Day: March 22, 2023

Bibi jumps in battle over banning Good News of Jesus in Israel

On By Geri UngureanIn BIBI Against Ban on Christians1 Comment

Lawmakers proposing prison time for Christians sharing faith

From wnd.com

As WND reported Monday, legislation had been introduced by Knesset Members Moshe Gafni and Yaakov Asher, two ultra-Orthodox members of Netanyahu’s coalition government, seeking to toss people in prison for spreading the Good News of eternal life offered by the Son of God.

The proposal would make it illegal to share Christian messages in conversation in person, online, as well as in print or by email.

Violators would be imprisoned for a year, with the punishment doubled to two years if believers are witnessing to someone under the age of 18.

Benjamin Netanyahu on NBC’s ‘Meet the Press’ on Sunday, Dec. 4, 2022 (Video screenshot)

Does today’s nation of Israel, as a whole, have a healthy respect for Christians?Yes No 

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An English translation of the measure states:

“Recently, the attempts of missionary groups, mainly Christians, to solicit conversion of religion have increased.

“At times these attempts do not involve monetary promises or material gains and are therefore not illegal according to the current law, but the many negative repercussions, including psychological damages, warrant the intervention of the legislature.

Advertisement – story continues below”This is particularly in light of the fact that most of the attempts to bring people to convert their religion target the weaker classes who, due to their social-economic standing, are more easily open to persuasion attempts such as these.”Therefore, it is proposed that alongside the prohibition of giving favors as an incentive to convert religion, also prohibited will be the act of solicitation to convert religion, when it is done directly to a person.

“It is proposed to distinguish between a situation where the person being solicited is an adult – in which case the maximum penalty proposed is one year imprisonment – and a situation where the person being solicited is a minor in which case the maximum penalty proposed is two years imprisonment. …

“Also proposed is to make stricter the punishment for someone who holds a ceremony of religious conversion of a minor, and make it two years imprisonment, instead of 6 months …”

On Monday, Sam Brownback, former Kansas senator and governor as well as former U.S. ambassador for international religious freedom, denounced the measure, tweeting: “Free and democratic countries simply do not outlaw the free exchange of ideas and that includes religious beliefs and convictions.”

“Remember the whole issue of proselytization in Israel?,” Israeli legal expert David Benjamin told CBN News. “There’s always been a sensitive one, right? The Jewish state was set up too, to protect the Jewish people. Many Jewish people have been lost over the centuries, obviously to genocide. But also by assimilation, forced conversion, et cetera. So it’s a very sensitive point.”

He thinks this legislation would likely violate Israel’s Declaration of Independence.

“I think that the fundamental premise of the law is problematic in itself. I don’t think it’ll be, it’ll be unacceptable to outlaw. A person trying to persuade another person to adopt any idea, whether it be a religion or any kind of idea. You know, the free flow of ideas, freedom of thought, freedom of conscience, freedom of expression or, or fundamental pillars of any democracy.”

The Jewish Virtual Library reports Christians make up almost 2% of Israel’s population and accounted for 61% of tourists to the country in 2018. In fact, the largest percentage of tourists to Israel that year were Americans, numbering 813,000.

WND previously noted plenty of online reaction about the proposal, with comments including:

“Just so you’re clear. They want to lock you up for believing in Jesus Christ✝️”

“Because Jews are actually putting their faith in Christ. Major threat to the pharisees.”

“Image the backlash if someone wanted to do this with Judaism. Don’t expect any Republicans to denounce their donors for trying to ban Jesus.”

“We gotta protect our citizens from being brainwashed by the followers of a guy who [checks notes] healed the sick and told people to love their neighbor. 🤡”

“Why is that news? Israel has for millennia believe that when the Messiah returns, it will be as a king, ‘to set up his kingdom here on earth, and destroy their enemies.’ Since Christ Jesus didn’t do that when he was here, they naturally denied him. You know, that same kind of stuff Christians believe he’s going to do …Soon! ‘Return as a king,’ to set up his kingdom, and destroy their enemies.” Both Jews and Christians are expecting the same thing. Only when He does return, Christians will deny Him, this time, because He’s not coming to set up a Kingdom, and rule on this earth, and He certainly isn’t going to come in the fashion that the ancient texts describe.”

“The synagogue of satan wants to throw you in jail for speaking of Christ.”

“There is no such thing as Judeo-Christianity. Jews have been persecuting Christians for 2,000 years and they continue to this day. They are of their Father the Devil. Any ‘Christian’ who supports Israel and Judaism hates Jesus and God.”

“Desperation. The hard-core Jewish Orthodox political faction is terrified of Jews waking up to the lies of Judaism and returning to their biblical roots, i.e. Christ.”

“Such a bill will never become law while Netanyahu is prime minister.”

“What if I call him ‘Yeshua’? Would that be OK?” Source

HOW CAN I BE SAVED?

From the Desk of Robin Linaz

On By robinlinazIn COMMENT FROM ROBIN LINAZ1 Comment

Responding to Dale Vernon

From the Desk of Dale Vernon

Amen Dale! The only escape from the Hell that is coming on earth is vertical, not horizontal, and Jesus is His name. Funny thing is, this has always been true. 

Most people in the USA over the past 60 years or so didn’t have to face that truth, so busy with their personal empire building and pleasure seeking were they. But now the handwriting is on the wall (I’m once again reading the book of Daniel in my daily Bible study…so apropos) and destruction is coming. Most American citizens can feel the coming judgment, even if they can not yet name it…our lives are thick with the promise of looming disaster.

As Believers in our Lord Jesus, we know that whatever happens to us here, we will hold to His promise that nothing can separate us from our King. 

Romans 8:31-39 assures us…
31 What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32 He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? 33 Who shall bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. 34 Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us.j 35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? 36 As it is written,

“For your sake we are being killed all the day long;
we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.”

37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38 For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Look up, Jesus is coming soon! Maranatha!

The Gospel of Jesus Christ to be Outlawed in Israel? Knesset Introduces Bill Which Will Sentence Violators to Prison for Teaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ!

On By Geri UngureanIn Gospel may be Against the Law in Israel10 Comments

Brethren, yesterday I received an email from a brother in Christ. He asked me if I had heard about the bill introduced in Israel to outlaw teaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I had not heard about this and we were both eager to vet it.

I have a friend from Israel who is an elder in a Messianic congregation. I wrote to him and asked if this was true.

Here is his response:

Hello Geri,

Yes, this is true. I read the law proposal in Hebrew and it definitely is intended to stop the believers in Jesus from sharing their faith in any form, including electronically. Which is why I think it can’t pass.

Say I’m not allowed to give out literature on the street. OK. Can I wear a T-Shirt with Yeshua on it? or Isaiah 53? In court, can I not say it’s my favourite T Shirt with my favourtie chapter?

And say you uploaded something in English on YouTube intended at Israelis, is this not allowed? Will they ban it on YouTube?

OK, so say I uploaded in English from the US, intended at Israelis – I’m not violating US law, am I? I know people who came to faith through English videos not intended for Israelis at all. Or, say I did it in Hebrew, from the US, would that be illegal?… you see the complications?

What if I did it in Israel, but I’m not violating YouTube US laws. Or, how can they prove I did it in Israel and not in the US. Say I wore a cross, and people asked me “I thought you were Jewish – why the cross” and I said I believe in Jesus and THEY started asking me questions – would I get arrested? I only wore a cross and answered questions.

You know how many conversations I’ve had just because people saw me read my Bible somewhere? Electronically would mean you mustn’t evangelise on a website. Are all Israeli believers to now immediately go to their websites and remove anything that might promote the faith? Nonsense. I think it’s too complicated and that it won’t pass.

But if it DOES pass, it won’t stop any of those who actively engage in Evangelism from continuing. It might even help the gospel in some way. But it will give plenty for Israelis to report about to supporters oversees 😉

From thelibertybeacon.com

JERUSALEM, ISRAEL – Is it possible that the Israeli government this year could pass legislation making it illegal for people to share the Gospel message in the very land where Jesus was born, raised, preached, died, buried and rose from the dead?

Unfortunately, yes.

As Palm Sunday and Easter approach – the two most sacred days on the calendar for those who follow Jesus as both God and Messiah – two members of the Knesset (Israel’s parliament) introduced a bill last week that would ban any and all efforts to tell people about Jesus.

The bill would send violators to prison.

[…] The proposed legislation would outlaw all efforts by people of one faith who, in any way, want to discuss or try to persuade people of other faiths to consider changing their current religious beliefs.

The punishment for doing so would be “one year imprisonment.”

If the conversation is with minor – someone under the age of 18 – the punishment would be “two years imprisonment.”

This bill would apply to people having spiritual conversations with Israelis of any religion.

However, in their official explanation of the bill, the two Israeli legislators specifically emphasized the warning to stop Christians, in particular.

The bill’s primary objective, therefore, appears to be making it illegal for followers of Jesus (“Yeshua” in Hebrew) to explain why they believe that Jesus is both Messiah and God with the hope that Israelis might consider following Him.

The bill does not only make a simple personal conversation about Jesus with another individual a crime.

It would also make it illegal for “someone who solicits a person – directly, digitally, by mail or online – in order to convert his religion.”

Thus, producing and publishing online videos explaining the Gospel to Jewish or Muslim people in Israel – and to those of any other religious faiths – would suddenly become illegal.

Publishing books, other printed literature, online articles, podcasts, or other forms of media that explains the life and ministry of Jesus and His message found in the New Testament would also become illegal.

So would discussing the Gospel message via email, text messages, written letters and/or on social media, including answering questions initiated by people who don’t follow Jesus.

All Israel News has the full text of the bill. Source

TO MY JEWISH PEOPLE:

HOW CAN I BE SAVED? YES…..YOU NEED YESHUA TO BE SAVED and I would gladly go to prison for saying this!