Antisemitism, that is what we call it, Kanye…
Ye, the nascent anti-Semite that is, not ‘you’ plural.
So listen up, Ye, Yeshua bar Notzri, translated as Jesus of Nazareth, was a Jew. And you are in desperate need of a few facts.
He was born a Jew, of the seed of Father Abraham. When He was crucified, Jesus was still a Jew.
Jesus of Nazareth was brought up in the religion and culture of Second Temple Judaism. He became one of that faith’s most ‘interesting’ rabbis and prophets.
Jesus was not a Christian, as a man can hardly become his own follower.
He did not directly establish a religion known as Christianity. Instead, He left the task of spreading the message of salvation (and inclusion of the Gentiles in the New Covenant) to the Apostles and their own disciples who would carry that onward.
So, Ye or Kanye, you-Gentile-you, do you name that Name above all names?
Then you name a Jew. Live with it! But more importantly, Ye, live for it!
P.S.: I note in this morning’s 1440 Digest that you and your entourage were escorted out of the Skechers Headquarters over filming in the interior during an unannounced visit. Perhaps it was only that. But I would have evicted you as well.
ANOTHER ANTISEMITE CLOSER TO HOME
The Rev. Herman Otten is a name recognized by every Lutheran clergyman since the 1960s. He was the biggest pain-in-the-soul to everyone he did not regard as “orthodox” as himself. In the mid-1980s he became a Holocaust denier, and via his newspaper “Christian News” spread that message for years. He passed away sometime just before I noticed one of his admirers in contact with a lay leader of one of our congregations. I was having none of it, and communicated with the Archbishop after forwarding links associated with the posts containing horrid anti-Semitic graphics and more. Then I composed the following resolution for consideration and adoption at our next synod assembly. The content is edited as dated, and references to identify the offending clergyman are removed (repentance and amendment is open to everyone at all times).
But there is more. The communication began on a Thursday in Passover, 2019. I composed the resolution that Friday and finished it on Saturday morning, April 27. Then I turned on the television.
I stood there stunned for a moment, in full realization of learning that while I finished the resolution, a youthful gunman was on his way to the Chabad Synagogue in Poway, California, to open fire on a Jewish congregation, killing one woman and injuring three more including the rabbi. The resolution is here:
“30 April, 2019
David+, ArchPresbyter in the West,
To the Archbishop, Bishops, fellow Presbyters, Deacons and leading Laypeople of the Lutheran Church – International,
Greetings to all who love the Creator of all and who love the personal liberty of each human created in His image…
What follows is a perhaps poorly composed and technically tardy resolution that I wish to have presented to the Annual Synod meeting in July, 2019. The resolution is prompted by the attached link and the events of the last day of the Jewish Passover, 27 April, 2019.
The subject of the resolution is the possible presence of anti-Semitism within our communion and its congregants. I received the link in question in a reply post to a newsletter sent from one of our congregations to a Rev. _______________. ________ is apparently an acolyte of the late Herman Otten, who should need no introduction as the latter has been a thorn-in-the-side of American Lutheranism for half a century and a Holocaust denier for decades.
[paragraph deleted]
After inquiry of Archbishop ++Robert on the prior Thursday about ________, I completed the resolution on Saturday morning, 27 April, not knowing that as I wrote the post, a 19-year-old youth was on his way to a synagogue to murder Jews at worship on that last day of Passover. There was of course no connection whatsoever with _______. But the perpetuation of the Holocaust deniers doubtless contributes to such attacks. Moreover, inclusion and/or tolerance of such within the ranks of a Christian communion is beyond reason.
Therefore I ask that the following resolution be considered by the Lutheran Church – International at the Synod Assembly this coming July :
“Whereas, the Prophet Yeshua bar Notzri, known to the Christian religion and to the English-speaking world as Jesus of Nazareth, was born a Jew and died a Jew as the Four Gospels attest, and,
“Whereas, St. Paul tells us that to the Israelites “belong the sonship, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the worship, and the promises; to them belong the patriarchs, and of their race according to the flesh, is the Christ.” (Roman 9:4-5, RSV), and,
“Whereas, the Jews have suffered frequently and unimaginably throughout history, and a major cause of their persecution may be attributed to western Christianity and the distortion of the Church’s scriptures, and,
“Whereas, even those who deny the Holocaust of the twentieth century are in a state of heresy and their statements and actions are to be condemned, and,
“Whereas, the current rise of anti-Semitism is not limited to two major incidents in the United States of America during the past year, but is currently evident in Europe and elsewhere in the world, and,
“Whereas, the ancillary effects of such incidents extend beyond the Jewish communities proper to:
1. the political employment of these incidents to restrict or to deny the individual rights of others by those in power (e.g. restrictions on the Second Amendment to the U.S. Constitution and on law-abiding owners of firearms), and,
2. the retributive employment of such incidents by terrorists and “alt-right” factions to foster similar incidents against Christians (e,g, Western Rite Easter – Sri Lanka), Muslims (e.g. Jumuah Service,15 March in New Zealand), and they of almost any contrary religious or political persuasion,
Therefore, let it be resolved that,
1. The Lutheran Church – International condemn antisemitism outright and establish this teaching in its basic documents, and,
2. The Lutheran Church – International likewise condemn violence of a religious nature against any and all religions and sects thereof, and,
3. This resolution be read by all clergy, and publicly during all congregational services on Sunday, 29 September, 2019, the eve of which day marks the beginning of Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, 5779.
4. The ten-day self-examination of Rosh Hashanah be commended to all of the brothers and sisters as a time to examine our own attitudes toward others, that in solidarity with the Hebrew children while taking note of the Jewishness of Jesus.
Those responsible for the proper formatting of a resolution may correct my presentation as you wish. If the substance is altered I do desire that I be contacted beforehand.
I regret that I will not be able to attend the Synod gathering again this year due to empirical and economic constraints.
Blessings,
David+ [constitutes my signature]
V. Rev. David L. Rogers” [end of resolution]
I did not hear back about the resolution. The General Synod did pass a resolution the following year concerning racism, including antisemitism.
ARIZONA GRANDMA ARRESTED FOR FEEDING HOMELESS SUES CITY!
We are all too familiar with the Leftist drumbeat that no activity reflective of any religious nature may be conducted on public property. That is, excepting so-called protests and rioting.
But to arrest a 78-year-old grandma for the unspeakable crime of feeding homeless persons encamped there and sleeping God-knows-where in the surroundings?? Norma Thornton of Bullhead City was arrested last March and charged with violating a law against conducting activity for ‘charitable purposes’ on public property. The arresting officer treated her kindly and refused to handcuff her. Hopefully the city might reward the officer as Grandma Norma is suing them only for one dollar as a result. That might have been much worse for them.
The USA Today article https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2022/10/26/woman-arrested-feeding-homeless-sues-bullhead-city-arizona/10608907002/ notes that the city passed the ordinance in 2021. Why would the Bullhead City government pass a bill in the year 2021 against ‘charitable purposes’ in public parks when the Christian grandma had been feeding their homeless four days per week since 2018? Legislation of civil import often contains a ‘grandfathering’ clause of some sort in order to provide for the free service offered to the needy that governments do not. Did the city offer her another location or facility where she might provide food for the homeless? Nope, Grandma, go find somewhere else.
And what had the City Council themselves done to feed the homeless camping in those very parks for as many as three years? Nothing on record. Their law according to the article ‘requires people to obtain a special one-time permit, one Thornton’s attorney says she can’t afford, to share prepared meals with a charitable purpose, and limits the distribution of food to a two-hour window once a month. A location is only allowed to host a “food-sharing event” once a month.’ Too bad for the hungry homeless so beloved by Grandma and her disciples.
But grandmas know how to fight back. And the Bullhead City Council has egg all over its face, such bad press. So give thanks for your reprieve and your inexpensive lesson. After all, it’s only going to cost you a buck… this time.
Fight back! Grandmas teach us how,
Father David+