Ya Libnan

Patriarch Rai: THe Lebanese president should have more power

Share:

Maronite Patriarch Bechara Boutros al-Rai said on Monday that the 1989 Taif Agreement “is not a holy document that descended from heaven.”

After holding talks with Change and Reform bloc MP Nematallah Abi Nasr he said: “We don’t mind change and if we needed a new agreement, then why not.”

“We all accepted the Taif, but the agreement has flaws and needs to be reformed,” Rai was quoted by the National News Agency as saying.

He said that Lebanon’s president –who is supposed to be a Christian Maronite according to the Taif –should be granted more powers.

“We are with the equal division of shares between Christians and Muslims but we do not support it when the president has no power to make a decision,” the patriarch added.

“Is it logical that every time we want to elect a new president or form a cabinet, the parliament’s doors are closed and we wait for a decision from outside Lebanon ?” He asked

He called on “all Lebanese people to bear responsibility,” adding that the participation in the rule between the country’s sects “was not a real one.”

“The PM or the parliament speaker are the ones ruling instead of the cabinet as a whole, while the president powerless .” he said

Rai also said that the electoral law of parliamentary elections “is the original sin.”

“We must not draft electoral laws based on the will of the political leaders,” Rai said, calling for drafting a new electoral law “in order to ensure the best degree of representation.”

The Taif Agreement (also known as the “National Reconciliation Accord,” or “Document of National Accord”) was an agreement reached to provide “the basis for the ending of the civil war and the return to political normalcy in Lebanon.” Negotiated in Taif, Saudi Arabia, it was designed to end the decades-long Lebanese civil war, politically accommodate the demographic shift to a Muslim majority, reassert Lebanese authority in South Lebanon (then occupied by Israel), though the agreement set a time frame for Syrian withdrawal and stipulated that the Syrians withdraw in two years. It was signed on October 22, 1989 and ratified on November 4, 1989.

The accord also transferred some of the power away from the Maronite Christian community to the PM and Speaker. The Speaker in Lebanon is a Muslim Shiite, the PM is Muslim Sunni while the president is a Christian Maronite

Share:

Comments

58 responses to “Patriarch Rai: THe Lebanese president should have more power”

  1. PROPHET.T Avatar
    PROPHET.T

    Although Patriarch  Al- Rai makes  some  valid points, I  would  rather  He does not  get involved  in politics.We need a  seperation of state and religious  institutions( both christians and muslims ).Religious leaders and their  institutions  must devote their time  to guiding  people into becoming  better  humans, and  to take  care of the needy ,  instead of getting  involved in local politics.

  2. PROPHET.T Avatar
    PROPHET.T

    Although Patriarch  Al- Rai makes  some  valid points, I  would  rather  He does not  get involved  in politics.We need a  seperation of state and religious  institutions( both christians and muslims ).Religious leaders and their  institutions  must devote their time  to guiding  people into becoming  better  humans, and  to take  care of the needy ,  instead of getting  involved in local politics.

    1. Hannibal Avatar
      Hannibal

      Amen

  3. Ghassan Karam Avatar
    Ghassan Karam

    It is bewildering when the Christians do not seem to ever have enough. I can understand tha call for a strong presidential system on the merits but , unfortunately, this is not the case in this instant. Patriarch Rai , GMA, Gemail, Geagea and many others are constantly harping on the need to give the Christians more power? Why should they be given more than their share? They already have 50% of the seats in the Chamber when they do not number more than 35-37% of the population. That simply means that the electoral system in Lebanon gives allocates more weight to the Christian vote than to a non Christian one. Is there any rationale for this? Of course not.
    The only solution for the bankrupt Lebanese political system is to put an end to the constant interference of the men of the cloth in political affairs. Why should anyone take the political positions of patriarch Rai , Mufti Qabani , Imam Kabalan or Sheikh AlAql Hassan  seriously? 
    It is time to have all leaders be guided NOT by the idea of what is good for my tribe but by the principle of what is good for the country. Sectarianism is nothing short of discrimination, it is be be rejected at all levels as repugnant and immoral. It is a position that is not worthy of the head of the Maronite Church in Lebanon whose concerns should be for all Lebanese no matter who they pray for or even whether they pray at all.

    1. Sebouh80 Avatar
      Sebouh80

      Patriarch Rai’s call for granting more powers to the Lebanese president is strictly based on sectarian calculations.

      Moreover, atfer reading this column and recalling Patriach Rai’s previous comments on number of occasions increases my conviction that he is a man of pro (status quo ante) and certainly not a progressive or reformist minded individual.

    2. sam_shaker Avatar
      sam_shaker

      Ghassan does it really matter if they have 50% of shares or not? The president seems to be helpless and his hands tied from everywhere. It used to be Christians not only in power but they used it to their advantage I admit. Nowdays its the Sunnis and the Shiites no matter how much Christians shares out there. First its the HA set the tone and the Hariri and his movement try to react. Christians have been marginalized mostly by HA and also by their support of Mustaqbal movement.
      HA uses Aoun to clip the President wings when they feel he’s not in their favor or wanting to grant him more powers when he is not with March 14th. Well Nassrallah calls hismself Sheik and he’s considered to many shiites as spiritual and political too obviously. Many shiites are sheiks and shiek Qablan also interferes in politics as you stated. Everytime a Christian speaks everyone jumps the gun. But when Qablan speaks HA do not seem to mind.. many christians are told especially the women if they wear headscarf they will be given jobs and higher raises. Even Christians in the military if they’re higher in ranks and the lower rank is muslim or rather SHiites. he gets to boss him around meaning the Muslim. so what does it make a difference if the Christians have higher shares if you can’t exercise your powers. Look at the latest incident when Nahas being used by HA to dismantle the communication system accompanied by armed HA members. No one dared to say anything.. But when ISF entered the building to protect it from being dismantled and stolen by HA. they’re being called as gangs. look who’s taking???it doesn’t matter what Geagea or Rai or anybody said its HA who holds the power cards followed by Hariri and others who holds more power leverage than Christians..

    3. AfRyT Avatar
      AfRyT

      Simply because Lebanon was founded under the Maronite Fundamentalism in the Councile of Caledonia in the year 452, much before Islam was created,  Maronism is part of the local Religion and Culture,  We have Our Saints,  Liturgy and We didn’t go to invade Your Islamic Countrys,  the least is to Be considered as the rightful inhabitants of Our Lebanese Land and for those who came at least to be gracious guests.

      Imposing,  Invading, and forcing is not the way to go,  Is our right to have more power,  at least this way will be a Lebanese whit local Culture and Religion who reigns,  Not an Iranian Oriented Individual with delirium of Greatness and Blood. 

  4. Ghassan Karam Avatar
    Ghassan Karam

    It is bewildering when the Christians do not seem to ever have enough. I can understand tha call for a strong presidential system on the merits but , unfortunately, this is not the case in this instant. Patriarch Rai , GMA, Gmail, Geagea and many others are constantly harping on the need to give the Christians more power? Why should they be given more than their share? They already have 50% of the seats in the Chamber when they do not number more than 35-37% of the poulation. That simply means that the electoral system in Lebanon gives mor power to the Christian vote than to a non Christian one. Is then any rationale for this? Of course not.
    The only solution for the bankrupt Lebanese political syatem is due to the constant interference of the men of the cloth in politoical affairs. Why should anyone take the political positions of patriarch Rai , Mufti Dabani , Imam Kabalano r Sheikh AlAql Hassan  seriously? 
    It is time to have all leaders be guided NOT by the idea of what is good for my tribe but by the principle of what is good for the country. Sectariansim is nothing short of discrimination, it is be be rejected at all levels as repugnant and immoral. It is a position that isnot worthy of the head of the head of the Maronite Church in Lebanon whose concerns should be for all Lebanese no matter who they pray for or even whether they pray at all.

    1. Avatar
      Anonymous

      Patriarch Rai’s call for granting more powers to the Lebanese president is strictly based on sectarian calculations.

      Moreover, atfer reading this column and recalling Patriach Rai’s previous comments on number of occasions increases my conviction that he is a man of pro (status quo ante) and certainly not a progressive or reformist minded individual.

    2. Avatar
      Anonymous

      Patriarch Rai’s call for granting more powers to the Lebanese president is strictly based on sectarian calculations.

      Moreover, atfer reading this column and recalling Patriach Rai’s previous comments on number of occasions increases my conviction that he is a man of pro (status quo ante) and certainly not a progressive or reformist minded individual.

    3. Avatar
      Anonymous

      i am happy to read for the first time a lebanese from a non muslim background state the obvious in terms of how much share do the christians  indeed have in the lebanese political system in accordance to their share…a fact that that is not thought of by those who claim that the christians have been marginalised.

      i am happy that someone can say what you did and would not label you as christian hater.

    4. Avatar
      Anonymous

      Ghassan does it really matter if they have 50% of shares or not? The president seems to be helpless and his hands tied from everywhere. It used to be Christians not only in power but they used it to their advantage I admit. Nowdays its the Sunnis and the Shiites no matter how much Christians shares out there. First its the HA set the tone and the Hariri and his movement try to react. Christians have been marginalized mostly by HA and also by their support of Mustaqbal movement.
      HA uses Aoun to clip the President wings when they feel he’s not in their favor or wanting to grant him more powers when he is not with March 14th. Well Nassrallah calls hismself Sheik and he’s considered to many shiites as spiritual and political too obviously. Many shiites are sheiks and shiek Qablan also interferes in politics as you stated. Everytime a Christian speaks everyone jumps the gun. But when Qablan speaks HA do not seem to mind.. many christians are told especially the women if they wear headscarf they will be given jobs and higher raises. Even Christians in the military if they’re higher in ranks and the lower rank is muslim or rather SHiites. he gets to boss him around meaning the Muslim. so what does it make a difference if the Christians have higher shares if you can’t exercise your powers. Look at the latest incident when Nahas being used by HA to dismantle the communication system accompanied by armed HA members. No one dared to say anything.. But when ISF entered the building to protect it from being dismantled and stolen by HA. they’re being called as gangs. look who’s taking???it doesn’t matter what Geagea or Rai or anybody said its HA who holds the power cards followed by Hariri and others who holds more power leverage than Christians..

      1. Ghassan Karam Avatar
        Ghassan Karam

        sam_shaker,
                           We seem to repeat the same arguments very often but I guess that this is the nature of the beast:-)
        My position is quite simple. Lebanon should become a secular state since that is a requirement for democracy. We all know that this is not likely to happen and so we have to decide whether we want a parliamentary system where the president is a figure head like India, Germany, Italy and Israel to name a few countries or whether we want a presidential system where the president is the most powerful figure such as in the USA, Russia and France .
        Both are good systems and both can function well. Once we decide which system then we must not change it every few years for the sake of a tribe.
                         My problem with Patriarch Rai is really three folds: (1) I do not want the clergy to make public policy.
        (2) Patriarch Rai has shown in the few stands that he has adopted that he is illebral in his views which is troubling.  (3) I am convinced that these views are not dictated by theory of governance but by the fact that the President must be a Maronite.
                        I have no problem with a parliamentary system and I think that we will be served best if all Lebanese have the right to run for office. How about an Armenian gay woman, a Druz gay man or an athiest? Does it really matter?

        1. Hannibal Avatar
          Hannibal

          I am with you in theory… However Lebanon is the ONLY country in the Middle East with a Christian President and that without power as well… On moral basis at least let us have this country to represent the aspirations of the Christians of the Middle East. You and I know IF we let today the people of Lebanon vote for a president… It won’t be on merit and EVERY time the president will be Shiite plainly because of demographics. Democracy as applied in the West is NOT a MUST template to follow. Take Switzerland for instance, they are democratic but they have a system of Sharing because IF they apply the votes of the people the power will sit in the hands of the German Swiss forever. I am areligious and probably even though born Maronite will never make a president because I want to separate the church from the state. However to apply non-sectarianism will give ONE COLOR to Lebanon and that will be the color of Islam. You know it so stop hiding behind your finger.

    5. Avatar
      Anonymous

      Ghassan does it really matter if they have 50% of shares or not? The president seems to be helpless and his hands tied from everywhere. It used to be Christians not only in power but they used it to their advantage I admit. Nowdays its the Sunnis and the Shiites no matter how much Christians shares out there. First its the HA set the tone and the Hariri and his movement try to react. Christians have been marginalized mostly by HA and also by their support of Mustaqbal movement.
      HA uses Aoun to clip the President wings when they feel he’s not in their favor or wanting to grant him more powers when he is not with March 14th. Well Nassrallah calls hismself Sheik and he’s considered to many shiites as spiritual and political too obviously. Many shiites are sheiks and shiek Qablan also interferes in politics as you stated. Everytime a Christian speaks everyone jumps the gun. But when Qablan speaks HA do not seem to mind.. many christians are told especially the women if they wear headscarf they will be given jobs and higher raises. Even Christians in the military if they’re higher in ranks and the lower rank is muslim or rather SHiites. he gets to boss him around meaning the Muslim. so what does it make a difference if the Christians have higher shares if you can’t exercise your powers. Look at the latest incident when Nahas being used by HA to dismantle the communication system accompanied by armed HA members. No one dared to say anything.. But when ISF entered the building to protect it from being dismantled and stolen by HA. they’re being called as gangs. look who’s taking???it doesn’t matter what Geagea or Rai or anybody said its HA who holds the power cards followed by Hariri and others who holds more power leverage than Christians..

    6. Omar Kattar Avatar
      Omar Kattar

      Well done, You’ve hit the nail straight on the head…lebanons secterian system does nothing but discrimnate. It should be abolished alltogether.  People should vote for candidates based on ideas for the improvement of the nation and its peoples and not based on religion and sects.  I am for religion but in lebanon it just does not work when three competeing sides are nearly equal in number and election after election we find ourselves deadlocked over nearly every issue under the sun.

    7. Avatar
      Anonymous

      Simply because Lebanon was founded under the Maronite Fundamentalism in the Councile of Caledonia in the year 452, much before Islam was created,  Maronism is part of the local Religion and Culture,  We have Our Saints,  Liturgy and We didn’t go to invade Your Islamic Countrys,  the least is to Be considered as the rightful inhabitants of Our Lebanese Land and for those who came at least to be gracious guests.

      Imposing,  Invading, and forcing is not the way to go,  Is our right to have more power,  at least this way will be a Lebanese whit local Culture and Religion who reigns,  Not an Iranian Oriented Individual with delirium of Greatness and Blood. 

    8. Avatar
      Anonymous

      Agreed on principle, but it is a cultural challenge. This can only work when Lebanon is Lebanon before every thing else. We have to be rooted for a few years, before being an Arab nation or undertaking grandiose or being at war with neighbors. We speak the same language but we should have a clear identity as Lebanese not Arabs. Without the identity people will assume the neighbor’s one for strength and support. The Christians don’t get support as the shiite gets from Iran etc. This sense of insecurity is there for the Christians and Druze and the other minorities too. Lebanon will stay religious until all lebanese have confidence in their nation, with accountable leaders.
      Yes it is time to take the blue pill, set aside men of the cloth, fight if need to be, and commit for one country.
      This weakness of being subject to manipulation and corruption has been known for centuries in Lebanon and abused by the neighbors.

  5. josephphdman Avatar
    josephphdman

    with all your respect rai , you are entitled to your opinion,as anyother citizen , but it shoul,dnt be published and politicilized all religious leaders from all sect there job is to heal sociatey problems and help the public and people becomes a better and more peacefull  citizen they should preached love and peaceand tolerence , from all sect not only the patrias and the priests but also the sheiks and the muslims clerics, specially those clerics who preache hateriats  and untolerance of other religions , they should be arrested and thrown in jail ,they need to preach love and tolerance , so they could build up a better community for all lebaneese
    religious people from all sect should nt intervene in politics, as if they do they will weaken the  lebaneese state .
    if the president of lebanon needs more power let him announce it ,he,s got a tomgue and a voice. and he needs to speak his mind

  6. josephphdman Avatar
    josephphdman

    with all your respect rai , you are entitled to your opinion,as anyother citizen , but it shoul,dnt be published and politicilized all religious leaders from all sect there job is to heal sociatey problems and help the public and people becomes a better and more peacefull  citizen they should preached love and peaceand tolerence , from all sect not only the patrias and the priests but also the sheiks and the muslims clerics, specially those clerics who preache hateriats  and untolerance of other religions , they should be arrested and thrown in jail ,they need to preach love and tolerance , so they could build up a better community for all lebaneese
    religious people from all sect should nt intervene in politics, as if they do they will weaken the  lebaneese state .
    if the president of lebanon needs more power let him announce it ,he,s got a tomgue and a voice. and he needs to speak his mind

  7. Avatar
    Anonymous

    with all your respect rai , you are entitled to your opinion,as anyother citizen , but it shoul,dnt be published and politicilized all religious leaders from all sect there job is to heal sociatey problems and help the public and people becomes a better and more peacefull  citizen they should preached love and peaceand tolerence , from all sect not only the patrias and the priests but also the sheiks and the muslims clerics, specially those clerics who preache hateriats  and untolerance of other religions , they should be arrested and thrown in jail ,they need to preach love and tolerance , so they could build up a better community for all lebaneese
    religious people from all sect should nt intervene in politics, as if they do they will weaken the  lebaneese state .
    if the president of lebanon needs more power let him announce it ,he,s got a tomgue and a voice. and he needs to speak his mind

  8. antar2011 Avatar
    antar2011

    it is important to remember that the Taif accord has not being implemented fully. there are many things had been left out thanks for Syrian interference in our country.

    i am bombsmacked that the patriach would not state such thing. his suggestion to amend it would have been a good one though except for one major factor that the Patriach has overlooked..a constitutional reform atm is not possible because of the interfeerence of foreign agents into our own affairs.

    lets agree on non foreign intereference in lebanese affairs FIRSTa then we can sit down and amend the constitution.

  9. Avatar
    Anonymous

    it is important to remember that the Taif accord has not being implemented fully. there are many things had been left out thanks for Syrian interference in our country.

    i am bombsmacked that the patriach would not state such thing. his suggestion to amend it would have been a good one though except for one major factor that the Patriach has overlooked..a constitutional reform atm is not possible because of the interfeerence of foreign agents into our own affairs.

    lets agree on non foreign intereference in lebanese affairs FIRSTa then we can sit down and amend the constitution.

  10. Constantin7 Avatar
    Constantin7

    Prophet, I have seen that you always want the Patriach (and the other religious leaders) not to get involved in politics. In principle, I am all for it but do you apply the same logic to Hassan Nasrallah, and kabalan both are religious figures and get involved in politics much much more than the patriarch. They even take us to war and destruction…My friend as a muslim you should know that in Islam religion and politics are one…..In the Friday sermons in the mosques and the husseiniyat what do they preach the cheikhs? Do they preach spirituality and our relationship with God (as they really do in churches), no they preach politics and hate and war, don’t they?  So please give us a break if some christian clergy is forced to be involved in politics just to counter the overwelhming involvement of supposedly “religious” moslem  leaders in politics and war and peace and all that affects our earthly life in all its details. So please back off and go tell that to your own cheikhs not to be involved in politics to start and then when they abide by your noble advice come and preach to the patriarch. As you very well know in the western world and in America the church does not get involved in politics, and it would have been the same in Lebanon if it was mostly Christian, but unfortunately we have Islam to thank to involve our clergy in politics, because it does not seem balanced to see how all muslim clergys are experts in politics and in political science and take us at their own will to war and then to peace and have no christian clergy be somewhat involved in politics, does it? Peace to you anyways, I know you mean well.

    As for the patriarch asking for more power to the president, I completely understand his request, which is not based on numbers as Mr. Karam has eloquently but superficially stated, because in all its history the Lebanese presidents acted in the interest of ALL the Lebanese and not in the interest of the maronites or the christians only. Having a strong president would mean that we would not be in the political impass that we are in right now. While relatively speaking the head of the government cares about the sunnis much more than any other sect so does Berri who cares about the Shiaa only, while the president cares about all the Lebanese and should have more power for the sake of Lebanon and the whole population. The situation right now means that we have no leader in charge because we have three leaders watching each other and paralyzing the government and the political and economic life of the country. A stronger president (never mind his religion or sect) would be the leader who could take constitutionally the right decision at the right time and save the country. The way we have it right now, we have three presidents who cannot take any decision and who are paralyzing each other. By the way I am not maronite, and I do not care about the religion of the president, actually I would not mind having a christian (other than maronite) or a druze as a president, but with more POWER.

    1. antar2011 Avatar
      antar2011

      in islam, politics and religion is one but that is in case if there is a khilafa…but that was finished loooong time ago.
      if anyone tells you otherwise, he is a lier. in this case islam commends muslims to abide by the law of the country they live in.

      1. Omar Kattar Avatar
        Omar Kattar

        Spot on Matey

    2. Omar Kattar Avatar
      Omar Kattar

      YOU ARE WRONG…Not all our Imams preach Hate, destruction and war, the vast majority preach about GOD, the path of the prohet(PBUH), about justice and equality.

      Your priests on the one hand pretend to preach about love and tolerance and dialogue with muslims, and the other are calling for a crusade to save so called persecuted christians in the Middle east….

      1. AfRyT Avatar
        AfRyT

        Omar: Tell Me one single time when the Maronite Church or the Catholic Church had called for a Crusade?
        It was that idiot of George Bush,  a Protestant who has nothing to do with real Christianity,  they have a Liturgia Sola,  thay means that is not based in the New Testament or the old testament,  They are humbugs.

        1. 5thDrawer Avatar
          5thDrawer

          WHAT IS ‘REAL’ ?
            Errr … No – wrong … and all your talk here is about politics not religion. 
            Something like Sunni & Shia … RC’s & Protestants – but still Christian. Based on BOTH old and new testaments … but they basically managed to get out of the grip of the Pope … essentially so Henry 8th didn’t have to keep chopping off the heads of his wives since the Pope wouldn’t let him divorce them. 🙂  and because not everyone believes only one man can talk to a God. 
            But yes I agree, nobody wants a crusade since the last one. Why anyone brings up the crusades now is beyond me – except for tours at Byblos, perhaps.
            And in England THE PEOPLE took control of a country out of the hands of both Monarchy and Church and created (over time) the Parliamentary Democracy which most represents the people who vote. (albeit that some politicians are always in it for themselves – always will be those idiots around – but when the people notice, those guys get booted too).
             If the ‘church’ is involved anywhere, it’s in a spiritual sense only – no-one is trying to dictate to Parliament, although proper treatment of humans may be suggested by religious thinkers.  And there’s no President to screw it all around – like Republican Democracies.
          Look  up ‘Reformation’. Lebanon needs some of that kind of thinking … 500 years later … as it’s about time.

      2. shankarees Avatar
        shankarees

        What a load of rubbish!  Apostolic Christians NEVER teach or preach for “Crusades”.  Some Western Fundamentalist idiots do not want Muslims in their midst. 

        1. 5thDrawer Avatar
          5thDrawer

          Basically, because they keep blowing up … 😉

      3. Hannibal Avatar
        Hannibal

        ya hmaar, the crusaders killed Moslems, Christians and Jews. When they reached Jerusalem they could not tell who was Christian, who was Moslem and who was Jewish as all the natives with different faith looked alike so they murdered everybody. So when did you EVER hear the Maronite Church calling for a crusade? That would be an oxymoron. However, let’s see who committed heinous crimes against worshipping Christian Iraqis in their churches while praying…. hmmmm…. Moslems? How about the copts in Egypt? Moslems? How about maltreating Christian Palestinians so that fewer than 10 percent is left in Palestine… Let me enlighten you… Palestinian moslems and NOT the Israelis. Bethlehem used to be 90% Christians now it is 90% moslem…. NOT Jewish… So who do we blame? Moslems. In Lebanon some of you morons sided with the PLO against your own Lebanese Christian brothers JUST because they were Christians unbeknown to you idiots of the Zionist Kissinger plan to rid Lebanon of its Christian population so that they give you Lebanon in the stead of lost Palestine. It was the Maronites who kicked your stupid moronic ass and defied the world and stayed “shawke be 3aynak”. So called persecuted Christians in the Middle East? “elak 3ayn te7ke? Go read your history and learn what your Islam did to your own ancestors when it came out of this stupid peninsula and converted by the sword your own ancestors. The Bible (not the stupid Torah) has one message in it… A message of Love. The Koran is schizophrenic at best. Kill and don’t kill… Love and Hate… Love your woman and then beat the crap out of your woman… I mean how do you believe that a book comes out of the mouth of a God and dictated by an Angel that says “inka7 this or inka7 that”? Grow up already!!!

    3. Omar Kattar Avatar
      Omar Kattar

      YOU ARE WRONG…Not all our Imams preach Hate, destruction and war, the vast majority preach about GOD, the path of the prohet(PBUH), about justice and equality.

      Your priests on the one hand pretend to preach about love and tolerance and dialogue with muslims, and the other are calling for a crusade to save so called persecuted christians in the Middle east….

  11. Avatar
    Anonymous

    Prophet, I have seen that you always want the Patriach (and the other religious leaders) not to get involved in politics. In principle, I am all for it but do you apply the same logic to Hassan Nasrallah, and kabalan both are religious figures and get involved in politics much much more than the patriarch. They even take us to war and destruction…My friend as a muslim you should know that in Islam religion and politics are one…..In the Friday sermons in the mosques and the husseiniyat what do they preach the cheikhs? Do they preach spirituality and our relationship with God (as they really do in churches), no they preach politics and hate and war, don’t they?  So please give us a break if some christian clergy is forced to be involved in politics just to counter the overwelhming involvement of supposedly “religious” moslem  leaders in politics and war and peace and all that affects our earthly life in all its details. So please back off and go tell that to your own cheikhs not to be involved in politics to start and then when they abide by your noble advice come and preach to the patriarch. As you very well know in the western world and in America the church does not get involved in politics, and it would have been the same in Lebanon if it was mostly Christian, but unfortunately we have Islam to thank to involve our clergy in politics, because it does not seem balanced to see how all muslim clergys are experts in politics and in political science and take us at their own will to war and then to peace and have no christian clergy be somewhat involved in politics, does it? Peace to you anyways, I know you mean well.

    As for the patriarch asking for more power to the president, I completely understand his request, which is not based on numbers as Mr. Karam has eloquently but superficially stated, because in all its history the Lebanese presidents acted in the interest of ALL the Lebanese and not in the interest of the maronites or the christians only. Having a strong president would mean that we would not be in the political impass that we are in right now. While relatively speaking the head of the government cares about the sunnis much more than any other sect so does Berri who cares about the Shiaa only, while the president cares about all the Lebanese and should have more power for the sake of Lebanon and the whole population. The situation right now means that we have no leader in charge because we have three leaders watching each other and paralyzing the government and the political and economic life of the country. A stronger president (never mind his religion or sect) would be the leader who could take constitutionally the right decision at the right time and save the country. The way we have it right now, we have three presidents who cannot take any decision and who are paralyzing each other. By the way I am not maronite, and I do not care about the religion of the president, actually I would not mind having a christian (other than maronite) or a druze as a president, but with more POWER.

    1. Avatar
      Anonymous

      in islam, politics and religion is one but that is in case if there is a khilafa…but that was finished loooong time ago.
      if anyone tells you otherwise, he is a lier. in this case islam commends muslims to abide by the law of the country they live in.

      1. Omar Kattar Avatar
        Omar Kattar

        Spot on Matey

    2. Omar Kattar Avatar
      Omar Kattar

      YOU ARE WRONG…Not all our Imams preach Hate, destruction and war, the vast majority preach about GOD, the path of the prohet(PBUH), about justice and equality.

      Your priests on the one hand pretend to preach about love and tolerance and dialogue with muslims, and the other are calling for a crusade to save so called persecuted christians in the Middle east….

      1. Avatar
        Anonymous

        Omar: Tell Me one single time when the Maronite Church or the Catholic Church had called for a Crusade?
        It was that idiot of George Bush,  a Protestant who has nothing to do with real Christianity,  they have a Liturgia Sola,  thay means that is not based in the New Testament or the old testament,  They are humbugs.

        1. Avatar
          Anonymous

          WHAT IS ‘REAL’ ?
            Errr … No – wrong … and all your talk here is about politics not religion. 
            Something like Sunni & Shia … RC’s & Protestants – but still Christian. Based on BOTH old and new testaments … but they basically managed to get out of the grip of the Pope … essentially so Henry 8th didn’t have to keep chopping off the heads of his wives since the Pope wouldn’t let him divorce them. 🙂  and because not everyone believes only one man talk to a God. 
            But yes I agree, nobody wants a crusade since the last one. Why anyone brings up the crusades now is beyond me – except for tours at Byblos, perhaps.  And in England THE PEOPLE took control of a country out of the hands of both Monarchy and Church and created (over time) the Parliamentary Democracy which most represents the people who vote. (albeit that some politicians are always in it for themselves – always will be those idiots around – but when the people notice, those guys get booted too)   If the ‘church’ is involved anywhere, it’s in a spiritual sense only – no-one is trying to dictate to Parliament, although proper treatment of humans may be suggested by religious thinkers.  And there’s no President to screw it all around – like Republican Democracies. Look  up ‘Reformation’. Lebanon needs some of that kind of thinking … 500 years later … as it’s about time.

        2. Avatar
          Anonymous

          WHAT IS ‘REAL’ ?
            Errr … No – wrong … and all your talk here is about politics not religion. 
            Something like Sunni & Shia … RC’s & Protestants – but still Christian. Based on BOTH old and new testaments … but they basically managed to get out of the grip of the Pope … essentially so Henry 8th didn’t have to keep chopping off the heads of his wives since the Pope wouldn’t let him divorce them. 🙂  and because not everyone believes only one man talk to a God. 
            But yes I agree, nobody wants a crusade since the last one. Why anyone brings up the crusades now is beyond me – except for tours at Byblos, perhaps.  And in England THE PEOPLE took control of a country out of the hands of both Monarchy and Church and created (over time) the Parliamentary Democracy which most represents the people who vote. (albeit that some politicians are always in it for themselves – always will be those idiots around – but when the people notice, those guys get booted too)   If the ‘church’ is involved anywhere, it’s in a spiritual sense only – no-one is trying to dictate to Parliament, although proper treatment of humans may be suggested by religious thinkers.  And there’s no President to screw it all around – like Republican Democracies. Look  up ‘Reformation’. Lebanon needs some of that kind of thinking … 500 years later … as it’s about time.

      2. Avatar
        Anonymous

        What a load of rubbish!  Apostolic Christians NEVER teach or preach for “Crusades”.  Some Western Fundamentalist idiots do not want Muslims in their midst. 

        1. Avatar
          Anonymous

          Basically, because they keep blowing up … 😉

      3. Hannibal Avatar
        Hannibal

        ya hmaar, the crusaders killed Moslems, Christians and Jews. When they reached Jerusalem they could not tell who was Christian, who was Moslem and who was Jewish as all the natives with different faith looked alike so they murdered everybody. So when did you EVER hear the Maronite Church calling for a crusade? That would be an oxymoron. However, let’s see who committed heinous crimes against worshipping Christian Iraqis in their churches while praying…. hmmmm…. Moslems? How about the copts in Egypt? Moslems? How about maltreating Christian Palestinians so that fewer than 10 percent is left in Palestine… Let me enlighten you… Palestinian moslems and NOT the Israelis. Bethlehem used to be 90% Christians now it is 90% moslem…. NOT Jewish… So who do we blame? Moslems. In Lebanon some of you morons sided with the PLO against your own Lebanese Christian brothers JUST because they were Christians unbeknown to you idiots of the Zionist Kissinger plan to rid Lebanon of its Christian population so that they give you Lebanon in the stead of lost Palestine. It was the Maronites who kicked your stupid moronic ass and defied the world and stayed “shawke be 3aynak”. So called persecuted Christians in the Middle East? “elak 3ayn te7ke? Go read your history and learn what your Islam did to your own ancestors when it came out of this stupid peninsula and converted by the sword your own ancestors. The Bible (not the stupid Torah) has one message in it… A message of Love. The Koran is schizophrenic at best. Kill and don’t kill… Love and Hate… Love your woman and then beat the crap out of your woman… I mean how do you believe that a book comes out of the mouth of a God and dictated by an Angel that says “inka7 this or inka7 that”? Grow up already!!!

  12. sklep Avatar
    sklep

    Wow, wonderful weblog layout! How long have you ever been blogging for?

    you make blogging look easy. The total look of your website
    is great, as smartly as the content material! You can see similar
    here ecommerce

  13. najlepszy sklep Avatar
    najlepszy sklep

    I know this if off topic but I’m looking into starting my
    own blog and was wondering what all is required to get set up?
    I’m assuming having a blog like yours would cost a pretty penny?
    I’m not very internet smart so I’m not 100% positive.
    Any tips or advice would be greatly appreciated. Thank you I saw
    similar here: Najlepszy sklep

  14. sklep internetowy Avatar
    sklep internetowy

    This article will assist the internet people for
    creating new web site or even a weblog from start to end. I saw similar here:
    Ecommerce

Leave a Reply