The Israeli and Palestinian conflict is a very hot topic. Many usually have a biased opinion before they even bother to look at the other side because that's what they've been taught. In United States we see much pro-Israeli media and financial support (something like 10+ billion a year) probably for what is called Zionism.
As a Latter-day Saint growing up I often heard from Sunday School and Seminary teachers that we need to support the Jews because they will be on the right side. What side were they talking about? Now that I have been studying the Middle East and its modern and past issues for the last 4 years at Brigham Young University, I have seen that much of those teachings were only the teachers' opinions, not actual church doctrine. Official church doctrine and opinione are two very BIG differences because one is concrete and we should follow, the other is just commentary that we just don't know if it is true or not (and nor does it make a difference in our eternal progression here on earth).
Below is a portion of an address given by my professor James Toronto and his wife at a BYU Women's Conference in 2001:
I believe with what President Hunter stated, "we have love for and an interest in each" because guess what? We have a love and interest in everyone on that lives on this earth, no matter what religion or ethnicity. I read an article given to me by a friend who studied at the BYU Jerusalem Center written by a member of the LDS church in a Hebrew/English newspaper. He stated in this newspaper that any Mormon that supports Palestine does not understand what it means to be a good standing member of the church. I commented on his article stating that his facts with the conflict were correct but that his statement of not being a good standing member of the church was incorrect.
Let it be clear that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints does not condemn one over the other because of their religious affiliation (there are many Christians in Palestine that have been there since the time of Christ). The church does not support any such opinion that one is more righteous than the other, that we need to choose which side to be on, or that Judaism will be the victor over the Muslims. These opinions are simply just those, opinions.
My opinion?
Both are at fault when it comes to the conflict. Both need to learn to love each other. And my Sunday School and Seminary teachers were ignorant in this area for teaching false church doctrine.
Do I support one side over the other?
No, I believe the oppressed deserve to have an equal voice.
Do I feel my testimony has been shaken because of these opinions that I've been taught? Absolutely not. There are no hard feelings towards them and my testimony of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ is even more firm through experience and prayer.
As a Latter-day Saint growing up I often heard from Sunday School and Seminary teachers that we need to support the Jews because they will be on the right side. What side were they talking about? Now that I have been studying the Middle East and its modern and past issues for the last 4 years at Brigham Young University, I have seen that much of those teachings were only the teachers' opinions, not actual church doctrine. Official church doctrine and opinione are two very BIG differences because one is concrete and we should follow, the other is just commentary that we just don't know if it is true or not (and nor does it make a difference in our eternal progression here on earth).
Below is a portion of an address given by my professor James Toronto and his wife at a BYU Women's Conference in 2001:
" My third and final example of how a skewed understanding of doctrine can lead to unkind attitudes and behavior is close to my heart and personal experience. For the past 25 years in my work in the Middle East, I have read and heard expressed many times the view that LDS teachings about the gathering of Israel and the establishment of Zion imply that the Church supports the Jews in their struggle with the Palestinians and other Arabs in the Holy Land. There is not time today to discuss adequately why this is an inaccurate interpretation of LDS doctrine and a misrepresentation of the Church’s stance on this extremely complex international political issue. Suffice it to say for now that LDS authors, speakers, teachers, and celebrities who advocate and perpetuate these views are not official spokespersons for the church, even though they are often perceived and cited as such. Many times over the years I have had conversations with Arabs and Muslims, including many students at BYU, who are friends of the Church but, having read this popular LDS literature about the Middle East conflict, are deeply troubled by what appears to be strong bias in favor of Israel. Some of these unofficial and inflammatory LDS writings have even appeared in Arab newspapers in the Middle East purporting to represent the Mormon view on this issue. This problem is especially painful for members of the Church who are Arab (and they are numerous, active, committed, many having served missions and been endowed in the temple) who love the Gospel but are greatly perplexed and saddened when they encounter attitudes among fellow members that reflect a pro-Israeli, anti-Arab prejudice.
Those who do speak officially for the Church–the First Presidency and the Twelve– have never expressed support for one side over another. On the contrary, they have exhibited scrupulous impartiality in all their utterances and actions dealing with the Middle East crisis, and have sought tirelessly to build strong relations with both Jews and Arabs in an effort to bring about greater peace and stability in the region. Elder Howard W. Hunter, who had in-depth understanding of Middle Eastern issues, once addressed this concern in a talk at BYU:
As members of the Lord’s church, we need to
lift our vision beyond personal prejudices. We need to discover the supreme
truth that indeed our Father is no respecter of persons. Sometimes we unduly
offend brothers and sisters of other nations by assigning exclusiveness to one
nationality of people over another. Let me cite, as an example of
exclusiveness, the present problem in the Middle East–the conflict between the
Arabs and the Jews. . . . Both the Jews and the Arabs are children of our
Father. They are both children of promise, and as a church we do not take
sides. We have love for and an interest in each.[i] "
Toronto, James and Diane. “No More Strangers and Foreigners.” In Ye
Shall Bear Record of Me: Talks from the 2001 BYU Women’s Conference. Salt
Lake City: Bookcraft, 2002.
I believe with what President Hunter stated, "we have love for and an interest in each" because guess what? We have a love and interest in everyone on that lives on this earth, no matter what religion or ethnicity. I read an article given to me by a friend who studied at the BYU Jerusalem Center written by a member of the LDS church in a Hebrew/English newspaper. He stated in this newspaper that any Mormon that supports Palestine does not understand what it means to be a good standing member of the church. I commented on his article stating that his facts with the conflict were correct but that his statement of not being a good standing member of the church was incorrect.
Let it be clear that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints does not condemn one over the other because of their religious affiliation (there are many Christians in Palestine that have been there since the time of Christ). The church does not support any such opinion that one is more righteous than the other, that we need to choose which side to be on, or that Judaism will be the victor over the Muslims. These opinions are simply just those, opinions.
My opinion?
Both are at fault when it comes to the conflict. Both need to learn to love each other. And my Sunday School and Seminary teachers were ignorant in this area for teaching false church doctrine.
Do I support one side over the other?
No, I believe the oppressed deserve to have an equal voice.
Do I feel my testimony has been shaken because of these opinions that I've been taught? Absolutely not. There are no hard feelings towards them and my testimony of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ is even more firm through experience and prayer.
[i].
Howard W. Hunter, “All Are Alike Unto God,” BYU
Speeches of the Year, 1979, pp. 35-36.
Great article! I especially like the quote from Howard W. Hunter!
ReplyDeleteThank you for a really good answer, since last fast sunday i have been pondering this question a bit since a member of my branch held a testimony where he said that we must pray for our Jewish brothers in Israel so that they can have the country which belongs to them and stuff. (He is indeed a bit controversial and says something crazy every sunday so he's not to be taken too seriously, but still). My mom whispered jokingly in my ear that it was lucky i didn't invite my Palestinian (Muslim) friends from school that day. I asked her afterwards if the church does take any side in this conflict (since it's a religious conflict for the Jews), but she just said something about the tribes of Israel being supposed to gather again. But according to Church doctrine it means that everyone who baptize into the church becomes a part of the House of Israel and gather in the Gospel.
ReplyDeleteIt's releasing to see that church leaders continue to be a great example and a source on which people should rely instead of ignorant members thinking they have the right to speak for the church. I think there are many problems with prejudice in America, sadly among lds members. I don't think we have as big a problem with that in the church in Sweden, because we are torn between a Swedish perspective and an American (which comes naturally because the church has a really American culture) so we have to be critical. I love my Arabs and if I'm going to pray for the conflict I'm certainly going to pray for both sides! :)
It's all good saying all that you have but when almost every member, every teacher, and every high counsel-man talks about protecting Jews and how God promised this land to them. We hear it all the time, unless Jews are ruining the show in that land then Jesus won't come back. So your article, though very useful, has no real effect on the general membership of the church. We need the presidency to take a stance and during the general conference to look into the camera and state and repeat what President Hunter said.
ReplyDeleteI am tired of the comments made by the members every week. I'm tired of trying to remind them that Jesus taught love not hate, but lets be honest with ourselves, our members not only take side with Jews but they HATE Moslems. This is not going to change unless the 1st presidency takes actions.
Unlike you, my testimony is not as strong as it was 20 years ago. I've seen too much hurt. too much pain, and too much indifference from our leaders and it's hard for me to remain strong in a situation like what we're seeing right now when Israel is killing Palestinians like they are ants.
Thank you for your article.
I thank you for your article because I have been very troubled by the lack of information on the LDS position in Gaza at this time.In no way can I condone the killing of innocent people. Israel needs to repent.
ReplyDeleteAlexkz. I am also troubled by the views and opinions of members. However you need to ask Heavenly Father to give you peace on this matter. I do believe that a part of the former Ottoman Empire was meant for the return of the Jews, but not like this. The Jews may be Gods chosen people, but they are also out of favour because they killed the Saviour and a host of other awful behaviour. Until they repent, they remain out of favour. Heavenly Father is no respecter of persons, sounds contradictory I know. The majority of the Israelis are either from or directly descendant from Russia, the Ukraine and other parts of Europe. The Palestinians have more pedigree though, their links are immediate and unbroken.
ReplyDeleteRemember the opinions of members are just that - they are not a directive from the Presidency. Netanyahu is a Ukranian import and a hater of the Palestinians. It is Israel who has provoked the Palestinians and surrounding nations, so that Palestine will naturally respond. The Palestinians who are also descendants of Abraham were promised equal rights under the 1947 charter, but as you can see they do not.
Therefore dont be disheartened. The Saviour will soon be here and as we know when he does arrive, Israel will repent and be saved. Until then she remains out of favour.
Who am I , a soft gentil impression of comfort with strength, brings on a filling of a second wind, butterfly flutters of excitement and anticipation, looses the memory of exhausted power previously spent, to go a little further, reach a little higher, stretching beyond your comfort zone, with your toes balanced on a wiggle rock, just big enough to stand on to reach the very small twig, where there was a bud of leaves to small to be opened yet, and fragile enough to simply break away from the twig if pulled on to hard, with patients and squerming the fingers "middle and ring" ones up to bearly reach the base of the small bud of unopened leafs were it connected to a small branch with a slight curl of the first knuckles brings the twig closer making it easyer to pinch the twig between the first knuckles ares of your two fingers, with the small bud under the knuckles with slight squeezing action and clamping the twig with your knuckles as it ausends up between the fingers to a bigger twig branch that's connected to a larger long branch of a tree you could slightly pull on the little bud and get a surer grip in the twig to pull more and force the long branch to bounce a couple times and the third time pull hard enough to bring the long branch down without breaking the bigger twig so you can thrust up your second hand to grasp the longer branch that cdearly support the weight of you to be able to climb hand over hand over hand over hand over hand Untill the branch was to big to wrap your whole hand around it, to be able kick your leg up, after numerous tries catch your heel above on the branch and stretch your body outwards brings you up to be able to now bear hug the long branch with your legs and arms wrapped safely around a Russian Olive Tree, that was growing wild between two huge rocks that had been shaking loose and tumbled down 2000 yrs ago and wedged themselves between the walls of a narrow canyon, placed just for you, so you could save yourself from the devistating car wreck that you got thrown out of and flew into the narrow canyon bearly stopped on a small ridge the size of a small kitchen table.. which you played on when you was a child.
ReplyDeleteI really appreciate this article, I am LDS and my friend's Father was the former Mayor of Bethlehem. They are Palestinian Christians who can trace their line and lands back to life of Christ. It's amazing how much support fellow American Christians have for Israel based on the biased media we get. Nobody talks about the walls being put up, the internment camps, the stolen lands, the oppression of Palestinians by Israelis. It's abhorrent and we Christians really need to love both sides. We need to stand up for the rights and liberties of all people!
ReplyDeleteI did not get the impression this was a bash the Jews article. The comments are very disheartening. Where is the love? Where is the impartiality spoken of in the article? It sounds to me like maybe both sides of this issue are only focusing on their side and not paying attention to what the truth really is. Does anyone really know the whole truth? All I know is that the feeling I get reading these comments is one of darkness and bitterness. I'm sorry I read the comments.
ReplyDelete