by Joseph W
Stephen Sizer is in Malaysia, having been invited by the Far Right anti-Jewish group Viva Palestina Malaysia, overlooked by the out-and-out anti-Semite, Mahathir Mohamad.
Sizer is a vocal supporter of Viva Palestina’s British chapter too. Viva Palestina is a registered British charity which functions as George Galloway’s Hamas support operation.
Here is Galloway handing Viva Palestina money to Hamas’ Ziad Al-Zaza, then the Gazan economy minister:
Here is Viva Palestinia Malaysia activist Azra Banu being rewarded for services to Hamas by the terrorist group’s Gaza leader Ismail Haniyeh:
Stephen Sizer knows perfectly well what Viva Palestina is. Yet Sizer travels to Malaysia, as an Anglican vicar, in order to increase support for Viva Palestina.
Sizer also speaks glowingly of the IHH flotilla against Israel – another fascist outfit with political links to Hamas. There are clear links between the IHH and Viva Palestina across the Middle East.
Viva Palestina and IHH have been close partners in convoys for Hamas. Indeed, the leader of the IHH’s Gaza office Mehmet Kaya has said “We only work through Hamas, although we don’t limit our aid to its followers”.
No kidding:
Stephen Sizer has appeared on Malaysian TV this week, in support of IHH/Viva Palestina flotillas and convoys.
Watch from 9:04:
Getting behind the flotilla is a fantastic way [that] people here in Malaysia can help. Getting relief supplies into Gaza, breaking the siege. It embarrasses America and it embarrasses Israel. The ordinary human beings are willing to risk their lives to sail supplies into Gaza. We saw what happened to the Turkish flotilla. Coming up very soon there’ll be a larger flotilla […] so we’re really excited about what we can do together.
Let’s just remind ourselves of the Turkish flotilla’s cargo.
Adam Deifallah writes this week:
There are five easy, safe and legal crossing-points in Israel through which to reach Gaza: the northern Erez crossing, the eastern Karni crossing (specifically designed for cargo), the southern Sufa crossing, the Kerem Shalom crossing and Rafah. If the flotilla’s real intention were to deliver aid to Palestinians, it could be done wth no problem by passing through any of these points.
Items truly for humanitarian aid get through to citizens already. It is only those deemed as “dual-use” — things like steel pipes, fertilizer and cement — that are blocked. Some of the items on last year’s flotilla included ballistic vests, gas masks, night-vision goggles and clubs. You can expect more of the same this time.
What an ignoble project. Furthermore, the Turkish flotilla was all about raising funds for Hamas, and open anti-Semitism, Jew-baiting, and martyrdom. Yet Sizer supports this outfit without hesitation.
Sizer wonders “why Israel has been the subject of more UN resolutions than any other country in the world“, but then ignores the UN position on flotillas to Gaza. The UN advised:
“Governments concerned to use their influence to discourage such flotillas, which carry the potential to escalate into violent conflict.”
Quite.
Sizer also tries to flatter his hosts, suggesting Israel should become an equal democracy like Malaysia:
If it won’t give up the land it must give up being a Jewish state. it Like Malaysia, allow everyone one man one vote. Everyone is an equal citizen.
Yet Malaysia is not an equal country. Just google “bumiputera” or “Malaysian social contract,” and you’ll see why pretty quickly. The US State Department reports:
The law and government policy provide for extensive preferential programs designed to boost the economic position of ethnic Malays or bumiputera, who constitute a majority of the population. Such programs limited opportunities for non-bumiputera in higher education, government employment, business permits and licenses, and ownership of land. Businesses were subject to race-based requirements that limited employment and other economic opportunities for non-bumiputera citizens. According to the government, these programs were necessary to ensure ethnic harmony and political stability.
So if Sizer is wanting Israeli society to become as egalitarian as Malaysian society, he isn’t asking for much, quite frankly.
This past week, Stephen Sizer has been featured in the Malaysian press. In The Star, Sizer comes out with some straight-forward anti-Semitism:
So Dr Sizer was not at all surprised by the more than 20 standing ovations Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu received when he addressed the US Congress recently “because the Israel lobby buys every single politician”.
So Zionist Jews or their proxies are buying off politicians.
Amazingly, Sizer dismisses the Christian faith of an entire other country, just to get his political point across:
He says that churches in the Far East are heavily influenced by American Christianity, which is a fusion of American imperial values and Christian traditions. The fact that the American churches are wealthy also helps to buy influence. And Dr Sizer wants to prick the balloon and wake people up to the reality.
Sizer also weighs in with some theology:
The senior pastor of Christ Church in Surrey, England, who has a master’s in theology from Oxford University, stresses that the New Testament never once mentions that the Jews are the “chosen people” nor does it say that the land belongs to the Jews.
Incidentally, the New Testament does carry verses suggesting that the Jews are still “chosen” and the Jewish covenants are still intact, such as Acts 3:25 and Romans 9:4. But I don’t want to get drawn into this discussion. Instead, I find it odd that someone so confident in his thinking around the New Testament and the Jewish people neglects to deal with these passages.
Sizer continues:
Jesus’ apostles were told to go out of the land and take the message to the world but they were never told to come back.
So, Sizer imagines Jesus sending the disciples into exile, never to return as Jews. But Sizer has mis-quoted what Jesus is recorded as saying to his disciples in the New Testament:
But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
So Jesus wished for some of his disciples to stay put, too.
Furthermore, how would Sizer explain Paul’s decision to hurry to Jerusalem for Shavuot, where he was warmly greeted by James and the other elders?
Sizer has conveniently re-imagined the New Testament as an early Christian polemic against proto-Zionism.
Here’s the thing about Sizer’s use of theology. There’s no objection to Sizer opposing, on theological grounds, the arguments of the zanier end of Christian Zionist theory. Sensible people naturally reject these attempts to understand the Israel-Palestine dispute by analysing scripture in an unbalanced way. Instead, most people look to broader issues, such as the right of people to self determination.
Ironically, Sizer’s position is a crude parody of the apocalyptic brands of Christian Zionism that Sizer condemns. He ignores practical Israeli and Palestinian concerns, preferring to dwell on a crude and atavistic theology which excludes Jews from having their own nation.
When you put all Sizer’s words and actions together, it paints a sorry picture overall.
Sizer does little to discourage the Islamists whom he shills for. Instead, he provides a theological framework for Christians who wish to ally with Islamists in opposing Israel, and feel good about themselves for doing so.
Sizer takes a hostile religious stance against the Zionist expression of Jewish national will, because he thinks this is a sin against God. He obviously thinks the Jews should still be in exile, which explains why he thinks Jesus told his Jewish disciples to go into exile forever.
Sizer has no problem with effectively boosting Hamas, by urging people to join convoys and flotillas raising money for Hamas.
I wonder how much longer Sizer’s conduct will go unchecked by the Church of England.
I would like to thank all those who have urged the Archbishop of Canterbury to act on this matter. If you would still like to send a message, I would urge you to adapt the following template and email contact@lambethpalace.org.uk in this way:
Dear Archbishop,
I am writing to you regarding the actions of an Anglican vicar who is currently in Malaysia, being hosted by a Far Right political outfit.
I would like to draw your attention to the facts outlined in this article: http://bit.ly/lvzE7v
Reverend Doctor Stephen Sizer is the incumbent of Christ Church Virginia Water, and will be acting as Locum Rural Dean in September and October 2011, in the deanery of Runnymede.
In his capacity as an Anglican vicar, and his role as an international speaker, Sizer is presenting a heavily-politicised message which he considers to be Christian.
Yet Sizer’s associations with various anti-Semites and Holocaust deniers, his encouraging of political protests outside of synagogues on Jewish high holy days, and his theological and political views on Israel, are cause for concern.
His appearance with a Malaysian Far Right outfit is but the latest in a long line of controversial statements and actions.
Only recently, Rev. Sizer suggested that Colonel Gaddafi and his son are linked to the USA and Israel by “Jewish blood”, which explains their wicked politics: http://bit.ly/ekSrGTThese concerns about Rev. Sizer are particularly felt by many in the Jewish community in the UK.
In the light of my message, I strongly encourage you to publicly speak out against Anglican clergymen aligning themselves with Far Right groups.I await your response.
Yours sincerely,
______________
