Jerusalem My Destiny!

Though I cannot see the end for me, I cannot turn away! For all of you who actually know what I'm talking about, you've been exposed to too much bad Church music.

Anywhom, I'm in the Holy Land! I crossed the southern border into Eilat on the 29th. We were pulled aside for questioning, most likely because of our Syrian visas (although someone got through with an Iranian and Syrian visa). It only took 2 hours to cross when we were told it would take up to 8 hours.

We've spent the first 4 days here wandering the streets of the Old City, the same streets that not only Christ would have walked, but King David, Solomon, Abraham and Herod. It's an amazing city, not only because of the thousands of years of integral Biblical history, culminating in the death and resurrection of Christ, but because of the continuing modern political and religious turmoil in the city. To absorb the tension and conflict here to a point of understanding seems impossible. I can do nothing but observe and listen to the stories of others. I've spoken with Jews who have claimed that "if you look into the eyes of a Muslim, they are dead inside." I've spoken with Palestinian Christians who have castigated the Israeli government with scathing words of inequality and injustice. The tension here is not just religious and political in two independent spheres; rather, the spheres blend to a point of indistinction. For example, only days before our arrival there was an incident of violence (only one in a long history of incidents) between the Jews and the Muslims that was, fairly or unfairly depending on with whom you speak, regulated by the Israeli military.

To provide some background of the incident, I need to explain the layout of central Jerusalem. The most holy site in Jerusalem for the Jews is the western wall, one of the remaining walls of the structure that upheld the second Jewish temple. When the Messiah returns, the third temple will be built. However, on the Temple Mount, the platform directly above the western wall, is the second holiest site in Islam, the Dome of the Rock. This is the site that Allah gave Mohammed the Muslim faith to give to the people. The layout provides a wonderful breeding grounds for tension. Jews throw rocks up. Muslims throw rocks down.

So a few days ago, when the Temple Mount was closed to all non-Muslims, a group of Ultra-Orthodox Jews climbed to the top and began to perform their fervent prayers in front of the Dome of the Rock. The best analogy I can describe the insulting nature of the actions is to imagine if a Muslim entered the Vatican in the middle of the Homily and began praying to Allah in front of the altar. Well, the Jewish prayers were met with rocks and rocks were returned. In response, the Israeli military fired rubber bullets on the Muslims and injured several people. One thing I've learned thus far is that the military most often sides with the Jews. So today there is military posted all over the city, because they expect retaliation from the Muslims. I never expected Israel to be the most tumultuous country I've visited, even with traveler's tales of the unquestioning hospitality of Syrians and Jordanians. It's a very unique situation. I'll post another post on my take of the religious and political tensions.

I'll also post something on my religious experience so far, which has largely been overwhelming. I really can't wrap my mind around the fact that Christ walked the same steps that I have walked - that he was really here. I'm going to wake up very early one of these days and walk the steps of Christ during the last days of his life. From the point of the Last Supper to Gethsemani to the place of his arrest to his captivity with Caiphas to the Praetorium where he was judged by Pontius Pilate, and finally through the Stations of the Cross up to the place of his crucifixion and burial.

Also, I'll be making a trip to the Sea of Galilee to see the birthplace of Mary Magdalene, the Mount of the Beatitudes, the place where Christ performed the miracle of the loaves and fishes, and also where he conferred upon Peter the keys to the Church. It's all very exciting and very overwhelming. I also have to write a post on the people we've met. I wish I had pictured to share but my camera is broken. I take it as a blessing though, because now I'm forced to engrave these experiences in my memory rather than through a camera, and I think it's more meaningful this way. I'll keep you all posted though!