Israel Still Seeking to Deny Christ???

[Philip]

Israeli Communications chief wants to keep Jesus off of TV!

https://www.foxnews.com/world/tv-show-israel-christian

[Fliegender]

It’s illegal to proselytize in Israel. (A measure I support! I wouldn’t have Jehovah’s Witnesses or Mormons bothering me if it were illegal here but that’s another story.) Since both Daystar and Middle East TV broadcast Christian programs in Israel without breaking the law, Shelanu TV must have done something wrong to get the attention of the Communications Minister.

We’ll have to get more information on this to understand what’s really going on.

[Philip]

[url]FlieG: It’s illegal to proselytize in Israel. (A measure I support!)[/url]

Well, then, I guess you disagree with Jesus instructions in Matthew 28? Now, if one speaks about Christ to someone who refuses to listen or gets angry or wants you to stop or leave - well, continuing would be badgering and wrong. Otherwise...

[Fliegender]

[url]FlieG: It’s illegal to proselytize in Israel. (A measure I support!)[/url]

Well, then, I guess you disagree with Jesus instructions in Matthew 28? Now, if one speaks about Christ to someone who refuses to listen or gets angry or wants you to stop or leave - well, continuing would be badgering and wrong. Otherwise...

Matthew 28:18-20 (The Great Commission) has nothing to do with badgering unbelievers. Passive proselytizing is fine with me: those who want to listen, will listen. Non-Christians who are genuinely curious will ask questions and won’t argue the answers to no end. Passive proselytizing is best done through radio, TV and internet because these media are available to us nowadays. Active proselytizing - what Jehovah’s Witnesses and Mormons do - gives Christians a bad name because to seculars, these groups are Christians even though they are not.

Christians are also to obey the law of the land when it doesn’t contradict with biblical mandates. Since a Christian network like Daystar is able to broadcast in Israel, they are obviously following the law while getting the Message across to those who wish to listen. Jews for Jesus and Jerusalem Assembly are also active in Israel without breaking the law.

[Fliegender]

PS...I looked into this with an Israeli correspondent and the problem is that God TV specializes in programs for youth. It’s illegal to proselytize to children in Israel as it’s considered "spiritual porn" according to my correspondent. Proselytizing to adults is legal but unwelcome. God TV/Shelanu TV have said they will obey the law.

So...this story was blown out of proportion by various media. I guess people got tired of COVID-19 news and needed different fodder.

[RickD]

GenderBendingFly wrote:
So...this story was blown out of proportion by various media.

No....

That’s impossible!

[Fliegender]

GenderBendingFly wrote:
So...this story was blown out of proportion by various media.

No....

That’s impossible!

Yes, possible! It’s not much of a story in Israel either. Just a few crazed Lubavitchers and other ultra-orthodox nutcases who made a big deal about nothin’...and they don’t even have TVs either!

[Stu]

[url]FlieG: It’s illegal to proselytize in Israel. (A measure I support!)[/url]

Well, then, I guess you disagree with Jesus instructions in Matthew 28? Now, if one speaks about Christ to someone who refuses to listen or gets angry or wants you to stop or leave - well, continuing would be badgering and wrong. Otherwise...

Matthew 28:18-20 (The Great Commission) has nothing to do with badgering unbelievers. Passive proselytizing is fine with me: those who want to listen, will listen. Non-Christians who are genuinely curious will ask questions and won’t argue the answers to no end. Passive proselytizing is best done through radio, TV and internet because these media are available to us nowadays. Active proselytizing - what Jehovah’s Witnesses and Mormons do - gives Christians a bad name because to seculars, these groups are Christians even though they are not.

Christians are also to obey the law of the land when it doesn’t contradict with biblical mandates. Since a Christian network like Daystar is able to broadcast in Israel, they are obviously following the law while getting the Message across to those who wish to listen. Jews for Jesus and Jerusalem Assembly are also active in Israel without breaking the law.

Um, "active proselytizing", isn't that what the Apostles done for many years, and their followers for 2 thousand years before TV and the internet?

You are treading on very dangerous ground saying that passive proselytizing is ok, but active proselytizing is not. Jesus never taught that, neither did his Apostles and neither does the Bible, and neither does the Holy Spirit.

You go where the Lord/Holy Spirit leads you to go/preach, you are conforming to modern society's dislike of Christianity and trying to passify them by shutting up. The Bible said we would be hated for loving Jesus, but that doesn't mean we stop preaching the word, just because it's harder.

Obviously if people are hostile to your message you move on, but saying that you cannot actively proselytize is quite frankly unbiblical and just plain wrong. So missionaries are wrong, and should not venture out to foreign lands?? If we had stuck to your rules, Christianity would have remained Israel and not spread throughout the world.....

[Philip]

Stu: Obviously if people are hostile to your message you move on, but saying that you cannot actively proselytize is quite frankly unbiblical and just plain wrong. So missionaries are wrong, and should not venture out to foreign lands?? If we had stuck to your rules, Christianity would have remained Israel and not spread throughout the world.....

There is truth in what Stu says here.

Stu - haven't seen you here for awhile - don't be a stranger!

[Fliegender]

I never said you can’t actively proselytize in the sense that you should sit on your couch and forget about it. I used the Jehovah’s Witnesses and Mormons as examples of annoying proselytizing. Their proselytizing is ineffective because people just don’t want to listen to mumbo jumbo from unwanted visitors who show up at their doorstep. Door-to-door proselytizing is largely a waste of time whether it’s done by Mormons or born-of-the-Spirit Christians. Itinerant vacuum cleaner salesmen probably have more success at convincing people...but not anymore as they seem to have disappeared from the landscape.

Remember that misguided Christian who wanted to bring the gospel to the isolated tribe of North Sentinel Island ? He got what any sane person knew he would get from his absurd endeavor: he got a multitude of arrows and spears in his body. The greatest achievement he managed that day was to make himself - and missionary zeal - look like foolishness in the eyes of many.

Modern missionaries don’t go around yakking about Jesus to people who don’t want to listen. They help where help is needed, bringing food, clothing, a warm bed, medical care, develop water irrigation, teach children to read and write and so on. If the benefactors of their good works ask what motivates the missionaries; that’s the opening to give a simple, short answer. If the benefactor wants more information, let them ask. The proselytizing is passive then becomes more and more active as warranted. Never push religion unless you want to become a Jehovah’s Witness. Walk the walk first, then talk...and shut up if they don’t listen. This is effective proselytizing. If you can’t do this, you can financially support the people who can.

[Stu]

Stu: Obviously if people are hostile to your message you move on, but saying that you cannot actively proselytize is quite frankly unbiblical and just plain wrong. So missionaries are wrong, and should not venture out to foreign lands?? If we had stuck to your rules, Christianity would have remained Israel and not spread throughout the world.....

There is truth in what Stu says here.

Stu - haven't seen you here for awhile - don't be a stranger!

Hey, yeah busy with other stuff atm including THE LOCKDOWN in SA. Everybody is suffering atm with no income and so people are stressing, we are still doing ok and will come out on the other side intact, can't say that for a lot of other people though. This lockdown has to end soon or SA might never be the same again for many years, as it is I think that will be the case. Businesses are closing and many jobs might never return. Politicians have it easy as they get their salaries, the opposition and business is saying that the lockdown has to end soon. Rough times ahead, not just for SA but the world.... stay safe people.