By Greg Garrison
BIRMINGHAM, Alabama – Two Birmingham pastors have written an open letter expressing their objection to the recent vote by the Presbyterian Church USA to divest in companies doing business with Israel.
The Rev. Ed Hurley, pastor of South Highland Presbyterian Church, and the Rev. Conrad Sharps, pastor of Independent Presbyterian Church, released the following letter today (July 7) addressing the divestment issue:
“Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: Peace be within you. For the sake of the house of the Lord our God, I will seek your good.” Psalm 122:6,8,9
A few weeks ago, the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church USA adopted by a slim margin, 310 – 303, a resolution authorizing divestment of holdings in three American companies doing business in Israel; Hewlett Packard, Caterpillar, and Motorola, because of their activities in assisting “the occupation” of the West Bank, Judea and Samaria.” As pastors in the Presbyterian Church USA, we reject this resolution, which we fervently believe does not reflect the sentiment of the majority of Presbyterians or Presbyterian Churches in Birmingham.
We oppose “the occupation,” as do the majority of Israelis, Palestinians and Americans of good faith. We realize that “the occupation” does not take place in a vacuum. Israel has been working to make peace with its Arab neighbors since its inception, and to create two states, one Jewish and one Arab, in the Biblical Land of Israel. Towards this end, Israel has withdrawn from 86% of the land it once occupied in Egypt and Syria as a result of its victories on the battlefield. It withdrew unilaterally from Gaza and uprooted Jewish citizens who had lived there for generations. It opened the way for the Palestinian Liberation Organization to return as a governing body for more than 90% of the Arab population in the territories. While a separation barrier wall has become an unfortunate symbol of the ongoing divisions, that ugly wall has, in fact, virtually ended the terrorist bombings on buses and in cafes and hotels across Israel.
Read more at http://www.al.com/living/index.ssf/2014/07/birmingham_pastors_pen_letter.html
7 Comments. Leave new
AMEN!
A very selective use of facts to support their argument. There is a bigger picture that is being ignored.
It is a sad day when the PC(USA) and David Duke are in agreement in their attitude towards our Jewish brother and sisters.
I mourn over what the PC(USA) has become.
Hundreds of Palestinians have been killed in the last few days. Most were civilians. To bring this up you are called anti-Semitic. If you call for Israel to change the course of action, you are a friend of David Duke. This is a crisis and the PCUSA took a stand and that is good.
looks like it’s about time to stop reading these posts, as i predicted the time would come for me to say goodbye relatively soon; it’s so obvious what’s going on in the PCUSA it’s not even worth wasting one’s breath to get involved in ‘discussions’ like this one. this has nothing to do with Christianity, everything to do with politics, pushing a political agenda on followers of our Lord Jesus Christ.
what ever happened to turn the other cheek? oh, i forgot, the PCUSA doesn’t believe in the Bible as written, following the Ten Commandments to the word, or even Jesus as the ultimate authority.
i worked very close to the World Trade Center when it collapsed. i was forced to return to work almost immediately. i witnessed firsthand the devistation, lived and literally breathed toxic fumes for weeks on end as the bodies were painstakingly removed from the rubble. i’ve been disabled and not receiving any disability money of any kind, or medical care, since 9-11. if anyone on this planet has every reason to be angry, hateful, spiteful, and vengeful it’s someone like me. since the first split second it happened the thought of retaliation, revenge, ‘taking a stand’ as you call it never once even crossed my mind. that’s the difference between a Christian and whatever it is you call yourself.
in general, PCUSA people of your mindset tend to blow like the wind from my experience, saying whatever is necessary to further whatever it is you’re looking to achieve from speaking up. i will put you on my prayer list, along with all the rest of my PCUSA friends, family and acquaintances.
God Bless
yeah yeah It all Israel’s fault, no ones is saying they are a bunch of choir boys’, but when you are living among people who are calling for your distruction, it’s kind of hard to feel sorry for Hamas……
If Hamas would quite firing rockets, the violence would end. Period