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Shas seeks harsher punishment for missionaries
Neta Sela
Published: 14.03.07, 00:21
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1. Just one year Rav?
Dan ,   London   (03.14.07)
I say give them 10 and put them inside with the palis. Convert them.
2. OH RIGHT... AS IF SHAS JUDAISM WAS THE REAL STUFF
stude ham   (03.14.07)
3. Democracy? Not in Israel!
(03.14.07)
4. Kol HaKavod!!!!!!
שילוה ,   ישראל   (03.14.07)
5. Eventually, THIS WILL BE PASSED - BARUCH HASHEM!!!
David ,   Holon,Springhill,IL   (03.14.07)
Every single refrom, "progressive" law you create will be overturned. So if this law doesnt pass now, it will in the near future. Eretz Yisrael will be reborn!!!
6. Shas seeks harsher punishment for missionaries
Jim Brown ,   TN USA   (03.14.07)
Sure go ahead Shas make Israel like Muslim countries where there is no freedom of religion.
7. IT'S ABOUT TIME!
BOBBY SOLO ,   ITALIA   (03.14.07)
IT'S ABOUT TIME!
8. Intolerance
Kerry ,   Sin city, Nevada   (03.14.07)
Geez, are they trying to turn Israel into Saudi Arabia. Try to allow others to pursue their god, their way. Why would you want to prevent others from converting to Judaism? This smacks of bigotry!
9. very dismayed
Pumpkin Pie   (03.14.07)
I happen to be a Christian who is totally AGAINST Christians proseletyzing to Jews. It's just plain rude. But....a LAW against it? Isn't that like something the Taliban would do? If a person's religion is strong, then they shouldn't fear hearing a different viewpoint. If someone tries to convert you, just tell them to mind their own business, and then ignore them, walk away, tell them they're rude, whatever. The proposed law sounds like something I'd expect from a backwards Muslim government and not from a democracy like Israel.
10. how about promoting Judasim instead of hitting the missionar
bob ,   potomac md 20854   (03.14.07)
Instead of punishing missionaries, Shas and others should work to promote Jewish education-- But those of you who say that the proposed law is mking Israel like the Muslim countries--you're mostly wrong. You're right in the sense that in Muslim countries it's illegal to proselytize--but in those countries it's a captial offesne for the missiary and for the former Muslim--and they enforce it by law o9r by mob--a one-year sentence in jail is small potatoes in comparison
11. SHAS: Israel's biggest traitors
malcolm   (03.14.07)
They sold their soul for Olmert's shekels by not taking down the government after the failed Lebanon Surrender. They sleep with traitors which makes THEM traitors. Now, as usual, they act self righteous. But the truth is they have betrayed the Jewish people and the Nation of Israel.
12. Shas is right on this one!
Michael Steiner   (03.14.07)
13. Still Persecuting Jesus after all these years
patriot ,   chicago, US   (03.14.07)
Prophecy says the Messiah will be born in Bethlehem. Jesus was born in Bethlehem. Prophecy says he would be born in the line of David. Mary was in the line of David. For around Eighteen hundred and seventy five years the Jews were scattered to many lands. Makes you wonder doesn't it. Also, Jews in the US are not persecuted, think about it. Though, to think about it, it wouldn't be the first time a "Rabbi" came up with a really stupid idea!
14. Democracy in Israel...
Matt ,   STL, MO   (03.14.07)
More evidence that Israel's idea of "democracy" is flawed. That the Israel call itself a democracy is an affront to the ideal. Forbidden marriages, voting rights based on caste, limitation of speech. By continuing to pretend that Israel is "democratic," the US further diminishes its credibility and its founding principles .
15. If Israel does this it loses it's free status
Daniel ,   United States, NJ   (03.14.07)
Freedom of Religion is an essential part of any democracy, including freedom to prosletyze (which is also covered under Freedom of Speech which is also an essential part of any democracy), so if this bill gets past then Israel will lose it's democratic status, and the support of millions of Americans and Europeans like me who admire Israel for being a democracy with Freedom of Religion, Speech etc etc. Nobody supports Israel unconditionally and as well as being morally reprehensible at best this bill doesn't even serve Israel's best interests because it will cost Israel every ounce of support it has in the world.
16. Weak -
Ben ,   Pennsylvania USA   (03.14.07)
How pathetic and sad. If our values and teachings are not strong enough to keep our people than shame on us. The other's methods are so bankrupt and hollow we should not have to resort to these kinds of laws. My suggestion to Shas... fix your leadership and change your oppressive (Iranian Mullah style of governing) and you will find that Jews will continue to be Jews and our resistance to temptation will be that much stronger.
17. Selling one's soul
Joe ,   USA   (03.14.07)
for money or other economic benefits is an ugly process . It leaches on the weak to gain acceptance of another faith by hooks or by crooks. This is not considered freedom of religion. Freedon of religion allows each one to practice his faith undisturbed or un influanced by someone's else passion to decree his will or belief on another for economic benefits
18. 5 'Eretz Yisrael will be reborn!!!'
(03.14.07)
Good to see you're getting a head start on this by staying in Illinois.
19. Democracy is a mindframe
Raffaele Ladu ,   Verona, Italy   (03.14.07)
As a 12-year old student, I was taught by my English teacher that democracy is not just a set of rules, but a custom. Proposing a bill against proselytism is a clear proof of antidemocratic mindframe. Even if I didn't care about freedom of religion, I would nonetheless care about freedom of speech, which would be seriously curtailed by such a law. By the way, doesn't Shas fear that putting forth such a bill may be construed as the proof that Judaism is so frail a religion that it cannot walk without crutches even in the Jewish state? Even though Shas didn't care about human rights, doesn't it care about so grave a Hillul HaShem?
20. Law again soul thieves
Avi ,   Tel Aviv   (03.14.07)
It is an absolute abomination for Israel to allow Xians to steal Jewish souls in Israel, the homeland of the Jews. Israel was founded to provide a refuge for Jews to escape and be sheltered from Xians. Allowing them to come to Israel and steal Jewish souls here is only helping them in their ongoing campaign to destroy Jews & Judaism.
21. shas harsher punishments missionaries.
shanatova ,   australia   (03.14.07)
So blind is Rabbi Ovadia Yosef. He claims to be a Rabbi and does not even see the prophecies in his own Torah, and Tanach. How the politics of the Shas party is no different of the politics of Ancient Rome and the Pharisees. If Rabbi Ovadia Yosef is pushing for no missionaries, then let him push for no Kabbala, no Satanic worship amongst the Israeli youth, no Rock concerts where drugs are taken, no conversion to Judaism of Goyim, these being qualified as Non-Muslim, but from other "Christian Denominations" or secular, for the purpose of marriage. So that a Jew would marry a non Jew and that non Jew would not be allowed to convert. Punishment for the non Jew would be one year in prison. Punishment for the Jew wanting to marry the non Jew would also be one year and up to five years in jail. How these men in religious power think they do HaShem a service. "Woe unto the false shepherds".... shanatova
22. #2....and I suppose your Xianity is!
er ,   canada   (03.14.07)
23. Missionaries engage in Religious and Cthnic cleansing
Avi ,   Haifa   (03.14.07)
They use deceptive means, they prey on children, they create phony teen clubs like the JAM center. Christians who defend such practices such ask themselves how they would feel if Muslims set up mosques disguised as churches in their communities and then tried to convert their children and loved ones to Islam by telling them it would make them better Christians Or obtained names of poor people in their community and tried to lure them to convert and offered their children free day camps which really turn out to be indoctrination sessions to another religion. You wouldn't like it and would be mad as hell about it. Most Christians have long ago disavowed such tactics, but some Churches continue funding groups like Jews for Jesus, which is a cult that misrepresents itself and preys on the elderly and troubled teens
24. why this worth taking into consideration
AY_Lamb ,   USA   (03.14.07)
I hope every person in Israel sees the absolute importance of this. The US Army is experimenting with this prohibition on proselytizing because US soldiers currently occupy traditionally and proudly Muslim lands and the host Governments worry about "cultural contamination". This effort is a joke however, American's are almost entirely Christian and unbeknown to them they tend to chafe at anything non-English or Germanic in origin and especially anything Semitic in origin. This reaction is deeply embedded their sacred an infallible Christian texts with commentary about "murderous Jews" and "evil Islam". I am not trying to pass any judgment on the validity of Christian beliefs or any others. All I can say is that I have personally read one depiction after another and these characterizations are so prolific, vital and intrinsic that the prohibition on proselytizing is actually directed at anything non-Christian in origin. In the US Army Christian, observances are very nearly mandatory and Non-Christian practices are barely tolerated and usually deemed counter to mission achievement. Of course, the State of Israel will allow believers to enter, observe and appreciate the sacred sites and relics to a wide variety of believers. Ultimately however, like it or not; by sticking to a coded prohibition on proselytizing the state will engender respect by visitors even if the visitor doesn’t like it because it is simply a reasonable stipulation. People everyday make the individual moral decision to seek out other faiths without conversion diatribe being forced upon them. This is just a simple fact-of-life and in such a magnetically religious geographical area as Israel for everyone’s safety, enjoyment and peace this Law should pass. The only down side I can see is the some evangelical denominations are required by decree to “save souls” and conduct “witnessing” it would be unfortunate if this law prohibits their full observance of that doctrine but, an evangelical friend of mine said that they can request special dispensation and a temporary moral waiver especially while on a pilgrimage. V/R And Shalom
25. #8 NO, THEY ARE TRYING TO RETURN ISARAEL TO JUDAISM
YES ITS SEPARATISM ,   BY JEWS FOR JEWS   (03.14.07)
KERRY, STAY IN SIN CITY DO NOT MOVE, STAY SINNING .................DACON9
26. I thought We R The Only One.
1.5 billion Muslims   (03.14.07)
Reality Check , World
27. israel "is" the jewish state
zev   (03.14.07)
america doesnt claim to be "the" christian state. thats why they dont make these laws, however, israel claims to be the jewish state therefore, such a law would absolutely make sense.
28. Great law !
gabriela ben ari ,   jerusalem   (03.14.07)
About time for something like this. Israel is a democratic country and her citizens are intitled to get basic protection for their spiritual needs. And the law of the state should provide for this Tolerating soul-ripers is criminal
29. With all due respect Rabbi Ovadia Yosef
Roy Galut ,   Selah Washington   (03.14.07)
Christianity without its Jewish foundations would not be valid ... Jesus was a Jew and all of his disciples were Jews.... as a christian I will not force anyone to become a christian ...Period...But that will not stop me from sharing my faith with others ..the choice is the listeners ... accepting Jesus as ones savior does not stop one from being a practing Jew.. but rather a enrichment of ones jewish faith. I know there are Jews that would dispute this....but I trust in time they won't...
30. Horrible concept.
Yakov Hadash ,   Jerusalem   (03.14.07)
If Jews living in the Jewish state can be talked into becoming Christians or whatever else, that means we need to work on Judaism and the way we construct it here. People need to know that Judaism is more than nationalism, milk-meat separation, and sexy wigs.
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