How do I respond to my friend who sent me the following???? PLease help.

[ruthles]

http://www.antiochian.org/water-of-cana

THE WATER OF CANA IS TURNED INTO BLOOD By His Eminence Metropolitan PHILIP Primate, Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America July 31, 2006

Cana (modern spelling is �Qana�) is a little village in South Lebanon which was blessed by the presence of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ, his Holy Mother and his disciples. Cana is the Village where Christ performed his first miracle by changing the water into wine at the marriage feast. (John 2: 1-11). Thus, Cana is deeply rooted in our Christian history.

Unfortunately, in modern times and due to the conflict between Israel and Arab nations, including Lebanon, Cana has been the victim of Israeli aggression twice: once in April 1996, when an Israeli rocket killed 105 Lebanese men, women and children. And second, on Sunday morning, July 30, 2006, when an Israeli rocket killed 60 people, including 37 children. This indiscriminate killing is against the Geneva Convention, the United Nations Charter and all laws of civilized nations.

This savage war is between Israel and Hezbollah. Lebanon has no air force, no navy and no large military force. As a matter of fact, the Lebanese army is not involved in this war at all. This war, then, is between Israel and Hezbollah. Why is Israel bombing Lebanese cities, villages, bridges, roads and killing innocent men, women and children � in the south and north, east and west of Lebanon? According to UN statistics, more than 800 civilians have been killed, many of them children, and more then 800,000 Lebanese have been made refugees in their own country. Israel knows very well where Hezbollah is. Why doesn�t Israel fight Hezbollah on its own turf? Why is Israel bombing civilian cars, motorcycles and pickup trucks carrying food for hungry people and medical supplies for the wounded? Lebanon is a poor country; the devastated infrastructure will cost billions of dollars to rebuild.

We deplore the killing and destruction on both sides. We know that Hezbollah has some weapons which are causing some unfortunate killing and destruction in Israel. But Hezbollah does not have American weapons such as F-16s, F-15s, Apaches and smart bombs, etc��

When I saw the Lebanese Red Cross retrieving the tender dead bodies of little children from underneath the rubble and I looked at their innocent faces and iconic eyes, I wept. I was indeed ashamed to see the extent of the cruelty and barbarism of our world. This morning, when the Lebanese Broadcasting Company showed pictures of the city of B�int-Jbeil which was completely leveled by the Israeli air force, I was reminded of the destruction of Stalingrad and Berlin during the Second World War. We and the whole world, with the exception of the United States, Great Britain, and Israel, are calling for an immediate cease fire. If we allow the law of the jungle to prevail, and if we allow our moral principles to be trodden on by barbarian feet, what will be left of our civilization?

The behavior of Mr. Ehud Olmert in this war reminds me of the behavior of his ancestor of old, Joshua, recorded in the Book of Joshua 6:21. �And they (Joshua�s army) destroyed all that was in the city (Jericho) both man and woman, both young and old, and ox, and sheep and ass with the edge of the sword.� Thanks to Mr. Olmert, nothing is left in B�int-Jbeil except some starving dogs feeding on corpses.

[PajamaTruthMafia]

Tell her to watch this and then ask her what she *THINKS* she knows about what happened there:

Green Helmet the movie director [Germany's NDR busts him in the act VIDEO]

You can see screen scrapes here:

[presently no screen name]

Great recap and advice!

[Fiddlstix]

Tell her not to bother you for help when the muzzies are about to slit her throat. If she is really Christian, she should know you don't make deals with the Devil, and expect to survive.
Cowardice is no excuse!

Well Said!

[katagious]

I would tell your friend that many of us mourned years ago when the true Lebanon fell to the Syrians who believe that greater Syria is has hope of being attained once more with the Palestinian monsters who the Christian lead Lebanon gave shelter to in the hour of their need. Also tell your friend that this new Lebanon gave up the right to plausible deniability in regards to Hezbollohs actions when they allowed them to be part of the Lebanese government. I'm sure it was wonderful enjoying the fruits that Hezbollah had to offer, unfortunately one should beware of those shiny red apples.

[Redcloak]

Giving Philip the benefit of the doubt, look at the date on the letter. It was written the day after the incident but before it became blindingly obvious that the Hezbos staged the whole thing. (Perhaps right down to killing the victims themselves when the IAF failed to play their intended role.) None of us can claim that we haven't reached for the keyboard too quickly on occasion and it looks like that's the case here. I would hope, however, to see Philip retract this statement. It is simply in error given what we all now know. Leaving this statement out in the public record gives aid to murderers and is a grievous sin.

[Alouette]

This indiscriminate killing is against the Geneva Convention, the United Nations Charter and all laws of civilized nations.

Hezbollah violates the Geneva Convention without compunction as it launches rockets into Israeli civilian areas, hides among women and children, and uses "human shields" as well as using the services of a "rent-a-corpse" guy in green helmet.

If the Israelis were even a fraction as barbaric and bloodthirsty as they are described, there would be tens of thousands of dead, not hundreds.

[RobbyS]

Want to know why few Israelis have been killed, despite the rain of rockets? Because Israel built bomb shelters. How many bombshelters has Hezbollah built for the Lebanonese?

[GoLightly]

Do you know how many Israeli's are refugees? Last I heard, it was a million & a half. Over a hundred missiles were launched out of Qana. How many of those does your friend think Israel should absorb & do nothing to try to make them stop? Does she think Israel should lay down its arms, invite Hezbollah into Israel... The agressor (Hezbollah) chose where this war was going to be fought. Why didn't they try to over run Israeli defenses to spare the good people in Lebanon?

UN Resolution 1559 was passed about a year ago. Where were the European troups to help Lebanon enforce it? What has Lebanon done on its own to enforce it... a chunk of Lebanon's government are Hezbollah.

Hezbollah controls reporting coming out of South Lebanon. They have the passports of all jornalists there & one jornalist was threatened. Does she really think she's getting the full story or is she allowing herself to buy into the story being put out by professional propaganda artists?

Would more dead Jews make everything feel more fair to her? Does she feel a need for greater destruction in Israel? Would that make her feel better?

[FormerLib]

I hope you realize that the Antiochian Orthodox Church is not "Greek" Orthodox?

[betsyross1776]

As a person who was raised orthodox myself I would answer this way. How long can we stand for murderers who kill just because other people are of another race religion or color. God did not mean this to be so! Sooner or later murderers have to come to justice and face the world for their crimes. Yes Cana is a mess , but Jesus would say to you himself that bricks are bricks. put no faith in bricks , put your faith in Jesus. The people who spurn the upper room of the last supper with their symbols of Isalm , have no respect for the miracles of our Lord. the Church of the Nativity was ruined and came back so to will Cana. But one thing I do know , the Jesus we all know and love would never want to see Islamo facists destroy his homeland either.Stand strong!

[gaspar]

The name Cana appears in only one book of the Bible, see John 4:46,54. It was thought not to be far from Capernaum, and early geographers placed it 4.5 miles NE of of Nazareth at Kafr Kenna. I think the good Pastor's claim for his village has little merit. In John, Cana is mentioned four times, and each time the name is paired with "of Galilee".

[ruthles]

This is great, but how do I convince her it isn't doctored?

[bert]

She was duped by Hezbollah propaganda. Unfortunately an issue clouded by religion can't be unclouded.

She will probably not listen because of the emotional religous hold on her. She can not make a rational evaluation of the Green Helmet guy staged productions because it takes too much effort to abondon the propaganda and work to learn the truth.

[mad_as_he$$]

The whole thing was a set-up. Plenty of stuff here on Fr to prove it. Hezzies killed their own kids and they started it.

[massadvj]

Why is Israel bombing Lebanese cities, villages, bridges, roads and killing innocent men, women and children � in the south and north, east and west of Lebanon

War is not "fair". War is brutal and often indiscriminate. The way to avoid war is to embrace peace. If civilians vote in free and fair elections to be represented by Hezbollah, and if civilians vote to install a government that does nothing to curtail the Hezbollah military buildup in clear violation of international law, then the civilian population is not "innocent". They are complicit in terrorism.

In Gaza, if the civilian population, in free and fair elections, elects a government made up of Terrorists, then the civilian population cannot be regarded as "innocent".

In democracies, we end up with the governments we deserve.

[PajamaTruthMafia]

Then, ask her what she thinks of these:

The Hajj (Reuters) scandal and issues with Beirut Photos in general.

Excellent Video recap by aish.com
http://www.aish.com/movies/PhotoFraud.asp

There are 2 areas of concern: 1) Staging of photos and; 2) Doctoring of photos. Links are in Chronological order.


ISSUE 1, STAGING OF PHOTOS:

"Milking it" (Critical look at Qana photos)
http://eureferendum.blogspot.com/2006_07_01_eureferendum_archive.html#115429339722244068

"Hezbollywood? Evidence mounts that Qana collapse and deaths were staged"
http://web.israelinsider.com/Articles/Diplomacy/8997.htm

"Who is this Man?" (Green Helmet)
http://eureferendum.blogspot.com/2006_07_01_eureferendum_archive.html#115435464393966674

"Qana - the director's cut"
http://eureferendum.blogspot.com/2006/08/qana-directors-cut.html

"The truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth"
(Green Helmet & Co, show up in Tyre)
http://eureferendum.blogspot.com/2006_08_01_eureferendum_archive.html#115489272301235042

"Reuters calls the doctor, take 2"
(Powerline blog exposes yet another suspect group of photos same damage reported as new 12 days apart).
http://powerlineblog.com/archives/014919.php

"Extreme Makeover - Beirut Edition"
(Drinking from Home exposed more photos. This time, the same woman is shown losing her home first in Southern Beirut on 7/22 and then in the "suburbs of Beirut" on 8/5)
http://drinkingfromhome.blogspot.com/2006/08/extreme-makeover-beirut-edition.html

"Shaking the Dead"
(Confederate Yankee shows staged photos of a "rescue worker" grasping a hand protruding from the rubble for both Reuters and AP)
http://confederateyankee.mu.nu/archives/189683.php

"The Passion of the Toys"
(Slublog has a collection of all the posed stuffed animals among the ruble)
http://www.slublog.com/archives/2006/08/the_passion_of.html

"Lights, Camera, Action!"
http://eureferendum.blogspot.com/2006/08/lights-camera-action.html


Green Helmet the movie director [Germany's NDR busts him in the act]
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1681112/posts


ISSUE 2, DOCTORING OF PHOTOS

Little Green Footballs uncovered an obviously doctored photo by Hajj (Beirut Smoke)
http://littlegreenfootballs.com/weblog/?entry=21956_Reuters_Doctoring_Photos_from_Beirut&only

It was quickly picked up here on FR
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1678470/posts

Reuters admitted the first photo (Beirut smoke) was doctored and suspended Hajj
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1678852/posts

A second doctored photo (F16) was identified by Jawa
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1678950/posts

Reuters admitted the second photo was also doctored, fired Hajj and withdrew all 920 of his photographs
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1679185/posts?q=1&&page=1#1

[GoLightly]

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1681455/posts

[GoLightly]

Plllbththth

[quadrant]

The events of the last few weeks are tragic, and I have great sympathy for the people of Lebanon and Israel.
The Lebanese have allowed Hezbollah to establish a state within a state and are paying the price for it.
Lebanese must end their identification with idea of Arab solidarity.

[Alouette]

how do I convince her it isn't doctored?

The same way you convinced her the Reuters pics are doctored.