© MEMRISheikh Younus Kathrada.
In remarks exposed on Monday by the Middle East Media Research Institute (MEMRI), Sheikh Younus Kathrada remarked that, "[N]owadays, of course, we are close to Christmas."
Kathrada added that "with great sadness, we see that amongst us there are those who think it's a small matter, and so, not only might we congratulate them on their Christmas, on their false holiday and celebration, but we may take part in their holiday as well."
The sheikh's comments came in the wake of a stark warning at the start of this month from the Anglican archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, that Christians in the Middle East were on "the brink of extinction." Writing in the British newspaper The Telegraph on Dec. 1, Welby said that the region's Christians were confronting on a daily basis "the threat of violence, murder, intimidation, prejudice and poverty."
Comment: From whom, exactly? Not secular, multi-confessional states like Syria (and Iraq), where practically everyone celebrates Christmas, regardless of their religion. But ethnic/religious-nationalist states like Saudi Arabia and Israel are different stories... And of course, the loonies and fanatics like al-Nusra, ISIS, and their Wahhabi brethren (supported by the Gulf States, Turkey, the U.S. and Israel at various times over the years) have been the ones trying to destroy Syria, and without whom, Christians would not face any existential threat.
Comment: For more on this scammer, see also: