It was natural for them to refrain from taking sides with any Christian party against another.
Only the Christian parties, which held 26 of the 75 seats at the time, voted against the bill.
It was also the first government since 1918 not to include a Christian Democratic party.
It was one of two Christian parties contesting the 2009 elections.
Christian democratic parties were organized by Catholics who saw liberalism as a threat to traditional values.
In the rapidly changing political landscape, groups are arising that seek to form a Christian democratic party.
Even though not a nominally Christian party, the church has stood fully and unconditionally behind it.
The arrest came shortly before presidential elections, and the suspects had planned to found a Christian political party.
It was also the first time since 1918 that a Christian Democratic party was not part of the government.
A senior official of Lebanon's largest Christian party was kidnapped today.