[TorryJens]

Well it's pretty much over, isn't it? Please leave soon before they make you.

http://www.thejc.com/news/uk-news/33...boycott-israel

The Chief Rabbi, Lord Sacks, led condemnation of the Methodist Church for its approval of a report on Israel which he warned would have widespread repercussions for interfaith relations.

By Marcus Dysch and Simon Rocker, July 1, 2010

The Board of Deputies and the Jewish Leadership Council said the Methodists’ annual conference should “hang its head in shame” for passing a policy which calls for a boycott of goods from “illegal” Israeli West Bank settlements and blames Israeli occupation as the “key hindrance” to Middle East peace.

Lord Sacks said the implications of the decision would “reverberate across the hitherto harmonious relationship between the faith communities in the UK”.

He blasted the report as “unbalanced, factually and historically flawed” and offering “no genuine understanding of one of the most complex conflicts in the world today. Many in both communities will be deeply disturbed”.

Delegates at the conference in Portsmouth overwhelmingly passed every recommendation of the report, which also included a call to review whether Zionism was compatible with Methodist beliefs.

The Reverend Graham Carter, who chaired the working party that produced the report, said that while some people had wanted a boycott of all Israeli goods, “we did not feel that was the right thing to bring to conference”.
Jewish organisations are particularly incensed that the Methodists disregarded advance warnings from the Council of Christians and Jews and other groups of the likely impact of the report on relations between Jews and Methodists.

In a blistering joint statement, the Board of Deputies and the Jewish Leadership Council said the report’s authors had “abused the goodwill of the Jewish community, which tried to engage on this issue, only to find our efforts were treated as an unwelcome distraction”.

The conference “swallowed hook, line and sinker a report full of basic historical inaccuracies, deliberate misrepresentations and distortions of Jewish theology and Israeli policy,” they said.

Calling the outcome “a very sad day” for Methodist-Jewish relations”, they said it would “cause the enemies of peace and reconciliation to cheer from the sidelines”.

An internal church memo shows that the Methodist Church had rejected calls for a more “balanced” working party, whose members included Stephen Leah, the chairman of the York branch of the Palestine Solidarity Campaign.

David King, a delegate from Lancashire and one of a number of speakers at the debate who raised Jewish concerns, noted “a rise in antisemitic activity in the UK”.

He said: “I’m concerned that in our acts as a church we are incredibly mindful of the wellbeing of the Jewish community in the UK.”

But Mr Carter told the conference: “I want to state quite clearly that there is no hint of antisemitism in what we have said or what we intend... If we are concerned about antisemitism, why don’t we talk about the anti-Islam approach? We might be between a rock and a hard place.” Expressing his hope for continued dialogue with the Jewish community, he said: “I want us to continue to hold out the hand of friendship — and I hope it won’t be refused.”

While the 54-page document mentions that Israelis had legitimate fears, it contains no more than a fleeting reference to Hamas.

Jonathan Arkush, senior vice-president of the Board of Deputies, who witnessed the debate in Portsmouth, said afterwards: “It is hard to see how anyone genuinely concerned with the Middle East and interfaith dialogue can take the Methodist Church seriously.”

The Methodist action reflects a tactic urged last year by Palestinian churches, which denounced Israel’s occupation as “a sin against God and humanity”.

[Beerinkol]

http://thejc.com/news/uk-news/34709/...nks-methodists

The Board of Deputies has broken off all contact with the leadership of the Methodist Church following its endorsement of a report deeply critical of Israel.

A spokesperson for the Board said: "There cannot be any engagement with the leadership of the Methodist Church until such a time that we see signs of a change in their stance."

But both sides vowed to continue interfaith work at a local level, encouraging members of Methodist and Jewish communities to maintain regular dialogue.

The Board said Methodists from across the country had contacted deputies to express distress and discomfort with the report.

Following the endorsement of the motion at last week's Methodist conference, the Board and the Jewish Leadership Council said the Church should "hang its head in shame" for passing the policy calling for a boycott of goods from "illegal" Israeli settlements in the West Bank and blaming Israeli occupation for hindering the peace process.

Attempts had been made to convince the Church to re-think its stance.
Chief Rabbi Lord Sacks spoke to leading Methodist Reverend David Gamble ahead of last week's vote, and Board president Vivian Wineman claimed Jewish representatives had received assurances that inaccuracies in the report would be corrected. Mr Wineman said the representatives felt "stitched up" when the corrections did not materialise.

Joy Barrow, interfaith relations officer for the Methodist Church, has held a number of informal discussions with the Board and the Council of Christians and Jews (CCJ) in the past week.

She said: "The Church and the Jewish community have long-standing and close relationships, both nationally and also on a local level where Christians and Jews engage in friendship, dialogue and working together on community activities. Our commitment is stronger than ever as we take steps to ensure conversations remain open, honest and in a spirit of fellowship."

David Gifford, CCJ chief executive, said: "All 40 of our local branches have been asked to engage with local Methodist groups. We want the Methodists to listen to the other side.

"The Jewish community is very hurt. The report and resolutions could clearly impact on Britain's Jewish community. I don't think the majority
of delegates thought this through."

Mr Gifford said the damage was not irreparable but it may take "some time" for relations to improve.

The International Council of Christians and Jews said it was "committed to dialogue even among those in conflict with one another".

There are fears that other churches will use the Methodist report as a forerunner for their own anti-Israel action. However, the United Reformed Church held its annual general assembly this week and there was no debate on the issue. A spokeswoman confirmed the Church had no intention of raising the subject in the near future.

[doctorzlo]

Euros are a bunch of racists.

[Raj_Copi_Jin]

Flags at the enterance to Rossnowlagh Orange Demo field 2010


Theres more than a few Protestants here in Ulster and Scotland who think that the liberal wing of churches like the Methodists are a shameful waste of space.

They would bend over backwards at the whisper of the word ecuminism and ditch thier core beliefs in case it upset their lefty trendy wishy washy anything goes theology.
This boycott israel guff is exactly the kind of rubbish that floats their boat but here in ulster we know about boats after all we built the Titanic!

[Ifroham4]

12th of July Orange demonstration Lurgan co armagh 2010