Posted on 08/09/2005 4:32:07 PM PDT by SJackson
The Simon Wiesenthal Center, a leading Jewish human rights organization, is urging Bishop Mark Hanson and the leadership of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) to reject a proposed resolution by the Church’s Caribbean Synod that denies Israel’s legitimacy and calls for ELCA to push for divestment of the Jewish State. ELCA is convening its biennial Assembly in Orlando today.
"The Caribbean Synod’s proposed resolution is a major escalation in the worldwide political campaign to delegitimize Israel and is in keeping with the spirit of the 1975 UN resolution that equated Zionism with racism," charged Rabbi Abraham Cooper, associate dean of the Wiesenthal Center.
The language of the proposed resolution alleges "57 years" of Israeli occupation, effectively rejecting Israel’s legitimacy as a sovereign state and casting her as "tyrannical," a "colonizer" and an "occupier."
"This resolution goes way beyond any of the resolutions recently passed by the U.S. Presbyterian Church, the United Church of Christ and the Disciples of Christ," continued Cooper. "It dispenses with politically-correct window dressing including any concern for the security of Israel or of Israel’s right to a secure future."
The Caribbean Synod’s resolution also depicts Israel’s anti-terrorism security fence as a "cement wall on confiscated Palestinian land" with no reference to the suicide bombing campaign launched by Palestinian terrorists which has killed over 1,000 Israeli citizens, the equivalent to 50,000 Americans.
"The Wiesenthal Center urges Bishop Hanson and all of the delegates to the ELCA Assembly in Orlando to reject this one-sided racist document, continued Cooper. "Its passage will not help a single Palestinian, but will damage interfaith relations. We instead urge ELCA to find proactive and positive ways to further humanitarianism and peace in the Holy Land," he concluded.
The Simon Wiesenthal Center is one of the largest international Jewish human rights organizations with over 400,000 member families in the United States. It is an NGO at international agencies including the United Nations, UNESCO, the OSCE, and the Council of Europe.
No it's not.
The ELCA has been taken over by communists and homosexual advocates.
It is no more an attack on Israel's legitimacy than a boycott of France is an attack on France's legitimacy.
Didn't the just take a vote on gay clergy? whaddayaspectemtadoo?
Keep the church firmly framed in their rear view mirror. Press on the gas...
Other than jihadists, who is attacking France's right to have borders? Or to keep terrorists out of their nation?
National Council of Churches of the Christ in the USA
Resolution on the Conflict in the Middle East
No. 2003-06, Adopted on November 6, 2003
Whereas, the General Assembly of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA, meeting at a time of continuing violent confrontation in the Middle East with the breakdown of the Israeli - Palestinian peace process, witnesses with deep distress the building of the Separation Wall by Israel;
Whereas, we note that the Wall is resulting in the de facto imprisonment of the Palestinian population, the denial of access by Palestinians to emergency services, health care, food, employment, schools and water resources, the curtailment of freedom of movement among the Palestinian people, and the exacerbation of suffering;
Whereas, the Wall violates international law and eliminates hope for a peaceful resolution of the Middle East conflict; > Whereas, we, as people of faith, are deeply troubled by the systematic violence against Palestinians, and equally troubled by bombing campaigns against Israelis;
Whereas, the National Council of the Churches of Christ USA has historically called for the breaking down of walls of division, based on our faith that "Now in Christ Jesus, he has broken down the dividing wall that is the hostility between us" (Eph. 2:14);
Therefore, be it resolved that the General Assembly of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA, meeting in Jackson, Mississippi, November 4-6, 2003, calls for the tearing down of the Separation Wall that is now being erected;
And be it resolved that the General Assembly offers its prayers for the well being of all people in the region, including our Christian sisters and brothers whose presence in the Holy Land continues to decline in the midst of this violence;
And be it resolved that the General Assembly reiterates its long-standing support for the establishment of a Palestinian State alongside the State of Israel, and its call for the preservation of the City of Jerusalem as an open, shared city where free access to holy places and freedom of worship are assured for people of all faiths;
And be it resolved that the General Assembly calls upon its member churches to send delegations of solidarity to the Middle East as an expression of their compassion for all people of the region;
And be it resolved that the General Assembly encourages its member churches and their delegates and others attending this Assembly to join with other United States organizations who have designated November 9, 2003, as a day to express opposition to the Separation Wall, and to convey to United States public policy-makers their concern for peace with justice and reconciliation in the Middle East.
The ELCA has been in the service of evil for some time.
You're absolutely right, in many cases including their membership.
This would, if passed, further strip the ELCA of legitimacy and membership. Just like the homo proposals, it will be the forcing function that pushes me to the LCMS.
True, it will probably only be around 60%.
This move gives legitimacy to the antisemetic rants of the islamofacists. Those sitting on the fence of ignorance will be easily persuaded by them that seek favor and support of their evil agenda by just pointing to this action... "See? Even your Christian leaders oppose Israel! Just like South Africa! They pull their money from the evil Jew that is oppressing the Honorable Brotherhood of Palestine!
If you get my drift...
This church body lost me sometime ago -- refuse to support any Church that belongs to the National Council of Churches. Not one red cent of mine is going to the liberal National Council of Churches.
When Jesus referred to Christians as "sheep", He wasn't passing them any compliment. Anyone who has ever kept sheep, knows how stupid and easily led they are. The sheep sleeping in the pews don't know or care that they are being fleeced.
You understand the purpose of these "resolutions", validating what I'm told is a minority view, though it's not clear to me it's working in this instance.
The NCC is very bad. I was temped to mention it earlier, but didn't remember the exact name. I haven't been going to church. It's been quite a while. If I found that my church did belong to the NCC, it would be a whole lot longer before I'd put a mite in the offering basket.
Would goats have been better? :>)
Luther and Hitler were there first.
Let's see. So far, that's the WCC (World Council of Churches) of which the Catholic Church is not officially a member but is one of the most active and influential, and not to forget the harboring of terrorists in the Church of the Nativity), the Orthodox Christian Church, Anglican, Episcopalian, Presbyterian, Lutheran, Disciples of Christ, Methodist (Virginia, of course, and New England states), Church of Christ,...
How many did I miss? And what's new, except for their anxious anticipations growing enough for them to come out of their closets with it because of the current situation in Israel?
The Nation of Islam?
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