LCCC ENGLISH DAILY NEWS
BULLETIN
November 21/16
Compiled
& Prepared by: Elias Bejjani
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Bible Quotations For Today
Blessed rather are
those who hear the word of God and obey it
Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Luke
11/27-32/:"A woman in the crowd raised her voice and said to him, ‘Blessed
is the womb that bore you and the breasts that nursed you!’But
he said, ‘Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and obey it!’When the crowds were increasing, he began to say, ‘This
generation is an evil generation; it asks for a sign, but no sign will be given
to it except the sign of Jonah.For just as Jonah
became a sign to the people of Nineveh, so the Son of Man will be to this
generation. The queen of the South will rise at the judgement with the people
of this generation and condemn them, because she came from the ends of the
earth to listen to the wisdom of Solomon, and see,
something greater than Solomon is here! The people of
Since, therefore, the children share
flesh and blood, he himself likewise shared the same things, so that through
death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil
Letter to the Hebrews 02/14-18//03-01-06/:"Since,
therefore, the children share flesh and blood, he himself likewise shared the
same things, so that through death he might destroy the one who has the power
of death, that is, the devil, and free those who all their lives were held in
slavery by the fear of death. For it is clear that he did not come to help
angels, but the descendants of Abraham. Therefore he had to become like his
brothers and sisters in every respect, so that he might be a merciful and
faithful high priest in the service of God, to make a sacrifice of atonement
for the sins of the people. Because he himself was tested by what he suffered,
he is able to help those who are being tested. Therefore, brothers and sisters,
holy partners in a heavenly calling, consider that Jesus, the apostle and high
priest of our confession,
was faithful to the one who appointed him, just as Moses also ‘was
faithful in all God’s house.’ Yet Jesus is worthy of more glory than Moses,
just as the builder of a house has more honour than the house itself. (For every house is built by someone, but the builder of all things
is God.)Now Moses was faithful in all God’s house as a servant, to testify
to the things that would be spoken later. Christ, however, was faithful over
God’s house as a son, and we are his house if we hold firm the confidence and
the pride that belong to hope."
Titles For Latest LCCC
Bulletin analysis & editorials from miscellaneous sources published on
November 20-21/16
What does the Bible say about anger/ GotQuestions.org/November 20/16
Israel: Senior legal official doubtful if AG will defend 'Muezzin Bill'/ Tova Tzimuki & Moran Azulay/Ynetnews/November 20/16/
Obama's eight years of failure with Iran/Amir Basiri/Washington
examiner/November 20/16
Allah, Kill the Despicable Christians/ Muslim Persecution of Christians, August
2016
Raymond Ibrahim/Gatestone Institute/November 20/16
Trump’s foreign policy a cause for international apprehension/Raghida Dergham/Al Arabiya/November 20/16
Russia has hacked US politics, or has it/Maria Dubovikova/Al
Arabiya/November 20/16
Titles For Latest Lebanese
Related News published on on November 20-21/16
Aoun Receives Independence Greetings from
U.S., U.N., Regional Leaders
Aoun Insists on Naming Shiite Minister as Berri Threatens to Nominate Abou Jamra
Hariri Feels Hurdles from Aoun-Berri Tensions Also
Targeted against Him
Hizbullah MP Lauds 'End of Christian Frustration',
Warns of 'Lebanese Frustration'
FPM Says Failure to Form Govt. before Independence Day 'Not a Setback' for
President
Merkel Announces Bid for Fourth Term
Wahhab Launches 'Self Defense'
Brigades in Jahliyeh Paramilitary Parade
Lebanese Army constructing wall around parts of Palestinian refugee camp
Lebanon’s President celebrates Flag Day
Franjieh’s Portfolio ‘The Last Knot’ Facing the Lineup of Lebanon’s New Cabinet
Aoun receives congratulatory letters for Independence
Day
Abou Faour: Jumblatt, PSP facilitates government formation
Fayyad: No hurdles at government formation
Khreiss representing Berri:
To accelerate cabinet formation
Bassil's Press Office: The Minister did not make any
statement to the media today
Salam's Press Office denies closure of schools tomorrow
Boulevard Camille Chamoun reopened Bou Saab: He inspired us through his work
Titles For Latest LCCC
Bulletin For Miscellaneous Reports And News published on on
November 20-21/16
U.N. Envoy in Damascus as Regime Pounds Rebel-Held Aleppo
Rebel Fire on Syria's Aleppo Kills 7 Children
Syrian govt rejects UN proposal on eastern Aleppo
Emotional moment six-year-old Syrian rescued from Aleppo rubble
Afghanistan accuses Iran of supporting Taliban
Iraqi troops fortify positions in freed Mosul areas
Iran: Appalling Rate of Poverty and Fatality Among Construction Workers
Secretary General of Syrian National Coalition: Iran and Assad's Regimes
Destroyed the Negotiations
Iran: The Shocking Death of 477 Workers Within 4 Months
Iran plans on shipping heavy water abroad amid nuclear unease
Iran appoints new chief for army’s ground forces
Anglo-Iranians Call for UN Investigation of 1988 Massacre of Political
Prisoners in Iran at London Rally
Links From Christian Today
Site for on November 20-21/16
Civilian
Casualties In Mosul Are Rising Too Fast To Cope With, Says UN
Bleak
Moment' For Aleppo As Regime Pounds Rebel Areas
Suicide
Bombers Target Worshipers At Church In Nigeria
Give
Trump Time And Don't Assume The Worst, Urges Obama
Philippines
President Duterte Lashes Out At Western 'Hypocrisy'
In Talks With Putin
Latest Lebanese Related News
published on November 20-21/16
Aoun Receives Independence Greetings from U.S., U.N.,
Regional Leaders
Naharnet/November 20/16/President Michel Aoun has received cables greeting him on the occasion of
Lebanon's Independence Day from several world leaders, topped by U.S. President
Barack Obama, state-run National News Agency reported on Sunday. In his cable,
Obama pledged that the
Aoun Insists on Naming Shiite Minister as Berri Threatens to Nominate Abou Jamra
Naharnet/November 20/16/The latest obstacle that is
hindering the cabinet formation process is President Michel Aoun's
insistence on naming a Shiite minister and Speaker Nabih
Berri's condition that he be also given the right to
nominate a Christian minister, a media report said on Sunday. “After the name
of Karim Qobeissi surfaced
as a pro-Aoun Shiite candidate, Speaker Nabih Berri insisted that he
should nominate a Christian candidate,” the pan-Arab daily al-Hayat quoted informed sources as saying. Sources close to Berri have reportedly warned that the speaker might
nominate the Greek Orthodox Aoun ally-turned-foe Issam Abou Jamra,
who has become a fierce opponent of Aoun in recent years.“Berri believes that the Shiite duo (AMAL Movement
and Hizbullah) must have a say in the Shiite
candidate that Aoun chooses,” the sources added. The Berri-Aoun tensions have renewed in recent days after the
president blamed the weakness that has hit state institutions on the repeated
extensions of the parliament's term. Berri hit back
swiftly, saying the lengthy presidential void is the main culprit.
Hariri Feels Hurdles from Aoun-Berri Tensions Also Targeted against Him
Prime Minister-designate Saad Hariri has started to
feel that the cabinet formation obstacles arising from the tensions between
President Michel Aoun and Speaker Nabih
Berri are also targeted against him as a new premier,
a media report said on Sunday.Hariri's aides “believe
that the parties must also take their relations with Hariri into
consideration,” al-Joumhouria newspaper quoted Mustaqbal Movement sources as saying. “The speaker is
trying to settle scores with the president,” the sources noted. They hoped the
obstructing parties will pacify the situation so that the new government can be
formed on Sunday or Monday. Should
Hizbullah MP Lauds 'End of Christian Frustration', Warns of
'Lebanese Frustration'
Naharnet/November 20/16/A Hizbullah
lawmaker on Sunday said his party was “pleased by the end of Christian
frustration,” in reference to the rising alliance between the Free Patriotic
Movement and the Lebanese Forces, as he warned of a possible “Lebanese,
cross-confessional frustration.” “We were pleased by the end of Christian
frustration but we don't want to witness a Lebanese, comprehensive and
cross-confessional frustration as a result of any setback in the cabinet
formation process,” MP Ali Fayyad of the Loyalty to Resistance bloc cautioned.
“There are no crucial obstacles hindering the cabinet formation process, but we
maybe need to turn the page on the era that accompanied the presidential vacuum
and to start a new chapter under a broad national government on the basis of
expanding partnership and endorsing a flexible approach,” Fayyad added.He stressed that “it is in the interest of everyone
to show cooperation” so that the new government “can begin addressing the
living conditions and the pressing issues, topped by the electoral law.”President Michel Aoun and
Prime Minister-designate Saad Hariri were reportedly
pushing for the formation of a new government before Independence Day but the
formation process suffered several setbacks in recent days. Horsetrading
is currently revolving around some services-related ministerial portfolios and
about some parties' insistence on naming ministers from other sects.
Lebanon
FPM Says Failure to Form Govt. before
Independence Day 'Not a Setback' for President
Naharnet/November 20/16/MP Alain Aoun
of the Free Patriotic Movement announced Sunday that failure to form a new
government before Independence Day, which Lebanon will mark Tuesday, will not
be a “setback” for the new presidential tenure, while urging “flexibility” from
all parties. “There are essential hurdles that have not been resolved until the
moment in the cabinet formation process, amid fierce wrangling among the
parties over some portfolios and shares,” Aoun said
in an interview with Voice of Lebanon radio (93.3). And as he noted that
“negotiations are ongoing and the deliberations are still within a reasonable
timeframe,” the MP urged the parties to “show flexibility” rather than
intransigence. Aoun also reiterated the FPM's stance that “some ministerial portfolios should not
be permanently allocated to certain sects, especially amid the marginalization
that Christians have suffered.”He also stressed that
failure to form a new government before Independence Day will not be a
“setback” for the new presidential tenure, reminding that President Michel Aoun “has repeatedly said that new tenure's government is
the one that will be formed after the next parliamentary elections.”Horsetrading
is currently revolving around some services-related ministerial portfolios and
about some parties' insistence on naming ministers from other sects.
Merkel Announces Bid for Fourth Term
Agence France Presse/Naharnet/November
20/16/German Chancellor Angela Merkel told her party Sunday she will seek
re-election next year, a move likely to be welcomed in many capitals as a sign
of stability following poll triumphs for Brexit and
Donald Trump. After months of feverish speculation, Merkel said at a meeting of
her conservative Christian Democrats (CDU) that she would run for a fourth
term, party sources told AFP. Merkel, 62, has governed
'Predictability and stability'
A pastor's daughter who grew up in communist
Obama endorsement
Merkel had long refused to be drawn on her plans for the general election,
expected in September or October 2017, saying only that she would make the
announcement "at the appropriate time". She repeated the line on
Thursday at a bittersweet farewell news conference in
Wahhab Launches 'Self Defense'
Brigades in Jahliyeh Paramilitary Parade
Naharnet/November 20/16/Arab Tawhid
Party chief ex-minister Wiam Wahhab
officially announced Sunday the creation of the so-called “Tawhid
Brigades” during a paramilitary parade that was held in his Chouf
district hometown, Jahliyeh. Hundreds of masked,
black-clad Wahhab supporters took part in the parade,
which did not involve any display of weapons. “Tawhid
Brigades are civilian brigades that refuse to use weapons arms for self defense or to support the army and the security forces,” Wahhab, who is close to
Lebanese Army constructing wall around
parts of Palestinian refugee camp
Jerusalem Post/November 20/16/ The Lebanese military has started building
a tall cement wall and watchtowers around parts of the Ain al-Hilweh refugee camp, near the southern city of Sidon,
inspiring popular protest on social media. The wall and watchtowers come
as a part of an agreement between the military and the Palestinian factions in
the camp and will take 15 months to complete. The Lebanese Armed Forces are not
allowed to enter the camp. Munir al-Maqdah, the head of the Joint Palestinian Security Forces,
told Sky News Arabia that “the wall is being built outside the camp and far
away from residential areas.” The military informed Palestinian leaders in
Ain al-Hilweh, the largest Palestinian camp in
the country with nearly 120,000 residents, has suffered from poor security. In
June 2015, top Fatah leader Talal Balawna
was assassinated there. Two months later, armed clashes between Fatah and an
Islamist terrorist group, Jund al-Sham, broke out in
the camp, lasting for more than a week. In September 2016, the Lebanese
military arrested the founder of Jund al-Islam, Imad Yasmin, whom it charges is
also an
The Asimat al-Shitat Facebook page, which has
more than 75,000 followers and reports on news in Ain al-Hilweh,
posted photos of construction of the wall on Saturday, condemning it.
“These pictures are not in occupied
The Daily Star/November 20, 2016ظ
Franjieh’s Portfolio ‘The Last Knot’ Facing the Lineup of Lebanon’s New Cabinet
Paula Astih/Asharq Al Awsat/November
20/16/ Beirut- A last effort is exerted in Lebanon to announce a
government lineup on Monday, one day before
Independence Day that coincides next Tuesday, as requested by President Michel Aoun and Prime Minister-designate Saad
Hariri.
However, the birth of a new government looks difficult as each party was still
attached to its demands and positions, particularly the ministerial portfolio
that should supposedly be offered to the Marada
Movement headed by former minister MP Suleiman Franjieh.
Both Christian parties, the Free Patriotic Movement led by Foreign
Minister Gebran Bassil and
the Lebanese Forces headed by Samir Geagea, refuse that Franjieh
receives a main portfolio, such as the Health, Energy or the Telecommunication
ministries. However, the former presidential candidate (Franjieh) is attached to one of the ministries, using a
coverage provided by the two Shi’ite parties, the Amal Movement and the so-called Hezbollah, in addition to
the rest of the March 8 forces. The two Shi’ite
parties were attached to Franjieh and a formula based
on the fact that Bnashai (the residence of Franjieh) is a mandatory passage to any new cabinet,
similar to what was the case of Rabieh (the residence
of Aoun), which was the mandatory passage to the
presidential crisis, according to March 8 sources on Saturday. The
sources told Asharq Al-Awsat
that the LF prefers that both the Marada Movement and
the Phalange “Kataeb” Party do not participate in the
new government, the reason why the Lebanese Forces was offering both parties
secondary portfolios, such as the Culture and the Tourism ministries. “However,
the LF does not realize there would not be any cabinet without Franjieh represented by a satisfactory portfolio,” the
sources added. A Marada leading figure, who
wished to remain anonymous, told Asharq Al-Awsat that the “period of offering concessions had
gone.” All developments signal that whenever the “Marada
knot” is solved, a new cabinet will be directly announced, due to the fact that
the Phalange Party had not requested a key portfolio in the new lineup.
Latest
LCCC Bulletin For Miscellaneous Reports And News published on November 20-21/16
U.N. Envoy in Damascus as
Regime Pounds Rebel-Held Aleppo
Agence France Presse/Naharnet/November
20/16/Syria's regime on Sunday pursued a relentless assault of rebel-held east
Aleppo that has killed more than 100 civilians in recent days, as the U.N.'s
peace envoy arrived in Damascus for talks.
Air strikes, artillery fire and barrel bomb attacks continued through the night
and into Sunday morning as the army pressed a new offensive that has been
condemned by Washington and the United Nations. An AFP journalist in eastern
On Saturday,
U.N. 'appalled' by violence
U.S. National Security Adviser Susan Rice said
Family of six killed
Once Syria's economic powerhouse,
Rebel Fire on Syria's Aleppo Kills 7 Children
Agence France Presse/Naharnet/November
20/16/At least seven children were killed on Sunday by rebel rocket fire that
hit a primary school in the government-held west of Aleppo city, state media
said. State television initially gave a toll of 10 killed, but the official
Syrian govt rejects UN proposal on eastern
Associated Press,
Emotional moment six-year-old Syrian
rescued from Aleppo rubble
Staff writer, Al Arabiya English Sunday, 20
November 2016/Another video coming out of east Aleppo shows a young boy being
pulled out of the rubble of his home by Syria’s White Helmets. The operations to
save members of the family reportedly took four hours. One White Helmet worker
can be heard calling the boy “Hamouda” while rescuing
him. The video has gone viral on the same day as the United Nation’s
Staff writer, Al Arabiya English Sunday, 20
November 2016/Afghanistan security forces have formally complained of
Iraqi troops fortify positions in
freed
Staff writer, Al Arabiya English Sunday, 20
November 2016/Iraqi troops on Sunday fortified their positions in
Counterterrorism units
Counterterrorism units entered into the left coast of
Iran: Appalling Rate of Poverty and
Fatality Among Construction Workers
Sunday, 20 November 2016/NCRI -
Secretary General of Syrian National
Coalition:
Sunday, 20 November 2016/NCRI - In a press conference in
Iran: The Shocking Death of 477 Workers
Within 4 Months
Sunday, 20 November 2016/NCRI - According to the Iranian state run News Agency,
ILNA on November 19, In Khorasan Razavi
province (Northeastern Iran) 477 workers have lost
their lives due to workplace accidents within four months.
This is while paradoxically although the construction and employment in the
province has decreased this year, the human loss of workplace accidents has
increased. Labor activists believe that the lack of
proper education for workers and shortage of safety equipment are the main
causes of the high death toll from work accidents. The Ministry of labor’s vice president stated that each year more than
1,400 people lose their lives due to work accidents, and 6 times more than
that, 8400 people lose their lives due to Job Disease. According to official
Forensic statistics between 2010 and 2014, five to seven workers were killed at
work on daily basis. In 2014 only, 18916 incidents occurred in which one worker
or more have been killed.
Iran: The Shocking Death of 477 Workers
Within 4 Months
Sunday, 20 November 2016/NCRI - According to the Iranian state run News Agency,
ILNA on November 19, In Khorasan Razavi
province (Northeastern Iran) 477 workers have lost
their lives due to workplace accidents within four months. This is while
paradoxically although the construction and employment in the province has
decreased this year, the human loss of workplace accidents has increased. Labor activists believe that the lack of proper education
for workers and shortage of safety equipment are the main causes of the high
death toll from work accidents. The Ministry of labor’s
vice president stated that each year more than 1,400 people lose their lives
due to work accidents, and 6 times more than that, 8400 people lose their lives
due to Job Disease. According to official Forensic statistics between 2010 and
2014, five to seven workers were killed at work on daily basis. In 2014 only,
18916 incidents occurred in which one worker or more have been killed.
Staff writer, Al Arabiya English Sunday, 20 November
2016/Iran will ship about 11 metric tons (12.12 tons) of heavy water out of the
country in the next couple of days, the Wall Street Journal reported on
Saturday, citing sources familiar with the plans. News of
Associated Press,
Anglo-Iranians Call for UN
Investigation of 1988 Massacre of Political Prisoners in Iran at London Rally
Saturday, 19 November 2016/London - Anglo-Iranian communities, supporters of
National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI) and human rights activists
protested against the increasing number of executions and public hangings in
Iran at a major rally in Trafalgar Square on Saturday, November 19. Anglo-Iranian
Associations from all over the UK also highlighted past and ongoing atrocities
committed by the Iranian regime with street performance and theatre, including
the massacre of political prisoners in Iran during the summer of 1988, when
some 30,000 political prisoners, activists of the People’s Mojahedin
Organization of Iran (MEK), were executed and buried secretly in mass graves
following a fatwa decreed by the Islamic Republic's founder Ayatollah Khomeini.
The officials responsible for the massacre currently hold some of the highest
positions in the regime. The Iranian exiles pointed out that these executions
and mass arrests show that the Iranian regime has no popular support inside the
country and has chosen to wage war against the Iranian people and their
democratic aspirations to stay in power.Protesters
called on the British government to make any improvement of relations with
Tehran contingent upon human rights improvement and to take concrete steps at
the international level to hold the regime accountable for its appalling human
rights record.
They urged the British government to condemn the 1988 massacre of political
prisoners as a crime against humanity and push for an independent UN inquiry
into the massacre.
Their demands were raised in a letter, which was delivered to Prime Minister's
Office,
MPs, prominent human rights activists and lawyers addressed the rally and
supported the demands of protesters for prosecutions of the perpetrators of the
1988 massacre in an international tribunal and to halt public executions in
“This support is visible in two initiatives, a statement on Iran and an Early
Day Motion, supported together by some 200 MPs and Peers concurring with your
demands today, which I presented at a conference in the UK Parliament earlier
this week ...”, he added. The NCRI president-elect, Mrs Maryam
Rajavi, in her message to the rally, which were read
Mr Andrew Mackinley, former member of the Foreign
Affairs Committee in the UK Parliament, said, “Your gathering is taking place
at a time when a wave of protests by our countrymen has escalated in Tehran and
other cities across the country … To contain the protests, [the ruling mullahs]
have stepped up the executions.”“But where do Western
governments and, specifically, the
Latest LCCC Bulletin analysis
& editorials from miscellaneous sources published on November 20-21/16
Question: "What does the Bible say about anger?"ماذا يقول
الكتاب
المقدس عن الغضب
http://eliasbejjaninews.com/2016/11/20/what-does-the-bible-say-about-anger%D9%85%D8%A7%D8%B0%D8%A7-%D9%8A%D9%82%D9%88%D9%84-%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%83%D8%AA%D8%A7%D8%A8-%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%85%D9%82%D8%AF%D8%B3-%D8%B9%D9%86-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%BA%D8%B6/
GotQuestions.org
Answer: Handling anger is an important life skill. Christian counselors report that 50 percent of people who come in for
counseling have problems dealing with anger. Anger
can shatter communication and tear apart relationships, and it ruins both the
joy and health of many. Sadly, people tend to justify their anger instead of
accepting responsibility for it. Everyone struggles, to varying degrees, with
anger. Thankfully, God’s Word contains principles regarding how to handle anger
in a godly manner, and how to overcome sinful anger.
Anger is not always sin. There is a type of anger of which the Bible
approves, often called “righteous indignation.” God is angry (Psalm 7:11; Mark
3:5), and believers are commanded to be angry (Ephesians 4:26). Two Greek words
in the New Testament are translated as “anger.” One means “passion, energy” and
the other means “agitated, boiling.” Biblically, anger is God-given energy
intended to help us solve problems. Examples of biblical anger include David’s
being upset over hearing Nathan the prophet sharing an injustice (2 Samuel 12)
and Jesus’ anger over how some of the Jews had defiled worship at God’s temple
in Jerusalem (John 2:13-18). Notice that neither of these examples of anger
involved self-defense, but a defense
of others or of a principle.
That being said, it is important to recognize that anger at an injustice
inflicted against oneself is also appropriate. Anger has been said to be a
warning flag—it alerts us to those times when others are attempting to or have
violated our boundaries. God cares for each individual. Sadly, we do not always
stand up for one another, meaning that sometimes we must stand up for
ourselves. This is especially important when considering the anger that victims
often feel. Victims of abuse, violent crime, or the like have been violated in
some way. Often while experiencing the trauma, they do not experience anger.
Later, in working through the trauma, anger will emerge. For a victim to reach
a place of true health and forgiveness, he or she must first accept the trauma
for what it was. In order to fully accept that an act was unjust, one must
sometimes experience anger. Because of the complexities of trauma recovery,
this anger is often not short-lived, particularly for victims of abuse. Victims
should process through their anger and come to a place of acceptance, even
forgiveness. This is often a long journey. As God heals the victim, the
victim's emotions, including anger, will follow. Allowing the process to occur
does not mean the person is living in sin.
Anger can become sinful when it is motivated by pride (James 1:20), when
it is unproductive and thus distorts God’s purposes (1 Corinthians 10:31), or
when anger is allowed to linger (Ephesians 4:26-27). One obvious sign that
anger has turned to sin is when, instead of attacking the problem at hand, we
attack the wrongdoer. Ephesians 4:15-19 says we are to speak the truth in love
and use our words to build others up, not allow rotten or destructive words to
pour from our lips. Unfortunately, this poisonous speech is a common
characteristic of fallen man (Romans 3:13-14). Anger becomes sin when it is
allowed to boil over without restraint, resulting in a scenario in which hurt
is multiplied (Proverbs 29:11), leaving devastation in its wake. Often, the
consequences of out-of-control anger are irreparable. Anger also becomes sin
when the angry one refuses to be pacified, holds a grudge, or keeps it all
inside (Ephesians 4:26-27). This can cause depression and irritability over
little things, which are often unrelated to the underlying problem.
We can handle anger biblically by recognizing and admitting our prideful
anger and/or our wrong handling of anger as sin (Proverbs 28:13; 1 John 1:9).
This confession should be both to God and to those who have been hurt by our
anger. We should not minimize the sin by excusing it or blame-shifting.
We can handle anger biblically by seeing God in the trial. This is
especially important when people have done something to offend us. James 1:2-4,
Romans 8:28-29, and Genesis 50:20 all point to the fact that God is sovereign
over every circumstance and person that crosses our path. Nothing happens to us
that He does not cause or allow. Though God does allow bad things to happen, He
is always faithful to redeem them for the good of His people. God is a good God
(Psalm 145:8, 9, 17). Reflecting on this truth until it moves from our heads to
our hearts will alter how we react to those who hurt us.
We can handle anger biblically by making room for God’s wrath. This is
especially important in cases of injustice, when “evil” men abuse “innocent”
people. Genesis 50:19 and Romans 12:19 both tell us to not play God. God is
righteous and just, and we can trust Him who knows all and sees all to act
justly (Genesis 18:25).
We can handle anger biblically by returning good for evil (Genesis 50:21;
Romans 12:21). This is key to converting our anger
into love. As our actions flow from our hearts, so also our
hearts can be altered by our actions (Matthew 5:43-48). That is, we can
change our feelings toward another by changing how we choose to act toward that
person.
We can handle anger biblically by communicating to solve the problem.
There are four basic rules of communication shared in Ephesians 4:15, 25-32:
1) Be honest and speak (Ephesians 4:15, 25).
People cannot read our minds. We must speak the truth in love.
2) Stay current (Ephesians 4:26-27). We must not allow what is bothering
us to build up until we lose control. It is important to deal with what is
bothering us before it reaches critical mass.
3) Attack the problem, not the person (Ephesians 4:29, 31). Along this
line, we must remember the importance of keeping the volume of our voices low
(Proverbs 15:1).
4) Act, don’t react (Ephesians 4:31-32). Because of our fallen nature,
our first impulse is often a sinful one (v. 31). The time spent in “counting to
ten” should be used to reflect upon the godly way to respond (v. 32) and to
remind ourselves how the energy anger provides should be used to solve problems
and not create bigger ones.
At times we can handle anger preemptively by
putting up stricter boundaries. We are told to be discerning (1 Corinthians
2:15-16; Matthew 10:16). We need not "cast our pearls before swine"
(Matthew 7:6). Sometimes our anger leads us to recognize that certain people
are unsafe for us. We can still forgive them, but we may choose not to re-enter
the relationship.
Finally, we must act to solve our part of the problem (Romans 12:18). We
cannot control how others act or respond, but we can make the changes that need
to be made on our part. Overcoming a temper is not accomplished overnight. But
through prayer, Bible study, and reliance upon God’s Holy Spirit, ungodly anger
can be overcome. We may have allowed anger to become entrenched in our lives by
habitual practice, but we can also practice responding correctly until that,
too, becomes a habit and God is glorified in our response.
GotQuestions.org
Israel: Senior legal official doubtful
if AG will defend 'Muezzin Bill'
Tova Tzimuki &
Moran Azulay/Ynetnews|/November 20/16/ If the
controversial bill that aims to ban mosques from using loudspeakers to summon
the faithful to prayer passes in its expected form, which would grant an
exemption for synagogues' Shabbat sirens, the official says that such a
discriminatory law could not be defended before the High Court. A senior
legal official has concluded that it is doubtful that Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit will defend
the government and the Knesset before the High Court of Justice (HCJ) if the
version of the "Muezzin Bill" passes exempting the loudspeaker
systems of synagogues. The official said a law that would permit
discrimination and damage the freedom of religion and worship would be unconstitutional.
Due to last week's controversy around the "Regulation Bill,"
the Ministry of Justice's opposition to MK Motti Yegev's (Bayit Yehudi) bill passed largely under the radar. The bill
began as one intended to deal with noise emanating from mosques, but was
invalidated a few months ago by the justice system which deemed it a violation
of equality and freedom of worship. In response, Yogev
modified the bill so that it would forbid all houses of worship from using
loudspeakers. The bill passed the Ministerial Committee for Legislative
Affairs with all members supporting it, with the exception of Minister of
Justice Ayelet Shaked, who
abstained. Minister of Health Yakov Litzman filed an appeal, concerned with how the bill might
affect synagogues, which regularly sound a siren on Friday before sunset to
announce the beginning of Shabbat. This led to the decision to add a new
section to the bill that makes an exception for such sirens, which was supposed
to clarify that the prohibition on loudspeakers would apply only to nighttime use. Also, the possibility of exemption would
only apply to ultra-Orthodox cities and town. This section has yet to be
inserted into the draft, as they are still undergoing legal examination so that
the law will not be struck down by the HCJ if asked to do so. After the section
is inserted and Litzman lifts his appeal, the bill
will be presented to the Knesset, not requiring a government debate. The bill
is expected to reach the plenum on Wednesday for a preliminary reading of its
new version.
Even after the bill is changed, the deputy attorney general, Avi Licht suggested that members
of the Ministerial Committee for Legislative Affairs not vote on the law,
submitting that there would be no need. He clarified that there already exists
a law on the books regarding noise violations, and it would be sufficient
merely to enforce that law. However, Minister of Jerusalem Affairs Ze'ev Elkin insisted that a vote take place on the law. He
even personally approached Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who gave a green
light to the vote in a cabinet meeting, even though one did not eventually take
place there.
Obama's eight years of failure with Iran’
Amir Basiri/Washington examiner/November 20/16
http://eliasbejjaninews.com/2016/11/20/amir-basiriwashington-examiner-obamas-eight-years-of-failure-with-iran/
Eight years ago, when President Obama took office, he chose to base his Middle
East policy on reaching out to the Iranian regime and launching a new round of
dialogue and rapprochement.
It was perceived that a policy founded on appeasement and concessions could
transform a regime renowned for seeking nuclear weapons, a sponsor of
terrorism, an exporter of fundamentalism and an outspoken enemy of the
The past eight years have proven this policy to be an utter failure. With Obama
now heading out of office, his only achievement has been the Joint
Comprehensive Plan of Action, a tentative deal that curbs
The rest leaves much to desire.
Narrowly focused on avoiding driving the mullahs away from the negotiation
table and the nuclear deal, Obama opted to give
Therefore, as popular uprisings erupted in
While disenchanting the masses who expected the international community to
stand along their side against injustice, the move also encouraged the Iranian
regime to continue repressing its own people with impunity.
As a result, during Obama's tenure, the human rights situation in
Obama also decided to give leeway to the Iranian regime in pursuing its
regional agenda, lest it walk away from the nuclear deal. This has cost the
The gap left by the hasty and premature withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq
allowed the Iranian regime to virtually take over the country's political and
military institutions, undoing all measures carried out to unite the country,
driving a wedge into Iraq's sectarian divide and paving the way for the
re-emergence of the Islamic State.
Elsewhere in
Despite the presumption held by the Obama administration that
All in all, eight years of appeasement and concessions have left the
Now, with a new president slated to take office in January, it's time for a
total revamp of the policy toward
If there's one thing to be learned from the past eight years, it is that
appeasing the fundamentalist regime ruling
The Iranian regime must be recognized for the totality of its nefarious deeds,
and concrete steps must be taken to hold it to account for its human rights
violations and its terrorist agenda in neighboring
countries instead of giving it ground to do as it will under the banner of
fighting
Meanwhile, the Iranian people must be supported in their plight to establish
freedom and democracy in their country and be given their due credit as the
true force capable of rooting out extremism in
Obama picked the wrong fights and the wrong sides to the detriment of the
Iranian people, the Middle East nations and the
Allah, Kill the Despicable
Christians/ Muslim Persecution of Christians, August 2016
Raymond Ibrahim/Gatestone Institute/November
20/16
http://eliasbejjaninews.com/2016/11/20/raymond-ibrahimgatestone-institute-allah-kill-the-despicable-christiansmuslim-persecution-of-christians-august-2016/
https://www.gatestoneinstitute.org/9350/kill-despicable-christians
"Allah, kill the despicable Christians. Allah,
kill each and every last one of them...." — 16-year-old Muslim son of an
Islamic cleric living in
"
A Christian girl faces death threats if she does not return to her Muslim
abductor who forcibly converted her to Islam. The family of a Christian girl
who was kidnapped, raped, forced to convert to Islam, and then forcibly married
to a Muslim are now under threat if they refuse to hand back their daughter to
her captors.
Islamic hate for Christians was on display throughout the month of
August. Shortly after an 80-year-old Catholic priest in
"It's obvious that his father, the imam, is promoting such ideas not
just to fighters to join the battle in
A deportation order was last reported as pending a court appeal.
Similarly, in the August edition of Dabiq,
As if the Christians of Nigeria were not persecuted enough by Muslim
groups, Boko Haram's new
leader, known for killing nonconformist Muslims as well, announced that
Christians are now its number one and primary target, and that Boko Haram will continue to
"bomb churches and kill Christians while ending attacks on mosques and
markets used by ordinary Muslims." Abu Musab al-Barnawi, the new leader, also spoke of "booby-trapping
and blowing up every church that we are able to reach, and killing all of those
who we find from the citizens of the Cross."
Abu Musab al-Barnawi
(shown seated), the new leader of Nigeria's Islamist group Boko
Haram, announced that Christians are now the
terrorist group's number one target, and that they will continue to "bomb
churches and kill Christians... booby-trapping and blowing up every church that
we are able to reach, and killing all of those who we find from the citizens of
the Cross."
In
Another Egyptian, Majed el-Shafie,
also imprisoned and tortured for apostatizing years ago in
"They shaved my head, they put my head in freezing cold water and
then into boiling hot water. They burned their cigarettes on me, they
electrocuted me. They cut me and put salt in my wounds. I still wake with
nightmares about it, even now 20 years on."
The remainder of August's roundup of Muslim
persecution of Christians — not all of which was committed by ISIS — includes,
but is not limited to, the following:
Muslim Slaughter of Christians
Nigeria: Muslim Fulani herdsmen, believed to be connected to the Islamic
terrorist group, Boko Haram,
increased their raids on Christian-majority villages:
Between August 1-3, they killed 13 Christians, burned Christian homes and
churches, and displaced countless survivors during raids conducted in separate
Christian-majority villages.
On August 13, Muslim shepherds killed another seven Christians during
another raid. Some of the victims were shot; others were slaughtered with
machetes.
On August 16, Muslim herdsmen attacked still another Christian-majority
village and slaughtered ten people.
On August 25, a group of at least 50 Muslim herdsmen conducted a night
raid into another Christian-majority village. Among their victims was a
Christian woman six months pregnant, whose stomach had been ripped open.
According to one report,
Local Christian leaders were pleading with the Nigerian government to
provide appropriate security measures in light of the crisis, which the state
has so far left unaddressed. Since 2001, Fulani attacks on Christian-majority
farming settlements across
This indifference reportedly reaches to the president of
Democratic
Muslim Attacks on
France: During a mass held for Father Jacques Hamel — the 80-year-old
priest slaughtered days earlier — at the St. George Church in Vivonne (Vienne), a small town of 4,000 inhabitants, the
priest informed the congregation that the church had been vandalized: "the
light of the tabernacle of the Real Presence had disappeared or had been
stolen, and placed on the altar was a photo of the Nice terrorist, the Islamist
Mohamed Lahouaiej Bouhlel."
The doors of the Sumela Monastery reopened in
June 2010, after 88 years. The Turkish government had given permission
to the Ecumenical Patriarchate to have a patriarchal liturgy for the Feast of
the Assumption every year. That permission has been suddenly revoked, perhaps
permanently."
"Local Christians managed to cut the flow of sewerage after hours of
skirmish efforts.... Agitated Christians claimed that the flow of the sewerage
was maneuvered towards the church in order to prevent
it from flooding neighboring Gujrat
Gymkhana. The waste water swamped the flooring and carpets of the church."
Muslim Attacks on Christian Apostates, Blasphemers, and Preachers
Algeria: A Muslim convert to Christianity was sentenced to five years in
prison for saying on social media that the light of Jesus will outshine Islam
and its prophet Muhammad, which the court ruled was "blasphemous."
According to his son, who accompanied the apostate during his hearing:
"The court sentenced my father to the maximum sentence!
.... [M]y father was expressing his ideas and spread his political views on
social networks as it has always done elsewhere. It is an attack on freedom of
expression because, in my opinion, everything is subject to criticism, even
religions."
"They went to
Separately, a Muslim man sought to divorce his wife of 24 years, after he
discovered that she secretly converted to Christianity. The man stated that he
cannot tolerate any other religion in his home except for Islam. The
50-year-old woman "broke down in tears while on her knees begging her
estranged husband, Jamiu Adewunmi,
not to divorce her." Addressing the court, she said: "Please court;
help me beg him, where will I get a man at my age to marry me if my husband
divorces me?"
Muslim Discrimination against and Abuse of Christians
Saudi Arabia: According to an Arabic-language news report published on
August 27, officials from the desert kingdom arrested 27 Christians — among
them several women and children — for the crime of "conducting Christian
prayers" and being "in possession of Bibles." The group of
Christians, most if not all of whom were Lebanese nationals, were celebrating a
Virgin Mary feast day when authorities stormed their residence and arrested
them. The dreaded "religious police" proceeded to strip them of their
visas and deport them back to
"As a result of lack of medical report, there is no substantial
proof of the assault. The influential landlord and his rapist son hurled
threats at the Christian family stating that entire family of the victim will
face dire consequences if action is taken against the culprit."
Separately, a historic Christian cemetery is falling into decay due to willful neglect from local authorities. According
to the report:
"Local Christians claim the graveyard is undergoing wear while the
local authorities are overlooking the situation. They expressed serious
concerns over the desecration of graves of their loved ones. They said that the
Christian population had been residing in the area, even before the creation of
Separately, the Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights reported that
there have been 77 cases of extreme Muslim-on-Christian violence between the
years 2011 and 2016 — excluding the huge spate of attacks on Christians and
dozens of churches that directly followed the ousting of former president Morsi. Coptic Pope Tawadros also
confirmed that Christians are victims of a serious attack by Muslims on average
once a month. At least ten incidents this year have resulted in discord, death
and destruction.
About this Series
While not all, or even most, Muslims are involved, persecution of
Christians by Muslims is growing.
The report posits that such Muslim persecution is not random but rather
systematic, and takes place in all languages, ethnicities, and locations.
*Raymond Ibrahim is the author of Crucified Again: Exposing Islam's New
War on Christians (published by Regnery with Gatestone Institute, April 2013).
Trump’s foreign policy a cause for
international apprehension
Raghida Dergham/Al Arabiya/November 20/16
The future of the relationship between the incoming Trump administration with
Russia and Iran has become a major issue for the mandarins of the Republican
Party, which had nominated the tycoon for the presidency, and for the leaders
of the US’ European allies. The main concern is the apparent bond emerging
between Russian President Vladimir Putin and US President-elect Donald Trump
and the implications for
Some are even calling for preparatory steps, through key appointments in the
Trump administration, ahead of the date of expiry of the deal in nine years to preempt any bid by
This is precisely why some are worried about the baggage this unconventional
personality could be bringing to the
Softening his approach
In truth, President Barack Obama had already delivered
some of the promises Trump subsequently made in his campaign, during his two
terms, especially with regard to deporting undocumented immigrants with
criminal records. Obama earned himself the reputation of being “deporter-in-chief” for having forced more than 2.5 million
people out of the country between 2009 and 2015. Trump has begun climbing down
from his position, saying the first batch of deportations would affect two
million immigrants who broke the law and not all 11 million of them.
Similarly with the issue of Trump’s proposed wall between the
Trump met with Obama at the White House for nearly an hour, although the
scheduled time was only 15 minutes. Afterwards, Obama said Trump was not
ideological but was pragmatic, and must be given a chance to lead the country.
Donald Trump also after the meeting praised the man with whom he had exchanged
the bitterest of insults. When he was asked about what they spoke about, he
first mentioned the
Even his rhetoric on
Giuliani, a former mayor of
What is completely unlikely is for Trump to pick a Democrat for the post.
However, this does not mean he may not pick a figure who
would pursue Barack Obama’s line of appeasement with
On the Middle East
With regards to
Still, this will not mean the Trump administration will be biased against
Indeed,
What of
In anticipation of a potential Trump-Putin détente, the EU is drafting plans to
confront
It is still too early to predict what Trump’s presidency will
do in foreign policy. The man is still adjusting to the post and the
post could condition the man. What is constant is that there is a long-term
**This article was first published in al-Hayat on Nov.
18, 2016 and translated by Karim Traboulsi.
Maria Dubovikova/Al Arabiya/November
20/16
First of all, the question arises whether the media outlets proclaiming
Such articles and commentary are becoming so numerous that there is a risk that
the Russians will start believing that they are mighty and influential. Never
in its history was
The victory of Donald Trump in the
The Western propaganda machine has gone completely
haywire. However, the fact that public opinion in many countries has stopped
reacting to the impulses of major media outlets is a strong signal change in
the media environment. This trend shows the absence of a monopoly by major
outlets on public opinion, a monopoly that was completely ruined by social
media and free access to information of any kind and from any source.
It could be that this wide access to information has raised the bar for
critical thinking and minimized the possibility of manipulation. Also this
trend shows the decline of trust in the state media as it is losing credibility
in the eyes of its viewers. This is very noticeable in the case of the
The vicious will to make people think a certain way and then to represent those
thoughts as the will of the people is a principle and mechanism that does not
work anymore.
Growing power of nationalism
Another trend that is visible is the growing power of
nationalism. Nationalism, that in most cases is accompanied by xenophobia,
racism and other types of disapproval of all that is alien, now attracts major
stratums of societies and is becoming more popular. One of the major reasons
behind the surge in popularity is the once ill-managed flow of immigrants and
severe problems integrating newcomers into society. Facing a lack of
assimilation, some immigrant groups fall into trouble and cause disturbances
which only leads to further alienation.
Thus nationalism starts rising in reaction to the perceived over-tolerance
which allowed for such groups to become a threat to society.
The victory of Donald Trump in the