Paper Christians

I saw some news footage last week of the ridiculous fisticuffs between rival sects of self-proclaimed Christians in the shrine at Bethlehem. It's hard to think of any better example of rank hypocrisy really. There they are in what they consider to be one of the holiest places on Earth, followers of a preacher of peace, love & fellowship, and they're brawling like schoolchildren, or egotistical soccer stars, or Friday night binge-drinkers. Official monks and priests this is mind, not the great unwashed.

How can they actually claim to follow Christ if they indulge in this sort of behaviour? Where does it say in the gospels, "If someone disagrees with you, thou shalt smite him in the face"?
Perhaps they should read Matthew 15, 8-9 - they wear the costumes and talk the talk but they're certainly not walking the walk. I'm no Christian but it seems abundantly clear that the man these people claim to revere would be horrified by their conduct.

Maybe it's a case for Martin Shaw's new character Father Jacob!