I just found this on a site entitled "Not Perfection" -- a reaction to the piece I wrote last month on the Presbyterian-Israel story.
December 14, 2004
Lighting a candle against the darkness
Instead of cursing the darkness (which is sometimes the first reaction here at not perfection), Rabbi Daniel Brenner, director of the Center for Multifaith Education at Auburn Theological Seminary, has written a thoughtful piece about the scapegoating of Israel on the part of the Presbyterian Church USA last summer. He and the Rev Cindy Jarvis of Philadelphia (both pictured here) are working toward reconciliation and reversal of the divestiture decision.
You should read the article. It relieved some of my anger and frustration at my denomination. Praise God. In addition to making a compassionate, understanding case for the frustrations of Palestinians, he makes one cogent and reasoned observation:
"I believe that there is a much deeper cause to this movement. And it is not anti-Semitism. It is frustration — a by-product of the spiritual and emotional antipathy carried by left-leaning Protestants toward another Protestant, George W. Bush... It stings that Condoleezza Rice is a devout Presbyterian..."
I cannot agree with everything he says, but my heart can open a little.
