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From: 	 heb_roots_chr@mail.geocities.com
Sent: 	 Tuesday, July 29, 1997 1:48 AM
To: 	 Hebraic Heritage Newsgroup
Subject: RE: Anti-democracy legislation, Report no. 30


From:          "LaSarge, Paul A" 
To:            "'heb_roots_chr@mail.geocities.com'"
Subject:       FW: Anti-democracy legislation, Report no. 30


I received this from a friend.  It reveals we are not done praying.  

Shalom,
Paul LaSarge

>
>ISRAEL: Politics, Prophecy, & Prayer
>July 26, 1997  --  5757
>**************************
>Here is additional information from the Messianic Action Committee
>in Israel concerning the Anti-Missionary Bill that is before the
>Israeli Knesset.  Please continue to pray for this Bill's defeat.  Pray
>also for the Messianic Believers in Israel who may suffer the
>consequences if this Bill does pass....a year in jail, fines, expulsion
>from  Eretz Israel.  
>*****************************************
>Isai 2:3 (KJS) And many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to
>the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach
>us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for out of Zion shall go forth
>the law, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem. 
>Haba 2:20Subject: Anti-democracy legislation, Report no. 30
> Date: Wednesday, July 23, 1997 2:17 PM
> 
> Anti-democracy legislation, Report no. 30
> 
> Nahum Barnea, one of Israels leading publicists, has published
>thefollowing  article in Yediot Achronot (July 11 1997, Special Sabbath
>supplement, pg 7):
>
>While a public committee headed by Yaacov Neeman is trying to save the
>Government from the Conversion Law affair, the Ultra Orthodox are preparing
>for  Netanyahu a new landmine: The Mission Law is meant to keep non-Jewish
>organizations from promoting their faith among the public in Israel.  The
>law, which has gone through a Preliminary Reading, will easily have a
>majority (of  supporters, BM) in the Knesset.  The problem is that it
>forces Netanyahu to confront the most faithful friends he has in the world:
>the missionary organizations in the United States.
>
>For that reason the Prime Minister  wrote a letter to Elwood McQaid who is
>head of one of the leading inter-church organizations in America.
>
>It has come to my attention that a bill before the Israeli parliament
>concerning missionary literature has created storm among our many Christian
>friends in the United States. 
>
> I want to assure you that this law did not have the support of the Israeli
>Government.  It was introduced as a private members bill, by Nissim Zvili
>of the Labor Party and Rabbi Moshe Gafni, at a time when fewer than thirty
>Knesset Members were present.  In order to become law, it must go through
>three further stages.  The Government strenuously opposes this law, and
>will act to ensure it will not pass (Translation from Hebrew which slightly
>differs from the English original, BM)
>
>The Christians, . . . are now organizing an extensive publicity campaign in
>America, which will compete with nothing less than the publicity campaign
>that the Reformed (Jews, BM) organized against the Conversion Law. . .
> 
>This article has created a great deal of interest in the Israeli press.
>Two of the leading television current affairs programs on the national
>Israeli channels are now in touch with us about making programs on the
>proposed law.  One will be aired on Monday, July 21st.  HaArets, Israel s
>most respected daily, carried two articles on the bill which proposes to
>institute religious censorship in  Israel.  The Knesset is about to recess
>until the end of October, but our efforts must continue, even while the
>Knesset is in recess.  Those who support the proposed legislation will take
>advantage of the time in order to lobby for its support.  We must continue
>to lobby against it and are preparing to
>do just that.  The poll you received in our last report is but one of such
>preparatory steps.  A Legal Opinion prepared by one of Israels leading
>lawyers is soon to be completed.  A code of ethics in evangelism has been
>produced. 
>Important journalists have written and are preparing further articles.
>
>We continue to encourage friends to write Knesset members and to initiate
>delegations to the Israeli Embassies abroad.  We would be grateful to know
>in advance of such delegations, so we can encourage the Israeli foreign
>correspondents to cover them for their papers and thus give them wider
>volume.
>
>So far, our campaign has been the most extensive, the longest sustained
>public campaign in Israels history.  Tens of thousands of  letters have
>poured in since March, with others still coming.  We are immensely grateful
>to our many  friends overseas.  Most particularly, we are grateful to note
>the almost  complete lack of abusive language in the protests.  People have
>written as concerned friend of our people and our country- a wonderful
>testimony to the sincerity of your love for Israel.
>
>We have discovered that some have received only three out of the seven
>questions in the poll we conducted.  If you are one of those, please notify
>us by writing on the subject line POLL, and we will resend you the complete
>poll.
>
>Following is a translation of an open letter to the Prime Minister which
>will appear in all the major newspapers in the country:
> 
> _____________________________________________
> 
> Dear Mr. Prime Minister,
> 
> On the 19th of February, bill 590-P was introduced in the Knesset,
>amending the Penal Code of  1977 (174c).  The bill proposes:  anyone who
>possesses, prints, copies, distributes, hands out, imports or makes public
>materials in which there is any form of enticement to a change of religion
>without legal sanction, shall be subject to one years prisonment.  A
>leaflet or (any form of ) publicity material in which there is any form of
>enticement to a change of
>religion will be confiscated.  The Government did not oppose the bill
>except by way of a weak statement.  It was supported by two senior cabinet
>ministers.
> 
>Prime Minister, you undoubtedly are aware of the implications such a bill
>would have on the foundations of democracy in our State.  the bill
>transgresses our Basic Law:  Mans Dignity and Freedom, international
>conventions to which our country is signatory and our Declaration of
>Independence.  This bill proposes to limit the freedom of speech in Israel.
> It arrogates the right to determine for the Israeli public what literature
>it may read, under pain of
>imprisonment.  It proposes to establish in Israel a religious and political
>censorship and to restrict freedom of expression at its most delicate
>point: the freedom of  religious expression.
> 
>The opposition of many in the country to this bill, as seen in the attached
>Gallup poll, is understandable.  A true democracy is measured by the
>majoritys attitude to the minority - not by the privileges which the
>majority accords
>> itself.  Some 5,000 Messianic Jews live in Israel today.  They are
>faithful citizens of  the State, maintain its laws, pay taxes and serve in
>the IDF.
>
>Although we are a minority, our struggle is just and enjoys the support of
>many, including some Knesset Members and even Ministers in your Cabinet,
>who have expressed their support verbally and in writing.
>
>Prime Minister, you are aware of views prevalent in the American public and
>in Europe.  You know how wide a support there is for Israel among Jewish
>Messianics and evangelical Christians throughout the world.  The proposed
>law threatens that support, as can be learnt from the tens of thousands of
>protests that have  arrived from all over the world.  How do you imagine
>they will respond when they learn that the liberties of those who share
>their faith are subject to undemocratic restrictions and that htier
>literature is forbidden?
>
>You have committed yourself and your Government to strenuously opposing the
>bill  in question.  We here note for the record that nothing less than its
>complete rejection should be acceptable.  Like peace, democracy is invisible.
> 
>As the Prime Minister of all the nation and as one who is sincerely
>committed to the principle of democracy and their defense, there is no need
>for you to take up an active, public stand against present effort to limit
>freedom  of expression.  We call upon you to issue an appeal to the Knesset
>to work for the bills rejection.  By this you will demonstrate your support
>of Israels democratic principles and your defense of the right of every
>minority to
>live according to its conscience, as is true in all th worlds democracies
>and has been the case in our country- to date.
>
>With all due respect,
>The Messianic Congregational Action Committee
> 
> _________________________________________________________
> 
> 
> 
>A short video on our struggle is soon to be dubbed into English and will be 
>made available for purchase.  Once we have completed the dubbing we will
>inform you and notify you of the price. 
>
>Baruch Maoz
>Chairman of the Messianic Action Committee
>POBox 75 Rishon LeTsion 75100 Israel
>Tel/Fax 972 3 966 1898
>E-mail 100320.1324@compuserve.com
>Account No 500046, First International Bank of Israel, Rishon LeTsion
>Branch (No.32).  Please designate all contributions as for "FREEDOM"
>
> 
>
>
>
>

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