The Malevolence of the ‘Zionism Unsettled’ Authors

zaThe Presbyterian Church USA (PCUSA) considers itself to be peace loving and fair. Today’s “progressive” churches, including the PCUSA, believe that taking the Bible seriously means it cannot be taken literally. This “progressive” outlook has largely given up on biblical prophecy and biblical truth, and taken on a multi-culturalist, moral relativist, and politically correct (PC) worldview. God’s love, therefore, embraces all persons equally; no matter their gender, race, or sexual identity. They believe in diversity, tolerance, and inclusivity, except when it comes to Israel. This lingering strain of anti-Semitism has crept in among a determined group of activists within the church, who issued last January a monograph titled “Zionism Unsettled – A Congregational Study Guide.”

The Congregational Study Guide was released in January, 2014 ahead of the PCUSA biennial General Assembly (GA), taking place this June in Detroit. The gathering will once again consider recommendations that it divest from companies that deal with Israel’s military. Similar resolutions have been narrowly defeated in the past. The Israel Palestine Mission Network (IPMN) 68-page guide accompanied by a DVD is meant to influence the GA delegates.

The IPMN, which is responsible for the study guide, is made up of “progressive” Christians influenced by “Liberation Theology” and tainted by a Marxist worldview.

They have mobilized on behalf of the Palestinians (no word from them about the mass killings in Syria or the persecution of Coptic Christians in Egypt and the rest of the Muslim world) and against “Zionist” Israel, a code-word for Jews. Failing in their BDS (Boycott, Divestment, and Sanction) efforts against Israel in recent General Assemblies of the PCUSA, these BDS activists raised the ante a notch by publishing “Zionism Unsettled,” which argues that Zionism, or the Jewish State of Israel is inherently discriminatory toward the Palestinians, and that the very idea of a homeland for the Jewish People is illegitimate.  The authors (IPMN) have no problem with the reality of 22 Muslim states, which are governed by Sharia Islamic law. The Congregational Study Guide states that “the fundamental assumption of this study is that no exceptionalist claims can be justified in our interconnected, pluralistic world.”

According to the authors of the IPMN study guide, national-particularism cannot be justified in the case of Zionism. Yet, Palestinian Arabs who considered themselves part of the Arab nation until 1964, and speak Arabic like the rest of the Arab world, profess the same religion as the rest of the Sunni-Islam Arab states, and share the same cultural milieu as the rest of the Arab world, are acceptable in an “interconnected, pluralistic world” of the IPMN. Their malevolence is as transparent as their hypocrisy!

Reverend Dr. Chris Leighton, an ordained Presbyterian minister wrote in an open letter to the Presbyterian Church (February 6, 2014), “In years past, IPMN and its supporters have sponsored vigorous efforts to enact divestment policies. With each defeat, the champions of Boycotts, Divestment, Sanctions (BDS) have become more strident and less willing to consider the larger picture. Their current strategy, this study guide, is not simply a critique of Israeli and American policies. It is a dishonest screed that attributes the plight of the Palestinians to a single cause: Zionism.”

Rev. Dr. Leighton further noted that in his summation of the congregational study guide, Palestinian-Arab Anglican priest Naim Ateek (founder of the anti-Israel organization Sabeel) contends, “Zionism is the problem” (p. 56). Ateek insists, “Zionism is false theology … a heretical doctrine that fosters both political and theological injustice …(a doctrine) that promotes death rather than life” (p. 57). Throughout, the study guide characterizes Zionism as a source of ‘evil’; it insists “the major American Jewish organizations bear considerable responsibility for a ‘pathology’ that leads to ‘self-inflicted blindness’ (p. 23). It portrays Zionism as inexorably leading to ‘ethnic cleansing’ and ‘cultural genocide’ (p. 53). The condemnation of Zionism, in all its forms, is not merely simplistic and misleading; the result of this polemic is the theological de-legitimization of a central concern of the Jewish people.”

Rev. Leighton added, “The yearning for their national homeland has been woven into the Jewish community’s daily life for millennia. The Torah (Deuteronomy) and the Tanakh (2 Chronicles) both end with images of yearning to return to the land; synagogues face Jerusalem; the Passover Seder celebrated annually concludes with the prayer, ‘Next year in Jerusalem.’ To suggest that the Jewish yearning for their own homeland—a yearning that we Presbyterians have supported for numerous other nations—is somehow theologically and morally abhorrent is to deny Jews their own identity as a people. The word for that is ‘anti-Semitism,’ and that is, along with racism, sexism, homophobia, and all the other ills our Church condemns, a sin.”

Zionism Unsettled,” portrays Arab-Palestinian propagandists like the late Edward Said, Rashid Khalidi, and other anti-Zionist authors as authoritative voices on Zionism. The chapter, “A Palestinian Muslim Experience with Zionism,” presents several pages on Mustafa Abu Sway, of Al-Quds University, arguing that while the Quran is inclusive and peaceful, Zionism is inherently racist. The authors of the Guide compare the Palestinian treatment at the hands of Israel to the Nazi treatment of Jews in World War II. “Zionism Unsettled” continues, “In like manner, the Nakba (catastrophe) that befell the Palestinian people in the late 1940s should never have taken place. The Palestinian story is one of suffering at the hands of the international community, which authorized the division of Palestine in 1947, and at the hands of the Zionists who planned, organized, and implemented systematic ethnic cleansing…They slaughtered untold numbers of Palestinian men, women, and children.”

Fortunately, among the PCUSA, there are also voices of moderation, led by a group called Presbyterian for Middle East Peace (PFMEP). Reacting to the publication of “Zionism Unsettled”, PFMEP issued the following statement on its website: “The Board and Executive Staff of the Presbyterian Mission Agency are entrusted with the responsibility of ensuring that materials distributed by the PC(USA) are consistent with General Assembly policy and core Christian values. ‘Zionism Unsettled’ is in direct opposition to established General Assembly policy calling for the legitimate rights of both Palestinians and Israelis to be recognized. The study guide reveals a desire by some in our denomination to deny the right of the Jewish people to a homeland in Israel.

As Christians we are called to speak the truth, oppose prejudice and promote tolerance, coexistence and reconciliation. ‘Zionism Unsettledviolates all of these essential tenets of Christian conduct. It instead exacerbates polarization and interfaith distrust at a time when effective Christian peacemaking is needed, while intensifying the divisions within the PCUSA. PFMEP believes that immediate action by the Presbyterian Mission Agency to disassociate itself and the PCUSA from the ‘Zionist Unsettled’ study guide is necessary for the peace, unity, and purity of the PCUSA and for valued interfaith relationships.”

Rank and file PCUSA members have also responded to the “Zionism Unsettled” outrage.

Jack Baretti writes (3/30/2014), “The Presbyterian Church is continuing its age old Anti- Jewish agenda by publishing this work. How can Christians ignore Muslim persecution of Christians murdering them, raping their women, and burning Churches and instead concentrating on what is happening in the Holy Land. Israel is the ONLY country in the Middle East in which the Christian population has increased. If you talk about Bethlehem it is now a Muslim town where once not too long ago it was Christian. The same is happening to Nazareth. It is about time Christians gave up their prejudices against Jews and concentrated upon what is happening to their coreligionists in Africa and the Middle East (and even in Europe).”

In their malevolence, the authors of “Zionism Unsettled” forgot that Zionism is the Jewish national liberation movement.

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  • wileyvet

    Not only have these anti-Zionist Presbyterians seemingly no knowledge of either the Koran, Hadith or Islamic history, including the demise of the Christian world under Islam over 14 centuries, but they evidently don’t follow their own Scripture. They cannot or will not see that ALL other religions and denominations are the enemy of Islam. Do they really think they are going to score points with Muslims for siding with them against Israel? Go pay the Jizya, you Dhimmi’s.

    • Carmichael

      Actually they do follow their own scripture. It’s one they made up for themselves.

      • wileyvet

        Please explain. I am not familiar with what they believe, if they deviate from the New Testament or what. Any light you could shed would be most appreciated. Thanks.

        • Carmichael

          Well. . .hmmmm. I left the PUSA but am still a Presbyterian. They are just liberals is all. They’re pretty sure they know what is right and true and best for others – and that God means them to amend Scripture according to their superior enlightenment. That was Then, this is Now — gotta progress, dontcha know?

          • BagLady

            In other words you haven’t been to church for a while and haven’t a clue.

  • Esther Suzern

    Jesus is going to come and kick the crap out of these Presbie Terrian Nazis!

  • StanleyT

    Sounds to me like the leaders of US Jewish organizations have just cause to sue for libel. Why don’t they?

    • BagLady

      Sue who? For what libel exactly?

  • The Facts

    Through the misleading use of extensive quotation, Mr. Puder misleads the reader into thinking he is a Christian and that he speaks for Christians. The rest of the article betrays the fact that Mr. Puder is really not concerned with religion, but rather with money, and wants to dictate to Presbyterians that they MUST money to Israel. You can’t ask for a more disgusting display of pseudo-religion than that. It’s the old time sinning. The preoccupation with accumulating. This is what his organization ITAI is about as well.

    • Zionista

      Israel is here to stay – get used to it you bleating goat.

      • BagLady

        Very true. Israel isn’t going anywhere. It will expand to its Zion borders. The western world will murmur about the pros and cons of lethal methods used but continue to do business as usual. Where the human detritus will fall is anyone’s guess but mine is Western Europe.

        Stupid poodles that we are, we will clean America’s lily-white bottom and leave her to pursue the ‘dream’ for all of us while we drown under the weight of her greed.

    • bonnie

      You must be a Muslim or a Muslim lover. you do not tell facts but lies

      • The Facts

        I eat too much bacon to be a Muslim. Plus I like dogs.

        • ahad_ha_amoratsim

          No one asked about your love life. TMI!

        • BagLady

          Mmm lobster, crab, crayfish, prawns. Yum.

    • StanleyT

      Typical Israel/Jew-hating screed. Lots and lots of words, nothing substantial. Kinda like the report from the Presbos. A disgusting display of real bigotry.

      • The Facts

        Sorry, your highness. How many words should people use when writing near you?

        • ahad_ha_amoratsim

          Even one word from you is too many.
          In the words of Meryl Yourish, Jew-haters of the world, die already.

          • Martel

            If “Jew haters” had died according to your twisted views, Europe would have seized existing at the very latest 70 years ago.

          • ahad_ha_amoratsim

            That’s true, but it conflicts with your insistence on another thread that Europe was never inhabited by Jew-haters. Of course, one should never expect Jew-haters to be consistent in their lies. Otherwise, how could they simulatenously hate us for being communists and international bankers, pushy and clannish, etc.?
            Here’s the big difference between us. You are a Jew-hating troll, whereas I am a troll-hating Jew.

          • BagLady

            Here’s the big difference between us. You are a Jew-hating troll, whereas I am a troll-hating Jew.

            No, the difference is you are are a hateful troll thriving on the lie perpetuated by your ilk ever since World War Two.

            Show us the suffering Jews and we, as a compassionate world, will wrap them in our motherly arms and save them.

            Please. Spare us the sentimental twaddle!

          • ahad_ha_amoratsim

            “the lie perpetuated by your ilk ever since World War Two”
            Got it. You are another holocaust denier and Jew-hater. And here I thought you were only garden variety ignorant.

          • BagLady

            Eat your shirt. I repeat. Show me your suffering. We all lost family during WWII. Stop with the violins and get current.

          • Dan Borden

            Your ilk???? Wow, antisemitism is running amok with the liberal Eurotrash. Just because Israel is becoming a far more important nation than most of Europe is no reason for you to adopt an inferiority complex. We can understand your jealousy of Americans, but cut the Jews some slack.

          • BagLady

            Here you go again with the “we”. Do speak for yourself. Would love to hear why you ‘understand’ my jealousy of Americans. An emotion I have never been aware of. Is it latent, do you suppose?

          • Dan Borden

            Your jealousy of Americans is painfully apparent. While you may be ignorant of your emotions, that does not change their existence. Please go back to coddling your radical Muzzie buddies and leave the defense of the Western way of life to the Americans and the Israelis.

          • BagLady

            You must be from California, where only they understand others’ innermost feelings. Is it a module in an MBA?

          • Dan Borden

            You have the wrong coast, I(unfortunately) hail from NY State. Reading comprehension and elementary analysis is all one requires to understand liberals throughout the Western world. The generally low IQs and simplistic babble of Jew haters and Muzzie apologists transcends borders.

          • Martel

            It does not conflict at all, I don’t believe In “Jew-haters”, I believe in ethnic conflict in which both sides took part.

            I find your reaction towards me repulsive though, your entire text is filled with pejoratives, which for me only shows you are biased towards European gentiles thinking what “may not be thought”.

          • BagLady

            Is that the rule: Jews can hate everyone else because, for no apparent reason, as they continually harp on about, they have been ‘persecuted’ throughout history by all and sundry whilst always being totally innocent blushing ‘virgins’. Spare us the violins.

    • Dan Borden

      Yup Sparky, I am onto your little game of taqiyya and kitman. You are either a Muzzie here to spread you silly islamic propaganda, or simply a useful idiot spouting your talking points from CAIR.

      • The Facts

        Actually, CAIR is kind of stupid, so you must be wrong.

      • The Facts

        Drakken.

        • Dan Borden

          WTF do some middling-quality water heaters have to do with your vapid antisemitism?

          • The Facts

            They’re probably related in 109 different ways.

      • ahad_ha_amoratsim

        I vote he’s from ACORN .

        • Dan Borden

          Gotta agree to disagree…….he is either a little too intelligent for ACORN, or he has someone supervising his posts.

    • reader

      “Through the misleading use of extensive quotation, Mr. Puder misleads the reader into thinking he is a Christian and that he speaks for Christians.”

      Projecting again. In “fact”, through the misleading use of extensive b*ll crap, you try to – to no avail – mislead the reader into thinking that you are a Christian and you speak for Christians. You’re not. You just hate the Jews.

      • The Facts

        No, “reader.” I’m not a Christian either. Who in their right mind would be a Christian?

        • ahad_ha_amoratsim

          Who in their right mind would think that you are in your right mind?

          • BagLady

            Me, for instance.

          • ahad_ha_amoratsim

            Like I said, who in their right mind?

          • BagLady

            Then I thank God for my madness.

        • BagLady

          You are a force meeting an immovable object. I’d smile and nod if I were you. Debating is not a strong point with most contributors on this site. They find it more important to pigeon hole you into some political sub-category (usually communism if they don’t agree with your point of view) rather than engage in constructive argument. Aggression seems to be the popular tool of last resort, when the argument per se does not stand up to criticism. The death penalty appears to be the punishment of choice for all who disagree with the chosen few who, on this site, tend to be Jewish.

    • ahad_ha_amoratsim

      Have you ever been able to mislead people into thinking you are not a Jew-hater? Anyone who has seen the stuff you have posted on other threads will not make that mistake.

      • Martel

        You are the one claiming German, Danish, Portuguese, Ukrainian, Hungarian, Spanish, Dutch, Belgian, Swiss, Austrian, Swedish, French, Italian and other Europeans all victimized the Jews, yet Jews had no involvement in any of these conflicts. Everyone is a “Jew-hater”, I would call this projection, as you have no issue blaming all these ethnic groups, even though I’m sure you never have taken a critical look at these issues. Europeans are the most tolerant civilization in history, always opened their arms to others, as naive as this has been. Its a shame many Jews are so willing to strengthen historical revisionism and therefore political correctness, including all the damage this does, by forcing Europeans to believe their entire history is tainted by irrational “racism”.

        • ahad_ha_amoratsim

          This post would be funny if it weren’t so sad.

          • Martel

            This is why I said, you are biased towards Europeans, even bigoted. You show how one sided your views are about Europeans, absolutely no knowledge about other regions where the tolerance shown in European culture has never existed. The very reason there are gypsies in Europe is because Europeans allowed them in in the first place,naive as they are, until Europeans found out they were not only unwilling to integrate, but hostile towards Europeans. Now we repeat the same process under the multicultural model.

            Its your post which is sad, but, it confirmed my conclusions about you, which is, somewhat positive. Everyone has studied a simplistic narrative about European history would indeed agree with this biased account.

        • BagLady

          Hear hear!!!!

  • Tradecraft46

    Yes back my wife and I left over a very stupid anti-nuclear weapons screed. I actually worked with it as an intelligence officer and the paper was twaddle.

    Not surprised now, though, like all bullies the harm only those they do not fear.

    • BagLady

      Sorry, but your post makes so sense whatsoever. Perhaps you could give it a second shot.

      • Tradecraft46

        should have read: Yes, back in the day my wife….More better? Sorry for the elision.

        I personally think many churches have gone to melodramatic self-pity, and they are doomed.

  • BagLady

    I am agnostic so this has to be my take on: “God’s love, therefore, embraces all persons equally; no matter their gender, race, or sexual identity.”. This seems to be a biblical ‘truth’ but yet you all argue.

    • reader

      What about stupid? Do you people feel the less, more or the same amount of love? Is ignorance really a bliss? Just curious.

    • ahad_ha_amoratsim

      A Biblical truth unless of course you actually bother to, you know, READ the Bible.

      • BagLady

        So what you are suggesting is that if I took the trouble to actually read the entire tome I would find that God does not love his children equally. Well then, I am glad I never wasted my time reading such small minded twaddle.

        • ahad_ha_amoratsim

          I am suggesting no such thing, but you might find that G*d has certain demans about our behavior and that there are consequences to ignoring what G*d has communicated to human beings about those demands.

          • BagLady

            It is not beyond my imagination that there is an higher power (or more). It’s a big universe and even The Big Bang does not negate the possibility that we are ‘governed’ from outside.

            We have the ‘mango rains’ at the moment and, even though I appreciate the scientific explanation for the viciousness of the ‘attacks’, I always get the feeling of a malevolent Thor with Neptune raging in the background.

            Reminds me of Hinduism with the Trinity of Brahma the Creator, Vishnu the Preserver and Shiva the Destroyer. Christianity seems to have rolled all gods into one.

            This almighty God seems to make many demands on his children without any hands-on assistance and promises agonising punishments for those who fail him. Does that include the likes of British MP, Cyril Smith who died peacefully aged 83 following a long life of sadistic paedophilia ?

            My take on it is that, if there is an Almighty, he gave us Paradise and said: “Look, I am providing you with everything a man could need. I have given you 2 arms, 2 legs and a brain. Get on with it. I shall not be back. Screw up, and I shall remove you from Paradise and leave it all to the lesser creatures.”

  • kim segar

    G-d says all those against Israel and do not bless them is cursed. even those who don’t care one way or the other are accursed as Israel has blessed the whole world and all thur the scripture it says the people and those who devide MY LAND..no one will have an excuse. Genesis 12:3. people need to take the scripture literally and will have no excuse. false leaders will get double punishment. Islam is in our gov and all accross the US waiting for their call. Rev 2 tells us all the luke warm and churches are going to be vomited out of G-d ‘s mouth. He is coming and says when the enemies hit the foot on HIS HOly Mountian He will destroy all of them, chase them home and kill them on the way, follow them into their countries and kill the men and women and children and the ox. HE is a G-d of Love but also OF Justice. Revenge is mine sayth the L-rd. Doesn’t matter if one believes it or not, it is still true.and look who is puching the so called peace process. and when they say Peace Peace , then comes sudden destruction. our weather G-d says he is trying to get our attention and is in the wind.Shalom

    • BagLady

      G-d says all those against Israel and do not bless them is cursed

      Does he indeed? Has he anything to say about other people or is he just the Chief Rabbi?

      • David Ashton

        Why even try to debate with someone who thinks they know what G’d is going to do to the enemies of “Israel”?

  • iluvisrael

    islam is on the march with moslems waging jihad and massacres all over the world and these dumb and COWARDLY ba$tards go after Israel. Some jerks never learn.

  • Martel

    Until Europeans are absolved of their roles as “antisemites” who bullied and murdered the Jews out of sheer irrational hatred, it is immoral to ask your audience, largely compromised out of gentile Europeans, to partake in this political struggle. Will Jewish intelligentsia one day recognize that the Jewish-European conflict was simply just another ethnic conflict, in which both parties erred?

    It is a fact that Europe watched the Jewish revolution in Russia being replicated in small but radical movements across the European continent.The fear and distrust for Jews was understandable. Naturally, the distrust the Jews felt towards Europeans was just as understandable. As long as Europe is falsely described as a continent which has brought forth nothing but “antisemitism”, you are damaging the cause of your European friends.

    • ahad_ha_amoratsim

      Please. Both parties erred? Are you saying we really did murder Christians to use their blood as baking ingredients, poisoned wells to cause the Black Death, and broke into churches to desecrate the host?
      Jewish particpation in the Russian Revolution was limited to a small portion of Russia’s Jews, who treated other Jews at least as harshly as they treated Christians. And unless Christians were prescient enought to foresee communism a millenium before it happened, it hardly explains centuries of Christians murdering Jews, exiling them, confiscating their property, barring them from owning land, practicing professions and skilled crafts, or restricting them to crowded ghettos.
      In short, Jewish particpation in the Russian Revolution does not explain Christian persecution of Jews. Christian persecution of Jews explains Jewish participation in the Russian Revolution.
      Your post would be laughable if it weren’t so nauseating. This is not the first time you have revealed yourself to be a Jew-hater, and if you have not yet posted even more blatant comments on this thread, I’m sure you will.

      • Martel

        You call me a ”Jew hater” , yet you claim Germans, English, Spanish, Portuguese, Russians, Ukrainians, Polish, Belgian, French, Danish, Swiss, Dutch and Austrian citizens, amongst others, harmed the jews out of some irrational, inexplicable antagonism. It seems you have are a ”hater” of European gentiles. The historical record naturally debunks your claims, and if you ever calm down from your condition, I will inform you that neither Jews nor Europeans are evil, simply human.

        Naturally, as a European I cannot condone Europeans supporting Israel actively(passively is fine, I do as well) as long as the Jewish community allows such historical revisionism to taint the identities of Europeans and harm us in our quest for sovereignty in the age of globalisation. Its a shame you are filled with such anger.

        • ahad_ha_amoratsim

          Nice try. I have never claimed that Europeans as a group are evil. Pointing out the historical record does not make me a hater.
          Trying to excuse what was done to the Jews by saying they brought it on themselves in every time and every place — as you have said on more than one thread — does make you hateful and a hater.
          Or to put it another way, I don’t hate Europeans or gentiles as a general rule, but in your case I am more than willing to make an exception.

          • Martel

            I think its quite obvious which one of us is being irrational and bigoted. To claim Jews have been the victims, without exception or any detrimental involvement of their own in all nations I mentioned, shows what a negative view of Europeans you try to enforce.

            ‘I don’t hate Europeans or gentiles as a general rule”

            You don’t make an exception, you apply these discriminatory views on the entire history of the European people. You even brush away violence from jews against gentiles by claiming they treated gentile Europeans and Jews similarly. Because of course, Jews would never behave like these… Europeans.

            I simply state: Ethnic conflict is a natural phenomenon, both parties make mistakes until it gets out of hand. I have no idea where you see me excusing either Europeans or Jews, I simply recognize that conflict is always a complicated matter. The historical record shows both parties failed to integrate their communities.

            I’m appaled by your views, and your spiteful reaction towards mine, which actually do not discriminate against any party, even when they support them (like me) against the Muslim nations. May I convince many of my fellow Europeans that they should no longer support a people who do not consider them equals. Unfortunately, I meet too many Jews who react like this. A shame, as I rather see an ally.

          • ahad_ha_amoratsim

            Yeah, I forgot about all those Christians who were beaten and murdered by Jewish mobs. Nice try.

          • Martel

            Sarcasm, combined with a lack of historical knowledge is a sad spectacle. Its amazing how long you are able to rage simply because a European dared to put his ancestors in a more reasonable light.

          • ahad_ha_amoratsim

            Not as sad as the spectacle of a Jew-hater trying to excuse the acts of both present and past Jew-haters.

          • Martel

            Its quite comical, I always defended Jews when they are assaulted by Muslims, and I am the one one being called a ‘Jew hater’. Its you who holds biased views about Europeans as you have clearly proven through your commentary.

          • BagLady

            Or to put it another way, I don’t hate Europeans or gentiles as a
            general rule, but in your case I am more than willing to make an
            exception.

            You just proved Martel’s point, you racist bigot.

          • ahad_ha_amoratsim

            No, I don’t hate Martel because he is European of because he is gentile. I hate him because he is a Jew-hater.

    • BagLady

      Until Europeans are absolved of their roles as “antisemites”

      How dare you label my fellow Europeans as antisemites! That is so not true and you should eat your words.

    • BagLady

      Will you be silent on Kiev? Not a peep of condemnation of America’s backing of established antisemitic politicians.

  • El Desdichado

    The banner for this article: “The Presbyterian Church continues its age old Jew-hating agenda” is poorly stated.

    The PCUSA is the most liberal/leftwing of the various branches of the historic Presbyterian church. Please don’t lump all Presbyterians together like this. The PCA and the OPC do not embrace unbiblical apostasy to the same extent as the PCUSA.

    • 95Theses

      ABSOLUTELY CORRECT! I have attended both the Orthodox Presbyterian Church and the Presbyterian Church in America (where RC Sproul was ordained) and neither have a smidgen — a word that still has respect when a Progressive isn’t using it — of Anti-Semitism in doctrine or practice.

      The PCUSA — in its long migration from orthodox Christianity — is shaming itself and damaging the very name of the church.
      — David French http://www.nationalreview.com/corner/377641/shameful-racism-presbyterian-church-usa-david-french

      Please exercise some discernment when citing a Christian denomination.
      It will make all the difference in the world.

  • antioli

    There is always the Reformed Presbyterians Church if any members get tired of current Church dictators.

  • BagLady

    This “progressive” outlook has largely given up on biblical prophecy and
    biblical truth, and taken on a multi-culturalist, moral relativist, and
    politically correct (PC) worldview. God’s love, therefore, embraces all
    persons equally; no matter their gender, race, or sexual identity”

    OMG. You have a god all of your own. A small-minded little effigy that excludes certain people on account of their gender, race or sexual identity.

    Presumably, you are none of the above and therefore one of God’s Chosen Ones and can look forward to Heaven.

  • ahad_ha_amoratsim

    So you agree with Marx, then, and think he was merely being “self-analytical” (interesting thought, given that he was born after his father had abandoned Judaism and became a Lutheran, and that Marx was not raised as a Jew), when he wrote:

    “It is the circumvention of law that makes the religious Jew a religious Jew.” (Die Deutsche Ideologie, MEGA V, 162)

    “The Jews of Poland are the smeariest of all races.” (Neue Rheinische Zeitung, April 29, 1849)

    “Ramsgate is full of Jews and fleas.” (MEKOR IV, 490, August 25, 1879)

    “What is the Jew’s foundation in our world? Material necessity, private advantage.

    “What is the object of the Jew’s worship in this world? Usury. What is his worldly god? Money.

    “Very well then; emancipation from usury and money, that is, from practical, real Judaism, would constitute the emancipation of our time.” (“A World Without Jews,” p. 37)

    “What was the essential foundation of the Jewish religion? Practical needs, egotism.” (Ibid, p. 40)

    “Money is the zealous one God of Israel, beside which no other God may stand. Money degrades all the gods of mankind and turns them into commodities. Money is the universal and self-constituted value set upon all things. It has therefore robbed the whole world, of both nature and man, of its original value. Money is the essence of man’s life and work, which have become alienated from him. This alien monster rules him and he worships it.

    “The God of the Jews has become secularized and is now a worldly God. The bill of exchange is the Jew’s real God. His God is the illusory bill of exchange.” (“A World Without Jews,” p. 41)

    http://www.worldsocialism.org/canada/marx.and.antisemitism.1960.v27n214.htm

    • David Ashton

      I do not agree with Marx, except in some minor respects, and do not think and have not claimed that he is being self-analytical, “merely” or otherwise. I have been a lifelong opponent of communism (which cannot be said of many prominent Jews, incidentally). I have read much of Marx, including the passages you quote, and Marxist writers both Jewish and non-Jewish. I have profited from reading several writers critical of Marx, including L. Schwarzschild, M. Bober, my old friend (now deceased) N. Weyl, but especially J.Carlebach.

      Likewise, I do not agree entirely with Herzl’s remark about the “terrible power of the [Jewish] purse. The Zionist or Territorialist “solutions” to antisemitism were different from the Marxian (especially Trotskyite) “solutions”. They all have merits and demerits.

      On the role of Jews in capitalism I would recommend the concise study by Gerry Muller rather than the clumsy tome from Jacques Attali; and on their role in communism the balanced work by Andre Gerrits.

      I certainly recommend self-analysis to Jewish or any other writers who react to reasonable comments with vituperative denunciation. Despite a few incidental weaknesses, Albert Lindemann’s “Esau’s Tears” would be a pioneer model in this respect.

      • ahad_ha_amoratsim

        I may have to read Esau’s Tears, but it the excerpt at https://chechar.wordpress.com/category/esaus-tears-book/ is accurate, Lindemann either misunderstands or is not above distoring the Jewish religion when it suits his purpose. I also note that the reviews on Amazon are not encouraging, and that the book seems to be a big favorite on more than one White supremist web site.

        • David Ashton

          I disagree myself with several points in Lindemann’s book; for example he overlooks the impact of the “Protocols” concoction best deconstructed by de Michelis and Hagemeister. Not much in this review about the Hebrew religion itself regarding which there are anyhow diverse opinions, not least among Jews. The most noticeable thing about Lindemann’s approach is its lack of self-righteousness and what I call “political autism”. Best wishes for your future wider research into primary sources rather than secondary commentaries.

  • an seabhach siulach

    Having just read Zionism Unsettled and viewed the DVD, now read Joseph Puder’s “review” and the 67 comments below, I make these observations:
    Puder has not read it carefully, but launches into an ad hominem attack on the authors, their motivations, and integrity.
    The publications raises fundamental moral questions about the state of Israel. It is a long-overdue and fair introduction to an acute moral embarrassment to all of us who allow our taxes to be used to displace defenseless people.
    They are serious charges by serious people. Their work deserves careful reading.
    I see no evidence that any of the commentators have read Zionism Unsettled, but get off into irrelevant wrangles that have nothing to do with the publication.
    In my view, Puder’s notice is disinformation.
    So, I recommend that everyone spend $10 and make up your own mind.
    Then, and only then, come back to this site!