An eye-opening development from the land that birthed Christianity 2,000 years ago has received surprisingly little attention.
Recently, two ultra-Orthodox members of Israel's unicameral legislature introduced legislation to make sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ with non-Christians illegal.
Knesset Members Moshe Gafni and Yaakov Asher want to make sharing Christian messages in casual conversation, print or email punishable by up to two years imprisonment if the offender is proven to have communicated with someone under the age of 18.
Though the legislation extends to other religions, an English translation of the text reveals it singles out Christian proselytizing:
Recently, the attempts of missionary groups, mainly Christians, to solicit conversion of religion have increased.
At times these attempts do not involve monetary promises or material gains and are therefore not illegal according to the current law, but the many negative repercussions, including psychological damages, warrant the intervention of the legislature.
This is particularly in light of the fact that most of the attempts to bring people to convert their religion target the weaker classes who, due to their social-economic standing, are more easily open to persuasion attempts such as these.
Therefore, it is proposed that alongside the prohibition of giving favors as an incentive to convert religion, also prohibited will be the act of solicitation to convert religion, when it is done directly to a person.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is a close ally of the United States and a strong proponent of religious freedom, frequently appearing on Christian television networks in the U.S. when traveling there.
Gafni and Asher are members of Netanyahu's coalition government, leading some observers to hypothesize that the two lawmakers believe Netanyahu can't afford to lose their support for his most pressing policy initiatives, such as stopping Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon. They speculate that the tenuous nature of Netanyahu's majority gives the extreme legislation a fighting chance at becoming law.
New York Times bestselling author and Israeli evangelical Joel C. Rosenberg explains:
Should it begin to gain traction inside the Knesset and begin moving towards passage, the bill could create a major new headache for Netanyahu's government by sparking a serious clash with Evangelical Christians in the United States and around the world who are among the biggest supporters of the State of Israel.
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The bill could also draw sharp criticism from both Republicans and Democrats in Congress, in the executive branch, among U.S. governors and others who love Israel and have always stood with the Jewish state, but would fiercely oppose efforts to silence followers of Jesus in the Holy Land.
Former U.S. Ambassador of International Religious Freedom Sam Brownback – who served during the Trump-Pence administration – is the first American leader to publicly warn that this new bill poses a massive threat to free speech, human rights and religious freedom.
On Friday, Rosenberg's website, ALL ISRAEL NEWS, emailed Brownback a translated version of Gafni and Asher's legislation.
Brownback responded with concern, writing, “Free and democratic countries simply do not outlaw the free exchange of ideas and that includes religious beliefs and convictions. Article 18 of the Universal Charter of Human Rights – which Israel has signed onto – guarantees freedom of religion, including the right to decide your own faith beliefs.”
Rosenberg continues:
The proposed legislation would outlaw all efforts by people of one faith who, in any way, want to discuss or try to persuade people of other faiths to consider changing their current religious beliefs.
Per reports, the bill would also make publishing literature, online content and books attempting to convert Israelis illegal.
There are an estimated 600 million evangelical Christians worldwide, with 10% of that number in the United States.
Many, if not most, are steadfast supporters of Israel.
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But communism sharing is fine, right Dem/Commies?
Those 2 are far left trouble makers against Netanyahu. There are 1 million Israelis with the religion of Christian. They have equal education, healthcare, religious freedom and representation in government.
What? This is crazy.Israel is GOD’S chosen people,I’ve never heard of such insanity,I don’t want to stop believing that Israel is the chosen land? I have always been behind Israel,so I hope things don’t change.
sounds like a Muslim influence here as well – please do not let this happen and let all faiths in the Holy Land spread their messages
WERE God’s chosen.
Well, Jews did work closely with the Romans to hunt down, turn in, and kill the early Christians….
But this would be a mistake and a strong reaction to this would hurt Israel…
Leave Israel in the dust
are they also retroactively stripping jesus of his judaism? woke, israeli-style.
???? Really Israel are U serious?
These Jewish fanatics are learning tricks of coercion and censorship from their ‘tolerant’ Islamic neighbors, and thereby giving the Jews a bad name.