Weblog: Christians in Iraq, Bethlehem Face Difficult Christmas
Plus: The Polar Express an evangelical film? religious people allowed on New Jersey juries, the battle for Christmas, new approach in the Sudan, Sikhs violently protest British play, and more articles from online sources around the world.
Baghdad Christians celebrate birth of Christ in fear of attacks | This year, Baghdad's Christians are celebrating the season of peace and goodwill discreetly and in fear of further attacks on their churches, in a climate of rising violence in war-torn Iraq (Agence France-Presse)
A Christian exodus? | Bigotry and violent Muslim fanatics have forced many Christians to flee the region of Jesus' birth -- but the world has barely noticed, writes Salim Mansur (Salim Mansur, Toronto Sun)
Iraqi Christians pray for peace on sombre Christmas | Iraqi Christians won't be celebrating Christmas this year. Midnight mass, the centerpiece of Christmas festivities in Iraq, has been canceled because of night-time curfews. (Reuters)
Iraqi Christians | This Christmas season … at least for Christians in Iraq who celebrate the birth of Christ, it would appear the terrorists are winning. (WWTI, NY)
A sad new carol: Go ye from Bethlehem | In the town where Christians believe Christ was born, the Christians are leaving. Four years of violence, an economic free fall and the Israeli separation barrier have all contributed to the hardships facing Palestinian Christians in Bethlehem, one of the largest concentrations of Christians in the region. (New York Times)
Searching for true peace in Bethlehem | This Christmas when the Christian world raises its voices in joyful choruses to the song, O, Little Town of Bethlehem, I will remain silent in protest over the Israeli army's siege of the Town of Bethlehem and its sad reflection upon the Christmas message, "Peace on Earth, goodwill toward men." (Doris Cadigan, MetroWest Daily News, Mass.)
Holiday in the Holy Land | In the Biblical town of Christ's birth, there seems a fragile peace these days. But it is an artificial one, some local travelers have discovered. (Eldrige North Scott Press, Iowa)
The holiday of Christmas spans the world | Many Christmas celebrations and traditions observed today came from other countries but have continued here for so long that we tend to forget we have not originated them ourselves. Since this nation is a "melting-pot," we have contrived to blend various traditions and religious ceremonies into our national or regional observance. (Sierra Star, Calif.)
Stories, legends surround St. Nicholas | The Santa Claus whose rosy-cheeked face shines forth on Christmas cards, ornaments and advertisements is primarily an invention of Dutch Protestants but the true story of Santa Claus began with a fourth-century Greek bishop by the name of Nicholas who lived in what is now Turkey. (Elkhart Truth, Ind.)
An atheist's faith in Christmas | Writer Christina Adams shares her thoughts on how she and others who don't believe in God still find spiritual value in Christmas. (NPR)
Subscribe to Christianity Today and get 3 free trial issues. No credit card required.
Please allow 4-6 weeks for delivery. Offer valid in U.S. only.
If you decide you want to keep Christianity Today coming, honor your invoice for just $19.95 and receive nine more issues, a full year in all. If not, simply write "cancel" across the invoice and return it. The three trial issues are yours to keep, regardless.
1 of 13
E-mail
Print
Post
Subscribe to Christianity Today magazine today!
