christians have lived in historic palestine since the advent of christianity alongside muslims and jews now there are growing concerns the christian community will soon disappear. and you can. discuss the fate of christians in palestine i'm joined by alex out while in jerusalem he is a pastor of the east jerusalem baptist church and a professor at bethlehem bible college also in jerusalem we have david parsons he's a media and public relations officer with the international christian embassy jerusalem and in haifa we go to daphne simponi she's a professor of modern middle east history at technion israel's institute of technology and another member of our cross talk team yell on the hunger or at cross talk rules in effect that means you can jump in anytime you want alex i'd like to go to you over the last sixty years or so we've seen the christian population of what is the legal borders of israel and the the west bank and gaza drop significantly there are different estimates there from one in twenty were there in the population was christian. at the advent of the israeli state and first

iraqiare calling for this place to be officially declared a christian ovince. >> we have 500,000 christian refugees. our position has been clear to the government, these people will not come home untilthey have a place to go to. >> ken joseph is with the assyri alliance. they recently met to talk about forming a christian province. joseph says getting the different groups to agree says it was nothing short of a miracle. >> they put away all their arguments and did it. >> prime targets are muslim extremists biggest attack on october 31st, members of an al-qaeda group attacked a church in baghdad leaving 68 people dead. they are wondering if it is time to leave the homeland despite caing to state. >> these difficult days appealing to you to be consnt to the faith and love and soil of this homeland. >> hundreds of christian families began fleeing to the kurdistan region of northern iraq. >> best of times and worth. best because people have freedom. can do things, church can do things they have ver done before. also the worst because you have forces that are desperate to keep the success from

some christian targets and kidnappings have caused many christians to immigrate. a pakistani christian has been sentenced to death for allegedly blasting against islam. the only christian household in the village, her entire family are not targeted an hour on the run. she is a farm worker, and the first woman to be sentenced to hang under pakistan's blasphemy laws. on the 11th of december, iraqi- born british residents died in a suicide bomb attempt in sweden. hailed as a mortar on islamic websites, his aim was to punish sweden and the west for sending troops to afghanistan and for allowing the publication of a cartoon insulting the prophet mohammad in a swedish newspaper in 2007. and the english defense minister has raised up -- recanted the invitation of a speaker. he leads a small cognition in florida, and he drew criticism when he threatened to burn a copy of the crown on september 11 of this year. violent clashes between muslims and christians in egypt last month over the building of an unauthorized church have again highlighted the delicate relations between

and some christian women are being lured or kidnapped into forced marriages with christian men. -- with islamic men. >> christmas in cairo looks surprisingly like christmas in the west. this man does good business selling imported decorations to christians. they no longer have a tree at home. they cannot bear to. >> at christmas, she was the one who used to decorate the tree. she used to get out of the presence. for her, this was a big thing. -- she used to give out presents. one night, she went out with friends and she never came home. the next thing she knew, she was married to an older muslim man. she is -- they think that she was forcibly converted. the state will not intervene. >> someone from state security said, once the issue is legitimize, you will be able to see your daughter. i asked him what he meant. he said, when she has a baby. what he meant was that once she has a child, she would not be able to leave, she would be trapped forever. >> look at me, i am dying inside. jesus christ gave me my daughter. he gave for to me, not to them. in three years, they have seen their daug

particularly christian organizations. i thin for helping problem gamblers and their families, we are the only specialized organization in england. >> vid lee is an exgambler who found christ and set free from his addiction. he said there was no way out from his adction. >> affecting the relationship between y family and brother and sister, relations because of my relationhip with my wiech and my children. >> the power of christ deliverehim from gambling. >> i came to a chriian -- it is in fact, true, that addiction for 40 years, nearly 40 years is no gambling feeling. >> lee wants to helpthe others from this addictive li style. >> i feeljesus gave me a reborn li. i want to be forgiven, i only know the thing to help people. i don't have good education. >> these men who come to regular meetings at the rehappenation center agree it is desperately needed to break free from this. >> i am glad i can come to this place for help otherse, i could have broke my family or killed myself or become bankrupt. >> i think it is very impor

of human rights have become christians over the last few years. for example, the very prompt chinese lawyer, goger shun kidnapped and held for a year until april, 10 when he was momentarily released. now he has been basically taken back into undisclosed captivity some where. >> human right sz advocates outside the country have also been rgeted. bob fu says his websites were shut down by chinese cyber attackon december 1st. >>> you may recall the story of a florida preacher that wanted to rn krons. korans. >> now he is reaching out to muslims with the love of god. >> call him radical, fearless, whatever you want, ben mathis says ve is the way to reach the muslim world. >> mit cli there is tension between christianand muslims. unless we are willing to step out and meet people of other cultures, nothing is going to change. >> mathis convinced a high ranki hezbollah official to let him partner a christian school in georgia with muslim students foa class cultural students. >> it was my hope getting young people to talk to young people and finding out t

and he was able to separate out christianity from jesus, say no to christianity and say yes to yeast. >> how many of the colonists, what percentage were religiously affiliated or had had religious beliefs in some specific denomination? >> i'm not sure the percentage. but much smaller percentage of churchgoers than we have now. something more on the order of, i don't know, one out of five rather than the vast majority. and those who were christians and who did go to crunch typically didn't think a lot about jesus either. >> how much did jefferson take out of the bible? >> took out about 9/10 of the saying of jesus, tenth survived. >> took out the miracles? >> miracles, anything that sounded to him like calvinist theology, to jesus like god or healing and he took out the rest your ration, ends the story with the crucifix. >> did the early founders view the united states as a christian organization? >> nasa a good question. some of them did and many did not but i think it's fair to say tht most of them had a more deistic view, a view that yes, god, yes, afterlife and rewards and punish

he equated militarism of conservative christianity where. he expected the world to your attitude that he expected the students. when you're eighteen years old. and your values are. yeah right. people in the military whether they be chaplains or staff or people in the military. articulate a religious perspective which says if you are not born again you are going to hell if you do not use jesus in this way then you are going to hell what you are really saying to that person is not. your life and your existence is also less suited value than someone who embraces this idiology the etiology of the conservative christian. for all that is all they all are to. live that while the authors. head off. while we have. several hundred. stare out. like this is. where all the officers. of the all over the christian military. the world was traced for. over three hours well it all is your. fellow a major general retired. rector campus crusade for christ military ministries vision of campus crusade military ministry is to transform the nations of the world mil

they are the confrontations between christians and christians to muslims and muslims over who is a true believer and he's not. you has the right to speak for god and he doesn't. we certainly see that here in america when people will take -- for example, we see that between liberals and conservatives. people like rev. frank and graeme, a half billion dollar evangelical empire him. bois whether it barack obama is a true christian are not. that is about this confrontation inside of christianity. within islam it's even more important to understand that there is no such thing as islam. there are thousands of the sectarian division between sounion shiites. it's also a question between liberals and conservatives over is going to control what is law means and the 21st century in practical terms whether it's bailing or practices for women's rights or economic policies. these are complications within their religion. they are the most important confrontations of our time. >> what is your relationship? >> i'm glad to say it's a very friendly one. i have a great deal of respect for him. he is also g

and he was able to separate out christianity from jesus, say no to christianity and say yes to yeast. >> how many of the colonists, what percentage were religiously affiliated or had had religious beliefs in some specific denomination? >> i'm not sure the percentage. but much smaller percentage of churchgoers than we have now. something more on the order of, i don't know, one out of five rather than the vast majority. and those who were christians and who did go to crunch typically didn't think a lot about jesus either. >> how much did jefferson take out of the bible? >> took out about 9/10 of the saying of jesus, tenth survived. >> took out the miracles? >> miracles, anything that sounded to him like calvinist theology, to jesus like god or healing and he took out the rest your ration, ends the story with the crucifix. >> did the early founders view the united states as a christian organization? >> nasa a good question. some of them did and many did not but i think it's fair to say that most of them had a more deistic view, a view that yes, god, yes, afterlife and rewards and punish

church and every christian why. use the last commandment that god gave to us which was the great commission or the a banjo mandate which is to go and preach the gospel to every creature we find in a fusion strapped for it says that they that were scattered abroad went everywhere preaching the word everyone everywhere evangelizing and that's how the early church conquered the pagan roman empire once we reclaim it here maybe we can be more effective around the world because much of the world has. gotten away from god gotten away from christ. on a personal expressed appreciation on the station. for me this is. true ghostwriter more than thirty years of constant. the critical week for us was a program he created for. the only hope for anything this world is the constant really. is for people to know that if they were to die right now and it could be even better because. it. is. it really is it is it's. i think it's quite appropriate for us to proclaim our faith. for those who are of a faith that we believe one must have

christian military. our world was traced for. over three hours well it all is your. hello i'm major don't retire our debt collector campus crusade for christ military ministry vision of campus crusade military ministries to transform the nations of the world military says we're. still finding just like the revival in the army in northern virginia eight hundred sixty two sixty three there's incredible numbers about a thousand a month i mean the recruit training camps that are coming. in and many more recommitting why is that. clears a man's head you know to using this particular point in time to purify those individuals in the military as they go to do our bidding. and also providentially to purify our nation. the spring is essential for even. the lord's eventual zation. to be extremely powerful not only in the local community but when the national level have a. reach these organizations oh there is in there or scores of these organizations in the holy spirit also interest in influencing as well as the. is america. you know. all the way from genesis to revelation you

christian homes. and politicians say this situation is unacceptable. >> it has been ineffective. this has not been the kind of organization that is fit for a purpose. >> welcome to bbc world news. trades to the french model who campaigned against anorexia, and queen elizabeth's eldest grandson is 12th in line for the throne. hello to the man who was once rush of's riches tycoon. he is now seen as a major test of the judicial system. today he was sentenced to another six years in prison for stealing oil from his own company and laundering the proceeds. several governments have condemned the verdict with claims that mr. putin is behind it. a good >> he already knew he was going to be convicted for a second time. the only question was how many. the answer came at the end of the judge's four-day verdict, a 14-day sentence starting from the arrest in 2003, exactly what the prosecution would ask for. it means the former billionaire could spend another seven years in prison. he will certainly still be behind

anybody that says that hitler was a christian. he was not a christian, he was a gentile. there's a difference. which we have established, okay. hitler was politically so brilliant he would never say he's against the church. he didn't have the kind of power that saddam hussein had a few years ago. he had to play the political game to get more and more power. he understand that he had to play the political game and talk a good came when it came to the church and always pretend to be on the side of the church and morality against degenerates speaking along those lines. yes, i don't agree with everything that he says. he's basically on the right path. nobody, of course, thought that he would be there for 12 years. everybody thought we'll use him for a while. he's going to be one term fewer -- ever heard that term? i made it up. nobody took him seriously. what he's trying to do is fundamentally antithetical to the german church. as a pastor, i have to speak about against this. he's one the leading speaking out against it. he became known as the barrman declaration with the doc

iraqiare calling for this place to be officially declared a christian ovince. >> we have 500,000 christian refugees. our position has been clear to the government, these people

holy land christians have lived in historic palestine since the advent of christianity alongside muslims. but did i kill innocent. allies across the face of course and that's never and said. i'm a song from the skull still with me i think of it every day. the flashbacks from the memory. of so much so long time i'm just here trying to tell. i was. i was ashamed that i didn't. i was ashamed that i hadn't been a hero why i got my legs. what i wanted to be a little. bit about what i was going on once or i think. that i was a good soldier. but now most soldier on the other side and i think i'm just as good . it was like things were running. well it's not tried a thursday but we don't have a show tomorrow as we're off the holidays so we're going to get all of our labs out right now and say we'll look at some of the funniest and most ridiculous stories of this week including a cable that reveals that the late anna nicole smith took down the bahamian government singlehandedly and will look back at some of the stories that we loved and laughed at so much this year that we just had to bring them b

they began to not supply the doctrine of the christian church.ry few people like bonhoeffer understood immediately what was happening so bonhoeffer is veryb quickly a vocal leading criticf of what is happening to the chairmani church. it becomes most pointed a fews n months into 1933 win when the not seize start making their laws and saying if you have jewish blood you cannot serve in the government post. wealth is now extends to the church because if you are adsr pastor who has jewish blood, your father is jewish or your grandfather is jewish or your whole family is ethnically jewish but you created -- do noe seize are not interested in what yodu believe. they are interested in your bloodhe where jew and gentile stand together. if the church has any meaning, that's what it is. it's not a place to look at things racially. so bonhoeffer at this point is taking the lead in all -- [cell phone ringing] >> if that's my wife, i'm not bonhoeffer now gets involved ine the struggle for the church because the church was verylled confused.gl they were badly

. >> these were all carried out on the christian holmes basically, one in a largely christian area were two people were killed, we're told by police, and the others on christian homes around the capital and in the largely muslim areas. very definitely christians being targeted once again in a coordinated rash of attacks that happened after dark through the evening in different parts of town. just like the attacks 10 days after the big attack, the taking over the church in the massacring of something like 40 + christians there on the last day of october. this is the continuation of that campaign, and apparently aimed at driving the christians out of iraq, although they have been here since the early years of the state itself. >> if that is the game, it seems to be being pretty successful, doesn't it? there have been quite a number of christians leaving. it is easy for them, for example, to head north and go to the kurdish area of iraq where conditions are much safer. there's already a christian community there which has been expended by an influx from the other parts of iraq. of course,

christians around the world began to celebrate christmas. and snow continues to paralyzed parts of europe. the cold snap continues into christmas. welcome to "bbc world news," broadcast to our viewers on pbs in america, also around the globe. coming up later for you -- white church leaders in iraq urged worshipers to keep -- why church leaders and iraq urged worshipers to keep celebrations low-key. and could shoppers and commuters benefit from two lanes of pedestrian traffic? the west african regional grouping ecowas has given the incumbent president of ivory coast and ultimatum. laurent gbagbo has been told to stand down or face "legitimate force." this came after disputed election results last month. ivory coast is locked in an election standoff in which 200 have been killed. we of this. >> in the un-protected enclave, military action has been called for to drive laurent gbagbo from power. >> violence has resurfaced in our city. serious violations of human rights have been reported. during the curfew, people were abducted and executed by e

in the face of anti-christian violence. >> christianity's been here for 2,000 years. but the killings, bombings and attacks of the last few weeks may have tipped the balance. people want to go. >> brown: we examine the uptick in illegal harvesting of holiday greenery from the forests of washington state. >> warner: mark shields and michael gerson analyze this week's news. ♪ >> brown: plus, we take a second look at paul solman's story about a great composer who was also a smart investor. that's all ahead on tonight's "newshour." major funding for the pbs newshour has been provided by: >> auto companies make huge profits. >> last year, chevron made a lot of money. >> where does it go? >> every penny and more went into bringing energy to the world. >> the economy is tough right now, everywhere. >> we pumped $21 million into local economies, into small businesses, communities, equipment, materials. >> that money could make a big difference to a lot of people. >> opportunity can start anywhere and go everywhere. to help revitalize a neighborhood in massachusetts; restore a

this is not a christian country. yes, it was founded by christians. it was founded by christians who left england because they wanted to get away from being persecuted. and there were certainly christian values this country was founded on but we are not a christian nation. barack obama said that. we are a nation of many faiths and no faith. and people are moral because they are decent people, not because whether they believed jesus christ is the son of god. host: the pew forum breaks down the religious composition. we can just go through the percentage -- jim, republican mike. go ahead. caller: good morning. can you hear you -- can you hear me? i would like to question -- do you have to be a christian to celebrate christmas? my background, i hold to the historic orthodox christian faith, the faith of luther and calvin and others, but you certainly do not have to be a christian to celebrate christmas, that is obvious. i think our country now has kind of, and has been for a long time, you have christians who celebrate christmas, the birth of christ and

is so-called christian nation this is not why you're not english because a christian nation where you know in our in our constitution they say no where does it say that they exalt themselves first you know what i'm saying it's not a christian nation but the the words from the talking heads are where christian a judeo christian nation now essentially that is i know a lot of shirley's not saying anything a. i didn't interrupt you don't interrupt me this is not a christian nation this nation isn't even remotely and surely their comments choice carlos really are what they're saying here surely your comments i bless you for for you for calling for repentance but the kind of repentance that we should be seeking is is repentance from from from warmaking i mean jesus said blessed are you that kerry says there are so you that scouts not kill we have no business over there in afghanistan we had no business over there in iraq but you're not going to fix any of this without obedience to the commandments of god don't say we're going to repair our i don't want to let him have to let us take our sol

do you speak for all christians what i would do it was never so we just. really respond well you know we've got a great response all we've heard a great response is while there are people that see this is censorship there are a lot of people in fact that are going to be known for this we know about how it was that you're absolutely right because we are organizing a. protest action artistic action that will originate a transformer tomorrow at four five thirty and we will be covering our mal's in recognition of david want to rich's work and silence of this piece we will be walking down to the national portrait gallery to have a silent vigil protest in response to the removal of this piece well clearly this is an issue that is hotly debated in the community right now and lawmakers really are up in arms we'll see if they actually get an investigation over and we'll see how the protest goes but you know i don't think that it's up to anyone to tell me what are. and i am not allowed to see right thank you so much for joining us thank you also to come in tonight's

this is not a christian country. yes, it was founded by christians. it was founded by christians who left england because they wanted to get away from being persecuted. and there were certainly christian values this country was founded on but we are not a christian nation. barack obama said that. we are a nation of many faiths and no faith. and people are moral because they areecent people, not because whether they believed jesus christ is the son of god. host: the pew forum breaks down the religious composition. we can just go through the percentage -- jim, republican mike. go ahead. caller: good morning. can you hear you -- can you hear me? i would like to qstion -- do you have to be a christian to celebrate christmas? my background, i hold to the historic orthodox christian faith, the faith of luther and calvin and others, but you certainly do not have to be a christian to celebrate christmas, that is obvus. i think our country now has kind of, and has bn for a long time, you have christians who celebrate christmas, the birth of christ and do the m

. >> did the early founders view the united states as a christian organization? >> nasa a good question. some of them did and many did not but i think it's fair to say that most of them had a more deistic view, a view that yes, god, yes, afterlife and rewards and punishments but not specifically christian and certainly not specifically new testament biblical. >> the founding fathers saw united states, america, as a secular nation? >> well -- >> you make this statement in the book, you said, "there was a treaty," that you cite in 1797, a key time, between the united states and tripoli. in that treaty the u.s. government says the government of the united states of america is not in any sense founded on the christian religion. there are also courses approved vision for the total separation

they said working through the holidays would be sacrilegious and disrespectful to christians. but veral christian leaders responded that there's actually no better time to work on a treaty aimed at bringing peace on earth, since peace is a major theme of the christmas season. also, this week, a broad interfaith coalition held what it called an emergency prayer summit and march in support of the dream act which would create a path to citizenship for the undocumented children of illegal immigrants. the coalition urged the senate to approve the bill which has already passed the house. meanwhile, some conservative angelicals expressed disproal afer the hou voted again this week to repeal don't ask don't tell, the ban on gays serving openly in the military. the senate is expected to consider the measure this weekend. >>> now, a lucky severson report. there is a new law about to take effect in arizona aimed at high school ethnic studies in the city of tucson. the courses teach hispanics, anglos, asians and native americans abo the own and eh otrs hto, and scho officials say thattren