7.06.2005 | "functionally anti-semitic"?

The full quotation, from the Washington Post article, is from Rabbi Abraham Cooper, associate dean of the Simon Wiesenthal Center in Los Angeles, in response to the latest move by a liberal church, this time the United Church of Christ, to assuage their guilty white consciences:

By treating Israel within a different moral yardstick than the rest of the world, these moves are functionally anti-Semitic, undercut the forces of peace and moderation, and embolden the forces of terrorism

A spokesman for the UCC, which also has demanded that Israel tear down its security fence (more below), uses the smooth language of the master propagandist, using the term "tools of economic leverage" in the UCCs misguided moral equivalency campaign. Those "tools" of course include divestment from UCC financial holdings of any businesses that supply Israel with anything that could be used to protect itself against Arab terrorism. As an aside, might not we be asking, what business has any church with financial holdings in the first place? Yes, yes, I know, can't meet to worship if we don't have a roof over our heads, etc. etc.

Some additional details on the UCC's move from the New York Times:

The church would also invest in groups that promote peace and cooperation and pressure the Bush administration to reallocate foreign aid in the interest of ending the militarization of the region.

The second resolution calls for the Israeli government to stop construction of the security barrier around Palestinian territories and tear it down. Palestinians have claimed that portions of the wall extend into their territory in the West Bank. Israel says the wall has blocked terrorists.

"The wall has devastating effects on the lives and livelihoods of Palestinians," Makari [UCC functionary] said. "It prevents the opportunity for interaction for people who desperately want there to be peace."

Yes, of course. The wall deprives many Palestinian homicide bombers of the chance to "interact" with Israelis. This is patently unfair. This part was noticed by the American Jewish Committee (via the Times):

David Elcott, the American Jewish Committee's U.S. Director of Interreligious Affairs, criticized the measure.

"We understand Christian concerns about a wall, but we believe that saving human lives is more significant than property," he said. "That wall has saved the lives of Jews, Christians and Muslims."

All of which means little to nothing to the moralists of the UCC. After all, most of the lives saved would be Jews, and we know that they're the ones who started this whole business by invading the peaceful Middle East after World War II. Oh, you mean there were Jews in Palestine before 1945? Hebron; hmm, wonder where it got its name...

Peace is a marvelous thing, but without the wall, without the means to defend itself, Jews will have only the peace of the grave. I do not expect a liberal church like UCC to believe what they read in the Bible, but whether they do or not, it remains God's truth. That truth requires Christians to honor the Jews, not only as the source for our savior, but because it is exactly what Jesus himself told us to do (Matthew 25:40;)

And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.

Make no mistake; Jesus here was talking of the Jewish people, his "brethren."

God has not broken any promises made to the people of Israel. They are still His people under the Covenant; come the end times, they will be given first dibs, so to speak, at accepting the savior who came from the root of Jesse. None of this means that the Palestinians should not be afforded every human dignity. It does, however, mean, that while the Palestinians are unable or unwilling to control their evildoers, we do God's work when we help keep Israel safe from them.

The UCC is not about doing God's work. They are about feeling good, making brownie points with "people of color" (an odious term; I've got a color, too...pinkish white) and others on the left who are far too ready to demonize the Jews.

| technorati tag | Christianity|