Israel persecution of Christians: Persecution of Christians in Israel by Israel

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1

1still_waters

Guest
#1
Main points will be listed first, in order to keep this easy to follow.
Sources listed after the list of main points.

Instances of Israeli Persecution of Christians and anti-Christian conduct of Israelis


*Christian jailed four days for evangelizing with sign. 1

*Student deported, not given document papers because Israel thought she was doing missionary work. 7

*Police investigate Christian for evangelizing. 3
(Questionable source, but worth a look.)

*Existing law says some missionaries can be put in prison up to five years. 6

*Deputy mayor drives around town on loud speaker calling for burning of New Testaments handed out by missionaries. New Testaments end up burned. 2

*Knesset member rips up copy of the New Testament. 4

*Knesset member calls for stricter law against missionaries and paid government television to counter missionary influence. 5

*Knesset faction calls for one year prison sentence for those preaching conversion. 6

*Greek Orthodox clergy spat at, and Greek Orthodox Christian carrying a cross was attacked. The cross was broken. 8

*Anti-Christian Jewish activists spray graffiti churches. One claimed Jesus was a monkey. 9

*Christians locking themselves indoors during Purim holiday. 8

*Yad L’Achim resorts to violence and harassment towards Christians. 10

*Christian institutions report Israel's MOI grants a limited amount of multiple entry visas to Christians. 11

*Israel MOI officials revoke citizenship or deny services based on messianic or Christian beliefs. 11



Sources

1. The Voice of the Martyrs
A campaigner on staff with the Jews for Jesus organization was released on bail late in the evening night on Nov. 24 after being held for four days and nights because he was holding up an evangelistic sign.
2. Orthodox Jewish youths burn New Testaments in Or Yehuda Israel News | Haaretz
City's deputy mayor initiated bonfire of missionary-distributed material, held next to a synagogue in town.


Or Yehuda Deputy Mayor Uzi Aharon said missionaries recently entered a neighborhood in the predominantly religious town of 34,000 in central Israel, distributing hundreds of New Testaments and missionary material.
After receiving complaints, Aharon said, he got into a loudspeaker car last Thursday and drove through the neighborhood, urging people to turn over the material to Jewish religious students who went door to door to collect it.

3. Yad L'Achim Launches Attack on Jerusalem Messianic Jews | Sid Roth - It's Supernatural
One day the police arrived at the door of the Kogens and they found themselves under investigation for proselytizing a 16-year-old girl. Finding nothing, the police dropped the investigation. However, Yad L’Achim, an extremist anti-Messianic non-profit organization, jumped at the chance to place a full-page ad in a local newspaper with the Kogen’s name and address and accused them of being secret missionaries who illegally converted an underage girl to Christianity. Converting a minor to any religion other than traditional Judaism is against the law in Israel.
4. Rivlin to Ben-Ari: Stop giving Knesset a bad name | JPost | Israel News
Knesset member Ben-Ari
On Tuesday, Ben-Ari tore up a copy of the “Book of Testaments,” combining the Tanach and New Testament in one volume, sent to all 120 MKs by The Bible Society in Israel, a messianic Judaism institution for research, publication and dissemination of holy books.
5. Missionaries in the Knesset? | JPost | Israel News
Ze’ev called for more government- sponsored activities and television programming to teach youth Jewish values “so Christians don’t fill the vacuum.”


In addition, the Shas MK said the existing law against missionaries should be stricter.


The 1977 law, passed one year after the New Testament was published in modern Hebrew for the first time, prohibits anyone from granting material benefits as an inducement to conversion or to convert anyone under 18 unless one parent is a member of that religion.
6. Shas seeks harsher punishment for missionaries - Israel News, Ynetnews
A war on missionaries was declared Tuesday when Shas faction head MK Yakov Margi proposed a bill stating that Israel's laws against proselytism should be aggravated.


Backed by six other faction members and in concordance with Shas' spiritual leader, Rabbi Ovadia Yosef's instructions, Margi proposed the sentence for preaching conversion should be one year imprisonment.


Currently, Israeli law deals with conversion on two levels. Firstly, anyone offering money or material products in exchange for conversion faces five years in prison or a monetary fine. The person on the accepting end of the offer also faces a certain punishment.

On the second level, regarding minors, anyone acting in favor of or conducting a conversion ceremony on a minor, faces six month in jail.
7. �Advertisement
A student from Germany is set to be deported Friday, after the Interior Ministry determined that she was doing missionary work.
However, at 6:30 A.M. on April 28, the Immigration Police knocked on her door and took her to Ma'asiyahu Prison in Ramle.
Interior Ministry spokeswoman Sabine Haddad said Ludwig was being deported because she had not arranged her residency status. However, the head of the Population Administration's central region, Elinor Golan, sent two letters to Ludwig's lawyer stating that Ludwig's repeated requests for residency status had been denied because she was "doing missionary work."
8. �Advertisement
A few weeks ago, a senior Greek Orthodox clergyman in Israel attended a meeting at a government office in Jerusalem's Givat Shaul quarter. When he returned to his car, an elderly man wearing a skullcap came and knocked on the window. When the clergyman let the window down, the passerby spat in his face.
On Sunday, a fracas developed when a yeshiva student spat at the cross being carried by the Armenian Archbishop during a procession near the Holy Sepulchre in the Old City. The archbishop's 17th-century cross was broken during the brawl and he slapped the yeshiva student.
Former adviser to the mayor on Christian affairs, Shmuel Evyatar, describes the situation as "a huge disgrace." He says most of the instigators are yeshiva students studying in the Old City who view the Christian religion with disdain.
There are an increased number at certain times of year, such as during the Purim holiday."I know Christians who lock themselves indoors during the entire Purim holiday," he says.


"I'm sure the phenomenon would end as soon as rabbis and well-known educators denounce it. In practice, rabbis of yeshivas ignore or even encourage it," he says.
9. Christian Persecution in 'Hostile' Israel Highlighted by Evangelical Group; 'Some May Disagree and Even Take Offense,' Says Nonprofit

believers are also persecuted by anti-missionary Jewish activists. The activists sometimes spray graffiti on Christian churches in what are called "price tag attacks" (exacting a price on anything that seems to threaten Jewish sovereignty). A few months ago, they painted "Jesus is a monkey" on a church that is a major pilgrimage site for Christians.
10. The Voice of the Martyrs
In Israel, the well-organized and well-funded ultra-orthodox Jewish group Yad L’Achim is dedicated to removing the witness of Christ from Israel. This group and others like it have increasingly resorted to violence and harassment of Messianic Jews, Christians and missionaries in recent years.
11. Report on International Religious Freedom
According to representatives of some Christian institutions, visa issuance rates for some religious workers remained low. The MOI only granted multiple-entry visas to a limited list of clergy and religious workers traveling to and between their parishes in the country and in the Occupied Territories. Other clergy who wished to return to or visit their parishes and congregations were required to apply for a new single-entry visa at Israeli consulates abroad--a process that at times took months.


MOI officials continued to revoke citizenship or deny services (such as child registration, social benefits, identity cards, and passports) to some citizens based on their religious beliefs, according to the JIJ. This included cases of individuals who immigrated under the Law of Return as Jews but were discovered to hold Messianic or Christian beliefs.
 
Last edited:
Mar 1, 2012
1,353
7
0
#2
Lotsa christians think we should support Israel because its biblical to do so.

I do not. God's chosen people have always been those with faith, its not a birthright.

I support Israel politically, because it is persecuted.

Its not a christian friendly nation.
 
R

RachelBibleStudent

Guest
#3
Main points will be listed first, in order to keep this easy to follow.
Sources listed after the list of main points.

Instances of Israeli Persecution of Christians and anti-Christian conduct of Israelis


*Christian jailed four days for evangelizing with sign. 1

*Student deported, not given document papers because Israel thought she was doing missionary work. 7

*Police investigate Christian for evangelizing. 3
(Questionable source, but worth a look.)

*Existing law says some missionaries can be put in prison up to five years. 6

*Deputy mayor drives around town on loud speaker calling for burning of New Testaments handed out by missionaries. New Testaments end up burned. 2

*Knesset member rips up copy of the New Testament. 4

*Knesset member calls for stricter law against missionaries and paid government television to counter missionary influence. 5

*Knesset faction calls for one year prison sentence for those preaching conversion. 6

*Greek Orthodox clergy spat at, and Greek Orthodox Christian carrying a cross was attacked. The cross was broken. 8

*Anti-Christian Jewish activists spray graffiti churches. One claimed Jesus was a monkey. 9

*Christians locking themselves indoors during Purim holiday. 8

*Yad L’Achim resorts to violence and harassment towards Christians. 10

*Christian institutions report Israel's MOI grants a limited amount of multiple entry visas to Christians. 11

*Israel MOI officials revoke citizenship or deny services based on messianic or Christian beliefs. 11



Sources

1. The Voice of the Martyrs


2. Orthodox Jewish youths burn New Testaments in Or Yehuda Israel News | Haaretz



3. Yad L'Achim Launches Attack on Jerusalem Messianic Jews | Sid Roth - It's Supernatural

4. Rivlin to Ben-Ari: Stop giving Knesset a bad name | JPost | Israel News


5. Missionaries in the Knesset? | JPost | Israel News


6. Shas seeks harsher punishment for missionaries - Israel News, Ynetnews


7. �Advertisement


8. �Advertisement


9. Christian Persecution in 'Hostile' Israel Highlighted by Evangelical Group; 'Some May Disagree and Even Take Offense,' Says Nonprofit



10. The Voice of the Martyrs


11. Report on International Religious Freedom
my thoughts on these reports one by one...

first report...i would like to know more about the circumstances of the arrest...many places have municipal laws making it illegal to go around holding a sign without some kind of permit...regardless of the religion or agenda of the sign holder...

second report...while i don't approve of burning new testaments obviously...burning books is a crude protest but not persecution...

third report...while the great commission obviously extends to minors as well...i can understand the logic of the law in question...after all would a christian parent want a buddhist proselytizer converting their teenager to buddhism?

fourth report...ben-ari is a member of a tiny minority faction in the knesset...and he is widely regarded in israeli politics as a huge jerk...if not for stunts like this he would be completely irrelevant in israel... also as the article itself mentions...other israeli politicians criticized ben-ari for his show of religious bigotry... and finally similar to the second report...tearing up a book is a crude statement of disgust but not persecution...

fifth and sixth reports...shas is an 'ultra orthodox' haredi party representing a group that is still a religious minority in israel...one that is becoming less and less influential in israel as time goes by...they weren't even included in the israeli government this time around...and the government recently passed a law specifically targeted at the haredim that shas was vehemently opposed to...shas does not represent the official position of israel by any stretch of the imagination...this is kind of like pointing to a position advocated by the green party and claiming it proves that america is a nation of radical environmentalists..

seventh report...countries tend to allow non citizen residents only for specific reasons...i don't think the united states issues green cards for missionary work either...

eighth report...'orthodox' churches especially in the middle east tend to be some of the most anti semitic churches in the world...unfortunately much of the disrespect they get from israeli jews is just plain self inflicted...and i wonder how many of the christians who lock themselves in their homes on purim are doing so specifically because of unsubstantiated anti semitic rumors that are often tolerated within middle eastern 'orthodox' churches... in any case a lot of people get stupid drunk on purim...to be fair crimes committed on purim are the actions of drunks...to blame it on the state of israel is like saying the united states of america is responsible for firework injuries on the fourth of july...

ninth report...the 'price tag' attacks are actually condemned by the israel government and they are making increasing attempts to crack down on that kind of thing... in addition the 'price tag' attacks are usually intended by the perpetrators specifically as 'eye for an eye' retribution for incidents caused by palestinians...while i don't approve of this in any way...the christians could avoid some of these incidents if only they would distance themselves from the indefensible actions of violent palestinian activists...but with few exceptions the 'christian' communities in the region have not had the moral will to do so...

tenth report...i don't know anything about yad l'achim...and any violence they commit is of course wrong...but i will point out again that the 'ultra orthodox' haredi community is a religious minority in israel...to say this is persecution 'by israel' is simply wrong... also i will point out the ironic fact that these ultra orthodox groups often tend to be either anti zionist or at best equivocal towards zionism...so the anti zionists ironically ally themselves with one of the most anti christian segments of judaism...

eleventh report...as i mentioned already i don't think missionaries are on the priority list for entry visas in the united states either...for better or for worse other types of applicants get a higher priority and israel is not alone in this... on the issue of revoking citizenship...the 'law of return' is designed to entitle jews to immigrate to israel...and the regulations as they now stand correctly specify that 'messianic judaism' is not judaism...so those having their citizenship revoked are actually guilty of blatantly falsifying their applications...meaning they really only have themselves to blame...lying on any document tends to be an invalidating offense...

honestly if this is what passes for 'persecution' in this narrative...then i will introduce you to some supposedly 'christian' nations that do a -lot- more persecution of christians than israel...just look at how russia treats protestants these days...
 
1

1still_waters

Guest
#4
I'm sure if a Christian in America or Iran or whatever were jailed for four days for holding a sign, we'd be all like.."Eh they broke an ordinance, big deal."

This one flew under the radar of the analysis above.
*Existing law says some missionaries can be put in prison up to five years. 6
Currently, Israeli law deals with conversion on two levels. Firstly, anyone offering money or material products in exchange for conversion faces five years in prison or a monetary fine. The person on the accepting end of the offer also faces a certain punishment.
Would Americans really look past this type of law if it were on our books? Where someone could be considered bribing for simply offering food or a Bible or whatever in the name of Christ?

third report...while the great commission obviously extends to minors as well...i can understand the logic of the law in question...after all would a christian parent want a buddhist proselytizer converting their teenager to buddhism?
Would Americans really support a law like that on the books?

tenth report...i don't know anything about yad l'achim...and any violence they commit is of course wrong...but i will point out again that the 'ultra orthodox' haredi community is a religious minority in israel...to say this is persecution 'by israel' is simply wrong... also i will point out the ironic fact that these ultra orthodox groups often tend to be either anti zionist or at best equivocal towards zionism...so the anti zionists ironically ally themselves with one of the most anti christian segments of judaism...
If there were a minor faction like this in America doing it to Christians, I doubt we'd try to minimize it, even if they didn't represent our government.

eleventh report...as i mentioned already i don't think missionaries are on the priority list for entry visas in the united states either...for better or for worse other types of applicants get a higher priority and israel is not alone in this... on the issue of revoking citizenship...the 'law of return' is designed to entitle jews to immigrate to israel...and the regulations as they now stand correctly specify that 'messianic judaism' is not judaism...so those having their citizenship revoked are actually guilty of blatantly falsifying their applications...meaning they really only have themselves to blame...lying on any document tends to be an invalidating offense...
Other clergy who wished to return to or visit their parishes and congregations were required to apply for a new single-entry visa at Israeli consulates abroad--a process that at times took months.
Would we have the same attitude if our government was intentionally restrictive of Christian workers?

I think a certain understanding is being granted to Israel on things we'd never grant to our own nation or other nations if they did the same thing.
 
1

1still_waters

Guest
#5
Basically ask yourself this. Would I put up with this in my own country? If you say no, then why let Israel get off with it?
 
R

RachelBibleStudent

Guest
#6
I'm sure if a Christian in America or Iran or whatever were jailed for four days for holding a sign, we'd be all like.."Eh they broke an ordinance, big deal."

This one flew under the radar of the analysis above.



Would Americans really look past this type of law if it were on our books? Where someone could be considered bribing for simply offering food or a Bible or whatever in the name of Christ?


Would Americans really support a law like that on the books?



If there were a minor faction like this in America doing it to Christians, I doubt we'd try to minimize it, even if they didn't represent our government.





Would we have the same attitude if our government was intentionally restrictive of Christian workers?

I think a certain understanding is being granted to Israel on things we'd never grant to our own nation or other nations if they did the same thing.
well i am sure there would be a lot of misguided outrage among christians if a christian in any country was arrested for illegally holding a sign or whatever...but this is not and should not be a religious issue...it is an issue of following the same rules as everyone else...the gospel does not put us above the law...

about the one i missed...i don't see why anyone -would- approve of offering money or material goods in exchange for conversion...real christians should be willing to contribute money or material goods regardless of the religion of the recipient...

about the law against converting minors...like it or not i bet a lot of american christians -would- support a law like that...there is already a lot of outrage among american christians just because students are taught about islam in public schools...

minority factions doing violence against christians or anyone else for that matter should be held accountable and brought to justice...but like i said it isn't fair to blame an entire country for the acts of a fringe faction...it is like saying 'the united states persecutes big business because the animal liberation front hates KFC'

how do you know israeli immigration authorities are -intentionally- restricting -christian- mission workers? is the united states intentionally restricting anyone just because we only issue green cards mostly to people seeking jobs?

i think if this is all israel's christian critics have then they really don't have much of anything...show me a christian sentenced to death for preaching to a muslim like in iran or saudi arabia...show me christian congregations being forcibly evicted like what happened to some protestant churches when supposedly 'christian' russia occupied crimea recently...something like that...and then maybe i will take the claims of 'persecution of christians in israel by israel' seriously...
 
R

RachelBibleStudent

Guest
#7
Basically ask yourself this. Would I put up with this in my own country? If you say no, then why let Israel get off with it?
the flaw in that reasoning is this...

first of all...a lot of things like this -are- put up with or even openly -demanded- by many christians in 'christian' countries...

and secondly...a lot of these things are -not- actually put up with in israel...like i mentioned about the 'price tag' attacks...people go to jail for that in israel...
 
1

1still_waters

Guest
#8
about the one i missed...i don't see why anyone -would- approve of offering money or material goods in exchange for conversion...real christians should be willing to contribute money or material goods regardless of the religion of the recipient...
But it's an actual law on the books. It's so loosely written that simple giving of food or money to help the poor could be considered as a violation. I mean this IS A LAW on the books. Imagine a law like that in America where a soup kitchen would have to worry about appearing as if it's paying people off.


minority factions doing violence against christians or anyone else for that matter should be held accountable and brought to justice...but like i said it isn't fair to blame an entire country for the acts of a fringe faction...it is like saying 'the united states persecutes big business because the animal liberation front hates KFC'
That's why I put a heading before the list that said..
Instances of Israeli Persecution of Christians and anti-Christian conduct of Israelis

There are Israelis who persecute Christians. That one I cited involved a Christian attacked in his own car.


i think if this is all israel's christian critics have then they really don't have much of anything...show me a christian sentenced to death for preaching to a muslim like in iran or saudi arabia...show me christian congregations being forcibly evicted like what happened to some protestant churches when supposedly 'christian' russia occupied crimea recently...something like that...and then maybe i will take the claims of 'persecution of christians in israel by israel' seriously...
Worse cases in other places of the world don't minimize the wrongs of the Israel government or the wrongs of Israelis who do persecute Christians. They have laws on the books aimed at severely restricting evangelism. They have enough people in the population to elect people in the Knesset who want 1 year jail terms for missionary work. This isn't as big as in other places, regardless it is an issue and shouldn't be swept under the rug in my opinion.
 
1

1still_waters

Guest
#9
and secondly...a lot of these things are -not- actually put up with in israel...like i mentioned about the 'price tag' attacks...people go to jail for that in israel...
That doesn't mean it's not happening. Christians are still at threat of attack, because there is a good enough size of people to create problems and support attacks and such.
 

crossnote

Senior Member
Nov 24, 2012
30,704
3,649
113
#10
Nothing new...

Romans 11:28 As concerning the gospel, they are enemies for your sakes: but as touching the election, they are beloved for the fathers' sakes.
 

crossnote

Senior Member
Nov 24, 2012
30,704
3,649
113
#11
Basically ask yourself this. Would I put up with this in my own country? If you say no, then why let Israel get off with it?
Israel is not my country nor does it belong to the USA nor the UN. So why must we feel the need to police Israel?
 

p_rehbein

Senior Member
Sep 4, 2013
30,097
6,480
113
#12
Basically ask yourself this. Would I put up with this in my own country? If you say no, then why let Israel get off with it?
I happen to be aware of much of what you posted........and agree that it is a shame........given the Political, Military and Monetary support we provide Israel with..............

That being said...........the problem lies in what determines a Nations Sovereignty? Israel is a Sovereign Nation, and as such, there is only so much we can do to influence the political/social state of their Nation.

Just as we accept what the numerous Arab Nations do to their peoples, and especially what they do to Americans (especially Christians).........

This is surely one reason to thank God for living in a Nation such as the U.S. We are surely not perfect, but, given the alternatives............we are far better off than many, many peoples of the world.

I also agree that our support of Israel should not be based on "Biblical reasons," rather on strategic and humanitarian reasons. For all their faults, they are surely a better partner on the World Stage than several of the Arab Nations surrounding them............AND we have a COMMON ENEMY who has vowed to destroy us both.........

"the enemy of my enemy is my friend..........." Now, not saying Israel is our enemy, or a truly precious friend, but they are far better than the alternative.

Just as we would not allow another Nation to come into the U.S. and begin to change our Legal/Political/Social structures or laws or such............FOR WE ARE A SOVEREIGN Nation.........we have to accept that they will feel the same way.