Sunday, April 13, 2008

Christian missionaries' new tactic - blur the distinction between Jews and Christians & Rabbi Vinas

One of the issues connected to conversion is the tactic used by missionaries to try and convince a Jew that he can remain a Jew and still accept Jesus. This is done by trying to minimize the differences between Jews and Christians.
See the Jews for Judaism site.

Of interest that Jewish missionaries such as Rabbi Vinas use the tactic in reverse when he tells Christians that Christianity is not that different from Judaism.

Interview with Rabbi Vinas in Spanish

Por otro lado, el rabino neoyorquino Rigoberto Emmanuel Viñas, dijo no concordar con el juicio que hacen varias organizaciones judías que acusan de antisemita a „La Pasión de Cristo‰ que será estrenada en los Estados Unidos este Miércoles de Ceniza.

Viñas, de la congregación Lincoln Park Jewish Center, expresó en una entrevista a El Diario-La Prensa, su malestar sobre la controversia creada en torno del filme y señaló que, en su opinión, no se está permitiendo que salga a la luz el verdadero mensaje de la película: „Creo que ese mensaje habla de la pasión y la energía de la religión cristiana, explicó el rabino.

On the other hand, New York Rabbi Rigoberto Emmanuel Viñas said he did not agree with the viewpoint expressed by many Jewish organizations that accused "The Passion of the Christ" of having an Anti Semitic message . The film will be premiered in the United States this Ash Wednesday.

Vinas, Rabbi of the congregation Lincoln Park Jewish Center, in an interview with El Diario-La Prensa, spoke of his discomfort with the controversy created around the film and noted that, in his view, the controversy is not letting out the true message of the film: "I think that message speaks of the passion and energy of the Christian religion, the rabbi explained.

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Interview with Rabbi Vinas in Spanish II

Y el catolicismo, arrodillarse ante los santos, ¿no es también una forma de idolatría?

And Catholicism to kneel down before the saints isn't this also a form of idolatry

El catolicismo es una religión monoteísta.

Catholicism is a monotheistic religion.

Cree en un solo Dios,

They believe in single G-d


que llaman el Padre.

by the name of the Father


La religión católica usa a María, Jesús y los santos como intermediarios para llegar al Padre.

The Catholic religion uses Mary, Jesus and the saints as intermediaries to arrive at the Father.


No es idolatría, porque no los considera dioses. Yo no considero el cristianismo una idolatría, como tampoco acepto tener intermediarios para orar al padre que me creó.

This is not idolatry because they are not considered deities. I do not consider Christianity a form of idolatry in that it neither accepts nor has intermediaries for praying to the father that I believe.

No le parece que sus diferencias de juicio para católicos y santeros son prejuicios porque la santería viene de los negros?
It does not appear that there are differences that I judge, in my opinion between catholics and santeros that are not prejudiced because the santeria (an Afro Cuban religion) came to the blacks.

Mi congregación contiene un gran número de negros judíos.
My congregation contains a large number of black Jews.

Han venido de todas partes del mundo, de Etiopía, Uganda. El judaísmo no reconoce color ni raza, sólo el espíritu humano.
They have come from all parts of the world, from Ethiopia, Uganda. Judaism does not recognize color nor race, only the human spirit.


Mi juicio sobre la santería se basa en su fe en múltiples dioses.
My judgment on the Santeria (Afro Cuban religion) is based on their faith in multiple deities.

El monoteísmo puede ser el gran remedio contra el racismo.
Monotheism is a great remedy for racism.

Si hay un sólo Dios,

If there is only a single G-d

es el mismo que nos creó
and it is the same G-d in which I believe

a todos y el que nos ama a todos iguales, judío, gentil, blanco, negro, chino, árabe y japonés

to all and to all who are loved the same, Jew, Gentile, white, Black, Chinese, Arab and Japanese.


2 comments:

  1. I'm beginning to believe that your blog is a personal attack on me! I can't believe that another frum Jew would do this to me or anyone else. I have begun to copy all that is written here and save it to a file in case I might need to go to a bet din to clear my name.

    This interview was regarding Cuban Politics. Regarding Castro and the unfortunate fact that there are many American Jews visiting the Island circumventing the embargo and providing large sums of income for the communist government. The non-Jewish community is outraged at this they see it as a betrayal and as if Jews were has veshalom communists or supported communists. You can't insult the goyim in an interview that is going to be read primarily by non-Jews especially when these conditions are already there brewing. I was placed into the position of softening this situation and thats what I did. It is my halachic understanding that goyim are permitted to daven to shitufim not avodah zarah. I don't like it I prefer that they follow clearly only One G-d but according to many mandeomrim this is the case. I needed to rely on this to help our people look better and not be hated for the millions of dollars that the hilonim are pumping into the country that is directly supporting the criminal government of Cuba. I did present the idea that traditional Jews do not agree with this type of activity and that the communist government hates our religion just as much as he hates the others. Torah and Judaism can not be seen as supporting evil governments like Fidel Castro's if it were seen this way and no one spoke up there could has veshalom be a backlash against us latter for this.

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  2. It's seems to me that someone is spreading false rumours about Rabbi Vinas across the web. He is not a Christian missionary.

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