What is Digg?63 Comments
- YodaJones, on 12/12/2008, -3/+36Christmas: you're doing it wrong.
- Burento, on 12/12/2008, -1/+25Dude looks pissed he doesn't have anything cool to wear http://www.upi.com/topic/Bethlehem/29/
- wontstoptalking, on 12/13/2008, -1/+19Bart: "Let's just celebrate the real meaning of Christmas....the birth of Santa."
- Thoal, on 12/13/2008, -2/+20Those Santa masks make them look like they're going to rob a bank.
- BorsKaegel, on 12/12/2008, -3/+18Ho, ho, ho... now gimme your damn wallet! Tis the season of giving, after all.
- inactive, on 12/13/2008, -4/+15You seem confused. There was a physical siege six years ago, whereby Palestinian militants holed up in the church and the Israeli army surrounded it and it was in every meaning of the word besieged. But that was six years ago. Today anyone can visit the church, and you will not see an Israeli soldier patrolling Bethlehem, only Palestinian police. Gaza is arguably under siege today, but that is nowhere near Bethlehem. I was in Bethlehem on Christmas day last year and the biggest concern among the locals was how to get more tourists, as numbers have only slowly been rising since the unrest several years ago. This year apparently all the hotels are sold out.
Incidentally, I recommend to anyone who will listen to visit Bethlehem and spend some time to get to know the city, the people, and the culture there. - DOCNM, on 12/13/2008, -0/+6You know that those people are Christian, right?
- inactive, on 12/13/2008, -1/+7the masks remind me of something.
- marmol, on 12/13/2008, -6/+12thats because they are...
- FolkTheory, on 12/13/2008, -0/+5ummm...they ARE christians. palestinian doesnt equal muslim FYI.
- BrettFromTibet, on 12/12/2008, -10/+15I heard the political situation in Bethlehem is a mess. The chruch of the nativity is used as a political pawn, and it has been hijacked and under siege...
- extravagant, on 12/13/2008, -1/+6haha, christmas is always fun
- Rikkochet, on 12/13/2008, -2/+7Or maybe, like most rational people, they realize Christmas has virtually no roots in Christianity (I'm not even bothering digging up sources again. Nobody's that new to the internet) and are enjoying it as a holiday where you spend some time with your family and exchange gifts.
- gallardomark, on 12/13/2008, -1/+6Merry Chistmas ol..
- jogleby, on 12/13/2008, -2/+7So it is official, Santa is bigger than Jesus Christ.
- kalvinb, on 12/13/2008, -0/+4"Christmas" may not have roots in Christianity but Christianity has it's roots in Bethlehem. That's slowly being corrupted with a secular view of "Christmas." And that's okay because it's done in the name of modern secular "Christmas" rather than in the name of Islam.
- Pirate45, on 12/13/2008, -4/+8I remember walking down that street last summer. If you ever get the chance to go to Israel do it.
- inactive, on 12/13/2008, -2/+6So you're a dumbass as well as a racist creep. Bethlehem is hardly a Muslim city.
- charm803, on 12/13/2008, -1/+4Not as much as how Christians believe Dec. 25th is Jesus' birthday.
(It's not.) - biggizon, on 12/13/2008, -2/+5I feel like they misunderstood something
- adith, on 12/13/2008, -2/+5I'm not sure where you heard that and I'm not sure why you're being Dugg up. Bethlehem has been back on tourists' itineraries for a few years now.
- DP84, on 12/13/2008, -1/+4Clearly Giant Santa is coming to steal Child Santa's bell.
- SuperMonkeyKing, on 12/13/2008, -0/+2MULTIKILL!!!!!!!!
- inactive, on 12/13/2008, -2/+4Then 10 minutes later the Israelis came in and shot everyone and then knocked over their houses.
- barag, on 12/13/2008, -1/+3"...where tradition says Jesus was born."
- beingdevious, on 12/13/2008, -0/+2oompa loompas?
- charm803, on 12/13/2008, -0/+2@johnn11238:
What part did I misunderstand? - johnn11238, on 12/13/2008, -1/+3Should be called
"pictures of Palestinians dressed like santa" - sanguinekane, on 12/13/2008, -0/+2You don't know ***** about the Palestinians do you lekahe? About 5% of the Palestinian population is Christian, that's why there are children dressing up as Santa. And why the hell should that make you sad? Because some kids want to dress up as some imaginary character and maybe,just maybe, be happy? Scrooge...
- Pirate45, on 12/13/2008, -0/+2I like to study archeology and history. That's why I "wasted" time there.
- yeahhyeahyeah, on 12/14/2008, -0/+1what??? i dont even understand what you're saying, are you somehow under the impression that those Palestinians are Muslim because if you read the captions...
- jayrok, on 12/14/2008, -1/+2Where are the bulldozers?
- kalvinb, on 12/14/2008, -0/+1Some of them may be.
- Testiculese, on 12/15/2008, -0/+1Don't ask Jesus, ask kyoobeh, he's the one that postulated...
- DeadNed, on 12/14/2008, -0/+1i saw that movie
- Pirate45, on 12/14/2008, -0/+1I went to Jericho and Bethlehem while I was there. Both of which are in the west bank. I didn't feel unsafe there especially in Bethlehem. I doubt the Palestinian police want the tourists, a major source of income, to feel threatened and unprotected.
- sanguinekane, on 12/13/2008, -0/+1Right, because America invented Santa, and then made Palestinian children dress up as him at gunpoint....oh, wait http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Santa
- SuperMonkeyKing, on 12/13/2008, -0/+1I never slow down at a car accident. It's their own fault if they get hit
- inactive, on 12/14/2008, -0/+1The elves are dressed in leather
And the angels are in chains
(Christmas with the Devil)
The sugar plums are rancid
And the stockings are in flames
(Christmas with the Devil)
There's a demon in my belly
And a gremlin in my brain
There's someone up the chimney hole
And Satan is his name
The rats ate all the presents
And the reindeer ran away
(Christmas with the Devil)
There'll be no Father Christmas
'Cause it's Evils holiday
(Christmas with the Devil)
No bells in Hell
No snow below-
Silent Night, Violent Night
So come all ye unfaithful
Don't be left out in the cold
You don't need no invitation, no...
Your ticket is your soul - iceman7291, on 12/13/2008, -2/+2So sad to see the image of santa has replaced the image of Jesus, who this whole holiday is in place for. We really have played off this image too much and now it has spread. Shame to the American capitalist system. Buried.
- lekahe, on 12/13/2008, -6/+6Santa Claus where it does not belong...
Does this contribute to peace? Besides what has Santa to do with "Christ"mas. Are they turning towards the Christians?
I feel sad :( - kyoobeh, on 12/13/2008, -1/+1lol
"where tradition says Jesus was born, in the West Bank on December 24, 2006." - yeahhyeahyeah, on 12/14/2008, -1/+1santamas
- fozzytbear, on 12/15/2008, -0/+0I'm not sure if you all looked at all the pictures, but a good number of them are in the Church of the Nativity, or they are of nativity scenes.
I still have family in Bethelehem, and I can assure you that Santa has not supplanted Jesus as the symbol of Christmas. I just have to look at the olive wood carvings and mother of pearl jewelry that my family receives every year to know that. Probably the reason for all the Santa photos is the photographer, or the fact that kids like Santa more than Jesus, because only Santa brings them presents.
The troubling news is that 60 years ago Christians made up 75% of Bethlehem's population. Now after decades of Israeli occupation, that number has dwindled to ~30%, possibly less. My family was some of the first emigrants, although some relatives have since returned. Thankfully, despite a certain degree of tension due to hard times, Christians and Muslims in Bethlehem get along quite well just as they have for hundreds of years.
If you're interested in doing something for the people of Holy Land check out:
http://www.bethlehemassoc.org - Atsuke, on 12/14/2008, -0/+0Jesus Christ! Does it really say that?
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