Posted on 11/15/2004 1:54:17 PM PST by kattracks
(CNSNews.com) - Two American Jewish leaders say they are "disgusted and outraged" by threats of violence made against Presbyterian Churches.
In a statement issued Sunday, Rabbi Eric Yoffie, president of the Union for Reform Judaism, and Rabbi David Saperstein, director of the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism, called the people who made the threats "thugs" who are "far outside the mainstream of American Jewry."
The Presbyterian Church USA recently said it would stop investing in companies that do business with Israel -- an effort, the church says, to end the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, although many Jews see it as an unhelpful, anti-Israel move.
Last week, the Presbyterian Church (USA) said it had received a letter threatening arson attacks on its churches for its "anti-Israel and anti-Jewish attitudes."
"Their (sic) will be Arson attacks against Presbyterian Churches with people inside there will be bloodshed," the letter said. "I promise violence against Presbyterian Churches - They will go up in flames, bet you're a** that's a terrorist threat."
Jerry Van Marter, director of the Presbyterian News Service, said that the handwritten letter -- addressed to the church's Louisville, Ky., headquarters -- carried a Queens, N.Y., postmark.
The letter set a Nov. 15 deadline for the church to "reverse" its Middle East policies -- "or else," Van Marter said.
Van Marter said church officials notified federal authorities and have tightened security. In fact, the Presbyterian News Service website now offers safety precautions for churches -- including extra lighting, alarm systems, and trimming shrubbery.
In their statement, Rabbis Yoffie and Saperstein, speaking as representatives of the largest branch of American Judaism, said they condemned the "reprehensible threats -- forcibly, vigorously, and unequivocally.
"We will, of course, continue to raise concerns about the Presbyterian Church (USA)'s policy, but, at the same time, we stand with the Presbyterian community in denouncing these threats. They have no place, no place, in public debate."
The Union for Reform Judaism says it represents 1.5 million Reform Jews in more than 900 congregations in the United States and Canada.
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Last week, the Presbyterian Church (USA) said it had received a letter threatening arson attacks on its churches for its "anti-Israel and anti-Jewish attitudes."<<
I'd like them to proove it was anyone of the Jewish faith that wrote the letter.
Probably a Palestinian or Muslim trying to start anti-Jewish feelings here in the USA.
While such threats should be roundly denounced, the PCUSA is being led by utter fools - spending hard-earned congregate tithes. It's shameful.
Is there proof that a Jew was responsible for this threat? Couldn't it have been a militant group who put out a "carrot" to see what kind of response would come from different groups in the United States? It may have been their way to determine what kind of support Americans have for Israel, and respond accordingly. Anti Semitism is growing in U.S. as well as Europe and Asia, and they may want to know how far anti-semitism has spread here. Just a thought.
There are all kinds of crazies out there, so no one can say for sure who sent the letter. I did find the Churches stand on doing business with Israel interesting though.
I am guessing it was the Episcopals trying to draw attention away from themselves. The demoninations in America are a fiery crowd...when there awake and not in church that is.
Oops....there = they're
What difference does it make, it's a letter, one, not 100.
how do they know it was a jew? could be muslim trying to incite tensions betweens christians and jews.
doesn't make any sense ...
besides ... if it were a jew terrorizing a presbyterian ... wouldn't he hack into a computer and revoked the presbyterian golf membership or something like that?
Presbyterian, USA is a very, very, very liberal protestant denomination. They believe in homosexuals as pastors, many believe in gay marriages in their churches, they do not believe in the Jews as being the "chosen people" of God, and they don't believe in the literal return of Jesus Christ to the Earth and His reign for a 1000 years on Earth. I use to go to this church until I found their doctrine "wanting". THEY decide which scripture applies today, and which one don't, just like Lawrence O'Donnell.
One pastor in the Presbyterian USA Church I attended believed that Jesus was only "One" way to God, and that the other religions have "their way" and we shouldn't claim "Exclusivity" to "the way".
Could be. Or it could just be a kook. Being Jewish doesn't confer immunity to kookdom.
That's all it takes for a liberal newspaper to make this into Front Page News.
i use to go to a presbyterian church as well ... they just try to appeal to everyone and don't make a stand on anything. It is more like a "social" club. All about $$$.
It smells like something an IMC'er would do. They are mostly rabid Nazis, and if any of them aren't.... well, they remain silent to those that are vocal.
what is IMC?
Oh good, let's add a sense of martyrdom to the PCUSA's self-righteousness. If this wasn't done by an agent provocateur, then it was done by an idiot.
Zogby busy again?
Zogby busy again?
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