Posted on 04/23/2004 11:32:06 PM PDT by yonif
What do local Christians think of the claim made by Mordechai Vanunu on his release from prison that he had been badly treated in jail because of his conversion to Christianity?
Said one local evangelical Christian, "I'd hate to compare with Pollard, but lots of spies are held in solitary confinement."
The evangelical, who asked to remain anonymous, added his impression that the scenario of Vanunu's widely publicized journey immediately after his release to a reception and communion at St. George's Cathedral in eastern Jerusalem suggested more a political than a religious agenda.
"If it was a serious conversion, he would have done things differently, because his heart would be different. It wouldn't be so political – he would go out and have a quiet mass. In the Christian faith you do not exploit the Lord's table in his way."
"The Bible tells us to inspect our hearts before we take communion, to check whether we have any bitterness or thought against anyone. Yet Vanunu went to church all angry and bitter," he added.
Said Rev. Charles Kopp, the Baptist president of the United Christian Council in Israel, "I don't think in Vanunu's case it's a matter of Israel being anti-Christian. In any country there are misguided people who have anti-Christian, anti-Jewish, and even anti-Muslim feelings. But I don't think this case has any credibility to it."
Kopp also commented on Vanunu's bitterness and anger, saying that those characteristics made the newly released prisoner "in some ways very pitiful. He is living mostly out of protest, and that's the claim that would raise the most ire."
Speaking from Jordan, the Rt. Reverend Riah Abu el-Assal, the Anglican bishop of Jerusalem who escorted Vanunu to the Jerusalem church, said that having served his time, Vanunu should be released without any further restrictions. "Every drug addict may go free once his sentence is over. If we claim that we are a democracy, it does not support normalization to make a story [out of the conditions of Vanunu's release]. Just let him go."
When he was released,there were a large number of pro-Israel protestors,who voiced their disapproval of his release.The handful of leftists who turned out cried:" Oooh! He's being threatened !" ....and of course,some of the media printed stories suggesting he would not be safe in Israel.
What's even more disgusting is that we have so many of our own "progressives" receiving worshipful attention from the media: people who would betray US in a heartbeat, if it "felt good".
Bingo. His brother and sister "in Christ" are Tariq Aziz and Suha Arafat. His words and demeanor very strongly suggest that his conversion was done as a political statement against Jews, Judaism, and Israel. That he didn't choose Islam may demonstrate that even a lowlife like Vanunu draws a line somewhere.
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