George W. Bush to help group that converts Jews in effort to bring about 2nd coming of Jesus Christ

[JaneyVee]

The former president will be the keynote speaker at a fundraiser for the Messianic Jewish Bible Institute

According to a report from Sarah Posner in Mother Jones, George W. Bush is scheduled to give the keynote address at an upcoming fundraiser for the Messianic Jewish Bible Institute, an organization devoted to converting Jews to Christianity in order to bring about the second coming of Christ.

The Messianic Jewish Bible Institute has long been a controversial organization, especially among those in the Jewish community. When former Sen. Rick Santorum spoke at an event of theirs previously, Abe Foxman of the Anti-Defamation League was quoted calling the decision “insensitive and offensive.” When Posner asked Rabbi David Saperstein, the director of the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism, about Bush’s upcoming appearance Saperstein said, “It’s disappointing that [Bush] would give his stamp of approval to a group whose program is an express effort to convert Jews and not to accept the validity of the Jewish covenant.”

Bush will follow last year’s keynote speaker, Glenn Beck. According to promotional materials, Posner reports, Bush will speak on his experiences in the White House. Ticket packages will range from $100 to $100,000, the higher-end of which will include VIP passes to meet the former president as well as to receive signed copies of his book, “Decision Points.”

The rest: http://www.salon.com/2013/11/07/george_w_bush_to_help_group_that_converts_jews_in_effort_to_bring_about_second_coming_of_jesus_christ/

[R. Daneel Olivaw]

1. I guess it can be said that Bush II is still an assh*le.

[Jim Warren]

2. Speaks

I rarely post but reading this story closely speaks more to the dynamic of what's really going on in the US right now than almost anything I've read here in a long time.

[LuvNewcastle]

10. This is a lot more important than a lot of people realize.

These people are behind the whole Dominionist movement that backs up Sarah Palin, Ted Cruz, and other teabagger luminaries. There are a lot of Americans who believe that the end times are upon us and the Jews in Israel and the reconstruction of the temple in Jerusalem are all tied up with it. They believe that there have to be 144,000 Jews who are Christians for part of the plan to bring about Armageddon, the destruction of the world, and a new world ruled by Christ.

I know all this stuff is out there, but I'm not making it up. I heard some of it when I was growing up in the Baptist churches. These people are very crazy and dangerous. They're also a much stronger force in American politics and religion than most people realize. These people are largely hidden from the view of the rest of us, but any time you see an article about the Dominionist movement and Jews for Jesus, pay attention. It's important to know about these people so that you can see how current events are seen in their eyes. They want power and we all should be aware of them.

[Behind the Aegis]

3. This will please some people.

There are those always looking for a 'solution' in regards to the Jews. Though, it does make one wonder how the ethnic Jews will play into this.

[Skidmore]

6. It would help greatly if these idiots amongst the extremes of Christianity

Last edited Fri Nov 8, 2013, 08:25 AM - Edit history (1)

were not so readily exploited by political factions in Israel. We would have a bit more stability in the world and perhaps a little less war.

[Behind the Aegis]

7. Yes, because the "idiots amongst the extremes of Christianity" are the vicitms.

Damn that Israeli (sic)!

[Skidmore]

8. Not victims

Last edited Fri Nov 8, 2013, 09:37 AM - Edit history (1)

but people with an agenda also. They are wrong to seek the destruction of the world and Israel is wrong to exploit their dangerous agenda. Everyone needs to back down a bit.

Editing to add that I don't have much use for the great monothestic religions of the world and I have no use for fundamentalism of any stripe. Groups which actively engage under the notion that a god prefers them to all other humans disgust me and all the monotheistic traditions have this in common. That very belief is tearing the Middle East up a d is indefensible.

[Coyotl]

4. dupe

[Gothmog]

5. This group is a dangerous group

As a Jew, I am very offended

[WouldbeCentrist]

9. Apparently they are removing that info from online

Apparently, maybe to distance themselves from the bad press, they are removing the pages from their website with the mentions of Bush.

http://www.christianpost.com/news/messianic-jewish-group-stirs-controversy-announcing-george-w-bush-as-speaker-at-annual-banquet-then-removes-president-from-event-page-108386/

[47of74]

11. According to this he's still going

They may have pulled the info from the site but he's apparently still going.

Update (11/8/13): After this story published, the Messianic Jewish Bible Institute removed references to George W. Bush's scheduled appearance from its website. But Freddy Ford, a spokesman for the former president, told Mother Jones on Friday afternoon that Bush's plans "haven't changed," and he will appear at the event.

Ugh. Just fucking ugh.