Dove's Eye View

Legends of St. George

I have a strong interest in St. George, a possibly mythical figure who is important to my father's people. Colonel Patrick Lang, a military historian, referred recently to the significance of St. George to Palestinian Christians. I shared with him my research notes on the topic, and he was kind enough to reprint them here: The Athenaeum: St. George. The following is what I sent him:

Last spring I researched St. George in the Mills College library. I found two sources regarding the saint from Lyd. The second, 19th century source, seems particularly germane to the St. George discussion in a thread at Sic Semper Tyrannis; the information I gathered will impact the novel I'm working on, set in South Lebanon. Herewith my notes:

St. George

From Dictionary of Mythology Folklore and Symbols, Gertrude Jobes, Vol. 2 p. 1370 publ. 1962

"George. Martyred 303. One of the seven champions of Christendom. In Georgia, Russia, revered as a deity of good fortune. His worship is related to moon worship, and he occupies a position similar to that of Christ as mediator and intercessor. Adopted by Edward III, he became patron saint of England. In legend, he killed a dragon to save Cleodolinda, daughter of the King of Lydia, or Sabra, daughter of Ptolemy, in much the same manner that Perseus killed dragons to save maidens.

The legend is an allegory expressing the triumph of Christianity over evil. He is called the everlasting green one, inasmuch as his conflict with evil is eternal. Again and again he was slain, but he kept returning to life until he was mutilated, cut into small parts and burned, his ashes scattered in the wind, attributes of a fertility lord...By Arabs called Djirdjis.

S. Baring-Gould: Curious Myths of the Middle Ages, Boston, Roberts Brothers 1882.

"He was a native of Lydda, but brought up in Cappadocia, he entered the Roman army and suffered a cruel death for Christ." "The Turks pay great veneration to St. George."

Dean Stanley moreover noticed a Mussulman chapel (sic) on the sea-shore near Sarafend, the ancient Sarepta, dedicated to El Khouder, in which "there is no tomb inside, only hangings before a recess. This variation from the usual type of Mussulman sepulchres was, as we were told by peasants on the spot, because El Khouder is not yet dead, but flies round and round the world, and these chapels were built wherever he has appeared." (p. 231).

Ibn Wahshiya al Kasdani, 900s, Chaldaean, Muslim, "hated the Arabs", translated Nabathaean writings rescued from "Moslem fanaticism." "Book of Nabathean Agriculture by Kuthami the Babylonian". Ibn Wahshiya links Tammuz to festival of St. George end of Nisan (April)– says "what is related of the blessed George is the same as that told of Tammuz" i.e. Restored to life.... "Phoenician Adonis was identical with Tammuz.

St. Jerome in the Vulgate rendered the passage in Ezekiel (viii. 14) "He brought me to the door of the gate of the Lord's house, which was towards the north; an behold, there sat women weeping for Tammuz," by ecce mulieres sedentes plangetnes Adonidem; and in his commentary on the passage says, "Whom we have interpreted Adonis, both the Hebrew and Syriac languages call Thamuz, and they call the month june by that name." He informs us also of a very immportant fact, that the solstice was the time of wailing for Tammuz.

George/Tammuz identified with sun/fire (torture by fire, dumped in vat of molten lead etc.)

Baring Gould says fight between St George and dragon took place at Berytus (Beirut). Compares to story of Perseus. Scene of conflict near Joppa, where in the days of St. Jerome the bones of the huge reptile were exhibited (p. 255)

"According to another version, the dragon guards the spring of water, and the country is languishing for want of water; St. George restores to the land the use of the spring by slaying the dragon." (264)

(end notes. All of the above is quote or paraphrase from referenced sources, not my original material).

Any Lebanese readers want to elaborate on the shrine at Sarafand? I remember a tomb or small jam'a on the Sidon-Tyre road. Was this at Sarafand? Is it the referenced shrine to "El Khoudour?"

Scholars Urge Bush to Ban Use of Torture

America's elite high school students meet the president. This is what they say: Scholars Urge Bush to Ban Use of Torture.

President Bush was presented with a letter Monday signed by 50 high school seniors in the Presidential Scholars program urging a halt to "violations of the human rights" of terror suspects held by the United States.

The White House said Bush had not expected the letter but took a moment to read it and talk with a young woman who handed it to him.

...

The students had been invited to the East Room to hear the president speak about his effort to win congressional reauthorization of his education law known as No Child Left Behind.

The handwritten letter said the students "believe we have a responsibility to voice our convictions."

"We do not want America to represent torture. We urge you to do all in your power to stop violations of the human rights of detainees, to cease illegal renditions, and to apply the Geneva Convention to all detainees, including those designated enemy combatants," the letter said.

From the Huffington Post.

Lebanon: Farewell to Slain Peacekeepers

Spaniards and Colombians die in South Lebanon when all they were doing was trying to keep the peace: Lebanon: Farewell to Slain Peacekeepers - New York Times.

Another heartbreak in a year full of them.

Lebanon's Agony

Max Rodenbeck summarizes the current situation: Lebanon's Agony - The New York Review of Books.

However he elides the Hariri connection to Jund-as-Sham in Ain-el-Helweh, which I have confirmed independently, nor does he address the reported links of the Nahr al-Bared terrorists to Hariri, Inc. - and through them, the Bush administration.

Guess the Wurlitzer has picked its tune and will grind it out repeatedly until even the most "objective" of observers will have trouble singing any variations. Links posted have been endorsed by this American military intelligence officer (retired).

Annals of National Security: The General’s Report

Seymour Hersh reports on General Taguba and Abu-Ghraib: Annals of National Security: The General’s Report. From The New Yorker.

From the moment a soldier enlists, we inculcate loyalty, duty, honor, integrity, and selfless service,” Taguba said. “And yet when we get to the senior-officer level we forget those values. I know that my peers in the Army will be mad at me for speaking out, but the fact is that we violated the laws of land warfare in Abu Ghraib. We violated the tenets of the Geneva Convention. We violated our own principles and we violated the core of our military values. The stress of combat is not an excuse, and I believe, even today, that those civilian and military leaders responsible should be held accountable.”

If you love the American republic and the principles upon which it stands, you will read this article and you will do whatever it takes to GET THESE PEOPLE OUT OF OFFICE.

Impeach Bush and Cheney. Impeach them now.

I say this as a 10th generation American and a fervent admirer of the US Constitution. How can you call yourself an American and dismiss the seriousness of this matter?

Christian Composer Sets Islamic 99 Names to Music

From the New York Times: John Tavener - The Beautiful Names.

for Mr. Tavener to have written “The Beautiful Names,” a meditation on the 99 names of Allah, commissioned by no less than Prince Charles, for performance in a Roman Catholic cathedral does raise certain issues. For one, the charge of opportunism. For another, the risk that Muslims, who don’t exactly value music in worship, might not be appreciative.

I don't know why the Times has to pontificate on what 1.4 billion people might think of a piece of music. I just want you to read about this new work of art premiering in England.

Demagogues and politicians and egotists preach division. Artists and mystics reach for union. I throw my lot in with the artists and mystics, thank you.

For My Relatives

So you think you "know" who is responsible for the war in Nahr al-Bared? You read the New York Times, the AP News wire, and plenty of Lebanese Forces websites? Syria is behind it all, you say, because the New York Times said so.

Here is Seymour Hersh, veteran American journalist who writes for the New Yorker, interviewed on CNN: Bush Administration arranged support for militants attacking Lebanon.

Dear folks: I don't claim to know the truth. But better intelligence analysts than I, including some very conservative, American military historians, endorse this scenario. It sounds crazy to you because the mainstream press tells a different story.

At least read it so you have the alternate view.

Remember, we told you there were no weapons of mass destruction in Iraq, too. Do you want America to go to war with Syria because of false propaganda? Do you think our military can handle another mini-Iraq? Then you owe it to yourselves to read the links.

In Mourning

Beirut. Nahr-al-Bared. Ain-el-Helweh. Gaza. Iraq.

This blog is in mourning.

Here's an Iraqi teenager in Mosul who copes the way I wish I could.

Israel relays new message to Syria

More little signs of hope: Israel relays new message to Syria.

Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert has relayed a new message to Syria about the possibility of renewing peace talks between the two countries, an Israeli newspaper reported on Tuesday.

The report carried by the Haaretz daily came after Israeli officials confirmed in the past few days that the Jewish state was using secret channels to test whether talks that stalled in 2000 could proceed anew.

Read the Haaretz report here.

Looks like progress to me...

Thanks to Richard Silverstein for noticing this: Tikun Olam-תקון עולם: Make the World a Better Place � Support Feinstein-Lugar Israeli-Palestinian Peace Resolution.

A coalition of American Jewish peace groups is supporting a newly introduced resolution written by Senators Dianne Feinstein (D, CA) and Richard Lugar (R, IN), S.R. 224, which reaffirms American support for a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, urges President Bush to appoint a high-level peace negotiator to revive peace talks between the parties, and urges them to embrace the Arab League peace plan.

Read about the Arab League peace plan here.

There is a plan for peace. Dianne Feinstein of all people supports it. The Israelis are making noises like they're willing to talk about it. Peace is not impossible; there must be political will, and it can be made to happen.

By the way, trollish visitors occasionally hector me over the nature of the proposed solution. Somebody said that if I think a one state solution is an eventuality, then I must be against the state of Israel, "not really a dove" (??) etc. etc. etc. I guess only a person who agrees with you is a dove; a person who sees it some other way must be a warmonger, huh?

I believe that sectarian/religious-based countries are untenable in the end; they are certainly against fundamental American principles enshrined in our Constitution. I think Lebanon is too sectarian and ought to go more secular. Same for Israel. But my opinion is not important. The actual players must agree on terms. They have to work out a compromise that works for them.

To my left, people say that settling for a two-state solution is selling out to Zionism, corporate America, you name it. To my right, people say that suggesting a one-state solution is anti-Semitic, hate speech, warlike, etc.

I just want to see some talking, some negotiation; and I want to see Palestinians given some basic human rights: right to vote, to assemble peaceably, to control their own resources such as water and land. That sort of thing. Rights guaranteed by international law and UN resolutions. And yes, Israel has legitimate security needs which must be addressed. It's all part of the negotiation.

Let's hope the Feinstein-Lugar resolution comes to something.