Lady of the Mountain Gathering Rejects 'Bids to Link Christians Fate to Oppressive Regimes'
إقرأ هذا الخبر بالعربية
A document discussed Sunday by the Christian “Lady of the Mountain Gathering” rejected “any attempt to link the fate of the Christians to the fate of the oppressive and tyrannical regimes” in the region.
March 14 General-Secretariat coordinator Fares Soaid said the eighth retreat of the Gathering was aimed at determining the role of the Lebanese in the Arab Spring.
The gathering was held at the Regency Palace Hotel in Adma at 9:30 am Sunday. Around 500 politicians, intellectuals and civil society activists took part in the conference.
The document is divided into three main chapters. The first summarizes the church principles, the second focuses on the rejection to put the Christians in the position of defense of dictatorships and the third stresses the future steps to consolidate the role of Christians in Lebanon and the Arab Spring.
Before the meeting, the March 14 General-Secretariat coordinator told Voice of Lebanon radio station (93.3) that the Lebanese are the basis of the Arab Spring.
The first tremor that targeted the Assad regime in Syria was in Lebanon in 2005 and not Daraa, Soaid said about the mass demonstrations that drove Syrian troops out of Lebanon in the aftermath of the assassination of ex-Premier Rafik Hariri.
The recommendations will ensure launching a dynamic dialogue between Christians and all other sects, Soaid said. “There will be a continuous cooperation with all centers of democratic decision-making in the Arab Spring.”
The March 14 official, stressed, however that the recommendations of the retreat will not be linked to Maronite Patriarch Beshara al-Rahi’s controversial remarks on the situation in Syria.
Below is the full text of the document discussed by the conferees:
“First: what we want to remind of:
1- We want to remind of the church's role in launching the Lebanese Spring which represented the first sign of the Arab Spring. "The Maronite Bishops' appeal on September 20, 2000" had put the foundations to end the Syrian tutelage and restore sovereignty, independence, and free will (...) Lebanon, which had been an arena for foreign domination, has now become an arena of its citizens' testimony of freedom, and it became a momentum for the biggest popular uprising in the modern age. The church, with the participation of most of the Lebanese people, was able to carve the history of Lebanon with the tools of righteousness and faith after the long nights of injustice. It managed to save the nation and restore the state.
After the assassination of (ex-)Prime Minister Rafik Hariri on February 14, 2005, the Independence Uprising was a historical moment which opened the door of national salvation through an unprecedented unity of the Lebanese people. The Syrian army's withdrawal from Lebanon on April 26, 2005, after 30 years of tutelage, was the culmination of the unity of all Lebanese, residents and emigrants, and a dream come true.
2- We want to remind that the Church has been a pioneer in its call for a civil state which is modern and democratic, based on -- as it was stated in the Maronite Patriarchal Synod – the reconciliation between citizenship and pluralism, and on the "clear discrimination, to the extent of separation, between religion and state, instead of integrating religion with politics or basing politics on religious foundations that are of a sacred nature." This issue today is being strongly discussed in all the countries which have been liberated from tyrant regimes.
3- We want to stress the role of the Church in elaborating a concept of "living together" that goes beyond the mere coexistence among different groups or communities to a distinctive type of life which would give everyone an opportunity to communicate and to interact with others so that both parties can enrich their character through mutual learning, without eliminating the particularisms and the differences that would turn out to be a source of enrichment for all.
Second- What we reject:
1- We reject positions that put the Christians in confrontation with the Arab Spring which is based on the values of freedom and justice. These values lie at the basis of human dignity, away from the logic of ideologies which divide the world into two camps -- good and evil -- and on which the dictatorial regimes had based their legitimacy. This Arab Spring is "good news" for Lebanon which had remained for more than half a century the subject of vigorous attempts to make it similar to the regimes surrounding it, under the excuse of “Arabizing” its regime. But today, in its quest to get rid of last century's slaveries and the historical marginalization, the Arab region is drawing examples from the meaning of Lebanon in its values of freedom, democracy and pluralism, and its openness to the world.
2- We reject any attempt to link the fate of the Christians to the fate of the oppressive and tyrannical regimes which have turned the Arab world into a big prison and have historically marginalized their citizens, depriving them of their present and future. This is a moral stance imposed on us by our belief in the human being and his right to dignity and freedom. We will not accept to be with the executioners against the victims. This is also a national position. These oppressive regimes are responsible for a war which had cost us dearly: 144,240 dead, 17,415 missing, and 197,506 wounded, in addition to the destruction of our cities and villages, the migration of hundreds of thousands of our children, the fragmentation of our society, confiscation of our institutions, widespread corruption, and turning the judiciary into a tool to settle scores …
3- We reject all the schemes that are aimed at undermining the historic Christian presence in this Orient, and at turning the Christians into a mere minority seeking protection for itself. The dispute is not, as some have portrayed it, on whom we entrust with the task of protecting us -- the protection of foreign states like Syria, Iran, or the West, or an internal "Shiite" protection to face a "Sunni" threat, or an internal "Sunni" protection to face a "Shiite" threat. The dispute is over the principle of protection which turns the Christians into "dhimmis", and makes them lose their role and presence. This is unacceptable.
4- We condemn the deluge of violence directed against the Arab Spring. It is the violence of the authoritarian regimes in the face of the legitimate demands of their people. At the same time, it is the violence of extremist forces which are still clinging to crumbling ideologies, and trying hard to stop the wheel of history.
Third: What we want:
1- We want to launch a civil dynamism in the Christian society which is able to communicate with similar civil dynamisms from other communities and from the civil society in order to bring the life back to the Lebanese Spring. We also want to work with the democratic forces which have emerged from the Arab Spring in order to develop new foundations for a democratic and pluralistic Arab World that is capable of regaining its role and position in the world after half a century of enforced absence.
2- We want to recover the historical Christian role in the Middle East and contribute to the rebirth of a second Arab renaissance which would establish a new culture -- a culture of living together. Because living together, equal in rights and duties and different in our various affiliations – due to the enormous landmark changes introduced by globalization -- has become a serious challenge not only for the Arab world, but for all mankind.
3- We want to work on ending the decades of a still ongoing cycle of violence, and to build a peaceful Lebanon in cooperation with all the faithful people. Today we stand before a fateful moment: Either to bring back Lebanon to what it was in the past three decades – an arena for violence among regional and international forces, which responds to the illusions of some who believe that their future needs further bloodshed, plights and destruction -- or to restructure Lebanon and turn it into a country enjoying prosperous living conditions and a state that is capable of performing its duties.
First, Lebanon’s peace requires that lessons be drawn from the civil war, and to perceive, as stated in the Maronite Patriarchal Synod, that the fate of each and every one of us is interlinked, and that the salvation of Lebanon will either be for all of Lebanon or it will not be, as no certain group can find a solution without the other, or at the expense of the other.
Second, Lebanon’s peace requires that the state regain its sovereignty, which had been lost since 1969, and to ensure its exclusive right to possessing an armed force. The presence of two armies in one country is no longer acceptable or justifiable, where one army is under the command of the legitimate authority, while the other is under the command of a political party or a foreign state.
Third, Lebanon’s peace requires the liberation of the state from power struggles among the various communities, and to begin – according to the Taef Accord -- building a civil state, so that these communities’ concerns and fears will not remain the prime driving force of the Lebanese history.
Fourth, Lebanon’s peace requires an end to the dark era in the history of the Lebanese-Syrian relations, and support for the forces who are struggling for a democratic system in Syria. This is a prerequisite for establishing sound relations between the two countries, which will ensure the interests of the Lebanese and the Syrian people.
Fifth, Lebanon’s peace requires us to turn the page on the past concerning our relations with the Palestinians and to support the efforts exerted to establish an independent Palestinian state which is the condition for a lasting peace in the region.
Dear friends,
Determining the Christian role in the Arab Spring is not a private Christian matter, but it also concerns the Muslims, and it is their mutual concern, since "Christians in the Levant", as stated in the first letter of the Catholic Patriarchs of the East, are inseparable from the cultural identity of the Muslims. And the Muslims in the Levant are inseparable from the cultural identity of the Christians. In that sense, we are responsible for one another before God and history."
23 October 2011, 19:07
25
Great message from this group. But as with any political message, two elements are required. An excellent message and an excellent messenger. Look to the Lebanese Christian political messengers and what do you see?
You see nothing. It is clouded and foggy with everyone fighting each other for preeminence in the Christian political camps. This has been our crippling factor since the beginning of the modern Lebanese Republic and we remain afflicted with this.
The principle threat to the presence of the Christians of the East is not the Islamists, the Salafists or the Muslim Brotherhood or the Israelis. It is us. It is our sorry leadership that is incapable of communicating this strong message, articulated here, to Lebanon and to the region. This has been our downfall and unless corrected, our undoing in the East.
23 October 2011, 19:27
110
What a big joke that Gathering called Lady of the mountain .
They are the same broken arms and non elected people , from march 14 .
The Maronite church has refused their request to hold that meeting of hate and racism in their convent that is headed by Fares Souaid and company , and sponsored and financed by the Future of Hariri .
The real Christians and Maronites are in Rabié where the Maronite and Christian political Patriarch lives .
23 October 2011, 19:27
110
What a big joke that Gathering called Lady of the mountain .
They are the same broken arms and non elected people , from march 14 .
The Maronite church has refused their request to hold that meeting of hate and racism in their convent that is headed by Fares Souaid and company , and sponsored and financed by the Future of Hariri .
The real Christians and Maronites are in Rabié where the Maronite and Christian political Patriarch lives .
23 October 2011, 19:41
122
that comes from people who linked themselves with genocidal zionist entity and the worst muslim fanatic country in the world (yes i'm talking saudis and not iran)
23 October 2011, 20:10
100
The Zionist Boygroup of Lebanon (ZBL) is blowing in the wind.
23 October 2011, 22:14
08
Jabal habal do u know what is treason ? treason is being loyal to another country other than yours , so you being loyal to iran and syria is treason and you should be hanged , now I am a helpless lebanese , if u take foreign aid and use it against me , do u blame me for doing the same ? even if its with israel , its all the same ,INFront of god Assad and netenyaho are both murderers who killed innocent people and both going to Hell , so stop ur bull , and think logic , if ur a negative person who accepts killing a 2yr old for assad protection or if u fight me because i dont think like u , then you are also going to hell inshaalllah you and youre fake ass party of god lol rapists murderers killers zionists pedophiles u and all ur mullahs if u keep doing this to us , i have no other choice but to pray that u get ur punishement from allah inshaallah , ..
23 October 2011, 22:22
80
They are nobody representing America (meaning Israel) and their Arab puppets. These puppets only call for "democratic system" in Syria, but nowhere else in the puppet American dictatorships of the Arab leaders. Clinton and Netenyahu would have said the same thing.
23 October 2011, 22:23
06
funny how those M8 clowns blame bush for dividing the world into good and evil, but they do the EXACT same thing by blaming those against their inglorious bastards and labeling them as sionists...
so HILARIOUS.... hopefully being ridicule doesn t kill otherwise they would be dead for a long time now!
double standards as usual with the Minus8....
23 October 2011, 23:16
12
@Canaanite I agree with you. I don't think their statement was too biased.
@rastafarian: I understand your points. But I would like to add one thing:
ANY person who commits ANY sin, deserves hell.
This means that all people, from the Pope to the greatest genocide leader, including politicians, prophets, saints, EVERYONE deserve hell, because they ALL SINNED!
Paul says in Romans 3:23 'for all sinned and fell short of the glory of God'. Paul also said: 'there is no one righteous, not even one!' (Romans 3:10)
Jesus himself said: '... and whoever says "stupid" will be in danger of the Hell of fire!'
Imagine, the smallest bad word has such a judgment. Can you see how God wants us to live perfectly, like He is perfect?
So imagine all the people who call each other names on this Naharnet website, according to what Jesus said, they all deserve hell.
If the story ended here, we would have Hell overloaded and a deserted heaven.
23 October 2011, 23:17
01
But the story doesn't end here.
Jesus offered himself as sacrifice to buy us back from hell. Anyone who accepts this gift, that Jesus died for his sins, and accepts Jesus as LORD, which means starts a new page in his life, will be saved.
Jesus did not die for Christians. Christians did not exist when he was crucified. He died for EVERYONE. But you have to accept this gift. And you must allow Him to become Lord over your life.
23 October 2011, 23:31
07
john from koura: just please tell us what good did syria do to lebanon? why are you supporting a dictator responsible for the killings of many of your fellow citizens?
proud of him or what?
24 October 2011, 00:33
40
"Peace" I am supporting "Assad"??? I NEVER supported Assad! Just because I hate American (read Israeli) Lebanese and Arab puppets does not mean I support Assad. Do I believe that the Arab puppets who are controlled by the (Israeli controlled) American government are worst than Assad and the Iranians who refused to take orders from the evil empire...Yes (lesser of 2 evils). That does not mean that I like Assad or will ever praise him.
24 October 2011, 00:36
22
we dont beleive jesus died , we beleive he was saved and that he is coming back , he is not our lord, he is our prophet. thats why we got divided so leave this subject alone .
and as for sins , basicly every1 commits sins , no1 is free of sins , but to us ..the most important thing belive in god and in the prophets , pray , fast , do not steal do not kill , and all major sins , i dont want to speak religion but since u opened the subject .. anyways we are all one , as long as we beleive in the Creator i dont care what u call him hes too big to have 1 name .. but people like bashar and netenyaho do not beleive in any1 .
24 October 2011, 00:38
03
god is not a robot he knows if ur heart is good or not , and its all about the heart
24 October 2011, 01:42
00
@rastafarian: Thank you so much for sharing. Good point on Islamic belief of Jesus. But there can't be two opposite truths. Either Jesus is who he said he is or he is not.
Now about the issue of the heart, the Bible says: 'love the Lord your God with all your heart, mind strength and soul'. That's how God wants us for him. Our complete selves. So not just heart.
But even if God only judged the heart, we would also all fail. Each one of us knows that we sin in our hearts, greed, hatred, anger, lust. etc...so that doesn't help us either. The only way we can get rid of sin is if God solves the problem himself. (i.e. doing the impossible, like coming in person and meeting us in the middle of our needs)
rastafarian, God does not want to be far from you, quite the opposite. He wants to be in personal relationship with you. He wants you. He knows you more than you know yourself and knows your inner most secretive sins. And yet, He LOVES you! Believe this great news!
24 October 2011, 03:15
60
What lady and what mountain? These losers are PERSONA NON GRATA in their own neighborhoods, and the only lady and the only mountains that they deserve are some March 14 lady of the red lights district and the two mountains dangling down her chest.
24 October 2011, 05:35
60
Thanks you naharnet for such in depth reporting on the gathering. word for word publishing of the document is very unique. Could we also see the same when publishing articles on the fpm, and all other political parties, so we all can be equally informed of all gatherings and political groups?
24 October 2011, 06:35
04
Good Smart Message! Step in the right direction... All other people from other faiths should follow suit and move to the middle and snub extremism, the Middle East is not too different from Lebanon actually with its diveristy historically it's of course more prominant because there was always a margin of freedom and democracy in Lebanon because of its extreme diversity. While religion is an individual choice a country is a collective state of mind and is for ALL without exception. Once again Seperation of Church (and Mosque, and Hussainiyah, and temple,and...) and State. Of course I do not call for communism either (we have seen the apathy and emptiness of the soul it has created) (The Chinese 2 Year Toddler that died is one of many examples, a number of passers by did not lift a finger to help her this is the apathy that Communism has created in people) which led to the fall of the old Communist regimes (China and Russia nowadays are not communist countries (economicaly)-
24 October 2011, 10:53
70
some christian fanatic people that also believe in some etiopian creature (well, decide, do you believe in jesus or in that etiopian creature) has tried to say something and even mentioned me (still didn't learn how to write it).
and than another christian fanatic came here and spilled some of it's fanatism.
get a life.
24 October 2011, 14:01
00
Rastafarian, the quran specificly forbids being allied with jews and christians. The quran clearly says that being good means to first be a muslim. And it clearly says you cant call jesus God etc. So dont talk rubbish like that please because the quran will refute you in one second.
24 October 2011, 16:53
00
I guess the comment by the so called "Sammer A H" sums it all up, since he seems to represent the real stealthy Iranian/Hezbollah/Assad criminal project (Faqihi project- AKA Islamic (Shiite) Middle East) in the ME of pitting Sunnis against Christians & Jews, in order for Iran to take over. Mr. Sammer A H whether you are a brainless radical terrorist Shiite practicing "Taqiyyah" on here or just an extremist Al Qaiida type Sunni (united with Iran by extreme hatred and intolerance towards anyone of a different faith and opinion than you). I'll have you know that this fight for freedom and democracy in the Middle is strictly against your filthy hateful evil uneducated kind!! Punk!!!!
25 October 2011, 13:04
00
dear jabalamel,
I don't know you, but I know many people here hate you and mock you.
I just want to tell you that not everyone who is not with you is against you.
I know that when I think of you, I am thinking of someone God has created in his image. This means that who you are, your identity, is linked to our creator.
You are who you are because God is your author. And this, no one can take from you. Jesus teaches me to love my neighbor as I love myself. You are my neighbor. This means I should love you as I love myself. Not only that, but I should love you with all my heart, not just because 'I should' or because God wants it, but because this is who God is. God is love.
If you want to call this fanaticism, then let me be the most fanatic person in Lebanon! and be ready to love everyone in Lebanon, no matter who they follow, what their faith is, or even how much they hate me. Because of God is love, I love.
