In midst of Syria war, Jesus statue arises

[bemildred]

IN the midst of a conflict rife with sectarianism, a giant bronze statue of Jesus has gone up on a Syrian mountain, apparently under cover of a truce among three warring factions.

Jesus stands, arms outstretched, on the Cherubim mountain, overlooking a route pilgrims took from Constantinople to Jerusalem in ancient times.

The statue is 12.3 metres tall and stands on a base that brings its height to 32m, organisers of the project estimate.

That the statue made it to Syria and went up without incident on October 14 is remarkable.

http://www.news.com.au/world/breaking-news/in-midst-of-syria-war-jesus-statue-arises/story-e6frfkui-1226752113913

[bowens43]

1. religion is the cause of most of the strife in the world, this shit doesn't help.

[haikugal]

2. Gee let me guess who helped with that??

[arely staircase]

3. the people from the Christian town nearby?

Syria has one of the oldest Christian populations in the world, going all the way back to the Apostolic era in the decades immediately after Jesus' execution.

[haikugal]

4. If so fine...

maybe...but I wouldn't be surprised if our local fun dies helped out. Not at all. Even so religion is a curse and in your face religion is objectionable.

[arely staircase]

6. intollerance is objectionable, that is for sure. nt

[haikugal]

10. I dislike enormous religious statues...

and question the need for them. I've been subjected to them on several occasions while traveling here....

You do realize that the Russian Orthodox Church is arm in arm with Putin with regard to gays...

[arely staircase]

11. I am sorry for your oppression by statues. I hope some day they will quit picking on you.

And yes I know that the Russian Orthodox Church is extremely conservative and allied with Putin. In fact I think the guy that put this together is a big Putin supporter.

[haikugal]

12. I have to wonder at a mind set

that feels the need to subject others to their icons. If they wanted peace or tranquility or even had an inkling of respect for others they wouldn't be so willing to spend who knows how much money on something so ostentatious and would help the poor in stead...but I suspect it's about claiming public space rather than actual belief in a christ like figure.

Just my personal take.

[arely staircase]

14. I am all about helping the poor. But seriously, they are "subjecting" people to something?

The guy (RW Orthodox friend of Putin) said he built it for the local Christian community. It doesn't seem to have bothered either side of the bloody Syrian civil war who are Muslims and agreed to a cease fire to let the Christians put it up. To the extent the Christians have taken a side there, it has been pro-Assad, but has mainly been to keep their heads down. This whole sub thread started with you assuming it was American fundies. I think we have laid that to rest anyway.

[haikugal]

16. We disagree...

sorry about the subthread.

[hrmjustin]

8. I don't see anything wrong with putting it up but my worry is it might get people killed.

[arely staircase]

9. according to the story it was financed by a Russian Orthodox organization

and has been planned since 2005. It was ready to go a couple of years ago but the civil was put it in hold. both sides agreed to a several day cease-fire to allow it to be erected. It is all in the story.

[hrmjustin]

5. I hope it gives them strength and does not get them killed.

[arely staircase]

7. +1 nt

[Violet_Crumble]

13. Yeah, but is it bigger than the one in Brazil?

Statues of Jesus are a dime a dozen. It needs to be the biggest one and it needs to be put somewhere where it can be seen from hundreds of miles around. Then the tourists will come. War? Who needs to worry about that when there's the biggest Jesus statue in the world to gawk at....

[arely staircase]

15. The World's Biggest Jesus Statues are

1. Bolivia
2. Poland
3. Vietnam (wait, what?)
Half the rest in Mexico.

http://www.kuriositas.com/2013/02/the-tallest-statues-of-jesus-christ-in.html

[bemildred]

17. I thought it was an interesting example of how people can cooperate

and work together even in the worst conditions, mainly.

I also think getting upset about religion in the Middle East is akin to pounding sand.