July 30, 2007

Churches for Middle East Peace thanks the 34 Christian evangelical leaders who have written President Bush offering support for his efforts to reinvigorate the Israeli-Palestinian peace process and to correct the view that evangelicals are opposed to a two-state solution. The letter, dated July 27, is included below.  It was reported in the New York Times on Sunday, July 30.

CMEP's June 2007 newsletter, "Christian Advocates Compete for Ear, and Heart, of Policymakers," explained the Christian Zionist approach of Christians United for Israel and provided background information on evangelical support for Israeli-Palestinian peacemaking, including the efforts of Ron Sider, President of Evangelicals for Social Action who lead the letter-to-the-President initiative.

Corinne Whitlatch, CMEP's director, called Ron Sider this morning with appreciation for this important evidence of public support among evangelicals for a fair solution to the conflict and with suggestions for bringing their letter to the attention of members of Congress and other key people in the Administration.

In January of this year, a number of these evangelicals joined Orthodox, Catholic and mainline Protestant church leaders in a letter organized by CMEP urging President Bush to make Israeli-Palestinian peacemaking an urgent priority. 

 
 
Full Text and Signers of Evangelical Leaders' Letter to President Bush

July 27, 2007
President George W. Bush
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Ave NW
Washington DC 20500

Dear Mr. President:

We write as evangelical Christian leaders in the United States to thank you for your efforts (including the major address on July 16) to reinvigorate the Israeli-Palestinian negotiations to achieve a lasting peace in the region. We affirm your clear call for a two- state solution. We urge that your administration not grow weary in the time it has left in office to utilize the vast influence of America to demonstrate creative, consistent and determined U.S. leadership to create a new future for Israelis and Palestinians.  We pray to that end, Mr. President.

We also write to correct a serious misperception among some people including some U.S. policymakers that all American evangelicals are opposed to a two-state solution and creation of a new Palestinian state that includes the vast majority of the West Bank. Nothing could be further from the truth.  We, who sign this letter, represent large numbers of evangelicals throughout the U.S. who support justice for both Israelis and Palestinians. We hope this support will embolden you and your administration to proceed confidently and forthrightly in negotiations with both sides in the region.

As evangelical Christians, we embrace the biblical promise to Abraham: "I will bless those who bless you." (Genesis 12:3). And precisely as evangelical Christians committed to the full teaching of the Scriptures, we know that blessing and loving people (including Jews and the present State of Israel) does not mean withholding criticism when it is warranted.  Genuine love and genuine blessing means acting in ways that promote the genuine and long-term well being of our neighbors. Perhaps the best way we can bless Israel is to encourage her to remember, as she deals with her neighbor Palestinians, the profound teaching on justice that the Hebrew prophets proclaimed so forcefully as an inestimably precious gift to the whole world.

Historical honesty compels us to recognize that both Israelis and Palestinians have legitimate rights stretching back for millennia to the lands of Israel/Palestine. Both Israelis and Palestinians have committed violence and injustice against each other. The only way to bring the tragic cycle of violence to an end is for Israelis and Palestinians to negotiate a just, lasting agreement that guarantees both sides viable, independent, secure states. To achieve that goal, both sides must give up some of their competing, incompatible claims. Israelis and Palestinians must both accept each other's right to exist. And to achieve that goal, the U.S. must provide robust leadership within the Quartet to reconstitute the Middle East roadmap, whose full implementation would guarantee the security of the State of Israel and the viability of a Palestinian State.

We affirm the new role of former Prime Minister Tony Blair and pray that the conference you plan for this fall will be a success.

Mr. President, we renew our prayers and support for your leadership to help bring peace to Jerusalem, and justice and peace for all the people in the Holy Land.

Finally, we would request to meet with you to personally convey our support and discuss other ways in which we may help your administration on this crucial issue.

Sincerely,

Ronald J. Sider, President
Evangelicals for Social Action

Don Argue, President
Northwest University

Raymond J. Bakke, Chancellor
Bakke Graduate University

Gary M. Benedict, President
The Christian & Missionary Alliance

George K. Brushaber, President
Bethel University

Gary M. Burge, Professor
Wheaton College & Graduate School

Tony Campolo, President/Founder
Evangelical Association for the Promotion of Education

Christopher J. Doyle, CEO
American Leprosy Mission

Leighton Ford, President
Leighton Ford Ministries

Daniel Grothe, Pastoral Staff
New Life Church (Colorado Springs)

Vernon Grounds, Chancellor
Denver Seminary

Stephen Hayner, former President
InterVarsity Christian Fellowship

Joel Hunter, Senior Pastor
Northland Church
Member, Executive Committee of the NAE

Jo Anne Lyon, Founder/CEO
World Hope International

Gordon MacDonald, Chair of the Board
World Relief                           

Albert G. Miller, Professor
Oberlin College

Richard Mouw, President
Fuller Theological Seminary

David Neff, Editor
Christianity Today

Glenn R. Palmberg, President
Evangelical Covenant Church

Earl Palmer, Senior Pastor
University Presbyterian Church Seattle

Victor D. Pentz, Pastor
Peachtree Presbyterian Church, Atlanta

John Perkins, President
John M. Perkins Foundation for Reconciliation & Development

Bob Roberts, Jr., Senior Pastor
Northwood Church, Dallas

Leonard Rogers, Executive Director
Evangelicals for Middle East Understanding

Andrew Ryskamp, Executive Director
Christian Reformed World Relief Committee

Chris Seiple, President
Institute for Global Engagement

Robert A. Seiple, Former Ambassador-at-Large,
International Religious Freedom
U.S. State Department

Luci N. Shaw, Author, Lecturer
Regent College, Vancouver

Jim Skillen, Executive Director
Center for Public Justice

Glen Harold Stassen, Professor
Fuller Theological Seminary

Richard Stearns, President
World Vision

Clyde D. Taylor, Former Chair of the Board
World Relief

Harold Vogelaar, Director
Center of Christian-Muslim Engagement for Peace and Justice

Berten Waggoner, National Director
Vineyard USA

by Eileen Fleming (172 articles, 101 quicklinks, 274 diaries, 650 comments [16 recommended, 0 rejected]) on Tuesday, Jul 31, 2007 at 9:04:45 AM

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I do not know what you believe about a strong and unified Israel along side a strong and unified Palestine with distinct governments living side by side where Christians, Jews, Muslims, and anyone else can all live at peace with each other with equal rights, but that is exactly what I hope for in this situation. I understand Palestine will favor Palestinians in some cases and Israel will favor Jews, but they can do this without blatant persecution I would hope

Bush, Likud and Hamas have utterly failed to even try to negotiate peace. Maybe a new Washington Administration elected in November, 2008 will be able to bring these warring parties together.

The worst thing that can happen is that either Hamas or the Jewish settlers get their way at the expense of everyone else.

by pratliff94 (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 972 comments) on Tuesday, Jul 31, 2007 at 1:35:39 PM

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Oh, come, prattliff94, peace? How can you hope for that when you reveal your inner thoughts here , defending such a war crime.

"The only reason this insane hatred for the Jews has not returned is that anyone who seeks to destroy Jews must answer to a state that has sworn that the perpetrators will pay ten times the amount in lives. Hamas kills a Jew, ten belonging to Hamas pays with their lives."

Echoing those who wanted anything but peace:

The Battle for Rome : The Germans, the Allies, the Partisans, and the Pope, September 1943-June 1944 (Hardcover)

One key mission, setting off a bomb on a street known to be part of the daily route followed by some German policemen, results in the deaths of 32 Germans- and results in the infamous reprisal known as the Ardeatine Caves massacre. Hitler was so angered by the attack on the policemen that he wanted 30-50 Italians, per each German killed, to be executed"Cooler heads" prevailed and managed to get the ratio down to 10 to 1

You had best consider your cognitive dissonance and conflicting feelings in this matter, and you hatred for Muslims. I will not say 'hypocricy' because I seriously doubt if you have examined the inconsistencies, and it is not intentional -- but you had best consider it anyway.

by Blue Pilgrim (0 articles, 3 quicklinks, 2 diaries, 997 comments) on Tuesday, Jul 31, 2007 at 8:23:15 PM

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I have noticed your comments times after time always attacking the Jews and never one word attacking the attrocities performed by the Arab radicals. You would not want to lay out the the attacks on Jews by the Arabs and the hideous tortures perpetrated by them on captured Jews before they murdered them along side the attacks on Arabs by the Jews.

I do not hate the Palestinian people or the Arab people. I hate radical Islam and what it has made of them, and the Muslims who do such things as they do.

I notice you have not protested at all about the South Koreans being tortured and put to death by the radical Muslims in Afghanistan. What if  they kill all twenty-two of the unarmed innocents who only went to Afghanistan to help those people, will you not raise up as much indignation against the Taliban as you raise against Israel?

Any people who hide their soldiers among civilians, dress their soldiers as women, brain wash children to be suicide bombers is as evil as evil can get. You know that as does everyone else.

I have spoken against Likud, Sharon, and Jewish settlers. Have you ever spoken a word against the incessant rocket attacks, the suicide bombings  and such that has gone on for sixty years against Israel on all her borders? I guess Jewish children are not as valuable to you as Arab children.

My comment was to Ms. Fleming. I asked her a question. I will ask you the same question:

Do you wish to see a strong Israeli state standing beside a strong independant Palestinian state where Christians, Jews and Muslim are  allowed to go and come without fear of murder? Do you wish to only see a Muslim state where no Israel exists? I want both states. How about you, Mr. Blue Pilgrim?

One other thing Mr. Blue Pilgrim, your illustration of the happening in Rome fails on two or three levels: first of all the Germans were in Rome as conquerors and had no business serving as policemen in Italy; second, the Jews had to make this decision even before statehood because those attacking them outnumbered them more than a hundred to one. They learned that those who would kill civilians with relish only respect absolute force in return. It is why they do not bargain with hostages. If the Taliban kills the twenty-two South Koreans, then the Afghans should execute about two hundred and twenty Taliban prisoners to show them this murdering innocents does not pay. It is the duty of the state to protect its citizens and put fear into the lawless.

Ever wonder why Sadaam Husein was so ruthless? If he had  not been so ruthless, he would have had an Iraq like we have known since his overthrow with Sunni killing Shiites and Shiites murdering Sunnis by the hundreds of thousands. We took the lid off of a powder keg and the worst has not happened yet; it wil happen when the United States leaves them to fight it out among themselves. In a strange and peculiar way, Sadaam was the good guy among all the actors in this staged tragedy.

by pratliff94 (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 972 comments) on Tuesday, Jul 31, 2007 at 10:48:22 PM

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I have attacked the zionists -- they are NOT the same. In fact I have also attacked the Christian Zionists. (Does that hit home for you?)

The Israelis have killed and tortured far more Palestinians than the reverse, and I know abou that, so don't even think about going there.

And agin you bring up Muslims in Afghanistan -- which nothing to do with Palestine -- excpet they happen to be Muslims -- and you group all Muslims together: the very hallmark of religious bigotry. The Taliban has NOTHING to do with Hamas, and yet you try to link them together. That's either just cheap propaganda or profound ignorance.

"I guess Jewish children are not as valuable to you as Arab children." This is an utterly outrageous and insulting accusation on your part!! It is a personal attack on me, and no others will be tolerated.  

I think the only solution at this point is one-state -- a fully democratic state, not a theocracy or ethnocracy.

You say "If the Taliban kills the twenty-two South Koreans, then the Afghans should execute about two hundred and twenty Taliban prisoners to show them this murdering innocents does not pay. It is the duty of the state to protect its citizens and put fear into the lawless."

That, sir, is a WAR CRIME which are advocating!! It is collective punishment and expressly forbidden by the Geneva Conventions and international law. You should not dare ever call yourself a liberal, a religious person, or an advocate of peace again. You are as much of a war monger as any I have read.

I was criticizing the Taliban on line in 2001 and saying they were dangerous when they tore down statues of Bhudda (before I even had regular internet access, but only dial-up email).

I have criticized all terrorists and war criminals -- but you know -- Israel is SUPPOSED to be nation, and is SUPPOSED to be democratic. One should expect more from a nation -- with the one of the largest militaries in the world, and nuclear weapons,  than from a rag-tag collection of resistance fighters: one should expect it to be lawful and compliant with UN resolutions -- instead Israel is a terrorist state, and it is Israel which has the ability to solve the problem -- but it has steadfastly refused to do so over the years. Israel, as a nation, is every bit as evil as the US is in it's agressive and expansionist policies. Israel is in Palestine as conquerors, and illegally so.

"Ever wonder why Sadaam Husein was so ruthless? If he had  not been so ruthless, he would have had an Iraq like we have known since his overthrow with Sunni killing Shiites and Shiites murdering Sunnis by the hundreds of thousands."

You understand nothing of Iraq or the role of the US, which fomented the political differences under the cover of the relgious difference which had been lying dormant for many, many decades. Do you know nothing of this instigation and divied-and-conquer tactics by the US, which it has done in so many other places -- and even using the same Negroponte who worked Central America for that purpose? Saddam was never a good guy -- he was an effective instrument of US policy for a time, until he turned against the US. His basic character was that of a medieval king: he wanted a happy people and successful nation, but also absolute control -- and in line with that he had his dungeons, tortureres and execution squads, just as any other medieval king. The US did not 'take the lid off a powder keg'; it created the powder keg. It created the dictatorship in Iran under the Shah, and so too, then, the current tyrannical theocracy there -- for oil! The US supplied help to both sides of the Eight Year War to weaken both, and exert control in the region. It also led Saddam on in attacking Quwait, which was originally part of Iraqi territory, and also slant drilling under Iraqi land.

For God's sake, Ratliff -- learn some history!!! Learn what you are talking about. And literally for God's sake, stop advocating the commission of war crimes!! Straighten you head (and your heart) out.

by Blue Pilgrim (0 articles, 3 quicklinks, 2 diaries, 997 comments) on Tuesday, Jul 31, 2007 at 11:50:22 PM

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Questions requiring ANSWERS:

1. Where is the title deed to the Holy Land? In the Jewish Scriptures? Which one? Is it the Torah? Yes? Which VERSION? Written by who? By human beings hundreds of years after Moses, by yet unknown and undeclared scribes? Or is it the Talmud written during the Babylonian captivity by the captives?

2. The title deed was stolen and destroyed by Nebuchadnasser? Was it replaced by the God's Property Registration Office at a later date? Where is this Replacement?

3. The Romans took it and destroyed it? Did God's Property Registration Office issue a 2nd replacement title deed? No, they didn't and it was Sykes and Picoe who issued the 2nd replacement? Was it the United Nations which authenticated the 2nd replacement? But, is this 2nd replacement issued by God's Property Registration Office in the Heavens?

4. Why after 60 years of Forced Possession of the Property awarded by the 2nd replacement title deed, this very title deed still lacks any officially declared limits to this Property, like from here to here and from from there to there? Like, lengths and breadths? Or is this British-French-United Nations title deed an open ended title deed? If so, isn't it the one and only title deed of its kind in the history of mankind?

5. If Israel is a STATE and as claimed, the ONLY DEMOCRACY in its neighbourhood, then how come this State cum Democracy does not have a Constitution even after 60 years of its claimed statehood and democracy?

6. Does all the above have to do with the Chosen Race and hence, being above all HUMAN LAWS? May be! Or does it have to with Western Atonement for what the White Ultra-Christian Nazis did to them? Wouldn't have been cleverer for the Israelis to ask for Jew York (oops New York) or the marshes & wetlands of Florida? Wasn't the magnanimity of the Americans their's for the asking?   

by syed mahdi (1 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 156 comments [17 recommended, 0 rejected]) on Wednesday, Aug 1, 2007 at 6:09:22 AM

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