Tuesday, May 12, 2009

"See no evil" Part II: Israel, anti-Zionism, antisemitism, and British evangelicals

(For Part I, see here.)

Stephen Sizer commends the Pope for repudiating antisemitism, here. But when will evangelicals take Stephen Sizer to task for apparently circulating antisemitic emails, accusing those who are concerned about antisemitism of acting in bad faith, slipping into antisemitic rhetoric about 'the lobby', citing or cooperating with Holocaust deniers, turning a blind eye to Israeli pain and citing various other dubious sources, the interview he gave to American racist Mark Dankof (apparantly arranged by IVP USA!), using openly antisemitic language in a national newspaper, insulting the memory of those who died in the Holocaust, subtly insinuating Israeli complicity in 9/11, rewriting history and misrepresenting those he disagrees with? (Not to mention threatening those who dare to criticise him with police action, whilst himself manifestly failing to engage with most of the points put to him.) No time soon, it would seem, since Sizer was recently asked to speak at the London School of Theology. Whatever evangelicals may think of Sizer's theology and politics, the fact that they continue to give him a platform tells me that evangelicals either aren't aware of these aspects of Sizer's writings, or think that they just don't matter. For shame.

1 comment:

Pablo said...

If I were Rev Sizer (which I'm not :D) I would surely be thinking to myself right now: I'm a Christian minister and have a responsibility to represent truth, and when I fail, I should publicly apologise.

Nearly every week I preach at my church about loving my enemies, telling the truth, acting humility, saying sorry and receiving forgiveness.

So should I love my Zionist enemies?

Should I tell the truth about my dodgy dealings with antisemites?

Should I 'fess up to the Anglican Church that yes, I have done some naughty things?

Should I say sorry for all the times I've misrepresented Israel and Jewish people, and all the times my legitimate criticism of the Israeli government has spilled over into pathological antisemitic hatred?

Should I practise what I preach?

Naaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhh.