www.byzcath.org Forums General Discussions Town Hall Doesn't Israel have enough heartache already?

Are you Bruce?

Dear Lawrence,

Israel is a secular Zionist state. It is a state for the Jewish people. I recall years ago seeing signs all over NYC by a Jewish sect saying that Israel shouldn't exist because Judaism is a religion, not a state. Little did they know that 35 years later, Israel would still be at war.

I also recall a Jewish person telling me that if Israel did not have a common enemy, they would be fighting among themselves. One thing one can be sure of with the Jews, is that they will always have opposing viewpoints. Yet the past has shown, that one of those views will offend some people , somewhere, and at sometime, so that they will become persecuted.

When I was in Israel, being a Jewish state, (if not a religious state), there was a Sabbath elevator in each hotel. If you were unfortunate, or dumb enough to take one, you stopped on every floor. It was specifically for religious Jews to use on the Sabbath when they were not allowed to press the floor button. Also milk products were not served with meat so that meat was served at dinner, and cheese and milk products at breakfast.

It was an interesting experience, although I felt that Israel had not as yet developed it's own character.

Zenovia

Zenovia,
right on target are you (Yoda would say that, I guess). last week I posted something along that line, but perhaps it was deleted. oh, well.
according to the Scriptures, the land will be given to the Jews by Messiah (Jesus Christ for us, and the Jews as well).when I was in Seminary, the president of the school, who is an ethnic Armenian from Syria told me as much, yeah, you could wonder where he was coming from, but he went against the grain of the Dispensationalists who see the establishment of the present state of Israel as lading to the Rapture, etc. there is an American Coucil for Judaism which goes along eith you and I have both said, and they, being Jews, are hardly anti- Semitic.
Much Love,
Jonn

The International Christian Embassy at their Zionist Congress held in 1996 included the following declaration: "The Jewish people have an absolute right to posess and dwell in the land including Judea, Samaria, Gaza and the Golan"

But Christian Zionists fail to recognize how the Bible unversialises the land promises. "Meekness" as we see in Matthew 5:5 becomes a precondition of remaining in the land, whereas arrogance and oppression are reasons for exile. (Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.)

This is significantly seen in the way that zionists downplay the repeated warnings of the Hebrew prophets who insist the land belongs to God and residence is always conditional. For example Leviticus 25:23: "The Land must not be sold permanently because the land is mine and you are but aliens and my tenents". The land is therefore never at the disposal of Israel for it's national purposes, instead it is Israel who are at the disposal of God's purposes.

The ethical requirements for occupancy of Canaan were clearly outlined in Leviticus "You must keep my decrees and laws, the native born and the alien living among you must not do any of these detestable things. If you defile the land it will vomit you out as it vomited out the nations who were before you" - Leviticus 18:24-28. And Ezekiel amplifies the same warning to those tenents "Thus says the Lord God of Israel; you shed blood yet you would keep possession on the land? You rely on your sword, you do abominable things yet you would keep possesion of the land? I will make the land a desolate waste and her proud strength will come to an end" - Ezekiel 33:25-29. (in the king james version it is much more dramatic and severe than this version)

On the basis of such severe warning is it not more likely that Israel will experience an imminent exile rather than a restoration?

Those Protestant fundamentalists are such a pain to the Christians of the Holy Land. They never comment on the injustices done to them and others.

Friends,

I'm trying to think outside the Zionist box without becoming anti-Jewish. You are helping me. Has anyone read Brother Andrew's, "Light Force"? He is a Protestant who is not dispensatinalist who is trying to find ways for Christians, Muslims, and Jews to coexist in Israel and Lebanon. It's not a theological treatise but a description of people encountering others.

CDL

Sorry to tell you Alice, but here is a link to a news story about a Masturbation-athon. To raise money nonetheless. It's not graphic.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20060804/od_uk_nm/oukoe_uk_masturbate;_ylt=AsaHYDR4VVSh2_oCfHkJWSGs0NUE;_ylu=X3oDMTA3ODdxdHBhBHNlYwM5NjQ-

I have heard about the San Francisco event for some years. Evidently, it's an annual happening. I haven't heard about local events elsewhere, however. Fortunately, no one has ever asked me to sponsor them.

Earthlink is glitchy today. Come to think of it, that's been happening a lot lately. For some reason, this wanted to double post.

GOOD GRIEF :rolleyes:

Gee wiz, Dr. Eric!!! :rolleyes:

Like I really needed to know about this 'venerable' event...and how religious groups approve of it, no less.

Just when we thought society couldn't possibly get more shocking and profane-- and to think that it is held in Britain, which was once the bastion of civility, manners, and etiquette.

Alice

why are we LOOKING for and posting stories like this if we are so shocked and horrified by them??? This is all getting a little prurient.

Brian,

I think they are trying to prove to you that all sin makes them sick not just homosexualist sins. Anyway, I do agree. Let's get onto something else.

I feel sorry for Israel that it must tolerate this prurience. I feel sorry for all countries that must tolerate such prurience.

With that, I've nothing more to say on this topic.

CDL

EWWwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww

barf

One, I didn't "look for" the story. I stumbled upon it by accident and the Gay Parade topic was fresh in my mind after reading about it here on the Forum.

Another thing is that most of us are shocked and horrified by any public displays of bodily functions. Which includes what happens at Gay Pride Festivals, Burning Man, the above mentioned "event," and other perverse activities that are rampant in our Post-Christian society.

I think that most of us are so numb to the fact that these things are happening all the time that we don't have the proper outrage that we should have. For example, when you hear about another abortion horror story do you have righteous indignation any more? When a woman calls herself a "priest" are you no longer agitated by this sin? When someone straps a bomb to his back and blows up a cafe and kills women and children do you weep for the innocent dead and their families?

Most of us are so jaded that nothing shocks us any more.