Chicago Mayor Daley "welcomes" Extremist Sabeel Conference
Chicago Mayor Daley "welcomes" Extremist Sabeel Conference
By Jerry Gordon, a former U.S. military intelligence officer, writer, activist who resides in Connecticut
The Sabeel Ecumenical Liberation Theology Center North American road show opened with a bang in Chicago, Friday. Mayor Richard M. Daley issued a letter "welcoming" the virulent anti-Israel group headed by extremist Anglican Canon Naim Ateek-see below. Ateek, together with other pro-Palestinian Middle Eastern Christian Clerics proponents of "replacement" and left leaning "liberation theology" has spearheaded the Israel divestment movement among mainstream Christian groups like the Presbyterian Church USA, United Church of Christ, and Disciples of Christ who have adopted such resolutions.
Among Ateek allies are the Lutheran Bishop of Jordan and the Holy Land, Dr. Munib Younan, Lutheran Pastor and Director of the International Center in Bethlehem Mitri Renab, the father son team of Egyptian born clerics Rev. Victor Makari, co-ordinator of Middle East-Interfaith Ecumenical Relations of the Presbyterian Church USA and Dr. Peter Makari, Middle East and Europe Secretary, Common Global Ministries, United Church of Christ (UCC). The Rev. Victor Makari was instrumental in advising the Presbyterian USA leadership in 2004 in adopting the group's Israel divestment resolutions. Dr. Peter Makari was prominent in the UCC synod this summer in Atlanta advising on adoption of their Israel divestment resolutions.
Lutheran Bishop Younan addressed the delegates to the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America (ECLA)General Assembly by phone before adoption of the group's watered down anti-Israel security fence resolution "Peace Not Walls". I attended the ECLA general assenbly with Dexter Van Zile and other members of the David project team in August in Orlando.
To get some idea of the extremist sentiments of Lutheran Bishop Younan witness this quote from his talk at the Bethany Award given him by the Bethany Foundation for engaging in interfaith dialogue among Christians, Jews and Muslims in Oslo in 2004: "Many visitors of Oslo-from the church of hope- raise the question: Why do Palestinians fight the Jews who returned to their homeland promised by God? Pastor Munib Younan answered the question during a discussion panel saying:This promise is in the Old Testament, which was added to the gospel in a latter period of time, we as Middle Eastern Christians do not recognize this promise, as we don't see nor believe God would give such a promise in order to expel people from their land to grant it to others, as one of the attributes of God is justice"
The Sabeel "road show" includes stops in Cedar Rapids Iowa at Coe college on October 14th and 15th, Denvr at the Montview Presbyterian church on October 21 and 22nd, before a World Council of Churches convocation with Sabeel on Israel divestment involving pro-Palestinian Christian clerics and lay people in Toronto on October 26-29th. The program is entitled "A call for Morally responsible Investment: A nonviolent response to the Israeli occupation." South African Bishop Desmond Tutu will send a video greeting to the Toronto program delegates.
How extreme is Sabeel?
A recent Israel mission composed of mainstream Christian groups including the Baptists, Presbyterian Church USA, United Church of Christ and Disciples of Christ and sponsored by major American Jewish Groups composed of the American Jewish Committee, American Jewish Congress, Anti-Defamation League and JCPA went to Israel and several west bank PA communities and met with Canon Ateek on September 26th. Participants at the meeting reported comments of Canon Ateek: "Israel has no right to exist and that it should have been created somewhere in Europe.
." The Coalition of Responsible Peace for the Middle East composed of activist groups StandWithUs, Judeo Christian Alliance of the David Project, American Jewish Congress and CAMERA-the Middle East media monitoring group is in Chicago monitoring the Sabeel kickoff session in North America and issued the following news release regarding Mayor Richard M. Daley's letter of welcome for the extremist Sabeel meetings.
Sabeel welcoming letter of Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley,
October 7, 2005
As mayor and on behalf of the City of Chicago, it is my pleasure to extend my warmest greetings to all those attending the Chicago Sabeel Conference at the Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago.
With a theme of "JERUSALEM: will justice and peace embrace?", this conference gathers Christians of Protestant, Catholic and Orthodox traditions, as well as Muslims, Jews and secular persons, to explore and affirm a shared commitment to justice and peace through nonviolence in Palestine and Israel. Noted speakers, analysts, activists, scholars, artists and theologians from the United States, Israel and Palestine will discuss the progress and continuing problems in achieving peace in the region.
I hope this conference and reflections on co-existence and understanding will inspire a more tolerant and peaceful environment in the Middle East. Please accept my best wishes for a productive, enjoyable and memorable event.
Sincerely,
Richard M. Daley
News Release: Coalition for a responsible Peace in the Middle East, Chicago, October 7, 2005
Mayor Daley Mistakenly Welcomes Extremist Conference to Chicago
Chicago Mayor Richard Daley mistakenly welcomed a Palestinian nationalist group whose leader denies Israel's right to exist in the Holy Land by sending greetings to a Sabeel conference at the Lutheran School of Theology held this weekend.
"Sabeel masquerades as a peace group, but its founder, Anglican Canon Naim Ateek, has portrayed Israel as a baby- and Christ killing nation that blocks the political salvation of the Middle East," says Dexter Van Zile, Christian outreach director of the David Project and member of the United Church of Christ. "He has also denied the Jews' right to live in the Holy Land and encouraged his Muslim countrymen to fight the Israelis during the Second Intifada. This is not the language of peace."
Nevertheless, Daley welcomed the group to Chicago and praised its "commitment to justice and peace through non-violence."
"This is an unfortunate mistake," says Roz Rothstein, executive director of StandWithUs. "Sabeel should be marginalized as an extremist group that represents an obstacle to peace by demonizing Israel."
During the first few hours of the conference, speakers called for an economic boycott of Israeli products and accused Israel of ethnic cleansing. George Rishmawi said Israel used muscle-weakening gas on Palestinians and of collecting the canisters to prevent activists from learning the gas' chemical composition. He also suggested the gas was manufactured in the U.S.
"These speakers in no way reflect Mayor Daley's commitment to coexistence and understanding and the creation of a more tolerant and peaceful environment in the Middle East," says Gary Ratner, executive director, Western Region, American Jewish Congress.
Ateek's imagery prompted the Lutheran Theological Seminary to back away from a previous commitment to co-sponsor the Sabeel conference. The school did live up to its commitment to make facilities available for the event, which will last until Saturday night.
Leaders from the American Jewish Congress, StandWithUs and the David Project Center for Jewish Leadership are attending the conference as part of the Coalition for Responsible Peace in the Middle East.
Posted by Jerry Gordon at October 8, 2005 12:33 AM
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1.
BobW
said:
If America's pro Israel Jews had a national Jewish organization, this would have been a good time to distribute photos of Manger Square, Bethlehem, Israel before it becomes part of the State of Palestine.
The main feature is now a mosque.
Note that the Christian Evangelicals were not present. Had they been, the Most Reverend Canon Ateek would not get away so fast with misreading the New Testament. Nor would he get away so fast with Bethlehem becoming a pig sty as the current trend shows.
Kol tuv,
BobW
Posted by: BobW on October 8, 2005 05:40 AM
2.
Chen
said:
Hi BobW.
The soup de'jour these days is to use Jews as the scapegoat for the 'excuse' that no one else is doing anything to save us.
I'll say it again. I am in many active organizations that speak out. Both very different synagogues which I belong have spoken out on almost every topic listed here on Israpundit. I wonder where the (scientific) information that Jews are ignoring important issues is coming from? No matter what, for one of me there are millions of gentiles.
As for the AIPAC/Larry Franklin affair, thus was a move by the government to further bring the so-called ally to her knees. And everyone knows it. Where is the outrage from Christians who outnumber me?
I'm drowning. Save me. Don't slander me because I lack the ability or willingness to swim.
Posted by: Chen on October 8, 2005 09:39 AM
3.
BobW
said:
Shalom Chen,
I arrived at my positions by stopping everything, looking around, listening, reading the magazines of various organizations and absorbing the material. Then I did some thinking.
From this it's difficult for me to blame the Arabs. They are hated here in the States. The Arabs are identified with too expensive gasoline and abuse of unearned wealth.
I can't blame the US antiSemites. They are fringe and not fashionable nor accepted in much of Middle America. True, they are around but nothing like before WWII. Major, growing antiSemitic organizations like Farrakan's Black Muslims are hated in Middle America.
Extensive Middle American resentment is voiced against Barbara Boxer, Barbara Streisand, George Soros, National Council of Jewish Women (re the abortion issue; a hot topic here). In the States the ADL is considered a mirror of ACLU. Both are hated. In some areas of the States, I've been told that Jews are considered unpatriotic.
Look closer at the American Medical Association before responding.
You're drowning. I don't think I'm involved in slander.
Is it slander to identify contemporary Emma Goldmans and Felix Frankforters ? Americans identify the Israel political situation with American Jews. They know who Martin Indyk is along with Henry Kissinger and Sandy Berger.
One of us is wrong. It could be me. Is it the skill and mental resources of the Arabs that is closing down Israel?
After looking at the American Medical Association look at the political blocs in support of and opposed to reform (or "change" to avoid any bias) of America's Social Security program. You might recognize some prominent names. I hope you understand how and why I arrived at my positions.
Kol tuv,
Bob
Posted by: BobW on October 8, 2005 01:47 PM
4.
observer
said:
I observe and the situation is chaotic. Israel desserves to exist but the arabs are playing game theory to the axiomatic level and it must be contained.
Posted by: observer on October 8, 2005 04:42 PM
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Chicago Mayor Daley "welcomes" Extremist Sabeel Conference
By Jerry Gordon, a former U.S. military intelligence officer, writer, activist who resides in Connecticut
The Sabeel Ecumenical Liberation Theology Center North American road show opened with a bang in Chicago, Friday. Mayor Richard M. Daley issued a letter "welcoming" the virulent anti-Israel group headed by extremist Anglican Canon Naim Ateek-see below. Ateek, together with other pro-Palestinian Middle Eastern Christian Clerics proponents of "replacement" and left leaning "liberation theology" has spearheaded the Israel divestment movement among mainstream Christian groups like the Presbyterian Church USA, United Church of Christ, and Disciples of Christ who have adopted such resolutions.
Among Ateek allies are the Lutheran Bishop of Jordan and the Holy Land, Dr. Munib Younan, Lutheran Pastor and Director of the International Center in Bethlehem Mitri Renab, the father son team of Egyptian born clerics Rev. Victor Makari, co-ordinator of Middle East-Interfaith Ecumenical Relations of the Presbyterian Church USA and Dr. Peter Makari, Middle East and Europe Secretary, Common Global Ministries, United Church of Christ (UCC). The Rev. Victor Makari was instrumental in advising the Presbyterian USA leadership in 2004 in adopting the group's Israel divestment resolutions. Dr. Peter Makari was prominent in the UCC synod this summer in Atlanta advising on adoption of their Israel divestment resolutions.
Lutheran Bishop Younan addressed the delegates to the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America (ECLA)General Assembly by phone before adoption of the group's watered down anti-Israel security fence resolution "Peace Not Walls". I attended the ECLA general assenbly with Dexter Van Zile and other members of the David project team in August in Orlando.
To get some idea of the extremist sentiments of Lutheran Bishop Younan witness this quote from his talk at the Bethany Award given him by the Bethany Foundation for engaging in interfaith dialogue among Christians, Jews and Muslims in Oslo in 2004:
The Sabeel "road show" includes stops in Cedar Rapids Iowa at Coe college on October 14th and 15th, Denvr at the Montview Presbyterian church on October 21 and 22nd, before a World Council of Churches convocation with Sabeel on Israel divestment involving pro-Palestinian Christian clerics and lay people in Toronto on October 26-29th. The program is entitled "A call for Morally responsible Investment: A nonviolent response to the Israeli occupation." South African Bishop Desmond Tutu will send a video greeting to the Toronto program delegates.
How extreme is Sabeel?
The Coalition of Responsible Peace for the Middle East composed of activist groups StandWithUs, Judeo Christian Alliance of the David Project, American Jewish Congress and CAMERA-the Middle East media monitoring group is in Chicago monitoring the Sabeel kickoff session in North America and issued the following news release regarding Mayor Richard M. Daley's letter of welcome for the extremist Sabeel meetings.A recent Israel mission composed of mainstream Christian groups including the Baptists, Presbyterian Church USA, United Church of Christ and Disciples of Christ and sponsored by major American Jewish Groups composed of the American Jewish Committee, American Jewish Congress, Anti-Defamation League and JCPA went to Israel and several west bank PA communities and met with Canon Ateek on September 26th. Participants at the meeting reported comments of Canon Ateek:
Posted by Jerry Gordon at October 8, 2005 12:33 AM