Disturbances
at the Temple Mount: Christians’ historical contribution and the sacrifice
required of Muslims to bring about true peace
Gottfried
Hutter, Theologian, Psychotherapist, Author of this Peace Initiative,
Founder and Chairman of the Temple-Project Association
The recent and still ongoing troubles in Jerusalem
point to the heart of the entire conflict, the location that Muslims call “the Noble
Sanctuary”, al Haram ash Sharif. For them, it is the place from which their Prophet
ascended into Heaven, proving that he is indeed “the Seal of all Prophets”, for
there he met with all prophets who had come before him. For Jews this is the site
of their former Temple, a place marked by the special presence of God, which
was destroyed by the Romans nearly 2000 years ago.
Western politics with its secular approach cannot do
justice to this conflict. The deep emotional dimension is missing.
According to international law Jews have no right to
that location, because the destruction of their Temple happened too long ago – nor
is the fact that Jews are praying three times a day for a New Temple relevant for
international law. It supports the Muslims who demand that Jews refrain from praying
at that location; in other words, demanding that Jews divest themselves of any
claim to the site.
And since Western politicians stand for secular
politics, they agree with the Muslims. But is this truly just? They are in
effect demanding that Jews forget their Bible, which is not only the basis of
Judaism but has also become the basis of the Christian religion and even that of
Islam.
If one is to understand what would be the correct
approach today, it will be necessary to understand how the present crisis evolved
– and the part Christians played in it.
From the reign of Emperor Constantine, the Christians
rule over Jerusalem. In particular, Constantine’s mother, Saint Helena, did
historical research in the area. She discovered Jesus’ grave and even the cross
on which he had died, and she discovered the location of his birth in Bethlehem.
She ordered the construction of the Holy Sepulcher in
Jerusalem and the Church of Nativity in Bethlehem, and she ordered the
destruction of the Roman temples which had been built on the site of the former
Jewish Temple after the Romans quelled the Jewish uprising in the year 135. But
she was not interested in reconstructing the Jewish Temple or in repealing the
Edict of Hadrian which banned the Jews from entering their former Holy City or resettling
in their former homeland.
She and the Christian authorities seem to have been
quite content that the site of the Temple should have been transformed into an
expanse of rubble, because this served as a reminder that the Old Covenant,
which God had forged with the Jews, was now superseded by the New Covenant between
the Son of God and humanity, represented by the Christians.
In consequence, the expanse of rubble came – under
Christian rule – to be used as a garbage dump.
That, Jesus surely would not have wanted! He called
the Temple “the House of My Father” and his disciples continued to visit the
Temple regularly for years after his resurrection – of course with due respect
towards that sanctuary! Now this respect was missing.
The fact that the Christians turned this place into a
garbage dump some 300 years later, must figure on the account sheet of the
Christians, and is continuing to bring forth effects to this day!
If the Christians had displayed the proper respect due
to this place, the Muslims would have behaved differently when they conquered
Jerusalem! Then it would not have been necessary for Caliph Umar to clean this
place up. And if this place had been respected by the Christians the Caliph
would not have been able to take possession of it, just as he did not take
possession of the Holy Sepulcher. The entire history of the Holy Land would then
have developed very differently down to this day! There would probably be no
conflict now over the Temple Mount. The three religions whose forefather is
Abraham might have shared this place already in the year 638! It would then not
have been necessary today to ask this egregious sacrifice of the Muslims – to
share their Noble Sanctuary, al Haram ash Sharif, the location of the ascension
of their Prophet to Heaven with the Jews who are conscious here of God’s special
presence where their Temples once stood.
Yet, if the Muslims were able to make that sacrifice,
they would thereby bring peace to the entire Middle East – first peace with
Israel, and then peace, too, among themselves, between the different
denominations of Islam; for, once the principle of sharing has been introduced,
peace will become possible everywhere – just as there is peace in city traffic,
because traffic lights rule alternately in favor of one side and then of the
other.
(Oct. 20,
2015)
Information and contact: www.Temple-Project.de, gottfried.hutter@gmx.de
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