Peace = neither King nor Kaiser.

national | miscellaneous | news report Wednesday December 25, 2002 19:08 by iosaf iosaf at email dot com barcelona 0034679708674

The football games that happened on Christmas day 1914 and again on 1915 must never be forgotton.

Neither King nor Kaiser. but humanity. men whose average age was 19. men who were seperated from their families. men who were wearing uniforms. men who were housed in trenches. men who starved later in those trenches. men who played football.

Neither King nor Kaiser.
but humanity.
men whose average age was 19.
men who were seperated from their families.
men who were wearing uniforms.
men who were housed in trenches.
men who starved later in those trenches.

men who played football.

1914 -- All Quiet on the Western Front?: Just after midnight on Christmas morning, the majority of German troops engaged in WWI cease firing guns & artillery, & commence to sing Christmas carols.

At certain points along the Eastern & Western fronts, the soldiers of Russia, France, & Britain even hear brass bands joining the Germans in their joyous singing. At the first light of dawn, many of the German soldiers emerge from their trenches & approach the Allied lines across no man's land, calling out "Merry Christmas" in their enemies' native tongues. At first the Allied soldiers suspect it to be a trick, but soon climb out of their trenches & shake hands with the German soldiers. The men exchange presents of cigarettes & plum puddings & sing carols & songs & the Christmas Truce lasts a few days.

Documentation is fragmentary since it was contrary to direct orders & the legal penalty for such fraternizing with the enemy was death! But even in this brutal war, peace was found on this day by ignoring political & military authority.

for other events on this day see
http://www.infoshop.org
for the link to the daily bleed.
http://www.eskimo.com/~recall/bleed/1225.htm

This morning Mass was NOT celebrated at the traditional Bethleham church of Transjordania.
The first time in the history of the shrine to the traditional birth place of Jesus known as Christ of the house of David.

He most certainly passed on his torch.

And so too did those men who disobeyed at pain of death orders to avoid the ultimate immorality, that of taking without just cause the lives of other fellow men.
They chose to play football exchange rations and humanity on 25/12/14 and again 25/12/15.

The European bureau of Conscientious Objectors has it´s HQ in Barcelona.
http://www.EBCO.org

I today remember my family and loved ones, friends and comrades, and those men who unlike I never had a choice to avoid their poverty, conscription and military service.

I also think of Arafat holding a photograph of the Bethelehem church in his hands.

Peace = Shalom = Saleem.

Religious freedom is one of our universal and inviolable Human Rights.

Today the Israeli state to the pain and sincere misgiving of many of her citizens and fellow religionists has chosen for the first time in history to prevent a core expression of Christian belief and practise.

This has quite rightly been condemned.
Sharon I wish most sincerely and with the support of many of your fellow religionists I write these words here
"may you become an embarrasing memory this January, may your hatred and disregard for what is good in human nature be remembered as the darkest days of the state and people you were elected to serve."