Quote:
Originally Posted by theflipflop
Ummm Peace Brian, let's compare numbers. Hitler killed roughly 12 million people, half of those Jews. Israel kills roughly 20-30 Palestinians each year. Could you please explain the equivalency you were referring to?
Could it be that you are purposely skewing the facts to support your anti-semitism?
I'm really shocked at the level of Jew hatred on this site. But I guess that's what you get when you put a bunch of liberals on an anonymous web board... Are there any liberals here who are willing to speak out in support of the Jews? Your silence gives you away.
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See below.
Quote:
Originally Posted by NeilVA
Hitler created a ghetto where 1000's of Jews weren't given food. Hitler created camps where millions of Jews lived off of the garbage the german soldiers threw out and the guard dogs wouldn't eat. So where are the starving Palestinians in Gaza, Samaria & Judea? Where are the starving Arabs who live within the border of Israel? The only ones not get getting food are the ones who declared a hunger strike and thus have done it to themselves (all 70 of them).
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I've written the following with the hopes that some more light can be shed on what is really a very simple issue, clouded by the noise of special interest groups.
No unilateral support
I'm all for supporting people. As a believer in Christ, I believe in my heart that we human beings are called to walk in Love. And Love is manifest in actions, not just words.
Actions are a natural outcome of Love. Taking a person into one's own home for shelter and healing; giving a hot meal to someone who is without; even supporting a person financially when their own finances are lacking. These are just a few examples of expressing Love, which is the foundation of Christianity, as I see it. Christ loved us, and left us an example, that we should love our neighbor in the same way that He loved us.
Now, many Americans say we should support Israel. Some say that we should do it because divine plan has it that Israel (the state) should exist, and that in order for the end of the world to happen, it must exist, and even go to war with its neighbors. (Why a God who requires us to Love, would require bloodshed in order for the world to end, I have never been told.)
Other people say that we should support Israel because the Jews need a homeland where they can feel safe from persecution. (A homeland does not guarantee that persecution will not happen, even if one has a "homeland." What's more, it baffles me that God is somehow requiring other people to financially support the creation of this state called Israel for His "chosen ones." Can't He do it Himself? Besides, I have never seen a Bible verse that tells me to give my money to build a state called Israel. But I digress..)
Well, supporting Jews I can understand. In fact, I am all for it. If I came across a Jewish person in need of a home, a meal, clothing, etc, I would hope to treat him just as I would any other person on the planet. My desire to help my neighbor comes from what I see of Christ in the Bible, and from what I feel of Christ in my heart. Being in a difficult situation is not easy, and as Christians, I believe our calling is to help our neighbor when he is in need.
So I would help a Jew in need. And, I would also help a Muslim in need. Yes, that's right. The message of Christ's love for the world doesn't exclude Muslims, as far as I have read. Jesus tells us to "love our neighbor as much as we love ourselves." If my neighbor happens to be Muslim, then he fits the category as a neighbor, and I am called to help him if he is in need. (And not just a neighbor who lives next door, but certainly anybody with whom I come into contact, is my neighbor.)
I have no problem helping a Jewish person in need. I think it is the job of every person. And the same goes for a Muslim, atheist, buddhist, or other.
The distinction I believe many people fail to make, is a very simple one: helping a Jewish person can be done without harming other people in order to do it. If a Jew needs a home, I am happy to help him make his home. However, if his request for a home requires me to tear down someone else's home, then we have a problem.
You see, helping people is good. But helping someone by hurting someone else is playing favorites.
What's more, people talk about the verse in the Old Testament where God says, "I will bless those who bless you, and I will curse those who curse you." They use this verse to claim that people are supposed to "bless" Jews in order to get blessed, and avoid cursing Jews if they don't want to get cursed."
The fact, though, is that this "blessing" Israel that is so often cheered, is not a blessing of word, or of deed. It is blessing by giving money. To "bless Israel" has been translated as "give your money to Israel." This is a very subtle yet important difference.
People say that Israel is a "rich" country, with lots of technology, prosperity and growth.
Well, if Israel is doing this good, I hardly think that God is expecting me to give my money to those who are rich! On the contrary, to "bless" Israel ought to be nothing other than spiritually encouraging and supporting Jewish people (not a territory in the middle east). This is what I believe it means to "bless Israel." But to give my money to a country that has nuclear warheads, and is one of the most powerful countries of the world, would be like giving my money to any other western society. What's more, Americans are always talking about not giving to the poor because it engenders dependency and laziness. But they have nothing against giving to the rich!!
The concept of "blessing Israel" always comes down to money. Even the now-popular "prosperity gospel" is none other than the message of "follow God, and He will make you rich." Funny thing, many of those who follow Him are not that rich at all! I suppose they have been fleeced of their life's earnings by those who tell them constantly that they must "bless Israel" with their money, which has more money than they could probably count!
So, am I an anti-semite? I doubt it. I am fully in agreement with helping the little guy. Jews were persecuted often in recent history, and people who are persecuted need the support of Christians, who should be walking in Love.
Persecution now, however, is not being experienced by Jews. On the contrary, the Palestinians are suffering great persecution at the hands of Israel as I write this. So in this case, I have to side with the Palestinians. If they are being persecuted, they should be helped.
Yet, as I said earlier, supporting Palestinians shouldn't be at the expense of the Jews. And this is the whole deal: that helping people who are really in need, is a Christian's duty. And this helping must be done without hurting others in order to do it.
That is what Jesus Christ's message is: to treat others the same way that we would want to be treated. And if I needed help, I certainly wouldn't want others to be hurt so that I might be helped.
Peace,
brian
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