Report: Ultra-Orthodox [Jews] Spitting at Christian Clergy in Jerusalem

The Deacon's Bench ^ | 11/4/11 | Deacon Greg Kandra

[marshmallow]

Details, from a Jewish paper in Israel:

Ultra-Orthodox young men curse and spit at Christian clergymen in the streets of Jerusalem’s Old City as a matter of routine. In most cases the clergymen ignore the attacks, but sometimes they strike back. Last week the Jerusalem Magistrate’s Court quashed the indictment against an Armenian priesthood student who had punched the man who spat at him.

Johannes Martarsian was walking in the Old City in May 2008 when an young ultra-Orthodox Jew spat at him. Maratersian punched the spitter in the face, making him bleed, and was charged for assault. But Judge Dov Pollock, who unexpectedly annulled the indictment, wrote in his verdict that “putting the defendant on trial for a single blow at a man who spat at his face, after suffering the degradation of being spat on for years while walking around in his church robes is a fundamental contravention of the principles of justice and decency.”

“Needless to say, spitting toward the defendant when he was wearing the robe is a criminal offense,” the judge said.

When Narek Garabedian came to Israel to study in the Armenian Seminary in Jerusalem half a year ago, he did not expect the insults, curses and spitting he would be subjected to daily by ultra-Orthodox Jews in the streets of the Old City.

“When I see an ultra-Orthodox man coming toward me in the street, I always ask myself if he will spit at me,” says Narek, a Canadian Armenian, this week. About a month ago, on his way to buy groceries in the Old City, two ultra-Orthodox men spat at him. The spittle did not fall at his feet but on his person. Narek, a former football player, decided this time not to turn the other.....

[Mandingo Conservative]

I do not believe in the goals of Storm Front as I know fellow Freepers do not believe in them also.

[Hacksaw]

You're forgetting that from my perspective Catholicism is not a true religion, so the analogy falls flat.

The anology doesn't fall flat at all, and the "perspective" sounds like a Jewish version of Aryanism.

[Hacksaw]

Stop expecting Jews to act as if they were!

Yet you (since you are responding personally) expect Christians (and especially Catholics) to act like Jews. And you aren't even a Jew, just a member of a wierd Jewish veneration cult.

[KantianBurke]

I’m not following your logic with regards to post #26. The post is just screaming antisemitic buffoonery. But it ain’t kosher to criticize because the poster is saying its true? What if said poster claimed that his friend “who never lied” knew that Christian kids were being killed and their blood used to make matzo or that the Protocols were legit?

With all due respect, please pull post #26. Its disgusting and has no place on FR.

[Religion Moderator]

The primary guideline on the Religion Forum for "open" threads is to "discuss the issues all you want, but do not make it personal."

Accusing another Freeper of telling a lie attributes motive to him, the intent to decieve. It is "making it personal." Words such as "false" "wrong" "error" do not attribute motive.

In the case at hand, the inflammatory claim may be debunked, ridiculed, shown to be false, etc. all without "making it personal."

Removing the post would be inappropriate because inflammatory claims happen routinely in "open" RF debate, i.e. similar claims are not removed. "Open" RF debate is in a "town square format." Thick skin is required.

[KantianBurke]

“Removing the post would be inappropriate because inflammatory claims happen routinely in “open” RF debate”

How do you square that policy with the following:

“Please: NO profanity, NO personal attacks, NO racism or violence in posts.”

This is Jim Robinson’s site and he can run it as he sees fit. However, IMHO, leaving up blatant antisemitic posts on FR is a bad idea.

[Religion Moderator]

A very similar claim is made routinely about secret Mormon induction ceremonies. That the secret ceremony claim in this case applies to Orthodox Jews instead of Mormons does not make the claim itself more hateful or outrageous than what they deal with routinely.

Are you saying that the Jewish Freepers need more protection from inflammatory claims than the Mormons or Catholics or Calvinists or whatever?

[KantianBurke]

I'm saying ANY and ALL racist, antisemitic, bigoted posts should be removed. Leaving them up unhindered imbues FR with an unwarranted stink.

[rmlew]

The spitters tend to be anti-zionist Haredim. Halevy has his panties in a twist about Hardal, Religious Zionist Haredim.
And it isn't the fault of the Hardal that Halevy doesn't have enough kids and wants to do abet Iran's nuclear program.

[Rightwing Conspiratr1]

Westboro Jews?

[dervish]

Either you are a liar or the convert is.

That story is total BS. Never happened. Rabbis cannot be in front of naked women who are not their wives. They aren’t interested in Jesus or the NT.

[jjotto]

Jews should remain aware of what Christians REALLY believe of them.