Saturday, April 21, 2012

To James Wall ... Up Date

To James Wall,

You have written a posting that uses William Wilberforce, John Newton and John Wesley. You equate the need for the Methodist Church to divest from companies doing business with Israel with the slave trade of England and the United States. You refer to Newton’s call, in the movie Amazing Grace, to “Throw their dirty, filthy ships out of the water.

The ships were dirty and filthy and bearing a load of humanity, suffering pain, despair and untold misery. The men piloting and running those ships were insufferably evil as were those who sold slaves and used slaves. They were also slaves to sin because they loved money and power and cared little for either suffering humanity or the suffering Christ.

That is undoubtedly why John Newton’s song Amazing Grace is so loved by many. When people realize what wretches they are they are open to hearing the words, “t’was grace that taught my heart to fear and grace my fears relieved.” But some men, unlike Newton, Wilberforce and Wesley never acknowledge their own hatefulness.

You are the man—who has stated that Gordon Duff of Veterans Today and Debbie Menon of My Catbird Seat are your friends. You praise these people who despise the Jewish people. You praise them and use their material. You do not care that they have blamed untold evil on the Jews including the tragedy of 9-11, the evil of the Nazis, etc., etc. (Please see, Veterans Today: Against the Jewish people, against Christians, and against veterans) So why should the Methodist listen to you about Israel?

We must love both the Israelis and the Palestinians. We must work toward a two state solution. Israel has some actions they need to take. The Palestinians have some actions they need to take as do many of the Arab states and one Persian state. But those who listen to you are listening to someone who has made friends with vileness and unloving bigotry. Why should any person bearing the righteousness and grace of Christ listen? Why should the Methodist Church listen? Why even the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)?

Update-James Wall sent this post with a link to my blog to Gordon Duff of Veterans Today. I know that because Duff commented on one of my earlier posts. This is what he said:
 "Jim Wall sent me your site. You would have more comments if you just wrote better.

I could recommend a school for you, perhaps a basic writing class at a local adult education facility in your region.

Please visit one

Gordon Duff"

I quote here so that the reader will understand that James Wall & Gordon Duff are connected. There are people in the mainline churches including the Israel/Palestine Mission Network of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) who should stop using his material.
Duff's comment can be found here: http://www.naminghisgrace.blogspot.com/2011/11/critiquing-theologies-and-connections_28.html Simply scroll down.

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