Jews must resist Missionizing by Church

[muman613]

The Catholic Church has taken another step backward in relations with the Jewish people.

A new document published by the Church encourages 'interfaith dialogue' to be used to attempt to missionize the Jewish people. The Church recently reinstituted a prayer which requested G-d to convert the Jews to Christianity.  The Church will not cease till they convert all Jews...

Please stay away from interfaith dialogue {with the Catholic Church} as this will be used to attempt to convert you.


http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/133063

US Jews Enraged by Catholic Document Urging Missionizing of Jews
Elul 4, 5769, 24 August 09 12:33
by Malkah Fleisher

(Israelnationalnews.com) A June document issued by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), suggesting that interfaith dialogue conducted by Catholics with Jews should be used as an opportunity to missionize them, has disturbed and infuriated American Jews from all streams of practice.

Entitled "A Note On Ambiguities Contained In Reflections On Covenant And Mission", the document references a 2002 missive on the topic of interfaith dialogue with the Jews written in coordination with the National Council of Synagogues by an advisory group to the USCCB's Committee on Ecumentical and Interreligious Affairs.

The old document, although it affirmed missionary work in general and stated that interfaith dialogue could be "mutually enriching," specifically stated that Jews should not be sought for conversion, as they serve a purpose as "Jewish witnesses".

However, the "Note on Ambiguities" revokes these understandings. In the new document, USCCB  Bishops assert the centrality of missionary work to Catholic doctrine and suggest a finite divine covenant with the Jews: "The long story of God's intervention in the history of Israel comes to its unsurpassable culmination in Jesus Christ, who is God become man."  According to the document, "we also believe that the fulfillment of the covenants, indeed, of all God's promises to Israel, is found only in Jesus Christ."

The American Jewish world has erupted in response to the "Note on Ambiguities", with several organizations uniting to reply with "serious concern."

Signed on August 18 by the American Jewish Committee, Anti-Defamation League (ADL), National Council of Synagogues, Orthodox Union, and Rabbinical Council of America, a letter posted on the ADL website says the "Note on Ambiguities" "engendered both uncertainty and considerable disappointment with respect to the position maintained by the Church and its spokespersons," with "invitations" to become Christian making Jewish participation in dialogue with the Church "untenable".

While Pope John Paul II often spoke of a covenant "never revoked," the "Note on Ambiguities" seems to annul that position, with a harder-line stance on conversion being taken by new Pope Benedict XVI.

[Lewinsky Stinks, Dr. Brennan Rocks]

This is alright.

[Moijea]

Seems to me they have it a little backwards, . . . the Bible says that WE (Christians) are the branches and are grafted into YOU (Jews) who are the Root, not the other way around. Sheesh.

[Kahane-Was-Right BT]

Any jew who is even slightly self-respecting, would not fall for the church's advances.  That is why orthodox Jews largely see this sort of stuff as irrelevant.   It's no danger.   But to the clueless assimilationists who don't know what Judaism is, I guess they are in trouble.

[Kahane-Was-Right BT]

This is alright.

No, it ain't.

[The One and Only Mo]

The Muslims try to kill us physically, and the Christians try to kill us spiritually. Hundreds of years ago the Christians tried both. It's a shame they didn't succeed in wiping out the Muslims.

[Moshe92]

Any jew who is even slightly self-respecting, would not fall for the church's advances.  That is why orthodox Jews largely see this sort of stuff as irrelevant.   It's no danger.   But to the clueless assimilationists who don't know what Judaism is, I guess they are in trouble.

I think Jews are more likely to convert to Catholicism because of the influence of people they know rather than because of what a figure such as the Pope says. It says on wikipedia that Robert Novak converted to Catholicism after some political consultant gave him books on Catholicism and that Larry Kudlow converted to Catholicism because a priest urged him to do so when he was in rehab because of his drug and alcohol addictions.

[Kahane-Was-Right BT]

Any jew who is even slightly self-respecting, would not fall for the church's advances.  That is why orthodox Jews largely see this sort of stuff as irrelevant.   It's no danger.   But to the clueless assimilationists who don't know what Judaism is, I guess they are in trouble.

I think Jews are more likely to convert to Catholicism because of the influence of people they know rather than because of what a figure such as the Pope says.

I do agree with you there.   But I guess if the pope encourages everyday people to push conversion on Jews they know.... that's problematic.   

[Moshe92]

Any jew who is even slightly self-respecting, would not fall for the church's advances.  That is why orthodox Jews largely see this sort of stuff as irrelevant.   It's no danger.   But to the clueless assimilationists who don't know what Judaism is, I guess they are in trouble.

I think Jews are more likely to convert to Catholicism because of the influence of people they know rather than because of what a figure such as the Pope says.

I do agree with you there.   But I guess if the pope encourages everyday people to push conversion on Jews they know.... that's problematic.   

You're right about that.

[Moshe92]

This is alright.

No, it ain't.

Bonesfan meant that the way Muman posted the topic was alright, not that missionizing is alright.

[Kahane-Was-Right BT]

This is alright.

No, it ain't.

Bonesfan meant that the way Muman posted the topic was alright, not that missionizing is alright.

oh.

[Lewinsky Stinks, Dr. Brennan Rocks]

No, it ain't.

No, no no, there was an original version of this thread that Muman edited and he asked me if it is better now.

[muman613]

Listen to Rabbi Tovia Singer, the Rosh Yeshiva of Arutz Sheva radio...

http://www.israelnationalnews.com/Radio/News.aspx/1343

In a no-holds-barred interview, Professor James D. Tabor, Chair of the Department of Religious Studies at the University of North Carolina, explains that despite what had come to be seen as progress based on the 1965 Second Vatican Council declaration, the latest statement from the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops reveals that the Catholic Church stands firm in its historic position that Christianity has superseded and thus effectively replaced Judaism. Accordingly, the historic Christian insistence on the “conversion of Jews” remains central to the Roman Catholic Church’s mission, despite any progress in ecumenical dialogue and exchange between Rabbis and the Church