Maronite Bishops Urge Lebanese to Reject Confrontation with International Community
إقرأ هذا الخبر بالعربية
The Maronite Bishops Council condemned on Thursday the ongoing political divide in Lebanon, urging the Lebanese to commit to their country and reject any foreign meddling.
It said in a statement after its monthly meeting: “The political divide pains us and we call on the Lebanese to reject any attempts to drive the country towards a confrontation with the international community.”
“We also condemn all that violates the country’s sovereignty, as well as all that destabilizes its security, whether it be through crimes, theft, or violations against public property,” it continued.
“All these developments are a cause for concern and it is as if the Lebanese have not made up their mind about living under the rule of a state where all citizens are equal,” noted the statement.
Addressing regional developments, the Maronite bishops condemned the ongoing violence in the region, voicing their concern over the lack of religious and moral standards in the developments in the Arab world.
The gatherers also discussed Maronite Patriarch Beshara al-Rahi’s recent visits to the United States and Iraq.
03 November 2011, 14:08
01
only in this country do we see religious people meddling with politics and giving their opinion on political issues!!
this country is sick because of them...
03 November 2011, 15:15
01
Unfortunately, Patriarch Rai, in his uneven and seemingly contradictory commentary on current events in Lebanon and the region has devalued the words coming down from Bkerke every Wednesday as the bishops meet.
I say unfortunate because under the leadership of Nasrallah Sfeir, there was consistency and substance and therefore a high degree of credibility in both the Patriarch's statements and the statements of the Maronite Bishops issued on Wednesdays.
The Maronite Patriarchy is more than a religious office. However it is not a political office. The Maronite Patriarch has pastoral duties to us Maronites, but is also a symbol of national unity, not just today, but throughout the life of the nation going back through the centuries. Rai, thus far, seems to wish to make the office political, but to do so would be to abandon the larger role the Patriarchy has traditionally played in the country. And this weakens the Nation.
03 November 2011, 15:46
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@ peace:
bro why do you think that they should stay out of politics?
Isnt politics in everything?
03 November 2011, 16:41
00
good statement from a religious gathering
monseigneur rahi seems to have stopped the hakawati job,.
03 November 2011, 16:57
01
@cedar: religion is the personal link you have with your creator no matter which way you take to praise him.
but when religion meddles in politics, just look back in your history books to see the damage it has caused or is still causing...
in lebanon the clerics use politics to keep their privileges and power, be them muslims or christians!
politics is a secular thing and has nothing to do with religion.
that is the big disaster of lebanon which is still living in the middle ages mentally and religiously speaking!
i thought that aoun wanted this country to be secular? the taef agreement which every one seems to agree also includes the fact that lebanon should become secular...
but the religious people don t want that to keep their power over their sheep....
and you cannot unite a country if you always brand people according to a religion and not by the fact of being lebanese wa bes!
03 November 2011, 18:12
00
@peace : I agree religion is a personal thing.
Personally i dont agree or believe in the Taef accord. In my opinion, unless Islam is controlled, it will take over lebanon. This has been proven to date as the christians have allowed the muslims in lebanon to gain ground.
Even if Bkirki and the patriarch go completely silent and mute, the muslim clerics will still be blasting their propoganda, and even if the christians give away their secular seats, the muslims will not give away their teritorial gains...
Its a dicey situation ... At the moment i am happy with Aoun being on Hezbolas (Shiite) side and Geagea/Gemayel being on the Mustakbal (Sunni) ... i feel that at least there is a bit of a lull... which means that at least if something happens not all the christians will be targeted...
just my thoughts...
03 November 2011, 18:32
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that is why our politicians should struggle to make lebanon a secular country where religion stays out of politics. but as lebanon only has irresponsible politicians it s a long way to go!
religions here are the root of all evils, so logic would dictate to separate politics from religions! but religious people take advantage of that as the politicians because NOONE has a sense of state only petty communautarism interests!!!
it happened in many countries before so why not in lebanon? are lebanese that mentally retarded?
03 November 2011, 19:02
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peace i am ion total agreement with you however being of Lebanese extraction i think it will take the Lebanese around 50 years to understand what you are saying and this in a peaceful atmosphere....
03 November 2011, 21:32
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@marie, i guess that unfortunately you re right, but one can keep dreaming....
