tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-86402301944037148972024-03-05T07:08:17.790-08:00Thinking Outside the BlogThinking Outside the Blog, written by Louis Lapides offers readers a much - needed pit stop to help us refine our thinking on life's big issues. In his blog Louis steers us outside those comfortable mental roads we often travel on when it comes to the way we think about God, religion, politics and culture. Thinking Outside the Blog maps out a highway of wisdom that must be revisited over and over.Louis Lapideshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04937345918099904842noreply@blogger.comBlogger145125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8640230194403714897.post-61476636662446409732012-06-27T17:10:00.002-07:002017-01-23T14:29:00.887-08:00Cut the Jewish Roots, Kill the Christian Tree!<a href="http://www.newantisemitism.com/2012/06/cut-jewish-roots-kill-christian-tree.html?spref=bl"> Cut the Jewish Roots, Kill the Christian Tree!</a> by Olivier Melnick.<br />
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I am reposting this blog from Olivier Melnick from his blog <a href="http://www.newantisemitism.com/">New Antisemitism</a>. I believe his blog is especially appropriate in light of the fact that a Hamas-affiliated organization held a UN endorsed "informal parallel meeting" promoting t<i>he destruction of the Jewish state</i>.<br />
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According to the <a href="http://www.jpost.com/Opinion/Op-EdContributors/Article.aspx?id=275195">Jerusalem Post</a> the event was advertised on the UN website and listed on an official UN document headlined “Human Rights Council, twentieth session, 18 June – 06 July 2012."<br />
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One of the speakers at this event was Sameh Habeed, head of the media department at the "Palestinian Return Center." In the course of the speech, Habeed said at a UN-provided microphone, at a UN-advertised event associated with the UN’s top human rights body:<br />
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“In 1947, 1948 and 1949 the Palestinian refugees were ethnically cleansed by the Israeli gangs.... Some Arab armies came to Palestine to fight the Zionist project, which came from all over Europe to take over Palestine and to make it as a national home for the Jews, although it was always the national home for the Palestinians for thousands and thousands of years.</blockquote>
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Notice the words concerning the land of Israel, "although it was always the national home of the Palestinians for thousands and thousands of years." For my readers who are familiar with biblical history and post-biblical history, it is clear this is an outright lie meant to kick off a campaign of propaganda concerning Israel. In light of this UN endorsed meeting, I thought Olivier's blog was appropriate.<br />
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Back in October 2011, Mahmoud Abbas savored a victory that required no loss of life or property. <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/unesco-votes-to-admit-palestine-over-us-objections/2011/10/31/gIQAMleYZM_story.html">The Palestinian Authority was officially admitted as the newest member of the UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization)</a>. Many were concerned by the fact that Abbas was using an educational and cultural venue to push a political agenda, and the fear was that it would only be a matter of time before the UNESCO platform would be used again to further delegitimize Israel and validate the Palestinians return to "their land".<br />
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The Palestinian authority is aching for validation from the global community. The problem is that their very existence is founded on a myth at best. <br />
• <b>There is no Palestinian language, they speak Arabic<br />• There is no Palestinian culture, it is a mix of Jordanian, Syrian, Lebanese and Egyptian culture and in short, an Arabic culture.<br />• There is no Palestinian food, it is Arabic food.<br />• The Palestinians are NOT descendants from the Canaanites, they are Arabs from Israel's neighboring countries.</b></div>
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As reported on by Mitchell Bard in <a href="http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/myths3/cover.html">Myths and Facts: A Guide to the Arab-Israeli Conflict</a>, we can read: </div>
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When the First Congress of Muslim-Christian Associations met in Jerusalem in February 1919 to choose Palestinian representatives for the Paris Peace Conference, the following resolution was adopted: </blockquote>
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<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> </span></i><b>We consider Palestine as part of Arab Syria, as it has never been separated from it at any time. We are connected with it by national, religious, linguistic, natural, economic and geo- graphical bonds.</b></blockquote>
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<b><br /></b>In 1937, a local Arab leader, Auni Bey Abdul-Hadi, told the Peel Com- mission, which ultimately suggested the partition of Palestine: <b>“There is no such country as Palestine! ‘Palestine’ is a term the Zionists invented! There is no Palestine in the Bible.Our country was for centuries part of Syria.”</b> The representative of the Arab Higher Committee to the United Nations echoed this view in a statement to the General Assembly in May 1947, which said Palestine was part of the Province of Syria and the Arabs of Palestine did not comprise a separate political entity. A few years later, Ahmed Shuqeiri, later the chairman of the PLO, told the Security Council: <b>“It is common knowledge that Palestine is nothing but southern Syria.”</b></div>
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<b><br /></b><i>Palestinian Arab nationalism is largely a post-World War I phenom- enon that did not become a significant political movement until after the 1967 Six-Day War. </i></div>
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<i><br /></i>It was not until the 1960s under the leadership of the late Yasir Arafat that the "Palestinian cause" came to the forefront of the world political scene.</div>
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Before that, it was pretty much an unanimous understanding amongst Arab nations that there were no such people as Palestinians, but simply Arabs.</div>
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In the last 50 years, a phenomenon has been taking place. Banking on a combination of ignorance, tolerance and political correctness from the West, the Palestinian authority has slowly developed an identity, usurped from the Jewish people and the Jewish roots of the Bible.</div>
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Today, less than 8 months after being recognized by UNESCO, the Palestinian authority is pushing the envelope. <a href="http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/156831#.T-S-kI53bUh">Mahmoud Abbas is attempting to make the "Bethlehem Church of the Nativity" into a Palestinian sacred site</a>.</div>
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The likelihood of that happening is uncertain at best. Yet, on their own site, <a href="http://whc.unesco.org/en/news/880">UNESCO did list the Church</a> of the Nativity as being in Palestine:</div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> </span> ...the Church of the Nativity and pilgrimage route, <b>Bethlehem (Palestine) </b>will be processed on an emergency basis and the documents that concern them are not yet available. Chad, Congo, Palau, <b>Palestine</b> and Qatar stand to enter the World Heritage List with their first inscriptions.</blockquote>
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Although the fact that Abbas didn't follow protocol and submitted his claim as an "emergency" might cost him the vote or might even force him to properly resubmit it for a 2014 vote, the very fact that it is currently listed as being part of Palestine clearly proves the progress that Mahmoud Abbas and his cohorts are making. Some might claim that this is purely semantics but I think it goes deeper in establishing an undeserved legitimacy. </div>
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If you cannot claim historical facts, simply make them up or better yet, steal them from those to whom they rightfully belong to. Mahmoud Abbas can try all he wants to claim the Church as a Palestinian holy site, Yeshua (Jesus) remains a Jew not a Palestinian.<br />
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If the world remains silent while the Palestinian authority and their supporters keep denying, rewriting and even stealing biblically founded Jewish history, eventually the Jewish roots will no longer be able to hold and feed the tree where Christianity comes from.<br />
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Many evangelicals are supporting this move by the Palestinians, yet they don't seem to realize that by rewriting history to exclude Jewish heritage they will eradicate the very foundation of Christianity.</div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; line-height: 18px;"> </span>While Yeshua (Jesus) was born a Jew and possibly not even at the disputed site, He remains the Son of God, the Messiah of Israel and the Savior of the World (Isaiah 52:13-53:12, John 3:16). No boundaries, political agenda or rewriting of history can ever change that because history is HIStory!</div>
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Louis Lapideshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04937345918099904842noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8640230194403714897.post-84520939553003902172012-06-22T13:28:00.003-07:002012-06-22T13:29:23.305-07:00Just Published! Jesus or Yeshua: Exploring the Jewish Roots of Christianity<br />
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Today <a data-mce-href="http://www.scripturesolutions.com" href="http://www.scripturesolutions.com/">ScriptureSolutions </a> published a new booklet written by Louis Lapides. This brief book can be found for Kindle at <a data-mce-href="http://www.amazon.com/Jesus-Yeshua-Exploring-Christianity-ebook/dp/B008CTCWS4/ref=pd_ys_iyr1" href="http://www.amazon.com/Jesus-Yeshua-Exploring-Christianity-ebook/dp/B008CTCWS4/ref=pd_ys_iyr1">Amazon</a>.</div>
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<dt class="wp-caption-dt"><a data-mce-href="https://scripturesolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/Jesus-or-Yeshuafinal.jpeg" href="https://scripturesolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/Jesus-or-Yeshuafinal.jpeg"><img alt="Jesus or Yeshua: Exploring the Jewish Roots of Christianity" class="size-medium wp-image-1497" data-mce-src="https://scripturesolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/Jesus-or-Yeshuafinal-194x300.jpeg" height="300" src="https://scripturesolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/Jesus-or-Yeshuafinal-194x300.jpeg" style="-webkit-user-drag: none; border-bottom-style: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-color: initial; border-left-style: none; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-style: none; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-style: none; border-top-width: 0px; cursor: default; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="Jesus or Yeshua: Exploring the Jewish Roots of Christianity" width="194" /></a></dt>
<dd class="wp-caption-dd" style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 4px; padding-right: 4px; padding-top: 0px;">Jesus or Yeshua: Exploring the Jewish Roots of Christianity by Louis Lapides</dd></dl>
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It came to no surprise to me that when I first became a Jewish follower of Yeshua, I was going to have a cultural crisis trying to fit into a Gentile Church. I lasted a few months before I started asking inevitable questions, "I'm Jewish. Jesus is Jewish. His first followers were Jewish. The New Testament was written by Jews and a lot of the concepts they discussed have a powerful Hebraic background. Then why is Christianity so "not-Jewish"?</div>
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<em><a data-mce-href="http://www.amazon.com/Jesus-Yeshua-Exploring-Christianity-ebook/dp/B008CTCWS4/ref=pd_ys_iyr1" href="http://www.amazon.com/Jesus-Yeshua-Exploring-Christianity-ebook/dp/B008CTCWS4/ref=pd_ys_iyr1">Jesus or Yeshua: Exploring the Jewish Roots of Christianity</a> </em>provides the reader with some of the findings I came upon as searched for answers to my questions. For me a lot of the issues were resolved when I studied the origin of most of the terminology used by Christians when describing their beliefs and practices. When I was growing up attending Hebrew school in preparation for my Bar Mitzvah I never expected that Rabbi Printz would tell me that the mass practiced by the Catholic Church across the street from our temple was actually based in the Jewish Passover. Nor was I told that baptism has it's origins in the Jewish practice of immersion or mikveh used when Gentiles would turn from their paganism and convert to Judaism.</div>
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Attending a church for me at age 23 was a shocker as I describe in my opening chapter. Here is a sample section from that chapter that will give you an idea of what <a data-mce-href="http://www.amazon.com/Jesus-Yeshua-Exploring-Christianity-ebook/dp/B008CTCWS4/ref=pd_ys_iyr1" href="http://www.amazon.com/Jesus-Yeshua-Exploring-Christianity-ebook/dp/B008CTCWS4/ref=pd_ys_iyr1"><em>Jesus or Yeshua: Exploring the Jewish Roots of Christianity</em></a> is all about.</div>
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Here’s a shocker . . . Jewish people don’t feel at ease in a Christian church. The first time I attended a Protestant congregation, a Southern Baptist one, I couldn’t avert my eyes from the 10-foot tall stained glass mosaic of Jesus looming behind the pastor. I imagined for a few moments the man from Galilee was about to step out of the window, float over to my pew and ask whether I noticed the “Jews Not Welcome” sign at the church’s front door. “Of course,” I would respond, “But Jesus, aren’t you . . . .?”<br />
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Upon further reflection I figured out why I experienced the heebie-jeebies on my initial visit. As a Jewish seeker of truth, I was convinced I was cheating on the God of Israel. Why did worshipping in a Gentile Christian church make me feel like I was unfaithful? Was I cheating on my Bar Mitzvah? Was I betraying Abraham or Moses?<br />
Was it the pastor’s perfectly pressed suit and tie graced by his Southern Baptist grin? It could have been the Sunday morning promise of that evening’s Lord’s Supper that did not turn out to be the smorgasbord I anticipated. I left the service feeling spiritually fulfilled; however, I was famished.<br />
I slowly discovered my discomfort stemmed from the culturally alien environment of a Gentile church. I couldn’t blame them. It wasn’t their fault they were not Jewish. Yet it didn’t feel like I was at Temple Bnai Abraham, the house of worship I attended as a child in Newark, New Jersey.<br />
Each time I entered a church building all I could see were crosses, wall-to-wall beaming Gentiles and hearing the words “Christ” and “Christian” sprinkled into every conversation. I later heard that such church-talk is labeled “Christianeze,” and all Christians learn the lingo quite quickly.<br />
I did not fit. Church did not feel Jewish. The jargon was not Jewish. The terminology caused me to cringe, asking, “What have I gotten myself into?” When the pastor referred to me as a <em>Baptist kid</em>, I knew it was time to delve deeper into this Christian faith that was launched 2000 years ago by courageous Jewish followers of Jesus. I needed to know what happened to a messianic movement started in Israel that now feels more like it was birthed in Nashville, Tennessee (and I happen to love Nashville and its music).</blockquote>
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I would love for my readers and friends of ScriptureSolutions to read <a data-mce-href="http://www.amazon.com/Jesus-Yeshua-Exploring-Christianity-ebook/dp/B008CTCWS4/ref=pd_ys_iyr1" href="http://www.amazon.com/Jesus-Yeshua-Exploring-Christianity-ebook/dp/B008CTCWS4/ref=pd_ys_iyr1"><em>Jesus or Yeshua: Exploring the Jewish Roots of Christianity</em></a> and gain from this book what I learned on my safari through Christianity not looking for the "lost ark of the covenant" but simply the "lost Jewish roots" of Christianity. Check out the book and please let me know if it was helpful.</div>Louis Lapideshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04937345918099904842noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8640230194403714897.post-30055648835978372372012-06-13T17:26:00.001-07:002012-06-13T17:37:37.381-07:00The Truth About Palestinian Propaganda MapsThis is another guest post from <a href="http://cifwatch.com/2011/03/14/palestinian-propaganda-map-deconstructed/">CiF</a>. I felt this article is so important since we have all seen these maps of Israel and the Palestinian territories dating back to 1946. The sad thing about these maps is that they fail to mention that between 1949 and 1967, the West Bank and Gaza were not "Palestinian" but Arab controlled territories. During that interim the Palestinian people had every opportunity to appeal to the Arab landlords to seek Palestinian statehood. It was only when Israel took over the Arab territories in 1967 after they were attacked by Egypt, Jordan Syria and Iraq that the Palestinian people even mentioned statehood.<br />
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Pay close attention to the section in this article about the various states of ownership in the land after the fall of the Ottoman Empire. You will not hear about this on the major new networks nor will you be taught these facts by pro-Palestinian propagandists founds in both secular and evangelical camps.<br />
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Palestinian Propaganda Map Deconstructed</h1>
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<span style="color: black;">Anti-Israel (and now other*) organizations are fond of showing the following graphic on their websites:</span></div>
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<a href="http://commentisfreewatch.files.wordpress.com/2011/03/map-that-lies.jpg" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(207, 226, 229); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; color: #006a80; text-decoration: none;"><span style="color: black;"><img alt="" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-20527" height="317" src="http://commentisfreewatch.files.wordpress.com/2011/03/map-that-lies.jpg?w=490&h=317" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(0, 106, 128); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-left-color: rgb(0, 106, 128); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(0, 106, 128); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; border-top-color: rgb(0, 106, 128); border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 1px; display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="map that lies" width="490" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><strong style="font-weight: bold;">This map is a lie.</strong></span></div>
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<span style="color: black;">The first panel has the biggest lie<strong style="font-weight: bold;">:</strong></span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><strong style="font-weight: bold;"><a href="http://commentisfreewatch.files.wordpress.com/2011/03/2-map.jpg" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(207, 226, 229); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; color: #006a80; text-decoration: none;"><img alt="" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-20528" src="http://commentisfreewatch.files.wordpress.com/2011/03/2-map.jpg?w=490" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(0, 106, 128); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-left-color: rgb(0, 106, 128); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(0, 106, 128); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; border-top-color: rgb(0, 106, 128); border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 1px; display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="2 map" /></a></strong></span></div>
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<span style="color: black;">While I presume that the white sections are indeed the land that was privately owned by Jews, the land in green was <strong style="font-weight: bold;">not privately owned by Arabs</strong>.</span></div>
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<span style="color: black;">Only a tiny percentage of land in Palestine was privately owned. The various categories of land ownership included:</span></div>
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<li style="line-height: 1.4; margin-bottom: 0.25em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="color: black;"><strong style="font-weight: bold;">Mulk:</strong> privately owned in the Western sense.</span></li>
<li style="line-height: 1.4; margin-bottom: 0.25em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="color: black;"><strong style="font-weight: bold;">Miri</strong>: Land owned by the government (originally the Ottoman crown) and suitable for agricultural use. Individuals could purchase a deed to cultivate this land and pay a tithe to the government. Ownership could be transferred only with the approval of the state. Miri rights could be transferred to heirs, and the land could be sub-let to tenants. If the owner died without an heir or the land was not cultivated for three years, the land would revert to the state.</span></li>
<li style="line-height: 1.4; margin-bottom: 0.25em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="color: black;"><strong style="font-weight: bold;">Mahlul:</strong> Uncultivated Miri lands that would revert to the state, in theory after three years.</span></li>
<li style="line-height: 1.4; margin-bottom: 0.25em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="color: black;"><strong style="font-weight: bold;">Mawat </strong>(or Mewat): So-called “dead”, unreclaimed land. It constituted about 50 to 60% of the land in Palestine. It belonged to the government. …If the land had been cultivated with permission, it would be registered, at least under the Mandate, free of charge.</span></li>
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<span style="color: black;">By the early 1940s Jews owned about one third of Mulk land in Palestine and Arabs about two-thirds. <strong style="font-weight: bold;">The vast majority of the total land, however, belonged to the government</strong>, meaning that when the state of Israel was established, it became legally Israel’s. (I believe that about 77% of the land was owned by the government, assuming 6 million dunams of private land as shown in</span> <a href="http://www.zionism-israel.com/dic/Land_question_in_Palestine.htm" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(207, 226, 229); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; color: #006a80; text-decoration: none;">this invaluable webpage</a><span style="color: black;"> on the topic from which I got much of this information.)</span></div>
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<span style="color: black;">To say that the green areas were “Palestinian” land is simply a lie.</span></div>
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<span style="color: black;">Now the next one:</span></div>
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<a href="http://commentisfreewatch.files.wordpress.com/2011/03/next-map.jpg" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(207, 226, 229); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; color: #006a80; text-decoration: none;"><span style="color: black;"><img alt="" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-20529" src="http://commentisfreewatch.files.wordpress.com/2011/03/next-map.jpg?w=490" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(0, 106, 128); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-left-color: rgb(0, 106, 128); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(0, 106, 128); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; border-top-color: rgb(0, 106, 128); border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 1px; display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="next map" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="color: black;">While this is an accurate representation of the partition plan, it has nothing to do with land ownership. The entire purpose of this map is to make it appear that Israel has been grabbing Arab land consistently, to serve as a bridge between maps 1 and 3. What is not said, of course, is that Israel accepted the partition and the Arabs did not, so as a result Israel in 1949 looked like it does in map 3.</span></div>
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<span style="color: black;">Map 3 is still a lie, however, because in no way was the green land “Palestinian” at that time. Gaza was administered by Egypt and the West Bank annexed by Jordan. No one at the time spoke about a Palestinian Arab state on the areas controlled by Arab states – only in Israel.</span></div>
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<span style="color: black;">In other words, this progression of maps is a series of lies meant to push a bigger lie, and it is tragic that a lot of people believe them to be the truth.</span></div>
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<span style="color: black;">Here is a small attempt on my side to show a more accurate picture of Israel’s giving land it controlled up for peace since 1967:</span></div>
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<a href="http://commentisfreewatch.files.wordpress.com/2011/03/withdrawl-map.jpg" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(207, 226, 229); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; color: #006a80; text-decoration: none;"><span style="color: black;"><img alt="" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-20530" src="http://commentisfreewatch.files.wordpress.com/2011/03/withdrawl-map.jpg?w=490" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(0, 106, 128); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-left-color: rgb(0, 106, 128); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(0, 106, 128); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; border-top-color: rgb(0, 106, 128); border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 1px; display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="withdrawl map" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="color: black;">This map shows that Israel gave up control of the Sinai, Gaza, Southern Lebanon and much of the West Bank over the years. Rather than falsely accusing Israel as a land-grabbing rogue state, it accurately shows Israel as perhaps the only state in history that has voluntarily given up more than two-thirds of the areas it controls in exchange for nothing more than a paper agreement – or sometimes not even that. All at the risk of serious security concerns for her people, no less.</span></div>
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<span style="color: black;">This is all because Israel wants, desperately, to live in real peace with her neighbors. This desire is not reciprocated by those neighbors, unfortunately.</span></div>
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<span style="color: black;">The real map shows the truth of Israel’s incredible concessions in the often vain hope for peace.</span></div>
</div>Louis Lapideshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04937345918099904842noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8640230194403714897.post-44264502637016326742012-06-01T10:03:00.001-07:002012-06-01T10:03:50.145-07:00Elder of Ziyon: Church of Scotland decides Israeli viewpoints are irrelevant<a href="http://elderofziyon.blogspot.com/2012/06/church-of-scotland-decides-israeli.html?m=1">Elder of Ziyon: Church of Scotland decides Israeli viewpoints are irrelevant</a>Louis Lapideshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04937345918099904842noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8640230194403714897.post-78853564278905844882012-04-18T17:25:00.001-07:002017-01-19T17:02:51.558-08:00Chief Organizer of Christ at the CheckPoint Munther Isaac Contradicts Himself<a href="http://www.camera.org/index.asp?x_context=2&x_outlet=118&x_article=2224">CAMERA: Munther Isaac Contradicts Himself</a><br />
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A few weeks ago, Michael Oren, Israel's ambassador to the United States, wrote a pretty straightforward <a href="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970203960804577239923033348982.html" target="_blank">piece</a> about Christians in the Middle East. The piece, titled “Israel and the Plight of Mideast Christians,” appeared in the <i>Wall Street Journal </i>on March 9, 2009.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Michael Oren-Israel's Ambassador to the US</td></tr>
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Oren stated two obvious and undeniable truths. He said Christians living in the Middle East are suffering from Islamist violence and as a result they are fleeing the region, just as Jews fled Arab countries a few decades ago. Oren also stated that while Christians do sometimes encounter intolerance in Israel, Christians living in the Jewish state are safer there than they are anywhere else in the Middle East.</div>
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These two points are unassailable, but Oren's piece sure did offend some people. After the piece was published in the <i>Wall Street Journal</i>, Oren was attacked by a number of Christians in the United States and the West Bank. He was accused of fomenting Islamophobia and ignoring the impact of Israeli policies on Palestinian Christians.</div>
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Apparently, talking about <a href="http://www.bible-quran.com/dhimmitude-islam-mark-durie/" target="_blank">dhimmitude</a>, or the status of Christians living in Muslim-majority countries, is out of bounds for the Israeli ambassador.</div>
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Interestingly enough, Palestinian Christians admitted that Islamist hostility toward Christians is a problem in Palestinian society. They made these statements at the <a href="http://www.camera.org/index.asp?x_context=2&x_outlet=118&x_article=2221" target="_blank">Christ at the Checkpoint Conference</a> on March 6, 2012 – just a few days before Oren's piece appeared in the <i>Wall Street Journal</i>.</div>
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Why is it that Oren is not allowed to say in the <i>Wall Street Journal</i> what Palestinian Christians told a roomful of people in Bethlehem just three days before?</div>
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<strong>Munther Isaac's Response</strong></div>
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One of the most notable condemnations came from Munther Isaac, the chief organizer of the one-sided <a href="http://www.camera.org/index.asp?x_context=2&x_outlet=118&x_article=2221" target="_blank">Christ at the Checkpoint Conference</a> that took place in Bethlehem in early March.</div>
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Isaac wrote a <a href="http://sojo.net/blogs/2012/03/27/palestinian-christians-react-israeli-ambassador%E2%80%99s-claims-about-holy-land-churches">response</a> to Oren's piece. The article, which appeared in Sojourners on March 27, 2012, included the following passage:</div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt;">To insist thatradical Islam is the primary struggle for Palestinian Christians undermines the sufferings of Palestinian Christians caused by the occupation, and labels these struggles as imagined and unreal. This is insulting. To blame the Muslims is an attempt to mask the injustices of the occupation. It is also an attempt to color the conflict with familiar Western "black and white" colors. This is the shameful goal behind Oren's article: to stereotype Palestinians as radical Muslim persecutors of Christians, with Israel as the only ally for Christian Americans who are concerned for Christians in the East.</span></blockquote>
Click<a href="http://www.camera.org/index.asp?x_context=2&x_outlet=118&x_article=2224"> here</a> to read more.Louis Lapideshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04937345918099904842noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8640230194403714897.post-45841396092457458182012-04-18T16:57:00.001-07:002012-04-18T17:00:33.268-07:00Messianic Jewish Leaders Take a Stand Against Anti-Israel Position of the United Methodist ChurchWhat a blessing to see various messianic leaders of several organization issue a statement against the United Methodist Church for their anti-Israel position. Please read this blog which is reposted from <a href="http://roshpinaproject.com/">The Rosh Pina Project</a> and share it on your social networking sites:<br />
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<a href="http://roshpinaproject.com/2012/04/16/messianic-jewish-leaders-warn-united-methodists-poised-to-betray-israel-and-scripture/"><img border="0" height="184" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCcps5zWg0vyb9hxxNv4M2bm6_wf0GOG1fnCOVyDOer_RPtvP3Q1nPHnXY60Dhf-74szqIUD-5msjUWGUIAXFgjSuteiBhyphenhyphenGEHkslY3ftdtJo15VkkcsWHY-lfA8pdrMZUD4W0-9_glwO9/s640/cropped-cropped-joe111.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<h1 class="entry-title" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; clear: both; color: black; font-family: inherit; font-size: 36px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: bold; line-height: 48px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0.3em; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">
<a href="http://roshpinaproject.com/2012/04/16/messianic-jewish-leaders-warn-united-methodists-poised-to-betray-israel-and-scripture/">Messianic Jewish Leaders Warn United Methodists Poised to Betray Israel and Scripture</a></h1>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #373737; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; font-weight: 300; line-height: 24px;">The following is a <a href="http://www.mjaa.org/site/PageServer?pagename=n_feature_articles_newsmedia" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #1982d1; font-family: inherit; font-size: 15px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">joint statement</a> by <strong style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 15px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Messianic Jewish Alliance of America</strong> (MJAA), <strong style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 15px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Union of Messianic Jewish Congregations</strong> (UMJC),<strong style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 15px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">International Messianic Jewish Alliance</strong>(IMJA) and the <strong style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 15px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">International Alliance of Messianic Congregations and Synagogues</strong> (IAMCS).</span></div>
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As the major organizations representing the international Messianic Jewish community, we are greatly alarmed that the <strong style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 15px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="http://topics.sacbee.com/United+Methodist+Church/" rel="nofollow" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #1982d1; font-family: inherit; font-size: 15px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">United Methodist Church</a></strong> (UMC) appears close to adopting a policy of selective divestment concerning Israel. Such a move, being proposed to the <strong style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 15px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">UMC General Conference</strong>, which begins April 24, 2012 would place the UMC not only in direct opposition to the prophetic purposes of God for Israel, but also in opposition to biblical justice.</div>
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The prophet Ezekiel foretells that in latter days God would breathe on the dry bones of Israel, restoring us physically to the land of Israel and spiritually to God (Ezek. 36:24-28; 37:1–14). The historically unprecedented, miraculous and prophetic re-gathering of the Jewish people to our ancient homeland, starting in the nineteenth century, reached a climax in 1948 with the establishment of the modern State of Israel, and the physical process of national restoration continues to this day. Since the pivotal year of 1967, when Jerusalem was reunited under Jewish rule, the number of Messianic Jewish individuals and congregations throughout the world, including Israel, has mushroomed, growing at a rate far greater than any other Jewish religious movement in existence today. The modern re-emergence of the Messianic Jewish community is in the process of fulfilling biblical prophecy (Deut. 30:1–10; Isa. 44:1–5; Jer. 31:7–13; cf. Rom 11:25–29).</div>
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The <strong style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 15px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">International Messianic Jewish Alliance</strong> (IMJA), <strong style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 15px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Messianic Jewish Alliance of America</strong> (MJAA), <strong style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 15px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">International Alliance of Messianic Congregations and Synagogues</strong>(IAMCS), and <strong style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 15px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Union of Messianic Jewish Congregations</strong> (UMJC) constitute the major organizations representing this community. As Messianic Jews who stand in the place of our forefathers Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, the prophets and apostles, we are deeply disturbed that the UMC is considering an agenda that would actually work against God’s purposes of physical and spiritual restoration for the land and people of Israel and the promotion of peace and reconciliation between Israelis and Palestinians.</div>
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Our forefathers, Peter, Paul, John and the Biblical prophets of Israel, would be outraged<em style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 15px; font-style: italic; font-weight: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> </em>to see people that call themselves followers of the Messiah Jesus advocating a policy that is so far out of sync with God’s purposes and plans. The divestment proposal could even be seen as persecuting and oppressing the tiny, God-restored and democratic state of Israel.</div>
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Israel’s claim to legitimacy as a Jewish state rests not only on the words of the Hebrew prophets, but also on broadly accepted standards of human rights and international law. The Jewish people have maintained a presence in the land of Israel throughout history, and have constituted the majority population in Jerusalem since the mid-nineteenth century. The state of Israel was born in response to the homelessness and suffering of the Jewish people in exile, which reached its horrible climax during <a href="http://topics.sacbee.com/World+War+II/" rel="nofollow" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #1982d1; font-family: inherit; font-size: 15px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">World War II.</a> Israel has had to fight several wars for its very survival as a state. Israel has made numerous efforts to pursue a plan for peace. Israel’s continued military presence in the <a href="http://topics.sacbee.com/West+Bank/" rel="nofollow" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #1982d1; font-family: inherit; font-size: 15px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">West Bank</a> represents a failure of the <a href="http://topics.sacbee.com/peace+process/" rel="nofollow" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #1982d1; font-family: inherit; font-size: 15px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">peace process</a> for which Palestinians as well as Israelis must be held responsible.</div>
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The UMC proposal objects to specific Israeli policies, such as “illegal settlements, segregated roads, checkpoints, the separation wall, home demolitions and other realities of occupation,” which in many particulars represent security measures in response to past terror attacks. But the proposal goes beyond specific policies and expressly “calls on the <a href="http://topics.sacbee.com/United+Methodist+Church/" rel="nofollow" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #1982d1; font-family: inherit; font-size: 15px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">United Methodist Church</a> to end its financial involvement in Israel’s occupation by divesting from companies that sustain the occupation” as a whole (Proposal 21071-FA-Non-Dis, “Aligning UMC Investments with Resolutions on Israel/Palestine,” <a href="http://calms.umc.org/2012/Text.aspx?mode=Petition&Number=1071" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #1982d1; font-family: inherit; font-size: 15px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">http://calms.umc.org/2012/Text.aspx?mode=Petition&Number=1071</a>). To demand a unilateral Israeli withdrawal ignores recent history and realities on the ground today. In a sad irony, this pressure on Israel comes at a time when it is suffering continual <a href="http://topics.sacbee.com/rocket+attacks/" rel="nofollow" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #1982d1; font-family: inherit; font-size: 15px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">rocket attacks</a> from the <a href="http://topics.sacbee.com/Gaza+strip/" rel="nofollow" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #1982d1; font-family: inherit; font-size: 15px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Gaza strip,</a> from which Israel unilaterally withdrew in 2005. Pushing for an immediate Israeli withdrawal from Judea and Samaria indicates either an ignorance of Israel’s purposes in maintaining a presence there, or a reckless disregard of Israeli lives and security.</div>
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Failure to curtail terrorist violence undermines the credibility of the <a href="http://topics.sacbee.com/Palestinian+Authority/" rel="nofollow" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #1982d1; font-family: inherit; font-size: 15px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Palestinian Authority</a> as a partner for peace. The PLO, with its axiomatic rejection of any Jewish state, came into existence in 1964, three years before Israel controlled the territories in question. Its legacy has been transferred to the Palestinian Authority, which has historically envisioned a <a href="http://topics.sacbee.com/Middle+East/" rel="nofollow" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #1982d1; font-family: inherit; font-size: 15px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Middle East</a> without the State of Israel. Surely, this systemic hatred must be recognized as a root of conflict and terror. Hope for an end to this tragic conflict requires that Palestinian leadership unequivocally recognize Israel’s right to exist as a Jewish state. To ignore this imperative, as the divestment movement does, makes a mockery of its call for justice. Likewise it is unjust to ignore the history of hostility and aggression by Israel’s neighbors, which outnumber the seven million citizens of the Jewish state with a combined population of 350 million within the 22 states of the <a href="http://topics.sacbee.com/Arab+League/" rel="nofollow" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #1982d1; font-family: inherit; font-size: 15px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Arab League.</a> Nearly all of these states have failed to recognize the legitimacy of Israel as a Jewish state or to renounce their desire for its destruction. Efforts to moralize over today’s tragic situation without reference to its historical and political roots cannot produce lasting results.</div>
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Selective divestment from companies doing business with Israel promotes a one-sided and highly politicized view of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, which can only lead to further polarization of all concerned. In addition, it unfairly applies a double standard singling out the democratic and free state of Israel with a potent and rarely used form of protest, while ignoring the horrific human<a href="http://topics.sacbee.com/rights+violations/" rel="nofollow" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #1982d1; font-family: inherit; font-size: 15px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">rights violations</a> in the Palestinian Authority and the countries surrounding Israel.</div>
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As Jewish followers of Yeshua (Jesus), we appreciate the attempts of Christian denominations since the Holocaust to promote understanding and good will. Divestment from Israel, however, only serves to diminish the possibility of genuine negotiations for peace, encourage violence and extremism, and undermine the relationship between the church and the Jewish community. Divestment efforts insert partisanship into an enterprise best governed by this word from Moses, “You shall not render an unjust judgment; you shall not be partial to the poor or defer to the great: with justice you shall judge your neighbor” (Lev. 19:15). Most of all, the UMC divestment initiative ignores the words of Scripture that foretell a Jewish return to the land of Israel after centuries of exile: “For I will take you from among the nations, gather you out of all countries, and bring you into your own land” (Ezek. 36:24; see also Jer. 16:14–15, 33:10–14, etc.).</div>
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The <a href="http://topics.sacbee.com/United+Methodist+Church/" rel="nofollow" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #1982d1; font-family: inherit; font-size: 15px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">United Methodist Church</a> places a premium on justice, but ironically threatens to perpetrate an injustice. A decision to divest resources from Israel will do more to hurt the UMC than Israel. Therefore, we call upon the <a href="http://topics.sacbee.com/United+Methodist+Church/" rel="nofollow" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #1982d1; font-family: inherit; font-size: 15px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">United Methodist Church</a> to heed the words of the Jewish prophets and the standards of justice established in Scripture, and to reject the use of divestment as a weapon against Israel.</div>
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Instead, we call on the UMC to pray for and support the people of Israel in their struggle against those that would seek to destroy the Jewish state and oppose God’s purposes as revealed in Scripture.</div>
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John Fischer, President Joel Liberman, Executive Director International Messianic Jewish Alliance<a href="http://www.imja.org/" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #1982d1; font-family: inherit; font-size: 15px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">http://www.imja.org</a></div>
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Paul Liberman, President Joel Chernoff, General Secretary Messianic Jewish Alliance of America<a href="http://www.mjaa.org/" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #1982d1; font-family: inherit; font-size: 15px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">http://www.mjaa.org</a></div>
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Jeff Forman, Chairman International Alliance of Messianic Congregations and Synagogues</div>
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Howard Silverman, President Russell Resnik, Executive Director Union of Messianic Jewish Congregations <a href="http://www.umjc.org/" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #1982d1; font-family: inherit; font-size: 15px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">http://www.umjc.org</a></div>
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Contact: Joel Chernoff, <a href="mailto:joelchernoff@mjaa.org" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #1982d1; font-family: inherit; font-size: 15px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">joelchernoff@mjaa.org</a>, 610-304-2237</div>
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Russ Resnik, <a href="mailto:rebrez@umjc.org" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #1982d1; font-family: inherit; font-size: 15px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">rebrez@umjc.org</a>, 505-440-2265</div>
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</span>Louis Lapideshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04937345918099904842noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8640230194403714897.post-44869838212154501022012-04-04T14:23:00.000-07:002012-04-04T14:23:06.871-07:00The Church is the New Israel Now . . or is it?<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj12d0w_wITG9uOe4a6I0EvfgARktW83Kpa42dA2I2fq2NcPYOPQMyfSH6_Hedd28GSerMrwyk4De6gvskIt8A87BhVHGjP8mfcCPR8tqs_mgsF1R5KXlM-X9WDMeZujrS3nnl5FcqkfrDi/s1600/The+Church+Is+Israel+Now.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj12d0w_wITG9uOe4a6I0EvfgARktW83Kpa42dA2I2fq2NcPYOPQMyfSH6_Hedd28GSerMrwyk4De6gvskIt8A87BhVHGjP8mfcCPR8tqs_mgsF1R5KXlM-X9WDMeZujrS3nnl5FcqkfrDi/s1600/The+Church+Is+Israel+Now.jpg" /></a>Ever since I accepted the Lord in 1969 I have been faced with Replacement Theology which teaches the Church has replaced Israel. In other words, all the promises God gave to the Jewish people are now fulfilled in the Church and Christians form the "New Israel." Is this true?<br />
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Charles D. Provan has written a book <a href="http://www.amazon.com/The-Church-Israel-Now-Conditional/dp/1879998394/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1333573531&sr=8-1">The Church is Israel Now</a> in which he attempts to support the Replacement Theology line of thinking.<br />
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Recently Mike Moore on his blog <a href="http://fromthetopcom.blogspot.co.uk/2012/03/is-church-israel-now.html">Mike's Musings</a> critiques Provan's book and presented a very well thought out argument. I decided to repost Mike's blog. I encourage you to read the article and go to Mike's blog add your comments of appreciation or share you input on his blog. You are also welcome to share your thoughts and dialogue with Louis Lapides about Replacement Theology on <a href="http://thinkingoutsidetheblog.blogspot.com/">ThinkingOutsidetheBlog</a>.<br />
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<blockquote><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #fce5cd;">There's an interesting discussion about Messianic Jews on <a href="http://www.facebook.com/rcsprouljr/posts/3036211743751?comment_id=46794485">Facebook</a>. One of the contributers recommended Charles Provan's book The Church is israel Now. I, however, am not a fan of Provan's book.</span> </blockquote><blockquote><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #fce5cd;"> When The Church is Israel Now was first published I sent a substantial critique of the book to the author and to his main distributers in the UK and the USA. I received no reply from either Provan or his US distributer, and the response I received from his UK distributer was a polite, two-sentence note that basically told me to get lost. I believe the reason I receive no answer is because my case is unanswerable. This is what I sent.</span> </blockquote><blockquote><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #fce5cd;"> Dear Mr Provan,</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #fce5cd;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #fce5cd;"> I read with interest your book The Church is Israel Now and believe it needs some form of response. Obviously much thought and comparison of Scripture with Scripture went into the book, which is commendable. The format of placing Old Testament Scripture against New Testament Scripture is illuminating. However, in spite of the fact that you attempt to allow the Bible to speak for itself, I believe your thesis is basically unscriptural, fundamentally flawed and very dangerous.</span> </blockquote><blockquote><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #fce5cd;"> In the second paragraph of your introduction (no page number) you state: ‘The only hypothesis which explains how this could be [i.e.: that the same terms used in the Old Testament to describe Israel are used in the New Testament to describe Christians] is that the Israel of the Old Testament (so called ‘Racial Israel’) had been replaced by the Israel of the New Testament, the Christian Church.’ It is a mark of humility on your part that you acknowledge your book to be a hypothesis and I would like to suggest that your hypothesis is fundamentally flawed.</span> </blockquote><blockquote><blockquote class="tr_bq"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #fce5cd;"><br />
</span></blockquote><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #fce5cd;"> You appear to be unable to think in categories other than ‘either/or’. Your method of assembling sets of verses which show, for example, that in the Old Testament Israel was beloved of God and that in the New Testament Christians are beloved of God, and that in the Old Testament the Jews are called God’s people and in the New Testament Christians are called God’s people has its strengths but it also has great weaknesses.</span></blockquote><blockquote><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #fce5cd;"> For example, if your system of Scriptural interpretation was applied to the biblical teaching about God one would have to conclude that Jesus has replaced Jehovah on the grounds that in the New Testament the divine titles are all accorded to Jesus. In the Old Testament, for example, Jehovah is the King of Israel, whereas in the New Testament Jesus is the King of the Jews; in the Old Testament Jehovah is the Shepherd of his people whereas in the New Testament Jesus is the good Shepherd; in the Old Testament Jehovah is the Rock but in the New Testament Jesus is the Rock. As I have pointed out to numerous ‘Jehovah’s Witnesses, there is no title given to Jehovah which is not applied to Jesus in the New Testament. But that is not the same as a ‘transfer’ of titles. Jesus has not replaced Jehovah. Is it not at least possible, therefore, that the Church may indeed be the beloved Israel of God without having replaced the nation of Israel?</span> </blockquote><blockquote><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #fce5cd;"> While appearing to be scriptural, I believe your method is ultimately unscriptural in that you attempt to fit the Scriptures (no doubt unwittingly) into a preconceived framework. Nowhere is this more evident than when you aver that Matthew 21:43 ‘demonstrates ... quite clearly’ the transfer of Israel’s privileges and responsibilities: ‘Therefore I tell you that the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people who will produce its fruit.’</span> </blockquote><blockquote><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #fce5cd;"> At first sight the words of Christ appear to support your hypothesis. But Matthew goes on: ‘When the chief priests and the Pharisees heard Jesus’ parables, they knew he was talking about them.’ (Matthew 21:45). Jesus was not saying the kingdom would be taken from Israel but from the rulers of Israel.</span></blockquote><blockquote><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #fce5cd;"> At the beginning of Matthew 21 the people of Jerusalem welcomed Christ and acknowledged him to be the Messiah, the son of David and a prophet (vv. 8-11). It was ‘the chief priests and the scribes’ alone who were displeased (vv15, 16) at the events of the day. In verse 23 the people listened avidly to Christ but the chief priests and the scribes took issue with him over his authority to teach.</span> </blockquote><blockquote><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #fce5cd;"> In the first of the two parables recorded in the same chapter (vv. 28-33) Jesus revealed that publicans and prostitutes entered the kingdom before the religious leaders. In his second parable the Lord used the imagery of Isaiah 5 to make his point. In the days of the prophet, the corruption of the people led to the Babylonian captivity and the kingdom was taken away. Christ says in Matthew 21 that the kingdom will again be taken away, this time from the chief priests and Pharisees, and given to another nation (as at the time of the Babylonian captivity).</span> </blockquote><blockquote><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #fce5cd;"> However, Christ does not say the kingdom will be taken from Israel: Matthew records that the chief priests and Pharisees ‘perceived that he spoke concerning them’.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #fce5cd;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #fce5cd;"> The common people of the nation received Christ and hence received the kingdom. After Pentecost vast numbers of the Jewish people turned to Christ. Contrary to traditional Christian thinking, the same people who cried ‘Hosanna’ on Palm Sunday did not call, ‘Crucify’ on Good Friday. That teaching has fuelled anti-Semitism in the gentile world and continues to be a reason why so many Jewish people, out of a misinformed sense of what it means to be a Jew, continue to reject Christ.</span></blockquote><blockquote><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #fce5cd;"> The Sanhedrin had difficulty arresting Jesus for fear of public outrage: ‘But when they sought to lay hands on him, they feared the multitudes’ (Matt 21:46).</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #fce5cd;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #fce5cd;"> They arrested him at night and tried him in secret so that on the morning of the crucifixion the majority of the population of Jerusalem appear to have been astonished and dismayed to discover he had been condemned: ‘And a great multitude of the people followed him ... who mourned and lamented him’ (Luke 23:27).</span> </blockquote><blockquote><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #fce5cd;"> Even a cursory reading of the Gospels reveals that Jesus was not rejected by the nation as a whole:</span> </blockquote><blockquote><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #fce5cd;"> When he had come into Jerusalem, all the city was moved, saying, Who is this? So the multitudes said, This is Jesus, the prophet of Nazareth (Matthew 21:10,11).</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #fce5cd;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #fce5cd;"> Many of the people believed in him, and said, When Christ comes, will he do more signs than these which this man has done? (John 7:3 1).</span></blockquote><blockquote><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #fce5cd;"> Even among the religious hierarchy, not all rejected Christ: ‘Nevertheless even among the rulers many believed on him’ (John 12.42).</span></blockquote><blockquote><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #fce5cd;"> The Book of Acts demonstrates that the kingdom had not been taken from ‘Racial Israel’. In Israel and the Diaspora thousands accepted Jesus as their Saviour and King.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #fce5cd;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #fce5cd;"> That day about three thousand souls were added to them (Acts 2:41).</span> </blockquote><blockquote><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #fce5cd;"> Many of those who heard the word believed; and the number of the men came to be about five thousand (Acts 4:4).</span> </blockquote><blockquote><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #fce5cd;"> The number of the disciples multiplied greatly in Jerusalem; and a great many of the priests were obedient to the faith (Acts 6:7).</span></blockquote><blockquote><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #fce5cd;"> When the congregation had broken up, many of the Jews ... followed Paul and Barnabas (Acts 13:43).</span> </blockquote><blockquote><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #fce5cd;"> Many of them believed; and also not a few of the Greeks (Acts 17:12).</span></blockquote><blockquote><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #fce5cd;"> John, of course, records that ‘his own received him not’. Nevertheless, he modifies that statement with another: ‘but to as many as received him...’ Many verses demonstrate that the picture was not as bleak as we have become conditioned to accept. There was a substantial ‘remnant according to the election of grace’ in Jerusalem, Judea and the Diaspora.</span></blockquote><blockquote><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #fce5cd;"> You state on page 46 that in the Old Testament, ‘Israel Is An Olive Tree’ (Jeremiah 11:16-17; Hosea 14:5-6) and in the New Testament, ‘Christians Are An Olive Tree’ (Romans 11:17-24). Though acknowledging that in Romans 11, ‘The Olive Tree under discussion ... is clearly Israel’ your bold-type sub-headings give the wrong impression. Paul does not say in Romans 11 that Christians are ‘an olive tree’.</span> </blockquote><blockquote><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #fce5cd;"> Gentile believers, says the apostle, are branches from a wild olive tree that have been grafted on to the olive tree of Israel. If your hypothesis is, as you believe, the only possible one, Paul’s olive tree illustration is misleading. If the Church has replaced ‘Racial Israel’ a more fitting illustration would be that one olive tree has been cut down and another planted in its place, as your own sub-headings suggest.</span></blockquote><blockquote><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #fce5cd;"> But God has not cut down one olive tree and planted another in its place. Nor are there two separate olive trees. Instead, God has broken off some branches from the olive tree of Israel because of their unbelief and has grafted in branches not native to the tree. This is a vital and important distinction and it is inexcusable that a book purporting to be serious biblical scholarship should fail to see that distinction.</span></blockquote><blockquote><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #fce5cd;"> Nowhere in the book do you take into account Romans 11:1: ‘Did God reject his people? By no means!’ Nor do you engage with Old Testament verses such as Deuteronomy 4:31: ‘For the LORD your God is a merciful God; he will not abandon or destroy you or forget the covenant with your forefathers, which he confirmed to them by oath.’ Nowhere do you take into account Jeremiah 31:35-37:</span></blockquote><blockquote><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #fce5cd;"> This is what the LORD says, he who appoints the sun to shine by day, who decrees the moon and stars to shine by night, who stirs up the sea so that its waves roar – the LORD Almighty is his name: ‘Only if these decrees vanish from my sight,’ declares the LORD, ‘will the descendants of Israel ever cease to be a nation before me.’ This is what the LORD says: ‘Only if the heavens above can be measured and the foundations of the earth below be searched out will I reject all the descendants of Israel because of all they have done,’ declares the LORD.</span></blockquote><blockquote><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #fce5cd;"> At best, the claim that ‘the Church is Israel now’ demonstrates an utter disregard for the apostle’s warning to the grafted-in branches of the Olive Tree not to boast themselves against the natural branches. At worst, your hypothesis appears a particularly arrogant example of theological anti-Semitism. If it falls into the hands of Jews it will serve only to alienate them from the Church which has supposedly replaced them because it will confirm their historical contention that the Church is anti-Jewish.</span></blockquote><blockquote><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #fce5cd;"> The Church is Israel Now appears to me a classic example of adding two and two together to make five. To your credit you acknowledge that your conclusion is a ‘hypothesis’ (albeit the only possible one) according to which, when ‘the Israelites obeyed God, God loved them. But when they turned from Him He hated them, stripping them of their Israelite status.’</span></blockquote><blockquote><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #fce5cd;"> While it is true that in certain Old Testament passages, God speaks of His hatred for disobedient Israelites those passages must be modified by other statements. If God’s love is conditional upon obedience, it is difficult to pinpoint a time when God could possibly have loved ‘Racial Israel’. Indeed, nowhere are God’s declarations of love greater than in the book of Hosea when Israel, the bride of Jehovah, is likened to a brazen whore.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #fce5cd;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #fce5cd;"> If God’s love is conditional, where does that leave the Church! If God’s love is conditional there is no hope for any of us.</span></blockquote><blockquote><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #fce5cd;"> Followed to its logical conclusion your hypothesis would leave Christians without assurance of salvation. If God, without warning, transferred all ‘Racial Israel’s’ privileges to Christians, what confidence can Christians have that he will not at some future date transfer our benefits to others?</span></blockquote><blockquote><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #fce5cd;"> Apart from a reference to a select number of verses in Romans 11, one would think you were unaware of the chapter’s existence, for nowhere do you consider what Paul means when he says that Israel is the people God ‘foreknew’, that ‘the Israelites are beloved for the fathers’ sakes’ or that God’s ‘gifts and calling are without repentance’.</span></blockquote><blockquote><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #fce5cd;"> The book’s subtitle, ‘The Transfer of Conditional Privilege’ reveals a lack of understanding of the unconditional nature of God’s covenant with Abraham in Genesis 15.</span></blockquote><blockquote><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #fce5cd;"> Moreover, there is a failure to understand that the Church is not a new entity which came into being on the Day of Pentecost. Israel is God’s qahal, a Hebrew word that in the Greek Septuagint version of the Old Testament is rendered ekklesia, the same word translated ‘church’ in English versions of the New Testament. Ekklesia means basically ‘that which is called out’ and the Christian church, or congregation, has been called out of the world and gathered to Messiah. But the Lord’s calling out of a people for his name did not begin at Pentecost. According to Stephen, in Acts 7:38, God had an ekklesia in the wilderness.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #fce5cd;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #fce5cd;"> Until the time of Paul’s missionary enterprise the ekklesia consisted mainly of the physical descendants of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, though there were notable exceptions such as Rahab of Jericho, Ruth the Moabitess, Uriah the Hittite and Naaman the Syrian.</span></blockquote><blockquote><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #fce5cd;"> In the 2,000 years since the time of Christ the majority of the ‘called out’ have been Gentiles. Paul’s illustration in Romans 11 is that Israel is an olive tree, the branches of which are individual believers. Some of the native branches have been ‘broken off through unbelief’. But whether the branches are natural or wild, both are joined to the same tree.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #fce5cd;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #fce5cd;"> This renders the theory that the Church has replaced Israel a nonsense. How can Israel replace Israel? How can the Church replace the Church?</span></blockquote><blockquote><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #fce5cd;"> Neither is the church God’s ‘new’ Israel. On the day of Pentecost ‘the church’ entered a new phase, when the gospel would be proclaimed to all nations beginning at Jerusalem. ‘With Pentecost’, writes Kai Kjær-Hansen, ‘God’s church for the last days begins its ministry’.</span></blockquote><blockquote><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #fce5cd;"> Shadows have been replaced by reality; the partial has been superseded by the fullness, and the preparation by the fulfilment. At Pentecost, as at the erection of the tabernacle and the dedication of Solomon’s temple, the glory of God descended and filled his temple ‘made without hands’.</span></blockquote><blockquote><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #fce5cd;"> Gentile believers must eschew fruitless and arid replacement theology and return to the New Testament’s emphasis on fulfilment. We must acknowledge with gratitude that we who were once ‘without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world’ are now ‘no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone’.</span></blockquote><blockquote><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #fce5cd;"> The language of replacement is inappropriate to the discussion. It promotes that Gentile arrogance against which Paul warned in Romans 11, whereas the recognition that we Gentiles have become ‘fellow heirs [with Israel], of the same body, and partakers of His promise in Christ through the gospel’ will promote humility, wonder and a longing for the natural heirs of the blessings to enter into the fullness of their inheritance.</span></blockquote>Please leave your comments on this article or on the subject of Replacement Theology. Thanks.Louis Lapideshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04937345918099904842noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8640230194403714897.post-88708765112428980112012-03-27T13:48:00.004-07:002012-03-27T15:35:15.425-07:00Fight The New Anti-Semitism!: Truth, Half-Truths and Lies: "Christ at the Checkp...Check out this blog written by my friend Olivier Melnick. He does an excellent job in critiquing the Christ at the Check Point Manifesto. His blog is called <a href="http://newantisemitism.blogspot.com/">NewAntisemitism</a>. I highly recommend his writing on the subject of antisemitism and especially this article on Christ at the Checkpoint.<br />
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<a href="http://newantisemitism.blogspot.com/2012/03/truth-half-truths-and-lies-christ-at.html?spref=bl">Fight The New Anti-Semitism!: Truth, Half-Truths and Lies: "Christ at the Checkpoint" Anti-Israel Conference </a>:<br />
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For as long as I can remember, the Middle East has been in turmoil. Arabs and Jews appear to have been at each other’s throats since the day I<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Tinos; font-size: 16px; line-height: 22px;">srael was reborn as a modern nation in May of 1948 (that very day also being known as “al-Nakba” or “the Catastrophe” in the Islamic culture).</span><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBBq3-DZN-1TXicyZeu7V6dFtYelLNxHvxpK4xZIkT5fVpHRL60rqqJH7CYJUT53aZi1pRbk5WjyTS9melzZexM_ktwxMmd9oZKSv70BJ_xVk-ZYBkZbFhTGdU5lR2l_eV0qNW3sNXH-ht/s1600/christ-checkpoint.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBBq3-DZN-1TXicyZeu7V6dFtYelLNxHvxpK4xZIkT5fVpHRL60rqqJH7CYJUT53aZi1pRbk5WjyTS9melzZexM_ktwxMmd9oZKSv70BJ_xVk-ZYBkZbFhTGdU5lR2l_eV0qNW3sNXH-ht/s1600/christ-checkpoint.jpg" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Tinos; font-size: 16px; line-height: 22px;"> Being a Jew born and raised in Paris and as a child of Holocaust survivors, I grew-up in a culture that instilled in me the reality of anti-Semitism as well as the existing hatred between Arabs and Jews. While my own family never taught me to retaliate evil for evil, there was always an underlying uneasiness about “those Arabs who hate us!” as I often heard growing up.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Tinos; font-size: 16px; line-height: 22px;"> Then I met my Messiah in the summer of 1981. While my growth in Yeshua (Jesus) was slow at first, it was steady and I grew increasingly aware of God’s love for ALL people, Jews, Arabs and anyone else. As difficult as it was for this Jew to really accept that concept, as a follower of the Messiah, I had no other choice but to accept that God not only loves all, but that He also requires us to love all, including our enemies: “<i><span style="color: black;">But I say to you, love your enemies, and pray for those who persecute you.” </span></i>(Matthew 5:44).</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Tinos; font-size: 16px; line-height: 22px;"> This is why I am deeply saddened AND concerned by the recent conference known as “Christ at the Checkpoint” (CatC) that took place March 5-9, 2012 at Bethlehem Bible College. This was the second of its kind after the one that took place in 2010.</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Tinos; font-size: 16px; line-height: 22px; text-indent: 0.5in;"><o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Tinos; font-size: 16px; line-height: 22px; text-indent: 0.5in;">The subtitle of the conference was “hope in the midst of conflict”. The theme was advertised as being “peace and reconciliation”. In and of themselves, both the title and theme are commendable efforts to be recognized by anyone, assuming they are an accurate and ethical description of the events that took place. As it turned out, following in the footsteps of the 2010 conference, the 2012 event did not have reconciliation at heart, unless of course reconciliation was the result of a <b><i>unilateral admission of Israel’s faults in the Middle East crisis</i></b>. This would of course require recognizing Israel as a guilty occupier and perpetrator of crimes against humanity, hardly a fact!<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Tinos; font-size: 16px; line-height: 22px; text-indent: 0.5in;">Advertised on their own website as a huge<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;"><a href="http://www.bethbc.com/news/press-release-christ-checkpoint-hope-midst-conflict-2012" style="color: #0b5394; text-decoration: none;"> “evangelical breakthrough”</a></span> , CatC claims that over 600 local and international Christians gathered (including several Messianic Jews). Many evangelical figures spoke during the conference, bringing their support and endorsements to the cause. It was also stated that:<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Tinos; font-size: 16px; line-height: 22px; text-indent: 0.5in;"><i>Conference organizers challenged the evangelical community to cease looking at the Middle East through the lens of “end times” prophecy and instead rallied them to join in following Jesus in the prophetic pursuance of justice, peace and reconciliation.<o:p></o:p></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Tinos; font-size: 16px; line-height: 22px; text-indent: 0.5in;">This prompted a <a href="http://roshpinaproject.com/2012/03/03/messianic-jewish-leaders-respond-on-eve-of-christ-at-the-checkpoint/" style="color: #0b5394; text-decoration: none;">unified response from several Messianic Jewish organizations</a> (a small miracle considering that when you put two Jews in a room, you get three opinions). A response that rightfully so, showed great concern for the direction the Conference was taking<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Tinos; font-size: 16px; line-height: 22px; text-indent: 0.5in;">Additionally, CatC organizers including blatant anti-Zionist and anti-Semitic <a href="http://www.ccj.org.uk/Articles/304111/Council_of_Christians/About_Us/Latest_News/CCJ_Statement_About.aspx" style="color: #0b5394; text-decoration: none;">Stephen Sizer</a>, also published a manifesto that was agreed upon and signed by all organizers.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Tinos; line-height: 22px; text-indent: 0.5in;"><div style="font-size: 16px;">While that manifesto contains some truth, it is ambiguous and misleading at best, but also rather libelous in some cases. A closer look at it in light of God’s Word is necessary. Following in bold is the exact text of the manifesto along with Scripture to either validate its truth or rebuke its error. </div><div style="font-size: 16px;"> </div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>The Christ at the Checkpoint Manifesto</b></div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Tinos; font-size: 16px; line-height: 22px; text-indent: 0.5in;"><b><br />
</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Tinos; font-size: 16px; line-height: 22px; text-indent: 0.5in;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Tinos; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 22px;"><b>The Kingdom of God has come. Evangelicals must reclaim the prophetic role in bringing peace, justice and reconciliation in Palestine and Israel.<o:p></o:p></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Tinos; font-size: 16px; line-height: 22px;"><b style="font-weight: bold;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000;">DISAGREED</span>:</b> Kingdom Now Theology also known as a variance of Dominion Theology claims among other things, that Yeshua’s Kingdom was inaugurated at His first coming while Scripture states that He will reign as Messianic King on the throne of David from Jerusalem in the yet to come Millennial Messianic Kingdom (Psalm 72:8, 11, 17; Isaiah 9:7, 11:6-11; Jeremiah 23:6, Zechariah 3:10)<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Tinos; font-size: 16px; line-height: 22px;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Tinos; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 22px;"><b>Reconciliation recognizes God’s image in one another.<o:p></o:p></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Tinos; font-size: 16px; line-height: 22px;"><b style="font-weight: bold;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #38761d;">AGREED:</span></b> God created man and woman in His image, regardless of ethnicity. (Genesis 1:27; 5:1; 9:6; 1 Corinthians 11:7; Ephesians 4:24).<b><o:p></o:p></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Tinos; font-size: 16px; line-height: 22px;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Tinos; font-size: 16px; line-height: 22px;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Tinos; font-size: 16px; line-height: 22px;"><b>Racial ethnicity alone does not guarantee the benefits of the Abrahamic Covenant.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Tinos; font-size: 16px; line-height: 22px;"><b><o:p></o:p></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Tinos; font-size: 16px; line-height: 22px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000;">DISAGREED:</span></b> The benefits of the Abrahamic Covenant as multi-faceted as they are promised to both the Jewish people and the nations through Abraham, yet the physical land is ONLY promised to the Jewish people, ethnic descendants of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob (Genesis 12:1-3, 7; 13:15;17:7-8, 19; 25:5-6; 26:3; 28:3-4; 35:9-15</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Tinos; font-size: 16px; line-height: 22px;"><o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Tinos; font-size: 16px; line-height: 22px;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Tinos; font-size: 16px; line-height: 22px;"><b>The Church in the land of the Holy One, has born witness to Christ since the </b><b>days of Pentecost. It must be empowered to continue to be light and salt in</b><b> the region, if there is to be hope in the midst of conflict.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Tinos; font-size: 16px; line-height: 22px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #38761d;"><b>AGREED:</b> </span>Yeshua’s last command to His disciples was to make disciples of ALL NATIONS (Matthew 28:18-20; Luke 24:47)<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Tinos; font-size: 16px; line-height: 22px;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Tinos; font-size: 16px; line-height: 22px;"><b>Any exclusive claim to land of the Bible in the name of God is not in line with</b><b> the teaching of Scripture.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Tinos; font-size: 16px; line-height: 22px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000;">DISAGREED:</span></b> It must be understood first and foremost that the Land of Israel belongs to God Himself (Leviticus 25:23). God chose to make a covenant with Abraham that would include that piece of land as an eternal AND unconditional part of that covenant. Additionally, God’s gifts are irrevocable (Romans 11:29).<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Tinos; font-size: 16px; line-height: 22px;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Tinos; font-size: 16px; line-height: 22px;"><b>All forms of violence must be refuted unequivocally. <o:p></o:p></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Tinos; font-size: 16px; line-height: 22px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #38761d;">AGREED:</span></b> Yeshua always taught against violence for believers, as a matter of fact, He taught the exact opposite between His followers as well as between His followers and unbelievers, making Christianity a most unique faith were disciples of Messiah must EVEN love their enemies (Matthew 5:39-48; Luke 6:27-35, Romans 12:17-21)</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Tinos; font-size: 16px; line-height: 22px;"><o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Tinos; font-size: 16px; line-height: 22px;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Tinos; font-size: 16px; line-height: 22px;"><b>Palestinian Christians must not lose the capacity to self-criticism if they </b><b>wish to remain prophetic.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Tinos; font-size: 16px; line-height: 22px;"><o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Tinos; font-size: 16px; line-height: 22px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #38761d;"><b>AGREED:</b></span> In any conflict, ALL parties must be willing to recognize fault and prepared to adjust accordingly. (Proverbs 18:12; Ephesians 4:2; Philippians 2:3; Colossians 3:1-17)<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Tinos; font-size: 16px; line-height: 22px;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Tinos; font-size: 16px; line-height: 22px;"><b>There are real injustices taking place in the Palestinian territories and the </b><b>suffering of the Palestinian people can no longer be ignored. Any solution must respect the equity and rights of Israel and Palestinian communities.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Tinos; font-size: 16px; line-height: 22px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;"><b> PARTIALLY AGREED AND DISAGREED:</b> </span></span>While mutual respect of human beings as being made in God’s image is at the core of peace and reconciliation, what is meant by “injustices in the Palestinian territories” remains to be defined. (Genesis 1:27; 5:1; 9:6; 1 Corinthians 11:7; Ephesians 4:24)</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Tinos; font-size: 16px; line-height: 22px;"><o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Tinos; font-size: 16px; line-height: 22px;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Tinos; font-size: 16px; line-height: 22px;"><b>For Palestinian Christians, the occupation is the core issue of the conflict.</b><o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Tinos; font-size: 16px; line-height: 22px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;"><b> PARTIALLY AGREED AND DISAGREED:</b></span></span> While nobody enjoys living in a land that they feel is theirs and is occupied by a foreign people group, it remains to be proven biblically that Jewish people are the occupiers. All previous Scriptures cited about the Land lead to an opposite view (See verses under points 3 and 5).<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Tinos; font-size: 16px; line-height: 22px;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Tinos; font-size: 16px; line-height: 22px;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Tinos; font-size: 16px; line-height: 22px;"><b>Any challenge of the injustices taking place in the Holy Land must be done in Christian love. Criticism of Israel and the occupation cannot be confused with anti-Semitism and the delegitimization of the State of Israel.<o:p></o:p></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Tinos; font-size: 16px; line-height: 22px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #38761d;"><b>AGREED:</b></span> While it is possible to disagree with Israeli policies, much of what has been labeled as anti-Israelism or even anti-Zionism has really been anti-Semitism in disguise. Genuine Christian love is at the core of any reconciliation and is irrespective of color or race. (2 Corinthians 5:14; Ephesians 3:19; Colossians 3:14).</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Tinos; font-size: 16px; line-height: 22px;"><o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Tinos; font-size: 16px; line-height: 22px;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Tinos; font-size: 16px; line-height: 22px;"><b>Respectful dialogue between Palestinian and Messianic believers must continue. Though we may disagree on secondary matters of theology, the Gospel of Jesus and his ethical teaching take precedence.</b><o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Tinos; font-size: 16px; line-height: 22px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;"><b>PARTIALLY AGREED AND DISAGREED:</b></span></span> Respectful dialogue means that both sides must be heard and both sides must listen. Agreeing on the Gospel of Yeshua doesn’t negate God’s covenants with the Jewish people (Romans 1:16; 9-11)<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Tinos; font-size: 16px; line-height: 22px;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Tinos; font-size: 16px; line-height: 22px;"><b>Christians must understand the global context for the rise of extremist Islam. We challenge stereotyping of all faith forms that betray God’s commandment to love our neighbors and enemies.</b><o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Tinos; font-size: 16px; line-height: 22px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #38761d;"><b>AGREED:</b></span> While again I find the statement misleading as it could be taken to mean that there is a justification for radical Islam’s violence, I agree that Christian love is always to be the foundation of any lasting peace and reconciliation (See verses under points 6).<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Tinos; font-size: 16px; line-height: 22px;"> I recognize that the breaking down of the manifesto into sections to be either supported or refuted by God’s Word is non exhaustive at best. Nevertheless, it provides a bit more of a biblical foundation on which to rest for a more balanced approach to the Middle East conflict.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Tinos; font-size: 16px; line-height: 22px;"><o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Tinos; font-size: 16px; line-height: 22px;"> While CatC appears to seek justice and to be interested in hearing both sides (thus the few messianic pro-Zionists on the list of speakers), it is still obvious to me that the scale was heavily tipped by anti-Semitism at worst, and anti-Israelism or anti-Zionism at best. Unfortunately, the very fact that some evangelicals participated in the conference and that many more will endorse its false agenda of “peace and reconciliation” is proof to me that the Body of Messiah has lost its sense of discernment, an issue that we have been warned about regarding the last days.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Tinos; font-size: 16px; line-height: 22px;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Tinos; font-size: 16px; line-height: 22px;"><i>I solemnly charge you in the presence of God and of Messiah Yeshua, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by His appearing and His kingdom: preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with great patience and instruction. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires; and will turn away their ears from the truth, and will turn aside to myths. But you, be sober in all things, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry. </i><i>(2 Timothy 4:1-5).</i></div>Louis Lapideshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04937345918099904842noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8640230194403714897.post-77905574816904985702012-03-09T16:58:00.006-08:002012-03-10T07:41:54.333-08:00Arab Mufti Admitted: The Arabs Sold the Land to the Jews<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnhqSrG7uKC3SFECLOQ7yTc6R4K4YKPcO_cGDWWfEKvwENVRZLL4JZTYCHb48M6vyC5X7BmN0213ikCRw2lqK8wvtUFL2iKo4SdJMDaBfUbwJxthW4Y_XyegfTrxIWmioKlLn9vj64TMEe/s1600/hitler_mufti.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnhqSrG7uKC3SFECLOQ7yTc6R4K4YKPcO_cGDWWfEKvwENVRZLL4JZTYCHb48M6vyC5X7BmN0213ikCRw2lqK8wvtUFL2iKo4SdJMDaBfUbwJxthW4Y_XyegfTrxIWmioKlLn9vj64TMEe/s1600/hitler_mufti.jpg" /></a></div>In contrast to the current lie being promoted by pro- Palestinian supporters, the Jewish people did not steal the land from the Arabs and kick them out. Rather, the Mufti of Jerusalem, Haj al-Amin al-Husseini, a man who found friendship with Adolph Hitler in their hatred of the Jewish people, seventy years ago admitted the <b>Arabs sold the land of Israel to the Jewish people</b>. Here is a reposting of the blog Israel Matzav entitled:<br />
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<b><a href="http://israelmatzav.blogspot.com/2011/11/mufti-tells-truth-arabs-sold-land-to.html">The Mufti tells the truth: The Arabs sold the land to the Jews</a></b><br />
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The Mufti of Jerusalem, Haj al-Amin al-Husseini, will never be accused of loving Jews. In fact, 70 years ago today, the Mufti, who was Yasser Arafat's uncle,<a href="http://israelmatzav.blogspot.com/2011/11/70-years-ago-on-monday.html">met with Adolph Hitler in Berlin</a> to discuss the 'final solution' to the 'Jewish problem.'<br />
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<div style="text-align: left;"></div>In 1937, the Mufti testified before the Peel Commission, which was looking into the causes of unrest between Jews and Arabs in what was then known as 'Palestine.' The Mufti made a stunning admission: Most of the land that belonged to the Jews, which we are constantly accused of 'stealing,' had actually been purchased by the Jews from the Arabs. And the Arabs were what we lawyers call <a href="http://frontpagemag.com/2011/11/25/%E2%80%9Cthey-stole-our-land%E2%80%9D-vs-the-grand-mufti-of-jerusalem/print/">willing sellers</a>.<br />
<blockquote>The Peel Commission report had some very salutary things to say about the Zionists and their impact on the land and on Arab society and economy. One of the most important for debunking Arab anti-Israel accusations is: </blockquote><blockquote>“The Arab population shows a remarkable increase since 1920, and it has had some share in the increased prosperity of Palestine. Many Arab landowners have benefited from the sale of land and the profitable investment of the purchase money. The fellaheen (Arab peasants) are better off on the whole than they were in 1920. This Arab progress has been partly due to the import of Jewish capital into Palestine and other factors associated with the growth of the (Jewish) National Home. In particular, the Arabs have benefited from social services which could not have been provided on the existing scale without the revenue obtained from the Jews…Much of the land (being farmed by the Jews) now carrying orange groves was sand dunes or swamp and uncultivated when it was purchased…There was at the time of the earlier sales little evidence that the owners possessed either the resources or training needed to develop the land.” The land shortage decried by the Arabs “…was due less to the amount of land acquired by Jews than to the increase in the Arab population.” (<a href="http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/History/peel1.html">Chapter V in the report</a>). </blockquote><blockquote>El-Husseini’s interview on January 12, 1937 was preserved in the Commission’s notes and referenced, although not published, in the full report. It has been summarized by a number of scholars, including Kenneth Stein, The Land Question in Palestine 1917-1939 (Univ. of North Carolina Press, 2009) and Howard M. Sachar, A History of Israel from the Rise of Zionism to our Time (Alfred A. Knopf, 1976); and a detailed analysis with quotations from the interview can be found in Aaron Kleiman’s The <a href="http://books.google.com/books?id=NyAuAAAAMAAJ&q=the+palestine+royal+commission&dq=the+palestine+royal+commission&hl=en&ei=lXTMTqkFxKWJAuGV-bwL&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=1&ved=0CDAQ6AEwAA">Palestine Royal Commission</a>, 1937 (Garland Publications, 1987, pp. 298ff.). </blockquote><blockquote>The selections from the interview presented below can be found on line <a href="http://www.sullivan-county.com/x/1937.htm">here</a> and <a href="http://www.eretzyisroel.org/%7Ejkatz/evidence.html">here</a>. Sir Laurie Hammond, a member of the Peel Commission, interviewed the Mufti about his insistence to the Commission that Zionists were stealing Arab land and driving peasants into homelessness. He spoke through an interpreter. </blockquote>SIR L. HAMMOND: Would you give me the figures again for the land. I want to know how much land was held by the Jews before the Occupation. <br />
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MUFTI: At the time of the Occupation the Jews held about 100,000 dunams. <br />
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SIR L. HAMMOND: What year? <br />
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MUFTI: At the date of the British Occupation. <br />
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SIR L. HAMMOND: And now they hold how much? <br />
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MUFTI: About 1,500,000 dunams: 1,200,000 dunams already registered in the name of the Jewish holders, but there are 300,000 dunams which are the subject of written agreements, and which have not yet been registered in the Land Registry. That does not, of course, include the land which was assigned, about 100,000 dunams. <br />
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SIR L. HAMMOND: What 100,000 dunams was assigned? Is that not included in, the 1,200,000 dunams? The point is this. He says that in 1920 at the time of the Occupation, the Jews only held 100,000 dunams, is that so? I asked the figures from the Land Registry, how much land the Jews owned at the time of the Occupation. Would he be surprised to hear that the figure is not 100,000 but 650,000 dunams? <br />
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MUFTI: It may be that the difference was due to the fact that many lands were bought by contract which were not registered. <br />
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SIR L. HAMMOND: There is a lot of difference between 100,000 and 650,000. <br />
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MUFTI: In one case they sold about 400,000 dunams in one lot. <br />
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SIR L. HAMMOND: Who? An Arab? <br />
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MUFTI: Sarsuk. An Arab of Beyrouth. <br />
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SIR L. HAMMOND: His Eminence gave us a picture of the Arabs being evicted from their land and villages being wiped out. What I want to know is, did the Government of Palestine, the Administration, acquire the land and then hand it over to the Jews? <br />
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MUFTI: In most cases the lands were acquired. <br />
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SIR L. HAMMOND: I mean forcibly acquired-compulsory acquisition as land would be acquired for public purposes?< MUFTI: No, it wasn’t. <br />
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SIR L. HAMMOND: Not taken by compulsory acquisition? <br />
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MUFTI: No. <br />
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SIR L. HAMMOND: But these lands amounting to some 700,000 dunams were actually sold? <br />
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MUFTI: Yes, they were sold, but the country was placed in such conditions as would facilitate such purchases. <br />
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SIR I HAMMOND: I don’t quite understand what you mean by that. They were sold. Who sold them? <br />
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MUFTI: Land owners. <br />
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SIR I HAMMOND: Arabs? <br />
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MUFTI: In most cases they were Arabs. <br />
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SIR L. HAMMOND: Was any compulsion put on them to sell? If so, by whom? <br />
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MUFTI: As in other countries, there are people who by force of circumstances, economic forces, sell their land. <br />
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SIR L. HAMMOND: Is that all he said? <br />
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MUFTI: A large part of these lands belong to absentee landlords who sold the land over the heads of their tenants, who were forcibly evicted. The majority of these landlords were absentees who sold their land over the heads of their tenants. Not Palestinians but Lebanese. <br />
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SIR L. HAMMOND: Is His Eminence in a position to give the Commission a list of the people, the Arabs who have sold lands, apart from those absentee landlords? <br />
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MUFTI: It is possible for me to supply such a list. <br />
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SIR L. HAMMOND: I ask him now this: does he think that as compared with the standard of life under the Turkish rule the position of the fellahin in the villages has improved or deteriorated? <br />
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MUFTI: Generally speaking I think their situation has got worse. <br />
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SIR L. HAMMOND: Is taxation heavier or lighter? <br />
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MUFTI: Taxation was much heavier then, but now there are additional burdens. <br />
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SIR L. HAMMOND: I am asking him if it is now, the present day, as we are sitting together here, is it a fact that the fellahin has a much lighter tax than he had under the Turkish rule? Or is he taxed more heavily? <br />
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MUFTI: The present taxation is lighter, but the Arabs nevertheless have now other taxation, for instance, customs. <br />
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LORD PEEL: And the condition of the fellahin as regards, for example, education. Are there more schools or fewer schools now? <br />
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MUFTI: They may have more schools, comparatively, but at the same time there has been an increase in their numbers.<br />
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The Hajj Amin el-Husseini, the intractable opponent of Zionism, a Jew-hater on par with Hitler, admitted under questioning that no Arab land was stolen; no Arabs were wiped out, no villages destroyed. Rather, the Jews bought hundreds of thousands of dunam (about ¼ of an acre) of land from willing sellers, often from absentee Arab landowners. Moreover, thanks in part to the Zionists and the British, the quality of life for Palestine’s Arab peasantry was vastly improved, with less taxation, more schools, and an increase in Arab population.<br />
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The next time someone spouts the Arab line about how Zionists came and stole Arab land and drove Arabs out, just quote the Mufti.Louis Lapideshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04937345918099904842noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8640230194403714897.post-53898735705186881172012-02-20T18:07:00.000-08:002012-02-20T18:07:41.316-08:00Messianic Leaders Respond to "Christ At the Checkpoint" Conference<div style="color: #464646; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 1.333em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; word-wrap: break-word;"><span class="xn-location" style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;">RANCHO MIRAGE, Calif.</span>, <span class="xn-chron" style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;">Feb. 17, 2012</span> /PRNewswire/ -- The following is a statement by Messianic Jewish Alliance of America:</div><div style="color: #464646; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 1.333em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; word-wrap: break-word;">As representatives of the international Messianic Jewish community, we raise deep concerns about the anti-<span class="xn-location" style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;">Israel</span> and, indeed, unbiblical nature of the <i>Christ at the Checkpoint</i> conference soon to be held in <span class="xn-location" style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;">Bethlehem</span>.</div><div style="color: #464646; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 1.333em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; word-wrap: break-word;">The Messianic Jewish community has noted the growing opposition to Zionism and the state of <span class="xn-location" style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;">Israel</span> within some elements of the Evangelical Christian world. Such opposition ignores the profound and ancient connection between the Jewish people and the land of <span class="xn-location" style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;">Israel</span>, and the modern history of the founding of the state of <span class="xn-location" style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;">Israel</span>. Equally troubling, this opposition is often linked to a resurgent supersessionism, the doctrine that the church replaces <span class="xn-location" style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;">Israel</span> as God's covenant partner. This theology, which has led historically to anti-Semitism and the tragic oppression of the Jewish people, appears to permeate this entire conference.</div><div style="color: #464646; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 1.333em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; word-wrap: break-word;">The conference is being promoted internationally and features speakers from around the world, including prominent American and European Christians, several of whom have a decidedly anti-<span class="xn-location" style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;">Israel</span> bias. We address the following to the conference organizers as evidence of our concerns:</div><ul class="discStyle" style="color: #464646; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 12px; list-style-image: initial; list-style-position: initial; list-style-type: none; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 30px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" type="disc"><li style="line-height: 1.5em; list-style-image: initial; list-style-position: initial; list-style-type: disc; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">Your conference title, "Christ at the Checkpoint," places the Israeli border checkpoints as the central issue of Christian concern. You frame the entire story of Israeli-Palestinian conflict in terms of <span class="xn-location" style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;">Israel</span>'s alleged oppression and abuses, with no historical or political context provided, and no allegations of oppression or abuse on the part of any Palestinians or other Arabs historically or currently.</li>
<li style="line-height: 1.5em; list-style-image: initial; list-style-position: initial; list-style-type: disc; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">You state a desire for "hope in the midst of conflict," and for peace and reconciliation among followers of Jesus. Sadly, both the structure of your conference, with its one-sided focus on the Israeli "occupation," and the anti-<span class="xn-location" style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;">Israel</span> record of some of its key representatives, work against peace and reconciliation.</li>
<li style="line-height: 1.5em; list-style-image: initial; list-style-position: initial; list-style-type: disc; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">Your website features speakers who repeatedly raise "the grim reality" of "the occupation" as virtually the only challenge that Palestinian Christians face.</li>
<li style="line-height: 1.5em; list-style-image: initial; list-style-position: initial; list-style-type: disc; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">Your conference objectives discredit Zionism <i>alone of any political movement</i>, thereby undermining your own talk of peace and reconciliation, which would require seeing both perspectives.</li>
<li style="line-height: 1.5em; list-style-image: initial; list-style-position: initial; list-style-type: disc; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">You claim to "stand resolutely against all forms of violence and racism, regardless of the perpetrators," but the only form that you mention is Zionism. There is no mention of the violence perpetrated against Jews by Palestinians, including Hamas, which regularly attacks Israeli civilians.</li>
</ul><div style="color: #464646; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 1.333em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; word-wrap: break-word;"><br />
</div><div style="color: #464646; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 1.333em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; word-wrap: break-word;">In the tragedy of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict there are two claimants to justice, Jews and Arabs, and true reconciliation efforts must recognize this reality. We urge you, therefore, to be true to your own affirmations and disassociate from all anti-Semitic and anti-Jewish expressions during your upcoming conference. You have taken a stand against Zionism as "ethnocentric." We disagree with this characterization and challenge you instead to take a stand against anti-Semitism, against jihad, against fascism in the Arab world, and against the cult of child martyrdom, as promoted by many opponents of <span class="xn-location" style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;">Israel</span>, including several that have hosted visits by your organizers.</div><div style="color: #464646; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 1.333em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; word-wrap: break-word;">We urge you to state support for peace efforts between <span class="xn-location" style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;">Israel</span> and the Arab world that recognize the existence of <span class="xn-location" style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;">Israel</span> as a Jewish state, and its right to firm and secure borders, without any threat of terrorism.</div><div style="color: #464646; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 1.333em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; word-wrap: break-word;">We urge you to remember the terrible history of Christian supersessionism, which led to invalidating the Jewish people and their unique covenant with God, stripping away the Jewishness of the Biblical message of redemption for all through the Messiah Yeshua (Jesus), and promulgating Biblical interpretation that demonized the Jewish people and inevitably resulted in centuries of Christian anti-Semitism and persecution of the Jewish people.</div><div style="color: #464646; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 1.333em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; word-wrap: break-word;">And, finally, we urge you to remember the words of that famous Rabbi, Paul of Tarsus, who wrote these words to Gentile Christians concerning their relationship with the early Messianic Jews and the Jewish people:</div><div style="color: #464646; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 1.333em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; word-wrap: break-word;"><i>But if some of the branches are broken off, and you, though a wild olive shoot, were grafted in among the others and now share in the nourishing root that supports you. Do not be arrogant toward the branches. If you are, remember it is not you who support the root, but the root that supports you.</i> (Rom. 11:17-18)</div><div style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 1.333em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; word-wrap: break-word;"><span class="xn-person" style="color: #464646; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;">Paul Liberman</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #464646;">, President</span><br />
<span class="xn-person" style="color: #464646; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;">Joel Chernoff</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #464646;">, General Secretary</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;">Messianic Jewish Alliance of America</span></div><div style="color: #464646; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 1.333em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; word-wrap: break-word;"><span class="xn-person" style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;">Howard Silverman</span>, President<br />
<span class="xn-person" style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;">Russell Resnik</span>, Executive Director<br />
Union of Messianic Jewish Congregations</div><div style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 1.333em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; word-wrap: break-word;"><span class="xn-person" style="color: #464646; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;">Jeff Forman</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #464646;">, Chairman </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #351c75;">International Alliance of Messianic Congregations and Synagogues</span></span></div><div style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 1.333em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; word-wrap: break-word;"><span class="xn-person" style="color: #464646; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;">John Fischer</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #464646;">, President</span><br />
<span class="xn-person" style="color: #464646; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;">Joel Liberman</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #464646;">, Executive Director</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;">International Messianic Jewish Alliance</span></div><div style="color: #464646; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 1.333em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; word-wrap: break-word;">CONTACT: <span class="xn-person" style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;">Joel Chernoff</span>, <a href="mailto:joelchernoff@mjaa.org" style="color: #6099e9; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">joelchernoff@mjaa.org</a>, 610-304-2237<br />
<span class="xn-person" style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;">Russ Resnik</span>, <a href="mailto:rebrez@umjc.org" style="color: #6099e9; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">rebrez@umjc.org</a>, 505-440-2265<br />
<a href="http://www.mjaa.org/" style="color: #6099e9; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">www.MJAA.org</a><br />
<a href="http://www.umjc.org/" style="color: #6099e9; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">www.UMJC.org</a></div><div style="color: #464646; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 1.333em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; word-wrap: break-word;"> <a href="http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/messianic-jewish-leaders-respond-to-christ-at-the-checkpoint-139539453.html">http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/messianic-jewish-leaders-respond-to-christ-at-the-checkpoint-139539453.html</a></div>Louis Lapideshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04937345918099904842noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8640230194403714897.post-43713967873069082142011-11-10T15:00:00.000-08:002011-11-11T08:26:21.056-08:00Anti-Semitic Jewish Authors' Connection with Stephen SizerRecently I posted a blog entitled, <a href="http://thinkingoutsidetheblog.blogspot.com/2011/11/open-letter-to-messianic-jewish-leaders.html">An Open Letter to Messianic Leaders and Congregants</a>, in which I issued a wake up call for messianic Jewish followers of Jesus to take note of the growing anti-Israel movement slithering its way through evangelical Christianity. The blog was re-posted on various blog sites such as the messianic Jewish <a href="http://roshpinaproject.com/2011/11/04/louis-lapides-open-letter-to-messianic-jewish-leaders-and-congregants/">Rosh Pina Project</a>.<br />
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The majority of feedback I received was positive and encouraging.<br />
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One of the comments I received on <a href="http://thinkingoutsidetheblog.blogspot.com/">Thinking Outside the Blog</a> was from a Christian brother who suggested I read a list of books by Jewish authors who appeared to be anti-Zionist and part of the political Left. In attempting to provide a response, I came across some research done on several of these Jewish authors and discovered these writers are more than anti-Zionist. To my shock I found out several of these Jewish individuals are anti-Semitic. I'm not even sure if the person who offered me the reading list of Jewish authors was even aware of this fact.<br />
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One of the authors listed was Israel Shamir who wrote a book called <i>Galilee Flowers</i>. Shamire claims to be Jewish but several sources I came across doubted his Hebraic background. Only his mother knows for sure.<br />
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What we can gather from different sources is that Shamir a.k.a. Adam Ermash or Joran Jermas is a Russian born anti-Semite and Holocaust denier. Michael Moynihan, editor of <a href="http://Reason.com/">Reason.com</a> contributed an article entitled, <a href="http://reason.com/archives/2010/12/14/the-assange-employees">"Assange's Extremist Employees,</a>" in which he demonstrates Shamir functions as WikiLeak's content aggregator. Shamir is responsible for selecting and distributing the cables to the Russian news organization.<br />
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<div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjam_xLGNDjnIUDZCQxsdV4Zc4h5T2Spz8GDv7xP3X9ncr-bE_ItYiADHx7OHv1eFaM2vZkXCOT1g2kbv5eMAcwlFX9MHdRbyXTViaarUGfAcodZ4_bvkxiwg4gsQEeRfk-JaB41wVunXYS/s1600/holocaust-denial-holocaust-survivors.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="308" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjam_xLGNDjnIUDZCQxsdV4Zc4h5T2Spz8GDv7xP3X9ncr-bE_ItYiADHx7OHv1eFaM2vZkXCOT1g2kbv5eMAcwlFX9MHdRbyXTViaarUGfAcodZ4_bvkxiwg4gsQEeRfk-JaB41wVunXYS/s320/holocaust-denial-holocaust-survivors.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><a href="http://reason.com/archives/2010/12/14/the-assange-employees">Moynihan</a>, no fan of Shamir, recounts Shamir's views about the Holocaust. The WikiLeak official has called the Auschwitz concentration camp "an internment facility, attended by the Red Cross," not a place for extermination. Shamir told a Swedish journalist (and fellow Holocaust denier) that "it's every Muslim and Christian's duty to deny the Holocaust. The Jews, he says, are a "virus in human form" and the <i>Protocols of the Elders of Zion</i> is real. </div><div><div><br />
I would assume that any Christian would not want to be associated with Shamir in any official capacity. Yet in a blog entitled <a href="http://www.wildolive.co.uk/sizer's%20friends.htm">Stephen Sizer's Friends</a> I was disappointed to read that Sizer, Vicar of Christ Church has his books and website listed by Shamir. <br />
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I know if I had a Holocaust denier and anti-Semite promoting any of my writings or websites, I would make a public statement to distance myself from that individual. I have yet to find Pastor Sizer make any such comments. In addition, the blog <a href="http://seismic-shock.com/2009/01/26/the-neo-nazi-the-pro-jihad-priest-and-stephen-sizer/">Seismic Shock</a> features an article, "The Neo-Nazi, the Pro-jihad priest and Stephen Sizer" that presents proof of Sizer's additional connection with Shamir. Someone can make an argument that it's unfair for me to tag Sizer as guilty of being an anti-Semite because of his association with Shamir. However, until I discover a public statement by sizer disavowing any connection with Shamir, I am compelled to believe the Vicar is quite comfortable with the association.<br />
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Another author mentioned in the suggested reading list given to my by a <a href="http://thinkingoutsidetheblog.blogspot.com/">ThinkingOutsidetheBlog</a> reader is Gilad Atzmon, the author of<i> The Wandering Who? </i>In an <a href="http://www.tnr.com/article/politics/97030/atzmon-wandering-who-anti-semitism-israel?page=0,1">article</a> by Alan Dershowitz "Why are John Mearsheimer and Richard Endorsing a Blatantly Anti-Semitic Book?", the well-known attorney recounts how anti-Israel activists have shunned Atzmon due to his extreme antisemitism. Dershowitz writes,<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">At least ten authors associated with the Leftist publisher that published The Wandering Who? have called on the publisher to distance itself from Atzmon’s views, explaining that the “thrust of Atzmon’s work is to normalise and legitimise anti-Semitism.”</blockquote><blockquote class="tr_bq">Hard-core neo-Nazis, racists, anti-Semites and Holocaust deniers, on the other hand, have happily counted Atzmon as one of their own. David Duke, America’s premier white supremacist, has posted more than a dozen of Atzmon’s articles on his website over the past five years and recently praised Atzmon for “writ[ing] such fine articles exposing the evil of Zionism and Jewish supremacism.” </blockquote>Atzmon also has a connection with Shamir that is quite damaging:</div><blockquote class="tr_bq">Israel Shamir, a Holocaust denier(“We must deny the concept of Holocaust without doubt and hesitation”) who argues that Jews ritually murdered Christian children for their blood and that “The rule of the Elders of Zion is already upon us,” refers to Atzmon as a “good friend” and calls Atzmon one of “the shining stars of the battle” against “the Jewish alliance.”</blockquote>From an article in <a href="http://seismic-shock.com/2011/07/05/stephen-sizer-and-the-palestine-telegraph/">Seismic Shock </a> I learned of Stephen Sizer's recommendation of a book<i> Israel's Mossad Bomb Russian Plane To Kill Scientists? </i>reviewed by the <a href="http://hurryupharry.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/Stephen-Sizer_1309863773192.jpeg">Palestine Telegraph</a>, a news source filled with anti-Semitic articles.<i> Palestine Telegraph </i>is the hate publishing operation of independent Palestinian journalist <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sameh_Akram_Habeeb">Sameh Habeeb</a>. </div></div><div><br />
</div><div>In a list of individuals featured over a period of time in several issues<i> Palestine Telegraph</i> is Gilad Atzmon who is reported as marking Holocaust Memorial Day by publishing a revolting "Israelis-are-Nazis" <a href="http://hurryupharry.org/2010/01/27/sameh-habeeb%E2%80%99s-holocaust-memorial-day/">discourse</a>.<br />
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Since Sizer references Palestine Telegraph in his book recommendation, it is probably safe to conclude Sizer feels<br />
<br />
</div><div>Sizer may appear to be soft-spoken, gentle and non-plussed when speaking to opponents. He even cleverly wooed <a href="http://roshpinaproject.com/2011/11/09/live-debate-tonight-has-god-finished-with-israel/">Calvin Smith</a>, a leading Christian Zionist scholar in the UK, in a recent debate on RevelationTV. By the end of the debate Smith was convinced Sizer is a nice guy who he'd like to get to know more. I think that's admirable for two Christians to want to become closer a brothers in the Lord. </div><div><br />
</div><div>Yet if Smith had more information about Sizer's connection to Holocaust deniers and anti-Semites, the King's Evangelical Divinity School professor might see things differently. </div><div><i><br />
</i></div><div>Stephen Sizer may make claims about his love for the Jewish people, but I have a hard time believing from his talks, his writings and public comments that this Christian brother is a friend of the Jewish people. </div>Louis Lapideshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04937345918099904842noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8640230194403714897.post-33439254505335257582011-11-03T17:57:00.000-07:002011-11-04T16:28:22.947-07:00An Open Letter to Messianic Jewish Leaders and CongregantsI've never written a letter like this, but I believe this correspondence is a dire necessity. <br />
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I've been involved in the messianic movement since the early 70s. I've served as a messianic pastor for over twenty five years, founded and headed a messianic organization and written numerous articles and blogs on the messianic movement. I've happily observed the messianic movement grow - sometimes to the joy of the evangelical church and other times to their chagrin. <br />
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Throughout the years I noticed the messianic movement split into two entities: the messianic congregational wing and the "missionary" model perpetrated by Chosen People Ministries, Jews for Jesus and other lesser known organizations. In light of this duality within the messianic movement we ended up with one segment distancing itself from the evangelical church while the other side remained within the churches to collect contributions to help further their efforts to bringing the gospel to Jewish people.<br />
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The bottom line is that the messianic movement has not had the best relationship with the evangelical church. In the midst of this messianic two-headed <i>whatchamacallit</i> , the Christian Zionist movement grew its own head, wanting nothing to do with messianic Jews but instead reaching out to the Jewish community with their overwhelming love for the people and land of Israel. Of course, many of our Christian Zionist brothers and sisters keep the gospel that is the power of God unto salvation "to the Jew first" hidden behind their backs to make their Jewish guests and dignitaries feel comfortable.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimW1zVQSoHtZv8iO2zS81dZx6VOQC6A9uA8JRkGPewgLRPo3MyLQPzChA6fu3XCUa5L4dfGV92_m-3MKo63YQTPs8VaC24TYHxdIW9XlkCa_po8Qy9Y30kYgyVdubjBebLapSPY3jmD_9m/s1600/Messianic+Jews+-+Jewish+star+with+fish+-+Saveena.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimW1zVQSoHtZv8iO2zS81dZx6VOQC6A9uA8JRkGPewgLRPo3MyLQPzChA6fu3XCUa5L4dfGV92_m-3MKo63YQTPs8VaC24TYHxdIW9XlkCa_po8Qy9Y30kYgyVdubjBebLapSPY3jmD_9m/s200/Messianic+Jews+-+Jewish+star+with+fish+-+Saveena.jpg" width="194" /></a></div>This synopsis of the messianic movement and the growing Christian Zionist community forms a necessary background to what I want to say.<br />
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Brothers and sisters -Jews and Gentile followers of Yeshua - we are in the midst of a full on effort by many of our evangelical brothers and sisters to bring an anti-Israel message into the evangelical church.<br />
This "Evangelical Intifada" has crept into the church through several major avenues:<br />
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*<b>Theological anti-Israel thought</b>. Some of us are familiar with NT Wheaton professor Gary Burge and his well known publication<i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Whose-Land-Promise-Christians-Palestinians/dp/0829816607/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1320361881&sr=8-1"> Whose Land? Whose Promise? What Christians Are Not Being Told About Israel and the Palestinians</a> </i>in which he claims modern Israel has no right to the land today. In a September 17, 2011 article by <a href="http://www.camera.org/">CAMERA </a>writer Dexter Van Zile, a strong proponent of Israel, quotes Burge:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">More ominously, under Rev. Dr. Burge’s scriptural analysis, Jews who reject Christ have forfeited their land and risk their lives by attempting to live in it. For example, on page 176, Rev. Dr. Burge interprets John 15:6 as follows: “The people of Israel cannot claim to be planted as vines in the land; they cannot be rooted in the vineyard unless first they are grafted into Jesus. Branches that attempt living in the land, the vineyard, which refuse to be attached to Jesus will be cast out and burned.Clearly, under Rev. Dr. Burge’s analysis, Jews living in Israel are transgressing limits set for them by the New Testament. </blockquote>Another anti-Israel theologian is Vicar <a href="http://www.stephensizer.com/books/">Stephen Sizer</a> from the UK, whose writings attack Christian Zionism and Israel in favor of the Palestinians. Sizer is not only an author but an <a href="http://thinkingoutsidetheblog.blogspot.com/2011/07/are-anti-zionist-also-anti-semitic.html">activist</a> who has shared podiums with Holocaust deniers, pro-Hamas advocates and has spoken his anti-Israel messages in Iran.<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
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What these evangelical theologians have in common is their dedication to use both Old and NewTestaments to demonstrate God's covenant with the Jewish people promising them the land of Israel through Abraham is discontinued and now the Lord's only covenant is with the church. Therefore, there is nothing divine about the Jewish people having returned to the land of Israel and establishing a Jewish homeland. God's only relationship with Israel is for them to accept Jesus and become Christians.<br />
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*<b>Political anti-Israel thought</b>. The list is rather long when it comes to the political efforts put forth by these evangelicals to support Palestinians, point out Israel's so-called injustices towards the people in the Palestinian territories, attack Israeli government policies in dealing with the terrorist threat, fail to denounce anti-Semitic rhetoric broadcasted by Hamas and Fatah and argue to discredit the validity of a "Jewish" state. I cannot do this aspect of the "Evangelical Intifada" justice.<br />
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These Christian political activists include Palestinian Christian as well as American evangelicals like <a href="http://thinkingoutsidetheblog.blogspot.com/2011/06/lynne-hybels-on-pro-palestinian.html">Lynne Hybels</a>, wife of mega church pastor Bill Hybels; Sami Awad, a Palestinian Christian who advocates a non-violent approach in dealing with Israeli soldiers through his organization <a href="http://www.holylandtrust.org/">Holy Land Trust</a> yet his<a href="https://twitter.com/#!/Sami_Awad/status/120370108756533248"> tweets</a> point to the fact he does not support a Jewish state and British journalist anti-Zionist polemicist Ben White who is quick to label Israel as an apartheid state as he does in his book<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Israeli-Apartheid-Beginners-Ben-White/dp/0745328873/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1320363536&sr=8-1"> Israeli Apartheid: A Beginner's Guide</a> (for a great response to White <a href="http://blog.z-word.com/2009/07/lies-damn-lies-and-the-apartheid-analogy/">click here</a>).<br />
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You can tell I've quite a list that includes organizations that claim to be dedicated to peace and non-violence yet they send out daily blurbs through tweets, Facebook posts and blogs in which they do nothing but attack Israel and try to convince evangelical Christians to not support Israel. It is only a matter of time before these anti-Zionist Christians start calling for boycott, divestment and sanctions against Israel. In a recent published set of <a href="http://www.christatthecheckpoint.com/index.php/about-us/theological-stances">seven evangelical affirmations</a> from the Christ at the Checkpoint Conference at Bethlehem Bible College in March 2012, the seventh affirmation reads,<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">The Bible teaches us to pray for all in political authority. We are called to obey them, whether they are Israeli or Palestinian, as an expression of our faith in God’s sovereign rule. We are also called to be a prophetic voice, <b><i>challenging injustice creatively</i></b> and non-violently.</blockquote>This statement clearly sets the groundwork for BDS on the part of evangelicals spearheaded by anti-Zionist evangelicals. An affirmation like this makes one wonder whether the drafters of these affirmations will ever call for boycotts against Fatah and Hamas for their terrorist attacks on Israelis.<br />
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One more examination of these affirmations will suffice. Affirmation number 6 states:<br />
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<tr><td><blockquote class="tr_bq">Messianic Jews are the brothers and sisters of all who follow Jesus or Yeshua. We are one family bound together in a fellowship of love. Although diversity in political opinions as well as theological emphasis inevitably exist, we refuse to allow these views to hinder our fellowship in Jesus.</blockquote>Messianic Jews are welcome to attend the <a href="http://www.blogger.com/goog_1815316395">Christ at the Checkpoint Conference</a><a href="http://www.christatthecheckpoint.com/"> </a> as long as we can set aside our "political opinions" aka Zionism. If that is true, then why are the conference speakers allowed to speak against Christian Zionism, the Israeli aspirations for a Jewish homeland and Israel's policies towards protecting the citizens of Israel -Jewish and Arabs- against Palestinian terrorist attempts. <br />
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This sixth affirmation is a call for Messianic Jews to set aside our Zionistic commitment. Yet once the CATC is over, our pro-Palestinian brothers and sisters will spread out over the globe to broadcast their anti-Israel propaganda messages.<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;"><br />
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*<b>Anti-Israel propaganda films</b> are also being shown in churches, Bible Study groups and Christian colleges across America: <a href="http://littletownofbethlehem.org/">Little Town of Bethlehem</a>, featuring Sami Awad and Porter Speakman's <a href="http://withgodonourside.com/">With God on Our Side</a>. Both films are filled with historical inaccuracies regarding the Middle East conflict, erroneous analogies comparing the Palestinian Intifada with the Civil Rights Movement in America and ignoring Islamic Palestinian terrorism aimed at Israel. Both of these films are produced with the greatest of quality but filled with the lowest of bias against Israel. When these films are shown, a panel usually follows for the sake of discussion. The two that I am aware of did not include on the panel a pro-Zionist expert.<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
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Thank the Lord we do have several websites that address the anti-Israel evangelical crowd and we should be familiar with them: <a href="http://hurryupharry.org/">HurryUpHarry</a>, <a href="http://elderofziyon.blogspot.com/">ElderofZiyon</a>, <a href="http://www.memri.org/content/en/main.htm">MEMRI</a>, <a href="http://seismic-shock.com/">SeismicShock</a>,<a href="http://roshpinaproject.com/"> RoshPinaProject</a> <a href="http://www.camera.org/">CAMERA</a>, <a href="http://thinkingoutsidetheblog.blogspot.com/">ThinkingOutsidetheBlo</a>g and many others. <br />
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In light of what I've shared, ask yourself, "Can the messianic movement afford to stay away from confronting these books, individuals, blogs, articles, tweets, films and lectures by anti-Israel Christians committed to the Evangelical Intifada?" <br />
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It is time for the messianic movement to end the separatism that exists between the church and messianic congregations and come alongside our Christian brothers and sisters to unmask the deception being hoisted upon them by anti-Israel evangelical proponents. Organizations already in churches presenting "Christ in the Passover" or "Israel in Prophecy" need to switch gears and go beyond prophetic messages to tickle the ears of Christians and present substantive responses to the anti-Israel advocates. <br />
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I call on messianic leaders and congregants to join in this effort to not sit still while Christians once again present an anti-Jewish message from within the ranks of Christendom. This is not new to us as Jews. <br />
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Christianity has presented an anti-Semitic message from the early church fathers, has purged the Holy Land of Jews during the Crusades, tortured our ancestors during the Inquisitions, preached replacement theology in modern times and now has crafted an anti-Zionist theology to once again alienate Jewish people from their own Messiah and Redeemer, Yeshua. <br />
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Messianic leaders, I encourage heads of organizations to start meeting and compose plans to deal with the Evangelical Intifada. Dialogue with anti-Israel theologians at Christ at the Checkpoint may be advantageous for a few days, but the Christians messianic Jews dialogue with at CATC are activists not merely theologians. They are on the internet day and night sending out their destructive missiles to convince the church to turn its back on Israel. <br />
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I am willing to work with any group to do what I can to help any effort to form a serious, relentless confrontation using scholarly materials to usurp the falsehoods being foisted by the Evangelical Intifada on unsuspecting Christians. <br />
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I close with one more example. In light of the upcoming 100th anniversary of the <a href="http://www.balfourdeclaration.org>">Balfour Declaration</a> in 2017 a new website has been launched as a 5 year project. The goal of the project is to "promote a series of international conferences and cultural exchanges to enable participants to engage with empathy those who have been negatively impacted by the Balfour Declaration.” <br />
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From <a href="http://www.stephensizer.com/2011/10/christ-in-all-the-scriptures-joshua-and-the-commander-the-army-of-the-lord/">Stephen Sizer's </a>website it is clear from his own words that he is instrumental in the launching of this five-year project. I strongly doubt if Sizer and his cohorts will give a fair presentation of Israel's side regarding the Balfour Declaration or for that matter anything that occurred after the issuing of that document and the ensuring establishment of the State of Israel.<br />
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Can we as messianic Jews afford to be silent while these events take place? Haven't we had enough silence when the church remained closed mouthed as our grandparents and great-grandparents were demonized by Hitler and his twisted theologians. <br />
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I do not want to compare what is taking place today to the Holocaust and thereby trivializing the Shoah.<br />
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However I do want to impress upon my readers the seriousness of sitting by and doing nothing while the church is once again duped by theologians with an agenda to place all the blame of the Middle East conflict on the Jews and to paint the Israelis as evil oppressors trampling the underdog Palestinians. Sadly, Christians fall for these kinds of comparisons and images. I trust this time we are wiser and that we will heed the call to activism.<br />
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In the Messiah's grace,<br />
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Louis Lapides</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Louis Lapideshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04937345918099904842noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8640230194403714897.post-65517689822853836882011-10-29T09:35:00.000-07:002011-10-29T11:01:13.889-07:00Palestinian leader: Arabs erred on 1947 partition<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'Liberation Sans', FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 22px;"></span><br />
<div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-size: 15px; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">JERUSALEM (AP) — The<a href="http://cnsnews.com/news/article/palestinian-leader-arabs-erred-1947-partition"> Palestinian president</a> says the Arab world erred in rejecting the United Nations' 1947 plan to partition Palestine into an Arab and a Jewish state.</div><div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-size: 15px; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">President Mahmoud Abbas also told Channel 2 TV in a rare interview with the Israeli media on Friday that he and former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert were "very, very close" to reaching a peace agreement in 2008.</div><div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-size: 15px; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">"If he stayed two, three months, I believe that time we could have concluded an agreement," Abbas said.</div><div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-size: 15px; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">He confirmed reports that Olmert had agreed to withdraw from 93.5 percent of the West Bank.</div><div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-size: 15px; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Abbas also said it was not clear the Palestinians could muster the requisite nine votes in the U.N. Security Council to approve the statehood bid they submitted last month.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxcbN0aLKp7dkUi273f65pqNo3JVBoSO3R7jkadMO3ZIa9psHHp2c2TrJmV3v5Qa49K8gDZuVs_NA74Lk2Dkbv2isz15FjSp9HsQyiZgGIp_aESXwdxEY_EI_o6eJh5YMuBZWDib9ExCfq/s1600/partitionnick.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxcbN0aLKp7dkUi273f65pqNo3JVBoSO3R7jkadMO3ZIa9psHHp2c2TrJmV3v5Qa49K8gDZuVs_NA74Lk2Dkbv2isz15FjSp9HsQyiZgGIp_aESXwdxEY_EI_o6eJh5YMuBZWDib9ExCfq/s400/partitionnick.gif" width="267" /></a></div><br />
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</div>Louis Lapideshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04937345918099904842noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8640230194403714897.post-44510711508064917562011-10-26T18:27:00.000-07:002011-11-14T19:53:46.668-08:00Christ at the Checkpoint 2012 Conference Attempts Sounding EvangelicalRecently, according to <a href="http://stephensizer.blogspot.com/2011/10/messianic-believers-are-brothers.html">Stephen Sizer</a>, Vicar of Christ Church in the UK, the <a href="http://www.stephensizer.com/2011/10/christ-at-the-checkpoint-seven-affirmations/">2012 Evangelical Affirmations for the Christ at the Checkpoint 2012 Conference</a> have been agreed upon and published. Sizer, an outspoken critic of Israel and Christian Zionism, according to his own words, is among the authors of this affirmation.<br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidkOUQoBFjvyzcjmL-wyU63WX2o1sSLd6-k-gboT_ZLM9yg15thMYS5e08_L0EXAS-hEvTw3_Ud0iAZfNnaRsGCX3KJc0J4TnCeaeYBCjF4SMCAc2z-w7uq6XmohhqzjwGI9-PdRgcvEGy/s1600/christ-at-checkpoint-logo.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="112" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidkOUQoBFjvyzcjmL-wyU63WX2o1sSLd6-k-gboT_ZLM9yg15thMYS5e08_L0EXAS-hEvTw3_Ud0iAZfNnaRsGCX3KJc0J4TnCeaeYBCjF4SMCAc2z-w7uq6XmohhqzjwGI9-PdRgcvEGy/s320/christ-at-checkpoint-logo.png" width="320" /></a></div><div>Last years drafters of the 2011 Affirmations included Paul Alexander, Christine M. Anderson, Brother Andrew, Alex Awad, Bishara Awad, Mubarak Awad, Sami Awad, Gary Burge, Tony Campolo, Steven Haas, Lynne Hybels, Manfred Kohl, Jonathan Kuttab, Paul Johnson, Salim Munayer, Stephen Sizer and producer Porter Speakman, Jr.<br />
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</div><div>The affirmations for this coming year are intended to reflect the views and hopes of the organizers of the <a href="http://www.christatthecheckpoint.com/">Christ at the Checkpoint Conference</a> to be held at Bethlehem Bible College in Bethlehem March 5-9. The participants in the conference include Palestinian Christians, messianic Jews and an assortment of evangelical speakers and writers.</div><div><br />
</div><div>These <a href="http://www.christatthecheckpoint.com/index.php/about-us/theological-stances">affirmations</a> state, "As Palestinian Evangelical Christians at Bethlehem Bible College, we seek to learn, through following the example of the life and teachings of Jesus, how to honor Christ and how to honor Palestinians and Israeli Jews, by accepting them as two peoples who have the right to live in justice, peace, security and dignity."<br />
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</div><div>Yet as we read through the affirmations, it is clear only one entity is to blame for the Middle East crisis and it's not the Palestinians. <br />
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</div><div>Here is the text of the Christ at the Checkpoint Affirmations from their website with my comments included.<br />
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<b>Affirmation #1: Israelis and Palestinians</b><br />
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We affirm that all people are created in the image of God. In turn we are called to honor the dignity of every human being and to respect their inalienable rights. We affirm that Jews and Palestinians are loved by God and capable of living together within peace, justice and security. This is God’s view toward all of humanity, residing in any political boundary and manifested through the mission of Jesus in bringing to everyone, “life to the full” (John 10:10).<br />
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<b>Affirmation #2: Theology and Land</b><br />
The New Testament clearly teaches that God continues to invite Jews and Arabs into His kingdom and in no way is finished with any people group. Further, Scripture speaks of Jesus as its ultimate fulfillment. For example, the need for animal sacrifices, Levitical priesthood, and expectation of a rebuilt Temple, find their ultimate fulfillment and completion in Jesus Christ.</div><div><br />
</div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #4c1130;"><i>I find Affirmation #2 to be written in a way that permits the leadership and participants in the Christ at the Checkpoint Conference to slip in their adherence to Replacement Theology. The second affirmation reads, "and in no way is finished with any people group." </i></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #4c1130;"><i><br />
</i></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #4c1130;"><i>These words can be meant to say, "God is not finished with the Jewish people since He offers them salvation through their acceptance of Jesus as their Messiah." However, the statement provides freedom to the conference participants to advocate that God is no longer committed to the provisions of the Abrahamic Covenant which gives<u> the people of Israel possession and ownership of the land of Israel</u>. </i></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #4c1130;"><i><br />
</i></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #4c1130;"><i>This covenant relationship does not eliminate the Palestinian from living in the land as over a million Arabs do today in Israel proper. However, to deny the continuance of the Abrahamic Covenant for the Jewish people today is a major bone of contention for theologians and individuals connected to the Christ at the Checkpoint Conference and the drafters of the 2011 Affirmations such as Gary Burge, Stephen Sizer and Sami Awad. The fact the drafters of these affirmations skirt around God's continued covenant with Israel is obvious in their refusal to believe the God of Israel would allow a temple to be rebuilt in Jerusalem. </i></span><br />
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<b>Affirmation #3: The Palestinian-Israeli conflict</b><br />
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As followers of Jesus Christ we regret more than 60 years of conflict. We look forward to the time when the conflict will end and both peoples will enjoy genuine reconciliation. We commit ourselves to be peacemakers and to this ministry of reconciliation. As such we stand resolutely against all forms of violence and racism, regardless of the perpetrators.</div><div><br />
</div><div><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #4c1130;">Other than in words, where are any attempts on the part of Palestinian Christians to be peacemakers towards Israeli soldiers and citizens? To affirm this agreement we would need to see </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #4c1130;">Palestinian Christians condemn the use of terrorism against Israelis by Palestinian Muslims. </span></i></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #4c1130;"><i><br />
</i></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #4c1130;"><i>The terrorist Hamas group governing the Palestinian territories is committed to a doctrine in which they seek the destruction of the Jewish state and annihilation of the Jewish people. Why aren't Palestinian Christians condemning Hamas? </i></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #4c1130;"><i><br />
</i></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #4c1130;"><i>Instead, most of the Palestinian Christian groups in their literature and speeches place the responsibility of the Middle East conflict on Israel. Having a conference where messianic Jews are invited to speak is a drop in the ocean when it comes to the reality of resolving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.</i></span></div><div><br />
<b>Affirmation #4: The Second Coming of Christ</b><br />
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There are several views which Christ followers hold to explain the future. Rather than focus on the signs of the return of Christ, our reading of the New Testament indicates that our primary mandate is to proclaim the “Good News” to the entire world. </div><div><br />
</div><div><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #4c1130;">Palestinian Christians and their supporters do not want to focus on the Second Coming since the New Testament scriptures place the people of Israel on center stage of the events of the last days as seen in Matthew 24, Mark 14 and Luke 21. Christ at the Checkpoint theologians do not want to consider Jesus as the Messiah of the Jewish people and returning to earth to set up His kingdom in Jerusalem to rule as the last Davidic King. </span> Then they would have to acknowledge the continuance of the Abrahamic covenant with the modern state of Israel.</i><br />
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<b>Affirmation #5: Zionism </b><br />
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Modern Zionism is a political movement created to meet the aspirations of Jews around the world who longed for a homeland. It has become ethnocentric, privileging one people at the expense of others. Christianity calls believers in Jesus to focus on building God’s kingdom on earth.</div><div><br />
</div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #4c1130;"><i>It is interesting that a group consisting largely of Palestinian Christians seeks to define Zionism without consulting Jewish sources. Rather than being a "political movement . . . privileging one people at the expense of others", the Encyclopedia Britannica defines Zionism, </i></span></div><div><blockquote class="tr_bq"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #4c1130;"><i>Zionism is a movement of national liberation, seeking self-determination for the Jewish people within a sovereign Jewish nation located in their ancient homeland. Zionism is a direct continuation of the Biblical religious attachment of the Jews and Judaism to this specific historic holy land. Zionism is non-partisan, trans-denominational, and not related to the policies of any Israeli government.</i></span></blockquote><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #4c1130;"><a href="http://www.scribd.com/doc/49980263/A-Response-to-the-film-With-God-on-Our-Side"></a><a href="http://www.scribd.com/doc/49980263/A-Response-to-the-film-With-God-on-Our-Side"></a></span></div><div><b>Affirmation #6: Messianic Jews</b><br />
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Messianic Jews are the brothers and sisters of all who follow Jesus or Yeshua. We are one family bound together in a fellowship of love. Although diversity in political opinions as well as theological emphasis inevitably exist, we refuse to allow these views to hinder our fellowship in Jesus.</div><div><br />
</div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #4c1130;"><i>I find this affirmation hard to swallow. Vicar StephenSizer in a recent <a href="http://stephensizer.blogspot.com/2011/10/messianic-believers-are-brothers.html">blog</a> condemns the human rights violation by Israel towards Palestinians without placing any responsibility on Palestinian terrorists. I would have liked to see Sizer condemn the brutal attack on the Israeli family who had their throats cut in the middle of the night in the Ithamar back in March 2011. While they were sleeping Palestinian terrorists stole into the settlement, killing a husband and wife, and an 11-year-old, a 3-year-old and a baby girl. Where is Rev. Sizer's condemnation of such atrocities committed by Palestinians? </i></span></div><div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #4c1130;"><i><br />
</i></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #4c1130;"><i>Does Sizer think this affirmation is going to smooth over the differences between messianic Jews and Palestinian Christians? Does he think messianic Jews are going to sit by in silence while any Israeli retaliation to Palestinian acts of terrorism are condemned by Palestinian followers of Christ? </i></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #4c1130;"><i><br />
</i></span></div><div><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #4c1130;">In his <a href="http://stephensizer.blogspot.com/2011/10/messianic-believers-are-brothers.html">blog </a>Stephen Sizer quotes theologian John Stott who says of Zionism</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">,</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #4c1130;"> "I myself believe that Zionism, both political and Christian, is incompatible with biblical truth." Sizer thinks he can embrace messianic Jews as brothers in the Lord while stabbing us in the back with his condemnation of Zionism - Christian and Jewish. </span></i></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #4c1130;"><br />
</span><br />
<div><b>Affirmation #7: Palestinian and Israeli Authority </b><br />
The Bible teaches us to pray for all in political authority. We are called to obey them, whether they are Israeli or Palestinian, as an expression of our faith in God’s sovereign rule. We are also called to be a prophetic voice, challenging injustice creatively and non-violently.</div></div><div><br />
</div><div><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #4c1130;">As I stated above, I am waiting for a prophetic voice to come from the Palestinian Christians pointing out the evils committed by their Palestinian brothers in their terrorist attacks on Israel and stop placing all the blame on the Israelis. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #4c1130;"><br />
</span></i></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #4c1130;"><i><br />
</i></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #4c1130;"><i>Will Palestinian Christians obey Hamas in desiring the destruction of the Jewish state and the annihilation of the Jewish people in Israel? I'm anxious to hear an affirmation from the Christ at the Checkpoint leadership in which they condemn the evil goals of their own government. Until these affirmations are just empty words. </i></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #4c1130;"><i><br />
</i></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #4c1130;"><i>Rather than seeking true peace with Israel, many in the Palestinian leadership of the Christ at the Checkpoint are mostly dedicated to bringing young American evangelicals to live among Palestinian families to indoctrinate them against Israel, produce propaganda films such as <a href="http://withgodonourside.com/">With God on Our Side</a> to show in evangelical churches to turn Christians against Israel and produce books that attack Christian Zionism and advocate replacement theology. </i></span></div></div>Louis Lapideshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04937345918099904842noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8640230194403714897.post-5523309011092667132011-10-17T23:12:00.000-07:002011-10-17T23:12:43.797-07:00It's Those Zionist Jews Again!It was bound to happen. Put a bunch of lefties together in the streets calling for revolution and soon enough someone is going to blame the Jews for all the ills of society. Ho hum!<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/IMjm4LxFa1c?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><br />
<br />
Tonight on Fox TV News, a video was shown of a black woman, Patricia McAllister who works for the Los Angeles Unified School District being interviewed. <br />
<br />
This misinformed woman stated that the corrupt heads of corporate banks and the Federal Reserve are Jewish Zionists who need to be run out of this country. Well, I'm a Zionist Jew and I'm not the head of a bank and I'm not leaving this country!<br />
<br />
Why did I mention she is black? Why did she mention the heads of banks and the Federal Reserve are Jewish?<br />
<br />
Of course, this was one voice out of hundreds of thousands who made an anti-Semitic remark. I'm not as stupid as this woman. I did read one more sign that equated corporate bank heads with the Rothchilds - another anti-Semitic comparison. A white person was holding the sign.<br />
<br />
My point is to show my readers how ignorant people are. Here are the names of the CEOs of three major banking corporations:<br />
<br />
Jamie Dimon - of Greek descent and Chairman and CEO at JP Morgan Chase and Company<br />
<br />
John G. Stumpf - from Minnesota and Chairman, President and CEO of Wells Fargo and Company<br />
<div><br />
<div>Brian Moynihan - President and CEO of the Big Monster of them all - Bank of America. </div><div><br />
</div><div>Ben Bernake - Chairman of the Federal Reserve and he is Jewish! Ah ha! A Jew is behind all this corporate greed after all.</div><div><br />
Let's speak about the significance of Patricia McAllister's statement. First, it was anti-Semitic. As an employee of the LA Unified School District, she should be fired for her antisemitism. If a white employee of the LAUSD make a derogatory comments about blacks on national TV, he or she would be canned on the spot - a boot in the butt. </div></div><div><br />
</div><div>Second, this woman's comments sound strangely familiar. I wonder if she's been listening to Minister Louis Farrakhan, head of the Nation of Islam? Farrakhan is noted for his Jew hatred and for making similar comments about Zionist Jews. </div><div><br />
</div><div>Don't forget that Minister Farrakhan was awarded a lifetime achievement award by Rev. Jeremiah Wright, the pastor of the church where President Barak Obama attended for twenty years. <br />
<br />
Yes, I almost forgot. Out of twenty years of attendance at Rev. Wright's church, the president never heard his pastor say anything derogatory about Jewish people or America. </div><div><br />
</div><div>Last, if antisemitism starts to make inroads into the largely leftist Occupy Wall Street movement, then the Democratic Party - whose members make up the largely liberal protest - is in for a lot of trouble.<br />
<br />
President Obama will have no choice but to distance himself from this movement lest he lose the Jewish vote and a huge chunk of his credibility as someone who does not belong in the White House. <br />
<br />
Once again, Obama's feet will be put to the fire as he will be forced to distance himself from the beliefs of black leaders like Louis Farrakhan, Jesse Jackson and Rev. Wright who have made similar anti-Semitic comments to Patricia McAlllister.</div><div><br />
</div><div>I prefer not to see anti-Semitism rear it's ugly head in the Occupy Wall Street movement. Ironically, Jewish individuals have been largely associated with left wing movements - Jerry Rubin, Abbie Hoffman, Karl Marx and others. Yet in the majority of situations, most left wing movements started by Jewish people end up turning against Jewish people as they are vilified and demonized as "rich Jews who control the world's banks." </div><div><br />
</div><div>Racist charges were thrown at Tea Party participants, but no one was quick enough to put the evidence on tape. As far as I am concerned, those racist comments allegedly made by Tea Party members never happened. It's also very ironic since there are a lot of black people in the <a href="http://teejaw.com/2011/10/16/open-anti-semetism-in-the-%E2%80%9Coccupy%E2%80%9D-movement/">Tea Party movement</a> and many Tea Party members support the presidential bid by black leader Herman Cain.<br />
<br />
In the case of Patricia McAllister, her hatred for Jewish people is recorded, posted on You Tube and available for everyone to watch. In fact, if you want to tell Ms. McAllister what you think of her racist stunt, here is her email address: <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande'; font-size: 10px;"><a href="mailto:PatriciaMcAll@yahoo.com">PatriciaMcAll@yahoo.com</a>. </span></div>Louis Lapideshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04937345918099904842noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8640230194403714897.post-15177657037396578542011-10-14T16:06:00.000-07:002011-10-14T16:10:44.181-07:00Jewish Group Urges Starbucks to Take Down Anti-Israel Post<a href="http://www.wiesenthal.com/atf/cf/{54D385E6-F1B9-4E9F-8E94-890C3E6DD277}/Starbucks_Palestines-Shifting-Borders.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://www.wiesenthal.com/atf/cf/%7B54D385E6-F1B9-4E9F-8E94-890C3E6DD277%7D/Starbucks_Palestines-Shifting-Borders_v.2.jpg" /></a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.wiesenthal.com/site/apps/nlnet/content2.aspx?c=lsKWLbPJLnF&b=4441467&ct=11292659"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><i>SWC Urges Starbucks to Remove Misleading Middle East Posting from its Digital Network</i></span></a><br />
<br />
October 12, 2011<br />
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Various members of the Simon Wiesenthal Center have alerted the SWC to this (see graphic) misleading posting on the history of the Land of Israel which ran on Starbucks Digital Network. The Center immediately contacted Starbucks headquarters.<br />
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The Center wrote in part, “…we'd like to hear from Starbucks about what steps you are taking to remove it and what steps… you'll be taking to assure that Starbucks won't serve as a platform for such material in the future.<br />
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The propaganda presentation called Palestine: A Century of Shrinking present maps that falsely assert that the historic Land of Israel belonged to the Arabs.<br />
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“The material presented on the Starbucks Digital Network is similar to other anti-Israel propaganda being promoted by extreme anti-Israel groups. We urge our members to join us in urging Starbucks not to allow itself to be a platform by extremists, “ said Rabbi Abraham Cooper, SWc Associate Dean.<br />
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Go to <a href="mailto:info@starbucks.com">info@starbucks.com</a> to let Starbucks know what you think of this, site case #7361732 in your email.<br />
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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, the OAS, the Council of Europe and the Latin American Parliament (Parlatino).<br />
<br />
For more information, please contact the Center's Public Relations Department, 310-553-9036, join the Center on Facebook, <a href="http://www.facebook.com/simonwiesenthalcenter">www.facebook.com/simonwiesenthalcenter</a>, or follow @simonwiesenthal for news updates sent direct to your Twitter page or mobile device.Louis Lapideshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04937345918099904842noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8640230194403714897.post-75783194637507337332011-10-11T16:03:00.000-07:002011-10-11T16:03:19.779-07:00Starbucks Takes Pro-Palestinian Stance on WebsiteAs customary I unlatched my Mac Book Pro at my favorite Starbucks, with a Grande Iced Coffee at my side, ready for work.<br />
<br />
Once I moved past the opening Starbucks Connection page, I was directed to a Splash page sponsored by Starbucks. Featured on the portal page was a five panel <a href="http://tinyurl.com/5t9y5v7">Cartographic Regression of the Map of Palestine</a> that portrayed the idea that in 1917 only Palestinians were living in Israel at that time, which is historically inaccurate since Jewish people have always been living in the land of Israel. <br />
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The chart of maps went on to demonstrate all the land the Israelis "stole" from the Palestinians.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4dcXcJPjOlICilGJYCVKfhjiaFm6NcGoxrX8lXOWdoM9H2GSZz7mwaRsnNzCKxppIGU8irNz1-_AgmPvYWd2W_khZ8lT9omzGuCgmb9yi0sbP1s2uG_rgnleouJcG4qGDKsgasx_zZrO9/s1600/full_1318294151launch_infographic_template.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="203" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4dcXcJPjOlICilGJYCVKfhjiaFm6NcGoxrX8lXOWdoM9H2GSZz7mwaRsnNzCKxppIGU8irNz1-_AgmPvYWd2W_khZ8lT9omzGuCgmb9yi0sbP1s2uG_rgnleouJcG4qGDKsgasx_zZrO9/s320/full_1318294151launch_infographic_template.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
The accompanying text reads, "The battle over Palestine has lasted for most of the 20th century and all of the 21st, causing the region's borders to change several times over the years. Here's a look at how Palestine has shrunk since 1917." <br />
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"The battle over Palestine" is a loaded statement since the Palestinians during the 1947 UN Partition plan were offered the Transjordan as a Palestinian state, a span of land three times the size of Israel. Not until the aftermath of the Six Dat War were Palestinians even concerned about a "Palestinian state." Who are they kidding?<br />
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No explanation is offered by <a href="http://tinyurl.com/5t9y5v7">Starbucks/Good Politics</a> about the 1947 and 1967 maps that the shrinking "Palestine" was due to Arab inspired and initiated attacks on the Jewish people at which time the Israelis won the land from the Arab bloc due to superior military prowess.<br />
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Starbucks is being deceptive and presenting itself as anti-Israel by featuring this misleading chart in this morning's opening portal page. Shame on Starbucks. To be fair, perhaps tomorrow's splash page should<br />
include an historical cartograph of the terrorist attacks by individuals, Palestinians terrorist organizations and Arab nations against the civilians of Israel since 1917.Louis Lapideshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04937345918099904842noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8640230194403714897.post-63179501211586752782011-10-07T15:49:00.000-07:002011-10-08T08:08:40.499-07:00Feds To Close Down California Pot ShopsI awoke this morning totally bummed knowing the NY Yankees lost the ALDS to the Tigers. And I don't want to wait to next year. I'm a Yankee fan. Next year is always NOW!<br />
<br />
However, the headlines in this morning's Ventura County Star lifted my spirits:<br />
<a href="http://FEDS TARGET CALIFORNIA POT DISPENSARIES FOR CLOSURE">FEDS TARGET CALIFORNIA POT DISPENSARIES FOR CLOSURE</a><br />
<div><br />
</div><div>Yes, I support federal law superseding the stupid state law of California that made medical marijuana legal. Now the feds are going to close down federally illegal pot shops in the land of fruits, nuts, twigs and seeds. Here is the essence of what Big Brother is going to do to medical marijuana dispensaries in CA: </div><blockquote>'Under United States law, a dispensary's operations involving sales and distribution of marijuana are illegal and subject to criminal prosecution and civil enforcement actions,' according to the letters signed by U.S. Attorney Laura Duffy in San Diego. 'Real and personal property involved in such operations are subject to seizure by and forfeiture to the United States ... regardless of the purported purpose of the dispensary.'</blockquote><div>Plenty of reasons exist why pot shops need to be shut down. </div><div><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1c_mD4rW3gXJ7iDtTUbtOdiMqE3oMQUdWTTrpkg0FYrHQUpx3P9Co9T3kMZsF4wFcOV3P-gemb-UYoqRTYMjVWjU0t5uDJamHbOewov2KOQQ93TD9hJe634r_fOmmu0zgthTqzZRoRsPm/s1600/medical-marijuana.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1c_mD4rW3gXJ7iDtTUbtOdiMqE3oMQUdWTTrpkg0FYrHQUpx3P9Co9T3kMZsF4wFcOV3P-gemb-UYoqRTYMjVWjU0t5uDJamHbOewov2KOQQ93TD9hJe634r_fOmmu0zgthTqzZRoRsPm/s320/medical-marijuana.jpg" width="213" /></a></div><div>First, the so-called doctors that prescribe marijuana for patients are mostly incompetent. I've sat in on a session where someone was getting a card to enable them to purchase pot. The doctor asked a few basic fifth grade level medical questions, took the person's blood pressure and the exam was over. The encounter with the doctor was a perfunctory procedure in order for the patient to get pot. </div><div><br />
</div><div>Second, the regulations for obtaining pot are virtually absent. I can obtain pot right now simply because I often have trouble staying asleep. I can call a medical marijuana "doctor" with the questionable diplomas on his wall, tell him I have sleep issues and in two hours, I'm toking on a doobie. But that's not all.</div><div><br />
</div><div>In another hour or so, I can go to another dispensary and buy more pot and keep repeating the same action until the clinics close for the day. What's to stop me from purchasing all the pot I want? I cannot do that in a regular medical pharmacy. If I am prescribed Oxycontin, a physician normally prescribes a 30 days supply and the patient cannot get anymore of the drug until after the thirty days are over. </div><div><br />
</div><div>Third, young adults who underhandedly obtain pot from a clinic because of "back pain" or "insomnia" often sell their stash to younger kids. If you don't believe me, call the narcotics division of your county's sheriff's department, and ask them about the illegal activity taking place with minors obtaining weed from legitimate card holders. It's a racket. </div><div><br />
</div><div>Let's be honest. People who have legitimate cards to purchase grass really just want to get high. </div><div><br />
</div><div>Pot is not the only painkiller on the face of the earth or sleep aid. The medical benefits of pot are highly contested, but the motivation to obtain pot at one of these clinics is never questioned: to get high. </div><div><br />
</div><div>Finally, I am against the legalization of marijuana period. Why? I admit I smoked grass for five years of my life or maybe more. I forgot . . . which is the problem. Pot destroys brain cells. </div><div><br />
</div><div>In addition, individuals who smoke pot at an early age usually slow down their emotional maturity process. Smoking dope stunts a person's emotional growth. Hang around a bunch of twentysomething dopers, and you'll witness this phenomenon for yourself. They laugh at everything that isn't always that funny. </div><div><br />
</div><div>The majority of pot smoker share the same personality traits. Talk the same. Laugh the same. If I was looking for Big Brother, I say look no farther than a lit joint being passed around at a party. </div><div><br />
</div><div>Neither are pot smokers the smartest bunch on the planet. School grades start to plummet once a student starts indulging with a bong. </div><div><br />
</div><div>Pot smokers are often listless, incoherent, slow in reacting while driving a vehicle (as many studies have proven) often unambitious. </div><div><br />
</div><div>The police can't really arrest someone for driving under the influence of pot since THC stays in a person's system for 30-40 days. A pothead could have smoked two joints right before entering his vehicle or he may have smoked a reefer two weeks ago and is just a bad driver. </div><div><br />
</div><div>My biggest complaint about dopers is that they are narcissistic. Their main concern is their need to get high and then relax or seek entertainment and food. </div><div><br />
</div><div> I've spoken to owners of medical marijuana dispensaries and challenged them to visit drug rehabs where kids who started smoking pot soon graduated to cocaine or a harder drug. These pot professionals could care less. I was told, "It was their choice to stop smoking pot and move on to crack cocaine" That was not the answer I was looking for. I was seeking some human compassion. Instead, I receive the same old pot smoker narcissistic answer - I don't want anyone infringing on my right to get high.</div><div><br />
</div><div>Will closing the dispensaries solve the marijuana problem here in LA? Not really. Most likely, the closure of these dispensaries will boost the sales of pot among drug dealers and black market drug cartels. </div><div><br />
</div><div>Still I applaud President Obama for taking a bold step in overriding state law to impose federal law. I think a few other presidents did the same thing throughout history, such as President Lincoln regarding the ugly sin of slavery.</div><div><br />
</div><div>If closing dispensaries serves as a deterrent to some from smoking pot, then this federal action is worth it. I've seen enough kids ruin their lives due to entering into the world of drugs through the gateway drug of marijuana. </div>Louis Lapideshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04937345918099904842noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8640230194403714897.post-35193394135867871992011-10-06T17:50:00.000-07:002011-10-06T17:53:20.922-07:00My Tribute to Steve Jobs is My JobI started using Apple computers in 1984 when they were first made available to the general public. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcCAvOAmtGLKJ8xwdK2g3wHP2OmSe9NEXdd3zys0RztlMpuGa4eG0NNf34DOaSelh6-pfo_w5nRVmhiRyV1AK8GtzkABRX1cWbSX7GzRZ7zHemwH7UZFFYZhfStdfs9UmTKuap33aL5Pa6/s1600/Apple.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcCAvOAmtGLKJ8xwdK2g3wHP2OmSe9NEXdd3zys0RztlMpuGa4eG0NNf34DOaSelh6-pfo_w5nRVmhiRyV1AK8GtzkABRX1cWbSX7GzRZ7zHemwH7UZFFYZhfStdfs9UmTKuap33aL5Pa6/s320/Apple.jpg" width="238" /></a></div>For me computers were never used for play, but for work purposes. Even though I love the iPod, the iPad, the iPhone, Apple laptops and desktop computers - and I used them all - I didn't incorporate the use of Steve Job's genius for play. <br />
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">With the Apple Macintosh I compiled articles and blogs and edited and organized photos.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">I researched sermon materials and wrote hundreds of biblical messages using the current version of Apple's operating system. I wrote countless emails, listened to endless hours of music and once in a while I watched a YouTube video.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">I changed and influenced lives through the messages and articles I wrote while using Apple computers.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">Thanks to the expertise of Jobs, I never had to deal with viruses and only occasionally tinkered with a crashed PC. I learned to fix at least 90% of the problems I ran into with an Apple product. Jobs made computing easy.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"> When I ran out of problem solving ideas, I would break down and call AppleCare.</div><br />
<div style="text-align: right;"><div style="text-align: left;">Apple computers have always been reliant for me and made computing fun. I read all the boring manuals and <i>Macs For Dummies</i> books, and soaked in everything I could using this incredible product.</div></div><br />
To Steve Jobs I tip my hat for using his genius to not merely improve our lives, but to make it possible for a person like me - devoted to sharing the Word of God with others - to have an eternal impact. <br />
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My greatest joy was not switching from a PC to a Mac - which I never had to do. My greatest joy was switching from a Smith Corona typewriter to a Macintosh computer and never needing to switch to anything else.<br />
<br />
As an Applephile I shall ever remain thankful to Steve Jobs. His yearly keynote speeches will be missed but knowing Steve, he used his genius once more in leaving his company in good hands.Louis Lapideshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04937345918099904842noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8640230194403714897.post-20344184496792391702011-10-04T17:05:00.000-07:002011-10-04T17:51:17.465-07:00Texting For DummiesIf you're thirty years of age or younger, you're in danger of becoming a "texting dummy".<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_NKccUiyakTPRK5s4t8jDbo5AX8EtmI0Bd-iFUI_13RQMMIt-_q83Dv7iV8k9x3gz5ESCeQ6U5dcW563JxmRKol7Bp-1QZ19_Fajvxqd5Tw_vsoBATCons9X8HnLpxGFJ_Dis_tobSser/s1600/nom_1313_p1_cd9be.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_NKccUiyakTPRK5s4t8jDbo5AX8EtmI0Bd-iFUI_13RQMMIt-_q83Dv7iV8k9x3gz5ESCeQ6U5dcW563JxmRKol7Bp-1QZ19_Fajvxqd5Tw_vsoBATCons9X8HnLpxGFJ_Dis_tobSser/s320/nom_1313_p1_cd9be.jpg" width="224" /></a></div>I admit I am not a heavy texter. I find it annoying and a potential source for face-paced emotionally packed misunderstandings between two plugged in iDroids.<br />
<br />
Yet what irks me the most is the grammar and spelling errors that accompany those two liners that appear on the screen of our iPhones and Droids. Here are some examples: "What's" has become "wuts." "When" is now spelled "wen." Punctuation marks are a thing of the past. "To" is now a number.<br />
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Then there are the codes of which I know very little: AAP - Always a pleasure; AAK - Asleep at keyboard; BBS - Be back soon; ACK- Acknowledge; BOYF - Boyfriend; DF- Don't even go there; BIH- Burn in hell; BAY- Back at ya.<br />
<div><br />
</div><div>Recently I came across an article entitled <a href="http://www.starshineroshell.com/stories/20110929.html?page=3">"Uptight Texter"</a> by Ventura County Star columnist <a href="http://www.starshineroshell.com/bio.html">Starshine Roshell</a>. Ms. Roshell is a journalism professor, magazine writer and an award-winning contributor. I enjoyed Sunday's column since it "hit the spot" on one of my pet peeves: texting illiteracy. </div><div><blockquote><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #fff2cc;">I'm no stickler for rules — at least, not most of them. I've always favored whimsy, irreverence, and originality over propriety, decorum, and tradition. I'm the mom who lets my kids run naked in the front yard, sneaks massive snack sacks into movie theaters under my shirt, and is proud to demonstrate my belching skills at the dinner table. As I type this, I'm staring at a recent moving-violation ticket for rolling through a stop sign (I'm sorry, but some rules just beg to be broken). </span></blockquote><blockquote><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #fff2cc;">Why, then, do I find myself stiffly — stubbornly — adhering to fusty old spelling and grammar rules when I'm texting my tech-savvy 8th grader?</span> </blockquote><blockquote><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #fff2cc;">I can't fire off a "Heads up: I'm running a few minutes late," or bang out a "How did you do on today's geometry test?" without spelling out every word in its inconvenient entirety, and punctuating each trivial missive impeccably.<br />
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Regardless of the rush I'm in — or my hair-tearing frustration over the diabolically obscured tilde and discriminatory lack of an em dash on my phone's treacherously tiny keypad — I'm incapable of embracing the medium's abbreviated style and typing "c u @home in 10".<br />
Not to my son.<br />
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For one thing, I don't want to be perceived as trying to co-opt "his" lingo. Every generation needs its own nearly inscrutable vernacular and parents who try to clamber aboard by lauding their kids' new Vans as "sick kicks" or texting "ikr dont b a h8r g2g ttyl" only embarrass the rest of us. To me, Textese is like one of those damned pashminas that's supposed to look effortlessly twisted and tossed about the neck and shoulders; I just don't wear it well.<br />
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But the main reason for my reverent texting is plain fear. With the amount of time my kid spends communicating in abridged, thumb-pecked snippets, I'm afraid he might forget what true written English looks like.</span> </blockquote><blockquote><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #fff2cc;">As a writing instructor myself — who once had a student type "lol" in an essay for my class — I can't run the risk that my son might one day offer up "2b r not 2b" on a literary response.<br />
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My inner rule-thwarter has to wonder: Why should it matter? Why cling to old-fashioned practices in a modern age? If technology is rapidly evolving for the better, why can't we let language follow suit, slipping and sliding down the wide and inviting slope of casual convenience?<br />
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As a parent, I'm hoping to impart some life lessons to my son by modeling proper English in my texts. I want to squelch laziness and encourage attention to detail. I want to remind him that it's important to adjust one's communication style to one's audience — just as he ought not try to fist-bump grandma or test out fart jokes on his junior-high principal.<br />
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If I'm being honest, though, I must admit that my persnickety texting is a passionate if pathetic attempt to push back against society's increasing carelessness with the written word. On Facebook and Twitter, in emails and ads, no one seems to recall the distinction between there, their, and they're. Why else would my son's school have invited parents (I wish I were kidding) to Back to School Nite?<br />
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At the very event in question, I stealthily took a Sharpie to some anti-bullying posters in the halls that were sorely missing a semicolon; my child was mortified.<br />
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But don't you see? I don't have a choice! I may be the last holdout, the only person left unwilling to trade "Don't be late for dinner" for "dont b L8 4dnr." If I give up, who'll teach the next generation how to spell and punctuate? What happens then?<br />
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I'll tell you what: we r scrood</span></blockquote><br />
</div>Louis Lapideshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04937345918099904842noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8640230194403714897.post-63067658270703241822011-10-03T17:40:00.000-07:002011-10-03T17:41:01.073-07:00Pastor Rob Bell Turns Christian "Rock Star"From <a href="http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2011/septemberweb-only/rob-bell-leaves-mars-hill.html">Christianity Today</a> I learned author and pastor Rob Bell is stepping down from the pulpit of the church he founded, Mars Hill Bible Church in Grandville, Michigan. The best selling author is moving his family to the brighter lights of Los Angeles, CA. <br />
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Pastor Bell is joining the ranks of other Christian <i>rock stars </i>who hit the evangelical circuit with their driving metal guitars of false theology and adoring clueless fans. Rock on, Pastor Rob!<br />
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Having been a pastor in Los Angeles for over twenty six years, I can safely say Bell may either sink or swim in So Cal as he tries to broaden his audience with his controversial beliefs. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieUETVcA2pRDz9AWeTY1CQ-cv1F-38vs6T0UC1xcLjcAbVT8WBHI4YuVNMskHIkY4e_2_zcvkLaBUY9V28iGMHE37bVfTxIBZ3Yc6JwugTUTDq2GXu46quVh2f_i6oTWusYUo_HNj9SuSQ/s1600/RockStar_mark.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieUETVcA2pRDz9AWeTY1CQ-cv1F-38vs6T0UC1xcLjcAbVT8WBHI4YuVNMskHIkY4e_2_zcvkLaBUY9V28iGMHE37bVfTxIBZ3Yc6JwugTUTDq2GXu46quVh2f_i6oTWusYUo_HNj9SuSQ/s320/RockStar_mark.jpg" width="211" /></a>Remember . . . Bell is the pastor that ignited a hot debate over the existence of heaven and hell. But that's not all. He questions the meaning of salvation, the whereabouts of heaven and the entry fee to gain access to eternal life. After reading <i>Love Wins </i>I called <a href="http://www.stubhub.com/">StubHub</a> and managed to scalp two tickets in the Loge section of the New Jerusalem Section 104, Row G, Seats 3-4.<br />
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Since LA is an eclectic playground for the likes of Rob Bell, he'll most likely fit in and then slowly fade away after he's spent a few years spraying the bullets of his drive-by false theology throughout Southern California.<br />
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According to <a href="http:/">CT</a> Bell:<br />
<blockquote> . . . <span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px;"> will</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px;"><a class="text" href="http://robbell.com/" style="color: black; font-size: 10pt; font: normal normal normal 11pt/normal Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 15pt; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 14px; text-decoration: underline;" target="_blank">launch</a></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px;">his "Fit to Smash Ice Tour" in Canada in November and continue the tour in the U.S. "We serve a big God and none of this is shocking to him,” WZZM reports Bell said during his sermon. “All we can do is embrace a future that is going to be brilliant."</span></blockquote>One another bit of juicy evangelical gossip comes from CT: David Vanderveen, editor of the Mars Hill Review announced the<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px;"> completion of the</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px;"> </span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px;">Love Wins</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px;"> </span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px;"><b>companion study guide</b> due from HarperOne in November.</span> So now the erroneous theology of Rob Bell will be propagated in more and more unsuspecting churches and among more and more clueless Christians as they study a book I call a "masterpiece of confusion and theological uncertainty."<br />
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Why should I even report on such an a potentially insignificant event as a pastor leaving a church? I admit it. I was inspired by Pastor Rick Warren, author of <i>The Purpose Driven Life</i>. Upon the news that Bell is departing his pulpit to take his show on the road, Pastor Rick tweeted:<br />
<blockquote><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px;"> "Always less. No base 4credibility @LarsRood Do u think well-known pastors who leave their churches have more or less impact?"</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px;"><a class="text" href="http://twitter.com/#!/RickWarren/status/117084486763692033" style="color: black; font-size: 10pt; font: normal normal normal 11pt/normal Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 15pt; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 14px; text-decoration: underline;" target="_blank">and</a></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px;">"Speaking tours feed the ego=All applause&no responsibility.It's an unreal world. A church gives accountability& validity" after</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px;"><a class="text" href="http://twitter.com/#!/RickWarren/status/117075671502688257" style="color: black; font-size: 10pt; font: normal normal normal 11pt/normal Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 15pt; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 14px; text-decoration: underline;" target="_blank">tweeting</a></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px;">"Bell resigns."</span></blockquote>Thank you, Pastor Warren. Now it all makes sense. Without any accountability to a church board and without any need for validity from older and wiser Christians, Rob Bell can let his theology <i>all hang out</i>. <br />
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Rob Bell, the Christian rock star has arrived, tight leather pants and all. I can see it now - speaking tours sprinkled across the U.S. as adoring fans scream for more theological junk from an ego driven former pastor from Mars Hill Bible Church.<br />
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The good news? Once Bell leaves Mars Hill Church, perhaps they will hire a pastor who will help them put the word "Bible" back into the name of the church.Louis Lapideshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04937345918099904842noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8640230194403714897.post-91240968579224750692011-09-28T17:43:00.000-07:002011-09-28T17:52:56.313-07:00Nobel Peace Prize Winner Arafat Attempted to Free Murderer of RFKIn 1994 the <a href="http://www.nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/peace/laureates/1994/">Nobel Peace Prize</a> was awarded jointly to Yasser Arafat, Shimon Peres and Yitzhak Rabin "for their efforts to create peace in the Middle East". However, let me share a little known fact about the PLO leader that deeply affects our country.<br />
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On June 5, 1968 Palestinian <i>Christian </i>Sirhan Sirhan shot and ended the life of democratic presidential hopeful Senator Robert F. Kennedy in the ballroom at the Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles, CA.<br />
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Sirhan, a 24-year-old Palestinian-born Jordanian, opened fire with a .22-caliber revolver. Kennedy was hit three times and five other people also were wounded.<br />
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Sirhan was sentenced to life imprisonment and is currently serving his term in solitary confinement at Pleasant Valley State Prison in Coalinga, California. <br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCxrAY6dJS9g5CvKSgb9VCC5wGrsyVdeR9vynXIzzlft37aqK5agmTVAlG40tTn8CfrOVz_485XYeNlhUuOo4senCnPP0tHfGbl7puh1J-KaqK4G99Wkq2jT_-Ow8gVDC6XzQ4KRIVHGjk/s1600/arafat.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCxrAY6dJS9g5CvKSgb9VCC5wGrsyVdeR9vynXIzzlft37aqK5agmTVAlG40tTn8CfrOVz_485XYeNlhUuOo4senCnPP0tHfGbl7puh1J-KaqK4G99Wkq2jT_-Ow8gVDC6XzQ4KRIVHGjk/s1600/arafat.jpg" /></a><br />
Let it not be forgotten that Sirhan shot RFK during the one year anniversary of the Six Day War involving the Arab nations of Syria, Egypt, Jordan and Iraq against the nation of Israel. Due to his hatred of Israel and RFK's strong support of Israel, many historians have concluded Sirhan's motives are found in his anti-Israel sentiments.<br />
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What's most astounding is that according to Mel Ayton's book <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Forgotten-Terrorist-Sirhan-Assassination-Kennedy/dp/1597970794">The Forgotten Terrorist</a>, he records that in 1973 Palestine Liberation Organization chairman Yasser Arafat and soon to be named Nobel Peace Prize winner, ordered the kidnapping of three American diplomats. Arafat offered them in exchange for Sirhan, the murderer of a potential American president!<br />
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When President Nixon refused the offer, according to Ayton, the PLO leader ordered the diplomats be tortured and then murdered. During a private dinner with Romanian President Nicolai Ceausescu, Arafat took credit for the slayings of the three U.S. diplomats.<br />
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One cannot ignore Arafat's response to the cold blooded murder of pro-Israel presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy, was to free the murderer. When his offer for a prisoner exchanged was refused by an American president, this "man of peace" murdered three of our diplomats. <br />
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The stance of the Palestinian Authority today has not changed since the days of Yassar Arafat. Their stated goal is to deny the legitimacy and destruction of the Jewish state and to reject any diplomat's efforts to persuade the Palestinian governing authority to recognize the state of Israel. <br />
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As Palestinian Authority leader Mahmoud Abbas plead this week before the U.N. for the acceptance of Palestinian statehood without the Palestinian recognition of the legitimacy of Israel, I could not erase the memory of the bloody roots of this would-be nation; a <i>nation</i> founded by a gun-toting terrorist, Yassar Arafat, and presently ruled in part by the terrorist regime of Israel-hating Hamas.Louis Lapideshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04937345918099904842noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8640230194403714897.post-64241711411678540052011-09-27T15:15:00.000-07:002011-09-27T15:15:12.947-07:00Introducing Scripture SolutionsPeople have asked where they can obtain copies of my sermons, links to articles and updated information on projects I am involved in. To fulfill these requests, <a href="http://ScriptureSolutions.com/">ScriptureSolutions.com</a> is a new website I am launching today. <br />
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<a href="http://ScriptureSolutions.com/">ScriptureSolutions.com</a> contains many of the messages I have given over the past years. These are sermons that are biblically based and centered on giving the listener wise and easy-to-follow responses to God's word. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY7veo03v32t8hivu3OxmSJSPg01iW3tr7PP3GJrxgAnND2DVeA9r9jOXDb92b20qzrfz1akzBeZWnaNkSJJechLDNnVI4SDTqDfXAAcV7DSQYVbbMw_Z5ZUSCWFOvf-oHS6XDqhuu-dOm/s1600/scripture-300jpg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="134" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY7veo03v32t8hivu3OxmSJSPg01iW3tr7PP3GJrxgAnND2DVeA9r9jOXDb92b20qzrfz1akzBeZWnaNkSJJechLDNnVI4SDTqDfXAAcV7DSQYVbbMw_Z5ZUSCWFOvf-oHS6XDqhuu-dOm/s320/scripture-300jpg.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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I have a strong convictions the Word of God is being neglected in many pulpits today and too much erroneous theology is being taught by individuals who dare to call themselves teachers of the scriptures. In the name of progressive theological thought the Bible is taking a beating by those who are subjecting the biblical text to their own thinking rather than place their own thinking in submission to the precious Word of the Lord. <br />
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As a result of errant teaching Christians are hearing messages that question the basic tenets of the faith regarding the authority of the Scriptures, salvation, the person of Christ, Jesus' second coming and the relationship of Christianity to other religions. The church is suffering from the poor teaching of a new generation of Christian "intellectuals" who question conservative Christianity in favor of a more progressive, emergent brand of the faith. <br />
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Young, biblically uneducated followers of Jesus are being duped by the teaching of today's misguided <i>Christian intelligentsia</i> and I am deeply concerned. Hence, the need for <a href="http://ScriptureSolutions.com/">ScriptureSolutions.com</a>.<br />
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In addition to my commitment to the expository teaching of the Scriptures, I provide a strong emphasis on the Jewish background of the Scriptures in my messages. Many passages in the New Testament have been wrongly interpreted by well-meaning biblical scholars due to their lack of sensitivity to the first century Jewish influence on the New Testament. Let us not forget the majority of the New Testament was penned by Jewish followers of Jesus who remained committed to their Jewish roots and customs.<br />
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Currently, a strong opposition to the preeminence of Israel exists in the teaching of both evangelical traditional and left leaning progressive theologians. The list of theologians who fail to see God has a present-day plan for the Jewish people is growing. <br />
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A need exists to take a stand on the biblical importance of Israel from both the Jewish Scriptures and the New Testament. Apart from any political commitment to Israel or due to the fact Israel is America's only democratic ally in the Middle East, the Bible is clear on God's unending commitment and covenants He has made with Israel.<br />
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Furthermore, since I have earned two master degrees in Old Testament and Semitic Languages, I am devoted to focusing on the continuity of the Jewish Scriptures with the New Testament. Too many teachers of God's word either omit preaching from the Old Testament, use the Old Testament merely as a resource to prove the Messiahship of Jesus or fail to see the value of the Jewish biblical text as profitable for today's Christians. <br />
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It is my conviction the Old Testament text must be understood first as though there is no New Testament. With that deep comprehension of the Jewish text, the expositor needs to bring New Testament truth as a light to bear on the older covenant. <br />
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One cannot start with the New Testament and work backwards to interpret the Old Testament. Instead, the Old Testament principles must be understood first before interpreting the New Covenant. <br />
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Replacement theologians who believe the church has superceded Israel and all the promises God made to Israel has been fulfilled in the Church are commonly deficient in Old Testament theology. These biblical academicians ignore Old Testament passages that contradict their erroneous view of Israel evidenced through the blurry lens through which they interpret the New Testament.<br />
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In a strong sense, <a href="http://www.scripturesolutions.com/">Scripturesolutions.com </a>is also an apologetics website - a messianic research institute of biblical theology. Please feel free to re-post the blogs you find to be helpful in defending the faith to others. Suggestions for additional articles are always welcome.<br />
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<a href="http://ScriptureSolutions.com/">ScriptureSolutions.com</a> will grow as I add more sermons, write more resources, share new projects and grow in my own understanding of the messianic faith.<br />
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My goal is to shape <a href="http://ScriptureSolutions.com/">ScriptureSolutions.com</a> into a refuge for an individual to utilize where they can be sure they will be hearing messages based on the centrality of the biblical text and not religious gimmicks or contemporary, unbiblical trends that sweep through the church like a tornado leaving the wreckage of innocent lives in its path.<br />
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<a href="http://ScriptureSolutions.com/">ScriptureSolutions.com</a> should be a haven for individuals who are not committed to Christianity, but are searching and asking questions. <br />
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If churches or groups want to invite me to come speak or present a series on a contemporary topic, ScriptureSolutions will provide an avenue to contact me. <br />
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I close with the <a href="http://scripturesolutions.com/about/mission-statement/">mission statement</a> of <a href="http://ScriptureSolutions.com/">ScriptureSolutions.com</a> with the hope you'll visit the site over and over, read the blogs, download the messages and share your comments:<br />
<blockquote>Recognizing the lack of a biblical focus in many churches and ministries throughout the United States, Scripture Solutions is dedicated to an expository perspective on the Word of God as communicated through the sermons and printed materials of Louis Lapides.</blockquote><blockquote> In addition, Scripture Solutions has set its sights on shedding light on much of the questionable teaching in today’s congregations and seeks to enlighten believers about false doctrine permeating Christianity both on an individual and corporate level.</blockquote>Louis Lapideshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04937345918099904842noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8640230194403714897.post-46957825225092135982011-08-15T16:23:00.000-07:002011-08-16T08:12:23.598-07:00Major League AdballI love baseball but I despise anything that takes away from the purity of the game. Steroids. Gambling. Scandals. Strikes. You name it.<br />
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During this past Sunday's afternoon game between the cellar-hugging Houston Astros and the barely surviving Los Angeles Dodgers, I was excited to witness three home runs slugged into the stands by several Dodgers. One of those home run champs was Bellflower native Justin Sellers, whose contract with the Dodgers was just purchased this week. What a joy to witness a young rookie hit his first career home run. Now that's baseball purity at its finest.<br />
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Yet when centerfielder Matt Kemp shot his 28th homer out of Dodger Stadium, I noticed an impurity take place inside the stadium. Amidst the usual home run fanfare with dazzling lights and loud music, the center field scoreboard started flashing the words, "State Farm." I was confused. I thought Matt Kemp hit the ball out of the park not State Farm. <br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA3D_V1euAr2Ww3D55FTo4mhOXAr6LFwoFubv_xSxTgB0nuWoTxqJ8PLqnEEIB1oYHET46wR4aUcTRZLydenPTDWFVPsLFYTP5DxfkmdvBNRiwHNeO-51A7V7szcgWxhTaihFN0oaLB_v4/s1600/photo.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA3D_V1euAr2Ww3D55FTo4mhOXAr6LFwoFubv_xSxTgB0nuWoTxqJ8PLqnEEIB1oYHET46wR4aUcTRZLydenPTDWFVPsLFYTP5DxfkmdvBNRiwHNeO-51A7V7szcgWxhTaihFN0oaLB_v4/s320/photo.JPG" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dodger Stadium 8/14/11 iPhone Photo</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Then on the cascade that runs around the stadium below the Loge seats, the following bright letters were flashing alternately to the delight of the fans: "Home Run - State Farm Matt Kemp - State Farm." <br />
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I wondered to myself, "Is State Farm on the Dodger roster? Does manager Don Mattingly know this? Who is State Farm? Why is his name being flashed on the main scoreboard along with Matt Kemp's? <br />
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And one other thought. I don't want to be thinking about auto insurance while watching Matt Kemp run around the bases.<br />
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The only conclusion I can come to is that State Farm Insurance wants the fans to associate their company with a home run. Their thinking must be: "As you enjoy this four bagger hit by a member of your home town team, remember State Farm insurance is the home run of all the insurance companies. Hit one out of the park by calling State Farm as you leave Dodger Stadium today."<br />
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I was resentful, and on top of everything . . . I have State Farm for my car insurance!<br />
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<i>Major League Adball</i> is going too far by brazenly ruining memorable baseball moments by pushing products in our faces while we're trying to soak in the game. Who wants to be bombarded with ads for pistachio nuts or Wetzel's Pretzels after the third baseman makes a diving catch and manages to throw out the runner heading into first base?<br />
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</div>My suggestion is to only play the ads in between innings just like they run ads in between segments during TV shows.<br />
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I don't want to watch no-hitters or perfect games peppered with commercials for upcoming movies. I'd rather enjoy the tensions associated with with the game of professional baseball.<br />
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Sorry to say this, State Farm, if I didn't already own your product, I would intentionally avoid buying it because you ruin home run moments. I'm just too lazy to switch insurance companies and I happen to like my agent.<br />
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As the baseball season is starting to wind down my prediction for the World Series involves two of the following four teams: American League: Boston Red Sox or the New York Yankees. National League: San Francisco Giants or the Philadelphia Phillies. Regardless of who wins, I surely don't want to see a State Farm ad being flashed on the stadium scoreboard when the World Series team is finally crowned.Louis Lapideshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04937345918099904842noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8640230194403714897.post-44095711394769055562011-08-12T12:40:00.000-07:002011-08-12T12:43:52.564-07:00McInerney Trial Reveals What's Wrong with America's Culture Part 2There's a lot wrong with America right now. From the moral failures of politicians, religious leaders, educators to blue collar workers, we are witnessing an unprecedented disintegration of values affecting every aspect of life in the good 'ole USA.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiswIA5eJzUXVIM7Fgrwe-21DLtboFhWM3H9cqUSyx6AzFS_ImGJd6lp7Byqn1X46k7wFlu7BmGn0rRb9SXfW7icV1tzcC_lhKeouE4xJ7U-34-wvot9o0tTCM6DYfE-NIs-21iiuMTwwko/s1600/Chatsworth_Courthouse-439x289.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="210" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiswIA5eJzUXVIM7Fgrwe-21DLtboFhWM3H9cqUSyx6AzFS_ImGJd6lp7Byqn1X46k7wFlu7BmGn0rRb9SXfW7icV1tzcC_lhKeouE4xJ7U-34-wvot9o0tTCM6DYfE-NIs-21iiuMTwwko/s320/Chatsworth_Courthouse-439x289.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>The McInerney trial unfolding in a courtroom in Chatsworth, CA is a prime example of America's moral breakdown.<br />
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In my last blog I discussed the failure of O. E. Green Middle School officials to step in and do their job when they witnessed acts of unwanted sexual advances by 14-year-old gay student Larry King towards15-year-old heterosexual male student Brandon McInerney.<br />
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Whether or not King's actions led to his fatal shooting by fellow classmate McInerney, we'll never know. King's flamboyant homosexual behavior and feminine clothing may have nothing to do with his tragic death. However, we cannot squelch the fact that school officials knew a volatile tension was building in the school between King and other students. In step with the breakdown of values in this country, the O. E. Green school staff did nothing to intervene.<br />
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Fingers are pointing at Assistant Vice Principal Joy Epstein for not doing her job of enforcing the California educational code regarding sexual harassment in the case of Larry King. Epstein, a lesbian, was more concerned with gay rights than she was in the safety of O. C. Green Middle School student. With Epstein the <i>gay rights agenda</i> took precedence over the greater value of protecting a student who was crossing the line with his display of sexuality. Epstein did nothing to enforce the school dress code in the case of the gay student though King's teacher's complained about the student's outlandish behavior.<br />
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According to Brandon's history teacher, Arthur Saenz, the day before King was shot, Brandon displayed a lot of anger and rage in his conversation with his friends. It might have been due to the fact King had asked Brandon to be his valentine, and McInerney's friends were making fun of him.<br />
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While McInerney was raging to his friends on the school grounds, Assistant Principal Epstein surveyed the scene, and according to Saenz, Epstein wagged two fingers at Brandon and said something about "rights." Was she supporting King in his unwanted sexual advances towards McInerney? Would she have done the same thing if a heterosexual girl was being sexually taunted by one of the boys? Furthermore, what does sexual harassment by a gay student have to do with "gay rights"? As you can see, Epstein's favoritism towards King is very explosive as well as another example of our moral breakdown.<br />
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Saenz was asked in the Chatsworth courtroom if he thought King was sexually harassing Brandon, why did he fail to report it as required by state law. "I thought Ms. Epstein was handling that. She's an administrator and it is her job to handle that situation, not mine," said Seanz.<br />
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Not all fingers should point at O. C. Green Middle School. A dark deep shadow is also cast over the McInerney family and their failure to protect Brandon.<br />
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According to the August 4th edition of the <a href="http://www.vcstar.com/news/2011/aug/03/brandon-mcinerney-was-molested-by-cousin-his/?partner=RSS">Ventura County Star</a>, Brandon's half brother James Bing testified that Brandon was sexually abused as a child by a cousin. <br />
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Billy McInerney, Brandon' step-father, now deceased, expressed his belief after the shooting that his son shot King because of the abuse.<br />
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Unfortunately, the abuse Brandon McInerney experienced did not stop with his cousin taking sexual advantage of the boy. Bing also detailed <a href="http://www.vcstar.com/news/2011/aug/03/brandon-mcinerney-was-molested-by-cousin-his/?partner=RSS">instances of physical abuse</a> that Billy McInerney would level on his stepsons, including putting Tabasco sauce in their mouths while they slept and beating them with a bar of soap inside a sock.<br />
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When Brandon's half brother was asked by Maeve Fox, Ventura County senor deputy district attorney, why nobody ever called police over the sexual abuse, he responded, "He's still family."<br />
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The commitment to protect the family unit was more important than protecting Brandon from a sexually perverse relative. Hence, another example of the breakdown of values in America. but now in the family unit. <br />
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Assistant Vice Principal Dawn Epstein and James Bing are guilty of the same failure to protect the innocent in order to support another set of personal priorities - gay rights or family reputation.<br />
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On Thursday <a href="http://www.vcstar.com/news/2011/aug/04/mcinerneys-aunt-testifies-he-was-abused-by/?partner=RSS">August 5th Brandon's aunt Megan Csorba</a>, sister of Billy McInerney testified her brother would sit on his son until he couldn't breathe, pull his thumb back until he screamed and punch him in the face.<br />
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Brandon's aunt added that the boy's step father would verbally abuse his son, berating him and calling him names. Billy McInerney, according to his sister, was often smoking pot and popping pills. The abuse of his son would grow worse when he was on drugs. Csorba also testified that Kendra, Brandon's mother smoked crystal methamphetamine when she was pregnant with Brandon.<br />
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The real kicker came when when Fox asked Csorba if she ever called the authorities after witnessing the abusive craziness at the house. "No," the aunt commented. "I was going through my own abuse, and I was not going to do that to my brother." Another adult who failed to act in a mature, responsible fashion and report abuse that was happening to a minor. She'd rather protect the abuser and ignore the victim.<br />
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If you put this all together, it's clear that a group of adults were passing the buck, protecting themselves and making decisions out of total self interest.<br />
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Teachers failed to report King's overtly gay dress because they were concerned about their tenure and being politically correct about their views on homosexuality. These teachers had no problems giving special treatment to Larry King because he was gay. The same treatment was not offered to heterosexual students when they broke school dress code rules.<br />
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Finally, we witness family members who dropped the ball on reporting both physical and sexual abuse taking place to one of their family members. Instead, they chose to protect the abuser out of a need to protect the reputation of a seriously dysfunctional and amoral family. <br />
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Is there something wrong with values in America? If you look hard enough into the details of the McInerney case, you can't help but notice this trial is a microcosm of the loss of values in America.Louis Lapideshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04937345918099904842noreply@blogger.com6