They call themselves friends of Israel and the Jewish people. They can be found all over Yisrael and seem to be growing in number. They claim to support us, to stand by us and to love us.
What does love and support mean to you?
Let me endeavor to answer.
To many of us Israelis, especially Yisraeli Jews, it means accepting who we and our tradition are, aiding us to survive, succeed and thrive as Jews and as members of the only Jewish state in the world. It means helping us fight anti-semitism, hatred and an ongoing desire by many to eradicate us.
Though, outwardly, those friends declare their unending and unconditional devotion to us, a closer look reveals a very dark and sinister undercurrent. It has all the attributes which point at a very well oiled machine aimed at achieving just the opposite, the removal of Judaism as the essence of Israel, the Jewish Homeland.
Whatever one chooses to call them, Christian missionaries, disciples or messengers, one fact is clear; they are a plague, a virus that has permeated into the very foundations of Yisrael, infected many of its institutions and continues its course unchecked, uncontrolled.
I call this virus JSM (Jewish Spiritual Mutilation) because that is what it is. The methods used by those who spread it are deceitful. They maintain “that a Jew can keep their religious identity, even after converting to Christianity.” They also claim that “ [a] convert can believe in Jesus, partake in baptism, celebrate Christmas and remain Jewish, all at the same time." They also hold services, address their ministers as ‘rabbi,’ and host Seders. “Evangelists….. have been trained to use Yiddish words so as to convince potential converts that [they]maintain Jewish traditions.” (1)
That is where the Mutilation of the Jewish Spirits commences. Those who have a better understanding of the Tanach know that the concept of Judeo-Christian tradition is not part of it. They know that it is a made up concept aimed at facilitating the process of smashing the theological barriers that separate between Judaism and Christianity. They also know that Jesus, Yeshua or whatever his followers choose to call him is not part of the Jewish tradition and that one does not become a “complete Jew,” as they would like the convert to believe but merely just another Christian in yet another effort in the long timeline of history to rob us of our Jewish souls and mutilate our wonderful Jewish Spirit.
How does one immunize oneself against this virus, which if left untreated would bring a Spiritual Holocaust upon the Jewish people?
The answer rests on one word, Education. We need to educate our youth in Torah, in our Jewish values and a better understanding of the principles and foundations of the Jewish tradition. We need to strengthen their minds and expose to them the fraudulent means through which the Eleventh Plague proliferates and even mutates to destroy the very fabric of our Jewish essence.
- Persin, Stephenie, “Jewish-Charistian Relations: Jews for Jesus,” Jewish Virtual Library.
Thanks, Batzi. I have experienced this personally. In a personal way. What it finally boiled down to was that I couldn't negate, I couldn't extinguish my Jewish identity. I couldn't do it, even though the Christians told me that I was now a "realized" Jew, that I was "more" Jewish. The bottom line for me was that I couldn't deny being a Jew because being a Jew is the best thing about me. It permeates all that I am. And what about all my murdered breatharian? I would be spitting on their memory. But the real deal breaker for me was when I asked my witness, I asked him, "Where was G-d when the Jews were being driven off to the ravines to be murdered? Where was G-d then?" I mean considering that you can put in your order to Jesus when you want a new car or something. He, told me, "It's because the Jews killed Jesus." See? Just another F ing Christian. He lost me right then and there. He revealed himself right then and there. He was an alright guy. He may have saved my life. That's when these people get Jews when they are in trouble, and I was in a world of trouble. But, regardless, yes these people have an agenda. Don't go for it! Christianity is a great religion if you don't care to think. Judaism is far more profound and nuanced. Anyway, being a Jew is a blessing. G-d's blessing.
ReplyDeleteI know your story, Bodypro8. I am so so proud of you for being able to shake those shackles of deceit off. You are strong and I am so so glad you're back Home! <3 <3 <3
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Delete'If you don't care to think'? Which variety of Christianity do you mean? I became a Christian as an adult, am still 'in process' and I too have wrestled and continue to wrestle with G-d with all my heart and my mind as well!
DeleteI know well too many 'Christians' (and Muslims) are encouraged to have 'no mind of their own' but I'll stand with C.S. Lewis when he wrote in 'Mere Christianity" that 'G-d is no fonder of intellectual slackers than he is of any other kind of slacker'. Yes--a CHRISTIAN wrote that!
I think when people forget their history, they then lose their tradition and their self-identity. And when there is no strong self-identity, it is much easier to be influences.
ReplyDeleteEducation is absolutely the key, Batzi. Education and pride.
Indeed, Justin. I am a teacher. I entered the profession with the strong belief that we could bring the best in us out. Knowledge is power. Knowledge of Judaism is a source of pride! (y)
DeleteJudaism is civilization, it is a people, more than just a religion. You can’t be an atheist and be a Christian, or a Moslem, but you can be if you are a Jew. Because Jews are a people, a complex social stratification of people. A person born of a Jewish Mother, is a Jew and can choose to not believe in G.od but he or she is still a Jew.
ReplyDeleteCivilization is what Judaism is. The definition of a "civilization" encompasses all that Judaism is, a Land,Eretz Yisrael, a Language Hebrew, a high level of culture, industry, a start up nation and form of government. democracy, a moralistic religion. That is Judaism! and that is Israel, the Jewish state which is based on those principles.
DeleteThe 11th Plague is the perfect name for the JSM Batzi.
ReplyDeleteJust as the original 10 plagues involved defining and dispatching of the idols of Mitzrayim by Moshe, so we have the missionaries seeking to again put the Jewish people under spell of a man-god idol, the Nazarene.
The Sages say that Esav became Edom, which is the Church (Western Civilization). And that Esav in the spiritual sense would try to reclaim his birthright from Yaakov. For the last 2000 years, Esav has been a powerful materialistic idolator, who through his pseudo-torah, has tried to take the Jews (Yaakov) down.
But we see the European Church in complete collapse and Ismael is ascendant in Europe. The harder Europe trys to de-legitimize Israel, the stronger Ishmael becomes in Europe.
Now the church is in decline in the States, and spiritual Esav and Edom is on the verge of total collapse. So, what does Esav do? One last attempt to steal back the birthright and take as many Jews with him as he can. That is what I see happening. It is a complex spiritual matter, one that is not easy to verbalize, but as you say Batzi, education is the key. Hashem will not be denied His victory and the Jewish people will be the means of His will being done. Edom (Esav) will pass on and take Ishmael with him.
You bet on the education issue, Brian. Thank you.
DeleteLast night i had another enlightenment on the issue f attacking the missionaries where it really hurt. But that will be he topic of my next article :-)
Looking forward to it!
Delete(y))
Delete'Not part of the Jewish tradition'? Well, I guess he and his followers were 'amputated' from Judaism following the Temple's destruction because before then, for almost two generations, 1st century Judaism was pluralistic enough to accommodate 'Christians', the Temple establishment, the Pharisees (the two are NOT synonymous but there is overlap), Zealots, Essenes and (literally) G-d knows what else!
ReplyDeleteI also consider these missionaries as highly obnoxious although I nominally share their faith, but if the Word and Spirit are enough to bring one closer to G-d, I've no problem with it. On the other hand, I am an Anglo-Hebrew hybrid who 1) grew up without any religious training, 2) started to become a Christian in college and am still 'in process' and 3) has found (and still finds) that, the deeper my Christianity goes, the more Jewish I actually feel myself to be. This wasn't 'planted' by anyone; I simply realized it was and is happening that way. So, what does anyone here make of that? Am I being deceived somehow inside myself or not? And, while I consider myself a product of Western civilization and the Anglo-Saxon subdivision of it in particular, I consider myself as much a Jew as an (ethnic) Englishman. And Western culture, especially the Protestant sections of it, was shaped to a considerable extent by the 'OT' as well as the 'NT'. Who then am I? Yisrael or Esav?
Brian I am happy for you that you find deep meaning in in your belief. I cannot help that you feel "more Jewish" whatever that entails. All I know is that Christianity and Judaism are NOT the same and the belief in Yeshua/ Jesus or whoever you believe in is not part of our system. I know Jews who accepted Yeshua and frankly I have no problem with it.. I do, however, have a problem with Missionaries coming to Israel and robbing Jewish souls by telling them that they will remain Jewish (as opposed to remaining a Jew) or that they will become "complete Jews." A bunch of nonsense and lies.
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