Posted on 09/26/2008 3:29:30 PM PDT by markomalley
A coalition of U.S. religious groups exchanged views with Mahmoud Ahmadinejad at a New York hotel.
The dialogue Thursday, sponsored by Mennonite, Quaker and other religious groups that press for world peace, had been sharply criticized by Jewish groups for allegedly legitimating the Iranian president's anti-Semitic rhetoric and his oppression of religious minorities in Iran.
Speakers included Rabbi Lynn Gottlieb of the Jewish Renewal movement. In a story disseminated by the Mennonite Central Committee, Gottlieb said that during her remarks she spoke about the Holocaust, which Ahmadinejad has denied.
"Because of the Holocaust, I learned from the rabbis who ordained and guide me, to be active in preventing further suffering of all human beings as a primary religious call to action," Gottlieb said.
In an interview with Reuters afterwards, Gottlieb said Ahmadinejad "minimized" the Holocaust during the dialogue but did not outright deny that it had taken place.
Also speaking was Miguel d’Escoto Brockmann, a Catholic priest and Nicaraguan diplomat who is currently president of the U.N. General Assembly.
The Mennonite report said that speakers raised religious repression in Iran, but Ahmadinejad did not address their questions in his talk; nor did he take questions afterward, as had been planned. Much of his talk focused on attacking Israel.
The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom, a government group that advises the legislative and executive branches, had called on the organizers not to hold the dinner.
"While organizations such as yours espouse the value of mutual understanding through dialogue, in this case we are convinced that this invitation and this platform will be counterproductive," USCIRF said in a letter. "President Ahmadinejad has manipulated such dialogues repeatedly into a platform for spreading hatred."
Protesters outside the hotel held up signs reading "No feast with the beast."
Yes, if only they would have talked to Hitler before WWII....
Dance with the devil and pay the price.
the quakers met with hitler, it obviously did a lot of good
I hope they gave themselves a good scrubbing afterwards.
I bet the dining area smelled worse than Arafat’s bedroom.
What the hell is wrong with these people? Jim Jones would have loved them.
Don’t they know that if they stepped foot in his country they would not be hosted or honored at a dinner but very well thrown in jail at the least????
The idiocy and state of denial these people have just floors me.
Obama’s chief financial advisor, Penny Pfitzker should be tarred and feathered for allowing Amamadjihadi to be feted at her Grand Hyatt hotel.
This is a shame on all the ‘religious’ groups that allowed him to be Guest of Honor. Amamadjihadi got all the legitimacy from these anti american groups sponsoring him and he gave nothing in return. They should burn in hell for this sellout.
I wonder just what these epsilon minus semi-morons expected.
As I am Jewish, I wonder who is Rabbi Lynn Gottlieb and her Jewish Renewal movement.
We Jews, as a religion, have been surviving for over 5700 years. What’s to renew, other than to get rid of the leftists who are infesting us now?
Let’s call her group the Jewish Fools Sellout Movement.
The Mennonite Central Commitee has nothing to do with the older order of good, God-fearing Mennonites found world wide. These critters are ecumenical communists.
I know because I have in-laws that are in the commie psuedo-Mennonite order. It goes without saying that, in general, Marx trumps Christ.
'tis a pity.
They infest more than just the Jewish Community. Shalom!
Thanks. You have a great point. There are several denominations of Mennonites. This article clumps them all together. I wonder which flavor(s) of Mennonites are discussed in the article(e.g. their name).
Don’t know the specific name - never wanted to discuss their heretical faith (or maybe we never got beyond arguing politics . . .). I know they have “fellowships” (or ‘personships) but my BIL works for the MCC and that’s all I ever hear about. He’s always looking to rectify Marx materialistic laws with the “Christian” spirit. Nice folks, but seriously, seriously deluded.
I know an awful lot of very good Christians who look for government to do things that congregations, perhaps, should do. Their actions, at times, overextend their biblical knowledge -- but again, actions speak louder than words. I know many Methodists, which was religion based on Reformation Principles applied to social injustices during the Industrial Revolution. I at least can understand where they are coming from.
The big issue to me is that Christ commanded his apostles to do certain things: Love thy Neighber, etc. Christ did not say, "You personally can wash your hands of my commands by installing a government that will take care of you neighbor." He wants each of us to feel those spiritual blessings that come with helping each other.
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