In a separate part of the document -- a section on cooperation with Jews -- the synod fathers took issue with Jews who use the Bible to justify settlements in the West Bank, which Israel captured in 1967.Bustros should have stopped at "We Christians cannot speak about the promised land for the Jewish people"--but you can't really blame him. Most people with only a passing knowledge of Israel are unaware that the land is not occupied, but disputed--and that Israel's rights to the land are based on legal arguments.
"Recourse to theological and biblical positions which use the Word of God to wrongly justify injustices is not acceptable," the document said.
Many Jewish settlers and right-wing Israelis claim a biblical birthright to the occupied West Bank, which they call Judea and Samaria and regard as a part of historical, ancient Israel given to the Jews by God.
Asked about the passage at a news conference, Greek-Melchite Archbishop Cyrille Salim Bustros, said:
"We Christians cannot speak about the promised land for the Jewish people. There is no longer a chosen people. All men and women of all countries have become the chosen people.
"The concept of the promised land cannot be used as a base for the justification of the return of Jews to Israel and the displacement of Palestinians," he added. "The justification of Israel's occupation of the land of Palestine cannot be based on sacred scriptures."
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2 comments:
Not to mention a Divine Promise.
The Church is in open rebellion against G-d.
And for that it will be punished.
These are most shameful words coming from an organization that claims to represent the unbroken thread of faith back to Jesus Christ himself.
Don't feel ashamed for condemning this pope and his "church." Don't feel guilty about any "anti-Catholicism." Don't confuse it with criticism of Christianity.
The pope needs to dust off his own Bible and work out his OWN salvation with fear and trembling. He is aligning himself and his world-wide flock of trusting souls against the God of Israel. Against the God of his own scriptures.
As a former Catholic, I am more validated every single day concerning my growing uneasiness and eventual abandonment of this political organization that calls itself a church. My own parish priest denied his "blessing" on my working to promote the sovereignty and safety of Israel -- the TRUE mother country of all Christians -- with organizations such as Christians United for Israel, et. al. This was allegedly because the Catholic Church considers Pastor Hagee (and countless others who are no less sincere) too political.
What irony that is now -- in light of this Vatican synod. This synod is merely an official bow to the eternally irrational demands of Islamists.
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