IT talks about the various religions still around in the Middle East that aren't Jewish, Christian or Mohammedan
Like the Druze, the Alawites, the Mandaens, the Yazidis, the Zoroastrians, the Samaritans etc.
Posted on 12/10/2023 3:54:56 AM PST by canuck_conservative
The Druze are an Israeli minority community of roughly 150,000 in number, comprising roughly two per cent of the country’s population — and they’re a living counterpoint to the commonly-levelled accusation that Israel is an apartheid state.
Ethnically and linguistically Arabic, the Druze are Abrahamic monotheists who first emerged around the 11th century after branching off from Shia Islam. Worldwide, they now total about one million. The Israeli population is quite concentrated, with 98 per cent living in 19 villages in the northern regions.
Druze tend to be fiercely loyal to their home states. Speaking to the National Post last week, Amir Khnifess, chair of the Israeli-Druze Center in Israel, describes this to be “part of our DNA.” That translates into a strong tradition of military service, which was formalized within the first decade of the country’s existence: mandatory military service, initially a requirement for Israeli Jews only, was extended to include all male Druze in 1956 at the request of their leader. Non-Druze Arabs can still volunteer to join the IDF, but service isn’t mandatory.
Now, Druze men serve the IDF at a greater rate than Jewish youth...
In Israel, they’re citizens who can access a good life — the same can’t be said for other locales.
“All of us know that Israel is the best place to be in, in all the Western, all the Mediterranean region,” Abbas said. “You look, you can go to Syria and you’ll be in a civil war. You can go to Jordan and live in (poverty). You can go to Egypt and you can’t live.” Lebanon isn’t an option either, he added, because of the war...
(Excerpt) Read more at nationalpost.com ...
Even though the faith originally developed out of Isma'ilism, the Druze are not Muslims. The Druze faith is one of the major religious groups in the Levant, with between 800,000 and a million adherents. They are found primarily in Lebanon, Syria, and Israel, with small communities in Jordan..."
>> Wikipedia
** Out of 64 Israeli soldiers killed so far in Gaza, 6 were Druze (9%, despite making up just 1.6% of Israel's population)
THAT is why they cannot be considered Islamic. Islam demands perpetual hostility to all who will not convert.
Yes, and they’ve been persecuted by many Muslim regimes over the centuries
Maybe that’s why they’re friendly towards Jews and Israel, there’s an empathetic commonality
When I visited Israel 7 years ago, IMHO the best restaurant was a Druze one.
Walid Jumblatt was an interesting character I recall from the 70s and 80s, just checked Wiki he has been the Druze leader since 1977 and surprised that he just retired in May of this year.
Very interesting- never knew about those folks. Thanks for the article
I also found the Druze to be friendly.
The Bedouin in Jericho also were very welcoming and had great food.
The rest hated the ground I walked on from Jordan to areas in the Old City.
Few Americans have seen true hatred of the type the Palestinians throw out.
“They [the Druze} believe in five divine messengers, in Abrahamic prophets including Jesus and Muhammad, and minor prophets including Ali Ibn Abi Talib, Plato, and Socrates. In addition to belief in core principles such as rejection of other religions and maintenance of Druze secrets, the Druze believe in reincarnation.” Religion and Public Life at Harvard Divinity School
Geoge Clooney’s British lawyer wife, Amal Alamuddin Clooney; is of Lebanese Druze origin.
Lebanon was originally created as a safe haven for Christian and Druze Muslims. At that time, Beirut was called the Paris of the Middle East because everyone got along so well.
IT talks about the various religions still around in the Middle East that aren't Jewish, Christian or Mohammedan
Like the Druze, the Alawites, the Mandaens, the Yazidis, the Zoroastrians, the Samaritans etc.
ive heard of the last 3 but not the first 2- some folks try claiming that Zoroastrians predate all religions and that religions take their cues from that religion- however- it certainly didn’t predate Adam and Eve and their descendants who all worshiped God and the Savior even though they didn’t know him as Messiah then- They knew him as the coming redeemer-
Zoroastrianism dates to its founding by the prophet zoroaster who probably lived circa 700 BC
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