The Anti-Semitism of the PCUSA

For Zion's Sake ^ | March 24, 2006 | Christopher

[Presbyterian Reporter]

Diana Appelbaum has an important article in The American Thinker about the Presbyterian Church, USA (PCUSA).

It is important because of the timing. The General Assembly of the PCUSA is scheduled to convene June 15-22, 2006. It will be an opportunity to undo its notorious divestment resolution, which supporters and detractors are debating whether it is merely anti-Israel or truly anti-Semitic.

The surprising thing, to many outside the PCUSA, is that the overwhelming majority of Presbyterians are not even anti-Israel. The surprising thing, to many inside, is how remarkably anti-Semitic their leadership is.

Most Presbyterians, indeed, most Christians, would be stunned by the theologies embraced by their leaders and their "resources". There is "liberation theology", focusing on Jesus as liberator of the poor and oppressed, and "replacement theology", in which the G~d of Israel does what Paul says He would not do and revokes the irrevokable calling of the Jews to replace them with Christians, and "Palestinian Liberation Theology", in which Jesus was the first Palestinian revolutionary instead of a Torah observant Jew who was executed for being the King of the Jews.

These theologies are abhorrent. They are damnable. They are being taught in Kansas City this week.

The leadership must hold to them, though, despite the fact that the PCUSA, in 1987, formally rejected Replacement Theology. They cling to these theologies and to organisations like the Sabeel Center who spread them because there is no other way to justify their continued anti-Semitic deeds.

Let me clarify, here and now, that I cannot see the hearts of the leaders of the PCUSA. In Judaism, it is not the motives that matter, it is the results. Whether the PCUSA actually believes the lie that its actions have a chance of bringing peace is irrelevant, because the result is that they support Hezbollah and curse Israel. The actions of this church are widely viewed as anti-Semitic because the 2004 General Assembly took a formal position denying to the Jewish State the right to defend itself.

For example, as Diana Appelbaum explains, the PCUSA "call(ed) for an end to the construction of a wall by the State of Israel," in its resolution. It did not vote to question the route selected for the security barrier. It did not call upon Israel to protect the dignity of people passing through the checkpoints. It did not deny to any other nation the right to protect the lives of its citizens. The Jewish state, alone, is to be denied the right to defend itself, even by pacific means.

That is anti-Semitism in results. Intent does not matter.

So how can an denomination that organizes so many fact-finding missions be so out of touch? Because their "fact-finding" is really propaganda. Or had you not noticed that fact-finding tours feature in no Christian pilgrimages anywhere except the Holy Land, and then visit no supporters of Israel?

So the PCUSA gets a slanted picture, to get slanted decisions, then debates why people think they are on the slant.

G~d is not mocked. Neither are the 50,000 Presbyterians who leave the PCUSA each year.

I know that, even though this is not a Christian site, we have a significant number of Presbyterian readers. Now you have a chance to make your voice heard. Now is the time to make a stand. Do not leave the PCUSA, but make it leave its road to destruction.

There are many who are with you.

Visit Faiths for Fairness or read the Presbyterian Layman.

There are 14 overtures to the General Assembly that directly address the controversial divestment issue, most of them opposing the "phased selective divestment" of Presbyterian holdings in corporations that do business with Israel. In addition, a number of overtures call for reshaping Presbyterian policy in the Middle East without mentioning divestment.

This issue has become such a bother to the PCUSA that, even though denominational leaders generally urge commissioners to shun the influences of groups that lobby for or against the issues they will face, the planners for the 217th General Assembly have scheduled lengthy blocks of time to present the denomination's spin on only two issues: divestment, which was brought in as the very last issue in the previous General Assmbly, and a report which recommends that ordaining bodies be allowed to decide on their own whether to ordain practicing homosexuals as deacons, elders and pastors.

Why is the divestment as controversial as the possible ordination of practicing homosexuals? Because most Presbyterians understand that those who curse Israel are cursed, and they do not understand why their leadership does not get it.

You need to read Diana Appelbaum's article. You need to read the letter to the leadership of the PCUSA to which the PCUSA leadership has thus far refused to respond.

And if you are a member of a PCUSA church, you need to get involved. Your church can voice its opposition to divestment by submitting an overture to your respective presbytery. You can either write your own overture or concur with an overture already approved by another presbytery.

posted by Christopher at 3/24/2006 02:31:56 PM