Postman Pat delivering Bibles shock horror!
The Caspari Israeli News review reports on a story that appeared in the Israeli newspapers Merkaz Ha’Inyanim Tzafon, September 20 and HaModia, October 6, 2010. It seems like some rabbis are so incensed at missionary mail being sent through the post that they would like to assert their benevolent control on the postal service and introduce a religious censor.
CIMR reports: Two reports listed an “escalation” [in anti-missionary speak, absolutely anyone who believes in Jesus, merely breathing] in missionary activity in the country.
According to HaModia(October 6), “‘The answer to anti-Semitism,’ ‘the terrorist who now loves the Jewish people,’ ‘former Muslim terrorist speaks on behalf of the Jewish people’ – all these and more were colorful headlines that cried out to the residents of Kiryat Shemona from their mail boxes. When they drew these tracts out from the midst of the others filling their boxes, they didn’t imagine that they were bringing into their houses preaching material on behalf of Christianity, God have mercy on us [oh no a plague on their houses, they might catch the Jesus flu!]. When the Kiryat Shemona residents read further, they were disturbed to discover that there wasn’t even the slightest connection between the exclamatory headlines and the words of incitement and provocation inside them. It was the missionary Andreo Louis who had filled their mail boxes with this literature. It transpires that from time to time, especially around the festivals, the streets of Kiryat Shemona are filled [surely an exaggeration!] with Christian missionary material.
Herzl ben Asher, editor of Hadashot HaGalil, told HaModia that a month ago, Kiryat Shemona residents found tracts of a ‘Jewish-religious’ nature which contained a picture of a former Hezbollah member who had converted [to Christianity] and other stories of ‘signs and wonders’ giving the impression of completely Orthodox literature [note: how can the conversion of a Muslim to Christianity give the impression of completely Orthodox literature!]
Rabbi Zephaniah Drori
CIMR notes: The chief rabbi of the city, Rabbi Zephaniah Drori , wrote a letter to the Post Office complaining about the postal workers being forced to distribute Christian missionary literature [they had a gun pointed at them by heavily armed Jews for Jesus types!!] which contravenes their conscience and religion. The letter was disseminated throughout the synagogues in the city. It turns out that the matter is not at all simple. According to the law of the State, the Post Office cannot prevent the dissemination of material marketed as publicity even when it contains missionary content and calls on Jews to change their religion. The city’s rabbis voiced their protest against a situation in which the missionaries receive the backing and support of the laws of Israel. The Post Office’s director stated that, ‘The Post Office operates on the basis of the postal law of 1986, which decrees imprisonment on any postal worker who delays or suspends distribution of anything sent through the mail. The legislature has given the Post Office the authority to prevent the distribution of post in the event that sufficient suspicion exists that a crime has been committed with respect to the piece of mail or by its means … The tracts carried a printed address and no conditions were found to indicate that this law was being violated.’”
Just how frightened of Yeshua, and those who follow him today, if they think a mere leaflet posted with lots of other junk-mail is going to disturb incite and provoke them… to what? To reconsider their prejudice against Yeshua, or reconsider their hate-mongering against and defamation of Messianic Jews!
Agreed, a complete over reaction by Rabbi Zephaniah Drori and other Rabbis.
There are so many Christian missionary groups around the world that want to target Jewish people, if all of them decided to send tracts to people in Israel, potentially each person could end up getting hundreds of tracts a day. Should there be a limit to junk mail from businesses and unwanted religious mail?
Would the Messianic Jews like to be on mailing lists anywhere in the world where they are constantly receiving anti-missionary tracts? Wouldn’t you all get frustrated about that kind of mail too? You probably don’t get that kind of mail constantly, so you think it is harmless or just a minor annoyance. At what point is it harassment?
Kenneth Greifer
http://www.messianicmistakes.com/
P.S. I also would like to recommend you read my chapter on “Righteousness”. I would like to hear anyone’s opinions on what I say about some controversial quotes missionaries like to use.
If you do read my chapter and comment, please use my email and not this blog. Send it to greifer and then the symbol for at and then the words hotmail dot com.
Kenneth Greifer
Kenneth, I get sooo much junk mail and JW visits but I guess if I wanted a one religion state I always go live under Taliban rule. I get more harassment from telemarketing!
The idea of every single mission posting tracts to each Israeli household is an absurd notion and an exaggeration designed to generate a context whereby you begin to justify some form of censorship.
I’ll try have a look at your chapter soon Kenneth.
Gev,
I am not saying the missionary tracts should not be allowed, but to consider the feelings of the people who are the targets of constant mailings. I have heard of many groups targeting Jewish people in Israel by mail. I think they should be allowed to send their tracts, but they should consider that it might bother the people and have a negative effect. They should consider alternatives that might bother people less.
I never said to make it illegal. I guess I should have made that clear. If I had your address and I sent you anti-missionary tracts, how many and how often would I be allowed to send you before you call the police and report me? At some point, I assume, you would consider my mailings harassment, or would you just say it is free speech? Even free speech can become harassment can’t it?
Kenneth Greifer
I think junk mail is the easiest thing to dispose of, however I do think it is a massive waste of money for those groups concerned if they are doing as often as you suggest. Out of interest, Do you consider the constant Chabad & Breslover literature bombing in Israel in the same light Kenneth?
Kenny G asks Christians to “…consider the feelings of the people who are the targets of constant mailings.”
Okay, what’s to consider? Annoyance at receiving so-called junk mail? And what should our response be then? Ought we to stop sending mail? Or perhaps we ought to limit the mail to once a month. Do you get junk mail from stores in your home town weekly? Do you want them to stop too?
Kenneth,
I can relate to the poor Jews in Kiryat Shemonah. we here are also are bobmbarded with you hawking your website in every post.
We live with it, you live with it…..
Dan Benzvi,
You are right. I am a shameless self-promoter.
Kenneth Greifer
http://www.messianicmistakes.com/
Yes how evil -It’s Pat the Baptist! -he probably uses the fluffy kitten to lure innocent Jewish children to read his literature then imprisons them in his postal van, drives off to a local stream and baptises them against their will.
Very funny Leon! Perhaps Pat the Baptist paints his red van in the blood of those who protest at the hundreds of tracts they receive everyday.
Reminds me of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang leon!
Ah you mean the Child_Catcher? Yes he was a creepy figure. The actor that played him was Jewish -wonder if he worked for Yad Lachim as a sideline?
Kenneth. “Potentially each person could end up getting hundreds of tracts a day”. Was that statement a real concern or a tounge in cheek moment of wit? You not expecting us to take you seriously?
We all suffer the inconvenience of junk mail. I have a recycling bin in my study, I don’t open the mail, I just bin it. Problem solved!
The original article made missionary tracts in the mail seem totally harmless, so I was considering what could happen if everyone decided to use the mail to target Jewish people. Of course, it is an exaggeration because people don’t get hundreds of tracts a day. I was just saying potentially the mail could become a problem. Right now, I don’t know how much they get.
Some Jewish people might be bothered by it even if it is from Orthodox Jewish groups trying to make them more religious. I am not saying mail is especially bad, but it can turn into a problem. I used the regular mail in a similar way years ago, and I was wrong to do that. I think organizations should use newspaper and magazine ads if possible.
On the internet, we call unwanted email spam. I don’t know if religious emails sent to people who don’t want it is called spam or if it has to be commercial to be spam. Does anyone else know?
Kenneth Greifer
http://www.messianicmistakes.com/
Yes, I know having had legal experience with American law and spam and junk faxes etc.
Non-profit groups are excluded from the laws against spam by phone, fax, or email. These laws apply to profit makers, who are the worst offenders.
There are ‘do not call’ lists in the USA that by law advertizers must respect. The state laws, however, may be tougher than the federal. In my state, for example, even churches may not send faxes without permission.
None of this applies to paper mail.
Good to hear Kenneth that you are not over reacting like Rabbi Zephaniah Drori.
We’ve lived in Israel for over 10 yrs and have yet to get, not even one unsoiled missionary tract in the mail. But, on several occasions we never received our copy of ‘Messianic Times’ and other such mail sent to us. So, you can imagine how surprised and delighted we are when we get our mail & packages, especially packages marked like this one:
http://www.angelfire.com/super/redhorse/Pharisees/San/Law/11-01a-10.jpg
Take any country that does not employ Christian/Messianic school teachers, postmen, gov workers, MKs, policemen, etc., etc…. “What do you expect?” “Count it not strange!”
The other day I was reading about a guy named Joseph Goebbels, the Reich Minister of Nazi Propaganda. He perfected the ‘Big Lie’ technique. Hmmm. I’ve heard that Hitler had a 5 step program and that Israel is using the same techniques against Christians & Messianic and is currently at step 4. But, I need to check this out for myself. For all I know, this could be a big lie in itself.
Not ‘unsoiled’. I meant ‘unsolicited’. Don’t blame me… blame spellcheck (lol)