Priests brawl in Bethlehem's Church of the Nativity

[retroHelen]

Fighting among the different sects of Christendom who are supposed to care for different areas of the pilgrimage churches in Isreal has been a regular occurance especially in the Nativity Church and the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem for centuries.It raised it's ugly head again this year when dismayed worshippers were making the yearly pilgrimage to the Church for Xmas services.

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

Awake of 1987:"In Bethlehem, the annual general cleaning of the Church of the Nativity, which is said to stand over the site of Jesus’ birth, has finally been accomplished peacefully. In past years, fistfights and violent arguments erupted between the rival groups of priests, as the right to clean is regarded as a sign of ownership. How was it resolved? The press service of the World Council of Churches reports: “Following delicate negotiations by Israeli officials that lasted late into the night the two major parties in the dispute—Greek (Eastern Orthodox) and Armenian (Oriental Orthodox) agreed to leave a disputed section high above the entrance to the Grotto of the Nativity uncleaned by either side'.

Obviously leaving one section dirty hasn't solved the fighting over other areas!

Watchtower 2008:"James wrote very frankly about characteristics that are in direct conflict with godly wisdom. (Read James 3:14.) Jealousy and contentiousness are fleshly traits, not spiritual ones. Consider what occurs when fleshly thinking prevails. Six “Christian” groups control parts of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem, supposedly built where Jesus was put to death and buried. Their relationship has been one of ongoing contention. In 2006, Time magazine told of an earlier situation when monks there “brawled for hours, . . . clubbing each other with giant candlestick holders.” So great is their distrust of one another that the key to the church is entrusted to a Muslim."

The key of the Church was entrusted to a Muslim family centuries ago because of these violent disputes way back then. As well as the Crusades - this is just more ongoing bad examples set of 'Christianity' by these 6 sects of Christendom to the Muslims in the Middle East.

[rocket]

"By this all will know that you are my disciples, if you have love among yourselves." -Jn.13:35 So strong is this love that it sets a true Christian apart as being truly different. Actions speak louder than words.

[Faithful Witness]

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

Are priests exempt for being arrested or something??

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.

This is just a testimony to the disunity in Christiandom, it just shows that they don't have the truth. I mean when was the last time you saw the elders in the local congregation of Jehovah's Witnesses beating one another up with broomsticks at a meeting?

[Greenfield]

I remember reading about this, as soon as I saw the thread title I was like, "Again!?"

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