It's nice to see people get into the Christmas "spirit" and act on the angel's message that the birth of Jesus was to bring peace on earth and goodwill toward all.
There are those, though, who seem to have heard different angels and a different message. Christmas, they believe, is the ripe time for attacking those with whom they disagree.
Some of these not-so-wonderful folks held an event titled "Bethlehem Now: Nine Alternative Lessons and Carols" at St. James, Picadilly, an Anglican Church. That doesn't sound nasty, but here's a clue as to what it was all about: the event was organized by Open Bethlehem, which is a Palestinian group and Jews for Boycotting Israel.
So, altogether they sang the carol, "Once in Royal David's City". Only it wasn't the same. They changed they lyrics to:
Once in Royal David's City
Stood a big apartheid wall
People entering and leaving
Had to pass a checkpoint hall
Bethlehem was strangulated
And her children segregated.
And then this joyful tune - "The Twelve Days of Christmas." You may find the words unfamiliar, however:
Twelve assassinations
Eleven homes demolished
Ten wells obstructed
Nine sniper towers
Eight gunships firing
Seven checkpoints blocking
Six tanks a-rolling
Five settlement rings
Four falling bombs
Three trench guns
Two trampled doves
And an uprooted olive tree.
Enough people complained about the excoriation of Israel and this trampling of the tradition of Christmas that the Rev. Charles Hedley, rector of St. James Piccadilly, said he would "think twice" before allowing such a thing to happen again.
Isn't that nice?
It is reported that the office of Dr. Rowan Williams, the Archbishop of Canterbury, criticized the service.
Sometimes merry effing Xmas ain't a lot of fun!
Thanks to the Telegraph.co.uk, from which this info was shamelessly borrowed.
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