Merry Christmas! (And Some Christmas/Christian-Related Links)

Merry belated Christmas, everybody!  I didn't do any blogging yesterday, choosing instead to eat chocolate, horde my loot, and take the girlfriend to see Les Miserables.  To all those menfolk taking their significant others to Les Mis, just remember: in a darkened theatre, no one can see you cry.

All in all, it was a relaxing way to celebrate the birth of Jesus, who is Lord and also the Christ.  In the spirit of Christmas, here are some Middle East-ish Christian/Christmas-related links.  Apologies for the fact that many of them are depressing . . .

• Christianity "Close to Extinction" in the Middle East (The Telegraph)
• Pakistan's Loneliest Church Celebrates Christmas in Taliban Country (Reuters)
• After 1500 Years, Frankincense Returns to the Holy Land in Time for Christmas (Times of Israel)
• Mahmoud Abbas's Christmas Message (Palestine Press News Agency) (NOTE: less a Christmas message than an attack on Israel, Israeli settlement policy, and the separation barrier)
• Benyamin Netanyahu's Christmas Message:

• Boko Haram Attacks Two Churches in Northern Nigeria, Kills 12 (Long Wars Journal)