http://www.salam.org/policy/falwell.html
Letter to Rev. Jerry Falwell
February 1, 1998
The Reverend Dr. Jerry Falwell
Liberty University
Lynchburg, Virginia
Dear Rev. Falwell,
We, Palestinian evangelical pastors serving among the
Palestinian evangelical Christian communities in the Holy Land,
write to express our concerns regarding statements that you made
in January 1998.
On page four of the International Herald Tribune,
January 22, 1998, under the title: Christian Right Backs Israel,
the Herald wrote; "Mr. Falwell has said that he and several
leaders of the Southern Baptist Convention told Mr. Netanyahu
that they would mobilize evangelical churches to oppose steps to
give up any more territory to the Palestinians, The New York
Times Reported."
We, your brothers and sisters in Christ, prayerfully and in
the spirit of love, appeal to you to reexamine your positions
regarding Israeli policies in Jerusalem, the West Bank and the
Gaza Strip.
We, who live and serve among Palestinians, grasp the harmful
effects of denying over 3 million Palestinians living in the Holy
Land and another three million Palestinian refugees who are in
exile, the right to live in their homeland, the right to freedom
and the right to statehood. This denial has been the very cause
of much blood shed and suffering in the last five decades.
Please understand that our concern for justice for the
Palestinians must not be interpreted as a rejection for Jews to
live in security and peace in Israel. As concerned evangelicals,
we are called on to approach these complicated issues with
Christian compassion for both Israelis and Palestinians and to
endorse only a settlement that addresses the legitimate rights
and aspirations of both parties. We also condemn all acts of
terrorism and aggression regardless whether Palestinians or
Israelis are responsible for such acts.
Let us assure you, Reverend, that your statements are
hindering the cause of Christ here in the Holy Land, throughout
the Arab World (the home of about 250 million people), and
throughout the Islamic world (over one billion people). Our task
of sharing the love of Christ in this region is becoming
increasingly difficult as our brothers and sisters in the West
openly express sentiments and endorse policies that produce
greater injustice and aggression against Palestinian Christians
and Muslims.
Your call on evangelical leaders to write to President Clinton
to express opposition to the current peace process, is
disheartening to all who seek peace and justice. In the absence
of a viable peace process, there will be renewed rounds of
violence and the possibility of an all out war. By lobbying
against any further Israeli troop withdrawals from the West Bank,
you are endorsing the theft of Palestinian lands and adopting the
dangerous position of Israeli extremists. To continue to carry
out such excessive positions will sooner or later bring major
disasters to all Israelis and Palestinians.
As evangelical pastors, teachers and theologians we understand
that your positions on these issues may be motivated by your
understanding of Biblical prophecies. We also realize, however,
that while Christians differ as to the interpretation of Biblical
prophecies, we all agree with the following Biblical mandates:
- We are called to love all God's creation: "For God
so loved the world ..." John 3;16. We believe that
this love of God also embraces the Palestinian people,
both Muslims and Christians. No man or woman can truly
claim to love the Palestinian people, while at the same
time, he or she uses every opportunity available to
promote injustice against them. God's love cannot be
expressed to Palestinians by supporting policies that
result in their eviction from their ancestral homelands
or by keeping Palestinian refugees stranded in refugee
camps.
- We are called to be peacemakers: "Blessed are the
peacemakers, for they shall be called the children of
God" Matthew 5:9. Your statements, Rev. Falwell,
indicate that you have a greater passion to see Biblical
prophecy come to fulfillment than to see peace and
righteousness reign in this land.
- We are called to seek justice. "He has showed you, O
man, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you?
To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with
your God." Micah 6:8
Jesus Christ, after whom we model our faith and action, taught
his contemporaries that justice and mercy are the most important
aspects of the law.
Addressing religious leader Jesus declared:
"Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you
hypocrites! You give a tenth of your spices--mint, dill and
cummin. But you have neglected the more important matters of the
law--justice, mercy and faithfulness. You should have practised
the latter, without neglecting the former." Matthew 23:23
Finally, Reverend, we pastors and leaders of most evangelical
churches in Jerusalem and the West Bank serving among the
Palestinians, wish to extend to you an invitation to visit us in
the Holy Land. Come and be our honoured guest. We desire for you
to travel with us down a modern-day Jericho Road.
We want you to discover for yourself the true victims of this
conflict. We wish for you to draw near enough to hear the cry of
the oppressed and see with your eyes the wounds of those who are
crushed. We pray that you will not decide to walk by on the other
side.
Sincerely,
Reverend Musa Abu Ali Bible Baptist Church, Beit Hanina
Reverend Alex Awad East Jerusalem Baptist Church, Jerusalem
Reverend George Awad Bible Presbyterian Church, Bethlehem
Reverend Bassam Bannoura Shepherd Field Baptist Church,Beit
Sahour
Reverend Atallah Esawi Church of God, Aboud
Reverend Naju Issa Bible Baptist, Jericho
Reverend Munir Kakish Pentecostal Church, Ramallah
Reverend Ibrahim Mseeh Local Baptist, Ramallah
Reverend Botrus Mualem Church of God, Beit Jala
Reverend Magdi Anwar Missionary Alliance Church, Jerusalem
Reverend Nizar Tuma Nazarene Church, Jerusalem
Reverend Nihad Salman Church of God, Bethlehem
