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Generational Dynamics Web Log for 4-Apr-2010
4-Apr-10 News - Western and Orthodox Easters converge in Jerusalem

Web Log - April, 2010

4-Apr-10 News - Western and Orthodox Easters converge in Jerusalem

A North Korean torpedo may have sunk that South Korean warship.

Passover, Western Easter and Orthodox Easter all converge in Jerusalem

I've always found the Greek Orthodox Easter holy fire ceremony to be hugely impressive. The Church is always packed with people holding un-lit candles, and just before midnight the lights go out and the room is pitch black.

Holy Fire ceremony at the Church of the Holy Sepulcher in Jerusalem, at midnight today <font face=Arial size=-2>(Source: VOA)</font>

Holy Fire ceremony at the Church of the Holy Sepulcher in Jerusalem, at midnight today (Source: VOA)

A few moments later, it's midnight, and a light mysteriously appears at the altar. The priest holds up a brightly lit candle, in a sign of victory. He then uses the candle to light the candles of people standing nearby, and each of them, in turn, passes the flame on to other people. Soon, fire has reached everyone, and the church is brightly lit with hundreds of candles. As I said, it's very impressive.

I'm told that in Athens, the fire is passed from person to person throughout the city, until the entire city is lit with candlelight.

The picture above is of last night's ceremony in the Church of the Holy Sepulcher in Jerusalem, believed to be the site of the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. Worshippers came from many countries where Orthodox Christianity is practiced, including Serbia, Russia, Armenia and Greece, according to VOA.

Usually, the Western (Catholic/Protestant) Easter and the Orthodox Easter are on different days, but this year, the days coincide, along with Passover.

The result is that Israeli policement are on high alert in Jerusalem. Travel to and from the West Bank has been severely restricted, so that Palestinian Christians are usually unable to celebrate Easter in Jerusalem, according to Haaretz.

Palestinian Prime Minister Salam Fayyad said on Saturday that Palestinian Christians will celebrate the Holy Fire ceremony in Jerusalem next year, according to Ynet. He said, "Next year, Inshallah (God willing), we shall celebrate in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in east Jerusalem, the capital of the Palestinian state. Our people, joined by all humanity, will celebrate the creation of the Palestinian independent state on all 1967 borders, a state whose capital shall be Jerusalem. We want this state to be based on the principles of humanity and justice represented in this holiday; our people strive to free themselves from the burden of occupation through popular resistance and setting positive facts on the ground."

It's impossible to predict with certainty what Jerusalem will be like in Easter of 2011, but I think that we CAN predict with certainty that Jersusalem will not be the capital of a Palestinian state.

One thing I've learned in studying history is that the importance of Jerusalem cannot be underestimated. For centuries, Jerusalem has played a major part in almost every major international war. This really struck me when I read that one of the motivations for the Russians to fight the Turks in the Crimean War was to protect Jerusalem, and Moscow was the protector of Jerusalem. Jerusalem has been the focal point of wars by Catholics, Greeks, Turks, Russians, Muslims and Jews for over 2,000 years. And now we may be close to seeing it happen again.

From the point of view of Generational Dynamics, nothing has changed since what I first wrote in 2003, when President Bush launched his major peace plan. (See "Mideast Roadmap - Will it bring peace?") Generational Dynamics predicts that there will be a major new Mideast war re-fighting the 1948-49 war between Jews and Arabs that followed the partitioning of Palestine, and the creation of the state of Israel. There will be no peace agreement.

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Bangkok Thailand - tens of thousands of red-shirted anti-government demonstrators <font face=Arial size=-2>(Source: VOA)</font>

Bangkok Thailand - tens of thousands of red-shirted anti-government demonstrators (Source: VOA)

Thailand's generational Awakening era riots and demonstrations are getting more serious. Tens of thousands of red-shirted anti-government protestors blocked key intersections and shopping malls in Bangkok on Saturday, prompting the Abhisit government to threaten jail. VOA

"My black widows will have more blood." The story of how Chechen terrorist Doku Umarov came to be targeting Russian civilians, taking revenge against Russian security forces. Times Online.

The cause of the explosion that sank a South Korean warship near North Korean waters has not yet been determined, but South Korea's defense minister now says that a North Korean torpedo was "likely." If this turns out to be true, tensions in the region will skyrocket, as will the chances of war. BBC

(Comments: For reader comments, questions and discussion, see the 4-Apr-10 News - Western and Orthodox Easters converge in Jerusalem thread of the Generational Dynamics forum. Comments may be posted anonymously.) (4-Apr-2010) Permanent Link
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Generational Dynamics Web Log for 4-Apr-2010 4-Apr-10 News - Western and Orthodox Easters converge in Jerusalem

Passover, Western Easter and Orthodox Easter all converge in Jerusalem

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Generational Dynamics Web Log for 4-Apr-2010
4-Apr-10 News - Western and Orthodox Easters converge in Jerusalem