Posted on 02/23/2005 5:23:43 AM PST by SJackson
An organization representing up to half a billion Christians worldwide has encouraged its member churches to divest from companies that participate in "illegal activities" in the West Bank and Gaza Strip.
The central committee of the World Council of Churches, which represents more than 340 Protestant and Orthodox churches in more than 120 countries, announced the decision on Monday, toward the conclusion of the governing body's meeting in Geneva.
It specifically noted the "process of phased, selective divestment from multinational corporations involved in the occupation" now being implemented by the Presbyterian Church (USA). "This action is commendable in both method and manner, [and] uses criteria rooted in faith," the group said in a statement.
While that campaign angered segments of the American Presbyterian community, the WCC's international affairs expert Peter Weiderud told The Jerusalem Post on Tuesday that its own statement was the result of a "grassroots initiative" from its membership, and was not merely the view of a limited number of senior clergy. The WCC itself noted in another statement that it had chosen to follow a "consensus decision-making model."
The central committee "reminded the council's member churches that 'with investment funds, they have an opportunity to use those funds responsibly in support of peaceful solutions' to the Israel-Palestine conflict," the statement said.
"Multinational corporations have been involved in the demolition of Palestinian homes, and are involved in the construction of settlements and settlement infrastructure on occupied territory, in building a dividing wall which is also largely inside occupied territory, and in other violations of international law being carried out beyond the internationally recognized borders of the State of Israel determined by the Armistice of 1949," the statement continued.
"The WCC governing body encouraged the council's member churches 'to give serious consideration to economic measures' as a new way to work for peace, by looking at ways to not participate economically in illegal activities related to the Israeli occupation. In that sense, the committee affirmed 'economic pressure, appropriately and openly applied,' as a 'means of action.'"
Weiderud noted that the committee had taken into account recent positive developments in the peace process, but, as the body itself stated, "illegal activities in occupied territory continue as if a viable peace for both peoples is not a possibility."
Apparently seeking to preempt criticism of the move as anti-Semitic, the WCC's central committee "framed" its recommendation by "recalling" its statement in 1992 that "criticism of the policies of the Israeli government is not in itself anti-Jewish."
Moshe Fox, minister for public and interreligious affairs at the Israel Embassy in Washington, DC, disagreed.
"While maintaining that this recommendation is neither one-sided nor anti-Jewish, it is clearly both," Fox told the Post on Tuesday.
"At a time when Israelis and Palestinians are engaged in a political process, returning to negotiations, this decision is utterly ill-timed. The WCC is apparently seeking to dovetail on the Presbyterian Church's campaign. But, while the Presbyterian Church is still deliberating, the WCC is charging forward... [but] a boycott of Israel will not bring the Israelis and Palestinians any closer to the path of peace," he added.
Weiderud also said the WCC was unaware of any intimidation of Palestinian Christians by Palestinian terrorists or desecration of Christian holy sites. No churches under Palestinian control were large enough to qualify for membership in the WCC, although the body had indirect contacts with several churches there, he said.
Although the World Council of Churches comprised mostly American and European churches when it was founded in 1948, the WCC's expansion since then has primarily been in South America and southern Asia, Weiderud said.
which speaks for no one but communist.
"The central committee of the World Council of Churches, "
make that, "the Worldly Council of Churches"
"The WCC governing body encouraged the council's member churches 'to give serious consideration to economic measures' as a new way to work for peace, by looking at ways to not participate economically in illegal activities related to the Israeli occupation."
So they are not going to support Sharon's attempt to make Gaza Judenrein?
"Apparently seeking to preempt criticism of the move as anti-Semitic, the WCC's central committee "framed" its recommendation by "recalling" its statement in 1992 that "criticism of the policies of the Israeli government is not in itself anti-Jewish."
No, why would we ever think that? (Are they calling on us to divest from France because of the anti-semitism there?)
"Weiderud also said the WCC was unaware of any intimidation of Palestinian Christians by Palestinian terrorists or desecration of Christian holy sites."
Occupation of the Bethlehem Nativity church and destroying its interior wasn't desecration? Intimidating a majority of the Christian population to emigrate isn't
persectuion? "First we get the Saturday people, then we get the Sunday people", isn't an intimidatinhg slogan?
Wonder what the "World Council of Churches" will do about this?
Saudi Arabia - Conversion by a Muslim to another religion is punishable by death. Bibles are illegal. Churches are illegal.
Yemen - Bans proselytizing by non-Muslims and forbids conversions. The Government does not allow the building of new non-Muslim places of worship.
Kuwait - Registration and licensing of religious groups. Members of religions not sanctioned in the Koran may not build places of worship. Prohibits organized religious education for religions other than Islam.
Egypt -Islam is the official state religion and primary source of legislation. Accordingly, religious practices that conflict with Islamic law are prohibited. Muslims may face legal problems if they convert to another faith. Requires non-Muslims to obtain what is now a presidential decree to build a place of worship.
Algeria - The law prohibits public assembly for purposes of practicing a faith other than Islam. Non-Islamic proselytizing is illegal, and the Government restricts the importation of non-Islamic literature for distribution.
Jordan - Has the death penalty for any Muslim selling land to a Jew.
Anything can be claimed. I honestly believe that the World Council of Churches represents no Christians. People who want to manipulate religious feelings to advance socialism, yes. Christians, No.
World Council of Churches is a sad joke and speak for no Protestant Church I have ever gone to, ones that still use the Bible as their foundation.
The Presbyterian Church USA is losing members, specifically me, several years ago. I recommend the Wesleyan denomination. They're pro-life and conservative.
Sorry, but us Red churches don't follow Blue churches.
Not now. Not ever.
Prior to that he was the pastor at the Congregational Church my family attended for a few years. During that time my older sister was going through the equivelant of confirmation. She was having trouble with the concept of the Trinity. She went to Reverand Post and asked for his help in understanding this idea. His reply was:
"Don't worry about it, God is only make believe anyway."
We left and went back to the Baptist church in town.
This is nothing new for the WCC. They are a marxist front group largely controlled by stooges put there in the 60s by the KGB. That's not paranoia. That's from KGB and Stasi files that were found after the fall of the old Soviet empire. The WCC should be shut down as a terrorist fund raiser under the Patriot Act.
What wonderful news. A large bloc of Christianity is once again officially endorsing hatred of Jews.
Thank God we protestants have left the ignorance of anti-Semitism behind. Jews are required to accept Jesus (Yeshua) just as everyone else is, and as obvious as it is, it still has to be said that we believers have to set an example that even a Jew would find compelling. Let us not fail to sincerely demonstrate G-d's love and commands in our own lives first.....
http://www2.wcc-coe.org/pressreleasesen.nsf/index/pr-cc-05-12.html
The World Council of Churches (WCC) central committee asked "all governments which have not yet ratified the Rome Statute for the International Criminal Court, and especially the United States, to ratify it promptly without reservations".
The call to the unwilling governments is part of a substantial statement on the International Criminal Court (ICC) approved one day before the end of the 15-22 February meeting of the WCC governing body in Geneva. The document affirms the ICC, which entered into force in 2002, as "one of the most important steps forward in International Law in the last decades".
But it labels the attitude of the US Government, which "after having signed the Rome Statute, has declared its intention not to ratify it and is actively seeking bilateral agreements in order to exempt US nationals from prosecution by the ICC," as "an inexcusable attempt to gain impunity from the crimes defined in the Statute".
Already in 1998, the WCC assembly in Harare (Zimbabwe) welcomed the ICC. The statement recognizes, however, that the Court will certainly "not be able to prevent all future human rights violations", but will provide "a forum to prosecute the most heinous international crimes when national systems are unable or unwilling to do so". It will also offer "redress to victims where national courts are not in a position to deliver justice".
According to the WCC central committee, the ICC will also "strengthen the possibility for peace and end the cycle of violence by offering justice as an alternative to revenge". And finally, it will "contribute to the process of reconciliation by replacing the stigma of collective guilt with the catharsis of individual accountability".
The committee's statement therefore calls upon the Council's churches to "urge for the universal ratification of the Rome Statute of the ICC, particularly in those countries which have yet to ratify [it]". It also asks governments which have already ratified the statute "to adapt their national legislation to implement the ICC and effectively support any process under the ICC jurisdiction".
Among other commendable features of the ICC, the document highlights the "importance of the victims' participation as laid down in the procedures" as well as the "unprecedented acknowledgement" of "women's human rights and gender-specific rights abuses as crimes against humanity and war crimes".
This "victim-centred approach" is characteristic of the "paradigm of restorative justice", already present at the community and national levels, which the ICC now brings "to the international level in a new way".
It is not the Christian Community which supports this. It is Communist Front Organizations like the WCC which are doing this in the name of Christianity.
Christians must really divest from the World Counsel of Churches now or yesterday, and anything else that is associated with it like charities etc., and get quickly to Churches that support Israel now, and not only in word but in deeds and cash! God's Word commands it.
If the WCC thinks they represent 500 million Christians, they are delusional to the extreme.
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