Portland Jews Brace for Assault by 'Jews for Jesus' (anti-Christian Bigotry Alert!)

Torah Atlanta ^ | 2002 | Paul Haist

[jstone78]

Portland Jews Brace for Assault by 'Jews for Jesus'

By Paul Haist, Jewish Review

Portland’s Jewish community has mobilized to resist a two-week assault by Jews for Jesus who will unleash a sizeable squad of trained proselytizers on the city at the beginning of June. A former Eugene rabbi who now specializes in combating Jews for Jesus returned to Oregon May 7 and 8 to help the Jewish community here prepare for the assault. The campaign is planned to coincide with the annual Portland Rose Festival when thousands of people will be on the streets and accessible by pamphleteers.

Rabbi Efraim Davidson is the director of Torah Atlanta, a counter-missionary group that serves the southeast United States. Davidson, who lives in Atlanta now, was a founder and the spiritual leader of Congregation Ahavas Torah in Eugene.

ANTI-'JEWS FOR JESUS' FLIER

The Jewish Federation of Portland and its Community Relations Committee have been aware for several months of JFJ plans to bring their crusade here now to take advantage of the large public gatherings that will occur during the Rose Festival.

Davidson said that the Portland campaign is part of a JFJ five-year program called “Behold Your God.” He has confronted similar JFJ campaigns in other cities, including Tampa, Fla., and Atlanta.

“Behold Your God,” is, according to Davidson, “a very well coordinated, multi-million-dollar campaign” focusing on 66 cities worldwide with Jewish populations of 25,000 or more.

He said that the Jews for Jesus use aggressive proselytizing to target disenfranchised or unaffiliated Jews, Russian immigrants and college students. He said their techniques are manipulative, deceptive and anti-Semitic.

Jews for Jesus have had some success in recent years. Davidson cited figures that show the group has grown from a mere seven U.S. congregations in 1975 to 478 today. There already are at least five so-called messianic congregations in Portland, according to the Web site www.missionportland.org, although Davidson identifies only three messianic congregations here.

Davidson added that in 1973 there were an estimated 10,000 born Jews in the United States who were practicing Christians. Today, 29 years later, he put that figure at about 250,000.

Davidson said the JFJ typically names a coordinator for a particular city that is part of its campaign plan. That person, who he identified as Sue Pearlman in Portland, does the groundwork for the upcoming campaign.

That groundwork includes, said Davidson, “hooking up with a messianic congregation and using it as the physical base for training.”

The coordinator also usually contacts local Baptist churches to recruit lay Christian volunteers. Davidson said the JFJ relies on the Baptists because they are “very motivated evangelicals.”

[jedwardtremlett]

(Laughs)

I've heard tell of some pagans who knew that the Witnesses were in town, so they all got together, dressed up in ritual garb and hung around until they arrived. When they rang on the doorbell, one of them opened the door, let them get two words into their opening schpiel and then said "Oh! Come in, COME IN! The master said the sacrifices would present themselves...!" and opened the door so the witnesses could see the others in the room, and the candles, and the ritual knives...

They turned and ran, and never knocked on their door again.

Personally, I think that's mean. I just say I don't have time right now, but I'd love some of their literature. The literature eventually winds up as concert posters or idea fodder, and they go away smiling, too.

J

[HiTech RedNeck]

Rather than driving Jews to extinction through assimilation, messianic congregations help to retain intact Jewish communities.

Learned Jewish scholars don't agree.

To the extent that this fails to be so, these congregations are failing a Christian ideal (at least in the dispensational model). In order that Christian eschatological prophesies be fulfilled, Jews need to retain their identity as a people. That seems to imply that Gentile Christians should not lightly countenance the extinction of Jewish ethnic identity. They should actually encourage the Jewish Christian congregations to keep their ethnic identity, rather than to become white bread "global Christians").

[HiTech RedNeck]

I don't know about your browser, but mine (IE5.5) shows the quotations in italics, and the interpretations in non-italic font along with the rest of the commentary. I see nothing which looks like it claims to be a quotation for Romans 3:2. I do see commentary with an interpretation in it, claiming that Romans 3:2 supports it.

Now if 2sheep had put that commentary in italics to look exactly like a quotation, he would deserve to have his head handed to him (regardless of whether the interpretation was right or wrong). But he didn't.

[rdb3]

What advantage then hath the Jew? or what profit is there of circumcision?

Much every way: chiefly, because that unto them were committed the oracles of God.

Romans 3:1-2 (KJV)

[HiTech RedNeck]

The question here is, "which oracles." I come from what I think is a traditional Christian viewpoint, which holds that this refers to the Old Testament scriptures and prophesies. It isn't talking about the New Testament (which, nonetheless, is of mostly Jewish origin).

[Spirited]

"You(r) interpretation suggests it is Jews vs Gentiles, while in fact it is the Southern Kingdom (known as Jews by the time of Paul) vs. the the Northern Kingdom (who were the Celts by the time of Paul). The Northern Kingdom Israelites were never called Gentiles. Nor were they ever called Jews.."

Thus far relatively few have had their blinders removed so that they "see" what is plainly said. Truth seems to have been divorced from The Truth. What is then taught misses the mark and leaves lack of faith in its wake. Since faith, rather than deeds, is the currency of the Kingdom of God this constitutes an enormous impediment.

The stunning thing is that each one is responsible for that to which one gives one's ear and that which one chooses to believe. It is not a light matter.

[2sheep]

>The oracles were given to the Jews, not to the gentiles. Rom 3:2.

>Are you in the habit of deliberately misquoting the Bible? No Bible translation reads that way. A special place in Hell is reserved for people who reword the Bible to say what they want it to say!

You know I am in the habit of making long full text KJB quotes.  Because I made a long post in #63, I did not set out the full verse in this instance.  Its meaning is not hidden from me and is simple enough for a child to understand.  If you have a different meaning then perhaps you have embraced the false doctrine of Replacement Theology and/or you are following a Nicolaitan.  Here is the King James Bible for everyone to read in plain English.  Here is the Truth, should you choose to accept it: Ps 119:130 The entrance of thy words giveth light; it giveth understanding unto the simple.  If the words have no place in you or you twist them to a new meaning, then understanding will not be given you.

Ro 3:1 What advantage then hath the Jew? or what profit is there of circumcision?
2 Much every way: chiefly, because that unto them were committed the oracles of God.

This thread has a strong stream of anti-semitism running through it under the guise of supposed Jewish bigotry against Christians and has disintegrated into name-calling.  While you all bite and devour each other, I will go away and agree with NativeNewYorker in #4 who said:

>"But please have some sympathy for a people who've seen this all before (many times) and simply want to be left alone."

[HiTech RedNeck]

Personally, I think that's mean.

Not to mention a serious felony -- basically a threat of murder. If that's the way it really was played out, which would have been far in excess of what is needed to scare off Jehovah's Witnesses, who (or so the ex-JW founder of Free Minds tells me) are terrified of anything supernatural. A simple claim to manifest some kind of demonic phenomenon would have sent the JW's packing.

[HiTech RedNeck]

One thing I am very curious about -- why would an organization which is straining so hard to distinguish its Jewish character as opposed to the "Christian Church," lean on a Bible translation that is the product of the Anglicans? If they claim they are distinct, they really ought to have their own translation. The Anglican church, which produced the KJV, would be hopelessly pagan in their view, what with their Christmas and Easter celebrations.

[Misterioso]

Ever try to say "no" to a Jew for Jesus? If he's in your workplace, you might have to say "no" ten times. I "no."

[HiTech RedNeck]

A simple claim to manifest some kind of demonic phenomenon would have sent the JW's packing.

Not that (let me hasten to add) I am advocating any such thing! The demonic is (duh!) evil. It just sounds more like a tall tale to me than anything realistic.

[Misterioso]

Thank you for illustrating my point. This sort of hostility toward Christians and their beliefs is exactly what I was talking about.

The hostility stems not from their (JFJ) beliefs, but from their behavior.

[mfulstone]

You are deceived.
Both John the Baptist and Jesus Christ began their ministries with the message "Repent, for the Kingdom of God is at hand".
Ask me who I believe, them or you.

I will only address part of your spewings:

Look up the meaning of the greek word for "kingdom." It's "basileia" and does not mean a king, a government, society, royal family or religion. It means the power and authority by which a king rules. Jesus said that "kingdom" is within you. He also said that it does not come with observation. He was speaking to believers and nonbelievers alike when he said that. He then went on to show what the power and authority can do by healing the sick, raising the dead and casting out demons. He taught his disciples to do the same. One of the first things he did was send out twelve and then another seventy who performed miracles. This was done at a time when he could not give them the holy Spirit by which to do miracles.(John 16:7 Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you.) It was the power and authority of the kingdom by which these things were done. And that is what the gospel of the kingdom was all about. That power and authority was at hand - literally at their fingertips as it is today. But in order to weild that power, they needed to repent - turn away from their sins and ask forgiveness of God. John was preaching the gospel of the kingdom and repentance before Jesus went public and began his ministry.

If you cannot understand the gospel of the kingdom, how can you understand those other scriptures you quote?

If you really understood who Jesus really was, you would have so many signs and wonders following you around that people would be seeking you out - you wouldn't have to seek them. Until you reach that exalted state, I suggest you keep your faith to yourself and let the Jews be. As it is written:
John 14:12 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father.

Where I walk those signs follow me. God tells me I'm on the right path. I am not alone - there are others who know of which I speak and walk as I walk. Jesus said to "seek ye first the kingdom of God." (kingdom=power & authority) He did not say to seek any thing else first.

And, addressing repentance: Do you know what Yom Kippur is all about? Do you know anything about Jews repenting of their sins? Do or did you ever do it with the same singleness of purpose and conviction? Do you think a devout Jew does not believe God even as Abraham did?

Romans 4:3 For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness.

[Misterioso]

But the question is what Christians are supposed to believe. Jorge's point is that, if Christians do not proselytize among Jews, they will be denying their own beliefs -- or at least what they claim are their beliefs.

"But the question is what Muslims are supposed to believe. Ahmed's point is that, if Muslims do not proselytize among Christians, they will be denying their own beliefs -- or at least what they claim are their beliefs."

Every person has their own philosophical "row to hoe" and how they do it should be nobody else's business. If I want to discuss my atheism with someone whom I know to be religious, I ask them that we honor each other's differences of outlook. If it seems that this is not going to work, I smile and ask, "Well, anyway, how are the kids?" and drop it. My ego is not dependant on converting anyone else to my philosophy. Life's too short, anyway.

[HiTech RedNeck]

John 14:12 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father

Not every single Christian, even of the early church, went around flashing miracles every which way. That would, however, seem to be the way you are taking this quotation of Jesus Christ.

[HiTech RedNeck]

Where I walk those signs follow me

P.S. can you furnish us with examples of this? I'm not saying it's impossible, but I suspect you wouldn't be posting on Free Republic if you were in a situation typical of those in which miracles are manifested today (i.e. remote areas with a lot of demonic activity, martyrdom, and great dangers).

[HiTech RedNeck]

St Michael, The Archwhatever "Champion of the underdog,
Staunch Conservative,
Constitutionalist,
Poet,
Raconteur,
Philosopher
And avid bullslinger"

You slingin' bull???

[wingnuts'nbolts]

hmmm, I wonder if the Jews who believed Jesus was the Messiah way back before his crucifiction were referrred to as Jews for Jesus? I suspect they got some pretty rough treatment. By the time Christianity was made the State Religion by Constantine they had stopped being persecuted and called things like Jews for Jesus and became Christians. Now they are back to Jews for Jesus. Nothing like reinventing the wheel over and over and over.

[NativeNewYorker]

Folks like you make it very hard to explain to my Jewish friends how I can have Christian friends. Keep up the Good Work. /sarcasm

Thank you for illustrating my point. This sort of hostility toward Christians and their beliefs is exactly what I was talking about.

Thank you for illustrating my point.

[2sheep]

Thanks for your support at #103. As to other issues, if you go up to #63 and read the two articles there and the link at the bottom of it, you will see that within the Messianic movement is a sea of difference. Some are very Jewish and some are very Christian. The former would resist the idea that they "converted." We could go into this and other issues you raised at great length but don't have time now.