The CADFA guesthouse

Starting off in Abu Dis, learning where CADFA visitors stay, seeing the view from the balcony

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Why is Jerusalem important?

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The question was asked, "why is Jerusalem so important?" These two maps help explain my answer. One map is from Anglo-Saxon England, in 1040 AD, before William the Conqueror arrived, and the Mappa Mundi from Hereford is a map from 1300. Both maps show the point of view of the first 1300 years AD, with Jerusalem as the centre of the known world. Jerusalem is central to three religions, and as such holds a deeply spiritual and almost mythical quality for people of faith and non faith alike. Sadly the three Abrahamic faiths have shed rivers of each others'  blood over the white stones of Jerusalem, just when a sense of brotherhood should have been paramount. Using faith as an excuse for extreme violence to others is not celebrated in any faith. The Qu'ran advises not to harm the Jews or the Christian as they are brothers; Jesus gives a clear message when he gives the Samaritan (non Jew) as the example of the good neighbour; as did the example of Ruth in Jewish scripture,...
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