FW: Advent Boycott Bethlehem?- the power of the pocketbook to create social change

[Louisa Davis]

I think the UCP not yet born “peace advocacy team” should consider advertising this boycott around the church and Reston.  

Larry Walt or Art, will you forward to members of the Israel travel “ministry” group? Any other peace-loving folks at UCP?

Anyone want to join me and Code Pink in DC today, 4-7ish, hugging veterans and trying to stop war on ISIS at the big Veterans concert this afternoon.  Then there is a teach-in on Syria/ISIS at Peace Center.  Have already seen Springsteen a few times....but you could stay.

BTW Starbucks offered  me a free cup of coffee when I announced that I was a veteran of at least a dozen anti-war protests today...

Just Louisa
11330 Dockside Circle
Reston, VA 20191

H) 703/860-1203
C) 240/338-5156

“Justice is what love looks like in public.”
                                                            --Cornel West


------ Forwarded Message
From: "Presbyterian Church (USA) Office of Public Witness" <ga_washing...@pcusa.org>
Reply-To: "Presbyterian Church (USA) Office of Public Witness" <ga_washing...@pcusa.org>
Date: Tue, 11 Nov 2014 11:31:09 -0500
To: Louisa Davis <louisa...@verizon.net>
Subject: During Advent Consider Boycott - the power of the pocketbook to create social change

 

 

Dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ,
 
As we enter into the season of Advent, we will soon begin our spiritual journeys with Mary and with Joseph, from Nazareth to Bethlehem. Our scripture lessons will tell us of Joseph returning to his hometown, of the crowded inn and of the miraculous night in the stable, of the birth of our Savior.


Yet if Joseph and Mary were to attempt that 80 mile journey today they would find themselves traveling over a land scarred by checkpoints and roadblocks. They would be two among the many current victims of the occupation of the West Bank. The Bethlehem to which they travelled has become a city in isolation, hemmed in by the barrier wall separating the West Bank from the rest of Israel, one community among many which suffers from the deep and deadly divisions in Israel/Palestine.


As Christians, when we gather to celebrate Jesus’ birth we affirm our belief that Jesus calls us to a new way of life, a new way of living with our neighbors, a new way of resolving our conflicts. We are reminded of our call to be peacemakers in all areas of our lives, including our economic lives. Responding to that call, the 220th General Assembly of the PC(USA) (2012) endorsed “a boycott of all Israeli products coming from the occupied Palestinian Territories.” The boycott was chosen as a non-violent strategy for working toward an end to the divisions in Israel/Palestine which separate God’s children one from another.


This action is a response to a call by Palestinian civil society, including Palestinian Christians, as well as many in the Israeli Jewish community who are committed to a just peace. Israeli settlements have been built and continue to be built on Palestinian territory in violation of international law. Palestinian villagers are regularly displaced, their property confiscated, their crops destroyed. The companies covered by this boycott operate from facilities in the West Bank constructed on illegally occupied land. When we support these companies with our consumer dollars, we contribute to the funding of the occupation. Our intent, with this action, is to publicly remove any such support, using economic pressure to encourage all companies profiting from the occupation to change their business practices and to use their influence to support a genuine peace marked by an end to the occupation.


The General Assembly sees this boycott as an effort in support of all Palestinians and all Israelis. The current conflict is a daily threat to the health and safety of all who live in the region and the danger will not end without an end to the occupation. We invite you to join us in prayer for our political leaders as they work along other avenues to find peace with justice and we enthusiastically support Palestinians and Israelis who work together for a non-violent resolution.


What can churches and congregants do? We can educate ourselves about the ongoing situation in Israel/Palestine and the reasons behind the General Assembly’s decision to adopt the boycott. We can add our names and the names of our churches as endorsers of the boycott. We can spread the word of the boycott to sisters and brothers in our communities. (The Presbyterian Mission Agency has a web page with resources and information on how to get involved - www.pcusa.org/boycott <http://www.pcusa.org/boycott>  and you can download the Office of Public Witness Resource here) <http://www.presbyterianmission.org/site_media/media/uploads/washington/pdfs/holy_discontentment_boycott.pdf>


And always, we can and must pray, believing that God’s purposes for creation are never realized through violence and oppression. We can live in hope that we can one day lift up our voices with the angels in singing “Peace on Earth. Goodwill to all.”
 
In the faith we share,
 
Rev. Dr. J. Herbert Nelson
Director
Office of Public Witness
Presbyterian Church (USA)

Rev. Mark Koenig
Director
Presbyterian Ministry at the United Nations
Presbyterian Church (USA)

 

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[Ray Wedell]

"BTW Starbucks offered  me a free cup of coffee when I announced that I was a veteran of at least a dozen anti-war protests today..."

I am reminded of the famous sermon by MLK on April 4, 1967, "Time to Break the Silence", in which he cam out strongly against the War in VietNam. His supporters for the most part counseled against it. They loved the easy access to the White House, the fact that they were becoming well known in the civil rights movement, the feeling of being holier than thou and men and women of such importance. But Dr. King spoke anyway, and in fact, regretted not speaking out much earlier on the matter.

I bring this to the forefront because I have also kept very silent on so many of the proclamations made over the past few years by our Just Us committee and the small cadre of people seemingly guiding church policy who claim to have such a high moral standard, and who couch everything they say carefully in God's name, always claiming to be the cross bearers of justice. Always declaring what church policy should be, and saying that is how God would want it. Always reminding us all how holy they are, certainly more in touch with God than someone like myself. Beginning all proclamations with preambles such as "Brothers and Sisters in Christ", or similar, to set the tone that what I am about to read is directly handed down to them by the Lord, and that their kind offering to share how I must lead my life and what I must believe should be welcomed and cherished with great thanks.

But the sad truth is that the overwhelming majority of these declarations are not driven by spiritual embraces. They are not at all religious, and certainly not the product of any open mind or heart. They are secular political leanings, with the few perpetrators cloaking themselves in higher moral authority and deeper religious and "Christian" standing which they claim that I (and others) can ever attain. They write in soft and sensitive prose, carefully inserting the Lord's name in vain to shield themselves from any questioning or analysis, religious or otherwise. It all serves a great purpose: a never-ending status quo of internal power; the ability to proudly declare moral authority and proclaim infidel status on anyone who opposes or questions them. And we wonder why the church as an institution is in decline, why authenticity is something from a different era.

There are several outstanding churches and preachers in the world today; none of them embark on this self-righteous path I see and hear at UCP, nor from its Just Us ministry. They are among the few congregations growing, attracting people of all ages, and creating community outreach which is deep and steady. They are highly educated, humble, open-minded, and unconcerned with being seen as standard-bearers for righteous superiority. Their influence grows, and their churches have become "churches without walls". I have passed on exceptional sermons and recommended brief snippets from these giants to many people at UCP....with one minor exception, I have yet to receive any indication that any of you have even listened to a word. In fact, in lending out 4 different CDs, I have never even received one back. This I consider sad; this I consider closed mindedness.

But I digress.

The final straw is this latest email, with an announcement that a certain person is so holy and so good that Starbucks even gives her a free coffee for being a professional demonstrator. Please don't break your arm patting yourself on the back. I can only dream of being so self-righteous.

This call to follow an amazingly misguided mandate from the General Assembly of the PC (called by some the "General Assembly of the Politically Correct") is yet another another top-down cram down of antiquated political belief, not-so-cleverly disguised as a "call for peace" and something "handed down to us by God." How vain.

The call for an economic boycott of companies in Israel is beyond simple-minded, even if the goal to which it claims to achieve was legitimate and truly heart felt. In today's world, this is not only insane, but a statement that you want to join forces with the rapidly reinvigorated forces of anti-semitism gripping the world today. To suggest that this become a UCP policy and we should "educate people" on the issue is also an outrage. While seeking to educate people, does that include making sure everyone listens to the exceptional presentation made by Israeli Prime Minister Netanayu before the UN? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KX3NFuBO_6Y.

Of course not...... although a truly intelligent and open-minded, God fearing, person would listen to every last word and do so in an inquisitive (not pre-judged) manner, I am sure this speech will be buried because it does not fit your pre-packaged formula. 

For those who have no patience to listen to the Prime Minister's 34 minute presentation, simply start at 22:30 and go to 25:00. Just two and one-half minutes. Think about what he is saying here.

The letter referenced by Reverend Herbert Nelson is quite touching. It also presents a picture of Mary and Joseph's journey in a way which has me saying, "Are you kidding me?"  

"... if Joseph and Mary were to attempt that 80 mile journey today they would find themselves traveling over a land scarred by checkpoints and roadblocks. They would be two among the many current victims of the occupation of the West Bank. The Bethlehem to which they travelled has become a city in isolation, hemmed in by the barrier wall separating the West Bank from the rest of Israel, one community among many which suffers from the deep and deadly divisions in Israel/Palestine." Anyone with a cursory knowledge of the times knows that tyranny was rampant in the land, the journey was dangerous, the enemies wanted Jesus dead. Soon after this, Joseph fled to Egypt. But no, revisionist history now has the Middle East as a former place of love and compassion, and that the Israelites have turned it into a destitute, war-torn land? Stop, already. Intelligent human beings aren't buying this.

It is time that everyone go through a major "reset", as my good friend, pastor, and mentor is doing today. Stop with the secular speeches disguised as spiritual outreach. Start getting into the guts of the Bible and concentrate on how it can improve the lives of each person and those around us, rather than grabbing sound bites from the great Book to justify political beliefs and promote a personal agenda. 

I am also very close friends with many people in the Jewish community. Most consider the UPC attacks a personal affront. Most agree with me, that the Judeo-Christian ethic should be a positive driving force in society, and something will be greatly lost if Christians and Jews create these chasms where there should be bridges. Asking me to join forces with a feel-good, politically-motivated "economic boycott" which, if effective, would have its largest damage among those you are proclaiming to want to protect, is either sheer lunacy, or an attempt to be seen on a moral mountaintop. To follow this lead is to drive a wedge between our Jewish brethren and ourselves, all with a purpose  of supporting the status quo, supporting the scribes who expect even misguided proclamations to be followed without question.  Either way, I don't walk with you in this lane. I resent that you proclaim that the congregation be sheep and follow you blindly.

It is clear that there is no end to these proclamations, and that the official UCP positions in the future will continue to be straight from the archives of the Berkeley-based classic periodical "Ramparts." It will not be Christ-based (although the name of Christ will be used liberally). It will not be spiritual. It will not motivate large groups of people to learn more about the Lord, and how their own personal lives can be enriched by studying the Bible and being in the company of people who seek the same level of spiritual enlightenment. 

I have no problem with you sharing my comments with all at UCP, but I ask a common  courtesy which was lost long ago: Do Not Spread My Word in Selective Sound Bites. If you are not willing to share 100% of the text, share none of it.

Thank you.

----Ray Wedell

"From: "Davis, Louisa" <louisa...@verizon.net>

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[Sandy]

Thank you Ray. I listened to the entire UN speech. Netanyahu's points seem valid in my mind. Thank you for sharing that link. 

Sandy Derr

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[Ray wedell]

Thank you Sandy.

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