The Church and the Jews

Koenig’s Eye View

New book: J’Accuse: The Vatican Against Israel

By Giulio Meotti

“For over 100 years, and half a century after the Holocaust, the Vatican has been hostile to the creation of a Jewish homeland in the Middle East with its capital as Jerusalem. For sixty years after the Jewish State gained independence in 1948, the Catholic Church adopted a policy fitting to Israel’s Arab-Islamic enemies: total non-recognition of Jewish statehood and peoplehood.

Despite acceptance by every Western nation, Israel was not accorded formal diplomatic recognition by the Vatican before 1993.

The Church formally recognized Israel’s existence only two decades after Israel’s foe, Egypt’s Sadat, signed a peace treaty with the Jewish State. Apparently, the Vatican considered only the State of Israel undeserving of its recognition. How do we explain this refusal?

“Catholicism had long viewed Judaism as a pariah faith, and the Jews a group destined to wander the earth for their complicity in the death of Jesus.”

The Second Vatican Council partially revoked this anti-Semitic doctrine in 1965. But since then, the Vatican rapprochement with the Jewish people took place at two levels, which the Vatican separated: theology and political level. Each advance on the first plane was counterbalanced by a deeper regression on the second, as if the two movements were synchronized. The closer the Vatican seems to draw toward reconciliation and dialogue with Judaism, the louder grew the clamor supporting the Arab cause against Israel.

“For the first time, my book deciphers the Vatican’s criminalization of the State of Israel and appeasement to anti-Semitic terrorism in the period between 1945 to 2013.

My book explains:

  • How the Vatican glided from anti-Semitism to anti-Zionism.
  • How the Christological themes of Palestinianism developed based on the Judeo-phobic schemas of crucifixion and the Arab Churches, supported by the Vatican, transfigured Palestinian terrorism into a Christ-like image.
  • How during the last fifty years, the Vatican authorities obfuscated the reality of a Jewish State as democracy under siege by calling it “apartheid.”
  • How the Arab Catholics waged a war against the Jewish people. Because of their proximity to Christianity’s holy sites, these Arab bishops have ready access to visiting Christian leaders in the West who are all too willing to accept a distorted narrative about the Arab-Israeli conflict.
  • How the Vatican has been able to impose a narrative in which “peace” is contingent on Israeli concessions and efforts to dismantle the Jewish State.
  • How Vatican leaders use deicide imagery in reference to Israel, portraying Israel’s efforts to prevent civilian casualties as “collective punishment” and associating the Israeli Jews with “militarism,” “colonialism” [and] “injustice.”
  • How after 1967, the Vatican has become the unabashed apologist for Arab rejectionism, by sponsoring international conferences in which Zionism was associated with racism.
  • How a Middle Eastern version of liberation theology, supported by high profile Catholic clergy, presented the Palestinian Christians as “the true Israel,”oppressed by a malevolent occupation government of theologically cursed Jews.
  • How within the Catholic hierarchy, which has been influenced by Islamic fundamentalism, there are growing numbers of leaders who demonize Israel because they believe that Jews are not entitled to any part of the Holy Land;indeed, they feel that a Jewish state is both theologically “illegitimate” and intrinsically “racist.”
  • How the State of Israel has been abandoned by the Vatican during its darkest periods, such as the Second Intifada of the suicide bombers, the wars in Lebanon and Gaza, the Church of Bethlehem’s siege [and] Iran’s Holocaust denial.
  • How since the First Intifada, the Palestinian Liberation Organization found an ally in the Vatican in its war against Israel.
  • How the Catholic NGOs encouraged an inversion of stereotypes, in which Jews become modern-day Roman “oppressors” humiliating the Palestinian people, whose suffering is likened to that of Jesus.
  • How the latest Vatican synods have demonized the “unchosen” Jewish people.
  • How the Vatican abused the Holocaust memory and used it as a weapon against Israel.
  • How the Catholic ecumenism and interfaith meetings, from Durban to Jerusalem, have been traps for anti-Jewish rhetoric and sentiments.

———

Meotti interview: J’Accuse: The Vatican Against Israel

Arutz Sheva interviews its well-known columnist on his book accusing the Vatican of blatant anti-Zionism — acting as an ally of the PLO.

Israel National News

Excerpt:

Question: Can you provide us some examples of the Vatican’s new anti-Semitism?

Meotti: Here are a few:

  • October 2010, Vatican synod of the Middle East bishops in Rome: The clerics proclaim that there is no “promised land” nor “chosen people.”
  • April 2002, Palestinian terrorists entered Bethlehem’ Jesus Nativity Church: The Catholic authorities became the worldwide leaders of an unprecedented campaign of verbal assault against the State of Israel. The Vatican, from the NGOs to the Pope to the Osservatore Romano, sanctioned the terrorists’ right to use the church as a shelter and turned Israel into the aggressor.
  • 2009, Cast Lead Operation: Pope Benedict condemned the “massive violence” in Gaza only after Israel bombed the terrorists’ installations, not before when rockets were fired against Israeli civilians. Cardinal Renato Martino, head of the Vatican Council for Justice, called Gaza “a concentration camp.”
  • July 2005: Pope Benedict condemned a litany of terrorist atrocities, avoiding mentioning the 57 Israelis killed in that year of Second Intifada. In this pro-Palestinian Vatican mantra, epitomized by humanitarian Catholic organizations such as Caritas and Pax Christi, Arabs are the innocent “victims” of Israeli occupation.

The corollary is that the Palestinian Arabs are a priori exculpated from any responsibility for their plight, especially terrorism against civilians, including the use of suicide bombers and rockets.

Question: What do you expect for the future?

Meotti: The Christian West has authority and power concerning Israel’s existence and survival. It must act now to condemn the appeasement of Israel’s enemies and to recognize that Israel’s existence is a gift to the Gentile community of nations.

A century ago, Europe was the center of Jewish life. More than 80 percent of world Jewry lived there. The Holocaust pulverized that Jewish existence, and the Vatican almost stood silent. In the near future, the same percentage of world Jewry will live in the State of Israel.

That is why the Vatican’s stance on the Jewish State is the only measure of whether the Church is really serious about atoning for its sins against the Jewish people.

Question: What is the most telling conclusion of your book?

Meotti: After centuries of anti-Semitism spawned by the Church, the Vatican had the religious, moral and political obligation to help make the world a safer place for Jews. I believe the Catholic Church has failed, tragically so. That is why I wrote my own J’accuse.

———

Op-Ed: Terrible days are coming upon Europe: Hatred and anti-Semitism exploding –Gulio Meotti

Israel National News

Excerpt:

Only negativity is unleashing in the spiritual sky of Europe. In some European countries, such as Greece, Hungary and Ukraine, anti-Semites are already serving openly in parliaments.

In Italy, one of the lawmaker of the Five Stars movement, the country’s biggest party, Paolo Bernini, just called Zionism “a plague,” not so much different from Iran’s Rouhani rhetoric.

Just as 14th-century Christians once held the Jews responsible for the epidemic Black Death,the Israelis are now blamed by the Europeans for all the ills of today’s world.

Anti-Semitism in Europe has become a spiritual disease which is growing like a cancer, like the HIV virus, which ultimately destroys the body.

And what is most frightening is that Europe’s nations are disintegrating socially; along with it, their spiritual essence is lost in favor of relativism and multiculturalism. Hatred and anti-Semitism always explode when a nation shows a derisory survival instinct — and it is pervaded by illogic and inconsistency.

Terrible things are going to happen here in Europe. A horizontal feeling of desperation is ravaging the continent.

November 23, 2013 | 66 Comments »

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50 Comments / 66 Comments

  1. yamit82 Said:

    My ‘golden ticket’ to eternal life with God has been signed

    Southern,hardshell, and primative Baptist beieve and you need to be saved is to beleave the Jesus is you savior,who died for your sins. No Nicence creed, no prriest, no confession etc.

    Wanted to wish you A Goble Tov, hope your on the mend. Do you expats have Thanksgiving in Israel??

  3. alanmos Said:

    My ‘golden ticket’ to eternal life with God has been signed, sealed and delivered to me. No need for chicken counting or an ‘I hope I’m going’ mentality. The necessary work has been finished for me. It’s been written so that I know I have eternal life.

    Luke 14:33 🙂

    Mark 10 21-22 🙂

    Matthew 19: 28-29     🙂

    Luke 11: 30-31 🙂

    Galatians 3:13 🙂

    Who moved the stone? Mat 28:2–Mark 15:4-5—Luke 24:2-4–John 20:1-2……/ Mat 28:8-10–Mark 16:8–Luke 24:11-12—John 20:10-18 ??????????? 🙂 🙂

    Interesting that Paul never mentions crucifixion. Yeshu was hanged on a tree: 1 Corinthians 1:23,Galatians 3;13,-1 Peter 2:24, Acts 5:30,Acts 10:39,-Acts 13:29, Galatians 3:13//// Deut 21:22-23 KJV Translates Acts 5:30 and 10:39 as hanged on a tree. Not Cross. Seems yeshu was first killed by stoning then hanged on a tree.

    Origin of the cross story is from Mark 8:34—1 Corinthians 15:3-4 no mention of crucifixion.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KWMe8YY9kfU

  8. @ alanmos:

    I know I have eternal life

    Congratulations! Your welcome…..salvation IS from the Jews

    We don’t worry about such stuff or get so cocky and self righteous either. We just dooooo and in doing so we know it will all work out for us.

  9. dove Said:

    @ alanmos:

    don’t count your chickens before they are hatched.

    My ‘golden ticket’ to eternal life with God has been signed, sealed and delivered to me. No need for chicken counting or an ‘I hope I’m going’ mentality. The necessary work has been finished for me. It’s been written so that I know I have eternal life.

  10. @ alanmos:

    I hold a ‘golden ticket’ to live in a perfect eternity forever with God and it’s very exciting to know. Someone gave me my ‘golden ticket’ to eternity. They’re free

    don’t count your chickens before they are hatched. It looks like you are at the highest risk

    21″Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter. 22″Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?’ 23″And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; DEPART FROM ME, YOU WHO PRACTICE LAWLESSNESS.’

  11. yamit82 Said:

    I was really feeling lousy when I wrote it.

    I don’t ind Darlin, hope all goess well for you today, I will be busy baking pecan pies. Remember folks use frozen hash browns for you Latkes, so easier.

  12. alanmos Said:

    Someone gave me my ‘golden ticket’ to eternity. They’re free.

    Psssst. Willy Wonka is a fictional highly imaginative children’s story.

    But thanks for playing!

  13. Shy Guy Said:

    dove Said:

    the “golden ticket”

    That’s a neat comparison. Everyone would like to possess the ‘golden ticket.’ Holding the ‘golden ticket’ would provide the holder an excitement and confidence that very good things will happen to them soon. I hold a ‘golden ticket’ to live in a perfect eternity forever with God and it’s very exciting to know. Someone gave me my ‘golden ticket’ to eternity. They’re free.

  14. dove Said:

    because I think the Jesus they are responding to is not the real person.

    You said a mouthful!

    Anything we know about jesus is as historically reliable as the portrayals of movie heroes Luke Skywalker and Willy Wonka, with Wonka having a close character resemblance and plot line (the “golden ticket”).

  15. @ Eric Kossian:

    Dear Dove, sorry for the delay in response; very busy time at work

    no worries. I have a small home based business and was given extra work to complete within a limited deadline…so I know what your talking about. Also busy gearing up for Chanakah and doing baking for a party coming up…..can hardly wait!

    I believe many events in the Hebrew bible are both past events and have future implications. THis is certainly the case with Passover; looking back to freedom from slavery in Egypt

    Freedom from slavery in Egypt is something that Jews must never forget! Hashem would not be too pleased if we did not continue to remember that.

    Paul was the founder of Christianity and I can’t stand Paul! An arrogant hardline marriage hating idiot! Jesus was a man a Jewish man yes. Probably married and had children. I don’t hate Jesus the way a lot of Jews do simply because I think the Jesus they are responding to is not the real person. A typical Jew who had his words twisted, distorted and falsified. That is my opinion and I am sticking to it!

  17. Yamit, that is a good question. Although it has been a while since I read it, this article written by the now deceased singer Keith Green. I think it is a good synopsis of differences between (from an Evangelical perspective) Catholic and Protestant thought. http://luke-15.org/KG-TCC.pdf @ yamit82:

  18. excellent joke, I’ll have to remember that one! Rather like ” How many Rabbi’s does it take to change a light bulb?” 4 to give 3 opinions each on how to do it, and one more to change it. I can certainly say that my own theology has changed a lot in the past few years and continues to change as I get a better revelation of the truth of Scripture vs. what I have been told from the pulpit’s of churches. I am beginning to think that if myunderstanding of God does not continue to change then I may not be seeking.@ yamit82:

  19. Dear Dove, sorry for the delay in response; very busy time at work. I believe many events in the Hebrew bible are both past events and have future implications. THis is certainly the case with Passover; looking back to freedom from slavery in Egypt and looking forward to the fulfillment of Passover in the Messiah.@ dove:

  21. @ alanmos:
    Funny all of your primary beliefs are Roman Catholic.

    The Nicene Creed

    I believe in one God, the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth, and of all things visible and invisible.

    And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Son of God, begotten of the Father before all worlds; God of God, Light of Light, very God of very God; begotten, not made, being of one substance with the Father, by whom all things were made.

    Who, for us men and for our salvation, came down from heaven, and was incarnate by the Holy Spirit of the virgin Mary, and was made man; and was crucified also for us under Pontius Pilate; He suffered and was buried; and the third day He rose again, according to the Scriptures; and ascended into heaven, and sits on the right hand of the Father; and He shall come again, with glory, to judge the quick and the dead; whose kingdom shall have no end.

    And I believe in the Holy Ghost, the Lord and Giver of Life; who proceeds from the Father and the Son; who with the Father and the Son together is worshipped and glorified; who spoke by the prophets.

    And I believe in one holy catholic and apostolic Church. I acknowledge one baptism for the remission of sins; and I look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come. Amen.

    The 27 books of your bible compiled by Catholics and you never changed it since the reformation. The KJV is till considered to be the most authoritative rendition of the NT.

    When you play the numbers game as to how many christians there are in the world you proudly include Catholics both Roman and Eastern varieties WHO outnumber you protestants.

    I like the Mormons good christians everyone as are the Adventists and the JW. Hari Krishna in America are really a nutty christian cult in all but name. What about all those moonies?

    Your deity would call you a Hypocrite.

  22. yamit82 Said:

    “Die, heretic scum!”

    True so true, I had a friend fron Normangee,Tx, town of 250 people,two Baptist churhes,1st Baptist [ non-dancng] and Harmony Baptist [ pro-dancing] go figure. Neither congrations spoke to each other.

  23. @ honeybee:

    I’m feeling better slept all day. Appreciate your concern, shouldn’t have said anything but I was really feeling lousy when I wrote it.

    An Irishman is struggling through a winter gale with a friend when he collapses clutching his heart. ‘Quick,’ says the Irishman. ‘I’m dying. Get me a Rabbi.’ ‘What do you mean, a Rabbi?’ says his friend. ‘You’ve been a Catholic all your life.’ ‘I know,’ says the Irishman. ‘But I wouldn’t like to drag the Father out on a night like this.’

    What’s an atheist’s favorite Christmas movie? Coincidence on 34th Street.

    ‘I was walking across a bridge one day when I saw a man standing on the edge, about to jump off. So I ran over and said, “Stop! Don’t do it!” “Why shouldn’t I?” he said. I said, “Well, there’s so much to live for!” He said, “Like what?” I said, “Well, are you religious or atheist?” He said, “Religious.” I said, “Me too! Are you Christian or Buddhist?” He said, “Christian.” I said, “Me too! Are you Catholic or Protestant?” He said, “Protestant.” I said, “Me too! Are you Episcopalian or Baptist?” He said, “Baptist!” I said, “Wow! Me too! Are you Baptist Church of God or Baptist Church of the Lord?” He said, “Baptist Church of God!” I said, “Me too! Are you Original Baptist Church of God, or are you Reformed Baptist Church of God?” He said, “Reformed Baptist Church of God!” I said, “Me too! Are you Reformed Baptist Church of God, Reformation of 1879, or Reformed Baptist Church of God, Reformation of 1915?” He said, “Reformed Baptist Church of God, Reformation of 1915!” I said, “Die, heretic scum!” and pushed him off.’

  24. alanmos Said:

    Real Christians love, support Israel and know that Israel will be the victor in the end

    So then there were no “real christians” until the 17th century or so? Or until 1948? Or something in between?

    Yada yada.

    This is a Jewish forum. Anyone that believes in the dead guy on the cross is qualified. Your semantics are not relevant here.

  25. Roman Catholics are not true Christians which shows in their negative treatment toward Israel. Real Christians love, support Israel and know that Israel will be the victor in the end. Now that Israel is back in the land which God promised them the nation eventually will control land much larger than it does now. It is an error to include Roman Catholics in the same group as real Christians. A Catholic would call themselves a ‘Catholic’ instead of a ‘Christian.’ Terms such as Catholic/Hindu/Buddhist/Bahai/Muslim are all in the same ‘boat.’

  28. yamit82 Said:

    The synoptic Gospels insist that J.. was crucified on the first day of Passover – the 15th day of Nissan.

    Which is why I prefer to compare jesus to the Pascal Heartburn.

  29. @ yamit82:

    As a result, the Passover Seder is noticeably absent in John’s Passion Narrative.

    Interesting. I did not know that

    If G-d is the inspiration for the NT he must have been mentally retarded

    lol….too funny

    When speaking with Christians I find there are some things not worth arguing about or trying to disprove. ie the reason I said that about Passover is because it is the Catholics and the Christians who have made a big deal about the ‘Last Supper’…..so….from that standpoint if they truly believe that j was celebrating Passover why would they remove that observance from their rituals if they are being ‘Christlike’?

  30. @ Eric Kossian:

    @ dove:

    Depends on which gospel you read. It is worth noting that the synoptic gospels, i.e. the gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke, do not associate J.. with the Paschal Lamb. The Book of John, on the other hand, draws a clear link between the two (John 1:29-34). The synoptic Gospels insist that J.. was crucified on the first day of Passover – the 15th day of Nissan. Written several decades after the synoptic Gospels, the John’s author accordingly has J.. crucified on the eve of Passover, the 14th day of Nissan, when the lambs were slaughtered. As a result, the Passover Seder is noticeably absent in John’s Passion Narrative.

    If G-d is the inspiration for the NT he must have been mentally retarded. There is almost nothing uniform in the 27 books that make up the christian bible.

    Here are some KEY examples

  32. Shy Guy Said:

    And I thought that matzahs were tough

    If the Conferderate States of America had my matzah ball recipe, General R E Lee would still be firing shot at Washington DC.

  35. @ Eric Kossian:

    regardless of those who believe that claim they should still have Jewish observances and they don’t. The last meal that Jesus had was a Passover cedar. Why was Passover eliminated from the Church?

  36. Dear Dove, thanks for the comment. There is a big difference in my view between Catholics Replacement Theology and the belief of Jewish followers of Jesus as the Christ (as all early followers of Christ after his resurrection were Jewish as described in the book of Acts.) Followers of Jesus no longer to have to do Jewish rituals because the rituals pointed to the person of Jesus who completed the law. If the law is complete then it is no longer needed. Jesus spoke often to the Scribes, Pharisees and Sadducee’s about the Scripture being completed in Him. While not all received the message, it was only Jews in the beginning that did. @ dove:

  37. @ Eric Kossian:

    They believe as the Apostle Paul taught in ROmans chapters 9-11 that Christians came from the Jewish tree and are grafted in (no Christian therefore would want to kill the tree and uproot the very tree they are grafted into

    Not so. That is what we have been led to believe. If Christians came from the Jewish tree then there would be Jewish symbolism in the church. There is not. They have done away with all Jewish symbolism and only have New Testament symbolism. It is a separate religion with no ties to Judaism at all.

  38. Excellent article. I agree with Dove “you will never hear a Christian call themselves a Catholic.” Catholics elevate the Pope whom they call Holy Father despite Jesus command to call no one Father and that no one is holy, above the Bible. Catholic’s theology is at the center of their Jewish hatred. They believe that the Catholic Church replaced Israel and the Jews. Given that the JEws were so scattered one could see how that thought patterned developed but as Jesus said, “they error for they know not the Scripture (what Christians call the Old Testament)” This Replacement Theology was carried by Luther and Calvin and still exists today in “main line” denominations that are Reformed such as Lutheran’s, Presbyterians, dutch reformed etc, despite otherwise Christian theology. However the vast majority of Evangelical Christians do NOT believe in replacement theology. They believe as the Apostle Paul taught in ROmans chapters 9-11 that Christians came from the Jewish tree and are grafted in (no Christian therefore would want to kill the tree and uproot the very tree they are grafted into). As a JEw it must be very confusing to look at all these “Christian ” beliefs and try to figure out are any Christians real just as many are “Jewish” but not Jewish in heart. Jesus said by their fruits you will know them. Catholics have historically tried to wipe out Jews and real Christians. Real Christians could never be against real Jews as that would be going against G-d’s own people and G-d himself as He is the G-d of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, through whom all the nations of the earth will be blessed.

  42. rrebell Said:

    Also one of the basic dogma of the Church was; that is the Jews can return to their homeland only after they accept Jesus as the Savior. Now obviously, this considerations are out of the window for obvious events and reasons.

    The Church has never reconciled the Jews return to Jerusalem in particular and consider our return not only to Jerusalem and the Land of Israel as a temporary aberration that they will do everything in their power to reverse. Theology and hatred of Jews trumps reality and real politics.

    Jews have never faced the fact that christianity at it’s core is the negation of Judaism. There is no truly believing christian who holds a theological position that christianity has not replaced Judaism. The Dual covenant bunch is a patch work of crazy beliefs that can’t hold water and still accept the NT as authoritative.

    Nominal apostate christians of all denominations should be sought out an if possible befriended. They would not have a built in negative agenda against Jews from a theological POV. “Christians do not observe the Mosaic law, but it was not given to them in the first place.

    The difference between Judaism and christianity is: The founder of the christian religion was human. His injunctions have to be consistent with human morality; otherwise he would be immoral. In Judaism, commandments came from G-d, who is beyond good and evil. The commandments need not be nice, good, or moral. Christians observe because they agree. We observe because we accept the yoke.

    Speaking about the commandment to avoid killing the bird when taking eggs from its nest, the rabbis said this: if someone cites this commandment to praise G-d’s kindness, we shut him up. The reason is, if you praise G-d’s kindness, what do you do when you encounter a brutally immoral commandment? Judaism is about divine service, not morality. Whatever G-d says, we do, whether or not it squares with our conscience. If we are told to exterminate the natives upon returning to the Land of Israel, that is our religious duty. As people with a semblance of free will, we can dodge that duty, but we have no right to call white black. We cannot say that such a religious duty does not exist or that it should not be carried out because it is immoral. Immoral it may be, but it is a religious duty nonetheless”.

  43. @ CuriousAmerican: We are not interested on why they harm us. We MUST react to harm with harm tenfold. They have much to lose in Eretz Israel.
    But sure enough, Netanyahu will fold or miscue on this as well.
    He is terribly unfit to lead the Jewish people.

  44. How the Arab Catholics waged a war against the Jewish people. Because of their proximity to Christianity’s holy sites, these Arab bishops have ready access to visiting Christian leaders in the West who are all too willing to accept a distorted narrative about the Arab-Israeli conflict

    Catholicism and Christianity are two different religions. It is somewhat new for a Catholic to call themselves a Christian but you will never hear a Christian call themselves a Catholic. It is an attempt by the Catholic church to merge the two religions by hijacking Christianity has it hijacked Judaism.

  45. @ rrebell:
    Possibly not. I don’t know what percentage of the many denominations have vilified Israel and are continuing to do so, but after reading the book, I felt quite dizzy…

    Read the book yourself and perhaps you can figure out how many of the churches stand under that umbrella.

  47. Anti-Semitism in Europe has become a spiritual disease

    always was a spiritual disease without hiatus.

    Europe’s nations are disintegrating socially; along with it, their spiritual essence is lost in favor of relativism and multiculturalism. Terrible things are going to happen here in Europe….A horizontal feeling of desperation is ravaging the continent

    divine justice? Get the jews out before the muslims take it over. It will be amusing to see norwegians speaking arabic.
    CuriousAmerican Said:

    There are tens of millions of Catholics in the Mideast, and the Vatican does not want to endanger them with Muslim rage.

    guess that idea is backfiring.

  48. @ rrebell:
    I was involved in the publishing of this book. When I see the word “deicide” – a true blasphemy: the killing of God – repeatedly used, I understand exactly where the users are coming from.

    The extremist tone of the words used by all branches of the Christian Church is such that I have little belief that the intent of the church leaders is mainly to protect their people in muslim lands. For that, their tone could have been far more “nuanced” and in fact a degree of silence would have been more appropriate. And of course what is happening now – as I have previously indicated by repeatedly mentioning in this blog one of the main culprits, Michel Sabbah – is that the Christians are now being slowly decimated. The anti-Israel/Jewish attitude taught to the Christians by their leaders precludes any form of intervention by Israel, if that was ever a consideration.

  49. The Vatican’s behavior in the last half century is not because of anti-Semitism although I do not exclude it completely. It is partly the consideration of the safety of Catholic Christians in the mohammedan world. Also one of the basic dogma of the Church was; that is the Jews can return to their homeland only after they accept Jesus as the Savior. Now obviously, this considerations are out of the window for obvious events and reasons.

  50. There is another more basic reason.

    There are tens of millions of Catholics in the Mideast, and the Vatican does not want to endanger them with Muslim rage. Remember when the Pope condemned Islam a few years ago, and Muslims starting killing Christians.

    It is cowardice more than anti-semitism.

    I agree the Pope is wrong. I think it is more cowardice.