CHRISTIAN FIGHT CLUB

Trying out a new evangelism technique, Greek Orthodox and Armenian priests came to blows Thursday, arguing over how to clean the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem. It was Fight club Bethlehem.

Jurisdiction of the church is divided among different groups who jealously guard their territory. Think of Wally and the Beav sharing a room and dividing it down the middle with a line. In this case, Wally is a Franciscan catholic, the Beav is Greek Orthodox and Eddie Haskell is Armenian Orthodox.

Greek Orthodox priests set up ladders to clean their part of the church, but they encroached on space controlled by Armenian priests. Shouting ensued, followed by the exchange of blows. They went at it for 15 minutes, even taking up brooms and iron rods as weapons. Think of IFC in robes. Policemen who tried to intervene were also injured. No one said "by this shall all know you are my disciples, that you love one another".

No Southern Baptists were hurt in the making of this post. This is not a report of an International Mission Board meeting. However, rumor has it that the Georgia Baptist convention will release a statement claiming this brawl is a natural consequence of the rise of Calvinism in the SBC.