Religion Archives - If Americans Knew Blog

Category: Religion

Will pro-Israel rabbi heading top theology center change its direction?

contact@ifamericansknew.org September 16, 2019 Boston Theological institute, Boston Theological Interreligious Consortium, BTI, Daniel Lehmann, Graduate Theological Union, GTU, hatem bazian, Hebrew College, Hevruta, Israel-Palestine, Jewish News Service, JNS, JTA, uc berkeley, Zaytuna College

Rabbi Daniel Lehmann, with a history of advocating for Israel despite its many human rights abuses, is about to be inaugurated president of the ‘most comprehensive center for the graduate study of religion in North America’ – a ‘mostly-Christian’ center with a focus on peace and justice. Lehmann has already opposed a prominent Muslim professor and aired misgivings about America’s first Muslim college, located right across the street… Rabbi Lehmann is known for his fundraising ability.

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In Israel, religious extremism is pervasive, unchecked

contact@ifamericansknew.org September 6, 2019 ashkenazi, avichai rontzki, believers in the police, bentzi gopstein, Bezalel Smotrich, bnei david, chief rabbinate of israel, david batzri, david lau, eliezer kashtiel, giora radler, knesset, menachem schneerson, Naftali Bennett, orthodox judaism, rafi peretz, rami brachyahu, religious education, sephardic, settler extremism, Shmuel Eliyahu, temple movement, yeshiva, yisrael ariel, yitzchak ginsburg, yitzhak batzri

In Israel, religious extremism has gone unchecked in the educational establishment, in top levels of government, and among prominent religious leaders – radicalizing a growing number of Israeli youth and endangering Palestinians.

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“Yes, we are racists,” “Come, be my slave” — teaching by Israeli rabbi

contact@ifamericansknew.org August 11, 2019 bnei david, eliezer kashtiel, IDF, modern slavery, racism, yair nehorai, yeshiva, yigal levinstein, zionism

Students at some military/religious colleges in Israel are being indoctrinated into Jewish Supremacy – this is not a new scandal, but evidence of virulent racism is stacking up against extremist rabbis.

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Vatican Accuses Israel of Risking Monks’ Lives in Fire

contact@ifamericansknew.org July 30, 2019 church fire, church of the transfiguration, holy land tourist attractions, mount tabor, wildfire

The Church of the Transfiguration on Mt. Tabor has asked Israel repeatedly for basic services, including running water, but has been refused. A wildfire Friday caused significant damage due to this “negligence.”

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Israeli court upholds shady sale of Jerusalem church property to settlers

contact@ifamericansknew.org June 18, 2019 ateret cohanim, christian quarter, church of the holy sepulchre, Greek Orthodox Patriarchate, jerusalem old city

Church property in the Christian Quarter of Jerusalem’s Old City may end up in the hands of a radical settler group that could bar Christian access to their holy sites.

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In Israel, 53 mosques and churches vandalized since 2009, only 9 indictments filed

contact@ifamericansknew.org April 30, 2019 church of loaves and fishes, indictment, price tag, tag meir, vandalism

The number of mosques and churches attacked in Israel is high, but police effort at investigating these crimes are absurdly low. The head of monitoring group asserts, ‘Without a doubt, they aren’t looking hard enough’

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Shlomo Sand: How Israel Went From Atheist Zionism to Jewish State

contact@ifamericansknew.org April 26, 2019 colonialism, david ben-gurion, ethno-nationalism, jewish atheism, judaism, nation-state law, nationalism, secular zionism, Six Day War, socialism, theodor herzl, zionism

Israeli author Shlomo Sand writes: Zionism – the idea of a “Jewish State” – was at first fully secular and socialist, but how to define “a Jew” in a way that includes both the religious and the nonreligious (and no Arabs)? Eventually, religious features were appropriated and nationalized: the “need” for more land became a holy pact with God; Israel is only for Jews, not “all of its citizens.”

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Israeli rabbi: Notre Dame fire divine retribution? Church-burning can be ok

contact@ifamericansknew.org April 25, 2019 Nicholas Donin, notre dame, price tag, rabbi shlomo aviner, talmud burning, vandalism

A prominent Israeli rabbi suggests that the Notre Dame Cathedral fire may have been divine retribution, indicates that the burning of churches in Israel may be problematic only in that they may be rebuilt.

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Introduction: What does the Bible really say about modern Israel?

contact@ifamericansknew.org April 5, 2019 bible, bless Israel, chosen people, Christian Zionism, new testament, old testament, promised land, scripture

Christ-followers are eager to serve and obey God to the best of our ability and knowledge. When there are gaps in our understanding, it behooves us to “grow in wisdom.” For example, what does the Bible say about the Promised Land and God’s chosen people? An introduction, with a link to a more in depth study.

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What does the Bible really say about modern Israel?

contact@ifamericansknew.org April 5, 2019 bible, blessing israel, Christian, Christian Zionism, christianity, cursing israel, dispensationalism, new testament, old testament, Scofield, scripture

Many Christians don’t know what the Bible says about Israel and God’s chosen people; many others think they know. Both groups owe themselves an honest look at the themes and patterns of the Bible as a whole, which might reveal a few surprises.

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