Lebanon's Maronite Christian head sparks Syria debate

[rug]

14/09/2011

BEIRUT, (AFP) —A heated debate has erupted in Lebanon over controversial remarks by the head of the nation's Maronite Christians, who has warned an end to Syria's regime threatens Christians across the Middle East.

During his first visit to France last week, Patriarch Beshara Butros Rai urged that Syrian President Bashar al-Assad -- once the arch-enemy of Lebanon's Maronites -- be given a chance to implement reforms, saying the "poor man cannot work miracles".

Assad's regime has cracked down on a string of unprecedented protests across his country, killing more than 2,600 civilian protesters since the uprising began in March, according to the United Nations.

Many of Syria's minority Christians, which include Maronites, are concerned that Islamic extremists could rise to power should Assad's regime collapse.

http://www.asharq-e.com/news.asp?section=1&id=26568

[dmallind]

1. He's probably right

at least in his case. It is highly unlikely that any group taking over Syria and Lebanon will be even as sort-of-tolerant of other faiths as the current regime, however otherwise unpleasant it is. Having a minority viewpoint about religions gets less and less pleasant based on how important religion is to the majority. So a Hindu in Norway is fine, an atheist in the US gets a rough time but not too often physical oppression, and a Christian in a country ruled by a Hamas-style group...had better leave.

[happyslug]

2. Hamas is actually quite tolerate of Christians

Hamas is tied in with Iran, and in recent decades that has been as source of tolerance to non-moslems in the Middle East (The chief allies of Hamas in Lebanon for example are the Christians in Lebanon).

The real problem as to religious intolerance is tied in more with Al-Queda then anyone else (And that includes intolerance to Shiite Moslem who are the group who presently control Iran).

In fact the main group of Christians that had to move out of the Middle East over the last 40-50 years have been Christians out of the West Bank, do to pressure from Israel to make the area more Jewish then from their moslem neighbors.

[dmallind]

3. Really? Not my impression but I shall investigate further then. Thanks. nt