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Book of Mormon/Geography/Old World/Shazer
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The place "Shazer" in the Book of Mormon
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Question: How realistic is the name "Shazer" described in the Book of Mormon?
S. Kent Brown: "Joseph Smith does not seem to have known of this natural barrier even though the Book of Mormon narrative offers clear hints that it exists"
Hugh Nibley, "Lehi and the Arabs"
Nigel Groom's Dictionary of Arabic Topography and Placenames contains an entry for a similar word, "shajir," giving the meaning: "A valley or area abounding with trees and shrubs."
Shazer is introduced in 1 Nephi 16:, as Nephi's group departs from the hospitable Valley of Lemuel:
11 And it came to pass that we did gather together whatsoever things we should carry into the wilderness, and all the remainder of our provisions which the Lord had given unto us; and we did take seed of every kind that we might carry into the wilderness.
12 And it came to pass that we did take our tents and depart into the wilderness, across the river Laman.
13 And it came to pass that we traveled for the space of four days, nearly a south-southeast direction, and we did pitch our tents again; and we did call the name of the place Shazer.
14 And it came to pass that we did take our bows and our arrows, and go forth into the wilderness to slay food for our families; and after we had slain food for our families we did return again to our families in the wilderness, to the place of Shazer. And we did go forth again in the wilderness, following the same direction, keeping in the most fertile parts of the wilderness, which were in the borders near the Red Sea.(1 Nephi 16:11–14.)
Regarding the place name Shazer, Nigel Groom's Dictionary of Arabic Topography and Placenames contains an entry for a similar word, "shajir," giving the meaning: "A valley or area abounding with trees and shrubs." [1]
Regarding the name "Shazer," Nibley wrote:
The first important stop after Lehi's party had left their base camp was at a place they called Shazer. The name is intriguing. The combination shajer is quite common in Palestinian place names; it is a collective meaning "trees," and many Arabs (especially in Egypt) pronounce it shazher. It appears in Thoghret-as-Sajur (the Pass of Trees), which is the ancient Shaghur, written Segor in the sixth century. It may be confused with Shaghur "seepage," which is held to be identical with Shihor, the "black water" of Josh. 19:36. This last takes in western Palestine the form Sozura, suggesting the name of a famous water hole in South Arabia, called Shisur by Thomas and Shisar by Philby. . . . So we have Shihor, Shaghur, Sajur, Saghir, Segor (even Zoar), Shajar, Sozura, Shisur, and Shisar, all connected somehow or other and denoting either seepage–a weak but reliable water supply–or a clump of trees. Whichever one prefers, Lehi's people could hardly have picked a better name for their first suitable stopping place than Shazer. [2]
It turns out that there is a perfect fit for Shazer, a large, extensive oasis region with what is said to be the best hunting in all of Arabia, and it is in the right location
The Book of Mormon description of Shazer as a place where Lehi's group would stop and go hunting—obviously a place with water and wildlife where one could stay for a while on a long journey—agrees well with the meaning of the word Shazer. But is there such a place in the area required by the Book of Mormon?
It turns out that there is a perfect fit for Shazer, a large, extensive oasis region with what is said to be the best hunting in all of Arabia, and it is in the right location to have been a four-days' journey south-southeast of the established location for the Valley of Lemuel, near a branch of the ancient frankincense trail and in the region of Arabia near the Red Sea called the Hijaz. This oasis is in the wadi Agharr.
Potter and Wellington describe the process of locating their proposal for Shazer:
Our first attempts at finding Shazer took us to the wells of Bani Murr and an-na'mi, to the east of the valley. Our second trip through the Khuraybah pass proved no more successful. These sites did not fit the description of a valley with trees. In fact, they were down- right inhospitable. . . .
It wasn't until the summer of 2000 that the whereabouts of Shazer became apparent. We realized that Lehi's first camp after the valley had to have been at an authorized halt along the Gaza branch of the Frankincense Trail [the Valley of Lemuel was along this branch]. He would not have been allowed to stop anywhere else, and it had to be at a well site. That spring Richard had been reading the works of Alois Musil, a Bohemian academic and explorer who doubled up as a German spy before World War I. . . . One piece of his record stood out to Richard. Musil recorded, "We . . . crossed the old Pilgrim Road of ar-Rasifijje leading southward to the hills of Kos al-Hnane, where spirits abide. Date palms were still growing in parts of the valley, so that the oasis of Sarma could be extended a full twenty-five kilometers to the east."
Musil described a fertile valley with an oasis over fifteen miles long which was approximately south-southeast from the Valley of Lemuel and was crossed by the old pilgrim route that followed the Gaza arm of the old Frankincense Trail that was an active trade route in Nephi's time. We found Musil's description of Agharr most interesting because on a prior trip to Midian we had been told by the Police General at al-Bada that the best hunting in the entire area was in the mountains of Agharr.
Here at last was the solid clue we had been looking for. . . .
[The authors then discuss evidence from old Arab geographers that the first rest stop after al-Bada'a, also known as Midian, was Al-Aghra', which appears to be the wadi Agharr.]
Nephi recorded that their first halting place after leaving the Valley of Lemuel was a place of trees where they stopped to hunt.
Now we had evidence from independent sources that the first rest stop after Midian on the ancient Gaza branch of the Frankincense Trail was in a fertile valley with trees, wadi Agharr, and the surrounding mountains presented the best hunting opportunities along the trail. The next step was to visit Al-Agharr. . . .
From al Bada'a we headed the sixty miles south southeast to wadi Agharr and our potential location for Shazer. To our right the Red Sea glittered in the bright noon light, to our left the mountains of the Hijaz towered over us, purple in the midday sun. Between al Bada'a and wadi Agharr we found a few small scattered farms and a few old wells. Here, where the water table was higher, there may well have been halts anciently where the families could have rested each evening as they headed southeast. As we reached wadi Agharr . . . [t]here was a gap in the mountains where the trail led. Through the gap we could see some palm trees in the wadi. Entering the wadi we were amazed to find an oasis that ran as far as the eye could see both to our left and to our right.
Wadi Agharr was exactly as Musil had described—fields of vegetables and plantations of palms stretching for miles. It is a narrow valley, perhaps one hundred yards across, bounded on each side by high walls stretching up a few hundred feet. "Shazer" was certainly an apt description for this location—a valley with trees, set amid the barren landscape of Midian. Here, after three years of fruitless searching, systematically visiting all the wells in a seventy-five mile radius of wadi Tayyab al Ism, we had finally found Shazer.
[The authors then discuss the presence of "Midianite" archaeological sites in the region, dating to the late second to mid-first millennium B.C., suggesting that the valley was fertile anciently.]
On a later expedition we returned to Shazer and drove up into the mountains in the area we thought the men of Lehi's party would have gone to hunt. We spoke with Bedouins who lived in the upper end of wadi Agharr who told us that Ibex lived in the mountains and they still hunted them there. We were reminded of the words of the Greek Agatharkides of Cnidos who called this area anciently the territory of Bythemani. According to Agatharkides, "The country is full of wild camels, as well as of flocks of deer, gazelles, sheep, mules, and oxen ... and by it dwell the Batmizomaneis who hunt land animals." [Alois Musil, Northern Hijaz—A Topographical Itinerary, (published under the patronage of the Czech Academy of Arts and Sciences and of Charles R. Crane, 1926), 303] It may have been these very animals that Lehi and his sons went out to hunt.
Here at wadi Agharr is a site that perfectly matches Nephi's Shazer. It probably has the best hunting along the entire Frankincense Trail. It is the first place travelers would have been allowed to stop and pitch tents south of Midian, and as the Book of Mormon states, it is a four days' journey from the Valley of Lemuel (1 Ne. 16:13). [3]
S. Kent Brown:
A range of mountains, called Al-Sarat, runs almost the entire length of the west coast of Arabia and separates the coastal lowlands from the uplands of the interior. The peaks in the north rise to heights of five thousand feet while those in the south reach much higher. A limited number of passes and valleys offer access from one side of the range to the other.48 At some point the party had to cross the mountains before reaching "the place which was called Nahom," where the group turned "nearly eastward" ({{s|1|Nephi|16|34; 17|1). Otherwise, the mountains would have formed a major barrier to their eastward trek. Nephi's narrative offers hints that the family went into the mountains not long after leaving the camp.
The first hint is the amazing initial success of the hunters in the party.49 For after leaving a place they called Shazer, which lay four days' journey from their first camp (see 1 Nephi 16:13), they traveled "for the space of many days, slaying food by the way" (v. 16:15). This expression indicates abundant cover for hunters that one finds in mountainous terrain rather than in the open, flat region of the maritime plain that runs along the shore of the Red Sea.
A second clue has to do with the possible location of Shazer. Nephi reported that the party had stopped specifically to rest and hunt at Shazer after traveling for only "four days." Shazer lay in "nearly a south-southeast direction" from the first camp (vv. 16:13–14). Traveling this general direction would have kept the group near the shore of the Red Sea, at least initially. But after the family departed from Shazer, Nephi's account mentions the Red Sea for the last time, a significant point (v. 14). In this light, we can theorize two possible locations for Shazer. Both point to the family's leaving the Red Sea coast soon and traveling into the mountains. First, Shazer may have lain next to the coast a few miles from the mountains and may have been the party's last stop before they entered mountainous terrain, which would explain Nephi's last mention of the Red Sea. Second, it is also possible that Shazer lay inside a mountain valley not far from the Red Sea, a valley that led into and across the mountains.50 There are not enough hints in the narrative to determine which alternative may be correct.
The third clue has to do with the word borders. This term seems to mark a mountainous zone. Early in his narrative, Nephi had apparently used the term borders in connection with the mountainous region that runs along the Gulf of Aqaba farther to the north (see 1 Nephi 2:5,8).51 Then, as the party moved south from the first camp, Nephi wrote that party members traveled "in the most fertile parts of the wilderness, which were in the borders near the Red Sea" (16:14). In this context, the term borders may well point to mountainous areas.52
A fourth clue has to do with "the most fertile parts of the wilderness." Such areas did not lie along the coastal plain immediately south of the base camp, because that territory has been known for centuries as a region that does not support much plant life.53 Hence, one would not expect to find large numbers of wild animals there either. Such "fertile parts," as Nephi described them, either lay in the mountains, perhaps in a season when there was rain,54 or consisted of the oases that lay on the eastern side of the mountain range.55 The oases were already populated but often lay a good distance from hunting grounds.
In sum, from hints in Nephi's narrative, it seems that the family went into the mountains not long after leaving Shazer.56 Importantly, Joseph Smith does not seem to have known of this natural barrier even though the Book of Mormon narrative offers clear hints that it exists. Joseph Smith's only known statement about the geography of Arabia and the route of Lehi's family shows no knowledge of the mountain chain, or other geographical features for that matter. He simply said that the party traveled from "the Red Sea to the great Southern Ocean," a rather simple statement when compared to Nephi's complex narrative.[4]
Hugh Nibley, An Approach to the Book of Mormon, (1957)
Lehi's intimacy with desert practices becomes apparent right at the outset of his journey, not only in the skillful way he managed things but also in the quaint and peculiar practices he observed, such as those applying to the naming of places in the desert.
The stream at which he made his first camp Lehi named after his eldest son; the valley, after his second son (1 Nephi 2:8). The oasis at which his party made their next important camp "we did call . . . Shazer" (1 Nephi 16:13). The fruitful land by the sea "we called Bountiful," while the sea itself "we called Irreantum" (1 Nephi 17:5).
By what right do these people rename streams and valleys to suit themselves? By the immemorial custom of the desert, to be sure. Among the laws "which no Bedouin would dream of transgressing," the first, according to Jennings-Bramley, is that "any water you may discover, either in your own or in the territory of another tribe, is named after you."38 So it happens that in Arabia a great wady (valley) will have different names at different points along its course, a respectable number of names being "all used for one and the same valley. . . . One and the same place may have several names, and the wady running close to the same, or the mountain connected with it, will naturally be called differently by different clans," according to Canaan, 39 who tells how the Arabs "often coin a new name for a locality for which they have never used a proper name, or whose name they do not know," the name given being usually that of some person.
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More evidence about the place called "Shazer" in the Book of Mormon
↑ Nigel Groom, Dictionary of Arabic Topography and Placenames (Beruit: Librairie du Liban ; London : Longman, 1983), ?. ISBN {{{isbn}}}. Cited in Warren P. Aston and Michaela Knoth Aston, In the Footsteps of Lehi: New Evidence for Lehi's Journey across Arabia to Bountiful (Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 1994), 73. ISBN 0875798470 See also Thomas J. Abercrombie, "Arabia's Frankincense Trail, National Geographic 168 (October 1985): 474–512.
↑ Hugh W. Nibley, An Approach to the Book of Mormon, 3rd edition, (Vol. 6 of the Collected Works of Hugh Nibley), edited by John W. Welch, (Salt Lake City, Utah: Deseret Book Company; Provo, Utah: Foundation for Ancient Research and Mormon Studies, 1988), 76. (Italics in original.) See also Nibley's brief remarks in Hugh Nibley, "Book of Mormon Near Eastern Background," in Encyclopedia of Mormonism, 4 vols., edited by Daniel H. Ludlow, (New York, Macmillan Publishing, 1992), ?:188.
↑ Warren P. Aston and Michaela Knoth Aston, In the Footsteps of Lehi: New Evidence for Lehi's Journey across Arabia to Bountiful (Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 1994), 74,76. ISBN 0875798470
↑ S. Kent Brown, "New Light from Arabia on Lehi's Trail," in Echoes and Evidences of the Book of Mormon, edited by Donald W. Parry, Daniel C. Peterson, and John W. Welch, (Provo, Utah: FARMS, 2002), Chapter 5, references silently removed—consult original for citations.
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Category: Middle East
Eschatology European Union Middle East Persecution
Update on Persecution (December 2016)
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Having mentioned the recurring reminders that he will return to earth – false messiahs, wars, famines, earthquakes etc., "the beginning of birth-pains," Jesus mentions extensive persecution as one of the later signs. Extensive persecution is an indication that the return of Christ is beginning to draw near. And there certainly is extensive persecution of Christians in the world today. Our first concern should be to pray for and support our brothers and sisters who are being persecuted. But we should also see it as a sign of the End Times.
2015 was widely seen as the worst year for persecution of Christians ever.[1] Estimates vary between 100 million Christians facing persecution (Open Doors[2]) and 200 million (Christian Freedom International). They suffer torture, rape, imprisonment and death.
Open Doors reports that 7100 Christians were killed in 2015 (up 3000 from 2014), 4028 of them in Nigeria. These are conservative estimates and exclude North Korea, Syria and Iraq, where accurate records do not exist. 214 churches and similar Christian buildings are destroyed per month and 722 Christians (in addition to the above 7100 figure) suffer violent treatment every month.
At least 53 countries place restrictions on religion. Many are Muslim (35 countries) but extreme Hindus also persecute Christians. It is reported that one Pastor is beaten and one church burned every week in Hindu areas.[3] A "Religious Freedom Bill" is being introduced in India to "prohibit conversion from one religion to another by the use of force or allurement or by fraudulent means." "Force" is defined as "including threat of divine displeasure." This bill will outlaw basic Christian doctrines, such as salvation, heaven and hell.[4]
In India, the Hindutva movement within Hinduism argues that every Indian must belong to a religion which has originated in India. This view has become increasingly popular and is now a dominant force in Indian politics. Mob attacks on pastors and members of congregation, with attempts to force them to convert to Hinduism, have increased greatly, so much so that there was an average of one incidence of violence against India's Christians for every day in 2015"[5]
Russia is now placing serious restrictions on Christians (and other religious groups). Religious activities can only take place on Christian property, not private homes (except private prayers) or secular land. Neighbours are obliged to report any breach of this law. Teaching about Christian beliefs can be carried out by clergy and directors of Christian organisations who have a state permit. Even private prayers in a home must not be said if a non-believer is present. Evangelism is banned even in church buildings. Encouraging an unbeliever to convert to Christ is illegal.
Pope Francis describes all the persecution as a third world war. Speaking in the Middle East, he said: "In this third world war, waged piecemeal, which we are now experiencing, a form of genocide is taking place."[6]
Cardinal Nichols and the Bishop of Leeds said that Christians are the most persecuted people.[7]
The Roman Catholic organisation Aid to Church in Need said that Christians are fast disappearing from entire regions in Middle East and Africa.
In summer 2012 the International Society for Human Rights based in Frankfurt … estimated that 80% of all acts of religious discrimination were against Christians. In terms of outright persecution, the Commission of the Bishops' Conferences of the European Community (COMEVE) resported that 75% was against Christians. But controversy surrounds reports that up to 150,000 Christians are being killed for their faith every year …
In France March 2014 Chaldean Patriarch Louis Raphael I Seko of Baghdada said: "Interventions [by the West] in Afghanistan, Iraq, and Libya have not helped to solve the problems of their peoples. On the contrary, they have led to chaos and conflict that do not bode well for the future, especially for Christains…. 1400 years of Islam have not been able to take us away from our lands and our churches; now Western policy has scattered us to the four corners of the earth. More and more Christians are being victimized, and their exodus from the Middle East appears upstoppable."[8]
Leaders of the European Parliament commented that the persecution of Christians around the world is not getting the attention it deserves. The President, Martin Schulz, said: Europe cannot afford to continue ignoring the fate of Christians, who are ' clearly the most persecuted group' in the world." The Vice President Antonio Tajani commented: "No religious community is as subject to hatred, violence and systematic aggression as the Christians. The West must break the silence on the persecution of Christians in the world and Europe must promote a model of society in opposition to religious radicalism and brutal and criminal projects, such as creating an Islamic caliphate in Iraq and Syria and then extending its tentacles into Libya."[9]
We need to pray regularly for our persecuted brothers and sisters, and to support them where we can. We can also remember that Jesus spoke of greater persecution pointing to the drawing near of his return.
[1] Open Doors http://www.opendoorsuk.org/persecution/trends.php
[2] http://www.opendoorsuk.org/news/stories/world_watch_150108.php?ref=storylnk1
[3] http://www.opendoorsuk.org/news/press_releases/pr_160112_worldwatch.php
[4]http://www.christiantoday.com/article/india.plan.to.ban.religious.conversion.sparks.fears.of.heightened.attacks.on.christians/68638.htm
[5] Barnabas Aid Sep/Oct 2016
[6] http://tribune.com.pk/story/918279/third-world-war-pope-deplores-genocide-of-christians-in-middle-east/
[7] http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/we-must-stop-shilly-shallying-about-the-fact-that-christians-are-most-persecuted-people-says-a6785211.html
[8] https://issuu.com/acnusa/docs/p___g_2015_executive_summary_webver
[9]http://www.christiantoday.com/article/european.parliament.leaders.call.for.end.to.western.silence.on.worldwide.persecution.of.christians/72573.htm
Danger of war Islam Middle East Oppression of Christians
Update on Middle East tensions
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The failed Arab Spring
It was in January 2011 that the "Arab Spring" began with the ousting of the President of Tunisia. The overthrow of repressive regimes throughout the Middle East was inspiring. But a few years later, Islamic State was creating mayhem. There are civil wars in Syria and Yemen. The Sunni-Shia conflict has increased in Iraq which has been destabilised further by the civil war in Syria. There are authoritarian governments in Egypt and Bahrain and the Tunisian government is becoming more dictatorial. The Libyan central government has collapsed. Turkey is attacking the Kurds across its border in Iraq and Syria. Then there is the huge number of migrants fleeing the conflicts.
One of the causes of the failure of the Arab Spring was the fact that the removal of dictators was not been followed up by the establishment of democracy and a trustworthy state. The Islamic movement was seen as the means for opposition. Initially, the west failed to see that the opposition in Syria and Iraq was becoming dominated by extreme Islamists.
So the Middle East has become more unstable than for at any time in the last century.
The colonial background
One of the factors which has caused tension in the Middle East and which drives the extreme Islamists is what the colonial powers did back in 1916. Britain and France secretly agreed to divide up the old Ottoman Empire between them. They created modern Syria, Iraq, Lebanon, Jordan and Palestine without regard to the people groups and religious affiliations. This did not go down well with the Arabs and led to distrust of the West.
More recently the Western powers have not supported various Middle Eastern countries as well as they should. During the Cold War the US and the Soviet Union supported weak regimes because their collapse could have given an opportunity to one side or the other. That need is no longer relevant. So there are numerous conflicts in the region.
Christianity disappearing
A report has been published by Aid to the Church in Need (ACN), entitled "Persecuted and Forgotten? A Report on Christians oppressed for their Faith 2013-15." In it John Pontifex, ACN Head of Press and Information, said: "A cultural genocide of Christians is erasing the presence of faithful from large swathes of the Middle East, the very heartland of the Church. Far from laying the entire blame for persecution against Christians at the door of extremist Islam [the report] demonstrates that many of the problems stem from non-Muslim extremist – nationalist – faith groups and historically communist totalitarian regimes." The Middle Eastern countries where Christians are most at risk include Eritrea, Iraq, Nigeria, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Syria.
I have written elsewhere about the secret agreement between the UK and Saudi Arabia to ensure that both countries are on the UN Human Rights Council. Yet Saudi Arabia has a bad human rights record and executes one person every two days, normally by beheading. When Malcolm Rifkind, the former Foreign Secretary, was asked if the UK should be urging the Saudis to reform their policies he responded: "That is not the way the world works. You can't just trade with the countries you approve of, otherwise you would be ruling out trade with China, Russia, and probably three-quarters of the world." However, that should not involve the UK doing such things as helping Saudi Arabia to be on the Human Rights Council. Little wonder that The Independent carried an editorial in January 2016 which stated: "Britain's policy towards Saudi Arabia is a disgrace."
Yacoub el-Hillo, the UN humanitarian co-ordinator in Syria, warned that because of the conflict in Syria "Europe will be faced with a refugee situation similar to the one that led to the creation of [the UN Refugee Agency] UNHCR in 1950".
Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, President of Egypt, is becoming increasingly dictatorial. There are 40,000 political prisoners in Egypt, half of them supporters of the Muslim Brotherhood and many of them sentenced to death. This has encouraged extremists like Isis. Sinai is now as much under Isis control as Egyptian control.
Despite the agreement that Iran will not develop nuclear weapons (for 10-15 years), it is still a threat. Many countries don't trust the Iranian regime. Iran backs Assad's government in Syria, as well as Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah in Lebanon, both of which do not accept the legitimacy of Israel. It also backs the Shia Muslim rebels in Yemen. The new freedom which Iran now enjoys could provoke a major Sunni versus Shia conflict throughout the Middle East. This could lead Saudi Arabia and Egypt into a nuclear arms race. Iran's antagonism to Israel continues with Iranian Defence Minister Hossein Dehghan calling Israel "the world's centre of evil, espionage and warmongering."
The Arab Spring has turned into the Arab Winter. There is great instability and ominous rivalry. Amongst the many innocent people who are suffering from the situation in the Middle East are millions of Christians. We need to pray for them and for the Middle East generally.
Tags Arab Spring, Christianity disappearing, colonialism, Egypt, Iran, persecution of Christians, Saudi Arabia, Syria
Anti-Semitism Evangelistic Middle East
An update on Anti-Semitism and some dangers in combatting it
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Anti-Semitism in Europe
37% of British people think anti-Semitism has worsened in the last ten years. A recent poll has discovered that 32% of the population think Jews always defend Israel, even when it has done wrong, and 15% think they talk too much about the Holocaust. However 89% believe Israel has a right to exist. Another British poll found that 21% think Jews have too much power in the business and financial worlds, 15% think they have too much influence in global affairs and 12% that they have too much power over the global media.
Shmuley Boteach, a prominent US rabbi who ministered at Oxford University, said in November 2015 that the "UK is known as a country that is hostile to Israel." He added: "British academics are arguably the most virulently anti-Israel group in Europe today. It's quite widespread throughout British academia. They come out constantly with these boycotts."
The (Jewish) Community Security Trust reported that anti-Semitic incidents in the UK rose by 53% in the first half of 2015 compared with the same period the previous year. The Metropolitan Police reported that there had been a 61% increase in anti-Semitic attacks in 2015. These figures may to some extent be due to more reporting by fearful Jewish victims. John Mann MP commented: "I am confident that the UK is leading the world in efforts to combat antisemitism. However our parliamentary visits to France, Germany, Ireland and Holland last year gave serious cause for concern about European antisemitism. The meetings we had in Paris were particularly worrying, as in some cases members of the community feared for their lives."
Dr Moshe Kantor, President of the European Jewish Congress said in October 2015 "Over the past few years, tens of thousands of Jews have left [the EU] to seek a safer home elsewhere, and today, one-third of Europe's nearly 2.5 million Jews are considering emigration." The EU's Fundamental Rights Agency reported that 76% of Jewish respondents said that anti-Semitism had risen since 2009.
The President of the World Jewish Congress said recently that anti-Semitism in Europe is as bad as it was in the 1930s and that "European Jews live in fear." However Jonathan Arkush, Vice President of The Board of Deputies of British Jews, says it is different from the 1930s when Nazis were stirring up anti-Semitism whereas "Today, anti-Semitism is strongly opposed and condemned by governments across Europe."
Mark Gardner, director of communications at the Community Security Trust, which advises synagogues and Jewish schools, said: "The situation today is very different, but the anxiety felt by many European Jews about antisemitism and jihadist terrorism is real and justified."
One evidence of the positive attitudes of European governments is the offer from the Spanish government that descendants of the Sephardic Jewish community which was expelled from Spain in 1492 would be granted legal rights to apply for Spanish citizenship. The government stated: "This law acts as a [historic] recognition of the pain and the damage that was suffered in Spain by the Jews after everything they had contributed here."
ISIS threats
In October 2015 ISIS produced a video in Hebrew for the first time in which a masked member said: "not one Jew will remain in Jerusalem … Do what you want in the meantime, but then we will make you pay ten times over … "look what happens to you after a number of stabbing and car attacks from our brothers in Palestine. You've been turned on your head," he said, using the Hebrew slang for losing control. You're afraid of every speeding driver and every person holding something in their hand … This is not just talk, this will hit you from every direction, north and south, and our account with you grows daily."
The New Anti-Semitism
Many commentators believe that anti-Semitism has changed. Irwin Cotler was Member of Parliament in Canada from 1999 to 2015. He was also Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada also Professor of Law at McGill University and a leading scholar of human rights. He speaks of the UN clearly condemning Israel far more than any other country in the world, including those guilty of great crimes against humanity. He wrote:
"Globally, we are witnessing a new, sophisticated, virulent, and even lethal anti-Semitism, reminiscent of the atmospherics of the 1930s, and without parallel or precedent since the end of the Second World War … the new anti-Semitism involves the discrimination against, denial of, or assault upon the right of the Jewish people to live as an equal member of the international community, with the state of Israel as the targeted collective Jew among the nations …. The laundering of anti-Semitism under the protective cover of the UN found dramatic expression in December 2015, when the General Assembly — in yet another annual discriminatory ritual — adopted 20 resolutions of condemnation against Israel, and only four against the rest of the world combined.
"And the laundering of anti-Semitism through the culture of human rights occurs each time the UN Human Rights Council singles out Israel for discriminatory treatment. This singling-out is starkly illustrated by the juxtaposition of the Council's permanent agenda item 7 —"violations by Israel of human rights in the Occupied Palestinian Territories" — and permanent agenda item 8: "human rights violations in the rest of the world." …..
"The UN Human Rights Council, [has condemned] one member state – Israel – in 80% of its twenty-five country-specific resolutions, while the major human rights violators of our time enjoyed exculpatory immunity. Indeed, five special sessions, two fact-finding missions, and a high level commission of inquiry have been devoted to a single purpose: the singling-out of Israel."
Cotler lists nine aspects of the New Anti-Semitism:
1. Genocidal antisemitism: Calling for the destruction of Israel and the Jewish people.
2. Political antisemitism: Denial of the Jewish people's right to self-determination, de-legitimisation of Israel as a state, attributions to Israel of all the world's evils.
3. Ideological antisemitism: 'Nazifying' Israel by comparing Zionism and racism.
4. Theological antisemitism: Convergence of Islamic antisemitism and Christian "replacement" theology [i.e. the church totally replaces the Jewish people in God's present and future purposes], drawing on the classical hatred of Jews.
5. Cultural antisemitism: The emergence of anti-Israel attitudes, sentiments, and discourse in 'fashionable' salon intellectuals
6. Economic antisemitism: BDS [boycott] movements and the extra-territorial application of restrictive covenants against countries trading with Israel.
7. Holocaust denial
8. Anti-Jewish racist terrorism
9. International legal discrimination ("Denial to Israel of equality before the law in the international arena"): Differential and discriminatory treatment towards Israel in the international arena.
Others stress that the old form of anti-Semitism is very much alive and well in the world. Some dispute that there is a new form of anti-Semitism but it is clear that there is a growing antagonism towards Israel (some of it created by Israel's failings) and that the UN is comparatively unjust in its treatment of Israel.
The Vatican document on relations between Catholics and Jews
The Pontifical Commission for Religious Relations with the Jews has published a paper entitled: "The Gifts and the Calling of God Are Irrevocable." There are many good statements in this document. One thing is clear: the Catholic Church is strongly against anti-Semitism and also against "Replacement Theology" – the idea that the church has replaced the Jewish people because God has no continuing purpose for them. However I am profoundly disturbed by some of the statements it makes.
The document states that Jews are our "elder brothers" and we can't understand the teaching of Jesus or the disciples without understanding its Jewish context. "Given Jesus' Jewish origins, coming to terms with Judaism in one way or another is indispensable for Christians" (para 14). "Jews and Christians have the same mother and can be seen, as it were, as two siblings who – as is the normal course of events for siblings – have developed in different directions" (para 15). It goes on to disagree with Replacement Theology (also known as Supersessionism, i.e. the idea that the church has superseded and replaced the Jewish community) (para 17).
So, in these times of growing anti-Semitism it is good to have the Roman Catholic Church speaking very positively about the Jewish community.
However, I have to say that I find the Vatican document disturbing in certain aspects about salvation for Jewish people. It is important to say that it makes some statements I wholeheartedly agree with, e.g. "while it is true that certain Christian beliefs are unacceptable to Judaism, and that the Church cannot refrain from proclaiming Jesus as Lord and Messiah…" (para 13). "The theory that there may be two different paths to salvation, the Jewish path without Christ and the path with the Christ, whom Christians believe is Jesus of Nazareth, would in fact endanger the foundations of Christian faith … Jesus Christ is the universal mediator of salvation, and that there is no "other name under heaven given to the human race by which we are to be saved" (Acts 4:12) (para 35).
My problem is that the document goes on to say: "From the Christian confession that there can be only one path to salvation, however, it does not in any way follow that the Jews are excluded from God's salvation because they do not believe in Jesus Christ as the Messiah of Israel and the Son of God … That the Jews are participants in God's salvation is theologically unquestionable, but how that can be possible without confessing Christ explicitly, is and remains an unfathomable divine mystery" (para 36).
It also states: "God revealed himself in his Word, so that it may be understood by humanity in actual historical situations. … For Jews this Word can be learned through the Torah [the Law] and the traditions based on it. The Torah is the instruction for a successful life in right relationship with God. Whoever observes the Torah has life in its fullness … By observing the Torah the Jew receives a share in communion with God. In this regard, Pope Francis has stated: "…. Christians believe that Jesus Christ is the Word of God made flesh in the world; for Jews the Word of God is present above all in the Torah. Both faith traditions find their foundation in the One God, the God of the Covenant, who reveals himself through his Word. In seeking a right attitude towards God, Christians turn to Christ as the fount of new life, and Jews to the teaching of the Torah" (para 24).
It continues: "Judaism and the Christian faith as seen in the New Testament are two ways by which God's people can make the Sacred Scriptures of Israel their own. The Scriptures which Christians call the Old Testament is open therefore to both ways. A response to God's word of salvation that accords with one or the other tradition can thus open up access to God … Therefore there are not two paths to salvation according to the expression "Jews hold to the Torah, Christians hold to Christ" (para 25).
I have serious difficulties with the statements in paras 24, 25 and 36. The only way of salvation for both Jew and Gentile is through faith in Christ. The document does not refer to John 14: 6 where Jesus says: "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." Nor does it refer to 1 Jn 2:23 "No one who denies the Son has the Father" or 1 Jn 5:11-12 "And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life." I find it disturbing that the document doesn't refer to these passages
Jewish people cannot be saved through the Torah. I have no problems with Jewish Christians (who call themselves Messianic Believers) celebrating their Jewish heritage, including festivals, as part of their commitment to Christ. But if they don't have a faith commitment to Jesus Christ (Yeshua HaMashiach in Hebrew) they do not have eternal life.
The Vatican document goes on to say that in view of its statements in paras 24, 25 and 36: "The Church is therefore obliged to view evangelisation to Jews, who believe in the one God, in a different manner from that to people of other religions and world views. In concrete terms this means that the Catholic Church neither conducts nor supports any specific institutional mission work directed towards Jews. While there is a principled rejection of an institutional Jewish mission, Christians are nonetheless called to bear witness to their faith in Jesus Christ also to Jews, although they should do so in a humble and sensitive manner, acknowledging that Jews are bearers of God's Word, and particularly in view of the great tragedy of the Shoah [Holocaust]" (para 40).
I'd be the first to agree that because of the dreadful way the church has treated the Jewish people in the past we have to be very sensitive indeed about Jewish evangelism – we are treading on egg shells. But as someone whom God called to head up a mission to Jewish people, I am bound to say I don't think God agrees with the statements in paras 24, 25 and 36.
So, whereas I'm very pleased by much of what the Vatican document says and its clear witness against anti-Semitism, I think it is also a warning to those of us who are positive towards the Jewish people and believe God has a purpose for them that we must be careful not to compromise the uniqueness of Christ as the only saviour. We must combat anti-Semitism but we must not compromise the Gospel.
Report of the All-Party Parliamentary Inquiry into Antisemitism September 2006
I will end this paper by pointing out another danger in combatting Anti-Semitism. The All-Party Parliamentary Group against Antisemitism stated in it 2006 report: "Broadly, it is our view that any remark, insult or act the purpose or effect of which is to violate a Jewish person's dignity or create an intimidating, hostile, degrading, humiliating or offensive environment for him is antisemitic. This reflects the definition of harassment under the Race Relations Act 1976. This definition can be applied to individuals and to the Jewish community as a whole" (para 4).
Obviously I agree we must combat anti-Semitism but the problem is that Jewish people can easily take offence at Christians who are sensitively proclaiming the Gospel and pointing out that Jesus is the Messiah and only way of salvation. Does this behaviour contravene the Race Relations Act? I fear it will eventually be seen to do so, even if it is not so regarded at present.
Anti-Semitism is demonic and we must strongly oppose it. But the worst form of Anti-Semitism is to deny Jewish people the Gospel.
Tags anti-Semitism, Isis, Jewish evangelism
Further update on terrorism and war
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In 2015 Britain joined in the bombing campaign against ISIS. This was a controversial decision. The traditional Christian definition of a Just War includes six conditions:
1. It must be fought by a legally-recognised authority. Government, not private individuals or corporations.
This had been fulfilled because the UN (as well as the UK Parliament) had approved it.
2. The cause of the war must be just.
Combating the Satanic evil of ISIS is a just cause.
3. There must be an intention to establish good or restrain evil.
This was the intention.
4. There must be a reasonable chance of success.
This is more difficult because many people do not believe that bombing alone would defeat ISIS, although it would weaken them.
5. The war must be a last resort.
It is difficult to see how ISIS would be defeated without military action.
6. Only sufficient force must be used and civilians must not be involved.
This is a controversial point as ISIS deliberately mixes with innocent civilians. It seems inevitable that many innocent civilians would be killed in the raids.
However, it is all very well to debate the ethics of the bombing campaign. But how were the nations to defeat this terrible evil? It seems unlikely that western nations would be willing to provide ground troops, having been stung by the difficulties resulting from the invasion of Iraq. If local ground forces were strong enough to defeat ISIS, supported by the bombing campaign and other non-military action by the western nations, that would have been the best way forward. But it is not clear that they were strong enough.
The solemn fact is that the western nations don't really know how to cope with terrorists. A bombing campaign isn't sufficient and the security measures at home would not be adequate. Terrorism is now much more sophisticated with modern communications, weapons and many other resources. For example, Detective Chief Inspector Colin Smith, a security expert and adviser to the Home Office Centre for Applied Science and Technology, warned that a small quadcopter could easily be used by terrorists for attacks and propaganda purposes.
War, in the form of terrorism, poses a very serious new threat to the nations. No country can feel secure because even more extensive surveillance (which, in itself, has negative consequences) is not adequate.
Nicolas Henin, who was held hostage by ISIS for ten months, says that ISIS are not superheroes but "street kids drunk on ideology and power." They see all that is happening as an apocalyptic process towards the defeat of the "crusaders" by the Muslim army. He adds: "They will be heartened by every sign of overreaction, of division, of fear, of racism, of xenophobia."
Dangers from immigration
I don't agree with the comments of Donald Trump. Nevertheless, there are dangers in the refugee movement. I have already mentioned the report that a Syrian ISIS operative has said 4000 covert terrorists have infiltrated the refugee movement into Western Europe. Such a report could be propaganda but it is also credible.
On a different level, the huge influx of Muslims is bound to make significant pro-Islamic changes in western nations. Over 2.6 million refugees from Muslim nations entered the US in 2014, according to the Center for Immigration Studies. That compares with 2.2 million in 2010 and 1.5 million before that. European leaders have said the "greatest tide" of refugees is yet to come.
There are now nine civil wars taking place in Muslim nations in the Middle East and North Africa (Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria, SE Turkey, Yemen, Libya, Somalia, Sudan and north-east Nigeria). Five of them have begun since 2011.
The Prime Minister of Hungary, Viktor Orban, commented on the influx of refugees: "Most are not Christian, but Muslim. Is it not worrying that Europe's Christian culture is already barely able to maintain its own set of Christian values?" Donald Tusk, President of the EU, responded: "For me, Christianity in public and social life carries a duty to our brothers in need. Referring to Christianity in a public debate on migration must mean in the first place the readiness to show solidarity and sacrifice. For a Christian it shouldn't matter what race, religion and nationality the person in need represents." I agree with Tusk's response but it would be naïve to ignore that having so many more Muslims, with a higher birthrate, will have a profound effect on western nations. Islam is a missionary religion which aims to win the world. Current events greatly further that mission.
Other threats
Boko Haram, the Nigerian-based terror group, also known as Islamic State's West's Africa province (ISWAP), is the most deadly terrorist organisation. In 2014 it was responsible for 6644 deaths, as opposed to 6073 for ISIS.
It is reported that Iran has stopped dismantling nuclear centrifuges in two uranium enrichment plants due to pressures from the hard-liners who complained that the move was too fast. They produce low-enriched uranium for nuclear power plants but this can also provide material for bombs if refined much further.
Russia, under Putin, is reasserting itself after the US has dominated the world for over 20 years. In 2014 Moscow re-opened 10 former Soviet-era military bases which were closed in 1991. Russia is also flying more long-range air patrols off the US shores.
China is also flexing its muscles. I have noted before its reclamation projects on the Spratley Islands in the China Sea. It has built an air strip and harbour there. China is ignoring the territorial claims of Vietnam, Philippines, Malaysia and Brunei over this area. The US has decided to put a missile destroyer to patrol within 12 miles of disputed islands. China responded by saying that it will seek to "convince the White House that China, despite its unwillingness, is not frightened to fight a war with the US in the region, and is determined to safeguard its national interests and dignity."
However, Xi Jinping, President of China, said recently: "War is like a mirror. Looking at it helps us better appreciate the value of peace. Today, peace and development have become the prevailing trend, but the world is far from tranquil. War is the sword of Damocles that still hangs over mankind. We must learn the lessons of history, and dedicate ourselves to peace."
Nuclear threat
Russia's actions in Ukraine and China's expansionism has caused the US to look again at its nuclear arsenal. There are signs that US adversaries, especially Russia, want to be ready to employ nuclear weapons to deal with any escalating conflict with the United States.
We need to be alert and to pray about these threats.
Tags immigration, Just war, nuclear threat, terrorism
Islam Middle East Reconciliation
Good news: Palestinian rescues 5 Jewish students under attack in the West Bank
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A group of Jewish students tried to visit the Cave of the Patriarchs in Hebron (a city divided between Israelis and Palestinians) when they took a wrong turn. The finished up in a Palestinian area.
Fayez Abu Hamdiyeh, a local Palestinian, said: "I heard shouts outside, I left my house and saw the five Jews frantically leaving their car, which was attacked by stones. They were very anxious, one was injured and bleeding from his face. I reassured down. I told them in Hebrew that it will be okay, I gave them water, and I helped the injured man."
He called police and sheltered them with his family in their flat until soldiers arrived to collect them.
Tags Palestinian rescues Jews
Antichrist Eschatology Islam Middle East Persecution
Christians and others under antichrist rule
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No, I don't believe the (ultimate) Antichrist predicted in the New Testament has been revealed. But I do believe that many Christians (and others) do live under antichrist rule today. In fact, around a quarter of the world's population does.
John writes: "You have heard that the antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have come … whoever denies that Jesus is the Christ … is the antichrist – denying the Father and the Son … every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you have heard is coming and even now is already in the world … many deceivers, who do not acknowledge Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh, have gone out into the world. Any such person is the deceiver and the antichrist" (1 John 2:18,22; 4:3; 2 John 1:7).
In the days when John wrote Rome, which persecuted Christians, would have been seen as an antichrist power. Others through history have been in the same tradition. And today there are many antichrists in the world including those who persecute Christians.
Persecution of Christians has greatly increased
A report presented in March 2015 to the United Nations in Geneva by the World Evangelical Fellowship, a global network of 160 million Evangelical Christians, estimated that over 200 million Christians in at least 60 countries are denied fundamental human rights solely because of their faith.
The Pew Research Center found that Christians face harassment and persecution in 102 countries – more than any other religion. Pope Francis commented: "In this third world war, waged piecemeal, which we are now experiencing, a form of genocide is taking place, and it must end." John Pontifex, a leader in Aid to the Church in Need, a Catholic campaign group monitoring persecution said: "The persecution of Christians is at a level we've not seen for many, many years and the main impact is the migration of Christian people. There are huge swaths of the world which are now experiencing a very sharp decline in the number of Christians." For example, The Chaldean Bishop of Aleppo, has said that "if the war continues, as seems likely . . . all the Christians will leave Syria."
Lisa Pearce, chief executive of Open Doors UK and Ireland said that in general, persecution of Christians is increasing, "and the rate of increase is accelerating." She added that the nature of persecution has changed: "It used to mean several years in a forced labour camp. Now it means watching your loved ones being beheaded."
The Pew Research Center concluded: "Restrictions on religion were high or very high in 39 percent of countries. Because some of these countries (like China and India) are very populous, about 5.5 billion people (77 percent of the world's population) were living in countries with a high or very high overall level of restrictions on religion in 2013, up from 76 percent in 2012 and 68 percent as of 2007."
The 10 countries who are the worst persecutors
The 10 most dangerous countries for Christians are
• Laos where the government is openly hostile to Christians.
• Uzbekistan where there are raids on churches.
• Iraq where attacks on Christians are growing.
• Yemen which practises Sharia law.
• Maldives where all citizens must be Muslims.
• Somalia which has no effective central government and Christians are in particular danger.
• Saudi Arabia which has no religious freedom. Public non-Muslim worship is banned and conversion to
Christianity is punishable by death.
• Afghanistan
• Iran
• North Korea where being a Christian is one of the worst crimes possible.
A 2014 Aid to the Church in Need report stated that conditions had deteriorated in 55 countries, and significantly so in six countries: Iraq, Libya, Nigeria, Pakistan, Sudan and Syria.
Lord Alton of Liverpool said we will see at least half of the 12 million Christians in the Middle East either gone or killed by 2020.
Persecution in China
Persecution of Christians is at an all-time high in China. One of the reasons is that there are 100 million Christians in China and only 87 million members of the Communist Party. In 1947 there were only 4 million Christians and under Mao tse Tung 500,000 Christians were martyred. Yet the Christian community has grown phenomenally. Since China has a one-child policy for families, this growth has almost all happened as a result of conversions. This seriously worries the Communist government. By 2030 China will have the largest number of Christians of any country in the world.
Persecution in Israel
Sadly, some Israeli extremists have also joined the ranks of persecutors. Benzi Gopstein leads an organisation called Lehava which means "[Organization for] Prevention of Assimilation in the Holy Land. Gopstein has called for the removal of churches from Israel. "We don't have a place for churches here…. It's Jewish law. This is what God told us." He condemned "the state of Israel's great sin of allowing idolatry – churches and monasteries abounding in the Land of Israel." In June 2015 the historic Church of the Multiplication of the Loaves and Fish at Tabgha, on the Sea of Galilee was burnt. Sixteen religious Israeli Jewish students were arrested on suspicion of involvement in the arson.
Some Muslims also make life difficult for Christians in the West Bank and the Christian sector of the Old City of Jerusalem. Areas which previously had a majority of Christians now have a majority of Muslims and many Christians have emigrated, partly because of persecution.
We need to pray for our persecuted brothers and sisters in Christ. What they are experiencing is a foretaste of what is to come, as Jesus predicted.
Tags antichrist, China, Israel, persecution of Christians
Interfaith Middle East Persecution
Iraqi Christian leader refused entry to US to advocate for persecuted Christians
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Recently, the US gave visas to Sunni, Shia and Yazidi delegates to advocate for persecuted Muslims and Yazidis but refused a visa to the only Christian delegate Sister Diana, a leading Iraqi Christian. Yet she had been granted a visa in 2012.
Newt Gingrich, former Speaker of the US House of Representatives, responded: "I hope that as it gets attention Secretary Kerry will reverse it. If he doesn't, Congress has to investigate, and the person who made this decision ought to be fired."
Eventually Sister Diana was given a visa.
In 2014 when the US Institute for Peace brought together the governors of Nigeria's for a conference in the U.S., the State Department blocked the visa of the region's only Christian governor, Jonah David Jang.
Yet, more Christians are being persecuted in the Middle East than ever and some people point out that the increase in persecution is not just because of ISIS but also as a result of the US-UK invasion of Iraq. This puts a solemn responsibility on the US (and the UK).
I am definitely not anti-Muslim but it is a cause of concern when Christians, whether in the US or the UK, seem to have to play second fiddle to Muslims. Persecuted Christians and Muslims should be treated equally, i.e. well.
Tags persecution of Christians
Eschatology Middle East Oppression of Christians Persecution
The Middle East situation and its effects on Christians and Israel
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The so-called Arab Spring was a remarkable series of events including the following:
December 2010 Mohamed Bouazizi, a Tunisian street vendor set himself on fire because the authorities had confiscated his produce. This was the culmination of many years of such maltreatment and it sparked protests in Tunisia and elsewhere, including Algeria, Egypt, Morocco, Oman, Syria and Yemen.
January 2011 The Tunisian President fled to Saudi Arabia. A few days later protests in Egypt forced the Egyptian President to resign.
March 2011 Protests against President Assad began in Syria leading to a prolonged war with many atrocities.
October 2011 Lybian President Gaddafi was killed after a 9-month conflict.
February 2012 The President of Yemen resigned after protests.
June 2012 Mohammed Morsi of the Islamist Muslim Brotherhood was elected President of Egypt.
July 2013 Millions of Egyptians demonstrated against Morsi forcing his resignation.
May 2014 Former army chief Abdel Fatah al-Sisi was elected President of Egypt
Many people saw all this as a positive revolution which would establish democracy in the Middle East. But it was not to be. Instead, there were many sinister developments. One early example happened in August 2013 when Muslims set fire to over 70 Christian churches in Egypt. Since then extreme Islamists have come to the fore, especially in Iraq, Syria and Lybia. The most prominent is, of course, the so-called Islamic State (Isis). The removal of dictators has opened the way to far more extreme leadership taking over. This had happened much earlier when the Shah of Persia (Iran) was overthrown in 1979 and replaced by hard-line Islamists. On June 29th 2014 Isis announced that it had re-established the Islamic Caliphate (global Islamic state) led by the Caliph Abu-Bakr al-Baghdadi. One Iraqi politician said that the Arab Spring had become an Islamic Spring.
International chaos in the Middle East
Isis seems to be aiming at weakening Arab states and their armies so that it will be able to gain more influence and make it easier to 'liberate' the Palestinians from Israeli control. Turkey, Iran and Israel are the only strong states in the Middle East.
Syria and Iraq
Syria and Iraq are, of course, deeply divided and largely ungovernable. They are well on the way to becoming failed states. Isis (which stands for the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria) is now in control of more than half of Syria and controls all the border crossings between Syria and Iraq. Their intermediate aim is a Middle East Islamic state which includes the territories of Syria, Lebanon, Iraq, Jordan and Israel. Syria is crucially important for Isis because they see it as the heart of the Islamic State on the border of Palestine. They see it as the road to Jerusalem. Isis is known to have some chemical weapons but there is fear that they will gain more from Syrian sources. Israel is afraid that Hezbollah, the Islamist group based in Lebanon, also could get hold of Syrian chemical weapons and smuggle them into Lebanon. Some experts are afraid that people could be exposed to biological weapons such as anthrax, plague, and cholera which could cause pandemics that are very difficult to control.
Iraq is divided between a Shia Muslim majority and a more traditional Sunni minority. But Isis (which is Sunni extremist) also holds large areas of the country and at times the Iraqi army has shown it is not up to withstanding it.
Egypt initially accepted 300,000 Syrian refugees but since Morsi was deposed has turned against them. President Sisi is authoritarian and there have been unfair trials and an increasing number of executions. Morsi has been sentenced to death and the Muslim Brotherhood has been outlawed.
Militant Islamists have mounted attacks particularly in North Sinai. Hundreds of police and soldiers have been killed. One terrorist group called Sinai Province has links with Isis.
Egypt receives financial support from the Saudis and the Emirates. It is regarded as supporting Israel against Hamas in Gaza which is seen as a terrorist group.
Iran is an oppressive regime which restricts human rights. It is strongly opposed by the Saudis and the Gulf States. It co-operates with Hezbollah in Lebanon to support President Assad of Syria. The US is, of course, seeking to ensure that Iran cannot develop nuclear weapons. President Obama stated in April 2015 that Iran will accept "the most robust and intrusive inspections and transparency regime ever negotiated for any nuclear programme in history. If Iran cheats, the world will know it. This deal is not based on trust. It's based on unprecedented verification." However Israel is very suspicious of the agreement and believes Iran will not keep to it. Clearly the Saudis share this suspicion.
Jordan has received 600,000 Syrian refugees. This, together with the surrounding chaos in Iraq and Syria is creating a serious crisis in Jordan and fears that the conflict could spill over into its territory.
Kuwait is an oppressive regime which curtails freedom of speech. David Cohen, Deputy Director of the CIA, once described Kuwait as the "epicentre of fundraising for terrorist groups in Syria" However Kuwait is regarded as an important ally by the West.
Lebanon has suffered by being caught up in battles between countries such as Iran, Syria and Saudi Arabia and it fears that the Syrian conflict could spill over into its territory. Fears are also raised by the strong connections between Iran and Hezbollah, which is based in Lebanon and is regarded by many as a terrorist group.
It is a country where citizenship is only available to members of one of 18 approved religious groups. Power is shared out between these groups and, especially in the context of a weak state, this leads to an acceptance of compromise.
Lebanon has one million Syrian refugees, the equivalent of one fifth of the Lebanese population. The presence of the pro-Assad Shia group Hezbollah in the country has caused violent reactions from the Sunni community
Since 2014 there has been civil war in Libya. Central government has collapsed and the numerous militias are out of control. The country is moving towards being a failed state. Libya is very dangerous and journalists tend not to go there. Isis has moved into territory which is not controlled by the state and set up training centres for extremists. It was from there that the recent massacre in Tunisia was mounted.
Saudi Arabia is dominated by Wahhabism, a very strict version of Sunni Islam. It is repressive and carries out severe punishments, including many beheadings. No political parties are allowed. The Saudis, assisted by Qatar, Kuwait and United Arab Emirates have funded Sunni rebels in Syria and Iraq. However Saudi Arabia has 25% of the world's oil supplies so western governments want to maintain good relationships with the country despite its bad human rights record. Hence Saudi Arabia has recently hosted a conference on Human Rights run by the UN Human Rights Council. The country is also the British arms industry's largest customer.
Although the Saudis have funded Islamic fundamentalists around the region, it has now rebounded on them as extremist groups are threatening the Saudi leadership. They are also very threatened by the extensive influence of Iran in the Middle East, especially in Iraq. They have made it clear that if the US is not successful in preventing Iran developing nuclear weapons they will acquire them too. It is thought that the Saudis funded 60% of the development of the Pakistan nuclear weapons on the basis that they would be allowed to obtain some of those weapons if necessary. Saudi Prince Turki bin Faisal has said: "Whatever the Iranians have, we will have, too."
Many Tunisians have joined Isis to fight in Syria and Iraq.
Anxieties in Turkey about growing Islamisation and the authoritarianism of Recep Tayyip Erdogan, the prime minister led to riots and in 2015 Erdogan did not do too well in the election.
Turkey is very concerned to prevent the establishment of a Kurdish state by both Syrian and Turkish Kurds. They are sending troops to fight against the Syrian Kurds. The Turkish Kurds live in SE Turkey.
Turkey has accepted 1.8 million Syrian refugees.
There has been an undeclared civil war in Yemen for some time. Iranian-backed rebels gained control of government institutions. The relationship between Saudi Arabia and Kuwait is close, not least because about half the Saudi army is of Kuwaiti origin. The Saudis are afraid of the Iranian influence in Yemen and they are also afraid that Kuwait will become a failed state controlled by terrorists. So in 2015 a Sunni Muslim coalition of nine Arab countries plus Pakistan invaded Kuwait.
Much of the conflict in the Middle East is between the more traditional Sunni Muslims and Shia Muslims. They are at war with each other in Iraq, Syria and Kuwait. Isis is an extreme form of Sunni Islam.
Syria, Iraq, Libya and Yemen are torn by war. They are becoming failed states. Egypt is facing serious division. Saudi Arabia is an oppressive, anti-Christian regime. Jordan and Lebanon feel threatened and Turkey intends to prevent the Kurds establishing a state by violence if necessary.
In March 2015 a joint Arab military force was set up to face the unstable situation in the Middle East. The 22 states involved in the Arab League are to combine forces.
Many refugees have fled to Jordan, Lebanon and Turkey. Other refugees are crossing the Mediterranean to find safety in Europe – causing problems within the EU.
The effects on Christians
One thing that complicates the position of Christians in Muslim countries is military action by western nations which are seen as Christian nations. Consequently, Muslim countries persecute Christians. The Arab Spring and the growth of Isis has led to much greater oppression of Christians in the Middle East.
In Egypt, where there is a long-established Christian community, the removal of President Morsi in 2013 led to the worst persecution of Christians in 1400 years. It was against Coptic Christians and 65 churches, Christian bookshops, schools and convents were burned down, looted or destroyed. There has been some similar persecution since then.
In recent years in Syria over 450,000 Christians have fled and hundreds of thousands are in hiding. Christians and Christian leaders have been abducted, ransomed or executed.
Since the 2003 Gulf War over a million Christians have fled from Iraq. In 2014 when Isis captured Mosul and much of the traditional Christian area around Nineveh 200,000 Christians fled to Kurdistan.
The chaos in Libya has meant that persecution has increased, with Christians being afraid to meet together. The only religious gatherings allowed are Islamic. Isis has executed Christians.
Saudi Arabia officially bans churches and Christian meetings, even amongst ex-pats. Sometimes the authorities take oppressive action to enforce this ban against Christians meeting in homes. Bibles are prohibited. Converts from Islam to Christianity face the death penalty. Nevertheless for economic and political reasons the Saudis are treated as respected allies by western countries.
The Israeli perspective
I write as a friend of Israel but I am a genuine friend who, unlike some Zionist Christians, faces up to her failings as well as defending her when appropriate. She is not treating the Palestinians justly and currently she is becoming increasingly isolated in the world through the unwise leadership of her present government.
However, some of the criticism of Israel is unjust and there is some which is based on thinly veiled anti-Semitism. In fact, some Christians have decided that Israel is in the wrong and don't wished to be confused by the facts. There is a growing movement to boycott Israeli goods but, as Israel points out, there is no such boycott of other countries deemed to be guilty of injustice – Saudi Arabia, for example. It is essential that we seek to look at the world through Israeli eyes, as well as through Palestinian eyes.
Israel is still affected by centuries of persecution and the trauma of the Holocaust. She also knows that a large number of people dispute her legitimacy and would like to see her destroyed. Against that background she looks at the chaos in the Middle East around her – the extreme Islamism, the wars, the advance of Isis (which is now speaking of taking over from Hamas and 'liberating' Palestine), the threat of Iran, which wants Israel destroyed, gaining nuclear weapons after all (which is perceived as possible by the Israelis and others) and the danger the Saudis would follow suit. Yes, Israel should provide justice for the Palestinians but she also needs to protect herself. After all, Isis is getting too close for comfort.
It is all very well for the Christian armchair critics in the West to be calling for justice for the Palestinians. But they must also take the fears of the Israelis seriously. Yes, of course, sometimes politicians over-emphasise threats for political reasons but the fact is that Israel is seriously threatened – and things will get worse.
We need to pray for the countries of the Middle East, for Israel and for Christians in that region facing grave difficulties, persecution and violent death. We should also recognise that the growing persecution of Christians and the increasing threats to Israel are in harmony with the New Testament's teaching on the End Times.
Tags Arab Spring, Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Islamic State, Israel, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Middle East, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Tunisia, Turkey, Yemen

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The Hallelujah Diet is a faith-based vegan raw food diet by the Reverend George H. Malkmus. The basic guidelines of the diet are simple: consume 85% raw foods and 15% cooked foods. The cooked portion is usually consumed at the end of the evening meal.
It is recommended to skip breakfast on the Hallelujah Diet and instead have only barley grass drinks and fresh vegetable juices. Options for breakfast are given for those transitioning from a standard diet and include such foods as fresh fruit salad, whole grain raw granola, almond milk and sprouted grain toast with almond butter.


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Stone Barn Museum
Pinkston Forge
Payne Family Park
Vindicator Park
Wilcox Gardens
donated by Malcolm Bartlett
History of Vindicator Park
The newspaper, The Vindicator & Brigus Reporter, was published here from 1898 to 1903, and was on sale every Wednesday on the streets of Brigus for 1 cent per copy. The building was constructed of stone and brick around 1820. The outline now remains of the original stone structure. Photos of the complete structure, as well as copies of the newspaper may be seen at the Stone Barn Museum. A story board detailing the seafaring history of Brigus appears on this site.
Brigus Heritage is the operating name for Brigus Historical & Conservation Society Inc. A not-for-profit entity dedicated to preserving and promoting the history of Brigus.
We thank our many volunteers for their hard work in conserving the history of Brigus for future generations to enjoy.


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Copenhaver, Ellett & Derrico
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Home > Practice Areas > Roanoke Sex Crimes Defense Attorneys > Roanoke Child Sex Crimes Defense Attorneys
Roanoke Child Sex Crimes Defense Attorneys
Breaking it down
Sex crimes involving minors are complex and polarizing, and the prosecution will be building the strongest and most compelling evidence against you to convince the judge or jury that you are guilty. These crimes are felonies and come with substantial prison time and fines if you're convicted.
Lack of intent or unknowingly partaking in indecent liberties may be a defense
A conviction for a sex crime involving a minor will require you to register as a sex offender
The penalties you face are harsher if the child in question is under the age of 15.
If you've been accused of a sex crime involving a minor, it's crucial to have experienced, qualified representation from a Roanoke sex crimes attorney as soon as possible, and preferably before you speak with law enforcement. Beginning in the investigative stages, representation in vital due to the often ambiguous nature of the evidence. You need someone who knows how to navigate the tricky waters these types of cases present and who will fight for the best possible outcome for you.
Many of Virginia's sex crime laws include provisions that address what happens when the offense is committed against a child, but some statutes are written specifically about sex crimes involving minors. These offenses tend to be felonies, and possible penalties can include years in prison and thousands of dollars in fines, as well as a requirement to register as sex offender.
Carnal Knowledge of Minors
Sex with any child who is younger than 13 is charged as rape, forcible sodomy, or object sexual penetration in Virginia, regardless of whether the child consented or if no force was involved. Children lack the legal capacity to consent to sex, and so sexual intercourse with a child is always defined as rape when the child is under 13.
When the child involved is 13 or 14, the offense becomes carnal knowledge of a minor. Virginia Code §18.2-63 makes it a Class 4 felony to "carnally know" without use of force a 13 or 14-year-old. Class 4 felonies are punishable by up to 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $100,000.
When the accused is a minor and is three or more years older than the child in question, and the child consented to the sexual contact, the offense is a Class 6 felony punishable by up to five years in prison and a $2,500 maximum fine.
If there's less than a three-year difference in age between the accused and the alleged victim, the offense is a Class 4 misdemeanor, which is punishable only by a $250 fine.
Carnal knowledge is defined as a range of sexual acts including sexual intercourse, cunnilingus, fellatio, anilingus, anal intercourse, and animate and inanimate object sexual penetration.
Indecent Liberties
Virginia Code §18.2-370 makes it a crime for anyone over 18 to commit the following acts with anyone under age 15. The acts have to be knowing, intentional and committed with lascivious intent.
Exposing genitals or sexual parts or proposing that the child expose him or herself
Proposing that a child feel or fondle either the child's own or the adult's genitals or sexual parts, or that the adult fondle the child's parts
Proposing Sexual Intercourse
Enticing, alluring, persuading, or inviting a child to enter a vehicle, room, house, or other place for the purpose of committing any of the sex acts above.
A conviction for any of these actions will be a Class 5 felony punishable by up to 10 years in prison and a maximum $2,500 fine.
The indecent liberties statute further makes it a crime for anyone over 18 to receive money, property, or other compensation for allowing, encouraging, or enticing a minor under 18 to perform or be a subject of the type of sexually explicit visual material defined as child pornography. This form of indecent liberties also is a Class 5 felony, as is knowingly encouraging a minor to perform or be the subject of child pornography.
A second or subsequent conviction for indecent liberties is a Class 4 felony punishable by up to 10 years in prison and a maximum $100,000 fine when certain conditions exist: the offenses were committed separately and were not part of a common act, transaction, or scheme; the accused was at liberty between convictions; and the accused was previously convicted of indecent liberties.
The statute makes a special provision when the adult is a parent, step-parent, grandparent, or step-grandparent. When the minor is between 15 and 18, the offense is a Class 5 felony, but when the child is younger than 15, it becomes a Class 4 felony.
Virginia Code §18.2-370.1 makes it a Class 6 felony for an adult other than a parent, step-parent, grand-parent, or step-grandparent who has a custodial or supervisory relationship with an unemancipated child to commit any of the acts defined as indecent liberties with the child, or to sexually abuse the child. Class 6 felonies are punishable by up to five years in prison and up to a $2,500 fine.
A second or subsequent conviction is a Class 5 felony.
Learn How Child Sex Crimes Defense Attorneys in Virginia Can Help You?
If you've been charged with carnal knowledge or indecent liberties, the experienced sex crime attorneys at Copenhaver, Ellett & Derrico can help evaluate the details of your case and your options. For an appointment at our Roanoke office, call our local number at (540) 343-9349.
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© 2023 Copenhaver, Ellett & Derrico All rights reserved. Office Address: 30 Franklin Rd SW Ste 200, Roanoke VA 24011-2411. Local Phone: (540) 343-9349. Click here for sitemap.


Treasure Isle Boat Rentals Treasure Island Fl is free HD wallpaper. This wallpaper was upload at April 19, 2019 upload by admin in .You can download it in your computer by clicking resolution image in Download by size:. Don't forget to rate and comment if you interest with this wallpaper.


For the latest kitchen appliances, you could hopscotch from store to store along the open-air electronics mall otherwise known as 14th Street — or just head for the Cellar at Macy's, where everything is under one 40,000-square-foot roof, from Krups coffeemakers and Cuisinart food processors to motorized shoe polishers and attachable jet spas, even electric toothbrushes. And remember the fringe benefits of department-store shopping: great return policies, the chance to earn incentives on your store card, special home sales, and salespeople who acknowledge your existence.
On the other hand, you should also add AB Drimmers to your list. This no-frills, family-run business in the heart of Midwood is probably best known among the nesting cognoscenti for the Viking ranges and Sub-Zero refrigerators it sells to the swells on Park Avenue and Central Park West. But it's also packed with smaller appliances like brushed-metal GE microwaves, Oster blenders, and DeLonghi espresso machines. The folks who work the floor know more about this stuff — a lot more — than you; they'll even tell you what not to buy. Best of all, Drimmers's prices put some of its bigger-name Manhattan counterparts to shame — so you can splurge on that ultraluxe, self-cleaning cappuccino machine after all.


Nestled in the delightful countryside of Ottella, in San Benedetto di Lugana – Peschiera del Garda, Cascina Girolda guest house offers its guests the atmosphere of days gone-by, for a relaxing holiday in touch with nature.
Guest House Cascina Girolda has large bedrooms that have been designed to offer the very best in terms of space and comfort.
A large and welcoming meeting area that can be booked for events and business meetings.


Our brothers in the West metro. Interesting website at www.mnseniorsoftball.com See link to video below.
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