israel, Christians outnumbered Muslims. Over time, the Gaza Strip, and the West Bank, filled with countless Muslims, and many Christians were driven out, and murdered, which is why they’re so few today. Many who were not killed, are forced to worship in quiet, and those who won’t covert, are forced to pay be taxed. There are very beautiful Mosques, that are so very prominent. It is so very rare to see a Christian Church, in Muslim Nation’s. The most beautiful Christian Church in the Middle East, is found in Jerusalem. Muslims are carrying out the commandments of the Koran. Because, when Mohammed took his message very large Jewish populations in Saudi Arabia, he was rejected. Thus gave rise to the hatred of Jews for the last 1,400+ years. The same Martian Luther (not MLK Jr) went to the Jews, and he was also rejected. After this, his writings about the Jewish people, was filled with such hatred, that Hitler himself used them to gin up Germans to hate and kill the Jews. In fact, for the four years I served in (what was then) West Germany, that hatred was still was present. Not to mention the comments they used for Black American Soldiers. One last thing, Christians don’t attack and kill Jews, be they old and young. I don’t know, do you have a picture of a Christian Church in the Gaza Strip, or anywhere on the “West Bank”. But, can a Christian openly worship there, or does a Christian kill babies. I was attempting to speak of my joy for the Church, giving money to help people who would never allow a missionary, to step one foot, on their soil. Maybe we have different definitions of what a Christian are, but I am open to learning of a beautiful Christian Church in the Gaza Strip. I know there is a beautiful Christian Church in Jerusalem. Again, Both sides are suffering, and both sides need help, which is why I am personally sending aide. I do this, because both sides are filled with the Sons and Daughters of God. 

Church of Saint Porphyrius, believed to be one of the oldest Christian churches in the world.

[MiserereNobis]

4 minutes ago, Bill “Papa” Lee said:

One last thing, Christians don’t attack and kill Jews

Whoa, you don't know your history.

5 minutes ago, Bill “Papa” Lee said:

do you have a picture of a Christian Church in the Gaza Strip

Here's the website of the Catholic parish there: https://www.lpj.org/diocese/gaza-parish.html

Here's a picture from outside:

And one from the inside:

Pope Francis has called the parish priest at least twice since the war started.

[The Nehor]

15 minutes ago, Bill “Papa” Lee said:

One last thing, Christians don’t attack and kill Jews, be they old and young.

That is incorrect.

[MiserereNobis]

9 minutes ago, The Nehor said:

Church of Saint Porphyrius, believed to be one of the oldest Christian churches in the world.

It was hit by an air strike on October 19. There was a false claim that it had bombed a week earlier, but this strike is confirmed by an Order associated with the church.

https://orderofsaintgeorge.org/confirmed-bombing-of-st-porphyrios/

 

[Calm]

47 minutes ago, Bill “Papa” Lee said:

One last thing, Christians don’t attack and kill Jews, be they old and young.

Perhaps you mean true Christians and not just those who claim to be Christians, but others might say the same for Muslims.***. Unfortunately antisemitism to the point of death is still alive and well in Christian dominant countries.

And Israel exists today in part because of Christians killing Jews and Jews needing a homeland to protect themselves in strength. And the conflict primarily exists because Christians lied and manipulated both Jews and Muslims, making promises and then betraying them for greed.

***https://www.usip.org/publications/2015/11/islam-religion-peace

Quote

Those who claim Islam is an inherently violent religion ignore the overwhelming majority of adherents to the faith — there are more than 1.5 billion Muslims worldwide — who live peacefully. They would also ignore that using religion as a justification for violence is nothing new. There are countless examples of members of other religions invoking faith as they perpetrate violence — Buddhist nationalist movements in Sri Lanka and Myanmar instigating violent campaigns against Muslims, for instance. Most people are able to critically analyze these movements and not lay the blame on Buddhism or Christianity.

The most prominent Muslim academics agree extremist groups believe in a fringe version of Islam well outside the scholarly consensus. In 2014, more than 120 of the world’s top Muslim leaders and scholars wrote an open letterto the Islamic State’s leader, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, and his followers, using the same religious texts the militants cite and arguing the group’s practices are not legitimate in Islam. Signatories include the former and current Grand Muftis of Egypt and top Muslim clerics from Nigeria, the U.S., Canada, Pakistan, and Indonesia.

Muslims have taken grave risks to condemn violence, and some are on the front lines militarily too. Youth activists across the world regularly receive death threats as they offer alternative narratives to resolve conflict through nonviolence. Others have picked up arms to combat these extremist groups when condemnation is not enough. It is Muslims on the ground throughout Iraq and Syria who are leading the fight against the Islamic State. If the tenets of Islam could truly cause violence, all these Muslims would be joining the Islamic State instead of risking their lives to stop it.

 

Edited November 7, 2023 by Calm

[Bill “Papa” Lee]

1 hour ago, MiserereNobis said:

Whoa, you don't know your history.

Maybe, I have only lived history, for almost 67 years. 10 years of it reacting to various world issues, while serving in the Army. Living in the South, knowing and seeing Jewish Temples being attack by hate groups like the KKK, 23 years as a Police Officer, investigating attacks against Jews. But, if you like, educate me. What did I get wrong? 

[Calm]

14 minutes ago, Bill “Papa” Lee said:

Maybe, I have only lived history, for almost 67 years. 10 years of it reacting to various world issues, while serving in the Army. Living in the South, knowing and seeing Jewish Temples being attack by hate groups like the KKK, 23 years as a Police Officer, investigating attacks against Jews. But, if you like, educate me. What did I get wrong? 

A lot of KKKs are and were Christian.  The South as not a hotbed of Islam and atheism in the past.

Perhaps you want to clarify what you mean when you said 

Quote

One last thing, Christians don’t attack and kill Jews, be they old and young.

 

Edited November 8, 2023 by Calm

[Tacenda]

5 hours ago, MiserereNobis said:

Whoa, you don't know your history.

Here's the website of the Catholic parish there: https://www.lpj.org/diocese/gaza-parish.html

Here's a picture from outside:

And one from the inside:

Pope Francis has called the parish priest at least twice since the war started.

Beautiful building!

[MiserereNobis]

3 hours ago, Bill “Papa” Lee said:

Maybe, I have only lived history, for almost 67 years. 10 years of it reacting to various world issues, while serving in the Army. Living in the South, knowing and seeing Jewish Temples being attack by hate groups like the KKK, 23 years as a Police Officer, investigating attacks against Jews. But, if you like, educate me. What did I get wrong? 

You got wrong that Christians don’t kill Jews. Christians have killed a lot of Jews in history. 

[Calm]

On 11/7/2023 at 8:39 PM, Tacenda said:

Beautiful building!

Was this the one that was hit (asking generally)?  Hard to tell because it is a side view.  And from what I read on wiki, the church included multiple buildings.

added:  I think I confused the Catholic parish (the Holy Family Church) with the one that was hit, which I believe is Greek Orthodox (St. Porphyrius), which has the same colour of brick and you know, a cross…..(I feel this calls for a joke about ‘they all look alike’).  My bad for not paying closer attention to both posts here and pictures.

Edited November 11, 2023 by Calm

[Tacenda]

6 hours ago, Calm said:

Was this the one that was hit (asking generally)?  Hard to tell because it is a side view.  And from what I read on wiki, the church included multiple buildings.

Ya know, I have no idea, I hadn't read in depth this thread just skimming. And I liked the outside with the palm trees and the stained glass windows. ETA: I took a look at the photo that was after a bomb, and it does look like the front of the building with the cross. I sure hope not, all of this is so devastating. Why would anyone want to wipe out a people? 😓

Edited November 8, 2023 by Tacenda

[Nofear]

1 hour ago, Tacenda said:

Why would anyone want to wipe out a people?

Indeed, the Jews have been struggling with that very question for a very long time. You might take a look at what happened to the Jewish population in essentially every Arab nation in the past few decades...

[Bill “Papa” Lee]

18 hours ago, The Nehor said:

Church of Saint Porphyrius, believed to be one of the oldest Christian churches in the world.

In the Gaza Strip? Or do you speak of the Church in Islamic part of Israel. Can you provide a picture