Is David Schneier really an angel?

Not sure how this happened but the photo from Tampa reveals all! I guess my angelic roots have come to light. Shalom from David Schneier

Messianic Jewish Response to the Un-Chrisitian "Christ at the Checkpoint" conference

Please read this statement and let me know what you think. Shalom. David Schneier (See my January 13, 2012 post)

February 17, 2012

Messianic Jewish leaders respond to “Christ at the Checkpoint”

As representatives of the international Messianic Jewish community, we raise deep concerns about the anti-Israel and, indeed, unbiblical nature of the Christ at the Checkpoint conference soon to be held in Bethlehem.

The Messianic Jewish community has noted the growing opposition to Zionism and the state of Israel within some elements of the Evangelical Christian world. Such opposition ignores the profound and ancient connection between the Jewish people and the land of Israel, and the modern history of the founding of the state of Israel. Equally troubling, this opposition is often linked to a resurgent supersessionism, the doctrine that the church replaces Israel as God’s covenant partner. This theology, which has led historically to anti-Semitism and the tragic oppression of the Jewish people, appears to permeate this entire conference.

The conference is being promoted internationally and features speakers from around the world, including prominent American and European Christians, several of whom have a decidedly anti-Israel bias. We address the following to the conference organizers as evidence of our concerns:

·         Your conference title, “Christ at the Checkpoint,” places the Israeli border checkpoints as the central issue of Christian concern. You frame the entire story of Israeli-Palestinian conflict in terms of Israel’s alleged oppression and abuses, with no historical or political context provided, and no allegations of oppression or abuse on the part of any Palestinians or other Arabs historically or currently.

·         You state a desire for “hope in the midst of conflict,” and for peace and reconciliation among followers of Jesus. Sadly, both the structure of your conference, with its one-sided focus on the Israeli “occupation,” and the anti-Israel record of some of its key representatives, work against peace and reconciliation.

·         Your website features speakers who repeatedly raise “the grim reality” of “the occupation” as virtually the only challenge that Palestinian Christians face.

·         Your conference objectives discredit Zionism alone of any political movement, thereby undermining your own talk of peace and reconciliation, which would require seeing both perspectives.

·         You claim to “stand resolutely against all forms of violence and racism, regardless of the perpetrators,” but the only form that you mention is Zionism. There is no mention of the violence perpetrated against Jews by Palestinians, including Hamas, which regularly attacks Israeli civilians.

In the tragedy of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict there are two claimants to justice, Jews and Arabs, and true reconciliation efforts must recognize this reality. We urge you, therefore, to be true to your own affirmations and disassociate from all anti-Semitic and anti-Jewish expressions during your upcoming conference. You have taken a stand against Zionism as “ethnocentric.” We disagree with this characterization and challenge you instead to take a stand against anti-Semitism, against jihad, against fascism in the Arab world, and against the cult of child martyrdom, as promoted by many opponents of Israel, including several that have hosted visits by your organizers.

We urge you to state support for peace efforts between Israel and the Arab world that recognize the existence of Israel as a Jewish state, and its right to firm and secure borders, without any threat of terrorism.

We urge you to remember the terrible history of Christian supersessionism, which led to invalidating the Jewish people and their unique covenant with God, stripping away the Jewishness of the Biblical message of redemption for all through the Messiah Yeshua (Jesus), and promulgating Biblical interpretation that demonized the Jewish people and inevitably resulted in centuries of Christian anti-Semitism and persecution of the Jewish people.

And, finally, we urge you to remember the words of that famous Rabbi, Paul of Tarsus, who wrote these words to Gentile Christians concerning their relationship with the early Messianic Jews and the Jewish people:

But if some of the branches are broken off, and you, though a wild olive shoot, were grafted in among the others and now share in the nourishing root that supports you. Do not be arrogant toward the branches. If you are, remember it is not you who support the root, but the root that supports you. (Rom. 11:17-18)

Paul Liberman, President

Joel Chernoff, General Secretary

Messianic Jewish Alliance of America

Howard Silverman, President

Russell Resnik, Executive Director

Union of Messianic Jewish Congregations

Jeff Forman, Chairman

International Alliance of Messianic Congregations and Synagogues

John Fischer, President

Joel Liberman, Executive Director

International Messianic Jewish Alliance

Israel accused of making Israel Jewish???

Here's a new spin: A UN "investigator" has accused Israel, the Jewish state created by the UN, of trying to make Israel Jewish!!! Why does the US continue to give the UN one more penny. These people are less than ignorant. They are blinded by hatred and the siren of human rights. Let's wash our hands of this biased and corrupt organization. This reminds of the old punch line: Is the Pope Catholic? Of course he is and of course Israel, the Jewish state, is Jewish. A three year old could grasp that reality. Shalom from David Schneier

Scientology on the ropes in France

According to The Washington Post, an appeals court in France has upheld the 2009 fraud conviction of the Church of Scientology which included fines of 600,000 Euros and suspended sentences for four of its members. The original charges were lodged against the church for pressuring members to give large sums of money for questionable remedies. France does not recognize Scientology as a religion. I guess this isn't a good day for Tom Cruise and John Travolta. Shalom from David Schneier

"Christian" conference in Bethlehem demonizes Israel

“Christ at the Checkpoint 2012 Conference” is a Christian attack against the idea of a Jewish homeland"

http://fighthatred.com/profiles-in-hate/religious-figures/967-christ-at-the-checkpoint-2012-conference-is-a-christian-attack-against-the-idea-of-a-jewish-homeland 

What do you think of this gathering? How about sending the sponsors and American attendees your thoughts of their hatred for Israel? The article below is from fighthatred.com.

Shalom from David Schneier

Friday, 13 January 2012 13:16

 
In March of 2012, the Bible College in Bethlehem will host dozens of US theologians, activists and ministries for the “Christ at the Checkpoint 2012 Conference.” Bethlehem Bible College trains Christian servant-leaders for the churches and society within an Arab context. Founded in 1979 by local Arabs, the college usually enrolls 135 students who are interested in Christian service in the Middle East.
The aim of the Christ at the Checkpoint conference was given as to provide an opportunity for evangelical Christians to prayerfully seek a proper awareness of issues of peace, justice, and reconciliation. The conference will:
• Empower and encourage the Palestinian church.
• Expose the realities of the injustices in the Palestinian Territories and create awareness of the obstacles to reconciliation and peace.
• Create a platform for serious engagement with Christian Zionism and an open forum for ongoing dialogue between all positions within the Evangelical theological spectrum.
• Motivate participants to become advocates for the reconciliation work of the church in Palestine/Israel and its ramifications for the Middle East and the world.
Giulio Meotti, Italian journalist with Il Foglio, described the conference as a major religious and political event meant to demonize Israel and to support the Palestinian Intifada against the “ethnocentric” Jewish State. The impressive range of Christian theologians and pastors from many churches located in the United States make the gravity of the upcoming conference clear.
Samuel Rodriguez, President of the US National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference, is a speaker. Also attending are popular US preacher and “spiritual adviser” to Bill Clinton, Tony Campolo, and President of the World Evangelical Alliance and Asia Evangelical Alliance, Sang-Bok David Kim.
Two of the conference organisers, Stephen Sizer and Sami Awad, adamantly defended the Gaza flotilla sent in May 2010 by the Turkish terror group IHH. Another speaker, Ben White, has shared a political platform with Azzam Tamimi, who has endorsed suicide bombings against Jewish civilians in the past.
The “Bethlehem Call” manifesto, which serves as platform for the Bethlehem 2012 Conference, has just been published on the websites of the Would Council of Churches, the Global Ministries of the United Church of Christ and the Disciples of Christ.
The Bethlehem Call defines Israel as an “illegal regime” and a “crime against humanity”, it promotes “international boycott, divestment and sanctions campaigns” against Israel, labels the more neutral Churches as “accomplices in crimes against humanity” and attacks Christian Zionism as “a crime and sin as defying the core of the Gospel”.
The Bethlehem Call also updates the “Kairos Palestine,” the major document used as global tool for the Christian struggle against Israel speaking in the behalf of “us Christian Palestinians”. Even the name of the Catholic Custodian of the Holy Land, Pierbattista Pizzaballa, prominently appears among the most important signatures in the website.
The theological meeting also marks a return to “replacement theology”, the medieval view that the Church has replaced the people of Israel in God’s plan and that all biblical references to Israel refer to the “new Israel”—that is, to Christians.
Stephen Sizer, pastor of Christ Church, Virginia Water, made a statement on behalf of the conference organizing committee and the leadership at Bethlehem Bible College. The following affirmations reflect my personal convictions and hopes as well as those of the other conference organizers.
Affirmation #5 deals with Zionism. It says: Modern Zionism is a political movement created to meet the aspirations of Jews around the world who longed for a homeland. It has become ethnocentric, privileging one people at the expense of others. Christianity calls believers in Jesus to focus on building God’s kingdom on earth.
Another view of the conference has been expressed by Dalton Lifsey, from Tauranga, New Zealand. Lifsey is the Associate Director of the Tauranga House of Prayer and also manages the website http://thecontroversyofzion.com.
He wrote:
The gathering is intended to encourage …support [for] Palestinian Christians who find themselves suffering under what they refer to as “The Israeli Occupation” of Palestine. But there are serious problems with the sort of the solidarity and support that Sizer and Burge are advocating, and that other well meaning but naive Christians are embracing.
The worldview of men like Sizer and Burge rests upon the conviction that Israel is a racist and apartheid regime whose national identity and destiny has been rendered “irrelevant” by Jesus and the apostles. They argue that Israel has no right to the Land believing Israel to be a “cruel and dehumanizing” State.
Conveniently ignoring important issues like Islam, jihad, anti-Semitism, the scores of Israelis brutally slain by Palestinian terrorists that all contribute to Israel’s political posture towards Palestinians, they level the accusation that to endorse the State of Israel is “an abomination” and “heresy.” Championing justice while ignoring history and only telling part of the story is in itself an abortion of justice.
Any call to solidarity with one people group at the expense of the marginalization of another is not just, righteous, or pleasing to the Lord. And any call to support one people group at the expense of the other’s right to exist and defend themselves against those who have no problem blowing up women and children with bombs strapped to their chests is morally insane.
All believers with a conscience should readily reject a call to social justice that is predicated on the assertion that Israel is an apartheid regime and “abominable” for Christians to support (Sizer’s words). While I don’t doubt the sincerity of Sizer’s affection for the Arab Christian community in places like Bethlehem (of which I also feel) I doubt that this is what is primarily motivating his labors. Judging by his writing and teaching, the delegitimization and dismantling of the State of Israel and the discrediting of anyone who supports it.

Updated Schedule for the Schneiers

Here is our updated schedule for the winter and spring,2012: 

• January 7-11: Orlando,FL for the IAMCS Rabbis conference
• January 12-13: Mt Dora, FL at the Garden Gate 
• January 15: Brunswick, GA, 6pm, Christian Renewal Church
• January 21: Orlando,FL at Congregation Gesher Shalom
• January 27-28: Atlanta with Congregation Beth Hallel
• February 18-19: Shreveport, LA  with Congregation Messiah Now on the 18th and the Christian Center Shreveport and on the 19th
• February 24: Tampa, Fl at Congregation Shoresh David
• March 3rd: Ormond Beach, FL at Congregation Beth Judah 
• April 5-7: Passover Conference speaker at Glory of Zion
• April17-19: IAMCS regional leadership conference in Nikolaiv, Ukraine
• Possible trips in May to Spain and Italy
• June 1-3: IAMCS Leadership conference in Belgium.

Shalom from David Schneier

Happy Hanukah and Merry Christmas. You won't believe this!!!

Celebrate the warmth and wonder of both Hanukkah and Christmas.

Here's the perfect way for interfaith families to celebrate both holidays. The patented menorahment design of the Hanukkah Tree Topper makes a great gift for Hanukkah or Christmas traditions.
Available in Silver metallic-coated, textured plastic, with a steel coil for easy, sturdy mounting.
10"H x 6"W

A must-have for interfaith marriages!

If you actually want to buy this go to http://www.skymall.com/shopping/detail.htm?pid=204072528&c=

Thank God for Sky Mall and American Airlines. Shalom from the Hanukah front. David Schneier