By Katherine Bennett, ,
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Regarding the letter to the JTNews concerning the intention of various Christian organizations to utilize these pro-Israel groups as a subterfuge to convert Jews to Christianity (“Conversion overlooked,” March 2), all I can say is that you are sadly, sadly mistaken. Although I obviously cannot speak for all Christians, I most assuredly can speak not only for myself, but for all of those with whom I associate in the organization to which I belong (CUFI) by telling you that you are committing a grievous error in judgment.
Without exception, every single Christian I am acquainted with not only realizes that they would not be here were it not for the Jewish peoples but that we ourselves would have no religion. As a Christian, please allow me to explain my particular understanding of my religion.
The Jews are God’s Chosen People and can deal with God directly. Although your beliefs do not encompass Jesus as the Messiah, Christians by necessity diverge from your beliefs and do so because we require a middleman, so to speak, in order to be acceptable and to approach God.
What I mean to say is that we not only respect the Jews, we quite obviously would not have a religion of our own if it were not for their existence. The New Testament is predicated and established upon the Hebrew Bible/Old Testament. Not only was Jesus a Jew, He originally came back for the lost sheep of Israel — not the “dogs under the table who eat of the children’s crumbs.” (The dogs equals the gentiles, for those of you understandably unfamiliar with the New Testament.)
Allow me to inform you that you perform a grave injustice to me and to all those Christians who want to see Israel not only continue its existence but to emerge victorious in its struggle to maintain the land that is the Jewish people’s Biblical heritage and birthright.
Just a side note here: There are Christian theologians who maintain that the 144,000 pure elect who will come to lead the Christians to heaven in Revelation are God’s Chosen People(yes, you). Trust me. Should that be a correct interpretation, there’s no way I want to proselytize the Jewish people. I may need you later.
And incidentally, make no mistake about it: the [Muslims] despise the Christians just as passionately as they do the Jews. As was previously pointed out, the foundation upon which Christianity was established is your Hebrew Bible/our Old Testament (the Judaeo-Christian belief system). Our God is one in the same and He most assuredly is not named Mohammed.