...Jesus is not dead!
But, if we must revisit this issue, I'd suggest that the people who crucified Christ, are the same people crucifying Gibson. The scene is eerily similar, is it not?
... eh, Mr. Foxman (Caiaphas)?
Posted on 02/25/2004 12:20:14 PM PST by Pikamax
'Jews Killed Jesus' Billboard Causing Controversy Pastor Refuses To Remove Or Change Saying On Outdoor Marquee
POSTED: 9:41 am MST February 25, 2004 UPDATED: 12:44 pm MST February 25, 2004
DENVER -- A billboard unveiled on Ash Wednesday, the same day that a controversial movie depicting the last hours of Jesus Christ premiered, is sparking criticism from people of all faiths.
The large-size outdoor marquee, which sits on the property of the Lovingway United Pentecostal Church at Colorado and Mississippi, says, "Jews Killed The Lord Jesus" and the word "Settled!"
The Anti-Defamation League asked for the marquee to be changed because it is anti-Semitic, but the church only amended the billboard slightly by removing the word "settled" and attributing the line to biblical Scriptures.
That, however, is still not appeasing critics.
"Immediately, I picked up the phone and called the pastor and had a spirited but good and respectful discussion with him in which I tried to explain to him that that kind of message is divisive and exactly the kind of message which has fueled anti-Semitism for thousands of years," said Bruce Debosky, the Mountain States Regional Director for the Anti-Defamation League.
Jewish leaders say that like Mel Gibson's new movie "The Passion of the Christ" -- which opened Wednesday morning -- the passage will stir up anti-Semitic attitudes and will cause some people to lash out at Jews.
The Colorado Council of Churches also tried to get Pastor Maurice Gordon to change the sign but he refused and wouldn't even answer the phone or answer the door, 7NEWS reported.
Rev. Jim Ryan, a spokesman for the council, was quick to point out that it is a small minority who feel this way about Jews and that most Christians don't share that sentiment. Although the "Jews Killed the Lord Jesus" line comes from First Thessalonians, second chapter, verses 14 and 15, many Christian scholars interpret that passage to mean that when Paul refers to the Jews, he is referring to certain Jews who opposed Jesus' teachings and does not mean all Jews.
THE PASSION OF THE CHRIST
Movie Review Commentary: 'Passion' Violence Is Not For Kids Surveys: Too Graphic? | Plan To Take Your Kids? Movie Clips, Interview Clips, Slideshow Movie Trailer
"It is ironic that a church named 'Lovingway' would advance such an attitude of hurtfulness," Ryan said. "Christ gave his life for all people. To blame a particular group of people, then or now, is a misuse of the Gospel of love and grace. The Colorado Council of Churches wishes to make it clear that this one congregation does not speak for the vast majority of the Christian community. In fact, we stand in direct opposition to the message on this sign and its implications."
"We also call upon the leaders of other Christian groups in Denver to reaffirm the statements they have made: that all of mankind shares responsibility for Jesus' death, and that blame should not be placed collectively on the Jews of the time or the Jews of today," DeBoskey said. "We fervently hope that Jews and Christians can use this time as an opportunity for dialogue and learning, not blame and divisiveness."
Gibson's film has been criticized because it depicts the Roman governor Pontius Pilate as reluctant to crucify Jesus, placing the blame more on the Jewish high priest Caiaphas. Some people fear that the extreme violence and brutality inflicted on Jesus in the movie could foster unwarranted resentment toward Jews.
The $25 million movie, although intense and graphically violent, is being praised by Christian leaders for bringing the Passion story to a large national audience.
Gibson financed the movie by himself because no Hollywood studio was willing to invest. Gibson, a devout Catholic, belongs to a traditionalist sect that rejects Vatican II changes in 1965 as too liberal, changes that include a law that condemned the medieval thinking that Jews were cursed by God.
That so-called "blood libel" is in the Gospel according to Matthew, when Caiaphas says, "His blood be on us and our children," for allowing the crucifixion to happen.
Gibson says his movie is not anti-Semitic. The movie is rated R and presented with English subtitles.
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Well, the one who took him up on the mountain and offered Him all the kingdoms of the world (that would ever exist throughout time) thought that he had killed Jesus.
But actually, I did. It was my sins that nailed Jesus Christ to the Cross.
:~)
How about putting up the sign "Jesus was a Jew" ....."Settled" instead?
"We All Killed Jesus!" - there, now it's "settled!"
More "selective interpretation" of the Bible. Makes me sick.
*May God bless Israel and keep her safe from her enemies*
A pastor has the right to quote any Bible verse. Period.
The Anti-Defamation League called the quote "antisemitic."
Some Canadian judges also found that quoting Bible verses next to a Prohibited sign (circle with a slash) was homophobic.
Is quoting anti-homosexual verses also " playing into their hands and doing Christ's witness no favor"?
~
Let me go over this again. The Bible says:
1. Jews were instrumental in Jesus' crucifixion.
2. Romans were instrumental in Jesus' crucifixion.
3. Jesus submitted to death for all of our sakes and all of us share responsibility for his crucifixion, and through his death all of us can be redeemed.
As the Bible supports all of these premises as truth, it is playing into the hands of anti-Christian liberals to give them number 1 solely without emphasizing number 3 as the most important, soul-saving fact with numbers 1 and 2 as mere corollaries.
While a pastor (or anyone) has the right to quote any Bible verse he likes, quoting verses out of context or separating them from the greater truth is exactly what Satan would like us to do.
...Jesus is not dead!
But, if we must revisit this issue, I'd suggest that the people who crucified Christ, are the same people crucifying Gibson. The scene is eerily similar, is it not?
... eh, Mr. Foxman (Caiaphas)?
Let me go over this again. The Bible says:1. Jews were instrumental in Jesus' crucifixion.
2. Romans were instrumental in Jesus' crucifixion.
3. Jesus submitted to death for all of our sakes and all of us share responsibility for his crucifixion, and through his death all of us can be redeemed.
As the Bible supports all of these premises as truth, it is playing into the hands of anti-Christian liberals to give them number 1 solely without emphasizing number 3 as the most important, soul-saving fact with numbers 1 and 2 as mere corollaries.
While a pastor (or anyone) has the right to quote any Bible verse he likes, quoting verses out of context or separating them from the greater truth is exactly what Satan would like us to do.
St Paul never got the memo that he was "playing into the hands of anti-Christian liberals to give them number 1 solely without emphasizing number 3 as the most important, soul-saving fact with numbers 1 and 2 as mere corollaries. "
In his whole epistle to the Thessalonians, he neglected to mention that the "Romans were instrumental in Jesus' crucifixion."
As a matter of fact, he never mentions the Romans at all in the whole epistle.
IMHO, it's utter nonsense to claim that quoting verses 14 and 15 is pulling verses out of context, so we have to agree to disagree.
1 Thessalonians 2
Paul's Ministry in Thesalonica
1You know, brothers, that our visit to you was not a failure. 2We had previously suffered and been insulted in Philippi, as you know, but with the help of our God we dared to tell you his gospel in spite of strong opposition. 3For the appeal we make does not spring from error or impure motives, nor are we trying to trick you. 4On the contrary, we speak as men approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel. We are not trying to please men but God, who tests our hearts. 5You know we never used flattery, nor did we put on a mask to cover up greed--God is our witness. 6We were not looking for praise from men, not from you or anyone else.
7As apostles of Christ we could have been a burden to you, but we were gentle among you, like a mother caring for her little children. 8We loved you so much that we were delighted to share with you not only the gospel of God but our lives as well, because you had become so dear to us. 9Surely you remember, brothers, our toil and hardship; we worked night and day in order not to be a burden to anyone while we preached the gospel of God to you.
10You are witnesses, and so is God, of how holy, righteous and blameless we were among you who believed. 11For you know that we dealt with each of you as a father deals with his own children, 12encouraging, comforting and urging you to live lives worthy of God, who calls you into his kingdom and glory.
13And we also thank God continually because, when you received the word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men, but as it actually is, the word of God, which is at work in you who believe. 14For you, brothers, became imitators of God's churches in Judea, which are in Christ Jesus: You suffered from your own countrymen the same things those churches suffered from the Jews, 15who killed the Lord Jesus and the prophets and also drove us out. They displease God and are hostile to all men 16in their effort to keep us from speaking to the Gentiles so that they may be saved. In this way they always heap up their sins to the limit. The wrath of God has come upon them at last.
Paul's Longing to See the Thessalonians
17But, brothers, when we were torn away from you for a short time (in person, not in thought), out of our intense longing we made every effort to see you. 18For we wanted to come to you--certainly I, Paul, did, again and again--but Satan stopped us. 19For what is our hope, our joy, or the crown in which we will glory in the presence of our Lord Jesus when he comes? Is it not you? 20Indeed, you are our glory and joy.
Since I never said "it's a good idea to give Christian-haters ammunition for their accusation that Christians are anti-semitic," I have to assume that you must be saying that my approval of the Bible text is the same as "a good idea to give Christian-haters ammunition for their accusation that Christians are anti-semitic."
Obviously, you illustrate the reason why homosexuals have successfully intimidated Christians into not quoting the Bible. You sound like the Christians who are afraid to quote the Bible on homosexual acts, because you might be accused of being part of the minority that considers that 'it's a good idea to give Christian-haters ammunition for their accusation that Christians are anti-semitic homophobic.'
No wonder the gays will win the battle on gay marriage and anything else they want. Being "nice" is more important than telling the truth.
You never said that it's a good idea to give Christian-haters ammunition for their accusations, but that is what your actions are doing. Yes, I Thessalonians does say that the Jews asked for Jesus' crucifixion and that they will be judged for their rejection of him. However, responding with this passage when someone with the intention of smearing you asks, "Did the Jews kill Jesus?" is definitely playing into their hands. Paul's audience knew the true story of the crucifixion, who was responsible, and what the goal was. They knew the truth. These liberals do not. In putting up this billboard blaming the Jews this pastor, while being technically correct, has damaged his witness. Just quoting I Thessalonians alone is only giving part of the truth, and losing a great opportunity.
Think of the passages in the Bible where various people tried to entrap Jesus with questions of this sort. Did he play into their hands? No. He said, "Render unto Caesar what is Caesar's" and "Let he who is sinless among you cast the first stone." If some liberal with an agenda asked Jesus, "Was your death the Jews' fault?" I can assure you he wouldn't say, "Yes, those Jews killed me!" He would turn their weapon turned against him to his own purposes, taking the opportunity to show them how their own sin gave them responsibility and perhaps save their soul.
Epictetus asks still more strongly: "Why are we not angry if we are told that we have a headache, and why are we angry if we are told that we reason badly, or choose wrongly"? The reason is that we are quite certain that we have not a headache, or are not lame, but we are not so sure that we make a true choice. Pascal.I already said let's agree to disagree, but since you misrepresented my comments, I responded.
'You never said that it's a good idea to give Christian-haters ammunition for their accusations, in to the homosexual lobby and quit quoting Bible verses against homosexual acts, but that is what your actions are doing.'
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