Activism – How You Can Help
Presbyterian Church (USA)
Background:
The PC(USA) voted to divest from Israel at its 2004 General Assembly, basing its decision on the one-sided narrative offered by Palestinian Christians. You can help reverse this decision.
Response:
1. Go here to sign the online petition asking the PC(USA) to convene a special meeting of its General Assembly and rescind the motion to divest.
2. Go here to sign the petition offered by Presbyterians Concerned for Jewish and Christian Relations calling upon Presbyterians "to work toward the reversal of the divestment decision."
3. Send a letter to Clifton Kirkpatrick, Stated Clerk of the PC(USA)'s General Assembly to acknowledge the one-sided nature of Overture 12-01 and ask him to call for its reversal, sooner, rather than later.
Send the letter to Kirkpatrick at:
Clifton Kirkpatrick
Stated Clerk of the General Assembly
Presbyterian Church ( USA)
100 Witherspoon Street
Louisville, KY 40202
An email can be sent to him here.
Be polite and factual. For information about the PC(USA)'s decision, please see the JCA's report Blind Prophecy.
4. Call your pastor and ask for a church-wide discussion about the PC(USA)’s decision to divest.
5. Ask the commissioners who attended the General Assembly how they voted on the issue and why. If the PC(USA)’s form of government is truly representative, you have a right to know this information.
United Church of Christ
Background:
The United Church of Christ will consider two motions to divest from Israel at its General Synod in July. The denomination's leadership has already stated Palestinian Christians will play a prominent role in the UCC's discussion of the issue. You can make sure other voices are heard about the Arab/Israeli conflict.
Response:
1. Send a letter to UCC President John Thomas challenging him to:
A. Invite victims of terror bombings in Israel to speak to the General Synod in July.
B. Rethink the denomination's connection to Sabeel, the group co-opted by the Palestinian Authority to spread anti-Israel propaganda in the U.S.
For evidence of the propaganda spread by Sabeel, go here and read the group's statement about Yassir Arafat, a man who demonized Israel for decades, encouraged the killing of Israelis (remember the 1972 Munich Olympics?). By praising Arafat to high heaven, Sabeel is using Christian theology to support a violent nationalist movement.
Then read the Barmen Declaration (which warns about the use of Christian churches being used for ideological purposes) here and ask Thomas if the UCC should be broadcasting Sabeel's narrative about the conflict in the Middle East. Clearly, the UCC is broadcasting Sabeel's propaganda to Protestants in the U.S. For proof, go here.
To contact John Thomas, use this address:
John Thomas
General Minister and President
United Church of Christ
700 Prospect Avenue
Cleveland, OH 44115-1000
Thomas can be emailed here.
Be polite and factual, but emphatic that other voices need to be heard and that Sabeel’s message needs to be scrutinized more closely. Can an organization that lauds Yassir Arafat so loudly truly be a partner for peace with the Israelis?
The Evangelical Lutheran Church of America
Background:
The ELCA does not appear to have any motions regarding divestment from Israel before its Council of Bishops, but the denomination's publishing house, Augsburg Fortress Press, has published two books by Mitri Raheb that offer a distorted picture of the Arab/Israeli conflict. Raheb whitewashes Palestinian society of its problems and exhibits an obsession on Israel's misdeeds. Palestinian nationalism should not be allowed to cloak itself in Christian theology. (Please see Blind Prophecy for an in-depth discussion of the problems with Raheb's books).
Response:
1. Send a letter to Beth Lewis, President and CEO of Augsburg Fortress, telling her of the problems with Raheb's books. Ask her to explain publically how the ECLA's publishing house could, in good conscience, publish books that offer such a one-sided picture of the Arab/Israeli conflict and demonize Israel. Be polite and factual. Do not question the right of Augsburg Fortress Press to publish such a dishonest narrative. Instead, ask Lewis to examine her conscience to determine whether such books should have been published by a Christian publishing house.
Here is her mailing address:
Beth Lewis
President and CEO
Augsburg Fortress
P.O. Box 1209
Minneapolis, MN 55440-1209
An email can be sent to the company here.
2. Send a letter to ELCA Presiding Bishop Mark S. Hanson raising the issues described above. Again, be polite and factual.
Here is his mailing address
Mark S. Hanson
Presiding Bishop
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
8765 W. Higgins Road
Chicago, IL 60631
Bishop Hanson can be sent an email here.
Other denominations
Under Construction.
Submit Information
If you have information about divestment campaigns in your denomination, please contact Dexter Van Zile at dvz@davidproject.org.
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