Catholic Villagers in Lebanon Attack

Heather Swift HMSWIFT to sjsills


A newly built church in a town near Beirut was attacked this month. The church was only recently built and was a place where Baptist could go for worship. The church was attacked by Maronite Catholics after weeks of an ongoing debate between the Maronite and Baptist clergy.

The attack was made by 20 men from Ajaltoun village which included the slashing of tires, stealing computers and other equipment, breaking the church windows, and beating men and women. Baptist Pastor Raymond Abou-Mekhael and another unknown church member was attacked by the men as they were on their way to steal from the cars near the church. Their glasses were broken and they broke the unknown members ribs. Pastor Abou-Mekhael said " Police were at the church watching everything. They even advised the attackers on what to steal and vandalize."

A Bishop named Guy-Paul Noujaim wrote an e-mail to the compass revealing that the congregation was going to build a residence hall, but instead decided to build a church. When he was questioned on weather he knew of the attacks, he refused to answer.

The President of the High Council of Evangelical Churches said " This is nonsense. We can worship in a legal church building, we can worship in an apartment and we can worship in free air. We have the full rights to build churches to worship freely in any place we choose. We do not need to get permission."

Bishop Noujam is afraid that the Baptist church is going to try and steal the members of his church and that the Christian community will be further divided. There is an estimate that only 20 percent of the Lebanese population belong to the Maronite church. Pastor Abou-Mekhael feels that the churches need to come together as one and support each other.

When I read this I was amazed at how not everyone is treated unfairly. When the police were around and the church was getting attacked, they didn't bother to help the victims. This is because the favor one religion or group over another.Everyone should suffer the consequences of their crimes no matter what race or religion they are.



Lamprecht Peter, Catholic Villagers in Lebanon Attack, Vandilize Baptist, 2006 http://www.crosswalk.com/news/religiontoday