Evangelism Threatened In Israel <<2>>
Doc Tavish
Please note the following info is historical and is NOT a present concern.
There are still movements in Israel to have the following happen for real.
Doc Tavish
http://www.freedomsring.com/israel1.html
[Link active January 13, 2000]
Evangelism Threatened In Israel
Two members of the Israeli Parliament (the Knesset) have introduced a bill that
would eliminate evangelistic outreach in Israel. Bill 174c bans the possession,
distribution, import, sharing or advertising of materials that attempt to induce
religious conversion. Any such material would be subject to immediate confiscation
if the bill became law.
The bill is specifically aimed at Messianic groups -- Jews who practice the Jewish
faith but believe that Jesus is the Messiah. It would prohibit the distribution of the
New Testament and any sort of evangelistic literature. Although Prime Minister
Netanyahu opposes the bill, he has not made any sort of effort to stop its passage.
According to current estimates the bill has enough votes to pass.
[...]
This is a list of the most important Knesset Members to contact:
{Do NOT contact these people now. This issue is over! We all know that it
will surface again. BTW does anyone see any "Gentile" names amongst
these Neo-Pharisees? Doc Tavish comment}
Ehud Barak
Ranan Cohen
Michael Eitan
David Levi
Eliezer Zandenburg
Rafael Eitan
Natan Sharanski
Roman Bronfman
Salach Salim
Yehuda Harel
Avigdor Alohev Deraosha
Rachbam Zeevi
Haim Aaroni
Dedi Zucher
Yosi Sarid
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http://forerunner.com/lci/X0004_Czech_Republic.html
[Link active January 13, 2000]
Czech Republic
World Congress of Families
by Gary Mc Cullough
Prague - A new "anti-missionary law has been proposed in Israel. The law was
passed in a preliminary reading before the Knesset by a margin of 21 to 7. The
law, which has now been referred to committee for possible revisions before
being submitted to a full Knesset, will have to pass three readings before becoming
law.
The bill makes it illegal "to hold, print, copy, distribute or hand out any kind of
literature in which there is any form of an effort to persuade another to change
his religion." On an even more ominous note, some lawmakers, during the
reading of the bill made comments suggesting they intended to enact laws in the
future which would outlaw all "Messianic" organizations and activity in Israel.
Messianic Jewish and Christian groups in Israel have called for a campaign to
publicize the situation and to persuade lawmakers that it could result in a public
relations disaster for Israel.
The bill has caused deep foreboding as its terms are vague and wide-ranging.
It does not specify what kind of material is referred to or what kind of possession
would be illegal. Distribution could include personal letters, gifts and bibles. Pray
for the Christians of Israel. (source- Middle East Digest)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Excerpts from: http://www.deja.com/getdoc.xp?AN=324814177&fmt=text
From: doc_t...@nonspam.bigfoot.com (Doc Tavish)
Subject: Am I Hateful Because I Tell and Show The Truth That Anyone Can See?
Date: 13 Feb 1998 00:00:00 GMT
http://www.messiah.net/congressional.html
[Link active January 13, 2000]
WHAT IS BEING PROPOSED IN ISRAEL'S KNESSET?
Moshe Gafni (Torah Judaism Party) and Nissim Zvili (Secretary General
of the Labor Party) have co-sponsored the following bill which will be
voted on by Israel's entire Knesset:
PROHIBITION OF INDUCEMENT FOR RELIGIOUS CONVERSION #174C
A. Whoever possesses contrary to the law or prints or copies or
distributes or shares or imports tracts or advertises things in which
there is an inducement for religious conversion is punishable by one
year imprisonment.
B. Any tract or advertisement in which there is inducement to
religious conversion will be confiscated.
WHAT DOES THIS BILL MEAN TO EVANGELICAL CHRISTIANS AND
TO MESSIANIC JEWS?
1. Any Evangelical Christian, Arab Christian or Messianic Jew that
possesses evangelistic materials or verbally shares his or her faith
will be liable to be punished by one year's imprisonment. This could
also occur for passing out a tract or giving an Israeli a New
Testament. It could also include the act of photocopying a tract,
printing or handing a Jew any publication which promotes the Name of
Yeshua (Jesus).
2. If an Israeli or tourist produces or brings into Israel any
Evangelistic materials, whether in print, audio or video form, the
Government will confiscate all such materials immediately.
Although not written into this bill, Nissim Zvili, its co-sponsorer,
indicated his future intentions are to criminalize any institutions
and activites in Israel which have Evangelism as one of their main
intentions.
HOW MUCH SUPPORT DOES THIS AMENDMENT HAVE?
This "Anti-missionary" bill has passed its preliminary reading in the
Knesset by a vote of 21 to 7 and has been referred to committee for
possible amendments before being resubmitted to the full Knesset.
(Translator's note: The term "missionary" as used in this context
refers to ANY individual who engages in attempts to persuade others to
his personal religious viewpoint.)
This bill also has the backing of two very prominent Israelis: Finance
Minister Yoram Meridor and Ehud Barak, who may be the Labor Party's
next Candidate for Prime Minister of Israel.
According to the Israeli Government Press Office, which canvassed the
Knesset, 78 Members (out of 120 Members) stated that they WOULD
support the bill. This includes the active support of ALL the Orthodox
Jewish Parties totaling 23 Members.
Consequently, regardless of what Prime Minister Netanyahu, Israeli
Consulates or Government officials say, it is not likely that this
amendment co-sponsored by the Orthodox Parties and Labor will be
defeated unless a great worldwide outcry of "Human Rights Abuse" is
raised!
HAS THE PERSECUTION INCREASED EVEN BEFORE THE
AMENDMENT IS PASSED?
Baruch Maoz, Chairman of Israel's Messianic Action Committee, writes:
"The mere proposal of the Law has already created an atmosphere...
Andrei Milesh, who completed his basic training with honors and was
assigned to a crack unit of the Israeli army, has been removed from
his unit because 'it was discovered that he converted to (some form
of) Christianity' - as if to say that Christians are second class
citizens who are not to be trusted in battle-worthy units of the army.
"Earlier on, the police (armed with an illegal search warrant) broke
into a meeting of Messianic believers in Kiryat Gat, confiscated
Bibles and Evangelistic materials which were returned only following a
stern protest from the United Christian Council in Israel. Other
materials confiscated in Haifa have not yet been returned.
"The Bible Society and Torch Christian Bookshops in Jerusalem have
been threatened by unknown persons that, unless they desist from
evangelism, they will be burnt down!"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
http://www.webcom.com/endtime/etforum2/Read/157.html
[Link NO longer active but wqs active at time of original posting]
Last week the Knesset gave preliminary approval to a new
"Anti-missionary" bill. According to the Hebrew daily "HaAretz", the
bill, co-sponsored by Moshe Gafni (Torah Judaism Party) and Nissim
Zvili (Labor Party) would make the printing and the distribution of
materials intended to persuade individuals to change their religion
illegal. The bill was passed in its preliminary reading by a vote of
21 to 7. It will now to be referred to committee. After any committee
changes it must be resubmitted to the full Knesset and pass three
readings before becoming law. The bill also contains provisions making
the current non-profit Messianic Jewish organizations in the country
(i.e. assemblies, colleges and other organizations) illegal.
It sounds as if this bill attempts to effectively stamp out any
Messianic Jewish witness or even public existence in the country.
[Sounds exactly like what the Bolsheviks did 80 years ago! Tavish]
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
http://www.ifa-usapray.org/onwatch-jul16.html
[Link active January 13, 2000]
INTERCESSORS FOR AMERICA ONLINE
[ ... ]
ON FOREIGN FRONTS
ANTI-MISSIONARY BILL IN ISRAEL KNESSET OPPOSED BY NETANYAHU,
PUSHED BY ORTHODOX - Intense protest and pressure has built around
the "anti-missionary" bill which would outlaw overt evangelism in Israel. The
bill is in the process of a series of "readings" before being voted on
in Israel's parliament, the Knesset. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu
and his media advisor have now taken public stands against the
measure. Orthodox Jewish parties have presented the bill as an
instrument of "national survival," putting intense pressure on Knesset
Members to vote in favor of passage. Protestant evangelism and an open
verbal and written witness of Christ as Messiah by Messianic Jews in
Israel would be outlawed.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
http://www.imb.org/imb/news/story.cfm?id=90
[Link active January 13, 2000]
Released to Baptist Press: 6/13/97
Netanyahu promises opposition to "anti-missionary" proposal
By Marty Croll
RICHMOND, Va. (BP)--Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has
assured evangelical Christians his government will defeat a proposed
bill to outlaw certain methods of evangelism.
Dubbed the "anti-missionary law," it has triggered an outpouring of
opposition from inside and outside of Israel. It was introduced as a
private members' bill after the government committee that represents
Netanyahu's ruling coalition refused to support it. It passed in its
first of four readings with scarcely a fourth of the legislature, the
Knesset, voting.
"The government strenuously objects to this bill and will act to
ensure that it does not pass," Netanyahu said in a letter to Elwood
McQuaid, executive director of the U.S.-based Friends of Israel.
"Israel deeply values your support and that of Christians throughout
the United States," he added.
Netanyahu's statement puts to rest the question of whether he actually
intends -- on this issue -- to stand by internationally accepted
standards of free speech and the Israeli declaration of independence.
His resolve pits him against radical Jewish parties he needs in his
government coalition to maintain a ruling majority.
That still leaves open the possibility that, even without his support,
proponents of the restrictions could garner enough votes on the floor
of the Knesset to push the bill through.
Or, as many insiders believe, Orthodox parties will use the proposal
to test political waters, then later press such restrictions in the
courts. Or they could even present the bill again during a future
crisis of Netanyahu's government and require passage as a condition
for their staying in and saving Netanyahu's majority coalition.
The proposal touches the heart of a greater struggle in Israel today:
a religious war waged by a minority of Jews to control a largely
non-religious and secular-minded society. Another measure they have
introduced would strip Reform and Conservative Jews of the status that
Orthodox Jews hold within Israel.
Israeli Orthodox parties have threatened to withhold support from
Netanyahu -- and thus bring down his government -- if that bill is not
approved.
The anti-missionary law would alter Israel's penal code to prohibit
"inducement for religious conversion" and sets a one-year jail term
for "whoever possesses contrary to the law or prints or imports tracts
or publishes things in which there is an inducement for religious
conversion."
Further, the law would authorize the government to confiscate "any
tract or advertisement in which there is inducement to religious
conversion." An explanation accompanying the law states that "the
state of Israel, in the framework of the existing laws, is opposed to
any missionary seduction to convert religion ...."
"Missionary" means any individual who tries to persuade others to
change their religious viewpoint. The bill expands an "anti-bribery
law" already on the books outlawing the use of material gain to induce
a person to change religions.
Human rights advocates oppose the bill because it disregards Israel's
May 14, 1948, declaration of independence. In that document, written
in the years after the Holocaust drove Jews from Europe, Israel
promises to "uphold the full social and political equality of all its
citizens without distinction of race, creed or sex," and to "guarantee
full freedom of conscience (and) worship."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
While all of the above is news dated from June and July of 1997 it is
still relevant in showing anti-Christian stances made by a Socialist
government of Israel.
Doc Tavish