Posted on 02/22/2005 12:37:41 AM PST by West Coast Conservative
The World Council of Churches (WCC) on February 21 urged its members to consider economic measures to oppose Israeli occupation of Palestinian territory and praised the action of a U.S. denomination that has started a process of selective divestment from companies linked to the occupation.
"Multinational corporations have been involved in the demolition of Palestinian homes," the WCC's main governing body said in a statement adopted during a February 15-22 meeting in Geneva. They "are involved in the construction of settlements and settlement infrastructure on occupied territory, in building a dividing wall which is also largely inside occupied territory, and in other violations of international law."
The WCC's central committee commended the action of the Presbyterian Church (USA) in initiating a process of phased, selective divestment from multinational corporations involved in the occupation.
"This action is commendable in both method and manner, uses criteria rooted in faith, and calls members to 'do the things that make for peace'," the WCC committee said, referring to a biblical text (Luke 19:42). It encouraged the WCC's 347 member churches "to give serious consideration to economic measures that are equitable, transparent and non-violent."
Churches with investment funds had "an opportunity to use those funds responsibly in support of peaceful solutions to conflict", the WCC central committee noted. "Economic pressure, appropriately and openly applied, is one such means of action."
Peter Weiderud, director of the WCC's commission on international relations, said the statement would also be brought to the church grouping's management in relation to the organization's own investment funds. "We need to review our policy," Weiderud told journalists.
"This is about activities related to the illegal occupation of the West Bank and not a general policy with regard to Israel," Canon Trond Bakkevig, the moderator of the WCC's public issues committee, said when he presented the statement.
The decision of the U.S. Presbyterian church in July 2004 to start a process of divestment caused a storm of reaction among U.S. Jewish groups and was criticized by some within the denomination itself.
In defending the proposal, Presbyterian officials have said that the denomination has consistently affirmed Israel's right to security and has condemned terrorist acts against Israel.
The WCC's governing body reaffirmed an earlier statement by the world church grouping that "criticism of the policies of the Israeli government is not in itself anti-Jewish." It noted the grouping had called for "effective international guarantees for the political independence and territorial integrity of all nations in the area, including Israel" and had affirmed Israel's "serious and legitimate security concerns."
Well, well. The One World Religion makes itself known right on schedule as predicted in the Bible. Along with the One World Economic System and the One World Government, the One World Religion will lend it's power to the AntiChrist.
Time to look up...
For anyone that does not know. The World Council of Churches is a leftist communist loving organization that has no basis in Christian beliefs. Sort of how AARP co-opted the elderly. Their views have very little to do with supporting what their title says.
I've given this no small amount of thought over the years. I had hoped it would never come to this. The sad fact is, at some point you have to wake up and relize you can't deny it any longer. Well it's true. I can no longer sit idly by and watch this without taking a stand.
I have come to the conclusion divestiture is the only way to go.
I encourage every church to divest of the World Council of Churches. Today would not be soon enough.
Great post and so true.
As I understand it, cases have been brought in the past only in instances of direct commercial activity, usually related to export-import or employment. They've wisely not mentioned to Arab boycott, and are perhaps a small step away from violating the law in promoting divestment rather than promoting specific export policies. My guess, they'll be facing legal action in the not too distant future.
I read that boycotting countries can be illegal in the US. Is this true?
The law usually comes into play in commercial transactions, but my guess the boycotting Churches will be dealiing with the issue in the not so distant future.
Interesting. Not sure if the UK has similar laws. Mainly we boycott things because of environmental reasons although we did boycott apartheid era goods.
Feh, the World Council of "Churches" is as full of it as a Thanksgiving Turkey. That sorry lot are about as truly Christian as Hillary is actually a conservative! West Coast Conservative, the quote in your comment #1 is right-on! The WCC has been anti-Israel, anti-USA, and pro-terrorist since at least the late 1960s or early 1970s. They are bolshies wrapped in the Cross - desecrating that sacred symbol, and the tired sorry bunch of them are about as useful as a sunporch on a submarine. Be disgusted with them, but then, as the old Southern expression goes - don't pay them no nevermind.
Isn't the WCC just another arm of the U.N.?
Memo to self:
Buy some more Caterpillar stock
"Multinational corporations have been involved in the demolition of Palestinian homes," the statement reads, "while hereditary monarchies which finance the mass-murder of Jews, Americans, non-Moslems, and anyone and everyone under the Sun are doing God's work. Amen and hallelujah."
Time to pull the plug on the tax-exemptions given to political organizations masquerading as religious organizations -- and the WCC (along with the Presbyterian Church USA) obviously falls in that category.
Isn't or wasn't the WCC riddled with KGB collaborators?
I would not be surprised if they were, and still are.
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