MainlineTruths

Presbyterian leaders still lying about Israel

Despite being rebuffed by their own members at their 2006 General Assembly, leaders in the Presbyterian Church USA continue to push their anti-Israel propaganda. From CAMERA:

A nine-page document titled “Palestinian Christians in the Middle East – Study Resources for Children and Youth” embodies the same distorted moral narrative PC(USA) leaders and staffers were broadcasting before the church’s 2004 General Assembly passed a resolution calling on the church to initiate a process of “phased, selective divestment” from Israel.

The theme of the resources  is “Walls or Bridges?”

The CAMERA piece continues...

The resource also suggests teachers and youth advisors obtain the September/October 2004 issue of Church & Society titled “Wall of Security, A Barrier to Peace,” which provides extensive detail about the impact of the security barrier on Palestinians. Out of more than 100 pages of text, the magazine included approximately two paragraphs about the impact of Palestinian terror attacks that preceded the barrier’s construction. And like a lot of mainline commentary about Israel’s security measures, it is filled with distortions and omissions that lead the reader to believe the barrier is something other than a passive structure designed to prevent violence.

For example, Victor Makari, the PC(USA)’s area coordinator for the Middle East wrote an article that falsely suggests the fence near Bethlehem will electrocute anyone who touches it:

“Walking right up to an electrified portion of the barrier at Bethlehem (see photo, page1), one is immediately seized by a sense of desperation when confronted with a red warning sign – in Hebrew, Arabic and English – that reads (with some variation): “MORTAL DANGER – Military Zone, Any Person Who Passes or Damages [the Arabic reads, …. Touches] the Fence [the Arabic reads, … the Wall] Endangers His Life.” (Church and Society, September/October 2004)

By using the word “electrified” Makari gives Sunday school teachers and youth leaders (many of whom will not know that the fence is equipped with electronic detection devices) every reason to believe Israel is zapping or worse, electrocuting innocent children who dare touch the barrier. How else are readers who know little about the barrier to interpret Makari's writing?

At some point, Presbyterian leaders will learn that they'll make more progress by just being honest.

UMC: We aren't lobbyists, we just pretend to be

How's this for being disingenuous:

Linda Bales, an executive with the United Methodist Board of Church and Society, participated in a panel discussion on advocacy with representatives from the Episcopal and Evangelical Lutheran churches. She explained to non-Methodists that her agency bases its advocacy positions on the denomination's Social Principles, which outline the church's position on social and economic concerns and other human issues based on a "sound biblical and theological foundation."

"We're not lobbyists," said Bales, "but we do mobilize people to be a prophetic voice. We play the United Methodist card whenever we can, reminding politicians that there are 8 million United Methodists in the U.S. Of course, not all agree with every position we take. Our General Secretary, Jim Winkler, regularly speaks out against the war in Iraq and gets numerous pieces of hate mail because of that."

So essentially what Linda Bales is saying is that although they don't represent 8 million United Methodists, she doesn't mind pretending that the UMC lobbyists (and yes, they are lobbyists) represent 8 million people.

Where I come from, we call that lying. Bales calls it a "prophetic voice".