The Religious Left (a term we never hear much of) is relentless in its attempts to demonize and delegitimize the Jewish state. This is despite the fact that the overwhelming number of Protestant church goers are pro-Israel. The National Council of Churches is a neo Marxist bunch of atheists who use the veneer of Christianity to promote Marxist and Islamic causes. People should clarify where their church stands on this issue before making contributions.
by Jonathan Tobin
The disconnect between the views of the leadership of mainline Protestant churches on the Middle East and those of the rank-and-file members of their congregations has been growing in recent decades. Activists and leading clergy of liberal Protestant denominations have embraced the Palestinian cause while most of those who attend their churches are, like most Americans, warm supporters of Israel. But in the case of at least one of these churches — the Presbyterian Church USA — the gap between those who speak in the name of these institutions and those whom they claim to represent has grown to the point where communal relations are at the brink of a breakdown. Institutions connected with the Presbyterians have become a font of anti-Israel invective that has crossed the line into outright anti-Semitism.
In the course of promoting their anti-Israel policies, church leaders have engaged in rhetoric that seeks not only to delegitimize the state of Israel but also the Jewish community. The actions and statements of the church’s Israel Palestine Mission Network (IPMN-PCUSA) have been so egregious that the Jewish Council on Public Relations, the umbrella network of Jewish community relations groups, has been forced to go public with their complaints in hopes that ordinary Presbyterians will do something about the epidemic of hate speech springing from church activists.
Even a partial list of offensive statements made by Presbyterian activists on Israel and the Jews ought to send a chill down the spines of church members who may be unaware of what is going on:
At an opening program of the IPMN-PCUSA annual conference, the Rev. Craig Hunter said “greed and injustice is a cancer at the very core of Zionism.” In a 2010 letter to church delegates, the IPMN-PCUSA falsely accused the Jewish community of intimidating Presbyterians by sending a letter-bomb to the church’s headquarters and setting fire to a church. IPMN-PCUSA tweeted an article proclaiming “Jewish power + Jewish hubris = moral catastrophe of epic proportions.” IPMN-PCUSA also has supported virulently anti-Israel resolutions including those equating Israel with apartheid and has been a vocal supporter of the anti-Israel boycott, divestment, and sanction movement. …
[.......]
The idea that a mainstream American church would engage in this sort of abuse of Jews and the Jewish state is shameful. Moreover, this is not about church activists engaging in legitimate criticism of Israeli policies. By participating in a propaganda war against Zionism and the existence of Israel and its right of self-defense, these Presbyterian activists have crossed the line that separates criticism from delegitimization. Anyone who would deny Jews the same rights of self-determination and self-defense they would never think of questioning when it comes to any other country is engaging in bigotry. The church’s activities have nothing to do with the promotion of peace and everything to do with scapegoating Israel and the Jews.
While this has nothing to do with the beliefs, let alone the actions of the overwhelming majority of most American Presbyterians, it goes without saying the responsibility for policing these institutions belongs to church members. Because Jewish community relations professionals have failed to get the church hierarchy to act on this question up until now, it is up to the rank-and-file to speak out against this behavior and see that it ends. Those Presbyterians who say they wish to live in fellowship with their Jewish neighbors are obligated to ensure their church does not engage in anti-Semitism or support an economic war on the Jewish state. On this point, there can be no middle ground. The church must repudiate these extremists who have appropriated their good name to promote a hateful cause.
Read the rest - Will Presbyterians Repudiate Churche’s Hate for Israel and Jews?
Tags: Jonathan Tobin
The leaders of these left-wing church’s (most of whom are probably atheists anyway) ought to be starved of funds from their congregations.
Left-wing churches in general seem to have a very un-Christian agenda. Christianity is not really compatible with Leftist thought, as the Catholic Church is finding out the hard way. But I bet Obama still gets the majority of the Catholic vote this election.
Iron Fist wrote:
The Church of England had a Bishop who openly admitted to being an atheist.
Iron Fist wrote:
I don’t think he will.
@ Iron Fist:
The GOP got the majority of Catholic voters in 2010. Romney doesn’t really appeal to Catholics, so I don’t know about November.
@ Rodan:
Romney got more of the Hispanic vote than you’d expected in Florida. I would think that this Catholic attack would have the Hispanic community up in arms. I think Romney will get every State McCain got in 2008, but I don’t expect him to get any more than that. Obama is going to me extremely formidible. Romney hasn’t had to endure the kind of negative personal attention that he will get from the Obama Campaign yet. And Obama is going to have the money to blanket the market in advertisements. His new SuperPAC will see to that. This is going to be a monstrously challenging campaign season. I’m already tired, just thinking about it…
@ Rodan:
Oh, and I have to say, I don’t see how anyone who calls themselves a Christian can vote for a Democrat. I can see where they wouldn’t be happy with the Republicans all the time (I’m not), but the alternative is the Evil Party. I’ll take stupid over evil.
Good post, Speranza, if a bit depressing
These mainline churches that delegitimize Israel are also the same ones that won’t do a thing to stand up for Christian minorities in the Muslim world. They’re a sad excuse for Christians, really.
@ Iron Fist:
The reason Romney won the Hispanic vote was because the GOP Establishment read the Cubans the riot act. They told Cuban leaders, if you don’t support Romney, the GOP will not support Dry Foot/Wet Foot and “unleash the GOP base” after the Cuban Community. So many voted out of fear.
The Colombian Republicans told the GOP to fuck off and went with Gingrich. The problems is there are more Cubans than Colombians.
@ Iron Fist:
AT this point, the GOP is evil and stupid. The Democrats are evil and manipulative.
Moe Katz wrote:
True, they are not about religion at all but using religion to advance a left-wing world view.
these ‘leaders’ worship at the alter of the left, not at the alter of christ. the congregation has a responsibility to put an end to this.
Speranza wrote:
Reminds me of Justice Ginsberg’s recently reported anti US Constitution comments.
@ citizen_q:
Yeah, Supreme Court Justices are supposed to eb the nominally secular High Priests of the Constitution. Ginsberg obviously wishes that we lived under something totally different. Shari’ia Law, maybe, given where she made her comments, and the context she made them in.
@ citizen_q:
The Anglican/Episcopalian hierarchy contains plenty of atheists and agnostics. Some of them dabble in post-death-of-God theology too.
Iron Fist wrote:
Yes, but she has one foot in the grave and the other firmly planted on a banana peel… By the grace of God, God will deny her death until O’Sucknuts is no longer in office and conservatives control the congress.
@ Moe Katz:
As in the case of ginsberg, I don’t understand remaining in a position if your beliefs are antithetical that position’s purpose or the larger organization, unless your goal is subversion.
citizen_q wrote:
Bingo! That is exactly the reason in both cases.
@ citizen_q:
In the case of Ginsburg, I think you’ve answered your own question.
Interesting to compare IF’s #18 and my #19. I guess we part company on the existential theologians.
A heart rending video of a useless recently released con trying to kidnap a little girl out of a walmart. Why are these people even walking the steets? I think we need to legalize prostitution for exactly this reason. To divert some of the sexually driven criminals in other channels. Give them a legal way to work it out. Sex crimes would still happen but there would be less of them. People that can’t control and direct their anti social compulsions need to be controlled and directed.
citizen_q wrote:
Watching Ginsberg throw her arms around Ozero at the SOTU speech made me cringe. From up here, I think all too many lefties view everything through the prism of race. It blinds them to the larger world except as an abstraction. Dangerous times to be doing that.
@ darkwords:
Gee, with all due respect I can’t see a pedophile being attracted to a hooker.
Mega-Church Pastor Who Delivered Invocation At Obama’s Inauguration Says He’d “Go To Jail Rather Than Cave In To Government Mandate”…
@ 6 Iron Fist: A picture of Romney in a diaper is all that Obama needs to derail his campaign.
Iron Fist wrote:
I don’t know how anyone who is Jewish can massively side against the survival of the only safe haven for Jews established after the holocaust. But….there ya go. Lefties are still whining about Baruch Goldstein’s mentally imbalanced shooting which was a generation ago. Guess they haven’t read anything in 20 years or so. People have a giant investment in their belief systems.
@ Moe Katz: prostitution is a lot about role playing. between adults. If it puts the doubt or the hesitation in a pedophile about his compulsions then that is a good thing.
@ Moe Katz: But if course I wouldn’t even let a re offending pedophile walk the streets. The solution is a bullet in the forehead or a life long prison sentence someplace we never think of.
darkwords wrote:
or chemical castration.
@ waldensianspirit:
I actually read ‘The Purpose Driven Life’ after receiving it as a gift.
It was pretty decent.
@ coldwarrior:
I haven’t looked into that subject. I wonder how effective chemical castration has turned out to be. Compliance might be an issue even if the drugs work.
@ Bumr50:
Obama’s handlers have got to be eating Tums like candy
@ waldensianspirit:
They’re a good source of calcium.
@ Moe Katz:
May they calcify then!
@ waldensianspirit:
At least they won’t be spineless.
@ Moe Katz:
One spine for all, all for one spine
@ waldensianspirit:
Spine with me.
@ Moe Katz:
If they can’t force Jared Loughner to take his anti-schophrenia medication, I’d say some Liberal judge would find it cruel and unusual to force a mere pedophile to take drugs that render him impotent.
@ Iron Fist:
That would not surprise me one bit …
Moe Katz wrote:
which is why i’m not in charge of crime and punishment…sexual molestation of a minor would be only punishable by death in my world.
McCain calling for military aid to Syrian Rebel Forces
He likes throwing his chest out strutting around in other countries as if he is Supreme US Commander
@ coldwarrior:
Maybe banishment to Newt’s moon colony.
Millstone. Rope. Neck. Tie on and test how well they swim in the sea --Jesus Christ [paraphrase]
waldensianspirit wrote:
Well, sure, it was such a success in Libya, why not continue when we’re on a roll?
/
yenta-fada wrote:
Dangerous times on many fronts.
For example
Khamenei strategist releases document providing legal, religious justification for annihilation of Jewish people.
Notice the the second bold. obama’s “nuanced” foreign policy is perceived as weakness. A weakness to exploit, thus inviting conflict rather than reducing it.
A very clear example of how weakness or perceived weakness invites attack, and the true of “If you want peace, prepare for war”.
Moe Katz wrote:
My reaction to the Tums commercials touting Tums as a good source of calcium, was that if I needed them to the point that was a feature, I think I’d be seeing my doctor.
And weaselzippers has the text associated with:
When will people understand his compiled concepts that make up his mind are starkly different than the Western mind
waldensianspirit wrote:
You’re shitting me, right? Please say so. I cannot believe how stupid that man is.
@ Speranza:
Check this out.
@ Speranza:
I’ve been going through weaselzippers:
McRINO Calls For Sending Military Aid To Syrian Rebel Forces…
hmmm, did he hold up Libya as a gem of an operation?
@ citizen_q:
Well … nowadays adults are supposed to get 1000 mg of calcium or more depending on age, gender. So there’s certainly room for a supplement unless one is eating a lot of dairy foods.
@ Rodan:
Yea, and why are they writing about it
@ Speranza:
. . . My Friends . . . Mr. ‘blood and treasure’ needs to check himself. Thanks 4 your service to country, now just retire already.
@ waldensianspirit:
Beautiful! From the Halls of Montezuma to the Shores of Tripoli, we will fight for al Qaeda and the Muslim Brotherhood…
But they can’t be troubled to win the war with Islam…
@ Moe Katz:
No issue with supplementation for calcium. Just an observation about the chronic need for heart-burn relief to where Tums calcium content is a feature.
@ citizen_q:
So sorry, I misunderstood. You’re absolutely right!
@ Iron Fist:
Nice one, IF. The USMC hymn does make for a nice irony here, doesn’t it?
Better haul ass, Montezuma
In your shoes size triple-E
‘Cause we must defend the Muslims
In whatever clime they be
Yes, we’ll bleed to keep dames in burkhas
To save men who honor-kill
Long ago we were US Marines
Now we are just Muslim shills.
spinmore wrote:
McCain and his daughters boobs need to retire.
Moe Katz wrote:
Vitamin D is also important.
@ Speranza:
His daughter’s boobs are just fine! It is her moronic opinions I could easily do without…
Rodan wrote:
If you have some links or eyewitness accounts on this, it’d make a great blog post!
citizen_q wrote:
Some people have trouble digesting dairy products, or just don’t care that much for milk and cheese.
I rarely drink milk because I’m never sure it’s fresh. I can’t stand milk that is slightly spoiled, and a lot of it is. Cheese, on the other hand, keeps a lot better and contains calcium.