tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7560220615271337359.post8327690331633510339..comments2024-03-12T08:04:47.314-07:00Comments on Naming His Grace: The Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) Middle East Study Team-a one sided storyViola Larsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09146967423654966140noreply@blogger.comBlogger12125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7560220615271337359.post-57373045625316933222010-03-12T20:23:31.147-08:002010-03-12T20:23:31.147-08:00Viola, I appreciate hearing how you perceived the ...Viola, I appreciate hearing how you perceived the quote taken from my book Compartments. I'd love to send you a copy of the book so you could see the full context of the quote. You are obviously a thoughtful, caring person, and I think you would find the book interesting (even if you still disagree vehemently with my conclusions). If you would accept a copy, just send me an address I can send it to. <br /><br />Best wishes!<br />Steve Feldman<br />sfeldman@wfubmc.eduUnknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14457175991462697689noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7560220615271337359.post-89738274385922451322010-03-11T20:52:13.767-08:002010-03-11T20:52:13.767-08:00Don't worry John,
I'm not accusing you of ...Don't worry John,<br />I'm not accusing you of anything. I don't believe in conspiracy theories either.Viola Larsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09146967423654966140noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7560220615271337359.post-44611064730294995272010-03-11T20:18:38.295-08:002010-03-11T20:18:38.295-08:00Oh, my! Do I smell a conspiracy theory being hatch...Oh, my! Do I smell a conspiracy theory being hatched? I can affirm that to the best of knowledge I have not met nor do I know any of the committee members. I contributed nothing to the committee’s work nor did I express an opinion to them. The only comments I have made have been to your blog and a few others on “your side of the aisle.”John McNeesehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18301421993866391399noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7560220615271337359.post-2874450938948658232010-03-11T17:37:23.775-08:002010-03-11T17:37:23.775-08:00John Mc,
You have just confirmed a suspicion that ...John Mc,<br />You have just confirmed a suspicion that I have had for quite awhile and that I am preparing to write about as I write on the Recommendations part of the documents. Although you won't like it thanks for clearing the way.Viola Larsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09146967423654966140noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7560220615271337359.post-63823006475422402882010-03-11T16:33:03.771-08:002010-03-11T16:33:03.771-08:00Having read Parts 1 and 2 of “Breaking Down the W...Having read Parts 1 and 2 of “Breaking Down the Walls” the report of the Middle East Study Committee to the 219th General Assembly (2010) of the Presbyterian Church (USA), I commend this courageous committee for its hard work and its recommendations. From my research and readings over the past few years, they are on the right track. <br /><br />However, in my opinion, the option for a two state solution sailed away years ago. The recent approval of 1,600 new housing units in East Jerusalem on the same day of Biden’s visit to Israel and Israel's announcement that it is adding two holy sites in occupied Palestinian territory to its list of national heritage sites is a further demonstration of Israel’s intransigence. They are not serious about a viable two state solution. The only other option would be a single state with equal rights for all its citizens.<br /><br />Former Israeli PM Ehud Olmert in an interview with Haaretz in November 2008 said: “If the day comes when the two-state solution collapses, and we face a South African-style struggle for equal voting rights (also for the Palestinians in the territories), then, as soon as that happens, the State of Israel is finished,...The Jewish organizations, which were our power base in America, will be the first to come out against us, because they will say they cannot support a state that does not support democracy and equal voting rights for all its residents." That time is at hand.<br /><br />John McNeese<br />Ponca City, OKJohn McNeesehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18301421993866391399noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7560220615271337359.post-57294055232021910602010-03-11T09:29:16.472-08:002010-03-11T09:29:16.472-08:00Thank you John. Not only are all of the members an...Thank you John. Not only are all of the members anti-Israel, all of their advisors are too.Viola Larsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09146967423654966140noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7560220615271337359.post-56235880838797974102010-03-11T09:27:21.715-08:002010-03-11T09:27:21.715-08:00Hi Dexter,
That is a very good article. Thanks for...Hi Dexter,<br />That is a very good article. Thanks for pointing me and others to it. It is very hard to cover all of the material that has been put out by this committee-so it is good that other people are writing. Thank you.Viola Larsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09146967423654966140noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7560220615271337359.post-22056723538427853142010-03-11T08:24:20.133-08:002010-03-11T08:24:20.133-08:00Many others.Many others.Dexter Van Zilehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03074355698633723579noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7560220615271337359.post-29020290421486991582010-03-11T08:23:31.870-08:002010-03-11T08:23:31.870-08:00Viola:
Good work.
I am reading the materials pro...Viola:<br /><br />Good work.<br /><br />I am reading the materials proffered by the Middle East Study Committee and am amazed at the one-sided narrative. It's just amazing.<br /><br />I've written briefly on the material in the "historical analysis" here: http://www.camera.org/index.asp?x_context=2&x_outlet=118&x_article=1809<br /><br />The committee's repeated affirmations of Israel's right to exist in the letter to American Jews are undermined with a stunning denunciation of the Jews who moved into Palestine in the first half of the 20th Century and open contempt for the notion of Jewish sovereignty. <br /><br />The comparison between immigrant Jews and Armenians was an innovation that I have not seen before. It is a new expression of contempt. The anti-Zionists in the PC(USA) have done a new thing. They have provided people with yet another reason to heap abuse on the modern state of Israel.<br /><br />I read the description of Jews who entered Palestine in the first half of the 20th century to some of my Jewish friends and colleagues and they gasped. And these are people who have seen terrible things written in print and broadcast on the internet. One reason why the passage elicits such feelings of shock is that it comes from people who describe themselves as attempting to bring reconciliation to the Middle East.<br /><br />People who read that passage and take it to heart will only feel more contempt for Israel and its Jewish inhabitants.<br /><br />This is just one obvious problem with the narrative offered in this document.<br /><br />There are others.Dexter Van Zilehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03074355698633723579noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7560220615271337359.post-13785930443915837512010-03-11T07:15:14.169-08:002010-03-11T07:15:14.169-08:00Viola,
As I commented on Reformed Pastor's bl...Viola,<br /><br />As I commented on Reformed Pastor's blog, the composition of the Committee is a concern. The original committee had ONE member who opposed the PC(USA)'s earlier call for partial divestment from Israel. Every other member, whether otherwise progressive or evangelical, supported divestment. It would not have been difficult to find similar numbers of people who were pro-divestment, anti-divestment, and neutral (and in each group one can find progressives and evangelicals.). But that was not done, as we can see. True diversity of opinion does not mean having seven or eight people with one view versus ONE person with another view.<br /><br />Thank you for your thorough engagement with these documents, Viola. This is a service to the church.<br /><br />John Erthein<br />Erie, PAPresbymanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17673477298859022278noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7560220615271337359.post-77884864790841516912010-03-11T07:01:21.857-08:002010-03-11T07:01:21.857-08:00Hi Beloved Spear
The only qualification that the ...Hi Beloved Spear<br /><br />The only qualification that the committee members have for the Kairos report is that they do not embrace the complete boycott or divestment it recommends. In all of the papers only the one by the "liberal Zionist" refers to Israel as a Jewish State. There has been a push from many directions to undo the Jewishness of Israel. And I see it in the statements made by the papers. Perhaps I should write more on this.Viola Larsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09146967423654966140noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7560220615271337359.post-5282340723767650562010-03-11T05:02:48.252-08:002010-03-11T05:02:48.252-08:00A few caveats: The "embrace" of the Kai...A few caveats: The "embrace" of the Kairos document is a qualified embrace. It's affirming what is positive in that document, while not making any affirmation of the more inflammatory or negative positions. That's hardly a call to put it in the Book of Confessions.<br /><br />The report recommendations, to my reading, are also unqualified in their affirmation of the right of Israel to exist. It's repeated, reaffirmed, and clear as a bell. That's not to say I'm in total agreement with the report. But most of it...and particularly the recommendations...are not as unbalanced as I had feared.Beloved Spearhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14568697883886058321noreply@blogger.com