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Christianity Today, February, 2008 |

SPEAKING OUT

Pro-Israel vs. Pro-Palestine

A rabbi hopes for a better conversation.

Rabbi Yehiel Poupko | posted 1/23/2008 08:36AM

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When we the Jewish people are the issue of contention between two Christian ideologies, it's only we who will lose. Christians are right to express their intra-Christian differences with one another, but when they concern a third party, like the Jewish people, those conversations should be held on a playing field that is less harmful to us and less damaging to the cause of peace and reconciliation. Ironically, neither Jones nor Smith will be party to the better conversation.

Rabbi Yehiel Poupko is the Judaic Scholar of the Jewish United Fund/Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Chicago.

Related Elsewhere:

Other articles on the role of Israel and inter-religious dialogue include CT Editorial "What It Means to Love Israel" and "Interview with a Pharisee—and a Christian."

Rabbi Yehiel Poupko also wrote "'We Did Not Listen. Therefore, Has This Trouble Come" about 2006's Israel-Hezbollah conflict.

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February 2008, Vol. 52, No. 2

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James Turner

Posted: January 29, 2008 3:10 PM

Just because these people control US foreign policy and have lots of money should not blind Christians to the fact that they have done much to make America non-Christian. Furthermore, the Jews of today do not represent the people Israel of the Bible. Some ignorant Christian pastors can be heard describing Sarah, Abraham's wife, as an 'elderly Jewish lady' - the label 'Jew' comes from Judah, and Judah was Sarah's great-grandson. The Jews of today are descended from the Edomites, who according to the historian Josephus, all 'became Jews' around the second century before Christ, and the Khazars, a non-Semitic Turkish people that 90% of modern Jews are descended from, who converted about 740AD. The Jews follow the viciously anti-Christian Talmud, wherein Jesus is condemned to boil in human excrement. Jesus utterly condemned the Jewish leaders of his day, describing them as hypocrits. The Jews in the US want non-racism, but their 'own' country is fundamentally racist.

Dwight

Posted: January 25, 2008 11:35 PM

Pt2. The Temple would be rebuilt and ALL the armies of the world would surround Jerusalem. one can certainly see the current governments of Israel welcome the worlds armies on its doorstep. look at the newly agreed upon UNIFIL on the northern border. the plan for international troops in the west bank (Judea and Samaria for those who need a bit of reference to scripture). The point is ALL govts have been allowed to gain power by God (Rom 13). why? because all eventually work for Good! we cannot see all, as evidenced by ALL of our falling short lives. we want the Jews and their neighbors to live in peace, but we know the WHOLE story! the only REAL peace will come when Jesus returns to set up his kingdom. so though we strive for 'real' peace, should we not do what Genesis 12 tells us? Lets bless Israel and receive God's blessing! this does not mean hating the Palestinians, but love them as well. God will do as He sees fit, let us Love one another, not divide the land and await HIS return!

Dwight

Posted: January 25, 2008 11:16 PM

So many seem to be debating if the Israel they see today represents an image of Israel most would imagine in the regathering to the UNconditional land promised to Abraham. namely a Godly image that ALL would recognize as ordained by God and no one would ever doubt it! We must remember that God as man walked this earth and many did doubt! many could not believe that a poor wood workers son could really be the Messiah that was to be the King of all. In the same light, many do not see that 2,000 years of exile from The Land and still retaining an identity as Jews (Clearly from scripture God's chosen people - though imperfect just like us!) were brought back to the land in 1948 by nothing less than a miracle from God. This leads one to say 'well, where is this miraculous people?', and I agree that to look at Israel I do not see God. But then i look without the worldly view and go to scripture and see that from all 4 corners of the world they will be regathered. end part 1

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