Presbyterian Council's "Advice" Leaves Israel Divestment Plans Unaltered

IRD ^ | Apr 29 2006 | Alan Wisdom

[Presbyterian Reporter]

PCUSA leadership is doing all they can to perpetuate their attack against Israel. Faced with mounting criticism from the membership for being so anti-semitic, the leadership now hopes to derail the membership opposition by creating a biased task force to harass Israel for another two years.

[Presbyterian Reporter]

ping

[claudiustg]

This must make some Presbyterians wonder what they're doing, giving money to a stinking liberal activist organization. No offence. :^)

[gondramB]

>>Presbyterian Council's "Advice" Leaves Israel Divestment Plans Unaltered<<

Wasn't there a similar Arab black list of companies that did business with Israel? Didn't the U.S. government strenuously oppose that?

[Meadow Muffin]

WHEN the stock market eventually crashes, I hope I am right behind these Prespyterian clowns as they jump from the tall building so I can laugh at them.

[GSlob]

Who would want to have captive investment from people not wishing to have it? Good riddance, and let them find investment opportunities more to their liking.

[Recon Dad]

You would think they would be more concerned with the dramatic lose of members rather then worry about Israel. I hope they will have enough members in five years for a good ping list.

[Clintonfatigued]

This really does not help their credibility.

[gondramB]

>>Who would want to have captive investment from people not wishing to have it? Good riddance, and let them find investment opportunities more to their liking.<<

I read this as applying to investment in U.S. companies that do business with Israel (which would make the effect significan, especially if copied by others) maybe I read it wrong.

[popdonnelly]

Leftists running churches.

[GSlob]

Does not matter where the companies are located. There used to be "forced investments" in early USSR, where everyone had to [i.e. would better do] subscribe to state debt instruments, or else. Stalin's USSR is not a company one would wish to find oneself in, I'd say, and that's why - let them take their money and find other investment opportunities more to their liking. Investing [and hence dis-investing] practices ought to be free.

[Presbyterian Reporter]

"This must make some Presbyterians wonder what they're doing, giving money to a stinking liberal activist organization. No offence. :^)"

No offense taken. Our church totally stopped sending money to the denomination, but getting other churches to realize that stopping the money flow would put a stop to the leftist antics of the salaried staff is a seemingly herculean effort.

[gondramB]

>>Does not matter where the companies are located. There used to be "forced investments" in early USSR, where everyone had to [i.e. would better do] subscribe to state debt instruments, or else. Stalin's USSR is not a company one would wish to find oneself in, I'd say, and that's why - let them take their money and find other investment opportunities more to their liking. Investing [and hence dis-investing] practices ought to be free.<<

We can find a way to be critical of black lists without Stalin-like policies. This blacklist may already be illegal under current law without further action on our part.

>>Under U.S. antiboycott legislation enacted in 1978, U.S. firms are prohibited from responding to any request for information that is designed to determine compliance with the boycott, and are required to report receipt of any such request to the U.S. Department of Commerce's Office of Antiboycott Compliance. U.S. antiboycott laws also prohibit U.S. firms from taking certain other actions, including refusal to do business with a blacklisted company.<<

http://www.ustr.gov/Document_Library/Reports_Publications/1995/1995_National_Trade_Estimate/1995_National_Trade_Estimate_Report-Arab_League_(Boycott_of_Israel).html

[Presbyterian Reporter]

The divestment by the PCUSA is more rhetorical than financial. The PCUSA's portfolio of stocks is but a pittance compared to the market valuations of these companies. This divestment action is their way of engaging in verbal war against Israel.

[BooBoo1000]

I don't know where an institution that has lost over 1/2 of it's members, and 75% of the trust funds given to them should be making policy for anyone. An Ex Presbyterian Elder.At the rate the Presbyterian church is losing members they will be able to hold their Annual Meetings, in a coat closet/ They have lost over 50 of their members in the last 5 years.

[GSlob]

As long as it is their money, they ought to be able to do with it whatever they wish. Neither mine nor your advice is asked or needed, any more than I was accepting any outside input in my decision years ago to disinvest my funds from American Century Ultra and invest instead in Vanguard Index 500.

[hinckley buzzard]

Is Israel truly the worst human rights violator in the Middle East?

Did the presbies ever divest from companies doing business with Saddam? Why not?

[Presbyterian Reporter]

"Did the presbies ever divest from companies doing business with Saddam? Why not?"

Of course not. The leftists in the Presbyterian Church USA leadership would be scared to death to criticize a true human rights violator like Saddam. He would have handed them their heads on a platter.

So who do the Presbyterian leaders criticize? First, they are critical of the USA. Next, in line for criticism is Israel. Both countries are democracies allowing people to be critical without the fear of being put to death.

[The FIGHTIN Illini]

Our congregation sent a strongly worded letter to 'headquarters' requesting the divesture plan be recinded. I think that is the feeling of the majority of local congregations, unfortunately, the national leadership is populated by lefties from the 60s, similar to the Lutherans, Methodists, and other former main stream protestant groups.

[gondramB]

>>As long as it is their money, they ought to be able to do with it whatever they wish. Neither mine nor your advice is asked or needed, any more than I was accepting any outside input in my decision years ago to disinvest my funds from American Century Ultra and invest instead in Vanguard Index 500.<<

I can't help but feel there is an element of anti-semitism in singling out Israel for a blacklist based on human rights. I have concerns about human rights in the occupied territories - but they don't let girls burn alive for not being dressed right like in Saudi Arabia or set off bombs trying to kill as many civilians as possible like the Palestinians and groups funded by Iran.

Israel has freedom of religion, unlike China and nearly all Islamic countries and is the only real democracy in the region ,so frankly I don't have any sympathy whatsoever for the boycott.

I don't favor new legislation but I would not mind seeing the administration speak negatively about the Presbyterian action as previous administrations have spoken negatively about previous boycotts of Israel. And if there is existing law that applies it should be enforced.