Wednesday, March 14, 2007 by Staff Writer Shas proposes bill to forbid evangelism Shas declared war on missionaries on Tuesday when the Sephardic ultra-Orthodox party proposed a bill stating that anyone attempting to convert Jews should be imprisoned. “Every time he (Rabbi Ovadia Yosef) hears of a case where someone falls into missionary hands, he feels great sadness and asks us to try and save at least one soul in Israel,†Yakov Margi, Shas Knesset member said. Shas views missionaries as not only people who come from abroad and evangelize, but any person or religions sharing their faith in an attempt to especially convert Jews. Margi proposed that those preaching conversion should be imprisoned for one year. “Whether it's Christians coming from abroad or Jewish converts working in Israel, they all have the same agenda – to destroy every trace and memory of the people of Israel, and they plan to do this by converting Jews,†the proposal read. “These bodies are operating mainly among the Jewish population which is under physical, social and spiritual distress.†Israel’s current law on conversion is five years in prison for those who offer money in exchange for conversion. The recipient also faces charges. For those who conduct a “conversion ceremony†on minors face up to six months in jail. The new law would also pertain to Jews attempting to convert non-Jews to Judaism. http://www.israeltoday.co.il/default.aspx?tabid=178&nid=11945
Religion & Spirituality - 11 Answers
Random Answers, Critics, Comments, Opinions :
1 :
jehovah's God
2 :
I don't think something like that would fly, but I can see why people would feel that way, and why it might not be entirely inconceivable. >>"and asks us to try and save at least one soul in Israel"<< before anyone misinteperets this, I'm pretty sure that this is meaning "save at least one person from missionary deception" not saving them from hell or converting them or anything. >>"The new law would also pertain to Jews attempting to convert non-Jews to Judaism. "<< this is an amusing statment, because its an extremely long standing jewish custom and rule that jews do not prostheletize, and do not proactively try to convert people. in fact if you go to a rabbi and say you want to convert, they will almost certainly turn you away.
3 :
This is the most racist story I have read in a long time. From all people should the jewish be the most sensitive to the rights of others.
4 :
It is up to God what we should do not the law of the land. Order comes from GOD only. HE leads and believers will follow by life or death.
5 :
Wow, that is really wierd. You'd think they'd be bringing in Jehovah's Witnesses by the boatload and turning them loose on the Muslims. P.S. Only the Jehovah's Witnesses don't preach the Trinity, which Muslims consider "shirk" or the "unforgivable sin" of associating others with God. So JWs probably have a better chance than anyone else.
6 :
They have learned from long years of experience in Europe to distrust any attempts at conversion. You are familiar with the Crusades, the Inquisition, the pograms, etc., are you not? .
7 :
Evangelism is already illegal in Israel in many forms, Xtian or otherwise, and for good reason.
8 :
Shas is an ultra-orthodox party, and their religious ideals are unlikely to be enacted into law. There are a lot of other ways Shas would like to turn Israel into a theocracy, but most Israelis are saner. There are some Christian missionaries in Israel, but their effect is marginal. Proselytizing is not in general illegal in Israel. The current law cited by the poster is only for paying someone to change their religion. If you don't offer money, it doesn't apply. Also, Shas is a bunch of hypocrites, because they strongly support and actively take part in convincing secular Jews to become religious (using, of course, essentially the same techniques that Christian missionaries use). They can claim that it's not technically proselytizing, since the secular Jews are already considered Jews, but essentially it's the same thing.
9 :
The European cultist calling themselves Jews are not connected to the Israelites by religion nor by heredity and the prophecy of Israel becoming a nation has yet to be fulfilled The Israel of Prophecy is not the state created in 1948. That Israel will become a nation only after specific events take place http://www.arabisraelites.com/j0057.htm
10 :
5 years ♂♂
