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.
We should ignore the World Court, the World Churches, the UN, the world anything.
They are stooges of tyrants and socialists....(but I repeat myself.)
The World Council of Churches has been a Communist/Socialist front for thirty years....ignore them and keep your church "apportioned" money at home by not giving to the general funds...
Not a chance. This is just the latest droolings from the empty pew brigade. They represent no one but themselves.
Bah! I don't believe it. I claim I represent half a billion Christians.
FMCDH(BITS)
"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."
Bears Repeating (While eating honey in the woods)!
People like this are more than just communists or anti-Christian. They are the same people you find aiding and abetting evil around the world while expressing their "deep concern" for real human rights catastrophes while doing nothing.
BUYING OPPORTUNITY BUMP!!!!
Glad to hear you also left the Presbyterian Church USA. It's a shame that their beautiful old churches have been taken over by DEMOCRATS and support abortion. The worst thing of all is that they provide abortion coverage even partial-birth) to their pastors.
"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."
A more apt description is the Central Committee of the World Council of Communists.
They have absolutely lost their collective minds.
Given that the peace process is looking a bit more hopeful, why are these people pressing this one-sided policy at this time?
Seems there is a curse on the so-called mainline churches. They are hemorrhaging members and money. Hopefully this will be the wakeup call that the devout need to shake them loose from the apostate church and bring them to the believing Church.
The two most tolerant toward Christians Midle East regimes were Syria (with Syria dominated Lebanon) and Iraq. Now only Syrian regime remains to be removed for the Middle East to be purged out of kafirs.
500 million Christians urged to divest
To World Council of Churches
Re divestment:
Sir
Thank you so much for your suggestion, we will give it all the serious consideration it deserves....flush
Sounds like a confession of being a fraud on his part.
"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".
See reply #34
Will the WCC urge its members to divest from corporations that do business in China, a country with a long-standing history of persecution of Christians and other religious groups; a country with forced abortions and no civil rights?; a country that is a one-party dictatorship? The answer, of course, is a resounding NO. What a bunch of frauds and hypocrites. These people are utterly disgusting.
"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."
WCC is The religious UN with the same predictable communist thugs running it.
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