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Why are Christians leaving the Holy Land?

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    Pastor Steve Khoury on the reasons behind their exodus

  • Duration 6:57
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-- -- backed with spirited debate we're talking about the persecution of Christians in the Middle East and we have as our guest on Jerusalem pastor Steve curry.

He is the vice president of holy land missions and he joins -- -- mark Jerusalem bureau to talk about his battle welcome pastor curry.

Hi -- god bless you thank you for having me thank you very much but look first -- -- How you're churches doing before they were being evicted from their congregation from there from their space because of a Muslim landlord said.

That.

You know -- too much pressure yet did you know -- what's the situation right now.

-- a situation is that this is not the first time it happens when being that it moved out there are kicked out because of pressure -- landlords twice before this.

I'm -- a lot there's a lot of good moderate moderate Muslims in the community.

But they're the ones are getting pressured by the extremists it and forces in extremists was still there.

By America boldly -- they give us a thirty gave HM but we're still there we've heard of them are -- against us because we refusing to leave.

But we gonna stand our ground to let him know that we are here we will -- than we were injured shot of them -- guard less of what they did to us.

Now this situation where they blatantly say that we -- can -- let -- 'cause you're Christian is that what I'm hearing.

Well and a lot of case says it's usually hit didn't behind many different curtains but it in in the bottom term in -- and we know why it's.

Pressures from ultra extremists.

And fanatical extremists who are who oppose it Christian presence in not Arab Muslim community.

On some will tell you straight your face and some will hit a hiding behind excuses and other reasons.

No we have some statistics I -- the total population what we're just talking about the West Bank Gaza area is three point eight million to four point four million.

That's total population the -- a Christian population is 40000 to 75000 -- the drop in the bucket when you consider back in 1948.

Bethlehem was about 85% Christian that area now that number is some estimates and 2006 of about down to 12%.

Why are Christians fleeing this area.

You know -- accumulation of a lot of things you have the first Intifada the second Intifada you have a good -- means uprising.

An uprising between if freedom fighters are some call -- radical extremists against Israeli governments.

And a lot of times of being Christian families they they are not taken up the weapon to fight.

Sold some are fully -- sums -- are in their homes.

Com as saying we don't want to fight we don't want not we don't want it being used violence soul we have that pressures on the Christian community to where they're being told you're cowards Christian going to be told you're doing nothing for the cause some halves there's not to -- up and fight and many had decided to leave then you have of course some of the closure between the walls in between that.

Dead checkpoints where many Christians can't leave now to get -- way to work in the Jewish and Israeli communities.

-- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- on a few things about Christian converts and converts from Islam to christianity and that for their persecution but you are not convert.

Your whole family's Christian you grew up.

And were born Christian is that why I understand.

Yes my father grew up Greek orthodox.

And then he EE -- -- -- and became a born again believer.

In this setting these and then not came to this country with the long ball to make Christians stronger Christians and -- share the -- of Christ the -- who are not Christian.

It's.

The what why is where Christians there being so persecuted.

Why the sort of Muslim.

Political forces there.

You know we ain't gonna I wanna ask you -- this question and see this question in the issue we're battling with -- right now in Bethlehem.

In 2010.

At that PA need a Palestinian Authority they -- our ministry.

On as illegitimate ministry -- because we are evangelical where the newcomers on we don't tell us everything you've done in the past means nothing.

As of 2010.

In nothing you do in our in our eyes is legitimate meaning we can't marry.

Weekend to give bear significant burst of that -- death certificates Annan Annan on.

-- -- meaning that people can -- because her name.

AA is not in that computer system of the government to -- you document you paper talking about sports to -- they can volt.

So why are we being oppressed XY being discriminated against we -- we're just a local ministry and the city of Bethlehem it.

I think a lot of answers can be for that they can be may be some regimes are against evangelical movements.

-- -- some have fanatical movements are against -- to us that means no commission because we do -- afraid we are commanded Matthew 28 a whole lot and to make -- -- -- -- people and came upon evidence on the whole spirit -- -- in this country it's always many many reasons.

That accumulates to two making you register -- needed alienated person I grubby and seeing a lot of -- lot of killing.

I grew up racing sometimes -- Christian I'm an -- -- -- an outsider.

But I've -- to overcome that by showing the -- -- forgiveness and reaching out to those who are from the other side.

No one wants -- -- and ask you about how you're getting are you getting any support from the US either from.

Evangelical churches and in US or from the US government.

-- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- Just to be able to gore met with congressman now we have about 28 car and you congressman signed on -- legislation that we sent to the PK.

And the congressmen are telling PA we cannot stand by NCAA discriminate against evangelical church just because they are the minority I just because they are different just because -- views.

Are different than your views on that does -- get the right to discriminate against them so now we're seeing yes the old Obama is my heart's desire is just to see more people stand what does -- a result of this church in Jerusalem Lauren right now nobody is willing to rent that's nobody is willing to -- of the only option its loss to purchase a church in Jerusalem and every time we go to -- they say we can't you you know we gonna -- our building we can't -- your Christian.

Other burn our building down so we were thankful we found two people -- willing to sell us the building so we're just not reaching out to the churches in America to say or even non Christians in America to say.

Our vision needs to go our vision needs to stand loving Israel loving the Jewish people -- the Arab people shared that message of Jesus Christ -- And brightness and acceptance and tolerance I think he's a much faster Steve curry from a -- -- my mission.

In Jerusalem.

Will you check back with you to see how things are going thank you so much for being here today and telling a story.

Thank -- lord god bless you thank you -- right.

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