Awful truncation of theology. Then tell me this- how does God give future prophecy if He doesn't intervene in world affairs to bring about events He in His sovereignty has revealed will come to pass? At some point God has to intervene in the affairs of those to whom He has given limited free-will. Otherwise, you have Deism at best and Open Theism at worst.
But then again, free will and sovereignty has always been a weak point in Eastern theology- so I understand your background. I can cite you sources in the Fathers that teach about God's sovereign intervention in human affairs.
I haven't said that I regard the UN as a) an authority worth heeding and b) having any foundation based on honesty.
So, no, I don't even listen to the UN anymore. Couldn't care less. They've said things that support Israel's sovereign rights and things that have been useless as well. A mixed bag of "who cares?" for me.
This is exactly the kind of illogical and poorly thought out rhetoric that makes talking to people so frustrating, and why I avoid talking to people who engage in this kind of perverse, twisted and dark logic. But I'll answer you, because you might be honestly just duped like some and have good intentions. If I get so much as a sniff that you are another propagandist, you'll go straight to the discard bin.
Israel bent over backwards to avoid civilian casualties during that military operation.
Hamas bent over backwards to make sure that civilian casualties were high. Why? Dead civilians make great headlines and help foster sympathy, albeit misguided and ultimately supportive of the Islamic tyranny of Hamas. Bodycount politics makes great propaganda but rarely presents truth in reporting.
I could cite numerous articles that demonstrate how Israel did its utmost to avoid civilian casualties and how Hamas and those in alliance with it did so much to threaten the lives of civilians, using them as fodder in their twisted jihad, but I suspect you might
disregard anything as your image of Israel and Jews is
perhaps already poisoned and you have fallen for the vilification so prominently presented in some media, religious and political circles. I'm already worrying about that regarding your POV.
http://www.thetower.org/2129-how-the-idf-works-to-prevent-civilian-casualties/
Since you like the UN:
http://www.algemeiner.com/2014/07/1...-idf-to-leave-targeted-buildings-in-advance/#
Compare that to this official PNA (Palestinian National Authority) statement urging people to ignore warnings:
http://www.moi.gov.ps/En/Details.aspx?NID=67875
Israel: "Get out, we're going to blow up the weapons and ammunition those jihadists put in your building"
Hamas: "Stay and die."
Worse still:
Even now they rebuild the tunnels into Israel with the money and concrete given to them to rebuild housing.
These people are evil. You indirectly support them by not speaking against it. Israel must defend its borders and security, and the world must uphold that.
It seems to me that there is no real meaning of the word "peace" for radical Muslims. They seem to think it means "pause to re-arm".
WHAT? Are you serious?
Even Orthodox theologians see it and that's why I cited them.
It said in in 10 people in Russia were anti-semitic. That's
massive. Less than Europe? So what?! Imagine this: you go to a party. There are twenty people. 2 of them despise you because you are Jewish and blame you for stuff you never heard of. They will most likely bring it up. Now, go to a football match or even a church and do the maths.
The people who I have encountered in my years on Earth that want to argue with me about their "issues" with the Jews are almost always Eastern European and usually "Orthodox". If one in ten of the people are like that- that makes life socially and even financially miserable. My great-grandparents fled Russia a long time ago to
avoid Pogroms. Pogroms would not have been possible without the blessing of the Church (who engaged in forced conversion as well- Christian? I don't think so) nor without the people whose popular mind was at least partially (if not more) formed by the the Church.
Taking the above in context with Russian Orthodox priests that want the anti-semitic prayers taken out of the Easter Vigil liturgy I'd say there is a problem in Russia that you just don't want to see. If there's no anti-semitic prayers...what are they asking to be removed?
That doesn't bother you? Christians in prayer to make God give a retribution to a whole people for something done centuries ago that He Himself forgave?
You're ok with that too? Old prejudices that don't hold water are ok for Christian leaders to teach as truth? These prejudices (see: Protocols of Zion for an example) lead to persecution and vilification. Perfect fuel for Golden Dawn.
You're fine with that too?
There lies the whole problem. For centuries Christians have been saying that the Fathers, or Luther, or whoever have been against Judaism but not against Jews per se.
It's a false dichotomy in practice. If they were against Judaism and not Jews then why is there no distinction between those who follow Judaism and those who are Jews in the liturgy? Why is the whole nation called ""the murderers of God, the lawless
nation of the Jews" and also "impious and transgressing
people". These are directly from the Orthodox Liturgy. See:
The Lenten Triodion. 2nd ed. South Canaan: St. Tikhon's Seminary Press, 2002. 612.
In other words, why am I, a 21st C Jew, and my whole family still blamed for something Jesus bid the Father to forgive? I wasn't there. Nor are my family lawless and impious. In fact, we're all rather keen on keeping God's law.
Furthermore- and here's the point. To the victim, the motives of the persecutor don't matter all that much. Either way, he is a victim. "I'm not burning your house down because you are a Jew, but because you are Jewish. My religious or political leader says I should do this" The effect is the same regardless of the reasons given.
Now let's turn to the Fathers...
Here's a summary on Chrysostom's blind hatred for Jewish people. It's clear to me that the Spirit departed from him when he wrote those violent sermons and for anyone to claim to be a Christian and bid others to hate someone is obviously more akin to a cult leader than a person filled with the Spirit, bearing His fruit.
Here is the whole series in full. That allows you to check the context. Warning: you need a strong stomach. You will note that the term "Jews" is used and no distinction is made between the religion and nation. Even if it could be proven that Chrysostom regarded the estate of Jewish Christians to be an equal estate as Christians of other nations, his remarks are racist at best and clearly have embedded hatred for the Jewish people in the minds of those who follow him, then and now.
Here's some snippets from the man the Orthodox regard as a Saint:
"The Jews sacrifice their children to Satan....they are worse than wild beasts. The synagogue is a brothel, a den of scoundrels, the temple of demons devoted to idolatrous cults, a criminal assembly of Jews, a place of meeting for the assassins of Christ, a house of ill fame, a dwelling of iniquity, a gulf and abyss of perdition."
"It is the duty of all Christians to hate the Jews."
Nice guy? How exactly is this loving your neighbor?
Gregory of Nyssa (331-396 C.E.):
[Jews are] "Slayers of the Lord, murderers of the prophets, adversaries of God, men who show contempt for the Law, foes of grace, enemies of their fathers' faith, advocates of the Devil, brood of vipers, slanderers, scoffers, men whose minds are in darkness, leaven of the Pharisees, assembly of demons, sinners, wicked men, stoners, and haters of righteousness."
There's two snippets for you. We find comments in Justin Martyr, Ignatius of Antioch, Origen (ok...not a saint, but reflecting the zeitgeist of his day for sure) Augustine etc
Good. Thanks for that.
OK. Noted.
Well, I have dealt with it. I know (for a fact) that Orthodox theology can be slippery when finer points are pursued. The old "not in my jurisdiction" and "that's not really Orthodox" lines are used on both sides of any one given argument. However, denial is a problem here. By disavowing anything one finds repugnant or disagreeable within one's own community one may find themselves committing a sin of omission. It is well known that Sainted individuals are regarded as vital references in the formation of Orthodox theology (in particular reference to Holy Tradition), and when there is a form of consensus, to question that Holy Tradition is considered either heterodox at best or heretical at worst.