Jews Urge Christians to Stand Up to Persecution--"Learn from our example," they urge

Persecution.org ^ | 3-19-97 | Larry Witham

[SJackson]

If you'd like to be on or off this middle east/political ping list, please FR mail me.

[CDHart]

thanks for posting this --

Carolyn

[missyme]

Christians help everyone that is the "Jesus" way. Abe Foxman should take a look at what Christianity is all about instead trying to pit Jews and Christians agaisnt each other as he is doing twoards Mel Gibson.

There is no greater message than the one Jesus Christ gave to us, and sooner or later everyone will get the message...Because no other message will work in bringing people together to live in PEACE with one another...

[catonsville]

I remember the "Save Russian Jewry " signs not only in front of Synagogues , but on the lawns of the American legion and other non-Jewish places. This is the lesson for Christians. Stop fighting each other over dogma and history and get together. Every church should have signs in front, it will soon carry over into nonreligious areas.

Make it an issue in political campaigns. If a country murders Christians, picket their embassies and consulates wherever they are located. Start yelling

Christians have became too nice , too passive, uncomplaining and inoffensive. The murderers believe they can get away with it and so far they are right.

Christianity needs some angry prophets to warn of the eternal consequences of such genocide.

[missyme]

Christians do what Jesus Christ says because that is the only way life will work, otherwise we would be a world of savage beasts killing each other like Mohammed says to do.

[SJackson]

Christians help everyone that is the "Jesus" way. Abe Foxman should take a look at what Christianity is all about instead trying to pit Jews and Christians agaisnt each other as he is doing twoards Mel Gibson.

I'm missing the point. Does that mean Christians should remain silent about persecution of Christians, the topic of the thread?

[SJackson]

I remember the "Save Russian Jewry " signs not only in front of Synagogues , but on the lawns of the American legion and other non-Jewish places. This is the lesson for Christians. Stop fighting each other over dogma and history and get together. Every church should have signs in front, it will soon carry over into nonreligious areas.

You're right. You might read this thread, Vietnam's 'Appalling' Persecution [John Kerry] and the related links. The leading Dem Presidential candidate bottling up a bill that passed the House 4710-1 to at least attempt to temper persecution of Christians in Vietnam.

[missyme]

I am just saying that "Christians don't give special attention to other "Christians" they pay attention to ALL people that need assistance because that is the message from JESUS. There are every race and creed that are Christians and they all will get help.... So what is the point of this thread? I am not trying to be snotty just trying to understand?

[Indie]

Hmmm. 1. I think Lieberman is the only rat with a brain. 2. I really get tired of "Christians" saying that pacifism is a tenet of Christianity. It is not and should not be.

[missyme]

I don't know if Pacificism is the correct word.
Christianity is surely not about the brutality of ISLAM if that was the case Jesus Christ would of wiped out every person that tried to go agaisnt him.

[King Black Robe]

Pioneers of the 30-year effort to save Soviet Jewry urged Christians yesterday to use the lessons of the Jewish experience in defending their brethren being persecuted around the world.

Wow! Great article.

[RaceBannon]

The Bible is clear: Our war is not over what we believe and how the world sees us. Our war is with our own flesh, over sin in our lives, over whether we will submit to what God says or to what Satan tries to deceive into us.

In this, to place our trust in a government's actions means we are not placing our trust in what God said.We are to place our trust in God alone.

A Nation that faces persecution also faces an increase in the genuine faith of what the Bible teaches. It is no illusion that they say the Church is planted with the blood of martyrs.

What is wrong with Christianity today, is that we seek to 'fix' things through government instead of prayer and obedience to God's word.

The solution is not through political action, but through prayer and obedience to God's Word. God can fight our battles for us.

The correct response first, is for people who call themselves Christians to repent of sin in their lives, and turn to God to be the leader in their lives. We are also to pray for the leaders of those countries where this persecution is taking place, that they come to know who God is rightly, and that they are blessed and prosper. That is what the Bible says.

It is what people here like me need to remember more often, also, our problems we often complain about are nothing in the light of eternity. What we need is to get right with God in our own hearts. That is the change that society needs to see.

[Piranha]

You do know that there was no Islam until about 600 years after Jesus died, right?

I didn't post this thread, but I think that the point is that the "Free Soviet Jews" movement can and should be expanded into a universal human rights movement. All too often, so-called "human rights organizations" like Human Rights Watch justify the persecutors instead of taking a moral stance against terror and torture. Meanwhile, Marronite Christians are leaving Lebanon, Bethlehem is becoming almost entirely a Muslim city, millions of Christians are being murdered in the Sudan, a proto-Christian sect called the Mandaeans is being persecuted in Iraq, Christians are persecuted in China, and the list goes on and on.

Since the most persecuted groups of people in the world today apparently are Christian sects under non-Christian rule, the thread is suggesting that many more people could be saved and their lives improved if we of the West stood up for them instead of ingratiating ourselves with their tormentors, as too often is the case in the West.

It also would help the rest of the world understand what Western values truly are -- or should be.

[SJackson]

I am just saying that "Christians don't give special attention to other "Christians" they pay attention to ALL people that need assistance because that is the message from JESUS. There are every race and creed that are Christians and they all will get help.... So what is the point of this thread? I am not trying to be snotty just trying to understand?

Piranha is largely right. When you say Christians don't give special attention to other "Christians" they pay attention to ALL people that need assistance because that is the message from JESUS. I think you’re approaching a secular problem from an evangelical perspective. IMO, it’s OK to condemn atrocities against Christians even if you’re a Christian. And yes, you’ll get accusations of insularity, probably called a fanatic, so what.

One hundred and fifty years ago Jews were dispersed throughout the world, and it would be fair to say the centers of Jewish culture resided in Europe and the Middle East. Today, it’s the USA and Israel, a smattering elsewhere. Sad. Look at the Christian population in most Middle Eastern countries today vs the 19th century and the results won’t look much different.

Piranha is right that amongst the most persecuted groups of people in the world today apparently are Christian sects under non-Christian rule (most of these places already got rid of their Jews). Why no one speaks up about it is an important question, I suspect with some difficult problems to work through since many of the persecuted aren’t European in origin. But people are dying for their faith, and not just Jews.

[RussianConservative]

Then in 1974, the Jackson-Vanik amendment made Jewish emigration a condition for aid to the Soviet Union.

And a stick to beat Russia with 13 years after Soviets gone...but US consistently side with Islamics: Egypt (muslim over Coptic Orthodox), Eritria (islamic) or Ethiopia (Orthodox), neutral on Sudan (while Islamic genocide Orthodox), aid to PLO and demand Israel negotiate, PLO over Christian militia in Lebanon, Islamic Albanian over Serb and Makedonian, often Chechyn over Russia, Pakistani Islamics over Pakistani Christian & Sihke and Indian Hindu, Turk Islamic (since 1920s) over Greek, Armenian and Assyrian Christian and Cypriots, Bosnian Muslim over Serb, did I miss any? Oh and mum when Saudi Arabia, Yemen and other throw out all Christian and Jews.

One shining yes for Christian, E.Timor catholics over Indonesian muslim, after massacre so bad that can not be ignore....where is US Christian value in choosing Christian over Islamic?

[RussianConservative]

Christians have became too nice , too passive, uncomplaining and inoffensive. The murderers believe they can get away with it and so far they are right.

No that is western Catholic/Protestant Christians, Orthodox Christian: Russian, Serb, Makedonian, Greek, Armenian, Sudanese, Ethiopian, etc continue to put more Islamics to graves then all western efforts combined.

[Destro]

Lieberman turned his back on Christians-and caled the KLA al-Qaeda as heirs to George Washington.

[SJackson]

Pioneers of the 30-year effort to save Soviet Jewry urged Christians yesterday to use the lessons of the Jewish experience in defending their brethren being persecuted around the world.
Wow! Great article.

Seven years old. I'm not sure anyone listened.

[livius]

Great article. Pity it was written (if this is correct) in 1997. Obviously, not a lot has changed since then.

On the basis of our religion itself, Christians cannot be aggressive. But we could certainly do more to call attention to the problem and get more support.

On the other hand, maybe this is unrealistic. Christianity is not popular with the ruling left of most European countries and of the US, and the right is embarrassed by us. So I guess we're on our own.

I'd be really happy, at least, if our priests, pastors and preachers would be honest about this and tell us that, sooner or later, Christianity will be what it always was: a call to martyrdom (NOT in the Islamic sense, which is synonomous with homicide).