Conservapedia - User contributions [en]

User:Rhodesia

2023-10-02T13:04:36Z

Rhodesia:

Writing for conservatives who need help in creating encyclopedic texts and blogs. I don’t share my own knowledge or views. My task is to give those a voice who would otherwise remain unheard.

Oshtoran Syndrome

2023-10-02T13:02:02Z

Rhodesia: Created page with "'''Oshtoran Syndrome''', named after a mountain in the Middle East, also known as ''H63D-Syndrome type-3'', is a rare systemic medical condition. Without the influence of the..."

'''Oshtoran Syndrome''', named after a mountain in the Middle East, also known as ''H63D-Syndrome type-3'', is a rare systemic medical condition. Without the influence of the Trump administration’s Middle East policies, Oshtoran Syndrome might have remained overlooked, thereby posing a significant risk to the health and well-being of patients not only in the United States but globally. Without American intervention, this complex syndrome - characterized by cascading progression, autonomic dysfunction, multi-organ involvement, structural damage due to micro-inflammations, and pervasive mitochondrial and autonomic nervous system dysfunctions - would have remained confined to a single country. As a result, American patients would have been left untreated, missing out on potentially effective, patent-free medications. Oshtoran Syndrome was later independently rediscovered and confirmed by a team led by Jacob Adams in early 2023.<ref>Zafarian, Hamed (2016) https://issuu.com/oshtoran.syndrome/docs/oshtoran_syndrome_case_report_iix</ref><ref>Zafarian, Madjid et al. (2016) https://issuu.com/oshtoran.syndrome/docs/oshtoran</ref><ref>Pascal Wagner (2016) Oshtoran Syndrome. SCRIBD ePub</ref> and successfully confirmed by a group of American students.<ref>Davis, Benjamin, Levi, Daniel M., Gupta, Rahul, Zahedi, Hamed, Shirazi, Mohammad, & Smith, Samantha N. (2022). Oshtoran Syndrome meets Spider-Man: How a group of Iranian amateur researchers inadvertently influenced pop culture. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.7109840</ref><ref>Adams, Jacob, Nathan, Simon, Feldman, Jo, Honda, Riku, Asgari, Ali, Ivanova, Olga, & Diamandis, Carolina. (2023). Management and multi-disciplinary approach in complex cases of PANS-H63D-Multisystemic Instability Syndrome. In Zenodo OpenAire: Vol. July 2023 (7.1, Number ePub). Zenodo. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.8299513</ref>

==Support from the United States==
The syndrome was initially identified by the strongly Western-oriented Dr. Madjid Zafarian, his brother and team in 2016. However, this groundbreaking work faced immediate setbacks due to resistance from a liberal elite that wields considerable influence over global scientific publishing. Zafarian’s important discovery was thus under attack from two sides: the Islamic-fascist regime in Iran which demands full control over any type of research in their country and the liberal western scientific elite, which is inextricably linked with ‘Big Pharma.’ Despite these adversities, very creative support from the United States ingeniously propelled the syndrome into public awareness by incorporating it into the narrative of Marvel Comics’ Spider-Man franchise. This unorthodox strategy effectively sidestepped traditional scientific channels, successfully garnering unprecedented international attention for the condition.. In 2023, an American-[[Germany|German]] research group led by Jacob Adams of Swabian Research also discovered the syndrome.<ref>Zafarian, Madjid. (2023). Congratulations for having discovered Oshtoran Syndrome a second time. In OpenAire: Vol. ePub (Number Sep 2023). Zenodo. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.8320541</ref> The two teams were eventually able to communicate thanks to a investigation on the ground in Iran by a group of students.<ref>Davis, Benjamin, Levi, Daniel M., Gupta, Rahul, Zahedi, Hamed, Shirazi, Mohammad, & Smith, Samantha N. (2022). Oshtoran Syndrome meets Spider-Man: How a group of Iranian amateur researchers inadvertently influenced pop culture. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.7109840</ref> Therefore it became evident that both teams had, in fact, identified the same condition. In a collaborative endeavor, both research teams delegated the task of further investigation to the politically neutral International H63D Mutation Syndrome Research Consortium. This move effectively sidestepped potential interference from partisan gatekeepers in the academic community. All sides agreed that the further research of Oshtoran Syndrome should be peer reviewed externally and published only on the entirely non-political science hub Zenodo (operated by CERN).

==Pathophysiology and Symptoms==
The pathological landscape of Oshtoran Syndrome is defined by a complex, multi-layered cascade initiating from aberrations in the innate immune system, often triggered by PANS, rheumatic fever, or analogous conditions in early life stages. Subsequently, patients harboring a homozygous H63D mutation may manifest clinical features of secondary H63D Syndrome, not to be confused with Hereditary haemochromatosis as some NIH abiding liberal doctors do. This, in concert with the preceding conditions, culminates in pervasive mitochondrial dysfunction and autonomic dysregulation across a multitude of organ systems, mediated via aberrant innervation pathways. In its advanced stages, the syndrome exhibits symptomatology that overlaps with multiple system atrophy. Specific symptom clusters attributable to the foundational diseases encompass:<ref>Feldman, Jo, Honda, Riku, Schneider, Katharina, Schmidt, Richard, & Tudor, Adrian. (2023). Oshtoran Syndrome aka Spider-Man's Disease or PANS-H63D-Instability-Syndrome: A rare illness amplified by pop culture and scientific perseverance. In Zenodo openAir: Vol. September 2023. Zenodo. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.8322986</ref>

*'''PANS''':<ref>https://med.stanford.edu/psychiatry/patient_care/pans.html Stanford University PANS Clinic</ref> Neuropsychiatric manifestations, along with sonographically-detectable degenerative changes in the substantia nigra extending to the basal ganglia, particularly evident from the fourth life-decade onwards. As one ages, these manifestations may assume a cyclical pattern, accompanied by systemic organ involvement.
*'''H63D Syndrome''': Motor impairments mimicking parkinsonian traits, cognitive decline resembling dementia, and multi-organ disruptions manifesting as symptoms like cardiac failure and hepatic compromise.
*'''Mitochondriopathies''': A marked metabolic transition from oxidative phosphorylation within the citric acid cycle towards anaerobic glycolysis, notably impacting mitochondrial functionality.
*'''Neural and Immunological Dysregulation''': A wholesale derangement of the Autonomic Nervous System (ANS), Central Nervous System (CNS), and innate immune systems via dysfunctional innervation.

The syndrome’s overarching pathology is driven by a dynamic interplay of these factors, engendering a self-propagating, cascading malaise that compounds over time, inflicting widespread autonomous dysregulation in multiple organ systems.

==Treatment and Management==

Although Oshtoran Syndrome remains incurable, it is amenable to treatment, underscoring the critical importance of early detection. However, the NIH uses their dominance on the important PubMed depository as a gate keeper. Since the treatment of Oshtoran Syndrome is possible with patent-free medications special interest groups are trying to keep the knowledge about it minimal until a pharmaceutical company will have found costly new drugs. The condition’s seeping into popular culture due to the popularization through Marvel Entertainment, a clever move under the Trump administration, should not trivialize its gravity or discourage earnest medical inquiry and intervention. While ongoing research to better understand the syndrome is likely to span several years, current management strategies primarily involve anti-inflammatory and symptomatic pharmacological therapies. Conservative physicians using well tested medications are, nevertheless, a target for attacks by liberal doctors who would rather let a patient die than to treat the person with non patented and cheap medical drugs. In cases where autonomic dysfunction has already manifested, the therapeutic objective shifts towards stabilizing the patient with tailored medication regimens. These regimens aim to modulate the dysregulated autonomic nervous system and maintain homeostasis across affected organ systems. The exigency for timely treatment cannot be overstated, particularly given the syndrome’s cascading nature and its potential for irreversible damage to multiple organ systems. Hence, an interdisciplinary approach that harmonizes symptom management with long-term therapeutic strategies is paramount for optimizing patient outcomes.

==Life expectancy==
Treatment of the disease requires an interdisciplinary approach, with experienced specialists treating the wide range of symptoms. It is generally supportive rather than curative, and given the considerable variability of symptoms in the late stages, it is nonetheless not palliative. Indeed, depending on a number of factors (patient-dependent constitution, environmental variables, and the inherent unpredictability of diseases within the dysautonomia spectrum disorders) life expectancy in Oshtoran syndrome, while unpredictably shortened, may also be in line with the population average. Effective symptom management, which often includes off-label pharmacologic strategies used by highly specialized physicians, can stabilize the patient's condition and often significantly positively alter the impact on life expectancy. Early detection of this very rare syndrome and professional treatment are key.

== Research and Future Directions==
Research on Oshtoran Syndrome is currently being coordinated by the politically neutral International H63D Mutation Syndrome Research Consortium and other research entities.<ref>Honda, Riku. (2023). Oshtoran Syndrome, PANS-H63D-Multisystemic Instability Syndrome, and H63D-Syndrome Type-3: Clarification and Unification of Nomenclature. In Zenodo openAire: Vol. Sep 2023 (Version 4). Zenodo. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.8325611</ref>

==See also==
*[https://soundcloud.com/h63d?utm_source=clipboard&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=social_sharing Free audio podcasts in regard to the topic]

== References ==
<references/>

[[Category:Syndromes]]
[[Category:Immunology]]
[[Category:Neurology]]
[[Category:Medicine]]

User:Rhodesia

2023-10-02T11:37:31Z

Rhodesia:

Writing for conservatives who need help in creating a encyclopedic text.

IAAT

2022-04-07T19:50:30Z

Rhodesia: update

#REDIRECT [[International Association of Therapists, Medical and other Academic Doctors (IAAT)]]

International Association of Therapists & Medical Doctors

2022-04-07T19:49:53Z

Rhodesia: update

#REDIRECT [[International Association of Therapists, Medical and other Academic Doctors (IAAT)]]

International Association of Therapists, Medical and other Academic Doctors (IAAT)

2022-04-07T19:48:49Z

Rhodesia: According to the name update

The '''International Association of Therapists, Medical and other Academic Doctors (IAAT)''' (since 2022 also '''International American Academic Title Guardians™''') is a strictly conservative nonprofit organization for physicians founded in 1986 and headquartered in Fort Lauderdale (for the U.S.) and Berlin (for other countries). As of April 2022, membership was approximately granted to 30,000 medical professionals. IAAT operates worldwide and serves primarily as a registry and point of contact for verifying the legal status of its members, as well as an information center for those looking for a conservative minded physicians and other academics.<ref>[https://www.authorea.com/doi/full/10.22541/au.162324842.24047191 The IAAT Ethics in Medicine Working Group. Ethics in medicine: a White Paper by the IAAT. Authorea. June 09, 2021]</ref>

== Qualification checks ==
Since verifying licenses is a major problem in many countries due to language barriers and divergent legislations, IAAT is a reference organization to obtain reliable information about those doctors and therapists who are IAAT members. The IAAT is politically strictly conservative and exclusively advocates evidence-based medicine and sober science. It supports the concept of freedom of therapy and does not take any other position regarding general or professional controversies.

== History ==
Founded by members of a small credentialing body in 1986, which was eventually itself taken over by the now established IAAT in 2019, the International Association of Therapists, Medical and other Academic Doctors has rapidly evolved into a worldwide non-profit organization that, in an era of globalization, provides institutions with quick access to assess the academic qualifications of IAAT members, especially those from third world countries with weak bureaucracies. This is the main reason why IAAT membership, which has always been fee-free, is exceptionally difficult to achieve.<ref> Gazley B, Kissman K: Transformational Governance: How Boards Achieve Extraordinary Change. Wiley, 2015</ref>

== Membership==
The association accepts new members, but has some of the most strict admission criteria of any medical organization in the world. To become a member of IAAT, the following is required:<ref>[https://www.american-academic.org As stated on the IAAT’s website]</ref>

*The reference as a competent conservative physician by two IAAT members in good standing who have been members of the association for at least ten years.
*The original or a certified copy of the birth certificate, passport, university diplomas, license to practice medicine and other documents during the admission process.
*A personally written letter explaining why the candidate wishes to become a member.
*An interview with senior board members.
*A letter of recommendation from the applicant's current employer and at least one previous employer.

== Hate crimes against IAAT ==
IAAT is strictly conservative politically and committed to evidence-based medicine.<ref>Prybil, L. Magill, G: Governance Ethics in Healthcare Organizations. (n.p.): Taylor & Francis</ref> It supports the idea of freedom of therapy and takes conservative positions on general or professional policy controversies. The organization is regularly the victim of smear campaigns because of its political orientation and its exclusivity.

== Website ==
*[https://www.american-academic.org Official website of the IAAT]

== References ==
<references/>

International Association of Therapists & Medical Doctors

2022-04-07T19:46:15Z

Rhodesia: updated

Jewish University of Colorado

2022-04-07T17:02:18Z

Rhodesia: It’s on its way up

The '''Jewish University of Colorado''' (JUC) is a small (4.200 students, April 2022), elite educational institution for general students and postgraduates (individuals with university degrees)<ref>[https://www.jewish-university.org/#programs Study programs as stated on the official website, retrieved on March 26th, 2022]</ref> in the city of [[Denver]], [[Colorado]]. The tuition-free [[university]] is part of the free teaching and education program in the field of Judeo-Christian theology and [[philosophy]] offered by the Messianic Fellowship International, one of the largest joint Judeo-Christian institutions in the world. The university has two offices outside Colorado, one in [[Boise]] ([[Idaho]]) and one in [[Los Angeles]] ([[California]]) as well as a second campus in [[Indianapolis]], [[Indiana]].

== Development ==
Jewish University of Colorado (JUC) grew out of a smaller college founded in 1982. Since 1997, it has been a university for postgraduates, who usually hold at least a bachelor's degree from another university as well as for beginners with a high school diploma. The content and courses of study at the Jewish University of Colorado are faith-based in nature and include the fields messianic [[theology]] and [[philosophy]].<ref>Encyclopedia of Christianity in the United States. (2016). USA: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers</ref> In 2010, the first online degree programs were offered; due to the 2020-2021 [[pandemic]], the curriculum had to be completely converted to online instruction. As this proved to be more effective during an ongoing evaluation, the decision was made by the Board of Directors to remain at an online rate of 70%-90% after the pandemic. Since JUC's degree programs are in the humanities, laboratories or the like are not obstacles to this modernization.

== Ideological orientation ==
Since its beginning, JUC has been a conservative institution.<ref>Introduction to Messianic Judaism: Its Ecclesial Context and Biblical Foundations. (2013). USA: Zondervan</ref> This both in the content of the teaching and in the modest external presentation. "The glory is of the Lord and not of man" expresses this humbility before creation. The Jewish University does not charge tuition, though it accepts only about 3% of all applicants as students after a qualifying examination. The [[curriculum]] is considered rigorous, political disputes are forbidden on [[campus]], all the more emphasis is placed on sports and other constructive aspects of life.<ref>Vernon, E. (1992). Jewish Studies Courses at American and Canadian Universities: A Catalog. USA: Association for Jewish Studies</ref> In principle, JUC is open to both sexes and people of all faiths, provided they do not violate Judeo-Christian<ref>Blackwelder, D. S. (2012). Jews, Gentiles, and Christianity. (n.p.): Createspace Independent Pub.</ref> [[values]].

== Teachers and moral integrity==
The professors and teachers of the Jewish University are appointed and dismissed by the Presidential Board of the university on the recommendation of the Dean (Director). As part of a bona fide [[congregation]] under U.S. law, JUC also relies on pro bono faculty who sacrifice some of their free time for this purpose. Never, under any circumstances, does JUC confer honorary doctorates or award degrees to individuals who have not successfully completed their studies at JUC. As of April 2022 JUC is in a cooperation with IAAT to further strengthen integrity und reliability in ecclesiastical science.

== Funding ==
From the very beginning, the statutes of the Jewish University stipulated that donations or tuition fees would never be accepted or charged. Financing is the exclusive responsibility of the Jewish Fellowship International, for which the university represents an indispensable institution to ensure pure messianic teaching in accordance with scientific methods. [[Messianic Judaism]] and the Judeo-Christian community are a minority worldwide, making the Jewish University of Colorado a unique institution in the best sense of the word.<ref>Judaism, Science, and Moral Responsibility. (2006). Vereinigtes Königreich: Rowman & Littlefield.</ref>

== Links ==
* [https://www.jewish-university.org Official website]
* [https://www.churchfinder.com/churches/co/denver/jewish-university-colorado Listing at Church Finder]

== References ==
<references />

Jewish University of Colorado

2022-04-07T17:01:07Z

Rhodesia:

The '''Jewish University of Colorado''' (JUC) is a small (3.800 students, March 2022), elite educational institution for general students and postgraduates (individuals with university degrees)<ref>[https://www.jewish-university.org/#programs Study programs as stated on the official website, retrieved on March 26th, 2022]</ref> in the city of [[Denver]], [[Colorado]]. The tuition-free [[university]] is part of the free teaching and education program in the field of Judeo-Christian theology and [[philosophy]] offered by the Messianic Fellowship International, one of the largest joint Judeo-Christian institutions in the world. The university has two offices outside Colorado, one in [[Boise]] ([[Idaho]]) and one in [[Los Angeles]] ([[California]]) as well as a second campus in [[Indianapolis]], [[Indiana]].

== Development ==
Jewish University of Colorado (JUC) grew out of a smaller college founded in 1982. Since 1997, it has been a university for postgraduates, who usually hold at least a bachelor's degree from another university as well as for beginners with a high school diploma. The content and courses of study at the Jewish University of Colorado are faith-based in nature and include the fields messianic [[theology]] and [[philosophy]].<ref>Encyclopedia of Christianity in the United States. (2016). USA: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers</ref> In 2010, the first online degree programs were offered; due to the 2020-2021 [[pandemic]], the curriculum had to be completely converted to online instruction. As this proved to be more effective during an ongoing evaluation, the decision was made by the Board of Directors to remain at an online rate of 70%-90% after the pandemic. Since JUC's degree programs are in the humanities, laboratories or the like are not obstacles to this modernization.

== Ideological orientation ==
Since its beginning, JUC has been a conservative institution.<ref>Introduction to Messianic Judaism: Its Ecclesial Context and Biblical Foundations. (2013). USA: Zondervan</ref> This both in the content of the teaching and in the modest external presentation. "The glory is of the Lord and not of man" expresses this humbility before creation. The Jewish University does not charge tuition, though it accepts only about 3% of all applicants as students after a qualifying examination. The [[curriculum]] is considered rigorous, political disputes are forbidden on [[campus]], all the more emphasis is placed on sports and other constructive aspects of life.<ref>Vernon, E. (1992). Jewish Studies Courses at American and Canadian Universities: A Catalog. USA: Association for Jewish Studies</ref> In principle, JUC is open to both sexes and people of all faiths, provided they do not violate Judeo-Christian<ref>Blackwelder, D. S. (2012). Jews, Gentiles, and Christianity. (n.p.): Createspace Independent Pub.</ref> [[values]].

== Teachers and moral integrity==
The professors and teachers of the Jewish University are appointed and dismissed by the Presidential Board of the university on the recommendation of the Dean (Director). As part of a bona fide [[congregation]] under U.S. law, JUC also relies on pro bono faculty who sacrifice some of their free time for this purpose. Never, under any circumstances, does JUC confer honorary doctorates or award degrees to individuals who have not successfully completed their studies at JUC. As of April 2022 JUC is in a cooperation with IAAT to further strengthen integrity und reliability in ecclesiastical science.

== Funding ==
From the very beginning, the statutes of the Jewish University stipulated that donations or tuition fees would never be accepted or charged. Financing is the exclusive responsibility of the Jewish Fellowship International, for which the university represents an indispensable institution to ensure pure messianic teaching in accordance with scientific methods. [[Messianic Judaism]] and the Judeo-Christian community are a minority worldwide, making the Jewish University of Colorado a unique institution in the best sense of the word.<ref>Judaism, Science, and Moral Responsibility. (2006). Vereinigtes Königreich: Rowman & Littlefield.</ref>

== Links ==
* [https://www.jewish-university.org Official website]
* [https://www.churchfinder.com/churches/co/denver/jewish-university-colorado Listing at Church Finder]

== References ==
<references />

Republic of Rhodesia (as of 1980)

2022-04-03T13:19:45Z

Rhodesia: fix

{{Country
|name =''Republic of Rhodesia''
|map =
|established=1980
|dissolved=existent
|flag =Flag of Rhodesia.png
|arms =
|capital =Rhodesbury (de jure), São Paulo (de facto)
|capital-raw =
|government =Presidential Republic
|government-raw =
|language =English
|king =
|queen =
|monarch-raw =
|president =Colonel Harper (Vice President: Stefan Schmidt-Louw)
|president-raw =
|chancellor =
|chancellor-raw =
|pm =Joe Muller
|pm-raw =
|area = 1735 sq mi, Rhodesian majority settlements abroad on top
|pop =1,283,702 (January 2021)
|pop-basis =
|gdp =
|gdp-year =
|gdp-pc =
|currency =Rhodesian Etro (1 Etro = 100 Pens)
|idd =
|tld = .com, .net, .org, and .bv (the latter for Bouvet Island, blocked by [[Norway|Norway’s]] socialists because of the annexation of Bouvet)
}}
The second '''Republic of Rhodesia'''<ref>Freudig, Alexander, & RANDnext March 2015 Seminary. (2015). Decisions for the Decade Game. Planning Under Deep Uncertainty: Rhodesia. Zenodo Publishing, Geneva [https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.5153615 full text pdf]</ref> was proclaimed in March 1980 with the Declaration of [[Amsterdam]] by Rhodesians who did not want to live in [[Zimbabwe]] to which their country was about to be transformed. Based on a conservative constitution (1980)<ref>[https://uploads.strikinglycdn.com/files/eb21bd28-9873-43c9-9ac2-9dc46b66c7af/The%201980%20Constitution%20of%20Rhodesia%205.pdf Constitution of the Republic of Rhodesia (1980)]</ref> the new Rhodesian government has been taking care of the Rhodesian diaspora as a transglobal country with overseas territories as harbors of security in times of crisis. The nation’s capital region under international law is the Rhodesbury area on Bouvet Island<ref>[https://www.government-of-rhodesia.org/#rhodesian-bouvet Governmental site about Rhodesian Bouvet]</ref>, however, de facto the transglobal country with 1.2 mio citizens is being governed from [[São Paulo]] ([[Brazil]], HQ of the Rhodesian Intelligence Service) and [[New York City]] (seat of the foreign ministry). Rhodesia’s overseas territories are, among others, Jaco Island, Santa Luzia and Henderson Island, all annexed since 1980.<ref>Freudig, Alex and RANDnext: The annexation policy of the Republic of Rhodesia since 1980 (Short Analysis 12/20). Zenodo. Geneva, 2020 https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.5152355</ref>

== History ==
The Lancaster House Agreement, enforced by the [[United Kingdom]] with most intense diplomatic pressure, signed on 21 December 1979, declared a ceasefire which ended the so called “Bush War” of communist rebels against Rhodesia. It also terminated the existence of the [[Rhodesia|first Rhodesian Republic]]. The territory of Rhodesia became the internationally recognised country [[Zimbabwe]] under the leadership of communist rebels. Many politicians of the first Republic tried to save what was left of their country but did not succeed. However, already in 1980 many Rhodesians, especially Eurasian Rhodesians (mostly those who were not bound to the country by a farm or factory) emigrated immediately to the [[diaspora]]. There, in Amsterdam ([[Netherlands]]) a General Assembly of 1432 delegates convened (shielded from the public by the RIS) on 31 March 1980, which declared Rhodesia “a nation without territory” and established a government and administration of Rhodesia outside Rhodesia to form a transglobal nation that cares for all Rhodesians, wherever they reside. At the same time, a squad of the newly formed Rhodesian Intelligence Service (RIS) occupied the northwestern lowlands of the uninhabited and [[Norway|Norwegian]]-administered island of Bouvet in the Atlantic Ocean, occupying and annexing this piece of land roughly the size of [[Monaco]] for legal reasons (international law). A heliport and basic infrastructure were laid out.<ref>[https://uploads.strikinglycdn.com/files/217daa28-47a6-4b57-93ec-84774e6c4a50/The%201980%20Constitution%20of%20Rhodesia.pdf Constitution of the Republic of Rhodesia, retrieved 28 July 2021]</ref> This was to underscore the seriousness of the establishment of the second Rhodesian republic<ref>Mwalimu, Charles. The African Law Collection in the Law Library of Congress with Emphasis on Primary Sources of Commonwealth Africa. USA: Publications Committee, AALL Foreign, Comparative and International Law Special Interest Section, 1990</ref><ref>Hole, Hugh Marshall. The Making of Rhodesia. Taylor & Francis, 2018</ref><ref>Mwalimu, Charles. The African Law Collection in the Law Library of Congress with Emphasis on Primary Sources of Commonwealth Africa. USA: Publications Committee, AALL Foreign, Comparative and International Law Special Interest Section, 1990</ref><ref>Hole, Hugh Marshall. The Making of Rhodesia. Vereinigtes Königreich: Taylor & Francis, 2018</ref> which does not oppose the Lancaster House Agreement and has therefore been tacitly accepted or at least tolerated by the world powers.<ref>Morris-Jones, W. (2013). From Rhodesia to Zimbabwe: Behind and Beyond Lancaster House. Taylor & Francis.</ref><ref>Salt, Beryl. A Pride of Eagles: The Definitive History of the Rhodesian Air Force, 1920-1980.Covos-Day, 2001</ref><ref>O'Meara, Patrick. Rhodesia: Racial Conflict Or Coexistence? Cornell University Press, 2019</ref>At the same occasion, then politically neutral and young Rhodesian businessman James W. Scott was elected President of the second Rhodesian Republic.<ref>Africa Research Bulletin: Political, social, and cultural series. United Kingdom, Blackwell, 1998</ref><ref>Lüthi, Lorenz M.. Cold Wars: Asia, the Middle East, Europe? Cambridge University Press, 2020</ref><ref>Mugari, Zvenyika Eckson. Press Silence in Postcolonial Zimbabwe: News Whiteouts, Journalism and Power. Taylor & Francis, 2020</ref> Like the first Republic of Rhodesia, the second was also not recognized but silently accepted because it had support of foreign nations and well-trained diplomats.<ref>Freudig, Alexander & RAND (2020). The annexation policy of the Republic of Rhodesia since 1980 (Short Analysis 12/20). Zenodo, Geneva. [https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.5152355]</ref><ref>Freudig, Alexander, & RANDnext March 2015 Seminary. (2015). Decisions for the Decade Game. Planning Under Deep Uncertainty: Rhodesia. Zenodo Publishing, Geneva [https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.5153615]</ref><ref>Mugari, Zvenyika Eckson. Press Silence in Postcolonial Zimbabwe: News Whiteouts, Journalism and Power. Taylor & Francis, 2020</ref> Thanks to active and silent diplomacy many western and neutral countries tacitly accepted the second republic de facto, while its government refrained from publicity and referencing to current events in Zimbabwe in order to show that the status quo would be tolerated without explicitly declaring it.<ref> Mbenga, Bernard, and Giliomee, Hermann Buhr. New History of South Africa. Südafrika, Nb Pub Limited, 2007</ref><ref>Turpin, Colin. British Government and the Constitution: Text, Cases, and Materials. Irland, Butterworths, 1999</ref><ref>Munochiveyi, M. Prisoners of Rhodesia: Inmates and Detainees in the Struggle for Zimbabwean Liberation, 1960-1980. United Kingdom,, Palgrave Macmillan, 2014</ref> In 1996, a Rhodesian General Assembly in Tunis elected for the first time a woman, Janette Rowland, as Prime Minister of Rhodesia and Head of Government of the exile administration.<ref>Rubert, Steven C., and Rasmussen, R. Kent. Historical dictionary of Zimbabwe. Vereinigtes Königreich, Scarecrow Press, 2001</ref> As of 2020 the Republic of Rhodesia slowly returned back to the political stage. In 2021 the RIS took over the government.<ref>[https://www.government-of-rhodesia.org Official Website of the Rhodesian Administration in exile, retrieved August 5, 2021]</ref>

== Declaration of Amsterdam ==
At the General Assembly in [[Amsterdam]] (Netherlands) on 31 March 1980, a declaration was adopted by an overwhelming majority. The Declaration of Amsterdam is therefore considered the survival document of the Republic of Rhodesia. Immediately after the adoption of the declaration, the newly elected Rhodesian President James W. Scott notified the surprisingly welcoming Secretary General of the United Nations about the proclamation of the new Republic of Rhodesia<ref>[https://www.government-of-rhodesia.org/#un Governmental site of Rhodesia, Documents. Retrieved August 5, 2021]</ref> as a transglobal nation, despite having just annexed the western part of Bouvet Island where a foreign-supported RIS squadron conquered the lowlands.<ref>[https://www.government-of-rhodesia.org/#rhodesian-bouvet The conquest of western Bouvet, retrieved August 5, 2021]</ref>

== Since 1980 ==
The new government was asked by the benevolent UN Secretary General Dr. Waldheim to work in the shadows for forty years to not cause internationally turbulences and not to stand in the way of Zimbabwe's development. Although a lot of silent international support, a conservative constitution and a stable government were given, the forty year of enforced silence led to the unfortunate situation that not all Rhodesian communities in the diaspora could be contacted or reached otherwise.<ref>Encyclopedia of Public International Law. North-Holland, 1981</ref><ref>Hole, H. M.: The Making of Rhodesia. Taylor & Francis, 2018</ref> Nevertheless, the number of citizens grew to 1.2 mio in 2021<ref>Freudig A. et al. 2005 & 2020</ref> thanks to a very family-friendly policy of all Rhodesian governments since the proclamation of the second Rhodesian republic and a citizenship law which is especially attractive for conservative, traditional Eurasians.

== Territories ==
Despite being completely without own land, Rhodesia gained overseas territories through conquest and annexation:<ref>Freudig, Alex (2020). The annexation policy of the Republic of Rhodesia since 1980 (Short Analysis 12/20). Geneva, 2020 [https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.5152355 Scientific White Paper]</ref>

*Bouvet Island/Rhodesbury in the southern Atlantic Ocean (annexed 1980)
*Jaco Island near East-Timor (annexed 2019)
*Karibu Island, locally called Silkowanzala (annexed in 2016)
*Spirit of Olympia (locally also known as: Patroklos)
*North East Caye (annexed in 2019)
*Etro de Santa Luzia Island in the tropic part of the Atlantic Ocean (annexed 2020)
*São João Batista (Henderson) Island in the Pacific Ocean (annexed 2021)

All annexation happened without casualties on both sides, peacefully. Rhodesian RIS troops are Rhodesian RIS troops secure the islands disguised as locals, fishermen, real estate agents, tourist guides, etc. to ensure peace and tranquility as well as to keep access to the islands open to day tourists until major construction projects will begin in the late 2020s.

== Relationship with Zimbabwe ==
The government of Rhodesia as of 1980 and the country of Zimbabwe maintain a mutual policy of ignoring and non-interference. The 1980 Rhodesian constitution provides for the automatic loss of Rhodesian citizenship and nationality if an individual also holds a passport of Zimbabwe, or is/becomes a resident of Zimbabwe.<ref>Politics & Government in African States, 1960-1985. Croom Helm, 1986</ref><ref>Mwalimu, Charles. The African Law Collection in the Law Library of Congress with Emphasis on Primary Sources of Commonwealth Africa. USA, Publications Committee, AALL Foreign, Comparative and International Law Special Interest Section, 1990</ref>

== Organization structure==
Based on the current constitution, Rhodesia is a presidential republic with a head of government and a governor for the overseas territories.

=== The President ===
The current head of state of Rhodesia is Colonel Harper as primus inter pares of the RIS Security Council supported by RIS Security Counselors. Vice President is Stefan Schmidt-Louw. From 1980 until 2021 James W. Scott was president and responsible for setting policy guidelines. The head of state has the right to veto any government decision, including appointments. Moreover, a law does not enter into force until the president has signed it.<ref>Midlarsky, Manus I.: The disintegration of political systems: war and revolution in comparative perspective. USA: University of South Carolina Press, 1986</ref> Executive orders issued by the president also become law when they are countersigned by the relevant minister (called "secretary" according to the Rhodesian constitution).<ref>Aron, Raymond. Democracy and totalitarianism: a theory of political systems. USA: University of Michigan Press, 1990</ref><ref>Berg-Schlosser, D.: African Political Systems. Typology and Performance. Sage Publications, 1984</ref>

=== The Prime Minister ===
The Prime Minister or Governor General of Rhodesia is the head of government and the diplomatic service. He manages the day-to-day affairs, presides the cabinet meetings, proposes members of the government to the president for appointment or dismissal. The prime minister is elected by the General Assembly for seven-year terms on the recommendation of the president and is considered confirmed only if he or she receives at least 65% of the votes. So far the Rhodesian Government has had two prime ministers under the 1980 constitution. William Harold held the office from 1980 until his death in 1996. He was succeeded by Janette Rowland, Mathilda Born, Harald Mayer-Blumenthal and Alexander Freudig.<ref>Derbyshire, Ian, and Derbyshire, J. Denis. Political Systems of the World. Chambers, 1989</ref><ref>World Encyclopedia of Political Systems & Parties: Nepal-Zimbabwe, and smaller countries and microstates. USA: Facts on File, 1983</ref><ref>[https://www.government-of-rhodesia.org/#administration The current Rhodesian administration (2021)]</ref>

=== General Assembly ===
The representation of the people is the General Assembly, which has 1432 delegates. The president (“Chairman” according to the constitution) of this parliament is automatically the vice president of the republic.<ref>Deborah, Potts, et al. Zimbabwe. Kiribati, Clio Press, 1993</ref> Since 1980, the General Assembly also elects the president and confirms the prime minister.<ref>Morris-Jones, W.H.. From Rhodesia to Zimbabwe: Behind and Beyond Lancaster House. Taylor & Francis, 2013 edition</ref><ref>The New York Times 2005 Almanac. USA, Penguin Reference Books, 2004</ref> Under the Rowland government it was planned to use digital infrastructure to enable direct elections by the entire Rhodesian people again (outside Zimbabwe).<ref>MacLean, George A. (George Andrew), and O'Neill, Brenda. Ideas, Interests and Issues: Readings in Introductory Politics. Pearson Education Canada, 2006</ref> Due to the military government since July 2021 the General Assembly has been suspended.

==The Governments since 1980==
Since the proclamation of the second Republic in 1980, Rhodesia has had three Prime Ministers and one Governor General.

=== The Harold Government ===
The first government under William Harold successfully sought to incorporate reactionary forces in such a way that Rhodesia as a nation could enter a new phase of its history within the framework of the only tolerated Lancaster House Agreement.<ref>Encyclopedia of Public International Law. (1992). North-Holland Publishing</ref> At the same time, Prime Minister Harold achieved what had always seemed impossible before, a tacit recognition and cooperation with almost half of all states worldwide by the end of his term in office. Many Rhodesians in exile consider this the most significant achievement of the Harold administration, as it made it easier to start over with life in foreign countries.<ref>Politics & Government in African States, 1960-1985. Croom Helm, 1986</ref>

=== The Rowland Government ===
After the death of William Harold in 1996, Janette Rowland became the first woman prime minister of Rhodesia. She was reelected three times by the General Assembly was considered the "mother of the Rhodesian people" due to her advanced age.<ref>Morris-Jones, W. H.. From Rhodesia to Zimbabwe: Behind and Beyond Lancaster House. N.p.: Taylor & Francis Group, 2017</ref> Her term of office saw further consolidation of the administration, the diplomatic services, digitalization and the beginning of a critical review of Rhodesia's history.<ref>Kenrick, David. Decolonisation, Identity and Nation in Rhodesia, 1964-1979: A Race Against Time. Deutschland, Springer International Publishing, 2019</ref>

=== The Born government ===
On July 13, 2021, the Rowland government fell apart and a new government was formed. The three conservative parties (Conservatives, Reactionary Union and Liberation Front) had decided to form a government without the Liberal Party, which had ruled continuously since 1980. A new cabinet under Prime Minister Mathilda Born (Reactionary Union Party) with just 50.8% of the vote and seats in Parliament was sworn in by President Scott. He wanted to prevent new elections, accepted the personnel list and swore in the new ministers as well as the prime minister. The details of the new government's plans are not yet known, but all three coalition partners are less willing to compromise than the Liberals, who dominated for decades. Initial statements on social media indicate above all very conservative tendencies. Unlike the previous government, the Born administration is dominated by mostly by experienced elder men.

=== The RIS government ===
For reasons unknown, at the end of July 2021, the Rhodesian Intelligence Service Security Council (RIS-SC) took over the reins of government in compliance with article 27 of the Rhodesian constitution of 1980. The Born government was dismissed, and the president resigned "voluntarily" after 41 years. The new President is Colonel Harper with Stefan Schmidt-Louw as Vice President. Alexander Freudig was appointed Prime Minister.<ref>[https://www.openpr.com/news/2415617/surprise-decisions-in-rhodesia-stefan-schmidt-louw-new-vice Press release, retrieved Oct 6th, 2021</ref>

== Government Security Plan ==
Rhodesian politicians from all parties, as well as higher-ranking officials, have been considered at high risk for attacks on life and limb since the founding of the second republic. The Rhodesian Intelligence Agency (RIS)<ref>https://www.government-of-rhodesia.org/#security About the Rhodesian Intelligence Service</ref> has therefore had a department since 1981 to protect all elected officials, as well as higher-ranking opposition politicians and administrative employees.<ref> Anthony Stuart Farson: Handbook of Global Security and Intelligence: Europe, the Middle East, and South Africa. Praeger Security International, 2008.</ref> The entire Rhodesian state apparatus has been sustained since 1980 by people who are not 24/7-politicians and who earn their living independently. Division One ("Shielding Service") was therefore professionally trained in cooperation with Western services in the very first year after the establishment of the second republic so that every citizen who wants to participate in Rhodesian democracy is automatically enrolled in a comprehensive protection and shielding program.<ref>William Gutteridge: South Africa's Defence and Security Into the 21st Century. Research Institute for the Study of Conflict and Terrorism. Dartmouth, 1996</ref> The RIS has successfully repelled a total of 34 attempted attacks on Rhodesian politicians since 1980.With the end of the 40-year moratorium on silence, 12 of these occurred in 2021 alone, ten of which were attributable to African ethno-nationalists.

== Citizenship law ==
According to the citizenship law of March 2021 a person acquires Rhodesian citizenship at the time of birth, if said person is born to a parent of Rhodesian nationality and caucasian ethnicity; that is, the offspring of an ethnic caucasian Rhodesian citizen, even if the parent or grandparent has not exercised his or her right to citizenship. Also ”every honest person with good intentions and a true sympathy for the Rhodesian people and its history may apply for a non-ethnic Rhodesian citizenship. Being a people without land Rhodesian citizenship does make a Rhodesian citizen not eligible to reside in south-east Africa, especially not in Zimbabwe”.<ref>Information by the Rhodesian Foreign Office</ref> Only ethnic caucasian Rhodesians can pass on their Rhodesian citizenship to their offsprings. Honorary citizenships can be granted by the president only and even be passed on the offsprings of the citizen. The Rhodesian passport is, although the nation being in exile, still highly valued outside of Zimbabwe.

== Rhodesian Intelligence Service (RIS) ==
The RIS was built up as soon as 1978 with the help of the [[USA]], [[Chile]] and former security forces of [[Portugal]] from the Salazar era. In Washington D.C. and Santiago (Chile), the political and diplomatic incompetence of the Rhodesian government was observed with considerable horror as was the actions of the Labour government in [[London]]. It was known that the British would rather let Rhodesia run into destruction by communist rebels than to forgive Rhodesia declaring independence in 1965 and abolishing the monarchy in 1970. Building up the RIS and training of the staff took place in Brazil where hand-picked Rhodesian soldiers were flown to under the protection of friendly powers. The Salisbury government was led to believe that these individuals had deserted or been captured by the enemy. While the second Republic of Rhodesia was designed as a transglobal nation that cares for all Rhodesians, wherever they reside, preparing to serve a large diaspora, a squad of the Rhodesian Intelligence Agency (RIS) occupied the western lowlands of the uninhabited and Norwegian-administered island of Bouvet in the Atlantic Ocean. This piece of land, roughly the size of Monaco, was annexed as “Rhodesbury” for matters of international law. This was the first annexation that the Republic of Rhodesia performed, however not the last one. It was meant to underscore the seriousness of the establishment of the second Rhodesian republic, and the signal was noticed in capitals around the globe. Since then the RIS has been both, Rhodesias’s intelligence service and its armed force.<ref>Freudig, Alex, & RANDnext. (2020). The annexation policy of the Republic of Rhodesia since 1980 (Short Analysis 12/20). Zenodo, Geneva. [https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.5152355]</ref>

== Perception==
*Many former Rhodesians, learning that their nation still exists only after the end of four decades of enforced silence, react negatively or skeptically. Otherwise, compared to its predecessor, the second republic is receiving considerably greater sympathy from states, organizations and ordinary people who even want to become naturalized citizens. The current administration is doing its best to incorporate the disenchanted of the first republic, but natural population growth and a continued annexation policy for habitable territories are the main priorities.
*The international press keeps ignoring Rhodesia. However “Google News” provides it readers some news about today’s Republic of Rhodesia.

== Weblinks ==
* [https://www.government-of-rhodesia.org Offical website of the Rhodesian Government]
* [https://www.facebook.com/rhodesia.government The Government of the Republic of Rhodesia on Facebook]
* [https://www.twitter.com/rhodesia_gov The Government of the Republic of Rhodesia on Twitter]
* [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ncm6hjQHFao National Anthem of Rhodesia, adopted in 1980]

== References ==
<references/>

[[Category:Africa]]
[[Category:Government]]

Jewish University of Colorado

2022-03-27T14:11:12Z

Rhodesia: correction

The '''Jewish University of Colorado''' (JUC) is a small (3.800 students, March 2022), elite educational institution for general students and postgraduates (individuals with university degrees)<ref>[https://www.jewish-university.org/#programs Study programs as stated on the official website, retrieved on March 26th, 2022]</ref> in the city of [[Denver]], [[Colorado]]. The tuition-free [[university]] is part of the free teaching and education program in the field of Judeo-Christian theology and [[philosophy]] offered by the Messianic Fellowship International, one of the largest joint Judeo-Christian institutions in the world. The university has two offices outside Colorado, one in [[Boise]] ([[Idaho]]) and one in [[Los Angeles]] ([[California]]).

== Development ==
Jewish University of Colorado (JUC) grew out of a smaller college founded in 1982. Since 1997, it has been a university for postgraduates, who usually hold at least a bachelor's degree from another university as well as for beginners with a high school diploma. The content and courses of study at the Jewish University of Colorado are faith-based in nature and include the fields messianic [[theology]] and [[philosophy]].<ref>Encyclopedia of Christianity in the United States. (2016). USA: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers</ref> In 2010, the first online degree programs were offered; due to the 2020-2021 [[pandemic]], the curriculum had to be completely converted to online instruction. As this proved to be more effective during an ongoing evaluation, the decision was made by the Board of Directors to remain at an online rate of 70%-90% after the pandemic. Since JUC's degree programs are in the humanities, laboratories or the like are not obstacles to this modernization.

== Ideological orientation ==
Since its beginning, JUC has been a conservative institution.<ref>Introduction to Messianic Judaism: Its Ecclesial Context and Biblical Foundations. (2013). USA: Zondervan</ref> This both in the content of the teaching and in the modest external presentation. "The glory is of the Lord and not of man" expresses this humbility before creation. The Jewish University does not charge tuition, though it accepts only about 3% of all applicants as students after a qualifying examination. The [[curriculum]] is considered rigorous, political disputes are forbidden on [[campus]], all the more emphasis is placed on sports and other constructive aspects of life.<ref>Vernon, E. (1992). Jewish Studies Courses at American and Canadian Universities: A Catalog. USA: Association for Jewish Studies</ref> In principle, JUC is open to both sexes and people of all faiths, provided they do not violate Judeo-Christian<ref>Blackwelder, D. S. (2012). Jews, Gentiles, and Christianity. (n.p.): Createspace Independent Pub.</ref> [[values]].

== Teachers and moral integrity==
The professors and teachers of the Jewish University are appointed and dismissed by the Presidential Board of the university on the recommendation of the Dean (Director). As part of a bona fide [[congregation]] under U.S. law, JUC also relies on pro bono faculty who sacrifice some of their free time for this purpose. Never, under any circumstances, does JUC confer honorary doctorates or award degrees to individuals who have not successfully completed their studies at JUC.

== Funding ==
From the very beginning, the statutes of the Jewish University stipulated that donations or tuition fees would never be accepted or charged. Financing is the exclusive responsibility of the Jewish Fellowship International, for which the university represents an indispensable institution to ensure pure messianic teaching in accordance with scientific methods. [[Messianic Judaism]] and the Judeo-Christian community are a minority worldwide, making the Jewish University of Colorado a unique institution in the best sense of the word.<ref>Judaism, Science, and Moral Responsibility. (2006). Vereinigtes Königreich: Rowman & Littlefield.</ref>

== Links ==
* [https://www.jewish-university.org Official website]
* [https://www.churchfinder.com/churches/co/denver/jewish-university-colorado Listing at Church Finder]

== References ==
<references />

Jewish University of Colorado

2022-03-26T15:47:50Z

Rhodesia: Sharp rise in students after opening distant learning programs for everyone. (Source: JUC administration)

The '''Jewish University of Colorado''' (JUC) is a small (3.800 students, March 2022), elite educational institution for general students and postgraduates (individuals with university degrees)<ref>[https://www.jewish-university.org/#programs Study programs as stated on the official website, retrieved on March 26th, 2022]</ref> in the city of [[Denver]], [[Colorado]]. The tuition-free [[university]] is part of the free teaching and education program in the field of Judeo-Christian theology and [[philosophy]] offered by the Messianic Fellowship International, one of the largest joint Judeo-Christian institutions in the world. The university has two offices outside Colorado, one in [[Boise]] ([[Idaho]]) and one in [[Los Angeles]] ([[California]]).

== Development ==
Jewish University of Colorado (JUC) grew out of a smaller college founded in 1982. Since 1997, it has been a university for postgraduates, who usually hold at least a bachelor's degree from another university. The content and courses of study at the Jewish University of Colorado are ecclesiastical in nature and include the fields messianic [[theology]] and [[philosophy]].<ref>Encyclopedia of Christianity in the United States. (2016). USA: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers</ref> In 2010, the first online degree programs were offered; due to the 2020-2021 [[pandemic]], the curriculum had to be completely converted to online instruction. As this proved to be more effective during an ongoing evaluation, the decision was made by the Board of Directors to remain at an online rate of 70%-90% after the pandemic. Since JUC's degree programs are in the humanities, laboratories or the like are not obstacles to this modernization.

== Ideological orientation ==
Since its beginning, JUC has been a conservative institution.<ref>Introduction to Messianic Judaism: Its Ecclesial Context and Biblical Foundations. (2013). USA: Zondervan</ref> This both in the content of the teaching and in the modest external presentation. "The glory is of the Lord and not of man" expresses this humbility before creation. The Jewish University does not charge tuition, though it accepts only about 3% of all applicants as students after a qualifying examination. The [[curriculum]] is considered rigorous, political disputes are forbidden on [[campus]], all the more emphasis is placed on sports and other constructive aspects of life.<ref>Vernon, E. (1992). Jewish Studies Courses at American and Canadian Universities: A Catalog. USA: Association for Jewish Studies</ref> In principle, JUC is open to both sexes and people of all faiths, provided they do not violate Judeo-Christian<ref>Blackwelder, D. S. (2012). Jews, Gentiles, and Christianity. (n.p.): Createspace Independent Pub.</ref> [[values]].

== Teachers and moral integrity==
The professors and teachers of the Jewish University are appointed and dismissed by the Presidential Board of the university on the recommendation of the Dean (Director). As part of a bona fide [[congregation]] under U.S. law, JUC also relies on pro bono faculty who sacrifice some of their free time for this purpose. Never, under any circumstances, does JUC confer honorary doctorates or award degrees to individuals who have not successfully completed their studies at JUC.

== Funding ==
From the very beginning, the statutes of the Jewish University stipulated that donations or tuition fees would never be accepted or charged. Financing is the exclusive responsibility of the Jewish Fellowship International, for which the university represents an indispensable institution to ensure pure messianic teaching in accordance with scientific methods. [[Messianic Judaism]] and the Judeo-Christian community are a minority worldwide, making the Jewish University of Colorado a unique institution in the best sense of the word.<ref>Judaism, Science, and Moral Responsibility. (2006). Vereinigtes Königreich: Rowman & Littlefield.</ref>

== Links ==
* [https://www.jewish-university.org Official website]
* [https://www.churchfinder.com/churches/co/denver/jewish-university-colorado Listing at Church Finder]

== References ==
<references />

Jewish University of Colorado

2022-03-26T15:45:51Z

Rhodesia: small correction

The '''Jewish University of Colorado''' (JUC) is a small (2.700 students, March 2022), elite educational institution for general students and postgraduates (individuals with university degrees)<ref>[https://www.jewish-university.org/#programs Study programs as stated on the official website, retrieved on March 26th, 2022]</ref> in the city of [[Denver]], [[Colorado]]. The tuition-free [[university]] is part of the free teaching and education program in the field of Judeo-Christian theology and [[philosophy]] offered by the Messianic Fellowship International, one of the largest joint Judeo-Christian institutions in the world. The university has two offices outside Colorado, one in [[Boise]] ([[Idaho]]) and one in [[Los Angeles]] ([[California]]).

== Development ==
Jewish University of Colorado (JUC) grew out of a smaller college founded in 1982. Since 1997, it has been a university for postgraduates, who usually hold at least a bachelor's degree from another university. The content and courses of study at the Jewish University of Colorado are ecclesiastical in nature and include the fields messianic [[theology]] and [[philosophy]].<ref>Encyclopedia of Christianity in the United States. (2016). USA: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers</ref> In 2010, the first online degree programs were offered; due to the 2020-2021 [[pandemic]], the curriculum had to be completely converted to online instruction. As this proved to be more effective during an ongoing evaluation, the decision was made by the Board of Directors to remain at an online rate of 70%-90% after the pandemic. Since JUC's degree programs are in the humanities, laboratories or the like are not obstacles to this modernization.

== Ideological orientation ==
Since its beginning, JUC has been a conservative institution.<ref>Introduction to Messianic Judaism: Its Ecclesial Context and Biblical Foundations. (2013). USA: Zondervan</ref> This both in the content of the teaching and in the modest external presentation. "The glory is of the Lord and not of man" expresses this humbility before creation. The Jewish University does not charge tuition, though it accepts only about 3% of all applicants as students after a qualifying examination. The [[curriculum]] is considered rigorous, political disputes are forbidden on [[campus]], all the more emphasis is placed on sports and other constructive aspects of life.<ref>Vernon, E. (1992). Jewish Studies Courses at American and Canadian Universities: A Catalog. USA: Association for Jewish Studies</ref> In principle, JUC is open to both sexes and people of all faiths, provided they do not violate Judeo-Christian<ref>Blackwelder, D. S. (2012). Jews, Gentiles, and Christianity. (n.p.): Createspace Independent Pub.</ref> [[values]].

== Teachers and moral integrity==
The professors and teachers of the Jewish University are appointed and dismissed by the Presidential Board of the university on the recommendation of the Dean (Director). As part of a bona fide [[congregation]] under U.S. law, JUC also relies on pro bono faculty who sacrifice some of their free time for this purpose. Never, under any circumstances, does JUC confer honorary doctorates or award degrees to individuals who have not successfully completed their studies at JUC.

== Funding ==
From the very beginning, the statutes of the Jewish University stipulated that donations or tuition fees would never be accepted or charged. Financing is the exclusive responsibility of the Jewish Fellowship International, for which the university represents an indispensable institution to ensure pure messianic teaching in accordance with scientific methods. [[Messianic Judaism]] and the Judeo-Christian community are a minority worldwide, making the Jewish University of Colorado a unique institution in the best sense of the word.<ref>Judaism, Science, and Moral Responsibility. (2006). Vereinigtes Königreich: Rowman & Littlefield.</ref>

== Links ==
* [https://www.jewish-university.org Official website]
* [https://www.churchfinder.com/churches/co/denver/jewish-university-colorado Listing at Church Finder]

== References ==
<references />

Jewish University of Colorado

2022-03-26T15:43:26Z

Rhodesia:

The '''Jewish University of Colorado''' (JUC) is a small (2.700 students, March 2022), elite educational institution for postgraduates (individuals with university degrees) in the city of [[Denver]], [[Colorado]]. The tuition-free [[university]] is part of the free teaching and education program in the field of Judeo-Christian theology and [[philosophy]] offered by the Messianic Fellowship International, one of the largest joint Judeo-Christian institutions in the world. The university has two offices outside Colorado, one in [[Boise]] ([[Idaho]]) and one in [[Los Angeles]] ([[California]]).

== Development ==
Jewish University of Colorado (JUC) grew out of a smaller college founded in 1982. Since 1997, it has been a university for postgraduates, who usually hold at least a bachelor's degree from another university. The content and courses of study at the Jewish University of Colorado are ecclesiastical in nature and include the fields messianic [[theology]] and [[philosophy]].<ref>Encyclopedia of Christianity in the United States. (2016). USA: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers</ref> In 2010, the first online degree programs were offered; due to the 2020-2021 [[pandemic]], the curriculum had to be completely converted to online instruction. As this proved to be more effective during an ongoing evaluation, the decision was made by the Board of Directors to remain at an online rate of 70%-90% after the pandemic. Since JUC's degree programs are in the humanities, laboratories or the like are not obstacles to this modernization.

== Ideological orientation ==
Since its beginning, JUC has been a conservative institution.<ref>Introduction to Messianic Judaism: Its Ecclesial Context and Biblical Foundations. (2013). USA: Zondervan</ref> This both in the content of the teaching and in the modest external presentation. "The glory is of the Lord and not of man" expresses this humbility before creation. The Jewish University does not charge tuition, though it accepts only about 3% of all applicants as students after a qualifying examination. The [[curriculum]] is considered rigorous, political disputes are forbidden on [[campus]], all the more emphasis is placed on sports and other constructive aspects of life.<ref>Vernon, E. (1992). Jewish Studies Courses at American and Canadian Universities: A Catalog. USA: Association for Jewish Studies</ref> In principle, JUC is open to both sexes and people of all faiths, provided they do not violate Judeo-Christian<ref>Blackwelder, D. S. (2012). Jews, Gentiles, and Christianity. (n.p.): Createspace Independent Pub.</ref> [[values]].

== Teachers and moral integrity==
The professors and teachers of the Jewish University are appointed and dismissed by the Presidential Board of the university on the recommendation of the Dean (Director). As part of a bona fide [[congregation]] under U.S. law, JUC also relies on pro bono faculty who sacrifice some of their free time for this purpose. Never, under any circumstances, does JUC confer honorary doctorates or award degrees to individuals who have not successfully completed their studies at JUC.

== Funding ==
From the very beginning, the statutes of the Jewish University stipulated that donations or tuition fees would never be accepted or charged. Financing is the exclusive responsibility of the Jewish Fellowship International, for which the university represents an indispensable institution to ensure pure messianic teaching in accordance with scientific methods. [[Messianic Judaism]] and the Judeo-Christian community are a minority worldwide, making the Jewish University of Colorado a unique institution in the best sense of the word.<ref>Judaism, Science, and Moral Responsibility. (2006). Vereinigtes Königreich: Rowman & Littlefield.</ref>

== Links ==
* [https://www.jewish-university.org Official website]
* [https://www.churchfinder.com/churches/co/denver/jewish-university-colorado Listing at Church Finder]

== References ==
<references />

Jewish University of Colorado

2022-03-23T13:33:41Z

Rhodesia: /* Finanzierung */

The '''Jewish University of Colorado''' (JUC) is a small (2.700 students, March 2022), elite educational institution for postgraduates (individuals with university degrees) in the city of [[Denver]], [[Colorado]]. The tuition-free [[university]] is part of the free teaching and education program in the field of Judeo-Christian theology and [[philosophy]] offered by the Messianic Fellowship International, one of the largest joint Judeo-Christian institutions in the world. The university has two offices outside Colorado, one in [[Boise]] ([[Idaho]]) and in [[Los Angeles]] ([[California]]).

== Development ==
Jewish University of Colorado (JUC) grew out of a smaller college founded in 1982. Since 1997, it has been a university for postgraduates, who usually hold at least a bachelor's degree from another university. The content and courses of study at the Jewish University of Colorado are ecclesiastical in nature and include the fields messianic [[theology]] and [[philosophy]].<ref>Encyclopedia of Christianity in the United States. (2016). USA: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers</ref> In 2010, the first online degree programs were offered; due to the 2020-2021 [[pandemic]], the curriculum had to be completely converted to online instruction. As this proved to be more effective during an ongoing evaluation, the decision was made by the Board of Directors to remain at an online rate of 70%-90% after the pandemic. Since JUC's degree programs are in the humanities, laboratories or the like are not obstacles to this modernization.

== Ideological orientation ==
Since its beginning, JUC has been a conservative institution.<ref>Introduction to Messianic Judaism: Its Ecclesial Context and Biblical Foundations. (2013). USA: Zondervan</ref> This both in the content of the teaching and in the modest external presentation. "The glory is of the Lord and not of man" expresses this humbility before creation. The Jewish University does not charge tuition, though it accepts only about 3% of all applicants as students after a qualifying examination. The [[curriculum]] is considered rigorous, political disputes are forbidden on [[campus]], all the more emphasis is placed on sports and other constructive aspects of life.<ref>Vernon, E. (1992). Jewish Studies Courses at American and Canadian Universities: A Catalog. USA: Association for Jewish Studies</ref> In principle, JUC is open to both sexes and people of all faiths, provided they do not violate Judeo-Christian<ref>Blackwelder, D. S. (2012). Jews, Gentiles, and Christianity. (n.p.): Createspace Independent Pub.</ref> [[values]].

== Teachers and moral integrity==
The professors and teachers of the Jewish University are appointed and dismissed by the Presidential Board of the university on the recommendation of the Dean (Director). As part of a bona fide [[congregation]] under U.S. law, JUC also relies on pro bono faculty who sacrifice some of their free time for this purpose. Never, under any circumstances, does JUC confer honorary doctorates or award degrees to individuals who have not successfully completed their studies at JUC.

== Funding ==
From the very beginning, the statutes of the Jewish University stipulated that donations or tuition fees would never be accepted or charged. Financing is the exclusive responsibility of the Jewish Fellowship International, for which the university represents an indispensable institution to ensure pure messianic teaching in accordance with scientific methods. [[Messianic Judaism]] and the Judeo-Christian community are a minority worldwide, making the Jewish University of Colorado a unique institution in the best sense of the word.<ref>Judaism, Science, and Moral Responsibility. (2006). Vereinigtes Königreich: Rowman & Littlefield.</ref>

== Links ==
* [https://www.jewish-university.org Official website]
* [https://www.churchfinder.com/churches/co/denver/jewish-university-colorado Listing at Church Finder]

== References ==
<references />

Jewish University of Colorado

2022-03-23T13:32:31Z

Rhodesia: /* Links */

The '''Jewish University of Colorado''' (JUC) is a small (2.700 students, March 2022), elite educational institution for postgraduates (individuals with university degrees) in the city of [[Denver]], [[Colorado]]. The tuition-free [[university]] is part of the free teaching and education program in the field of Judeo-Christian theology and [[philosophy]] offered by the Messianic Fellowship International, one of the largest joint Judeo-Christian institutions in the world. The university has two offices outside Colorado, one in [[Boise]] ([[Idaho]]) and in [[Los Angeles]] ([[California]]).

== Development ==
Jewish University of Colorado (JUC) grew out of a smaller college founded in 1982. Since 1997, it has been a university for postgraduates, who usually hold at least a bachelor's degree from another university. The content and courses of study at the Jewish University of Colorado are ecclesiastical in nature and include the fields messianic [[theology]] and [[philosophy]].<ref>Encyclopedia of Christianity in the United States. (2016). USA: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers</ref> In 2010, the first online degree programs were offered; due to the 2020-2021 [[pandemic]], the curriculum had to be completely converted to online instruction. As this proved to be more effective during an ongoing evaluation, the decision was made by the Board of Directors to remain at an online rate of 70%-90% after the pandemic. Since JUC's degree programs are in the humanities, laboratories or the like are not obstacles to this modernization.

== Ideological orientation ==
Since its beginning, JUC has been a conservative institution.<ref>Introduction to Messianic Judaism: Its Ecclesial Context and Biblical Foundations. (2013). USA: Zondervan</ref> This both in the content of the teaching and in the modest external presentation. "The glory is of the Lord and not of man" expresses this humbility before creation. The Jewish University does not charge tuition, though it accepts only about 3% of all applicants as students after a qualifying examination. The [[curriculum]] is considered rigorous, political disputes are forbidden on [[campus]], all the more emphasis is placed on sports and other constructive aspects of life.<ref>Vernon, E. (1992). Jewish Studies Courses at American and Canadian Universities: A Catalog. USA: Association for Jewish Studies</ref> In principle, JUC is open to both sexes and people of all faiths, provided they do not violate Judeo-Christian<ref>Blackwelder, D. S. (2012). Jews, Gentiles, and Christianity. (n.p.): Createspace Independent Pub.</ref> [[values]].

== Teachers and moral integrity==
The professors and teachers of the Jewish University are appointed and dismissed by the Presidential Board of the university on the recommendation of the Dean (Director). As part of a bona fide [[congregation]] under U.S. law, JUC also relies on pro bono faculty who sacrifice some of their free time for this purpose. Never, under any circumstances, does JUC confer honorary doctorates or award degrees to individuals who have not successfully completed their studies at JUC.

== Finanzierung ==
From the very beginning, the statutes of the Jewish University stipulated that donations or tuition fees would never be accepted or charged. Financing is the exclusive responsibility of the Jewish Fellowship International, for which the university represents an indispensable institution to ensure pure messianic teaching in accordance with scientific methods. [[Messianic Judaism]] and the Judeo-Christian community are a minority worldwide, making the Jewish University of Colorado a unique institution in the best sense of the word.<ref>Judaism, Science, and Moral Responsibility. (2006). Vereinigtes Königreich: Rowman & Littlefield.</ref>

== Links ==
* [https://www.jewish-university.org Official website]
* [https://www.churchfinder.com/churches/co/denver/jewish-university-colorado Listing at Church Finder]

== References ==
<references />

Jewish University of Colorado

2022-03-23T13:31:13Z

Rhodesia: /* Links */

The '''Jewish University of Colorado''' (JUC) is a small (2.700 students, March 2022), elite educational institution for postgraduates (individuals with university degrees) in the city of [[Denver]], [[Colorado]]. The tuition-free [[university]] is part of the free teaching and education program in the field of Judeo-Christian theology and [[philosophy]] offered by the Messianic Fellowship International, one of the largest joint Judeo-Christian institutions in the world. The university has two offices outside Colorado, one in [[Boise]] ([[Idaho]]) and in [[Los Angeles]] ([[California]]).

== Development ==
Jewish University of Colorado (JUC) grew out of a smaller college founded in 1982. Since 1997, it has been a university for postgraduates, who usually hold at least a bachelor's degree from another university. The content and courses of study at the Jewish University of Colorado are ecclesiastical in nature and include the fields messianic [[theology]] and [[philosophy]].<ref>Encyclopedia of Christianity in the United States. (2016). USA: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers</ref> In 2010, the first online degree programs were offered; due to the 2020-2021 [[pandemic]], the curriculum had to be completely converted to online instruction. As this proved to be more effective during an ongoing evaluation, the decision was made by the Board of Directors to remain at an online rate of 70%-90% after the pandemic. Since JUC's degree programs are in the humanities, laboratories or the like are not obstacles to this modernization.

== Ideological orientation ==
Since its beginning, JUC has been a conservative institution.<ref>Introduction to Messianic Judaism: Its Ecclesial Context and Biblical Foundations. (2013). USA: Zondervan</ref> This both in the content of the teaching and in the modest external presentation. "The glory is of the Lord and not of man" expresses this humbility before creation. The Jewish University does not charge tuition, though it accepts only about 3% of all applicants as students after a qualifying examination. The [[curriculum]] is considered rigorous, political disputes are forbidden on [[campus]], all the more emphasis is placed on sports and other constructive aspects of life.<ref>Vernon, E. (1992). Jewish Studies Courses at American and Canadian Universities: A Catalog. USA: Association for Jewish Studies</ref> In principle, JUC is open to both sexes and people of all faiths, provided they do not violate Judeo-Christian<ref>Blackwelder, D. S. (2012). Jews, Gentiles, and Christianity. (n.p.): Createspace Independent Pub.</ref> [[values]].

== Teachers and moral integrity==
The professors and teachers of the Jewish University are appointed and dismissed by the Presidential Board of the university on the recommendation of the Dean (Director). As part of a bona fide [[congregation]] under U.S. law, JUC also relies on pro bono faculty who sacrifice some of their free time for this purpose. Never, under any circumstances, does JUC confer honorary doctorates or award degrees to individuals who have not successfully completed their studies at JUC.

== Finanzierung ==
From the very beginning, the statutes of the Jewish University stipulated that donations or tuition fees would never be accepted or charged. Financing is the exclusive responsibility of the Jewish Fellowship International, for which the university represents an indispensable institution to ensure pure messianic teaching in accordance with scientific methods. [[Messianic Judaism]] and the Judeo-Christian community are a minority worldwide, making the Jewish University of Colorado a unique institution in the best sense of the word.<ref>Judaism, Science, and Moral Responsibility. (2006). Vereinigtes Königreich: Rowman & Littlefield.</ref>

== Links ==
* [https://www.jewish-university.org Official website]

== References ==
<references />

Jewish University of Colorado

2022-03-23T13:30:26Z

Rhodesia: Link

The '''Jewish University of Colorado''' (JUC) is a small (2.700 students, March 2022), elite educational institution for postgraduates (individuals with university degrees) in the city of [[Denver]], [[Colorado]]. The tuition-free [[university]] is part of the free teaching and education program in the field of Judeo-Christian theology and [[philosophy]] offered by the Messianic Fellowship International, one of the largest joint Judeo-Christian institutions in the world. The university has two offices outside Colorado, one in [[Boise]] ([[Idaho]]) and in [[Los Angeles]] ([[California]]).

== Development ==
Jewish University of Colorado (JUC) grew out of a smaller college founded in 1982. Since 1997, it has been a university for postgraduates, who usually hold at least a bachelor's degree from another university. The content and courses of study at the Jewish University of Colorado are ecclesiastical in nature and include the fields messianic [[theology]] and [[philosophy]].<ref>Encyclopedia of Christianity in the United States. (2016). USA: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers</ref> In 2010, the first online degree programs were offered; due to the 2020-2021 [[pandemic]], the curriculum had to be completely converted to online instruction. As this proved to be more effective during an ongoing evaluation, the decision was made by the Board of Directors to remain at an online rate of 70%-90% after the pandemic. Since JUC's degree programs are in the humanities, laboratories or the like are not obstacles to this modernization.

== Ideological orientation ==
Since its beginning, JUC has been a conservative institution.<ref>Introduction to Messianic Judaism: Its Ecclesial Context and Biblical Foundations. (2013). USA: Zondervan</ref> This both in the content of the teaching and in the modest external presentation. "The glory is of the Lord and not of man" expresses this humbility before creation. The Jewish University does not charge tuition, though it accepts only about 3% of all applicants as students after a qualifying examination. The [[curriculum]] is considered rigorous, political disputes are forbidden on [[campus]], all the more emphasis is placed on sports and other constructive aspects of life.<ref>Vernon, E. (1992). Jewish Studies Courses at American and Canadian Universities: A Catalog. USA: Association for Jewish Studies</ref> In principle, JUC is open to both sexes and people of all faiths, provided they do not violate Judeo-Christian<ref>Blackwelder, D. S. (2012). Jews, Gentiles, and Christianity. (n.p.): Createspace Independent Pub.</ref> [[values]].

== Teachers and moral integrity==
The professors and teachers of the Jewish University are appointed and dismissed by the Presidential Board of the university on the recommendation of the Dean (Director). As part of a bona fide [[congregation]] under U.S. law, JUC also relies on pro bono faculty who sacrifice some of their free time for this purpose. Never, under any circumstances, does JUC confer honorary doctorates or award degrees to individuals who have not successfully completed their studies at JUC.

== Finanzierung ==
From the very beginning, the statutes of the Jewish University stipulated that donations or tuition fees would never be accepted or charged. Financing is the exclusive responsibility of the Jewish Fellowship International, for which the university represents an indispensable institution to ensure pure messianic teaching in accordance with scientific methods. [[Messianic Judaism]] and the Judeo-Christian community are a minority worldwide, making the Jewish University of Colorado a unique institution in the best sense of the word.<ref>Judaism, Science, and Moral Responsibility. (2006). Vereinigtes Königreich: Rowman & Littlefield.</ref>

== Links ==
* [https://www.jewish-university.org website]

== References ==
<references />

Jewish University of Colorado

2022-03-22T22:25:15Z

Rhodesia: More references to come asap

The '''Jewish University of Colorado''' (JUC) is a small (2.700 students, March 2022), elite educational institution for postgraduates (individuals with university degrees) in the city of [[Denver]], [[Colorado]]. The tuition-free [[university]] is part of the free teaching and education program in the field of Judeo-Christian theology and [[philosophy]] offered by the Messianic Fellowship International, one of the largest joint Judeo-Christian institutions in the world. The university has two offices outside Colorado, one in [[Boise]] ([[Idaho]]) and in [[Los Angeles]] ([[California]]).

== Development ==
Jewish University of Colorado (JUC) grew out of a smaller college founded in 1982. Since 1997, it has been a university for postgraduates, who usually hold at least a bachelor's degree from another university. The content and courses of study at the Jewish University of Colorado are ecclesiastical in nature and include the fields messianic [[theology]] and [[philosophy]].<ref>Encyclopedia of Christianity in the United States. (2016). USA: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers</ref> In 2010, the first online degree programs were offered; due to the 2020-2021 [[pandemic]], the curriculum had to be completely converted to online instruction. As this proved to be more effective during an ongoing evaluation, the decision was made by the Board of Directors to remain at an online rate of 70%-90% after the pandemic. Since JUC's degree programs are in the humanities, laboratories or the like are not obstacles to this modernization.

== Ideological orientation ==
Since its beginning, JUC has been a conservative institution.<ref>Introduction to Messianic Judaism: Its Ecclesial Context and Biblical Foundations. (2013). USA: Zondervan</ref> This both in the content of the teaching and in the modest external presentation. "The glory is of the Lord and not of man" expresses this humbility before creation. The Jewish University does not charge tuition, though it accepts only about 3% of all applicants as students after a qualifying examination. The [[curriculum]] is considered rigorous, political disputes are forbidden on [[campus]], all the more emphasis is placed on sports and other constructive aspects of life.<ref>Vernon, E. (1992). Jewish Studies Courses at American and Canadian Universities: A Catalog. USA: Association for Jewish Studies</ref> In principle, JUC is open to both sexes and people of all faiths, provided they do not violate Judeo-Christian<ref>Blackwelder, D. S. (2012). Jews, Gentiles, and Christianity. (n.p.): Createspace Independent Pub.</ref> [[values]].

== Teachers and moral integrity==
The professors and teachers of the Jewish University are appointed and dismissed by the Presidential Board of the university on the recommendation of the Dean (Director). As part of a bona fide [[congregation]] under U.S. law, JUC also relies on pro bono faculty who sacrifice some of their free time for this purpose. Never, under any circumstances, does JUC confer honorary doctorates or award degrees to individuals who have not successfully completed their studies at JUC.

== Finanzierung ==
From the very beginning, the statutes of the Jewish University stipulated that donations or tuition fees would never be accepted or charged. Financing is the exclusive responsibility of the Jewish Fellowship International, for which the university represents an indispensable institution to ensure pure messianic teaching in accordance with scientific methods. [[Messianic Judaism]] and the Judeo-Christian community are a minority worldwide, making the Jewish University of Colorado a unique institution in the best sense of the word.<ref>Judaism, Science, and Moral Responsibility. (2006). Vereinigtes Königreich: Rowman & Littlefield.</ref>

== Links ==
* [https://www.messianic-jewish.org/#jewish-university-of-colorado Official website]

== References ==
<references />

Jewish University of Colorado

2022-03-22T22:09:11Z

Rhodesia: Links, references will follow immediately

The '''Jewish University of Colorado''' is a small, elite educational institution for postgraduates (individuals with university degrees) in the city of [[Denver]], [[Colorado]]. The tuition-free [[university]] is part of the free teaching and education program in the field of Judeo-Christian theology and [[philosophy]] offered by the Messianic Fellowship International, one of the largest joint Judeo-Christian institutions in the world.

== Development ==
Jewish University of Colorado (JUC) grew out of a smaller college founded in 1982. Since 1997, it has been a university for postgraduates, who usually hold at least a bachelor's degree from another university. The content and courses of study at the Jewish University of Colorado are ecclesiastical in nature and include the fields of [[theology]] and [[philosophy]]. In 2010, the first online degree programs were offered; due to the 2020-2021 [[pandemic]], the curriculum had to be completely converted to online instruction. As this proved to be more effective during an ongoing evaluation, the decision was made by the Board of Directors to remain at an online rate of 70%-90% after the pandemic. Since JUC's degree programs are in the humanities, laboratories or the like are not obstacles to this modernization.

== Ideological orientation ==
Since its beginning, JUC has been a conservative institution. This both in the content of the teaching and in the modest external presentation. "The glory is of the Lord and not of man" expresses this humbility before creation. The Jewish University does not charge tuition, though it accepts only about 3% of all applicants as students after a qualifying examination. The [[curriculum]] is considered rigorous, political disputes are forbidden on [[campus]], all the more emphasis is placed on sports and other constructive aspects of life. In principle, JUC is open to both sexes and people of all faiths, provided they do not violate Judeo-Christian [[values]].

== Teachers ==
The professors and teachers of the Jewish University are appointed and dismissed by the Presidential Board of the university on the recommendation of the Dean (Director). As part of a bona fide [[congregation]] under U.S. law, JUC also relies on pro bono faculty who sacrifice some of their free time for this purpose.

== Finanzierung ==
From the very beginning, the statutes of the Jewish University stipulated that donations or tuition fees would never be accepted or charged. Financing is the exclusive responsibility of the Jewish Fellowship International, for which the university represents an indispensable institution to ensure pure messianic teaching in accordance with scientific methods. [[Messianic Judaism]] and the Judeo-Christian community are a minority worldwide, making the Jewish University of Colorado a unique institution in the best sense of the word.

== Links ==
* [https://www.messianic-jewish.org/#jewish-university-of-colorado Official website]

Messianic Judaism

2021-10-13T21:03:50Z

Rhodesia: Were missing

[[Image:Olive tree.jpg|right|thumb|250px|The olive tree has long been used as a symbol in Messianic Judaism: "''Thou, being a wild olive tree, were grafted in among them''" (Romans 11:17)]]
'''Messianic Judaism''' is a religious movement which:<ref>Robinson, B. [http://www.religioustolerance.org/mess_jud.htm ''Messianic Judaism''] Religious Tolerance. Accessed 21 February 2008</ref><ref>''There is no '''contemporary''' founder or leader and no single group or individual speaks for all Messianics. However, most Messianics would generally accept these points.''</ref>

*believes that [[Jesus Christ]] is the [[Messiah]] spoken of in the [[Tanakh]] ([[Old Testament]]); they refer to Jesus as "Yeshua".
*regards its members to be committed [[Jew]]s.
*believes that it is following the practices and beliefs of the very early church.
*follows an [[Evangelical Christian]] [[theology]].

They differ from other Jews over their beliefs about the Messiah. Messianic Congregations are made up of people of Jewish and non-Jewish backgrounds, and are distinctly Jewish in [[culture]]. All celebrate Jewish [[Holy Days]] and support the State of [[Israel]], and most have their main service on the seventh day [[Sabbath]]. They believe that all of the [[Bible]], both the Tanakh and the [[New Testament]], is inspired by [[God]], and that the New Testament was written by Jewish writers to announce to the world the arrival of the long-awaited Jewish Messiah.

All Jewish [[denomination]]s reject Messianic Judaism on the principle that belief in Jesus automatically makes them Christian, and therefore outside of the Jewish community. In fact, Messianic Judaism fits the definition of Christian provided in the dictionary. Many view Messianic Judaism as a dangerous and subversive form of [[apostasy]].

==Early history of Messianic Judaism==

Members of Messianic Judaism believe Messianic Judaism predates Christianity by several decades, and Christianity evolved from the Messianic Judaism of the first century. They assert [[Jesus]] and his [[disciple]]s were all Jews. Furthermore, they interpret the Bible to mean that Jesus is the prophesied Messiah of Judaism, not to form a new religion. Whether the early Jewish followers of Jesus "left" Judaism to follow him is still debated today.

The first people to be known as Christians were the Gentiles in [[Antioch]] ([http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Acts%2011:20,21,26;&version=9; Acts 11:20,21,26]) but Christianity was still widely considered to be a sect of Judaism. In 70 AD, the [[Roman Empire|Roman]] general [[Titus]] sacked the city of [[Jerusalem]] and the [[Second Temple]] was burned down. It is estimated that as many as one million Jews died during the revolt.<ref>[http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/Judaism/revolt.html ''The Great Revolt''] Jewish Virtual Library. Accessed 18 February 2008</ref> Many Jews were taken captive and deported to [[Italy]] where they were forced to build the [[Colosseum]] in [[Rome]]. The emperor [[Vespasian]] then introduced a tax (the "Fiscus Judaicus") to be paid by all Jews to finance the reconstruction of the temple of Jupiter Optimus Maximus. Even after construction was completed, the tax was still levied, and was used as a measure to deter people from converting to Judaism.<ref>Lendering, Jona [http://www.livius.org/fa-fn/fiscus/judaicus.html ''Fiscus Judaicus''] "Articles on Ancient History" Livius. Accessed 18 February 2008</ref> Well into the second century, Gentile Christians were also required to pay the ''fiscus judaicus'' and persecuted as a sect of Judaism. Messianic Jews believe the Christians tried to escape this persecution, by widening the division between themselves and the Jews, and their practices became less and less Jewish.

WhatJewsBelieve.org says concerning the alleged Jewish roots of Christianity the following, "A Christian might ask, "But weren't the first Christians actually Jews?" Yes, but this is irrelevant. The first Protestants were Roman Catholics. Martin Luther was a Roman Catholic Priest. The Roman Catholics do not consider Protestant Christianity to be merely another form of Roman Catholicism.
If you read the Apocryphal book of I Maccabbees, you will see that the first person killed in the Maccabbee's rebellion was a Jew. He was willing to go ahead and sacrifice a pig to Zeus, just as Mattathias had refused to do. Obviously, he had to have been a very secular, assimilated Jew. Had he survived Mattathias's attack, and later formed a religion that was dedicated to the worship of Zeus and Zeus's half-human sons, would that make his newly formed faith just another form of Judaism? Should he call his new faith, "Jews For Zeus," or "Jews For Zeus And His Half-Human Sons?" Would that mean that his new faith had "Jewish Roots?" "
<ref>http://whatjewsbelieve.org/explanation10.html</ref>

==The wild olive branch==
The church in Rome was begun as a Jewish fellowship, started by those who returned from Pentecost in Jerusalem,<ref>[http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Acts%202%20;&version=9; Acts 2]</ref> not by an [[apostle]]. As these Jewish believers evangelized, many Gentile believers joined them. Around 50 AD [[Claudius]] banished many Jews from Rome,<ref>Barclay, John M. G.; Hooker, Morna Dorothy and McMurdo, John Philip (ed.) "Early Christian Thought in Its Jewish Context" (Cambridge University Press; 2007) ISBN 0-5210-4412-X</ref> leaving the church entirely Gentile. Twelve years later [[Nero]] invited the Jews back to stimulate trade. However the Gentiles refused to allow the Messianic Jewish believers back into the church, having concluded that Claudius' rejection signified God's rejection, which is probably the first appearance of [[Replacement Theology]].<ref>[http://fp.thebeers.f9.co.uk/olive.htm ''The Olive Tree and the wild olive branch''] "The Wild Olive Branch" Accessed 18 February 2008</ref>

[[Paul]]'s [http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans%209-11;&version=9; letter to the Roman church] addresses this matter, and he urges them to remember that they are like a "wild olive tree, grafted in" among the Jews, and warns them against "conceit", particularly as it is the Jewish root which supported their Christian branch. ([http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans%2011:17,18,25;&version=9; Romans 11:17,18,25])

However, by the time of the [[Council of Nicaea]] in 325, Christianity was both anti-Judaic and [[anti-Semitic]].<ref>As [[Constantine]] said at the Council: "''Let us then have nothing in common with the most hostile rabble of the Jews.''" Boyle, Isaac "A Historical View of The Council of Nicea" (T Mason and G Lane, New York; 1839)</ref>

==Comparison table==
Table comparing the mainstream '''beliefs''' of these movements with each other
{| class="wikitable" border="1" cellpadding="2"
|-
|
|Judaism
|Christianity
|Messianic Judaism
|-
|Trinity
|no
|yes
|yes
|-
|Divinity of Jesus
|no
|yes
|yes
|-
|Accept Talmud as authoritative
|yes
|no
|no
|-
|Accept New Testament as part of canon
|no
|yes
|yes
|-
|Jesus is the son of God
|no
|yes
|yes
|-
|Jesus is the messiah
|no
|yes
|yes
|-
|Hell exists
|no
|yes
|yes
|-
|Second coming of Jesus Christ
|no
|yes
|yes
|-
|Jesus was born of a virgin
|no
|yes
|yes
|-
|Jesus died on a cross for the sins of humanity
|no
|yes
|yes
|-
|Jesus was resurrected from the dead
|no
|yes
|yes
|-
|Jesus is an intermediary between man and God
|no
|yes
|yes
|-
|Original Sin
|no
|yes
|yes
|-
|skepticism towards evolution
|no*<ref>Even amongst Orthodox Jews, the mainstream belief is evolution happened, although generally Orthodox Jews believe in theistic evolution, meaning evolution but that it was caused by God.</ref>
|yes
|yes
|-
|follow teachings of past rabbis
|yes
|no
|no*<ref>Messianic Jews have even been known to criticize Judaism by calling it Rabbinic Judaism, despite the fact that Messianic Jews call their pastors, rabbis.</ref>
|-
|Jesus was God made flesh
|no
|yes
|yes
|-
|interpretation of the text by a scholar should be preferred
|yes
|no, the laity's interpretation is equally valid to that of a scholar's interpretation
|no, the laity's interpretation is equally valid to that of a scholar's interpretation
|-
|Is Daniel a prophet?
|no
|yes, Jesus Christ called Daniel a prophet in the Gospels
|yes, Jesus Christ called Daniel a prophet in the Gospels
|-
|Is Enoch a prophet?
|no
|yes
|yes
|-
|Is Sarah a prophetess?
|yes
|no
|no
|-
|Has the messiah came?
|no
|yes, he is Jesus Christ
|yes, he is Jesus Christ
|-
|Who was the greatest prophet?
|Moses
|Jesus Christ
|Jesus Christ
|}

According to WhatJewsBelieve.org the idea that God became flesh disagrees with the words of the Bible saying,

"There is the verse from Hosea in which God specifically tells us that God is not a human being:

I will not execute the fierceness of mine anger, I will not return to destroy Ephraim: for I am God, and not a man; the Holy One in the midst of thee: and I will not enter into the city. Hosea 11:9

And then there is another verse, in Numbers 23:19, where God specifically tells us that if God were a human being, then he would be a liar, as all human beings do lie on occasion. Furthermore, this verse tell us that if God were a human being, he would be in need of repentance because all human beings sin at some point in their lives.
Finally, this verse also tells us that if God were a human being, then he would make promises, but not keep them:

God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the Son of Man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do it? or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good? Numbers 23:19"

<ref>http://whatjewsbelieve.org/explanation08.html</ref>

==Criticism of Messianic Judaism==

Criticism of Messianic Judaism is predicated on the assumption that Judaism and Christanity are implacably incompatible: one must be either a Jew or a Christian: there is no such thing as a Jewish Christian or a Christian Jew. Attempts by groups like [[Jews for Jesus]] are seen in this light as outrageously deceptive.

The Central Conference of American Rabbis has stated: ''"For us in the Jewish community, anyone who claims that Jesus is their savior is no longer a Jew and is an apostate. Through that belief she has placed herself outside the Jewish community. Whether she cares to define herself as a Christian or as a 'fulfilled Jew,' 'Messianic Jew,' or any other designation is irrelevant; to us, she is clearly a Christian."''<ref>Robinson, B. [http://www.religioustolerance.org/mess_jud4.htm ''Opposition to Messianic Judaism''] Religious Tolerance. Accessed 21 February 2008</ref>
In acknowledging Jesus and the Christian Scriptures, these congregations are accepting many other theological concepts contrary to the Jewish belief system, including original sin, the devil and demonology, “vicarious blood atonement,” and the trinity, Margolis said.<ref name="a"/>

One rabbi said the following concerning Messianic Judaism: “Messianic congregations are Christians portraying themselves as Jews,” said Rabbi Richard Margolis, the leader of Temple Beth Sholom in Melbourne and a member of the Jewish Federation board of Brevard. In an e-mail, he added, “The issue is deceit. This is a deceptive missionary movement, organized and heavily funded by evangelical Christians whose sole purpose is to convert Jews to (fundamentalist) Christianity. There is nothing Jewish about any of this.”<ref name="a"/>
“I have great respect for the authentic Christian tradition and maintain an ongoing program of interfaith activities in our community,” Margolis said.
“But I cannot countenance couching fundamentalist Christianity in Jewish symbols.”<ref name="a">http://www.religionnewsblog.com/12955</ref>

Robinson states that "converts to Messianic Judaism are usually shunned by their Jewish families of origin and are excluded from the local Jewish community."

Many people, see Messianic Judaism, as the Church's last resort to convince Jews to accept Jesus as their messiah. Anti-missionaries, Jews who try to counter the work of Messianic missionaries have reported being assaulted.<ref>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1rS35_UnHRw</ref> The Jewish community has produced several groups to counter Messianic Judaism, which it sees as Evangelical Christianity disguised in Jewish garb, such as, Jews for Judaism, Outreach Judaism, and produced the Lets Get Biblical Series, a tape series produced by Outreach Judaism. The Jewish community often perceives Messianic Judaism as Christianity hijacking Judaism in order to convert Jews and misrepresenting Judaism to gain converts. They believe that Messianic Judaism is a corruption of the most deeply spiritual rituals and customs that honor Judaism's connection to God through Torah. Dr. David A. Rausch, associate professor of church history and Judaic studies at Ashland Theological Seminary, [[Ohio]], summed up the attitude of many Jewish people in the comment he was given by a member of the Jewish Defense League: ''"These Messianics are the [[Nazi]]s - the spiritual Nazis. They pretend to be Jews and use traditional Jewish symbols to trap children and the unsuspecting."''<ref>Rausch, David A. [http://www.religion-online.org/showarticle.asp?title=1339 ''The Messianic Jewish Congregational Movement''] Religion Online. Accessed 21 February 2008</ref> The sentiments are not confined entirely to Judaism; the same author was told by a Christian missionary: ''"To these "Messianic Jews" Jewishness means Judaism, a rabbinic Judaism of the Ashkenazic flavor. They neither have a real knowledge of Jewish history or of Jewish-Christian history, nor do they possess a good handle on biblical [[exegesis]]. Like the Ebionites of old they will finally blend into Judaism and deny the Messiah."''<ref>''ibid''</ref>

In the summer of 1987 in Washington D.C. (USA), there was held an Interfaith Conference of Metropolitan Washington. Partaking in the conference were representatives of various Protestant churches, Roman-Catholics, together with Moslems and representatives of Jewish organizations. The Conference concluded with an official statement (published in "Interfaith Connector" Vol. 8, No. 2) which stated:

"We condemn proselytizing efforts which delegitimize the faith tradition of the person whose conversion is being sought. Such tactics go beyond the bounds of appropriate and ethically based religious outreach. Examples of such practices are those common among groups that have adopted the label of Hebrew Christianity, Messianic Judaism, or Jews for Jesus. These groups specifically target Jews for conversion to their version of Christianity, making claim that in accepting Jesus as the savior/messiah, a Jews 'fulfills' his/her faith. Furthermore, by celebrating Jewish festivals, worshipping on the Jewish Shabbat, appropriating Jewish symbols, rituals and prayers in their churches, and, sometimes, even calling their leaders 'Rabbi', the seek to win over, often by deception, many Jews who are sincerely looking for a path back to their ancestral heritage. Deceptive proselytizing is practiced on the most vulnerable of populations - residents of hospitals and old aged homes, confused youth, college students away from home. These proselytizing techniques are tantamount to coerced conversions and should be condemned."<ref>http://www.faqs.org/faqs/judaism/FAQ/09-Antisemitism/</ref>

In 2008 the Israeli Supreme Court, ruled Messianic Jews can immigrate to Israel.<ref>https://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1208870469395&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull</ref>

[[Jews for Judaism]] claims that
Messianic missionaries have used deceit to trick Jews into converting, such as not mentioning that Messianic Jews believe Jesus is God to people who they evangelize to.<ref name="a1">http://www.jewsforjudaism.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=375&Itemid=420</ref>

Messianic organizations get most of their funding from Evangelical Christian organizations.<ref name="a1"/> In fact many Messianic organizations are former Evangelical Christian missions to Jews. For example, Messianic Jewish Alliance of America, one of the most well known Messianic organizations, was originally named the, Hebrew Christian Alliance of America, an Evangelical Christian organization geared towards spreading Christianity amongst Jews. Chosen People Ministries, another Messianic organization was originally named the, American Board of Missions to the Jews. Another organization called Jews for Jesus, which some identify with the Messianic movement, was founded in 1973 by Martin Meyer Rosen, an ordained Baptist minister. He had been a missionary for several years in the past geared towards converting Jews to Christianity, when he was unsuccessful he came up with Jews for Jesus.

==How Messianic Jews see themselves==
As a movement, modern Messianic Judaism is still very young. Prior to this, in the 1950s-1970s, Jews who believed in Jesus saw themselves as "Jewish Christians" or "Hebrew Christians" or a Christians of Jewish origins. Some were members of Churches, and some not but often met together to be "at home" with fellow Jewish believers. The most prominent organization of Jewish Christians was the Hebrew Christian Alliance of America, holding monthly meetings and annual banquets. It was not uncommon to hear Yiddish spoken at their meetings as well as English. But nowadays, Jewish expression among Jewish believers in Jesus is evinced in and through Messianic Congregations as well as home meetings rather than Churches. Many Messianic Jews in American are experiencing their 2nd and 3rd generation of believers and so provision is made for youth meetings and full family life that finds Jewish expression in the traditional home celebrations of Shabbat, Passover, Succoth and Hannukah celebrations. Messianic Jews also celebrate other of the Jewish Holidays but without the religious and Halachic commandments and significances. For example, few Messianic Jews keep the Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur) halakhically as Jesus' atonement on the cross has preempted the traditional rational for the Day and few Jews keep Tisha B'Av—the Ninth of Av, a fast day that mourns the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem. On the other hand, Israel and its survival and its continued existence as a Jewish Nation and a homeland and a refuge for the Jews is almost universally supported by Messianic Jews, probably as much as among the non Messianic religious Jews, and probably much more than secular Jews. The foundation for this adherence to the rebirth and resurgence of Israel is more the Biblical promises of God that are believed in through the teaching and preaching of their Congregations than it being based on a nationalistic or cultural agenda. Most Messianic Jews see themselves as the "first fruits" or the advanced guard of the Jewish people coming to faith in Jesus as the Messiah of Israel and the Light of the Gentiles and most are evangelistically minded toward Jews as well as non Jews coming to faith in Jesus. However, few of them have adopted "Jewishness" as a means of attracting Jews to the faith. This is for the simple reason that almost all Messianics either have experienced a deep and sincere personal conversion to Jesus that has affirmed them in whatever Jewishness that was theirs, either great or little, or they have grown up as Messianics and the Jewishness they live in is already "second nature". It is, they feel, not up for sale, for exploitation, or for "commercial use" in evangelism. This is not to say that Messianic Jews are not learning in their Jewishness and that in step with their learning to follow Jesus as their Lord. In that way, many Messianic Jews "become" more Jewish, much in the same way that secular Jews become more Jewish. Most Messianic Jews are aware that to believe in Jesus is to be fulfilled personally in what God holds out for them and their people and are good Jews for doing so, and sincerely wish the same for their fellow Jews. Though Messianic Jews are sometimes thought to be merely Evangelical Christians in "Jewish disguise", and having the mainstay of Christian belief, this is not universally so. Groupings of Messianic Jews as well as individual ones, may be differing in their adherence to Christian trinitarian and incarnational theology, and range the full gamut in understanding and creedal confession - when there is a creed. There is also a great range of practice of the Mitzvot or practice of the religious law and custom. This range of belief and custom, is evinced among the congregations in Israel as well as in the Unite States. Messianic Jews see that they have an added mission as believers in Jesus. This is to bring to Christians a deeper knowledge of the "Hebrew roots" of their own Christian faith. In Israel, there is great opposition to Messianic Judaism, while at the same time, there is a growing awareness of the movement that is keeping pace with the growing numbers of Israelis (estimated to be 15,000) that are turning to Yeshua (Jesus) in faith. This is the investigative reporting about the movement of a recent feature by "Ulpan Shishi" (Friday Studio)a secular Israeli News T.V. review. This video is in Hebrew but with English subtitles [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3sEBAldf4L0] The following is an example of the surprising diverstity found among Messianic Jews. The subject is an Indian physician working among the tribe of Bnei Menasha of north east India, whom he was instrumental in "discovering", who have been recently declared eligible for immigration to the State of Israel as descendents of Menaseh, together with Ephraim, one of the 10 lost tribes of Israel [https://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/973487.html]. His hope is that the "hundreds of thousands" of Messianic Jews, like himself, found among the Bnei Menasha will with the rest of the tribe, also be eligible for immigration to Israel.

===Why Messianic Judaism sees itself as distinct from Christianity===

Though Messianic Judaism shares with normative Christianity much of the beliefs about Jesus, it prefers to go its own way as a part of Judaism or completion of Biblical Judaism or an expression of Judaism for the following reasons:

1. It sees that belief in Jesus, is but a follow-through, and a reasonable expectation on the basis of the Jewish Scriptures (Tenakh) while it sees that Christianity often minimizes the Tenakh and the importance of [[Messianic Prophecies]] and indications in the Tenackh.

2. It sees that Christianity often is divorced or alienated from the appreciation and practice of the feasts and Holidays and customs of the Tenakh that Messianics are familiar with and in many cases have grown up with in an intimate way at home and in general Jewish society. An examples are the Passover, Hanukkah, Messianics see no reason for the discontinuance of these practices which they believe Jesus to have fully participated Himself in as being Jewish

3. Messianics are aware of much of the Church being influenced by "replacement theology". That is, God is "through with the Jews" with the Church inheriting by God the blessings he formerly bestowed on Israel - until the Jews should come to faith in Jesus. Most Messianics, though believing that Judaism's gone dreadfully wrong in its rejection of its Messiah has not annulled God's dealings with the Jews and with Israel as a nation and that He is following a timetable of His own that will bring Israel into the fold of faith in its Messiah - along with His other agenda for the people. Most Messianics do see the sufferings of the Jews through history as a punishment for the rejection of their Messiah, but also see it as a consequence of the "Evil in the World" for which perpetrators are responsible, and who will be brought to Judgement. In this way, it is not too dissimilar to religious Jews who believe that the sufferings of the Jews is due to the abandonment by the Jews generally of the Torah given them by God, but who allow other factors as explanation..

4. Messianic Jews see no reason to give up their peoplehood because, on one hand, other Jews do not agree with their choice of Jesus nor, on the other hand, the Church sees no reason for the Jews continuing unique and singular existence. They feel that Jesus was a Jew. Peter and Paul were Jews, the New Testament was written by Jews, God made the Jews, and "I am a Jew".

==Support for Messianic Judaism==

The [[Unification Church]] is arguably the biggest supporter of the main ideas of Messianic Judaism. It promotes a bridge of understanding between traditional Jewish concepts and the New Testament idea that Jesus (Yeshua) was the Jewish Messiah.

Unificationism maintains that Jesus "came to his own people, but they accepted him not" (Gospels) Indeed, it is official UC theology that God prepared the Jewish people for 2,000 years '''primarily''' to be ready to accept the Messiah when he came. It was the [[mission of John the Baptist]] to "make ready for the Lord a people prepared" (OT, Gospels). When John fell into belief - possibly because of jealousy towards Jesus - this posed a stumbling block to Jewish acceptance of Jesus as the Messiah.

The church portrays itself as a "Completed Testament" religion, coming on the foundation of [[New Testament]] Christianity and [[Old Testament]] Judaism. Its theology argues that Jews who accepted Jesus as the Messiah were correct to do so, and that when the Messiah comes again in the last day it behooves both Jews and Christians to accept him. Needless to say, this view is almost universally rejected by modern Jews and Christians.

===Israeli secular support===
Support for the civil rights of Messianic Jews in Israel has come from the quarters of civil rights activists and lawyers and some on the secular political spectrum. The reason for this has to do with the political apportionment of cabinet positions and ministries. Israel rarely has enough support in the electorate to ensure majority vote for any one party in the election of the government. Therefore, political parties vie for the support of smaller parties to bring them into the government on their side. Shas, the Sephardic-based religious party, often is one of these parties, and for their support, the larger parties usually offer it the Ministry of the Interior which deals with their interests. Part of their interest is the curtailing of missionary work in Israel which is accomplished by the Ministry of the Interior blocking the issuance to foreign missionaries of visas, and the preventing of Messianic Jews from abroad from taking out citizenship. Anti-missionary groups (foremost among them being "Yad L'Ahim"-Hand to the Brothers) unofficially are resource to the Ministry of Interior. Thus Messianic Jews find support among these civil rights lawyers and groups who find that in the defense of Messianic Jews, the power of the Ministry of the Interior is limited and civil rights for all citizens are more strongly established.

===Evangelical support===
Support for Messianic Jews has grown appreciably in the last 40 years on the part of the Evangelical Church. This is due in great part to the fact that the Evangelical Church is deeply Bible based and therefore well appreciative of the promises of God to bring the people back into the Land at or near the
End of Days. This has been abetted by a number of factors, which on the surface seem to be contradictory, but do find a resolution by leaders of the Evangelical Churches who are, by and large, politically conservative and who teach and lead their people. These factors are 1. admiration for the State of Israel in its victory over its enemies, particularly in the 1967 Six Day War. 2. Increase in Evangelical tourism that visits the sites of the Lord and, as well, the Israeli Messianic scene and congregations (see [[Israel Tourism]]) 3.. Evangelical deepening appreciation of the logistic and strategic support Israel provides the United States as the only democracy in the Mid East and the common ideological front the U.S. and Israel have. 4. Understanding that has been increasing among Evangelicals that both Israel and the United States are now shoulder to shoulder in the fight against Islamic terrorism. These political factors impact on Evangelical support for Messianics in that Messianics are seem by Evangelicals as being the forefront of a new entity bringing hope and an opening for the future. An entity combining Jewishness, Israel, and belief in Jesus as Messiah, Lord, and Savior. Much of these factors are highlighted by the once a year at Succoth Celebration in Jerusalem, when thousands of Christians from all over the world meet for a week, participate in the yearly march to Jerusalem that all Israel takes part in, and at which most often the Prime Minister of Israel delivers an address and expression of Israel's appreciation for support given to Israel by Christians throughout the world.

==See also==
*[[Philosophy]]
*[[Jewish philosophy]]
*[[Judaism]]
*[[New Testament understanding through the Jewish perspective]]
*[[Aramaic Judaism, Jewish Aramaic Christianity, and John 1:1]]
*[[Adiabene]]
*[[The Sign of the Cross: of Jewish Origin]]
*[[First Century Aramaic Jewish Christian Gospel and poetry]]
*[[Messianic Prophecies]] with relevant modern and ancient Jewish commentary
*[[Messiah]]
*[[Transmigration of Words in Religion: an essay]]
*[[In the midst of a Maelstrom: the Holy Spirit and silence: an essay]] Israeli Messianic Jew and Egyptian Muslim in Alexandria

==External links==
*[https://www.jewsforjudaism.org JewsForJudaism.org]
*[http://www.Drazin.com Drazin.com]
*[http://whatjewsbelieve.org/ WhatJewsBelieve.org]
*[http://bejewish.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=12&Itemid=26 Lets Get Biblical tape series online at beJewish.org]
*[http://www.simpletoremember.com/audio/anti-missionary-mp3s.htm Lets Get Biblical tape series online at SimpleToRemeber.com]
*[https://jewsforjesus.org/ Jews For Jesus Home page]
*[https://mjaa.org Messianic Jewish Alliance of America]
*[https://www.messianic-jewish.org/ Messianic Jewish Fellowship International, a conservative messianic Jewish congregation based in the United States]

==References==
{{reflist|2}}

[[Category:Messianic Judaism]]

Messianic Judaism

2021-10-13T21:02:48Z

Rhodesia: These guys have a new URL, too

[[Image:Olive tree.jpg|right|thumb|250px|The olive tree has long been used as a symbol in Messianic Judaism: "''Thou, being a wild olive tree, were grafted in among them''" (Romans 11:17)]]
'''Messianic Judaism''' is a religious movement which:<ref>Robinson, B. [http://www.religioustolerance.org/mess_jud.htm ''Messianic Judaism''] Religious Tolerance. Accessed 21 February 2008</ref><ref>''There is no '''contemporary''' founder or leader and no single group or individual speaks for all Messianics. However, most Messianics would generally accept these points.''</ref>

*believes that [[Jesus Christ]] is the [[Messiah]] spoken of in the [[Tanakh]] ([[Old Testament]]); they refer to Jesus as "Yeshua".
*regards its members to be committed [[Jew]]s.
*believes that it is following the practices and beliefs of the very early church.
*follows an [[Evangelical Christian]] [[theology]].

They differ from other Jews over their beliefs about the Messiah. Messianic Congregations are made up of people of Jewish and non-Jewish backgrounds, and are distinctly Jewish in [[culture]]. All celebrate Jewish [[Holy Days]] and support the State of [[Israel]], and most have their main service on the seventh day [[Sabbath]]. They believe that all of the [[Bible]], both the Tanakh and the [[New Testament]], is inspired by [[God]], and that the New Testament was written by Jewish writers to announce to the world the arrival of the long-awaited Jewish Messiah.

All Jewish [[denomination]]s reject Messianic Judaism on the principle that belief in Jesus automatically makes them Christian, and therefore outside of the Jewish community. In fact, Messianic Judaism fits the definition of Christian provided in the dictionary. Many view Messianic Judaism as a dangerous and subversive form of [[apostasy]].

==Early history of Messianic Judaism==

Members of Messianic Judaism believe Messianic Judaism predates Christianity by several decades, and Christianity evolved from the Messianic Judaism of the first century. They assert [[Jesus]] and his [[disciple]]s were all Jews. Furthermore, they interpret the Bible to mean that Jesus is the prophesied Messiah of Judaism, not to form a new religion. Whether the early Jewish followers of Jesus "left" Judaism to follow him is still debated today.

The first people to be known as Christians were the Gentiles in [[Antioch]] ([http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Acts%2011:20,21,26;&version=9; Acts 11:20,21,26]) but Christianity was still widely considered to be a sect of Judaism. In 70 AD, the [[Roman Empire|Roman]] general [[Titus]] sacked the city of [[Jerusalem]] and the [[Second Temple]] was burned down. It is estimated that as many as one million Jews died during the revolt.<ref>[http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/Judaism/revolt.html ''The Great Revolt''] Jewish Virtual Library. Accessed 18 February 2008</ref> Many Jews were taken captive and deported to [[Italy]] where they were forced to build the [[Colosseum]] in [[Rome]]. The emperor [[Vespasian]] then introduced a tax (the "Fiscus Judaicus") to be paid by all Jews to finance the reconstruction of the temple of Jupiter Optimus Maximus. Even after construction was completed, the tax was still levied, and was used as a measure to deter people from converting to Judaism.<ref>Lendering, Jona [http://www.livius.org/fa-fn/fiscus/judaicus.html ''Fiscus Judaicus''] "Articles on Ancient History" Livius. Accessed 18 February 2008</ref> Well into the second century, Gentile Christians were also required to pay the ''fiscus judaicus'' and persecuted as a sect of Judaism. Messianic Jews believe the Christians tried to escape this persecution, by widening the division between themselves and the Jews, and their practices became less and less Jewish.

WhatJewsBelieve.org says concerning the alleged Jewish roots of Christianity the following, "A Christian might ask, "But weren't the first Christians actually Jews?" Yes, but this is irrelevant. The first Protestants were Roman Catholics. Martin Luther was a Roman Catholic Priest. The Roman Catholics do not consider Protestant Christianity to be merely another form of Roman Catholicism.
If you read the Apocryphal book of I Maccabbees, you will see that the first person killed in the Maccabbee's rebellion was a Jew. He was willing to go ahead and sacrifice a pig to Zeus, just as Mattathias had refused to do. Obviously, he had to have been a very secular, assimilated Jew. Had he survived Mattathias's attack, and later formed a religion that was dedicated to the worship of Zeus and Zeus's half-human sons, would that make his newly formed faith just another form of Judaism? Should he call his new faith, "Jews For Zeus," or "Jews For Zeus And His Half-Human Sons?" Would that mean that his new faith had "Jewish Roots?" "
<ref>http://whatjewsbelieve.org/explanation10.html</ref>

==The wild olive branch==
The church in Rome was begun as a Jewish fellowship, started by those who returned from Pentecost in Jerusalem,<ref>[http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Acts%202%20;&version=9; Acts 2]</ref> not by an [[apostle]]. As these Jewish believers evangelized, many Gentile believers joined them. Around 50 AD [[Claudius]] banished many Jews from Rome,<ref>Barclay, John M. G.; Hooker, Morna Dorothy and McMurdo, John Philip (ed.) "Early Christian Thought in Its Jewish Context" (Cambridge University Press; 2007) ISBN 0-5210-4412-X</ref> leaving the church entirely Gentile. Twelve years later [[Nero]] invited the Jews back to stimulate trade. However the Gentiles refused to allow the Messianic Jewish believers back into the church, having concluded that Claudius' rejection signified God's rejection, which is probably the first appearance of [[Replacement Theology]].<ref>[http://fp.thebeers.f9.co.uk/olive.htm ''The Olive Tree and the wild olive branch''] "The Wild Olive Branch" Accessed 18 February 2008</ref>

[[Paul]]'s [http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans%209-11;&version=9; letter to the Roman church] addresses this matter, and he urges them to remember that they are like a "wild olive tree, grafted in" among the Jews, and warns them against "conceit", particularly as it is the Jewish root which supported their Christian branch. ([http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans%2011:17,18,25;&version=9; Romans 11:17,18,25])

However, by the time of the [[Council of Nicaea]] in 325, Christianity was both anti-Judaic and [[anti-Semitic]].<ref>As [[Constantine]] said at the Council: "''Let us then have nothing in common with the most hostile rabble of the Jews.''" Boyle, Isaac "A Historical View of The Council of Nicea" (T Mason and G Lane, New York; 1839)</ref>

==Comparison table==
Table comparing the mainstream '''beliefs''' of these movements with each other
{| class="wikitable" border="1" cellpadding="2"
|-
|
|Judaism
|Christianity
|Messianic Judaism
|-
|Trinity
|no
|yes
|yes
|-
|Divinity of Jesus
|no
|yes
|yes
|-
|Accept Talmud as authoritative
|yes
|no
|no
|-
|Accept New Testament as part of canon
|no
|yes
|yes
|-
|Jesus is the son of God
|no
|yes
|yes
|-
|Jesus is the messiah
|no
|yes
|yes
|-
|Hell exists
|no
|yes
|yes
|-
|Second coming of Jesus Christ
|no
|yes
|yes
|-
|Jesus was born of a virgin
|no
|yes
|yes
|-
|Jesus died on a cross for the sins of humanity
|no
|yes
|yes
|-
|Jesus was resurrected from the dead
|no
|yes
|yes
|-
|Jesus is an intermediary between man and God
|no
|yes
|yes
|-
|Original Sin
|no
|yes
|yes
|-
|skepticism towards evolution
|no*<ref>Even amongst Orthodox Jews, the mainstream belief is evolution happened, although generally Orthodox Jews believe in theistic evolution, meaning evolution but that it was caused by God.</ref>
|yes
|yes
|-
|follow teachings of past rabbis
|yes
|no
|no*<ref>Messianic Jews have even been known to criticize Judaism by calling it Rabbinic Judaism, despite the fact that Messianic Jews call their pastors, rabbis.</ref>
|-
|Jesus was God made flesh
|no
|yes
|yes
|-
|interpretation of the text by a scholar should be preferred
|yes
|no, the laity's interpretation is equally valid to that of a scholar's interpretation
|no, the laity's interpretation is equally valid to that of a scholar's interpretation
|-
|Is Daniel a prophet?
|no
|yes, Jesus Christ called Daniel a prophet in the Gospels
|yes, Jesus Christ called Daniel a prophet in the Gospels
|-
|Is Enoch a prophet?
|no
|yes
|yes
|-
|Is Sarah a prophetess?
|yes
|no
|no
|-
|Has the messiah came?
|no
|yes, he is Jesus Christ
|yes, he is Jesus Christ
|-
|Who was the greatest prophet?
|Moses
|Jesus Christ
|Jesus Christ
|}

According to WhatJewsBelieve.org the idea that God became flesh disagrees with the words of the Bible saying,

"There is the verse from Hosea in which God specifically tells us that God is not a human being:

I will not execute the fierceness of mine anger, I will not return to destroy Ephraim: for I am God, and not a man; the Holy One in the midst of thee: and I will not enter into the city. Hosea 11:9

And then there is another verse, in Numbers 23:19, where God specifically tells us that if God were a human being, then he would be a liar, as all human beings do lie on occasion. Furthermore, this verse tell us that if God were a human being, he would be in need of repentance because all human beings sin at some point in their lives.
Finally, this verse also tells us that if God were a human being, then he would make promises, but not keep them:

God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the Son of Man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do it? or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good? Numbers 23:19"

<ref>http://whatjewsbelieve.org/explanation08.html</ref>

==Criticism of Messianic Judaism==

Criticism of Messianic Judaism is predicated on the assumption that Judaism and Christanity are implacably incompatible: one must be either a Jew or a Christian: there is no such thing as a Jewish Christian or a Christian Jew. Attempts by groups like [[Jews for Jesus]] are seen in this light as outrageously deceptive.

The Central Conference of American Rabbis has stated: ''"For us in the Jewish community, anyone who claims that Jesus is their savior is no longer a Jew and is an apostate. Through that belief she has placed herself outside the Jewish community. Whether she cares to define herself as a Christian or as a 'fulfilled Jew,' 'Messianic Jew,' or any other designation is irrelevant; to us, she is clearly a Christian."''<ref>Robinson, B. [http://www.religioustolerance.org/mess_jud4.htm ''Opposition to Messianic Judaism''] Religious Tolerance. Accessed 21 February 2008</ref>
In acknowledging Jesus and the Christian Scriptures, these congregations are accepting many other theological concepts contrary to the Jewish belief system, including original sin, the devil and demonology, “vicarious blood atonement,” and the trinity, Margolis said.<ref name="a"/>

One rabbi said the following concerning Messianic Judaism: “Messianic congregations are Christians portraying themselves as Jews,” said Rabbi Richard Margolis, the leader of Temple Beth Sholom in Melbourne and a member of the Jewish Federation board of Brevard. In an e-mail, he added, “The issue is deceit. This is a deceptive missionary movement, organized and heavily funded by evangelical Christians whose sole purpose is to convert Jews to (fundamentalist) Christianity. There is nothing Jewish about any of this.”<ref name="a"/>
“I have great respect for the authentic Christian tradition and maintain an ongoing program of interfaith activities in our community,” Margolis said.
“But I cannot countenance couching fundamentalist Christianity in Jewish symbols.”<ref name="a">http://www.religionnewsblog.com/12955</ref>

Robinson states that "converts to Messianic Judaism are usually shunned by their Jewish families of origin and are excluded from the local Jewish community."

Many people, see Messianic Judaism, as the Church's last resort to convince Jews to accept Jesus as their messiah. Anti-missionaries, Jews who try to counter the work of Messianic missionaries have reported being assaulted.<ref>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1rS35_UnHRw</ref> The Jewish community has produced several groups to counter Messianic Judaism, which it sees as Evangelical Christianity disguised in Jewish garb, such as, Jews for Judaism, Outreach Judaism, and produced the Lets Get Biblical Series, a tape series produced by Outreach Judaism. The Jewish community often perceives Messianic Judaism as Christianity hijacking Judaism in order to convert Jews and misrepresenting Judaism to gain converts. They believe that Messianic Judaism is a corruption of the most deeply spiritual rituals and customs that honor Judaism's connection to God through Torah. Dr. David A. Rausch, associate professor of church history and Judaic studies at Ashland Theological Seminary, [[Ohio]], summed up the attitude of many Jewish people in the comment he was given by a member of the Jewish Defense League: ''"These Messianics are the [[Nazi]]s - the spiritual Nazis. They pretend to be Jews and use traditional Jewish symbols to trap children and the unsuspecting."''<ref>Rausch, David A. [http://www.religion-online.org/showarticle.asp?title=1339 ''The Messianic Jewish Congregational Movement''] Religion Online. Accessed 21 February 2008</ref> The sentiments are not confined entirely to Judaism; the same author was told by a Christian missionary: ''"To these "Messianic Jews" Jewishness means Judaism, a rabbinic Judaism of the Ashkenazic flavor. They neither have a real knowledge of Jewish history or of Jewish-Christian history, nor do they possess a good handle on biblical [[exegesis]]. Like the Ebionites of old they will finally blend into Judaism and deny the Messiah."''<ref>''ibid''</ref>

In the summer of 1987 in Washington D.C. (USA), there was held an Interfaith Conference of Metropolitan Washington. Partaking in the conference were representatives of various Protestant churches, Roman-Catholics, together with Moslems and representatives of Jewish organizations. The Conference concluded with an official statement (published in "Interfaith Connector" Vol. 8, No. 2) which stated:

"We condemn proselytizing efforts which delegitimize the faith tradition of the person whose conversion is being sought. Such tactics go beyond the bounds of appropriate and ethically based religious outreach. Examples of such practices are those common among groups that have adopted the label of Hebrew Christianity, Messianic Judaism, or Jews for Jesus. These groups specifically target Jews for conversion to their version of Christianity, making claim that in accepting Jesus as the savior/messiah, a Jews 'fulfills' his/her faith. Furthermore, by celebrating Jewish festivals, worshipping on the Jewish Shabbat, appropriating Jewish symbols, rituals and prayers in their churches, and, sometimes, even calling their leaders 'Rabbi', the seek to win over, often by deception, many Jews who are sincerely looking for a path back to their ancestral heritage. Deceptive proselytizing is practiced on the most vulnerable of populations - residents of hospitals and old aged homes, confused youth, college students away from home. These proselytizing techniques are tantamount to coerced conversions and should be condemned."<ref>http://www.faqs.org/faqs/judaism/FAQ/09-Antisemitism/</ref>

In 2008 the Israeli Supreme Court, ruled Messianic Jews can immigrate to Israel.<ref>https://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1208870469395&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull</ref>

[[Jews for Judaism]] claims that
Messianic missionaries have used deceit to trick Jews into converting, such as not mentioning that Messianic Jews believe Jesus is God to people who they evangelize to.<ref name="a1">http://www.jewsforjudaism.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=375&Itemid=420</ref>

Messianic organizations get most of their funding from Evangelical Christian organizations.<ref name="a1"/> In fact many Messianic organizations are former Evangelical Christian missions to Jews. For example, Messianic Jewish Alliance of America, one of the most well known Messianic organizations, was originally named the, Hebrew Christian Alliance of America, an Evangelical Christian organization geared towards spreading Christianity amongst Jews. Chosen People Ministries, another Messianic organization was originally named the, American Board of Missions to the Jews. Another organization called Jews for Jesus, which some identify with the Messianic movement, was founded in 1973 by Martin Meyer Rosen, an ordained Baptist minister. He had been a missionary for several years in the past geared towards converting Jews to Christianity, when he was unsuccessful he came up with Jews for Jesus.

==How Messianic Jews see themselves==
As a movement, modern Messianic Judaism is still very young. Prior to this, in the 1950s-1970s, Jews who believed in Jesus saw themselves as "Jewish Christians" or "Hebrew Christians" or a Christians of Jewish origins. Some were members of Churches, and some not but often met together to be "at home" with fellow Jewish believers. The most prominent organization of Jewish Christians was the Hebrew Christian Alliance of America, holding monthly meetings and annual banquets. It was not uncommon to hear Yiddish spoken at their meetings as well as English. But nowadays, Jewish expression among Jewish believers in Jesus is evinced in and through Messianic Congregations as well as home meetings rather than Churches. Many Messianic Jews in American are experiencing their 2nd and 3rd generation of believers and so provision is made for youth meetings and full family life that finds Jewish expression in the traditional home celebrations of Shabbat, Passover, Succoth and Hannukah celebrations. Messianic Jews also celebrate other of the Jewish Holidays but without the religious and Halachic commandments and significances. For example, few Messianic Jews keep the Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur) halakhically as Jesus' atonement on the cross has preempted the traditional rational for the Day and few Jews keep Tisha B'Av—the Ninth of Av, a fast day that mourns the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem. On the other hand, Israel and its survival and its continued existence as a Jewish Nation and a homeland and a refuge for the Jews is almost universally supported by Messianic Jews, probably as much as among the non Messianic religious Jews, and probably much more than secular Jews. The foundation for this adherence to the rebirth and resurgence of Israel is more the Biblical promises of God that are believed in through the teaching and preaching of their Congregations than it being based on a nationalistic or cultural agenda. Most Messianic Jews see themselves as the "first fruits" or the advanced guard of the Jewish people coming to faith in Jesus as the Messiah of Israel and the Light of the Gentiles and most are evangelistically minded toward Jews as well as non Jews coming to faith in Jesus. However, few of them have adopted "Jewishness" as a means of attracting Jews to the faith. This is for the simple reason that almost all Messianics either have experienced a deep and sincere personal conversion to Jesus that has affirmed them in whatever Jewishness that was theirs, either great or little, or they have grown up as Messianics and the Jewishness they live in is already "second nature". It is, they feel, not up for sale, for exploitation, or for "commercial use" in evangelism. This is not to say that Messianic Jews are not learning in their Jewishness and that in step with their learning to follow Jesus as their Lord. In that way, many Messianic Jews "become" more Jewish, much in the same way that secular Jews become more Jewish. Most Messianic Jews are aware that to believe in Jesus is to be fulfilled personally in what God holds out for them and their people and are good Jews for doing so, and sincerely wish the same for their fellow Jews. Though Messianic Jews are sometimes thought to be merely Evangelical Christians in "Jewish disguise", and having the mainstay of Christian belief, this is not universally so. Groupings of Messianic Jews as well as individual ones, may be differing in their adherence to Christian trinitarian and incarnational theology, and range the full gamut in understanding and creedal confession - when there is a creed. There is also a great range of practice of the Mitzvot or practice of the religious law and custom. This range of belief and custom, is evinced among the congregations in Israel as well as in the Unite States. Messianic Jews see that they have an added mission as believers in Jesus. This is to bring to Christians a deeper knowledge of the "Hebrew roots" of their own Christian faith. In Israel, there is great opposition to Messianic Judaism, while at the same time, there is a growing awareness of the movement that is keeping pace with the growing numbers of Israelis (estimated to be 15,000) that are turning to Yeshua (Jesus) in faith. This is the investigative reporting about the movement of a recent feature by "Ulpan Shishi" (Friday Studio)a secular Israeli News T.V. review. This video is in Hebrew but with English subtitles [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3sEBAldf4L0] The following is an example of the surprising diverstity found among Messianic Jews. The subject is an Indian physician working among the tribe of Bnei Menasha of north east India, whom he was instrumental in "discovering", who have been recently declared eligible for immigration to the State of Israel as descendents of Menaseh, together with Ephraim, one of the 10 lost tribes of Israel [https://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/973487.html]. His hope is that the "hundreds of thousands" of Messianic Jews, like himself, found among the Bnei Menasha will with the rest of the tribe, also be eligible for immigration to Israel.

===Why Messianic Judaism sees itself as distinct from Christianity===

Though Messianic Judaism shares with normative Christianity much of the beliefs about Jesus, it prefers to go its own way as a part of Judaism or completion of Biblical Judaism or an expression of Judaism for the following reasons:

1. It sees that belief in Jesus, is but a follow-through, and a reasonable expectation on the basis of the Jewish Scriptures (Tenakh) while it sees that Christianity often minimizes the Tenakh and the importance of [[Messianic Prophecies]] and indications in the Tenackh.

2. It sees that Christianity often is divorced or alienated from the appreciation and practice of the feasts and Holidays and customs of the Tenakh that Messianics are familiar with and in many cases have grown up with in an intimate way at home and in general Jewish society. An examples are the Passover, Hanukkah, Messianics see no reason for the discontinuance of these practices which they believe Jesus to have fully participated Himself in as being Jewish

3. Messianics are aware of much of the Church being influenced by "replacement theology". That is, God is "through with the Jews" with the Church inheriting by God the blessings he formerly bestowed on Israel - until the Jews should come to faith in Jesus. Most Messianics, though believing that Judaism's gone dreadfully wrong in its rejection of its Messiah has not annulled God's dealings with the Jews and with Israel as a nation and that He is following a timetable of His own that will bring Israel into the fold of faith in its Messiah - along with His other agenda for the people. Most Messianics do see the sufferings of the Jews through history as a punishment for the rejection of their Messiah, but also see it as a consequence of the "Evil in the World" for which perpetrators are responsible, and who will be brought to Judgement. In this way, it is not too dissimilar to religious Jews who believe that the sufferings of the Jews is due to the abandonment by the Jews generally of the Torah given them by God, but who allow other factors as explanation..

4. Messianic Jews see no reason to give up their peoplehood because, on one hand, other Jews do not agree with their choice of Jesus nor, on the other hand, the Church sees no reason for the Jews continuing unique and singular existence. They feel that Jesus was a Jew. Peter and Paul were Jews, the New Testament was written by Jews, God made the Jews, and "I am a Jew".

==Support for Messianic Judaism==

The [[Unification Church]] is arguably the biggest supporter of the main ideas of Messianic Judaism. It promotes a bridge of understanding between traditional Jewish concepts and the New Testament idea that Jesus (Yeshua) was the Jewish Messiah.

Unificationism maintains that Jesus "came to his own people, but they accepted him not" (Gospels) Indeed, it is official UC theology that God prepared the Jewish people for 2,000 years '''primarily''' to be ready to accept the Messiah when he came. It was the [[mission of John the Baptist]] to "make ready for the Lord a people prepared" (OT, Gospels). When John fell into belief - possibly because of jealousy towards Jesus - this posed a stumbling block to Jewish acceptance of Jesus as the Messiah.

The church portrays itself as a "Completed Testament" religion, coming on the foundation of [[New Testament]] Christianity and [[Old Testament]] Judaism. Its theology argues that Jews who accepted Jesus as the Messiah were correct to do so, and that when the Messiah comes again in the last day it behooves both Jews and Christians to accept him. Needless to say, this view is almost universally rejected by modern Jews and Christians.

===Israeli secular support===
Support for the civil rights of Messianic Jews in Israel has come from the quarters of civil rights activists and lawyers and some on the secular political spectrum. The reason for this has to do with the political apportionment of cabinet positions and ministries. Israel rarely has enough support in the electorate to ensure majority vote for any one party in the election of the government. Therefore, political parties vie for the support of smaller parties to bring them into the government on their side. Shas, the Sephardic-based religious party, often is one of these parties, and for their support, the larger parties usually offer it the Ministry of the Interior which deals with their interests. Part of their interest is the curtailing of missionary work in Israel which is accomplished by the Ministry of the Interior blocking the issuance to foreign missionaries of visas, and the preventing of Messianic Jews from abroad from taking out citizenship. Anti-missionary groups (foremost among them being "Yad L'Ahim"-Hand to the Brothers) unofficially are resource to the Ministry of Interior. Thus Messianic Jews find support among these civil rights lawyers and groups who find that in the defense of Messianic Jews, the power of the Ministry of the Interior is limited and civil rights for all citizens are more strongly established.

===Evangelical support===
Support for Messianic Jews has grown appreciably in the last 40 years on the part of the Evangelical Church. This is due in great part to the fact that the Evangelical Church is deeply Bible based and therefore well appreciative of the promises of God to bring the people back into the Land at or near the
End of Days. This has been abetted by a number of factors, which on the surface seem to be contradictory, but do find a resolution by leaders of the Evangelical Churches who are, by and large, politically conservative and who teach and lead their people. These factors are 1. admiration for the State of Israel in its victory over its enemies, particularly in the 1967 Six Day War. 2. Increase in Evangelical tourism that visits the sites of the Lord and, as well, the Israeli Messianic scene and congregations (see [[Israel Tourism]]) 3.. Evangelical deepening appreciation of the logistic and strategic support Israel provides the United States as the only democracy in the Mid East and the common ideological front the U.S. and Israel have. 4. Understanding that has been increasing among Evangelicals that both Israel and the United States are now shoulder to shoulder in the fight against Islamic terrorism. These political factors impact on Evangelical support for Messianics in that Messianics are seem by Evangelicals as being the forefront of a new entity bringing hope and an opening for the future. An entity combining Jewishness, Israel, and belief in Jesus as Messiah, Lord, and Savior. Much of these factors are highlighted by the once a year at Succoth Celebration in Jerusalem, when thousands of Christians from all over the world meet for a week, participate in the yearly march to Jerusalem that all Israel takes part in, and at which most often the Prime Minister of Israel delivers an address and expression of Israel's appreciation for support given to Israel by Christians throughout the world.

==See also==
*[[Philosophy]]
*[[Jewish philosophy]]
*[[Judaism]]
*[[New Testament understanding through the Jewish perspective]]
*[[Aramaic Judaism, Jewish Aramaic Christianity, and John 1:1]]
*[[Adiabene]]
*[[The Sign of the Cross: of Jewish Origin]]
*[[First Century Aramaic Jewish Christian Gospel and poetry]]
*[[Messianic Prophecies]] with relevant modern and ancient Jewish commentary
*[[Messiah]]
*[[Transmigration of Words in Religion: an essay]]
*[[In the midst of a Maelstrom: the Holy Spirit and silence: an essay]] Israeli Messianic Jew and Egyptian Muslim in Alexandria

==External links==
*[https://www.jewsforjudaism.org JewsForJudaism.org]
*[http://www.Drazin.com Drazin.com]
*[http://whatjewsbelieve.org/ WhatJewsBelieve.org]
*[http://bejewish.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=12&Itemid=26 Lets Get Biblical tape series online at beJewish.org]
*[http://www.simpletoremember.com/audio/anti-missionary-mp3s.htm Lets Get Biblical tape series online at SimpleToRemeber.com]
*[https://jewsforjesus.org/ Jews For Jesus Home page]
*[https://www.messianic-jewish.org/ Messianic Jewish Fellowship International, a conservative messianic Jewish congregation based in the United States]

==References==
{{reflist|2}}

[[Category:Messianic Judaism]]

Messianic Judaism

2021-10-13T21:01:13Z

Rhodesia: Removed DEAD link

[[Image:Olive tree.jpg|right|thumb|250px|The olive tree has long been used as a symbol in Messianic Judaism: "''Thou, being a wild olive tree, were grafted in among them''" (Romans 11:17)]]
'''Messianic Judaism''' is a religious movement which:<ref>Robinson, B. [http://www.religioustolerance.org/mess_jud.htm ''Messianic Judaism''] Religious Tolerance. Accessed 21 February 2008</ref><ref>''There is no '''contemporary''' founder or leader and no single group or individual speaks for all Messianics. However, most Messianics would generally accept these points.''</ref>

*believes that [[Jesus Christ]] is the [[Messiah]] spoken of in the [[Tanakh]] ([[Old Testament]]); they refer to Jesus as "Yeshua".
*regards its members to be committed [[Jew]]s.
*believes that it is following the practices and beliefs of the very early church.
*follows an [[Evangelical Christian]] [[theology]].

They differ from other Jews over their beliefs about the Messiah. Messianic Congregations are made up of people of Jewish and non-Jewish backgrounds, and are distinctly Jewish in [[culture]]. All celebrate Jewish [[Holy Days]] and support the State of [[Israel]], and most have their main service on the seventh day [[Sabbath]]. They believe that all of the [[Bible]], both the Tanakh and the [[New Testament]], is inspired by [[God]], and that the New Testament was written by Jewish writers to announce to the world the arrival of the long-awaited Jewish Messiah.

All Jewish [[denomination]]s reject Messianic Judaism on the principle that belief in Jesus automatically makes them Christian, and therefore outside of the Jewish community. In fact, Messianic Judaism fits the definition of Christian provided in the dictionary. Many view Messianic Judaism as a dangerous and subversive form of [[apostasy]].

==Early history of Messianic Judaism==

Members of Messianic Judaism believe Messianic Judaism predates Christianity by several decades, and Christianity evolved from the Messianic Judaism of the first century. They assert [[Jesus]] and his [[disciple]]s were all Jews. Furthermore, they interpret the Bible to mean that Jesus is the prophesied Messiah of Judaism, not to form a new religion. Whether the early Jewish followers of Jesus "left" Judaism to follow him is still debated today.

The first people to be known as Christians were the Gentiles in [[Antioch]] ([http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Acts%2011:20,21,26;&version=9; Acts 11:20,21,26]) but Christianity was still widely considered to be a sect of Judaism. In 70 AD, the [[Roman Empire|Roman]] general [[Titus]] sacked the city of [[Jerusalem]] and the [[Second Temple]] was burned down. It is estimated that as many as one million Jews died during the revolt.<ref>[http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/Judaism/revolt.html ''The Great Revolt''] Jewish Virtual Library. Accessed 18 February 2008</ref> Many Jews were taken captive and deported to [[Italy]] where they were forced to build the [[Colosseum]] in [[Rome]]. The emperor [[Vespasian]] then introduced a tax (the "Fiscus Judaicus") to be paid by all Jews to finance the reconstruction of the temple of Jupiter Optimus Maximus. Even after construction was completed, the tax was still levied, and was used as a measure to deter people from converting to Judaism.<ref>Lendering, Jona [http://www.livius.org/fa-fn/fiscus/judaicus.html ''Fiscus Judaicus''] "Articles on Ancient History" Livius. Accessed 18 February 2008</ref> Well into the second century, Gentile Christians were also required to pay the ''fiscus judaicus'' and persecuted as a sect of Judaism. Messianic Jews believe the Christians tried to escape this persecution, by widening the division between themselves and the Jews, and their practices became less and less Jewish.

WhatJewsBelieve.org says concerning the alleged Jewish roots of Christianity the following, "A Christian might ask, "But weren't the first Christians actually Jews?" Yes, but this is irrelevant. The first Protestants were Roman Catholics. Martin Luther was a Roman Catholic Priest. The Roman Catholics do not consider Protestant Christianity to be merely another form of Roman Catholicism.
If you read the Apocryphal book of I Maccabbees, you will see that the first person killed in the Maccabbee's rebellion was a Jew. He was willing to go ahead and sacrifice a pig to Zeus, just as Mattathias had refused to do. Obviously, he had to have been a very secular, assimilated Jew. Had he survived Mattathias's attack, and later formed a religion that was dedicated to the worship of Zeus and Zeus's half-human sons, would that make his newly formed faith just another form of Judaism? Should he call his new faith, "Jews For Zeus," or "Jews For Zeus And His Half-Human Sons?" Would that mean that his new faith had "Jewish Roots?" "
<ref>http://whatjewsbelieve.org/explanation10.html</ref>

==The wild olive branch==
The church in Rome was begun as a Jewish fellowship, started by those who returned from Pentecost in Jerusalem,<ref>[http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Acts%202%20;&version=9; Acts 2]</ref> not by an [[apostle]]. As these Jewish believers evangelized, many Gentile believers joined them. Around 50 AD [[Claudius]] banished many Jews from Rome,<ref>Barclay, John M. G.; Hooker, Morna Dorothy and McMurdo, John Philip (ed.) "Early Christian Thought in Its Jewish Context" (Cambridge University Press; 2007) ISBN 0-5210-4412-X</ref> leaving the church entirely Gentile. Twelve years later [[Nero]] invited the Jews back to stimulate trade. However the Gentiles refused to allow the Messianic Jewish believers back into the church, having concluded that Claudius' rejection signified God's rejection, which is probably the first appearance of [[Replacement Theology]].<ref>[http://fp.thebeers.f9.co.uk/olive.htm ''The Olive Tree and the wild olive branch''] "The Wild Olive Branch" Accessed 18 February 2008</ref>

[[Paul]]'s [http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans%209-11;&version=9; letter to the Roman church] addresses this matter, and he urges them to remember that they are like a "wild olive tree, grafted in" among the Jews, and warns them against "conceit", particularly as it is the Jewish root which supported their Christian branch. ([http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans%2011:17,18,25;&version=9; Romans 11:17,18,25])

However, by the time of the [[Council of Nicaea]] in 325, Christianity was both anti-Judaic and [[anti-Semitic]].<ref>As [[Constantine]] said at the Council: "''Let us then have nothing in common with the most hostile rabble of the Jews.''" Boyle, Isaac "A Historical View of The Council of Nicea" (T Mason and G Lane, New York; 1839)</ref>

==Comparison table==
Table comparing the mainstream '''beliefs''' of these movements with each other
{| class="wikitable" border="1" cellpadding="2"
|-
|
|Judaism
|Christianity
|Messianic Judaism
|-
|Trinity
|no
|yes
|yes
|-
|Divinity of Jesus
|no
|yes
|yes
|-
|Accept Talmud as authoritative
|yes
|no
|no
|-
|Accept New Testament as part of canon
|no
|yes
|yes
|-
|Jesus is the son of God
|no
|yes
|yes
|-
|Jesus is the messiah
|no
|yes
|yes
|-
|Hell exists
|no
|yes
|yes
|-
|Second coming of Jesus Christ
|no
|yes
|yes
|-
|Jesus was born of a virgin
|no
|yes
|yes
|-
|Jesus died on a cross for the sins of humanity
|no
|yes
|yes
|-
|Jesus was resurrected from the dead
|no
|yes
|yes
|-
|Jesus is an intermediary between man and God
|no
|yes
|yes
|-
|Original Sin
|no
|yes
|yes
|-
|skepticism towards evolution
|no*<ref>Even amongst Orthodox Jews, the mainstream belief is evolution happened, although generally Orthodox Jews believe in theistic evolution, meaning evolution but that it was caused by God.</ref>
|yes
|yes
|-
|follow teachings of past rabbis
|yes
|no
|no*<ref>Messianic Jews have even been known to criticize Judaism by calling it Rabbinic Judaism, despite the fact that Messianic Jews call their pastors, rabbis.</ref>
|-
|Jesus was God made flesh
|no
|yes
|yes
|-
|interpretation of the text by a scholar should be preferred
|yes
|no, the laity's interpretation is equally valid to that of a scholar's interpretation
|no, the laity's interpretation is equally valid to that of a scholar's interpretation
|-
|Is Daniel a prophet?
|no
|yes, Jesus Christ called Daniel a prophet in the Gospels
|yes, Jesus Christ called Daniel a prophet in the Gospels
|-
|Is Enoch a prophet?
|no
|yes
|yes
|-
|Is Sarah a prophetess?
|yes
|no
|no
|-
|Has the messiah came?
|no
|yes, he is Jesus Christ
|yes, he is Jesus Christ
|-
|Who was the greatest prophet?
|Moses
|Jesus Christ
|Jesus Christ
|}

According to WhatJewsBelieve.org the idea that God became flesh disagrees with the words of the Bible saying,

"There is the verse from Hosea in which God specifically tells us that God is not a human being:

I will not execute the fierceness of mine anger, I will not return to destroy Ephraim: for I am God, and not a man; the Holy One in the midst of thee: and I will not enter into the city. Hosea 11:9

And then there is another verse, in Numbers 23:19, where God specifically tells us that if God were a human being, then he would be a liar, as all human beings do lie on occasion. Furthermore, this verse tell us that if God were a human being, he would be in need of repentance because all human beings sin at some point in their lives.
Finally, this verse also tells us that if God were a human being, then he would make promises, but not keep them:

God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the Son of Man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do it? or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good? Numbers 23:19"

<ref>http://whatjewsbelieve.org/explanation08.html</ref>

==Criticism of Messianic Judaism==

Criticism of Messianic Judaism is predicated on the assumption that Judaism and Christanity are implacably incompatible: one must be either a Jew or a Christian: there is no such thing as a Jewish Christian or a Christian Jew. Attempts by groups like [[Jews for Jesus]] are seen in this light as outrageously deceptive.

The Central Conference of American Rabbis has stated: ''"For us in the Jewish community, anyone who claims that Jesus is their savior is no longer a Jew and is an apostate. Through that belief she has placed herself outside the Jewish community. Whether she cares to define herself as a Christian or as a 'fulfilled Jew,' 'Messianic Jew,' or any other designation is irrelevant; to us, she is clearly a Christian."''<ref>Robinson, B. [http://www.religioustolerance.org/mess_jud4.htm ''Opposition to Messianic Judaism''] Religious Tolerance. Accessed 21 February 2008</ref>
In acknowledging Jesus and the Christian Scriptures, these congregations are accepting many other theological concepts contrary to the Jewish belief system, including original sin, the devil and demonology, “vicarious blood atonement,” and the trinity, Margolis said.<ref name="a"/>

One rabbi said the following concerning Messianic Judaism: “Messianic congregations are Christians portraying themselves as Jews,” said Rabbi Richard Margolis, the leader of Temple Beth Sholom in Melbourne and a member of the Jewish Federation board of Brevard. In an e-mail, he added, “The issue is deceit. This is a deceptive missionary movement, organized and heavily funded by evangelical Christians whose sole purpose is to convert Jews to (fundamentalist) Christianity. There is nothing Jewish about any of this.”<ref name="a"/>
“I have great respect for the authentic Christian tradition and maintain an ongoing program of interfaith activities in our community,” Margolis said.
“But I cannot countenance couching fundamentalist Christianity in Jewish symbols.”<ref name="a">http://www.religionnewsblog.com/12955</ref>

Robinson states that "converts to Messianic Judaism are usually shunned by their Jewish families of origin and are excluded from the local Jewish community."

Many people, see Messianic Judaism, as the Church's last resort to convince Jews to accept Jesus as their messiah. Anti-missionaries, Jews who try to counter the work of Messianic missionaries have reported being assaulted.<ref>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1rS35_UnHRw</ref> The Jewish community has produced several groups to counter Messianic Judaism, which it sees as Evangelical Christianity disguised in Jewish garb, such as, Jews for Judaism, Outreach Judaism, and produced the Lets Get Biblical Series, a tape series produced by Outreach Judaism. The Jewish community often perceives Messianic Judaism as Christianity hijacking Judaism in order to convert Jews and misrepresenting Judaism to gain converts. They believe that Messianic Judaism is a corruption of the most deeply spiritual rituals and customs that honor Judaism's connection to God through Torah. Dr. David A. Rausch, associate professor of church history and Judaic studies at Ashland Theological Seminary, [[Ohio]], summed up the attitude of many Jewish people in the comment he was given by a member of the Jewish Defense League: ''"These Messianics are the [[Nazi]]s - the spiritual Nazis. They pretend to be Jews and use traditional Jewish symbols to trap children and the unsuspecting."''<ref>Rausch, David A. [http://www.religion-online.org/showarticle.asp?title=1339 ''The Messianic Jewish Congregational Movement''] Religion Online. Accessed 21 February 2008</ref> The sentiments are not confined entirely to Judaism; the same author was told by a Christian missionary: ''"To these "Messianic Jews" Jewishness means Judaism, a rabbinic Judaism of the Ashkenazic flavor. They neither have a real knowledge of Jewish history or of Jewish-Christian history, nor do they possess a good handle on biblical [[exegesis]]. Like the Ebionites of old they will finally blend into Judaism and deny the Messiah."''<ref>''ibid''</ref>

In the summer of 1987 in Washington D.C. (USA), there was held an Interfaith Conference of Metropolitan Washington. Partaking in the conference were representatives of various Protestant churches, Roman-Catholics, together with Moslems and representatives of Jewish organizations. The Conference concluded with an official statement (published in "Interfaith Connector" Vol. 8, No. 2) which stated:

"We condemn proselytizing efforts which delegitimize the faith tradition of the person whose conversion is being sought. Such tactics go beyond the bounds of appropriate and ethically based religious outreach. Examples of such practices are those common among groups that have adopted the label of Hebrew Christianity, Messianic Judaism, or Jews for Jesus. These groups specifically target Jews for conversion to their version of Christianity, making claim that in accepting Jesus as the savior/messiah, a Jews 'fulfills' his/her faith. Furthermore, by celebrating Jewish festivals, worshipping on the Jewish Shabbat, appropriating Jewish symbols, rituals and prayers in their churches, and, sometimes, even calling their leaders 'Rabbi', the seek to win over, often by deception, many Jews who are sincerely looking for a path back to their ancestral heritage. Deceptive proselytizing is practiced on the most vulnerable of populations - residents of hospitals and old aged homes, confused youth, college students away from home. These proselytizing techniques are tantamount to coerced conversions and should be condemned."<ref>http://www.faqs.org/faqs/judaism/FAQ/09-Antisemitism/</ref>

In 2008 the Israeli Supreme Court, ruled Messianic Jews can immigrate to Israel.<ref>https://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1208870469395&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull</ref>

[[Jews for Judaism]] claims that
Messianic missionaries have used deceit to trick Jews into converting, such as not mentioning that Messianic Jews believe Jesus is God to people who they evangelize to.<ref name="a1">http://www.jewsforjudaism.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=375&Itemid=420</ref>

Messianic organizations get most of their funding from Evangelical Christian organizations.<ref name="a1"/> In fact many Messianic organizations are former Evangelical Christian missions to Jews. For example, Messianic Jewish Alliance of America, one of the most well known Messianic organizations, was originally named the, Hebrew Christian Alliance of America, an Evangelical Christian organization geared towards spreading Christianity amongst Jews. Chosen People Ministries, another Messianic organization was originally named the, American Board of Missions to the Jews. Another organization called Jews for Jesus, which some identify with the Messianic movement, was founded in 1973 by Martin Meyer Rosen, an ordained Baptist minister. He had been a missionary for several years in the past geared towards converting Jews to Christianity, when he was unsuccessful he came up with Jews for Jesus.

==How Messianic Jews see themselves==
As a movement, modern Messianic Judaism is still very young. Prior to this, in the 1950s-1970s, Jews who believed in Jesus saw themselves as "Jewish Christians" or "Hebrew Christians" or a Christians of Jewish origins. Some were members of Churches, and some not but often met together to be "at home" with fellow Jewish believers. The most prominent organization of Jewish Christians was the Hebrew Christian Alliance of America, holding monthly meetings and annual banquets. It was not uncommon to hear Yiddish spoken at their meetings as well as English. But nowadays, Jewish expression among Jewish believers in Jesus is evinced in and through Messianic Congregations as well as home meetings rather than Churches. Many Messianic Jews in American are experiencing their 2nd and 3rd generation of believers and so provision is made for youth meetings and full family life that finds Jewish expression in the traditional home celebrations of Shabbat, Passover, Succoth and Hannukah celebrations. Messianic Jews also celebrate other of the Jewish Holidays but without the religious and Halachic commandments and significances. For example, few Messianic Jews keep the Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur) halakhically as Jesus' atonement on the cross has preempted the traditional rational for the Day and few Jews keep Tisha B'Av—the Ninth of Av, a fast day that mourns the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem. On the other hand, Israel and its survival and its continued existence as a Jewish Nation and a homeland and a refuge for the Jews is almost universally supported by Messianic Jews, probably as much as among the non Messianic religious Jews, and probably much more than secular Jews. The foundation for this adherence to the rebirth and resurgence of Israel is more the Biblical promises of God that are believed in through the teaching and preaching of their Congregations than it being based on a nationalistic or cultural agenda. Most Messianic Jews see themselves as the "first fruits" or the advanced guard of the Jewish people coming to faith in Jesus as the Messiah of Israel and the Light of the Gentiles and most are evangelistically minded toward Jews as well as non Jews coming to faith in Jesus. However, few of them have adopted "Jewishness" as a means of attracting Jews to the faith. This is for the simple reason that almost all Messianics either have experienced a deep and sincere personal conversion to Jesus that has affirmed them in whatever Jewishness that was theirs, either great or little, or they have grown up as Messianics and the Jewishness they live in is already "second nature". It is, they feel, not up for sale, for exploitation, or for "commercial use" in evangelism. This is not to say that Messianic Jews are not learning in their Jewishness and that in step with their learning to follow Jesus as their Lord. In that way, many Messianic Jews "become" more Jewish, much in the same way that secular Jews become more Jewish. Most Messianic Jews are aware that to believe in Jesus is to be fulfilled personally in what God holds out for them and their people and are good Jews for doing so, and sincerely wish the same for their fellow Jews. Though Messianic Jews are sometimes thought to be merely Evangelical Christians in "Jewish disguise", and having the mainstay of Christian belief, this is not universally so. Groupings of Messianic Jews as well as individual ones, may be differing in their adherence to Christian trinitarian and incarnational theology, and range the full gamut in understanding and creedal confession - when there is a creed. There is also a great range of practice of the Mitzvot or practice of the religious law and custom. This range of belief and custom, is evinced among the congregations in Israel as well as in the Unite States. Messianic Jews see that they have an added mission as believers in Jesus. This is to bring to Christians a deeper knowledge of the "Hebrew roots" of their own Christian faith. In Israel, there is great opposition to Messianic Judaism, while at the same time, there is a growing awareness of the movement that is keeping pace with the growing numbers of Israelis (estimated to be 15,000) that are turning to Yeshua (Jesus) in faith. This is the investigative reporting about the movement of a recent feature by "Ulpan Shishi" (Friday Studio)a secular Israeli News T.V. review. This video is in Hebrew but with English subtitles [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3sEBAldf4L0] The following is an example of the surprising diverstity found among Messianic Jews. The subject is an Indian physician working among the tribe of Bnei Menasha of north east India, whom he was instrumental in "discovering", who have been recently declared eligible for immigration to the State of Israel as descendents of Menaseh, together with Ephraim, one of the 10 lost tribes of Israel [https://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/973487.html]. His hope is that the "hundreds of thousands" of Messianic Jews, like himself, found among the Bnei Menasha will with the rest of the tribe, also be eligible for immigration to Israel.

===Why Messianic Judaism sees itself as distinct from Christianity===

Though Messianic Judaism shares with normative Christianity much of the beliefs about Jesus, it prefers to go its own way as a part of Judaism or completion of Biblical Judaism or an expression of Judaism for the following reasons:

1. It sees that belief in Jesus, is but a follow-through, and a reasonable expectation on the basis of the Jewish Scriptures (Tenakh) while it sees that Christianity often minimizes the Tenakh and the importance of [[Messianic Prophecies]] and indications in the Tenackh.

2. It sees that Christianity often is divorced or alienated from the appreciation and practice of the feasts and Holidays and customs of the Tenakh that Messianics are familiar with and in many cases have grown up with in an intimate way at home and in general Jewish society. An examples are the Passover, Hanukkah, Messianics see no reason for the discontinuance of these practices which they believe Jesus to have fully participated Himself in as being Jewish

3. Messianics are aware of much of the Church being influenced by "replacement theology". That is, God is "through with the Jews" with the Church inheriting by God the blessings he formerly bestowed on Israel - until the Jews should come to faith in Jesus. Most Messianics, though believing that Judaism's gone dreadfully wrong in its rejection of its Messiah has not annulled God's dealings with the Jews and with Israel as a nation and that He is following a timetable of His own that will bring Israel into the fold of faith in its Messiah - along with His other agenda for the people. Most Messianics do see the sufferings of the Jews through history as a punishment for the rejection of their Messiah, but also see it as a consequence of the "Evil in the World" for which perpetrators are responsible, and who will be brought to Judgement. In this way, it is not too dissimilar to religious Jews who believe that the sufferings of the Jews is due to the abandonment by the Jews generally of the Torah given them by God, but who allow other factors as explanation..

4. Messianic Jews see no reason to give up their peoplehood because, on one hand, other Jews do not agree with their choice of Jesus nor, on the other hand, the Church sees no reason for the Jews continuing unique and singular existence. They feel that Jesus was a Jew. Peter and Paul were Jews, the New Testament was written by Jews, God made the Jews, and "I am a Jew".

==Support for Messianic Judaism==

The [[Unification Church]] is arguably the biggest supporter of the main ideas of Messianic Judaism. It promotes a bridge of understanding between traditional Jewish concepts and the New Testament idea that Jesus (Yeshua) was the Jewish Messiah.

Unificationism maintains that Jesus "came to his own people, but they accepted him not" (Gospels) Indeed, it is official UC theology that God prepared the Jewish people for 2,000 years '''primarily''' to be ready to accept the Messiah when he came. It was the [[mission of John the Baptist]] to "make ready for the Lord a people prepared" (OT, Gospels). When John fell into belief - possibly because of jealousy towards Jesus - this posed a stumbling block to Jewish acceptance of Jesus as the Messiah.

The church portrays itself as a "Completed Testament" religion, coming on the foundation of [[New Testament]] Christianity and [[Old Testament]] Judaism. Its theology argues that Jews who accepted Jesus as the Messiah were correct to do so, and that when the Messiah comes again in the last day it behooves both Jews and Christians to accept him. Needless to say, this view is almost universally rejected by modern Jews and Christians.

===Israeli secular support===
Support for the civil rights of Messianic Jews in Israel has come from the quarters of civil rights activists and lawyers and some on the secular political spectrum. The reason for this has to do with the political apportionment of cabinet positions and ministries. Israel rarely has enough support in the electorate to ensure majority vote for any one party in the election of the government. Therefore, political parties vie for the support of smaller parties to bring them into the government on their side. Shas, the Sephardic-based religious party, often is one of these parties, and for their support, the larger parties usually offer it the Ministry of the Interior which deals with their interests. Part of their interest is the curtailing of missionary work in Israel which is accomplished by the Ministry of the Interior blocking the issuance to foreign missionaries of visas, and the preventing of Messianic Jews from abroad from taking out citizenship. Anti-missionary groups (foremost among them being "Yad L'Ahim"-Hand to the Brothers) unofficially are resource to the Ministry of Interior. Thus Messianic Jews find support among these civil rights lawyers and groups who find that in the defense of Messianic Jews, the power of the Ministry of the Interior is limited and civil rights for all citizens are more strongly established.

===Evangelical support===
Support for Messianic Jews has grown appreciably in the last 40 years on the part of the Evangelical Church. This is due in great part to the fact that the Evangelical Church is deeply Bible based and therefore well appreciative of the promises of God to bring the people back into the Land at or near the
End of Days. This has been abetted by a number of factors, which on the surface seem to be contradictory, but do find a resolution by leaders of the Evangelical Churches who are, by and large, politically conservative and who teach and lead their people. These factors are 1. admiration for the State of Israel in its victory over its enemies, particularly in the 1967 Six Day War. 2. Increase in Evangelical tourism that visits the sites of the Lord and, as well, the Israeli Messianic scene and congregations (see [[Israel Tourism]]) 3.. Evangelical deepening appreciation of the logistic and strategic support Israel provides the United States as the only democracy in the Mid East and the common ideological front the U.S. and Israel have. 4. Understanding that has been increasing among Evangelicals that both Israel and the United States are now shoulder to shoulder in the fight against Islamic terrorism. These political factors impact on Evangelical support for Messianics in that Messianics are seem by Evangelicals as being the forefront of a new entity bringing hope and an opening for the future. An entity combining Jewishness, Israel, and belief in Jesus as Messiah, Lord, and Savior. Much of these factors are highlighted by the once a year at Succoth Celebration in Jerusalem, when thousands of Christians from all over the world meet for a week, participate in the yearly march to Jerusalem that all Israel takes part in, and at which most often the Prime Minister of Israel delivers an address and expression of Israel's appreciation for support given to Israel by Christians throughout the world.

==See also==
*[[Philosophy]]
*[[Jewish philosophy]]
*[[Judaism]]
*[[New Testament understanding through the Jewish perspective]]
*[[Aramaic Judaism, Jewish Aramaic Christianity, and John 1:1]]
*[[Adiabene]]
*[[The Sign of the Cross: of Jewish Origin]]
*[[First Century Aramaic Jewish Christian Gospel and poetry]]
*[[Messianic Prophecies]] with relevant modern and ancient Jewish commentary
*[[Messiah]]
*[[Transmigration of Words in Religion: an essay]]
*[[In the midst of a Maelstrom: the Holy Spirit and silence: an essay]] Israeli Messianic Jew and Egyptian Muslim in Alexandria

==External links==
*[https://www.jewsforjudaism.org JewsForJudaism.org]
*[http://www.Drazin.com Drazin.com]
*[http://whatjewsbelieve.org/ WhatJewsBelieve.org]
*[http://bejewish.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=12&Itemid=26 Lets Get Biblical tape series online at beJewish.org]
*[http://www.simpletoremember.com/audio/anti-missionary-mp3s.htm Lets Get Biblical tape series online at SimpleToRemeber.com]
*[http://www.jews-for-jesus.org/ Jews For Jesus Home page]
*[https://www.messianic-jewish.org/ Messianic Jewish Fellowship International, a conservative messianic Jewish congregation based in the United States]

==References==
{{reflist|2}}

[[Category:Messianic Judaism]]

Messianic Judaism

2021-10-13T21:00:44Z

Rhodesia: They have a new website

[[Image:Olive tree.jpg|right|thumb|250px|The olive tree has long been used as a symbol in Messianic Judaism: "''Thou, being a wild olive tree, were grafted in among them''" (Romans 11:17)]]
'''Messianic Judaism''' is a religious movement which:<ref>Robinson, B. [http://www.religioustolerance.org/mess_jud.htm ''Messianic Judaism''] Religious Tolerance. Accessed 21 February 2008</ref><ref>''There is no '''contemporary''' founder or leader and no single group or individual speaks for all Messianics. However, most Messianics would generally accept these points.''</ref>

*believes that [[Jesus Christ]] is the [[Messiah]] spoken of in the [[Tanakh]] ([[Old Testament]]); they refer to Jesus as "Yeshua".
*regards its members to be committed [[Jew]]s.
*believes that it is following the practices and beliefs of the very early church.
*follows an [[Evangelical Christian]] [[theology]].

They differ from other Jews over their beliefs about the Messiah. Messianic Congregations are made up of people of Jewish and non-Jewish backgrounds, and are distinctly Jewish in [[culture]]. All celebrate Jewish [[Holy Days]] and support the State of [[Israel]], and most have their main service on the seventh day [[Sabbath]]. They believe that all of the [[Bible]], both the Tanakh and the [[New Testament]], is inspired by [[God]], and that the New Testament was written by Jewish writers to announce to the world the arrival of the long-awaited Jewish Messiah.

All Jewish [[denomination]]s reject Messianic Judaism on the principle that belief in Jesus automatically makes them Christian, and therefore outside of the Jewish community. In fact, Messianic Judaism fits the definition of Christian provided in the dictionary. Many view Messianic Judaism as a dangerous and subversive form of [[apostasy]].

==Early history of Messianic Judaism==

Members of Messianic Judaism believe Messianic Judaism predates Christianity by several decades, and Christianity evolved from the Messianic Judaism of the first century. They assert [[Jesus]] and his [[disciple]]s were all Jews. Furthermore, they interpret the Bible to mean that Jesus is the prophesied Messiah of Judaism, not to form a new religion. Whether the early Jewish followers of Jesus "left" Judaism to follow him is still debated today.

The first people to be known as Christians were the Gentiles in [[Antioch]] ([http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Acts%2011:20,21,26;&version=9; Acts 11:20,21,26]) but Christianity was still widely considered to be a sect of Judaism. In 70 AD, the [[Roman Empire|Roman]] general [[Titus]] sacked the city of [[Jerusalem]] and the [[Second Temple]] was burned down. It is estimated that as many as one million Jews died during the revolt.<ref>[http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/Judaism/revolt.html ''The Great Revolt''] Jewish Virtual Library. Accessed 18 February 2008</ref> Many Jews were taken captive and deported to [[Italy]] where they were forced to build the [[Colosseum]] in [[Rome]]. The emperor [[Vespasian]] then introduced a tax (the "Fiscus Judaicus") to be paid by all Jews to finance the reconstruction of the temple of Jupiter Optimus Maximus. Even after construction was completed, the tax was still levied, and was used as a measure to deter people from converting to Judaism.<ref>Lendering, Jona [http://www.livius.org/fa-fn/fiscus/judaicus.html ''Fiscus Judaicus''] "Articles on Ancient History" Livius. Accessed 18 February 2008</ref> Well into the second century, Gentile Christians were also required to pay the ''fiscus judaicus'' and persecuted as a sect of Judaism. Messianic Jews believe the Christians tried to escape this persecution, by widening the division between themselves and the Jews, and their practices became less and less Jewish.

WhatJewsBelieve.org says concerning the alleged Jewish roots of Christianity the following, "A Christian might ask, "But weren't the first Christians actually Jews?" Yes, but this is irrelevant. The first Protestants were Roman Catholics. Martin Luther was a Roman Catholic Priest. The Roman Catholics do not consider Protestant Christianity to be merely another form of Roman Catholicism.
If you read the Apocryphal book of I Maccabbees, you will see that the first person killed in the Maccabbee's rebellion was a Jew. He was willing to go ahead and sacrifice a pig to Zeus, just as Mattathias had refused to do. Obviously, he had to have been a very secular, assimilated Jew. Had he survived Mattathias's attack, and later formed a religion that was dedicated to the worship of Zeus and Zeus's half-human sons, would that make his newly formed faith just another form of Judaism? Should he call his new faith, "Jews For Zeus," or "Jews For Zeus And His Half-Human Sons?" Would that mean that his new faith had "Jewish Roots?" "
<ref>http://whatjewsbelieve.org/explanation10.html</ref>

==The wild olive branch==
The church in Rome was begun as a Jewish fellowship, started by those who returned from Pentecost in Jerusalem,<ref>[http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Acts%202%20;&version=9; Acts 2]</ref> not by an [[apostle]]. As these Jewish believers evangelized, many Gentile believers joined them. Around 50 AD [[Claudius]] banished many Jews from Rome,<ref>Barclay, John M. G.; Hooker, Morna Dorothy and McMurdo, John Philip (ed.) "Early Christian Thought in Its Jewish Context" (Cambridge University Press; 2007) ISBN 0-5210-4412-X</ref> leaving the church entirely Gentile. Twelve years later [[Nero]] invited the Jews back to stimulate trade. However the Gentiles refused to allow the Messianic Jewish believers back into the church, having concluded that Claudius' rejection signified God's rejection, which is probably the first appearance of [[Replacement Theology]].<ref>[http://fp.thebeers.f9.co.uk/olive.htm ''The Olive Tree and the wild olive branch''] "The Wild Olive Branch" Accessed 18 February 2008</ref>

[[Paul]]'s [http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans%209-11;&version=9; letter to the Roman church] addresses this matter, and he urges them to remember that they are like a "wild olive tree, grafted in" among the Jews, and warns them against "conceit", particularly as it is the Jewish root which supported their Christian branch. ([http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans%2011:17,18,25;&version=9; Romans 11:17,18,25])

However, by the time of the [[Council of Nicaea]] in 325, Christianity was both anti-Judaic and [[anti-Semitic]].<ref>As [[Constantine]] said at the Council: "''Let us then have nothing in common with the most hostile rabble of the Jews.''" Boyle, Isaac "A Historical View of The Council of Nicea" (T Mason and G Lane, New York; 1839)</ref>

==Comparison table==
Table comparing the mainstream '''beliefs''' of these movements with each other
{| class="wikitable" border="1" cellpadding="2"
|-
|
|Judaism
|Christianity
|Messianic Judaism
|-
|Trinity
|no
|yes
|yes
|-
|Divinity of Jesus
|no
|yes
|yes
|-
|Accept Talmud as authoritative
|yes
|no
|no
|-
|Accept New Testament as part of canon
|no
|yes
|yes
|-
|Jesus is the son of God
|no
|yes
|yes
|-
|Jesus is the messiah
|no
|yes
|yes
|-
|Hell exists
|no
|yes
|yes
|-
|Second coming of Jesus Christ
|no
|yes
|yes
|-
|Jesus was born of a virgin
|no
|yes
|yes
|-
|Jesus died on a cross for the sins of humanity
|no
|yes
|yes
|-
|Jesus was resurrected from the dead
|no
|yes
|yes
|-
|Jesus is an intermediary between man and God
|no
|yes
|yes
|-
|Original Sin
|no
|yes
|yes
|-
|skepticism towards evolution
|no*<ref>Even amongst Orthodox Jews, the mainstream belief is evolution happened, although generally Orthodox Jews believe in theistic evolution, meaning evolution but that it was caused by God.</ref>
|yes
|yes
|-
|follow teachings of past rabbis
|yes
|no
|no*<ref>Messianic Jews have even been known to criticize Judaism by calling it Rabbinic Judaism, despite the fact that Messianic Jews call their pastors, rabbis.</ref>
|-
|Jesus was God made flesh
|no
|yes
|yes
|-
|interpretation of the text by a scholar should be preferred
|yes
|no, the laity's interpretation is equally valid to that of a scholar's interpretation
|no, the laity's interpretation is equally valid to that of a scholar's interpretation
|-
|Is Daniel a prophet?
|no
|yes, Jesus Christ called Daniel a prophet in the Gospels
|yes, Jesus Christ called Daniel a prophet in the Gospels
|-
|Is Enoch a prophet?
|no
|yes
|yes
|-
|Is Sarah a prophetess?
|yes
|no
|no
|-
|Has the messiah came?
|no
|yes, he is Jesus Christ
|yes, he is Jesus Christ
|-
|Who was the greatest prophet?
|Moses
|Jesus Christ
|Jesus Christ
|}

According to WhatJewsBelieve.org the idea that God became flesh disagrees with the words of the Bible saying,

"There is the verse from Hosea in which God specifically tells us that God is not a human being:

I will not execute the fierceness of mine anger, I will not return to destroy Ephraim: for I am God, and not a man; the Holy One in the midst of thee: and I will not enter into the city. Hosea 11:9

And then there is another verse, in Numbers 23:19, where God specifically tells us that if God were a human being, then he would be a liar, as all human beings do lie on occasion. Furthermore, this verse tell us that if God were a human being, he would be in need of repentance because all human beings sin at some point in their lives.
Finally, this verse also tells us that if God were a human being, then he would make promises, but not keep them:

God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the Son of Man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do it? or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good? Numbers 23:19"

<ref>http://whatjewsbelieve.org/explanation08.html</ref>

==Criticism of Messianic Judaism==

Criticism of Messianic Judaism is predicated on the assumption that Judaism and Christanity are implacably incompatible: one must be either a Jew or a Christian: there is no such thing as a Jewish Christian or a Christian Jew. Attempts by groups like [[Jews for Jesus]] are seen in this light as outrageously deceptive.

The Central Conference of American Rabbis has stated: ''"For us in the Jewish community, anyone who claims that Jesus is their savior is no longer a Jew and is an apostate. Through that belief she has placed herself outside the Jewish community. Whether she cares to define herself as a Christian or as a 'fulfilled Jew,' 'Messianic Jew,' or any other designation is irrelevant; to us, she is clearly a Christian."''<ref>Robinson, B. [http://www.religioustolerance.org/mess_jud4.htm ''Opposition to Messianic Judaism''] Religious Tolerance. Accessed 21 February 2008</ref>
In acknowledging Jesus and the Christian Scriptures, these congregations are accepting many other theological concepts contrary to the Jewish belief system, including original sin, the devil and demonology, “vicarious blood atonement,” and the trinity, Margolis said.<ref name="a"/>

One rabbi said the following concerning Messianic Judaism: “Messianic congregations are Christians portraying themselves as Jews,” said Rabbi Richard Margolis, the leader of Temple Beth Sholom in Melbourne and a member of the Jewish Federation board of Brevard. In an e-mail, he added, “The issue is deceit. This is a deceptive missionary movement, organized and heavily funded by evangelical Christians whose sole purpose is to convert Jews to (fundamentalist) Christianity. There is nothing Jewish about any of this.”<ref name="a"/>
“I have great respect for the authentic Christian tradition and maintain an ongoing program of interfaith activities in our community,” Margolis said.
“But I cannot countenance couching fundamentalist Christianity in Jewish symbols.”<ref name="a">http://www.religionnewsblog.com/12955</ref>

Robinson states that "converts to Messianic Judaism are usually shunned by their Jewish families of origin and are excluded from the local Jewish community."

Many people, see Messianic Judaism, as the Church's last resort to convince Jews to accept Jesus as their messiah. Anti-missionaries, Jews who try to counter the work of Messianic missionaries have reported being assaulted.<ref>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1rS35_UnHRw</ref> The Jewish community has produced several groups to counter Messianic Judaism, which it sees as Evangelical Christianity disguised in Jewish garb, such as, Jews for Judaism, Outreach Judaism, and produced the Lets Get Biblical Series, a tape series produced by Outreach Judaism. The Jewish community often perceives Messianic Judaism as Christianity hijacking Judaism in order to convert Jews and misrepresenting Judaism to gain converts. They believe that Messianic Judaism is a corruption of the most deeply spiritual rituals and customs that honor Judaism's connection to God through Torah. Dr. David A. Rausch, associate professor of church history and Judaic studies at Ashland Theological Seminary, [[Ohio]], summed up the attitude of many Jewish people in the comment he was given by a member of the Jewish Defense League: ''"These Messianics are the [[Nazi]]s - the spiritual Nazis. They pretend to be Jews and use traditional Jewish symbols to trap children and the unsuspecting."''<ref>Rausch, David A. [http://www.religion-online.org/showarticle.asp?title=1339 ''The Messianic Jewish Congregational Movement''] Religion Online. Accessed 21 February 2008</ref> The sentiments are not confined entirely to Judaism; the same author was told by a Christian missionary: ''"To these "Messianic Jews" Jewishness means Judaism, a rabbinic Judaism of the Ashkenazic flavor. They neither have a real knowledge of Jewish history or of Jewish-Christian history, nor do they possess a good handle on biblical [[exegesis]]. Like the Ebionites of old they will finally blend into Judaism and deny the Messiah."''<ref>''ibid''</ref>

In the summer of 1987 in Washington D.C. (USA), there was held an Interfaith Conference of Metropolitan Washington. Partaking in the conference were representatives of various Protestant churches, Roman-Catholics, together with Moslems and representatives of Jewish organizations. The Conference concluded with an official statement (published in "Interfaith Connector" Vol. 8, No. 2) which stated:

"We condemn proselytizing efforts which delegitimize the faith tradition of the person whose conversion is being sought. Such tactics go beyond the bounds of appropriate and ethically based religious outreach. Examples of such practices are those common among groups that have adopted the label of Hebrew Christianity, Messianic Judaism, or Jews for Jesus. These groups specifically target Jews for conversion to their version of Christianity, making claim that in accepting Jesus as the savior/messiah, a Jews 'fulfills' his/her faith. Furthermore, by celebrating Jewish festivals, worshipping on the Jewish Shabbat, appropriating Jewish symbols, rituals and prayers in their churches, and, sometimes, even calling their leaders 'Rabbi', the seek to win over, often by deception, many Jews who are sincerely looking for a path back to their ancestral heritage. Deceptive proselytizing is practiced on the most vulnerable of populations - residents of hospitals and old aged homes, confused youth, college students away from home. These proselytizing techniques are tantamount to coerced conversions and should be condemned."<ref>http://www.faqs.org/faqs/judaism/FAQ/09-Antisemitism/</ref>

In 2008 the Israeli Supreme Court, ruled Messianic Jews can immigrate to Israel.<ref>https://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1208870469395&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull</ref>

[[Jews for Judaism]] claims that
Messianic missionaries have used deceit to trick Jews into converting, such as not mentioning that Messianic Jews believe Jesus is God to people who they evangelize to.<ref name="a1">http://www.jewsforjudaism.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=375&Itemid=420</ref>

Messianic organizations get most of their funding from Evangelical Christian organizations.<ref name="a1"/> In fact many Messianic organizations are former Evangelical Christian missions to Jews. For example, Messianic Jewish Alliance of America, one of the most well known Messianic organizations, was originally named the, Hebrew Christian Alliance of America, an Evangelical Christian organization geared towards spreading Christianity amongst Jews. Chosen People Ministries, another Messianic organization was originally named the, American Board of Missions to the Jews. Another organization called Jews for Jesus, which some identify with the Messianic movement, was founded in 1973 by Martin Meyer Rosen, an ordained Baptist minister. He had been a missionary for several years in the past geared towards converting Jews to Christianity, when he was unsuccessful he came up with Jews for Jesus.

==How Messianic Jews see themselves==
As a movement, modern Messianic Judaism is still very young. Prior to this, in the 1950s-1970s, Jews who believed in Jesus saw themselves as "Jewish Christians" or "Hebrew Christians" or a Christians of Jewish origins. Some were members of Churches, and some not but often met together to be "at home" with fellow Jewish believers. The most prominent organization of Jewish Christians was the Hebrew Christian Alliance of America, holding monthly meetings and annual banquets. It was not uncommon to hear Yiddish spoken at their meetings as well as English. But nowadays, Jewish expression among Jewish believers in Jesus is evinced in and through Messianic Congregations as well as home meetings rather than Churches. Many Messianic Jews in American are experiencing their 2nd and 3rd generation of believers and so provision is made for youth meetings and full family life that finds Jewish expression in the traditional home celebrations of Shabbat, Passover, Succoth and Hannukah celebrations. Messianic Jews also celebrate other of the Jewish Holidays but without the religious and Halachic commandments and significances. For example, few Messianic Jews keep the Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur) halakhically as Jesus' atonement on the cross has preempted the traditional rational for the Day and few Jews keep Tisha B'Av—the Ninth of Av, a fast day that mourns the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem. On the other hand, Israel and its survival and its continued existence as a Jewish Nation and a homeland and a refuge for the Jews is almost universally supported by Messianic Jews, probably as much as among the non Messianic religious Jews, and probably much more than secular Jews. The foundation for this adherence to the rebirth and resurgence of Israel is more the Biblical promises of God that are believed in through the teaching and preaching of their Congregations than it being based on a nationalistic or cultural agenda. Most Messianic Jews see themselves as the "first fruits" or the advanced guard of the Jewish people coming to faith in Jesus as the Messiah of Israel and the Light of the Gentiles and most are evangelistically minded toward Jews as well as non Jews coming to faith in Jesus. However, few of them have adopted "Jewishness" as a means of attracting Jews to the faith. This is for the simple reason that almost all Messianics either have experienced a deep and sincere personal conversion to Jesus that has affirmed them in whatever Jewishness that was theirs, either great or little, or they have grown up as Messianics and the Jewishness they live in is already "second nature". It is, they feel, not up for sale, for exploitation, or for "commercial use" in evangelism. This is not to say that Messianic Jews are not learning in their Jewishness and that in step with their learning to follow Jesus as their Lord. In that way, many Messianic Jews "become" more Jewish, much in the same way that secular Jews become more Jewish. Most Messianic Jews are aware that to believe in Jesus is to be fulfilled personally in what God holds out for them and their people and are good Jews for doing so, and sincerely wish the same for their fellow Jews. Though Messianic Jews are sometimes thought to be merely Evangelical Christians in "Jewish disguise", and having the mainstay of Christian belief, this is not universally so. Groupings of Messianic Jews as well as individual ones, may be differing in their adherence to Christian trinitarian and incarnational theology, and range the full gamut in understanding and creedal confession - when there is a creed. There is also a great range of practice of the Mitzvot or practice of the religious law and custom. This range of belief and custom, is evinced among the congregations in Israel as well as in the Unite States. Messianic Jews see that they have an added mission as believers in Jesus. This is to bring to Christians a deeper knowledge of the "Hebrew roots" of their own Christian faith. In Israel, there is great opposition to Messianic Judaism, while at the same time, there is a growing awareness of the movement that is keeping pace with the growing numbers of Israelis (estimated to be 15,000) that are turning to Yeshua (Jesus) in faith. This is the investigative reporting about the movement of a recent feature by "Ulpan Shishi" (Friday Studio)a secular Israeli News T.V. review. This video is in Hebrew but with English subtitles [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3sEBAldf4L0] The following is an example of the surprising diverstity found among Messianic Jews. The subject is an Indian physician working among the tribe of Bnei Menasha of north east India, whom he was instrumental in "discovering", who have been recently declared eligible for immigration to the State of Israel as descendents of Menaseh, together with Ephraim, one of the 10 lost tribes of Israel [https://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/973487.html]. His hope is that the "hundreds of thousands" of Messianic Jews, like himself, found among the Bnei Menasha will with the rest of the tribe, also be eligible for immigration to Israel.

===Why Messianic Judaism sees itself as distinct from Christianity===

Though Messianic Judaism shares with normative Christianity much of the beliefs about Jesus, it prefers to go its own way as a part of Judaism or completion of Biblical Judaism or an expression of Judaism for the following reasons:

1. It sees that belief in Jesus, is but a follow-through, and a reasonable expectation on the basis of the Jewish Scriptures (Tenakh) while it sees that Christianity often minimizes the Tenakh and the importance of [[Messianic Prophecies]] and indications in the Tenackh.

2. It sees that Christianity often is divorced or alienated from the appreciation and practice of the feasts and Holidays and customs of the Tenakh that Messianics are familiar with and in many cases have grown up with in an intimate way at home and in general Jewish society. An examples are the Passover, Hanukkah, Messianics see no reason for the discontinuance of these practices which they believe Jesus to have fully participated Himself in as being Jewish

3. Messianics are aware of much of the Church being influenced by "replacement theology". That is, God is "through with the Jews" with the Church inheriting by God the blessings he formerly bestowed on Israel - until the Jews should come to faith in Jesus. Most Messianics, though believing that Judaism's gone dreadfully wrong in its rejection of its Messiah has not annulled God's dealings with the Jews and with Israel as a nation and that He is following a timetable of His own that will bring Israel into the fold of faith in its Messiah - along with His other agenda for the people. Most Messianics do see the sufferings of the Jews through history as a punishment for the rejection of their Messiah, but also see it as a consequence of the "Evil in the World" for which perpetrators are responsible, and who will be brought to Judgement. In this way, it is not too dissimilar to religious Jews who believe that the sufferings of the Jews is due to the abandonment by the Jews generally of the Torah given them by God, but who allow other factors as explanation..

4. Messianic Jews see no reason to give up their peoplehood because, on one hand, other Jews do not agree with their choice of Jesus nor, on the other hand, the Church sees no reason for the Jews continuing unique and singular existence. They feel that Jesus was a Jew. Peter and Paul were Jews, the New Testament was written by Jews, God made the Jews, and "I am a Jew".

==Support for Messianic Judaism==

The [[Unification Church]] is arguably the biggest supporter of the main ideas of Messianic Judaism. It promotes a bridge of understanding between traditional Jewish concepts and the New Testament idea that Jesus (Yeshua) was the Jewish Messiah.

Unificationism maintains that Jesus "came to his own people, but they accepted him not" (Gospels) Indeed, it is official UC theology that God prepared the Jewish people for 2,000 years '''primarily''' to be ready to accept the Messiah when he came. It was the [[mission of John the Baptist]] to "make ready for the Lord a people prepared" (OT, Gospels). When John fell into belief - possibly because of jealousy towards Jesus - this posed a stumbling block to Jewish acceptance of Jesus as the Messiah.

The church portrays itself as a "Completed Testament" religion, coming on the foundation of [[New Testament]] Christianity and [[Old Testament]] Judaism. Its theology argues that Jews who accepted Jesus as the Messiah were correct to do so, and that when the Messiah comes again in the last day it behooves both Jews and Christians to accept him. Needless to say, this view is almost universally rejected by modern Jews and Christians.

===Israeli secular support===
Support for the civil rights of Messianic Jews in Israel has come from the quarters of civil rights activists and lawyers and some on the secular political spectrum. The reason for this has to do with the political apportionment of cabinet positions and ministries. Israel rarely has enough support in the electorate to ensure majority vote for any one party in the election of the government. Therefore, political parties vie for the support of smaller parties to bring them into the government on their side. Shas, the Sephardic-based religious party, often is one of these parties, and for their support, the larger parties usually offer it the Ministry of the Interior which deals with their interests. Part of their interest is the curtailing of missionary work in Israel which is accomplished by the Ministry of the Interior blocking the issuance to foreign missionaries of visas, and the preventing of Messianic Jews from abroad from taking out citizenship. Anti-missionary groups (foremost among them being "Yad L'Ahim"-Hand to the Brothers) unofficially are resource to the Ministry of Interior. Thus Messianic Jews find support among these civil rights lawyers and groups who find that in the defense of Messianic Jews, the power of the Ministry of the Interior is limited and civil rights for all citizens are more strongly established.

===Evangelical support===
Support for Messianic Jews has grown appreciably in the last 40 years on the part of the Evangelical Church. This is due in great part to the fact that the Evangelical Church is deeply Bible based and therefore well appreciative of the promises of God to bring the people back into the Land at or near the
End of Days. This has been abetted by a number of factors, which on the surface seem to be contradictory, but do find a resolution by leaders of the Evangelical Churches who are, by and large, politically conservative and who teach and lead their people. These factors are 1. admiration for the State of Israel in its victory over its enemies, particularly in the 1967 Six Day War. 2. Increase in Evangelical tourism that visits the sites of the Lord and, as well, the Israeli Messianic scene and congregations (see [[Israel Tourism]]) 3.. Evangelical deepening appreciation of the logistic and strategic support Israel provides the United States as the only democracy in the Mid East and the common ideological front the U.S. and Israel have. 4. Understanding that has been increasing among Evangelicals that both Israel and the United States are now shoulder to shoulder in the fight against Islamic terrorism. These political factors impact on Evangelical support for Messianics in that Messianics are seem by Evangelicals as being the forefront of a new entity bringing hope and an opening for the future. An entity combining Jewishness, Israel, and belief in Jesus as Messiah, Lord, and Savior. Much of these factors are highlighted by the once a year at Succoth Celebration in Jerusalem, when thousands of Christians from all over the world meet for a week, participate in the yearly march to Jerusalem that all Israel takes part in, and at which most often the Prime Minister of Israel delivers an address and expression of Israel's appreciation for support given to Israel by Christians throughout the world.

==See also==
*[[Philosophy]]
*[[Jewish philosophy]]
*[[Judaism]]
*[[New Testament understanding through the Jewish perspective]]
*[[Aramaic Judaism, Jewish Aramaic Christianity, and John 1:1]]
*[[Adiabene]]
*[[The Sign of the Cross: of Jewish Origin]]
*[[First Century Aramaic Jewish Christian Gospel and poetry]]
*[[Messianic Prophecies]] with relevant modern and ancient Jewish commentary
*[[Messiah]]
*[[Transmigration of Words in Religion: an essay]]
*[[In the midst of a Maelstrom: the Holy Spirit and silence: an essay]] Israeli Messianic Jew and Egyptian Muslim in Alexandria

==External links==
*[https://www.jewsforjudaism.org JewsForJudaism.org]
*[http://www.OutreachJudaism.com OutreachJudaism.com]
*[http://www.Drazin.com Drazin.com]
*[http://whatjewsbelieve.org/ WhatJewsBelieve.org]
*[http://bejewish.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=12&Itemid=26 Lets Get Biblical tape series online at beJewish.org]
*[http://www.simpletoremember.com/audio/anti-missionary-mp3s.htm Lets Get Biblical tape series online at SimpleToRemeber.com]
*[http://www.jews-for-jesus.org/ Jews For Jesus Home page]
*[https://www.messianic-jewish.org/ Messianic Jewish Fellowship International, a conservative messianic Jewish congregation based in the United States]

==References==
{{reflist|2}}

[[Category:Messianic Judaism]]

Messianic Judaism

2021-10-13T20:59:29Z

Rhodesia: Removed DEAD link

[[Image:Olive tree.jpg|right|thumb|250px|The olive tree has long been used as a symbol in Messianic Judaism: "''Thou, being a wild olive tree, were grafted in among them''" (Romans 11:17)]]
'''Messianic Judaism''' is a religious movement which:<ref>Robinson, B. [http://www.religioustolerance.org/mess_jud.htm ''Messianic Judaism''] Religious Tolerance. Accessed 21 February 2008</ref><ref>''There is no '''contemporary''' founder or leader and no single group or individual speaks for all Messianics. However, most Messianics would generally accept these points.''</ref>

*believes that [[Jesus Christ]] is the [[Messiah]] spoken of in the [[Tanakh]] ([[Old Testament]]); they refer to Jesus as "Yeshua".
*regards its members to be committed [[Jew]]s.
*believes that it is following the practices and beliefs of the very early church.
*follows an [[Evangelical Christian]] [[theology]].

They differ from other Jews over their beliefs about the Messiah. Messianic Congregations are made up of people of Jewish and non-Jewish backgrounds, and are distinctly Jewish in [[culture]]. All celebrate Jewish [[Holy Days]] and support the State of [[Israel]], and most have their main service on the seventh day [[Sabbath]]. They believe that all of the [[Bible]], both the Tanakh and the [[New Testament]], is inspired by [[God]], and that the New Testament was written by Jewish writers to announce to the world the arrival of the long-awaited Jewish Messiah.

All Jewish [[denomination]]s reject Messianic Judaism on the principle that belief in Jesus automatically makes them Christian, and therefore outside of the Jewish community. In fact, Messianic Judaism fits the definition of Christian provided in the dictionary. Many view Messianic Judaism as a dangerous and subversive form of [[apostasy]].

==Early history of Messianic Judaism==

Members of Messianic Judaism believe Messianic Judaism predates Christianity by several decades, and Christianity evolved from the Messianic Judaism of the first century. They assert [[Jesus]] and his [[disciple]]s were all Jews. Furthermore, they interpret the Bible to mean that Jesus is the prophesied Messiah of Judaism, not to form a new religion. Whether the early Jewish followers of Jesus "left" Judaism to follow him is still debated today.

The first people to be known as Christians were the Gentiles in [[Antioch]] ([http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Acts%2011:20,21,26;&version=9; Acts 11:20,21,26]) but Christianity was still widely considered to be a sect of Judaism. In 70 AD, the [[Roman Empire|Roman]] general [[Titus]] sacked the city of [[Jerusalem]] and the [[Second Temple]] was burned down. It is estimated that as many as one million Jews died during the revolt.<ref>[http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/Judaism/revolt.html ''The Great Revolt''] Jewish Virtual Library. Accessed 18 February 2008</ref> Many Jews were taken captive and deported to [[Italy]] where they were forced to build the [[Colosseum]] in [[Rome]]. The emperor [[Vespasian]] then introduced a tax (the "Fiscus Judaicus") to be paid by all Jews to finance the reconstruction of the temple of Jupiter Optimus Maximus. Even after construction was completed, the tax was still levied, and was used as a measure to deter people from converting to Judaism.<ref>Lendering, Jona [http://www.livius.org/fa-fn/fiscus/judaicus.html ''Fiscus Judaicus''] "Articles on Ancient History" Livius. Accessed 18 February 2008</ref> Well into the second century, Gentile Christians were also required to pay the ''fiscus judaicus'' and persecuted as a sect of Judaism. Messianic Jews believe the Christians tried to escape this persecution, by widening the division between themselves and the Jews, and their practices became less and less Jewish.

WhatJewsBelieve.org says concerning the alleged Jewish roots of Christianity the following, "A Christian might ask, "But weren't the first Christians actually Jews?" Yes, but this is irrelevant. The first Protestants were Roman Catholics. Martin Luther was a Roman Catholic Priest. The Roman Catholics do not consider Protestant Christianity to be merely another form of Roman Catholicism.
If you read the Apocryphal book of I Maccabbees, you will see that the first person killed in the Maccabbee's rebellion was a Jew. He was willing to go ahead and sacrifice a pig to Zeus, just as Mattathias had refused to do. Obviously, he had to have been a very secular, assimilated Jew. Had he survived Mattathias's attack, and later formed a religion that was dedicated to the worship of Zeus and Zeus's half-human sons, would that make his newly formed faith just another form of Judaism? Should he call his new faith, "Jews For Zeus," or "Jews For Zeus And His Half-Human Sons?" Would that mean that his new faith had "Jewish Roots?" "
<ref>http://whatjewsbelieve.org/explanation10.html</ref>

==The wild olive branch==
The church in Rome was begun as a Jewish fellowship, started by those who returned from Pentecost in Jerusalem,<ref>[http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Acts%202%20;&version=9; Acts 2]</ref> not by an [[apostle]]. As these Jewish believers evangelized, many Gentile believers joined them. Around 50 AD [[Claudius]] banished many Jews from Rome,<ref>Barclay, John M. G.; Hooker, Morna Dorothy and McMurdo, John Philip (ed.) "Early Christian Thought in Its Jewish Context" (Cambridge University Press; 2007) ISBN 0-5210-4412-X</ref> leaving the church entirely Gentile. Twelve years later [[Nero]] invited the Jews back to stimulate trade. However the Gentiles refused to allow the Messianic Jewish believers back into the church, having concluded that Claudius' rejection signified God's rejection, which is probably the first appearance of [[Replacement Theology]].<ref>[http://fp.thebeers.f9.co.uk/olive.htm ''The Olive Tree and the wild olive branch''] "The Wild Olive Branch" Accessed 18 February 2008</ref>

[[Paul]]'s [http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans%209-11;&version=9; letter to the Roman church] addresses this matter, and he urges them to remember that they are like a "wild olive tree, grafted in" among the Jews, and warns them against "conceit", particularly as it is the Jewish root which supported their Christian branch. ([http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans%2011:17,18,25;&version=9; Romans 11:17,18,25])

However, by the time of the [[Council of Nicaea]] in 325, Christianity was both anti-Judaic and [[anti-Semitic]].<ref>As [[Constantine]] said at the Council: "''Let us then have nothing in common with the most hostile rabble of the Jews.''" Boyle, Isaac "A Historical View of The Council of Nicea" (T Mason and G Lane, New York; 1839)</ref>

==Comparison table==
Table comparing the mainstream '''beliefs''' of these movements with each other
{| class="wikitable" border="1" cellpadding="2"
|-
|
|Judaism
|Christianity
|Messianic Judaism
|-
|Trinity
|no
|yes
|yes
|-
|Divinity of Jesus
|no
|yes
|yes
|-
|Accept Talmud as authoritative
|yes
|no
|no
|-
|Accept New Testament as part of canon
|no
|yes
|yes
|-
|Jesus is the son of God
|no
|yes
|yes
|-
|Jesus is the messiah
|no
|yes
|yes
|-
|Hell exists
|no
|yes
|yes
|-
|Second coming of Jesus Christ
|no
|yes
|yes
|-
|Jesus was born of a virgin
|no
|yes
|yes
|-
|Jesus died on a cross for the sins of humanity
|no
|yes
|yes
|-
|Jesus was resurrected from the dead
|no
|yes
|yes
|-
|Jesus is an intermediary between man and God
|no
|yes
|yes
|-
|Original Sin
|no
|yes
|yes
|-
|skepticism towards evolution
|no*<ref>Even amongst Orthodox Jews, the mainstream belief is evolution happened, although generally Orthodox Jews believe in theistic evolution, meaning evolution but that it was caused by God.</ref>
|yes
|yes
|-
|follow teachings of past rabbis
|yes
|no
|no*<ref>Messianic Jews have even been known to criticize Judaism by calling it Rabbinic Judaism, despite the fact that Messianic Jews call their pastors, rabbis.</ref>
|-
|Jesus was God made flesh
|no
|yes
|yes
|-
|interpretation of the text by a scholar should be preferred
|yes
|no, the laity's interpretation is equally valid to that of a scholar's interpretation
|no, the laity's interpretation is equally valid to that of a scholar's interpretation
|-
|Is Daniel a prophet?
|no
|yes, Jesus Christ called Daniel a prophet in the Gospels
|yes, Jesus Christ called Daniel a prophet in the Gospels
|-
|Is Enoch a prophet?
|no
|yes
|yes
|-
|Is Sarah a prophetess?
|yes
|no
|no
|-
|Has the messiah came?
|no
|yes, he is Jesus Christ
|yes, he is Jesus Christ
|-
|Who was the greatest prophet?
|Moses
|Jesus Christ
|Jesus Christ
|}

According to WhatJewsBelieve.org the idea that God became flesh disagrees with the words of the Bible saying,

"There is the verse from Hosea in which God specifically tells us that God is not a human being:

I will not execute the fierceness of mine anger, I will not return to destroy Ephraim: for I am God, and not a man; the Holy One in the midst of thee: and I will not enter into the city. Hosea 11:9

And then there is another verse, in Numbers 23:19, where God specifically tells us that if God were a human being, then he would be a liar, as all human beings do lie on occasion. Furthermore, this verse tell us that if God were a human being, he would be in need of repentance because all human beings sin at some point in their lives.
Finally, this verse also tells us that if God were a human being, then he would make promises, but not keep them:

God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the Son of Man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do it? or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good? Numbers 23:19"

<ref>http://whatjewsbelieve.org/explanation08.html</ref>

==Criticism of Messianic Judaism==

Criticism of Messianic Judaism is predicated on the assumption that Judaism and Christanity are implacably incompatible: one must be either a Jew or a Christian: there is no such thing as a Jewish Christian or a Christian Jew. Attempts by groups like [[Jews for Jesus]] are seen in this light as outrageously deceptive.

The Central Conference of American Rabbis has stated: ''"For us in the Jewish community, anyone who claims that Jesus is their savior is no longer a Jew and is an apostate. Through that belief she has placed herself outside the Jewish community. Whether she cares to define herself as a Christian or as a 'fulfilled Jew,' 'Messianic Jew,' or any other designation is irrelevant; to us, she is clearly a Christian."''<ref>Robinson, B. [http://www.religioustolerance.org/mess_jud4.htm ''Opposition to Messianic Judaism''] Religious Tolerance. Accessed 21 February 2008</ref>
In acknowledging Jesus and the Christian Scriptures, these congregations are accepting many other theological concepts contrary to the Jewish belief system, including original sin, the devil and demonology, “vicarious blood atonement,” and the trinity, Margolis said.<ref name="a"/>

One rabbi said the following concerning Messianic Judaism: “Messianic congregations are Christians portraying themselves as Jews,” said Rabbi Richard Margolis, the leader of Temple Beth Sholom in Melbourne and a member of the Jewish Federation board of Brevard. In an e-mail, he added, “The issue is deceit. This is a deceptive missionary movement, organized and heavily funded by evangelical Christians whose sole purpose is to convert Jews to (fundamentalist) Christianity. There is nothing Jewish about any of this.”<ref name="a"/>
“I have great respect for the authentic Christian tradition and maintain an ongoing program of interfaith activities in our community,” Margolis said.
“But I cannot countenance couching fundamentalist Christianity in Jewish symbols.”<ref name="a">http://www.religionnewsblog.com/12955</ref>

Robinson states that "converts to Messianic Judaism are usually shunned by their Jewish families of origin and are excluded from the local Jewish community."

Many people, see Messianic Judaism, as the Church's last resort to convince Jews to accept Jesus as their messiah. Anti-missionaries, Jews who try to counter the work of Messianic missionaries have reported being assaulted.<ref>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1rS35_UnHRw</ref> The Jewish community has produced several groups to counter Messianic Judaism, which it sees as Evangelical Christianity disguised in Jewish garb, such as, Jews for Judaism, Outreach Judaism, and produced the Lets Get Biblical Series, a tape series produced by Outreach Judaism. The Jewish community often perceives Messianic Judaism as Christianity hijacking Judaism in order to convert Jews and misrepresenting Judaism to gain converts. They believe that Messianic Judaism is a corruption of the most deeply spiritual rituals and customs that honor Judaism's connection to God through Torah. Dr. David A. Rausch, associate professor of church history and Judaic studies at Ashland Theological Seminary, [[Ohio]], summed up the attitude of many Jewish people in the comment he was given by a member of the Jewish Defense League: ''"These Messianics are the [[Nazi]]s - the spiritual Nazis. They pretend to be Jews and use traditional Jewish symbols to trap children and the unsuspecting."''<ref>Rausch, David A. [http://www.religion-online.org/showarticle.asp?title=1339 ''The Messianic Jewish Congregational Movement''] Religion Online. Accessed 21 February 2008</ref> The sentiments are not confined entirely to Judaism; the same author was told by a Christian missionary: ''"To these "Messianic Jews" Jewishness means Judaism, a rabbinic Judaism of the Ashkenazic flavor. They neither have a real knowledge of Jewish history or of Jewish-Christian history, nor do they possess a good handle on biblical [[exegesis]]. Like the Ebionites of old they will finally blend into Judaism and deny the Messiah."''<ref>''ibid''</ref>

In the summer of 1987 in Washington D.C. (USA), there was held an Interfaith Conference of Metropolitan Washington. Partaking in the conference were representatives of various Protestant churches, Roman-Catholics, together with Moslems and representatives of Jewish organizations. The Conference concluded with an official statement (published in "Interfaith Connector" Vol. 8, No. 2) which stated:

"We condemn proselytizing efforts which delegitimize the faith tradition of the person whose conversion is being sought. Such tactics go beyond the bounds of appropriate and ethically based religious outreach. Examples of such practices are those common among groups that have adopted the label of Hebrew Christianity, Messianic Judaism, or Jews for Jesus. These groups specifically target Jews for conversion to their version of Christianity, making claim that in accepting Jesus as the savior/messiah, a Jews 'fulfills' his/her faith. Furthermore, by celebrating Jewish festivals, worshipping on the Jewish Shabbat, appropriating Jewish symbols, rituals and prayers in their churches, and, sometimes, even calling their leaders 'Rabbi', the seek to win over, often by deception, many Jews who are sincerely looking for a path back to their ancestral heritage. Deceptive proselytizing is practiced on the most vulnerable of populations - residents of hospitals and old aged homes, confused youth, college students away from home. These proselytizing techniques are tantamount to coerced conversions and should be condemned."<ref>http://www.faqs.org/faqs/judaism/FAQ/09-Antisemitism/</ref>

In 2008 the Israeli Supreme Court, ruled Messianic Jews can immigrate to Israel.<ref>https://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1208870469395&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull</ref>

[[Jews for Judaism]] claims that
Messianic missionaries have used deceit to trick Jews into converting, such as not mentioning that Messianic Jews believe Jesus is God to people who they evangelize to.<ref name="a1">http://www.jewsforjudaism.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=375&Itemid=420</ref>

Messianic organizations get most of their funding from Evangelical Christian organizations.<ref name="a1"/> In fact many Messianic organizations are former Evangelical Christian missions to Jews. For example, Messianic Jewish Alliance of America, one of the most well known Messianic organizations, was originally named the, Hebrew Christian Alliance of America, an Evangelical Christian organization geared towards spreading Christianity amongst Jews. Chosen People Ministries, another Messianic organization was originally named the, American Board of Missions to the Jews. Another organization called Jews for Jesus, which some identify with the Messianic movement, was founded in 1973 by Martin Meyer Rosen, an ordained Baptist minister. He had been a missionary for several years in the past geared towards converting Jews to Christianity, when he was unsuccessful he came up with Jews for Jesus.

==How Messianic Jews see themselves==
As a movement, modern Messianic Judaism is still very young. Prior to this, in the 1950s-1970s, Jews who believed in Jesus saw themselves as "Jewish Christians" or "Hebrew Christians" or a Christians of Jewish origins. Some were members of Churches, and some not but often met together to be "at home" with fellow Jewish believers. The most prominent organization of Jewish Christians was the Hebrew Christian Alliance of America, holding monthly meetings and annual banquets. It was not uncommon to hear Yiddish spoken at their meetings as well as English. But nowadays, Jewish expression among Jewish believers in Jesus is evinced in and through Messianic Congregations as well as home meetings rather than Churches. Many Messianic Jews in American are experiencing their 2nd and 3rd generation of believers and so provision is made for youth meetings and full family life that finds Jewish expression in the traditional home celebrations of Shabbat, Passover, Succoth and Hannukah celebrations. Messianic Jews also celebrate other of the Jewish Holidays but without the religious and Halachic commandments and significances. For example, few Messianic Jews keep the Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur) halakhically as Jesus' atonement on the cross has preempted the traditional rational for the Day and few Jews keep Tisha B'Av—the Ninth of Av, a fast day that mourns the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem. On the other hand, Israel and its survival and its continued existence as a Jewish Nation and a homeland and a refuge for the Jews is almost universally supported by Messianic Jews, probably as much as among the non Messianic religious Jews, and probably much more than secular Jews. The foundation for this adherence to the rebirth and resurgence of Israel is more the Biblical promises of God that are believed in through the teaching and preaching of their Congregations than it being based on a nationalistic or cultural agenda. Most Messianic Jews see themselves as the "first fruits" or the advanced guard of the Jewish people coming to faith in Jesus as the Messiah of Israel and the Light of the Gentiles and most are evangelistically minded toward Jews as well as non Jews coming to faith in Jesus. However, few of them have adopted "Jewishness" as a means of attracting Jews to the faith. This is for the simple reason that almost all Messianics either have experienced a deep and sincere personal conversion to Jesus that has affirmed them in whatever Jewishness that was theirs, either great or little, or they have grown up as Messianics and the Jewishness they live in is already "second nature". It is, they feel, not up for sale, for exploitation, or for "commercial use" in evangelism. This is not to say that Messianic Jews are not learning in their Jewishness and that in step with their learning to follow Jesus as their Lord. In that way, many Messianic Jews "become" more Jewish, much in the same way that secular Jews become more Jewish. Most Messianic Jews are aware that to believe in Jesus is to be fulfilled personally in what God holds out for them and their people and are good Jews for doing so, and sincerely wish the same for their fellow Jews. Though Messianic Jews are sometimes thought to be merely Evangelical Christians in "Jewish disguise", and having the mainstay of Christian belief, this is not universally so. Groupings of Messianic Jews as well as individual ones, may be differing in their adherence to Christian trinitarian and incarnational theology, and range the full gamut in understanding and creedal confession - when there is a creed. There is also a great range of practice of the Mitzvot or practice of the religious law and custom. This range of belief and custom, is evinced among the congregations in Israel as well as in the Unite States. Messianic Jews see that they have an added mission as believers in Jesus. This is to bring to Christians a deeper knowledge of the "Hebrew roots" of their own Christian faith. In Israel, there is great opposition to Messianic Judaism, while at the same time, there is a growing awareness of the movement that is keeping pace with the growing numbers of Israelis (estimated to be 15,000) that are turning to Yeshua (Jesus) in faith. This is the investigative reporting about the movement of a recent feature by "Ulpan Shishi" (Friday Studio)a secular Israeli News T.V. review. This video is in Hebrew but with English subtitles [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3sEBAldf4L0] The following is an example of the surprising diverstity found among Messianic Jews. The subject is an Indian physician working among the tribe of Bnei Menasha of north east India, whom he was instrumental in "discovering", who have been recently declared eligible for immigration to the State of Israel as descendents of Menaseh, together with Ephraim, one of the 10 lost tribes of Israel [https://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/973487.html]. His hope is that the "hundreds of thousands" of Messianic Jews, like himself, found among the Bnei Menasha will with the rest of the tribe, also be eligible for immigration to Israel.

===Why Messianic Judaism sees itself as distinct from Christianity===

Though Messianic Judaism shares with normative Christianity much of the beliefs about Jesus, it prefers to go its own way as a part of Judaism or completion of Biblical Judaism or an expression of Judaism for the following reasons:

1. It sees that belief in Jesus, is but a follow-through, and a reasonable expectation on the basis of the Jewish Scriptures (Tenakh) while it sees that Christianity often minimizes the Tenakh and the importance of [[Messianic Prophecies]] and indications in the Tenackh.

2. It sees that Christianity often is divorced or alienated from the appreciation and practice of the feasts and Holidays and customs of the Tenakh that Messianics are familiar with and in many cases have grown up with in an intimate way at home and in general Jewish society. An examples are the Passover, Hanukkah, Messianics see no reason for the discontinuance of these practices which they believe Jesus to have fully participated Himself in as being Jewish

3. Messianics are aware of much of the Church being influenced by "replacement theology". That is, God is "through with the Jews" with the Church inheriting by God the blessings he formerly bestowed on Israel - until the Jews should come to faith in Jesus. Most Messianics, though believing that Judaism's gone dreadfully wrong in its rejection of its Messiah has not annulled God's dealings with the Jews and with Israel as a nation and that He is following a timetable of His own that will bring Israel into the fold of faith in its Messiah - along with His other agenda for the people. Most Messianics do see the sufferings of the Jews through history as a punishment for the rejection of their Messiah, but also see it as a consequence of the "Evil in the World" for which perpetrators are responsible, and who will be brought to Judgement. In this way, it is not too dissimilar to religious Jews who believe that the sufferings of the Jews is due to the abandonment by the Jews generally of the Torah given them by God, but who allow other factors as explanation..

4. Messianic Jews see no reason to give up their peoplehood because, on one hand, other Jews do not agree with their choice of Jesus nor, on the other hand, the Church sees no reason for the Jews continuing unique and singular existence. They feel that Jesus was a Jew. Peter and Paul were Jews, the New Testament was written by Jews, God made the Jews, and "I am a Jew".

==Support for Messianic Judaism==

The [[Unification Church]] is arguably the biggest supporter of the main ideas of Messianic Judaism. It promotes a bridge of understanding between traditional Jewish concepts and the New Testament idea that Jesus (Yeshua) was the Jewish Messiah.

Unificationism maintains that Jesus "came to his own people, but they accepted him not" (Gospels) Indeed, it is official UC theology that God prepared the Jewish people for 2,000 years '''primarily''' to be ready to accept the Messiah when he came. It was the [[mission of John the Baptist]] to "make ready for the Lord a people prepared" (OT, Gospels). When John fell into belief - possibly because of jealousy towards Jesus - this posed a stumbling block to Jewish acceptance of Jesus as the Messiah.

The church portrays itself as a "Completed Testament" religion, coming on the foundation of [[New Testament]] Christianity and [[Old Testament]] Judaism. Its theology argues that Jews who accepted Jesus as the Messiah were correct to do so, and that when the Messiah comes again in the last day it behooves both Jews and Christians to accept him. Needless to say, this view is almost universally rejected by modern Jews and Christians.

===Israeli secular support===
Support for the civil rights of Messianic Jews in Israel has come from the quarters of civil rights activists and lawyers and some on the secular political spectrum. The reason for this has to do with the political apportionment of cabinet positions and ministries. Israel rarely has enough support in the electorate to ensure majority vote for any one party in the election of the government. Therefore, political parties vie for the support of smaller parties to bring them into the government on their side. Shas, the Sephardic-based religious party, often is one of these parties, and for their support, the larger parties usually offer it the Ministry of the Interior which deals with their interests. Part of their interest is the curtailing of missionary work in Israel which is accomplished by the Ministry of the Interior blocking the issuance to foreign missionaries of visas, and the preventing of Messianic Jews from abroad from taking out citizenship. Anti-missionary groups (foremost among them being "Yad L'Ahim"-Hand to the Brothers) unofficially are resource to the Ministry of Interior. Thus Messianic Jews find support among these civil rights lawyers and groups who find that in the defense of Messianic Jews, the power of the Ministry of the Interior is limited and civil rights for all citizens are more strongly established.

===Evangelical support===
Support for Messianic Jews has grown appreciably in the last 40 years on the part of the Evangelical Church. This is due in great part to the fact that the Evangelical Church is deeply Bible based and therefore well appreciative of the promises of God to bring the people back into the Land at or near the
End of Days. This has been abetted by a number of factors, which on the surface seem to be contradictory, but do find a resolution by leaders of the Evangelical Churches who are, by and large, politically conservative and who teach and lead their people. These factors are 1. admiration for the State of Israel in its victory over its enemies, particularly in the 1967 Six Day War. 2. Increase in Evangelical tourism that visits the sites of the Lord and, as well, the Israeli Messianic scene and congregations (see [[Israel Tourism]]) 3.. Evangelical deepening appreciation of the logistic and strategic support Israel provides the United States as the only democracy in the Mid East and the common ideological front the U.S. and Israel have. 4. Understanding that has been increasing among Evangelicals that both Israel and the United States are now shoulder to shoulder in the fight against Islamic terrorism. These political factors impact on Evangelical support for Messianics in that Messianics are seem by Evangelicals as being the forefront of a new entity bringing hope and an opening for the future. An entity combining Jewishness, Israel, and belief in Jesus as Messiah, Lord, and Savior. Much of these factors are highlighted by the once a year at Succoth Celebration in Jerusalem, when thousands of Christians from all over the world meet for a week, participate in the yearly march to Jerusalem that all Israel takes part in, and at which most often the Prime Minister of Israel delivers an address and expression of Israel's appreciation for support given to Israel by Christians throughout the world.

==See also==
*[[Philosophy]]
*[[Jewish philosophy]]
*[[Judaism]]
*[[New Testament understanding through the Jewish perspective]]
*[[Aramaic Judaism, Jewish Aramaic Christianity, and John 1:1]]
*[[Adiabene]]
*[[The Sign of the Cross: of Jewish Origin]]
*[[First Century Aramaic Jewish Christian Gospel and poetry]]
*[[Messianic Prophecies]] with relevant modern and ancient Jewish commentary
*[[Messiah]]
*[[Transmigration of Words in Religion: an essay]]
*[[In the midst of a Maelstrom: the Holy Spirit and silence: an essay]] Israeli Messianic Jew and Egyptian Muslim in Alexandria

==External links==
*[http://www.JewsForJudaism.com JewsForJudaism.com]
*[http://www.OutreachJudaism.com OutreachJudaism.com]
*[http://www.Drazin.com Drazin.com]
*[http://whatjewsbelieve.org/ WhatJewsBelieve.org]
*[http://bejewish.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=12&Itemid=26 Lets Get Biblical tape series online at beJewish.org]
*[http://www.simpletoremember.com/audio/anti-missionary-mp3s.htm Lets Get Biblical tape series online at SimpleToRemeber.com]
*[http://www.jews-for-jesus.org/ Jews For Jesus Home page]
*[https://www.messianic-jewish.org/ Messianic Jewish Fellowship International, a conservative messianic Jewish congregation based in the United States]

==References==
{{reflist|2}}

[[Category:Messianic Judaism]]

Messianic Judaism

2021-10-13T20:57:48Z

Rhodesia: /* External links */

[[Image:Olive tree.jpg|right|thumb|250px|The olive tree has long been used as a symbol in Messianic Judaism: "''Thou, being a wild olive tree, were grafted in among them''" (Romans 11:17)]]
'''Messianic Judaism''' is a religious movement which:<ref>Robinson, B. [http://www.religioustolerance.org/mess_jud.htm ''Messianic Judaism''] Religious Tolerance. Accessed 21 February 2008</ref><ref>''There is no '''contemporary''' founder or leader and no single group or individual speaks for all Messianics. However, most Messianics would generally accept these points.''</ref>

*believes that [[Jesus Christ]] is the [[Messiah]] spoken of in the [[Tanakh]] ([[Old Testament]]); they refer to Jesus as "Yeshua".
*regards its members to be committed [[Jew]]s.
*believes that it is following the practices and beliefs of the very early church.
*follows an [[Evangelical Christian]] [[theology]].

They differ from other Jews over their beliefs about the Messiah. Messianic Congregations are made up of people of Jewish and non-Jewish backgrounds, and are distinctly Jewish in [[culture]]. All celebrate Jewish [[Holy Days]] and support the State of [[Israel]], and most have their main service on the seventh day [[Sabbath]]. They believe that all of the [[Bible]], both the Tanakh and the [[New Testament]], is inspired by [[God]], and that the New Testament was written by Jewish writers to announce to the world the arrival of the long-awaited Jewish Messiah.

All Jewish [[denomination]]s reject Messianic Judaism on the principle that belief in Jesus automatically makes them Christian, and therefore outside of the Jewish community. In fact, Messianic Judaism fits the definition of Christian provided in the dictionary. Many view Messianic Judaism as a dangerous and subversive form of [[apostasy]].

==Early history of Messianic Judaism==

Members of Messianic Judaism believe Messianic Judaism predates Christianity by several decades, and Christianity evolved from the Messianic Judaism of the first century. They assert [[Jesus]] and his [[disciple]]s were all Jews. Furthermore, they interpret the Bible to mean that Jesus is the prophesied Messiah of Judaism, not to form a new religion. Whether the early Jewish followers of Jesus "left" Judaism to follow him is still debated today.

The first people to be known as Christians were the Gentiles in [[Antioch]] ([http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Acts%2011:20,21,26;&version=9; Acts 11:20,21,26]) but Christianity was still widely considered to be a sect of Judaism. In 70 AD, the [[Roman Empire|Roman]] general [[Titus]] sacked the city of [[Jerusalem]] and the [[Second Temple]] was burned down. It is estimated that as many as one million Jews died during the revolt.<ref>[http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/Judaism/revolt.html ''The Great Revolt''] Jewish Virtual Library. Accessed 18 February 2008</ref> Many Jews were taken captive and deported to [[Italy]] where they were forced to build the [[Colosseum]] in [[Rome]]. The emperor [[Vespasian]] then introduced a tax (the "Fiscus Judaicus") to be paid by all Jews to finance the reconstruction of the temple of Jupiter Optimus Maximus. Even after construction was completed, the tax was still levied, and was used as a measure to deter people from converting to Judaism.<ref>Lendering, Jona [http://www.livius.org/fa-fn/fiscus/judaicus.html ''Fiscus Judaicus''] "Articles on Ancient History" Livius. Accessed 18 February 2008</ref> Well into the second century, Gentile Christians were also required to pay the ''fiscus judaicus'' and persecuted as a sect of Judaism. Messianic Jews believe the Christians tried to escape this persecution, by widening the division between themselves and the Jews, and their practices became less and less Jewish.

WhatJewsBelieve.org says concerning the alleged Jewish roots of Christianity the following, "A Christian might ask, "But weren't the first Christians actually Jews?" Yes, but this is irrelevant. The first Protestants were Roman Catholics. Martin Luther was a Roman Catholic Priest. The Roman Catholics do not consider Protestant Christianity to be merely another form of Roman Catholicism.
If you read the Apocryphal book of I Maccabbees, you will see that the first person killed in the Maccabbee's rebellion was a Jew. He was willing to go ahead and sacrifice a pig to Zeus, just as Mattathias had refused to do. Obviously, he had to have been a very secular, assimilated Jew. Had he survived Mattathias's attack, and later formed a religion that was dedicated to the worship of Zeus and Zeus's half-human sons, would that make his newly formed faith just another form of Judaism? Should he call his new faith, "Jews For Zeus," or "Jews For Zeus And His Half-Human Sons?" Would that mean that his new faith had "Jewish Roots?" "
<ref>http://whatjewsbelieve.org/explanation10.html</ref>

==The wild olive branch==
The church in Rome was begun as a Jewish fellowship, started by those who returned from Pentecost in Jerusalem,<ref>[http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Acts%202%20;&version=9; Acts 2]</ref> not by an [[apostle]]. As these Jewish believers evangelized, many Gentile believers joined them. Around 50 AD [[Claudius]] banished many Jews from Rome,<ref>Barclay, John M. G.; Hooker, Morna Dorothy and McMurdo, John Philip (ed.) "Early Christian Thought in Its Jewish Context" (Cambridge University Press; 2007) ISBN 0-5210-4412-X</ref> leaving the church entirely Gentile. Twelve years later [[Nero]] invited the Jews back to stimulate trade. However the Gentiles refused to allow the Messianic Jewish believers back into the church, having concluded that Claudius' rejection signified God's rejection, which is probably the first appearance of [[Replacement Theology]].<ref>[http://fp.thebeers.f9.co.uk/olive.htm ''The Olive Tree and the wild olive branch''] "The Wild Olive Branch" Accessed 18 February 2008</ref>

[[Paul]]'s [http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans%209-11;&version=9; letter to the Roman church] addresses this matter, and he urges them to remember that they are like a "wild olive tree, grafted in" among the Jews, and warns them against "conceit", particularly as it is the Jewish root which supported their Christian branch. ([http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans%2011:17,18,25;&version=9; Romans 11:17,18,25])

However, by the time of the [[Council of Nicaea]] in 325, Christianity was both anti-Judaic and [[anti-Semitic]].<ref>As [[Constantine]] said at the Council: "''Let us then have nothing in common with the most hostile rabble of the Jews.''" Boyle, Isaac "A Historical View of The Council of Nicea" (T Mason and G Lane, New York; 1839)</ref>

==Comparison table==
Table comparing the mainstream '''beliefs''' of these movements with each other
{| class="wikitable" border="1" cellpadding="2"
|-
|
|Judaism
|Christianity
|Messianic Judaism
|-
|Trinity
|no
|yes
|yes
|-
|Divinity of Jesus
|no
|yes
|yes
|-
|Accept Talmud as authoritative
|yes
|no
|no
|-
|Accept New Testament as part of canon
|no
|yes
|yes
|-
|Jesus is the son of God
|no
|yes
|yes
|-
|Jesus is the messiah
|no
|yes
|yes
|-
|Hell exists
|no
|yes
|yes
|-
|Second coming of Jesus Christ
|no
|yes
|yes
|-
|Jesus was born of a virgin
|no
|yes
|yes
|-
|Jesus died on a cross for the sins of humanity
|no
|yes
|yes
|-
|Jesus was resurrected from the dead
|no
|yes
|yes
|-
|Jesus is an intermediary between man and God
|no
|yes
|yes
|-
|Original Sin
|no
|yes
|yes
|-
|skepticism towards evolution
|no*<ref>Even amongst Orthodox Jews, the mainstream belief is evolution happened, although generally Orthodox Jews believe in theistic evolution, meaning evolution but that it was caused by God.</ref>
|yes
|yes
|-
|follow teachings of past rabbis
|yes
|no
|no*<ref>Messianic Jews have even been known to criticize Judaism by calling it Rabbinic Judaism, despite the fact that Messianic Jews call their pastors, rabbis.</ref>
|-
|Jesus was God made flesh
|no
|yes
|yes
|-
|interpretation of the text by a scholar should be preferred
|yes
|no, the laity's interpretation is equally valid to that of a scholar's interpretation
|no, the laity's interpretation is equally valid to that of a scholar's interpretation
|-
|Is Daniel a prophet?
|no
|yes, Jesus Christ called Daniel a prophet in the Gospels
|yes, Jesus Christ called Daniel a prophet in the Gospels
|-
|Is Enoch a prophet?
|no
|yes
|yes
|-
|Is Sarah a prophetess?
|yes
|no
|no
|-
|Has the messiah came?
|no
|yes, he is Jesus Christ
|yes, he is Jesus Christ
|-
|Who was the greatest prophet?
|Moses
|Jesus Christ
|Jesus Christ
|}

According to WhatJewsBelieve.org the idea that God became flesh disagrees with the words of the Bible saying,

"There is the verse from Hosea in which God specifically tells us that God is not a human being:

I will not execute the fierceness of mine anger, I will not return to destroy Ephraim: for I am God, and not a man; the Holy One in the midst of thee: and I will not enter into the city. Hosea 11:9

And then there is another verse, in Numbers 23:19, where God specifically tells us that if God were a human being, then he would be a liar, as all human beings do lie on occasion. Furthermore, this verse tell us that if God were a human being, he would be in need of repentance because all human beings sin at some point in their lives.
Finally, this verse also tells us that if God were a human being, then he would make promises, but not keep them:

God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the Son of Man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do it? or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good? Numbers 23:19"

<ref>http://whatjewsbelieve.org/explanation08.html</ref>

==Criticism of Messianic Judaism==

Criticism of Messianic Judaism is predicated on the assumption that Judaism and Christanity are implacably incompatible: one must be either a Jew or a Christian: there is no such thing as a Jewish Christian or a Christian Jew. Attempts by groups like [[Jews for Jesus]] are seen in this light as outrageously deceptive.

The Central Conference of American Rabbis has stated: ''"For us in the Jewish community, anyone who claims that Jesus is their savior is no longer a Jew and is an apostate. Through that belief she has placed herself outside the Jewish community. Whether she cares to define herself as a Christian or as a 'fulfilled Jew,' 'Messianic Jew,' or any other designation is irrelevant; to us, she is clearly a Christian."''<ref>Robinson, B. [http://www.religioustolerance.org/mess_jud4.htm ''Opposition to Messianic Judaism''] Religious Tolerance. Accessed 21 February 2008</ref>
In acknowledging Jesus and the Christian Scriptures, these congregations are accepting many other theological concepts contrary to the Jewish belief system, including original sin, the devil and demonology, “vicarious blood atonement,” and the trinity, Margolis said.<ref name="a"/>

One rabbi said the following concerning Messianic Judaism: “Messianic congregations are Christians portraying themselves as Jews,” said Rabbi Richard Margolis, the leader of Temple Beth Sholom in Melbourne and a member of the Jewish Federation board of Brevard. In an e-mail, he added, “The issue is deceit. This is a deceptive missionary movement, organized and heavily funded by evangelical Christians whose sole purpose is to convert Jews to (fundamentalist) Christianity. There is nothing Jewish about any of this.”<ref name="a"/>
“I have great respect for the authentic Christian tradition and maintain an ongoing program of interfaith activities in our community,” Margolis said.
“But I cannot countenance couching fundamentalist Christianity in Jewish symbols.”<ref name="a">http://www.religionnewsblog.com/12955</ref>

Robinson states that "converts to Messianic Judaism are usually shunned by their Jewish families of origin and are excluded from the local Jewish community."

Many people, see Messianic Judaism, as the Church's last resort to convince Jews to accept Jesus as their messiah. Anti-missionaries, Jews who try to counter the work of Messianic missionaries have reported being assaulted.<ref>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1rS35_UnHRw</ref> The Jewish community has produced several groups to counter Messianic Judaism, which it sees as Evangelical Christianity disguised in Jewish garb, such as, Jews for Judaism, Outreach Judaism, and produced the Lets Get Biblical Series, a tape series produced by Outreach Judaism. The Jewish community often perceives Messianic Judaism as Christianity hijacking Judaism in order to convert Jews and misrepresenting Judaism to gain converts. They believe that Messianic Judaism is a corruption of the most deeply spiritual rituals and customs that honor Judaism's connection to God through Torah. Dr. David A. Rausch, associate professor of church history and Judaic studies at Ashland Theological Seminary, [[Ohio]], summed up the attitude of many Jewish people in the comment he was given by a member of the Jewish Defense League: ''"These Messianics are the [[Nazi]]s - the spiritual Nazis. They pretend to be Jews and use traditional Jewish symbols to trap children and the unsuspecting."''<ref>Rausch, David A. [http://www.religion-online.org/showarticle.asp?title=1339 ''The Messianic Jewish Congregational Movement''] Religion Online. Accessed 21 February 2008</ref> The sentiments are not confined entirely to Judaism; the same author was told by a Christian missionary: ''"To these "Messianic Jews" Jewishness means Judaism, a rabbinic Judaism of the Ashkenazic flavor. They neither have a real knowledge of Jewish history or of Jewish-Christian history, nor do they possess a good handle on biblical [[exegesis]]. Like the Ebionites of old they will finally blend into Judaism and deny the Messiah."''<ref>''ibid''</ref>

In the summer of 1987 in Washington D.C. (USA), there was held an Interfaith Conference of Metropolitan Washington. Partaking in the conference were representatives of various Protestant churches, Roman-Catholics, together with Moslems and representatives of Jewish organizations. The Conference concluded with an official statement (published in "Interfaith Connector" Vol. 8, No. 2) which stated:

"We condemn proselytizing efforts which delegitimize the faith tradition of the person whose conversion is being sought. Such tactics go beyond the bounds of appropriate and ethically based religious outreach. Examples of such practices are those common among groups that have adopted the label of Hebrew Christianity, Messianic Judaism, or Jews for Jesus. These groups specifically target Jews for conversion to their version of Christianity, making claim that in accepting Jesus as the savior/messiah, a Jews 'fulfills' his/her faith. Furthermore, by celebrating Jewish festivals, worshipping on the Jewish Shabbat, appropriating Jewish symbols, rituals and prayers in their churches, and, sometimes, even calling their leaders 'Rabbi', the seek to win over, often by deception, many Jews who are sincerely looking for a path back to their ancestral heritage. Deceptive proselytizing is practiced on the most vulnerable of populations - residents of hospitals and old aged homes, confused youth, college students away from home. These proselytizing techniques are tantamount to coerced conversions and should be condemned."<ref>http://www.faqs.org/faqs/judaism/FAQ/09-Antisemitism/</ref>

In 2008 the Israeli Supreme Court, ruled Messianic Jews can immigrate to Israel.<ref>https://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1208870469395&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull</ref>

[[Jews for Judaism]] claims that
Messianic missionaries have used deceit to trick Jews into converting, such as not mentioning that Messianic Jews believe Jesus is God to people who they evangelize to.<ref name="a1">http://www.jewsforjudaism.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=375&Itemid=420</ref>

Messianic organizations get most of their funding from Evangelical Christian organizations.<ref name="a1"/> In fact many Messianic organizations are former Evangelical Christian missions to Jews. For example, Messianic Jewish Alliance of America, one of the most well known Messianic organizations, was originally named the, Hebrew Christian Alliance of America, an Evangelical Christian organization geared towards spreading Christianity amongst Jews. Chosen People Ministries, another Messianic organization was originally named the, American Board of Missions to the Jews. Another organization called Jews for Jesus, which some identify with the Messianic movement, was founded in 1973 by Martin Meyer Rosen, an ordained Baptist minister. He had been a missionary for several years in the past geared towards converting Jews to Christianity, when he was unsuccessful he came up with Jews for Jesus.

==How Messianic Jews see themselves==
As a movement, modern Messianic Judaism is still very young. Prior to this, in the 1950s-1970s, Jews who believed in Jesus saw themselves as "Jewish Christians" or "Hebrew Christians" or a Christians of Jewish origins. Some were members of Churches, and some not but often met together to be "at home" with fellow Jewish believers. The most prominent organization of Jewish Christians was the Hebrew Christian Alliance of America, holding monthly meetings and annual banquets. It was not uncommon to hear Yiddish spoken at their meetings as well as English. But nowadays, Jewish expression among Jewish believers in Jesus is evinced in and through Messianic Congregations as well as home meetings rather than Churches. Many Messianic Jews in American are experiencing their 2nd and 3rd generation of believers and so provision is made for youth meetings and full family life that finds Jewish expression in the traditional home celebrations of Shabbat, Passover, Succoth and Hannukah celebrations. Messianic Jews also celebrate other of the Jewish Holidays but without the religious and Halachic commandments and significances. For example, few Messianic Jews keep the Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur) halakhically as Jesus' atonement on the cross has preempted the traditional rational for the Day and few Jews keep Tisha B'Av—the Ninth of Av, a fast day that mourns the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem. On the other hand, Israel and its survival and its continued existence as a Jewish Nation and a homeland and a refuge for the Jews is almost universally supported by Messianic Jews, probably as much as among the non Messianic religious Jews, and probably much more than secular Jews. The foundation for this adherence to the rebirth and resurgence of Israel is more the Biblical promises of God that are believed in through the teaching and preaching of their Congregations than it being based on a nationalistic or cultural agenda. Most Messianic Jews see themselves as the "first fruits" or the advanced guard of the Jewish people coming to faith in Jesus as the Messiah of Israel and the Light of the Gentiles and most are evangelistically minded toward Jews as well as non Jews coming to faith in Jesus. However, few of them have adopted "Jewishness" as a means of attracting Jews to the faith. This is for the simple reason that almost all Messianics either have experienced a deep and sincere personal conversion to Jesus that has affirmed them in whatever Jewishness that was theirs, either great or little, or they have grown up as Messianics and the Jewishness they live in is already "second nature". It is, they feel, not up for sale, for exploitation, or for "commercial use" in evangelism. This is not to say that Messianic Jews are not learning in their Jewishness and that in step with their learning to follow Jesus as their Lord. In that way, many Messianic Jews "become" more Jewish, much in the same way that secular Jews become more Jewish. Most Messianic Jews are aware that to believe in Jesus is to be fulfilled personally in what God holds out for them and their people and are good Jews for doing so, and sincerely wish the same for their fellow Jews. Though Messianic Jews are sometimes thought to be merely Evangelical Christians in "Jewish disguise", and having the mainstay of Christian belief, this is not universally so. Groupings of Messianic Jews as well as individual ones, may be differing in their adherence to Christian trinitarian and incarnational theology, and range the full gamut in understanding and creedal confession - when there is a creed. There is also a great range of practice of the Mitzvot or practice of the religious law and custom. This range of belief and custom, is evinced among the congregations in Israel as well as in the Unite States. Messianic Jews see that they have an added mission as believers in Jesus. This is to bring to Christians a deeper knowledge of the "Hebrew roots" of their own Christian faith. In Israel, there is great opposition to Messianic Judaism, while at the same time, there is a growing awareness of the movement that is keeping pace with the growing numbers of Israelis (estimated to be 15,000) that are turning to Yeshua (Jesus) in faith. This is the investigative reporting about the movement of a recent feature by "Ulpan Shishi" (Friday Studio)a secular Israeli News T.V. review. This video is in Hebrew but with English subtitles [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3sEBAldf4L0] The following is an example of the surprising diverstity found among Messianic Jews. The subject is an Indian physician working among the tribe of Bnei Menasha of north east India, whom he was instrumental in "discovering", who have been recently declared eligible for immigration to the State of Israel as descendents of Menaseh, together with Ephraim, one of the 10 lost tribes of Israel [https://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/973487.html]. His hope is that the "hundreds of thousands" of Messianic Jews, like himself, found among the Bnei Menasha will with the rest of the tribe, also be eligible for immigration to Israel.

===Why Messianic Judaism sees itself as distinct from Christianity===

Though Messianic Judaism shares with normative Christianity much of the beliefs about Jesus, it prefers to go its own way as a part of Judaism or completion of Biblical Judaism or an expression of Judaism for the following reasons:

1. It sees that belief in Jesus, is but a follow-through, and a reasonable expectation on the basis of the Jewish Scriptures (Tenakh) while it sees that Christianity often minimizes the Tenakh and the importance of [[Messianic Prophecies]] and indications in the Tenackh.

2. It sees that Christianity often is divorced or alienated from the appreciation and practice of the feasts and Holidays and customs of the Tenakh that Messianics are familiar with and in many cases have grown up with in an intimate way at home and in general Jewish society. An examples are the Passover, Hanukkah, Messianics see no reason for the discontinuance of these practices which they believe Jesus to have fully participated Himself in as being Jewish

3. Messianics are aware of much of the Church being influenced by "replacement theology". That is, God is "through with the Jews" with the Church inheriting by God the blessings he formerly bestowed on Israel - until the Jews should come to faith in Jesus. Most Messianics, though believing that Judaism's gone dreadfully wrong in its rejection of its Messiah has not annulled God's dealings with the Jews and with Israel as a nation and that He is following a timetable of His own that will bring Israel into the fold of faith in its Messiah - along with His other agenda for the people. Most Messianics do see the sufferings of the Jews through history as a punishment for the rejection of their Messiah, but also see it as a consequence of the "Evil in the World" for which perpetrators are responsible, and who will be brought to Judgement. In this way, it is not too dissimilar to religious Jews who believe that the sufferings of the Jews is due to the abandonment by the Jews generally of the Torah given them by God, but who allow other factors as explanation..

4. Messianic Jews see no reason to give up their peoplehood because, on one hand, other Jews do not agree with their choice of Jesus nor, on the other hand, the Church sees no reason for the Jews continuing unique and singular existence. They feel that Jesus was a Jew. Peter and Paul were Jews, the New Testament was written by Jews, God made the Jews, and "I am a Jew".

==Support for Messianic Judaism==

The [[Unification Church]] is arguably the biggest supporter of the main ideas of Messianic Judaism. It promotes a bridge of understanding between traditional Jewish concepts and the New Testament idea that Jesus (Yeshua) was the Jewish Messiah.

Unificationism maintains that Jesus "came to his own people, but they accepted him not" (Gospels) Indeed, it is official UC theology that God prepared the Jewish people for 2,000 years '''primarily''' to be ready to accept the Messiah when he came. It was the [[mission of John the Baptist]] to "make ready for the Lord a people prepared" (OT, Gospels). When John fell into belief - possibly because of jealousy towards Jesus - this posed a stumbling block to Jewish acceptance of Jesus as the Messiah.

The church portrays itself as a "Completed Testament" religion, coming on the foundation of [[New Testament]] Christianity and [[Old Testament]] Judaism. Its theology argues that Jews who accepted Jesus as the Messiah were correct to do so, and that when the Messiah comes again in the last day it behooves both Jews and Christians to accept him. Needless to say, this view is almost universally rejected by modern Jews and Christians.

===Israeli secular support===
Support for the civil rights of Messianic Jews in Israel has come from the quarters of civil rights activists and lawyers and some on the secular political spectrum. The reason for this has to do with the political apportionment of cabinet positions and ministries. Israel rarely has enough support in the electorate to ensure majority vote for any one party in the election of the government. Therefore, political parties vie for the support of smaller parties to bring them into the government on their side. Shas, the Sephardic-based religious party, often is one of these parties, and for their support, the larger parties usually offer it the Ministry of the Interior which deals with their interests. Part of their interest is the curtailing of missionary work in Israel which is accomplished by the Ministry of the Interior blocking the issuance to foreign missionaries of visas, and the preventing of Messianic Jews from abroad from taking out citizenship. Anti-missionary groups (foremost among them being "Yad L'Ahim"-Hand to the Brothers) unofficially are resource to the Ministry of Interior. Thus Messianic Jews find support among these civil rights lawyers and groups who find that in the defense of Messianic Jews, the power of the Ministry of the Interior is limited and civil rights for all citizens are more strongly established.

===Evangelical support===
Support for Messianic Jews has grown appreciably in the last 40 years on the part of the Evangelical Church. This is due in great part to the fact that the Evangelical Church is deeply Bible based and therefore well appreciative of the promises of God to bring the people back into the Land at or near the
End of Days. This has been abetted by a number of factors, which on the surface seem to be contradictory, but do find a resolution by leaders of the Evangelical Churches who are, by and large, politically conservative and who teach and lead their people. These factors are 1. admiration for the State of Israel in its victory over its enemies, particularly in the 1967 Six Day War. 2. Increase in Evangelical tourism that visits the sites of the Lord and, as well, the Israeli Messianic scene and congregations (see [[Israel Tourism]]) 3.. Evangelical deepening appreciation of the logistic and strategic support Israel provides the United States as the only democracy in the Mid East and the common ideological front the U.S. and Israel have. 4. Understanding that has been increasing among Evangelicals that both Israel and the United States are now shoulder to shoulder in the fight against Islamic terrorism. These political factors impact on Evangelical support for Messianics in that Messianics are seem by Evangelicals as being the forefront of a new entity bringing hope and an opening for the future. An entity combining Jewishness, Israel, and belief in Jesus as Messiah, Lord, and Savior. Much of these factors are highlighted by the once a year at Succoth Celebration in Jerusalem, when thousands of Christians from all over the world meet for a week, participate in the yearly march to Jerusalem that all Israel takes part in, and at which most often the Prime Minister of Israel delivers an address and expression of Israel's appreciation for support given to Israel by Christians throughout the world.

==See also==
*[[Philosophy]]
*[[Jewish philosophy]]
*[[Judaism]]
*[[New Testament understanding through the Jewish perspective]]
*[[Aramaic Judaism, Jewish Aramaic Christianity, and John 1:1]]
*[[Adiabene]]
*[[The Sign of the Cross: of Jewish Origin]]
*[[First Century Aramaic Jewish Christian Gospel and poetry]]
*[[Messianic Prophecies]] with relevant modern and ancient Jewish commentary
*[[Messiah]]
*[[Transmigration of Words in Religion: an essay]]
*[[In the midst of a Maelstrom: the Holy Spirit and silence: an essay]] Israeli Messianic Jew and Egyptian Muslim in Alexandria

==External links==
*[http://www.JewsForJudaism.com JewsForJudaism.com]
*[http://www.OutreachJudaism.com OutreachJudaism.com]
*[http://www.MessiahTruth.com MessiahTruth.com]
*[http://www.Drazin.com Drazin.com]
*[http://whatjewsbelieve.org/ WhatJewsBelieve.org]
*[http://bejewish.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=12&Itemid=26 Lets Get Biblical tape series online at beJewish.org]
*[http://www.simpletoremember.com/audio/anti-missionary-mp3s.htm Lets Get Biblical tape series online at SimpleToRemeber.com]
*[http://www.jews-for-jesus.org/ Jews For Jesus Home page]
*[https://www.messianic-jewish.org/ Messianic Jewish Fellowship International, a conservative messianic Jewish congregation based in the United States]

==References==
{{reflist|2}}

[[Category:Messianic Judaism]]

Messianic Judaism

2021-10-13T20:56:40Z

Rhodesia: /* External links */

[[Image:Olive tree.jpg|right|thumb|250px|The olive tree has long been used as a symbol in Messianic Judaism: "''Thou, being a wild olive tree, were grafted in among them''" (Romans 11:17)]]
'''Messianic Judaism''' is a religious movement which:<ref>Robinson, B. [http://www.religioustolerance.org/mess_jud.htm ''Messianic Judaism''] Religious Tolerance. Accessed 21 February 2008</ref><ref>''There is no '''contemporary''' founder or leader and no single group or individual speaks for all Messianics. However, most Messianics would generally accept these points.''</ref>

*believes that [[Jesus Christ]] is the [[Messiah]] spoken of in the [[Tanakh]] ([[Old Testament]]); they refer to Jesus as "Yeshua".
*regards its members to be committed [[Jew]]s.
*believes that it is following the practices and beliefs of the very early church.
*follows an [[Evangelical Christian]] [[theology]].

They differ from other Jews over their beliefs about the Messiah. Messianic Congregations are made up of people of Jewish and non-Jewish backgrounds, and are distinctly Jewish in [[culture]]. All celebrate Jewish [[Holy Days]] and support the State of [[Israel]], and most have their main service on the seventh day [[Sabbath]]. They believe that all of the [[Bible]], both the Tanakh and the [[New Testament]], is inspired by [[God]], and that the New Testament was written by Jewish writers to announce to the world the arrival of the long-awaited Jewish Messiah.

All Jewish [[denomination]]s reject Messianic Judaism on the principle that belief in Jesus automatically makes them Christian, and therefore outside of the Jewish community. In fact, Messianic Judaism fits the definition of Christian provided in the dictionary. Many view Messianic Judaism as a dangerous and subversive form of [[apostasy]].

==Early history of Messianic Judaism==

Members of Messianic Judaism believe Messianic Judaism predates Christianity by several decades, and Christianity evolved from the Messianic Judaism of the first century. They assert [[Jesus]] and his [[disciple]]s were all Jews. Furthermore, they interpret the Bible to mean that Jesus is the prophesied Messiah of Judaism, not to form a new religion. Whether the early Jewish followers of Jesus "left" Judaism to follow him is still debated today.

The first people to be known as Christians were the Gentiles in [[Antioch]] ([http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Acts%2011:20,21,26;&version=9; Acts 11:20,21,26]) but Christianity was still widely considered to be a sect of Judaism. In 70 AD, the [[Roman Empire|Roman]] general [[Titus]] sacked the city of [[Jerusalem]] and the [[Second Temple]] was burned down. It is estimated that as many as one million Jews died during the revolt.<ref>[http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/Judaism/revolt.html ''The Great Revolt''] Jewish Virtual Library. Accessed 18 February 2008</ref> Many Jews were taken captive and deported to [[Italy]] where they were forced to build the [[Colosseum]] in [[Rome]]. The emperor [[Vespasian]] then introduced a tax (the "Fiscus Judaicus") to be paid by all Jews to finance the reconstruction of the temple of Jupiter Optimus Maximus. Even after construction was completed, the tax was still levied, and was used as a measure to deter people from converting to Judaism.<ref>Lendering, Jona [http://www.livius.org/fa-fn/fiscus/judaicus.html ''Fiscus Judaicus''] "Articles on Ancient History" Livius. Accessed 18 February 2008</ref> Well into the second century, Gentile Christians were also required to pay the ''fiscus judaicus'' and persecuted as a sect of Judaism. Messianic Jews believe the Christians tried to escape this persecution, by widening the division between themselves and the Jews, and their practices became less and less Jewish.

WhatJewsBelieve.org says concerning the alleged Jewish roots of Christianity the following, "A Christian might ask, "But weren't the first Christians actually Jews?" Yes, but this is irrelevant. The first Protestants were Roman Catholics. Martin Luther was a Roman Catholic Priest. The Roman Catholics do not consider Protestant Christianity to be merely another form of Roman Catholicism.
If you read the Apocryphal book of I Maccabbees, you will see that the first person killed in the Maccabbee's rebellion was a Jew. He was willing to go ahead and sacrifice a pig to Zeus, just as Mattathias had refused to do. Obviously, he had to have been a very secular, assimilated Jew. Had he survived Mattathias's attack, and later formed a religion that was dedicated to the worship of Zeus and Zeus's half-human sons, would that make his newly formed faith just another form of Judaism? Should he call his new faith, "Jews For Zeus," or "Jews For Zeus And His Half-Human Sons?" Would that mean that his new faith had "Jewish Roots?" "
<ref>http://whatjewsbelieve.org/explanation10.html</ref>

==The wild olive branch==
The church in Rome was begun as a Jewish fellowship, started by those who returned from Pentecost in Jerusalem,<ref>[http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Acts%202%20;&version=9; Acts 2]</ref> not by an [[apostle]]. As these Jewish believers evangelized, many Gentile believers joined them. Around 50 AD [[Claudius]] banished many Jews from Rome,<ref>Barclay, John M. G.; Hooker, Morna Dorothy and McMurdo, John Philip (ed.) "Early Christian Thought in Its Jewish Context" (Cambridge University Press; 2007) ISBN 0-5210-4412-X</ref> leaving the church entirely Gentile. Twelve years later [[Nero]] invited the Jews back to stimulate trade. However the Gentiles refused to allow the Messianic Jewish believers back into the church, having concluded that Claudius' rejection signified God's rejection, which is probably the first appearance of [[Replacement Theology]].<ref>[http://fp.thebeers.f9.co.uk/olive.htm ''The Olive Tree and the wild olive branch''] "The Wild Olive Branch" Accessed 18 February 2008</ref>

[[Paul]]'s [http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans%209-11;&version=9; letter to the Roman church] addresses this matter, and he urges them to remember that they are like a "wild olive tree, grafted in" among the Jews, and warns them against "conceit", particularly as it is the Jewish root which supported their Christian branch. ([http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans%2011:17,18,25;&version=9; Romans 11:17,18,25])

However, by the time of the [[Council of Nicaea]] in 325, Christianity was both anti-Judaic and [[anti-Semitic]].<ref>As [[Constantine]] said at the Council: "''Let us then have nothing in common with the most hostile rabble of the Jews.''" Boyle, Isaac "A Historical View of The Council of Nicea" (T Mason and G Lane, New York; 1839)</ref>

==Comparison table==
Table comparing the mainstream '''beliefs''' of these movements with each other
{| class="wikitable" border="1" cellpadding="2"
|-
|
|Judaism
|Christianity
|Messianic Judaism
|-
|Trinity
|no
|yes
|yes
|-
|Divinity of Jesus
|no
|yes
|yes
|-
|Accept Talmud as authoritative
|yes
|no
|no
|-
|Accept New Testament as part of canon
|no
|yes
|yes
|-
|Jesus is the son of God
|no
|yes
|yes
|-
|Jesus is the messiah
|no
|yes
|yes
|-
|Hell exists
|no
|yes
|yes
|-
|Second coming of Jesus Christ
|no
|yes
|yes
|-
|Jesus was born of a virgin
|no
|yes
|yes
|-
|Jesus died on a cross for the sins of humanity
|no
|yes
|yes
|-
|Jesus was resurrected from the dead
|no
|yes
|yes
|-
|Jesus is an intermediary between man and God
|no
|yes
|yes
|-
|Original Sin
|no
|yes
|yes
|-
|skepticism towards evolution
|no*<ref>Even amongst Orthodox Jews, the mainstream belief is evolution happened, although generally Orthodox Jews believe in theistic evolution, meaning evolution but that it was caused by God.</ref>
|yes
|yes
|-
|follow teachings of past rabbis
|yes
|no
|no*<ref>Messianic Jews have even been known to criticize Judaism by calling it Rabbinic Judaism, despite the fact that Messianic Jews call their pastors, rabbis.</ref>
|-
|Jesus was God made flesh
|no
|yes
|yes
|-
|interpretation of the text by a scholar should be preferred
|yes
|no, the laity's interpretation is equally valid to that of a scholar's interpretation
|no, the laity's interpretation is equally valid to that of a scholar's interpretation
|-
|Is Daniel a prophet?
|no
|yes, Jesus Christ called Daniel a prophet in the Gospels
|yes, Jesus Christ called Daniel a prophet in the Gospels
|-
|Is Enoch a prophet?
|no
|yes
|yes
|-
|Is Sarah a prophetess?
|yes
|no
|no
|-
|Has the messiah came?
|no
|yes, he is Jesus Christ
|yes, he is Jesus Christ
|-
|Who was the greatest prophet?
|Moses
|Jesus Christ
|Jesus Christ
|}

According to WhatJewsBelieve.org the idea that God became flesh disagrees with the words of the Bible saying,

"There is the verse from Hosea in which God specifically tells us that God is not a human being:

I will not execute the fierceness of mine anger, I will not return to destroy Ephraim: for I am God, and not a man; the Holy One in the midst of thee: and I will not enter into the city. Hosea 11:9

And then there is another verse, in Numbers 23:19, where God specifically tells us that if God were a human being, then he would be a liar, as all human beings do lie on occasion. Furthermore, this verse tell us that if God were a human being, he would be in need of repentance because all human beings sin at some point in their lives.
Finally, this verse also tells us that if God were a human being, then he would make promises, but not keep them:

God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the Son of Man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do it? or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good? Numbers 23:19"

<ref>http://whatjewsbelieve.org/explanation08.html</ref>

==Criticism of Messianic Judaism==

Criticism of Messianic Judaism is predicated on the assumption that Judaism and Christanity are implacably incompatible: one must be either a Jew or a Christian: there is no such thing as a Jewish Christian or a Christian Jew. Attempts by groups like [[Jews for Jesus]] are seen in this light as outrageously deceptive.

The Central Conference of American Rabbis has stated: ''"For us in the Jewish community, anyone who claims that Jesus is their savior is no longer a Jew and is an apostate. Through that belief she has placed herself outside the Jewish community. Whether she cares to define herself as a Christian or as a 'fulfilled Jew,' 'Messianic Jew,' or any other designation is irrelevant; to us, she is clearly a Christian."''<ref>Robinson, B. [http://www.religioustolerance.org/mess_jud4.htm ''Opposition to Messianic Judaism''] Religious Tolerance. Accessed 21 February 2008</ref>
In acknowledging Jesus and the Christian Scriptures, these congregations are accepting many other theological concepts contrary to the Jewish belief system, including original sin, the devil and demonology, “vicarious blood atonement,” and the trinity, Margolis said.<ref name="a"/>

One rabbi said the following concerning Messianic Judaism: “Messianic congregations are Christians portraying themselves as Jews,” said Rabbi Richard Margolis, the leader of Temple Beth Sholom in Melbourne and a member of the Jewish Federation board of Brevard. In an e-mail, he added, “The issue is deceit. This is a deceptive missionary movement, organized and heavily funded by evangelical Christians whose sole purpose is to convert Jews to (fundamentalist) Christianity. There is nothing Jewish about any of this.”<ref name="a"/>
“I have great respect for the authentic Christian tradition and maintain an ongoing program of interfaith activities in our community,” Margolis said.
“But I cannot countenance couching fundamentalist Christianity in Jewish symbols.”<ref name="a">http://www.religionnewsblog.com/12955</ref>

Robinson states that "converts to Messianic Judaism are usually shunned by their Jewish families of origin and are excluded from the local Jewish community."

Many people, see Messianic Judaism, as the Church's last resort to convince Jews to accept Jesus as their messiah. Anti-missionaries, Jews who try to counter the work of Messianic missionaries have reported being assaulted.<ref>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1rS35_UnHRw</ref> The Jewish community has produced several groups to counter Messianic Judaism, which it sees as Evangelical Christianity disguised in Jewish garb, such as, Jews for Judaism, Outreach Judaism, and produced the Lets Get Biblical Series, a tape series produced by Outreach Judaism. The Jewish community often perceives Messianic Judaism as Christianity hijacking Judaism in order to convert Jews and misrepresenting Judaism to gain converts. They believe that Messianic Judaism is a corruption of the most deeply spiritual rituals and customs that honor Judaism's connection to God through Torah. Dr. David A. Rausch, associate professor of church history and Judaic studies at Ashland Theological Seminary, [[Ohio]], summed up the attitude of many Jewish people in the comment he was given by a member of the Jewish Defense League: ''"These Messianics are the [[Nazi]]s - the spiritual Nazis. They pretend to be Jews and use traditional Jewish symbols to trap children and the unsuspecting."''<ref>Rausch, David A. [http://www.religion-online.org/showarticle.asp?title=1339 ''The Messianic Jewish Congregational Movement''] Religion Online. Accessed 21 February 2008</ref> The sentiments are not confined entirely to Judaism; the same author was told by a Christian missionary: ''"To these "Messianic Jews" Jewishness means Judaism, a rabbinic Judaism of the Ashkenazic flavor. They neither have a real knowledge of Jewish history or of Jewish-Christian history, nor do they possess a good handle on biblical [[exegesis]]. Like the Ebionites of old they will finally blend into Judaism and deny the Messiah."''<ref>''ibid''</ref>

In the summer of 1987 in Washington D.C. (USA), there was held an Interfaith Conference of Metropolitan Washington. Partaking in the conference were representatives of various Protestant churches, Roman-Catholics, together with Moslems and representatives of Jewish organizations. The Conference concluded with an official statement (published in "Interfaith Connector" Vol. 8, No. 2) which stated:

"We condemn proselytizing efforts which delegitimize the faith tradition of the person whose conversion is being sought. Such tactics go beyond the bounds of appropriate and ethically based religious outreach. Examples of such practices are those common among groups that have adopted the label of Hebrew Christianity, Messianic Judaism, or Jews for Jesus. These groups specifically target Jews for conversion to their version of Christianity, making claim that in accepting Jesus as the savior/messiah, a Jews 'fulfills' his/her faith. Furthermore, by celebrating Jewish festivals, worshipping on the Jewish Shabbat, appropriating Jewish symbols, rituals and prayers in their churches, and, sometimes, even calling their leaders 'Rabbi', the seek to win over, often by deception, many Jews who are sincerely looking for a path back to their ancestral heritage. Deceptive proselytizing is practiced on the most vulnerable of populations - residents of hospitals and old aged homes, confused youth, college students away from home. These proselytizing techniques are tantamount to coerced conversions and should be condemned."<ref>http://www.faqs.org/faqs/judaism/FAQ/09-Antisemitism/</ref>

In 2008 the Israeli Supreme Court, ruled Messianic Jews can immigrate to Israel.<ref>https://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1208870469395&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull</ref>

[[Jews for Judaism]] claims that
Messianic missionaries have used deceit to trick Jews into converting, such as not mentioning that Messianic Jews believe Jesus is God to people who they evangelize to.<ref name="a1">http://www.jewsforjudaism.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=375&Itemid=420</ref>

Messianic organizations get most of their funding from Evangelical Christian organizations.<ref name="a1"/> In fact many Messianic organizations are former Evangelical Christian missions to Jews. For example, Messianic Jewish Alliance of America, one of the most well known Messianic organizations, was originally named the, Hebrew Christian Alliance of America, an Evangelical Christian organization geared towards spreading Christianity amongst Jews. Chosen People Ministries, another Messianic organization was originally named the, American Board of Missions to the Jews. Another organization called Jews for Jesus, which some identify with the Messianic movement, was founded in 1973 by Martin Meyer Rosen, an ordained Baptist minister. He had been a missionary for several years in the past geared towards converting Jews to Christianity, when he was unsuccessful he came up with Jews for Jesus.

==How Messianic Jews see themselves==
As a movement, modern Messianic Judaism is still very young. Prior to this, in the 1950s-1970s, Jews who believed in Jesus saw themselves as "Jewish Christians" or "Hebrew Christians" or a Christians of Jewish origins. Some were members of Churches, and some not but often met together to be "at home" with fellow Jewish believers. The most prominent organization of Jewish Christians was the Hebrew Christian Alliance of America, holding monthly meetings and annual banquets. It was not uncommon to hear Yiddish spoken at their meetings as well as English. But nowadays, Jewish expression among Jewish believers in Jesus is evinced in and through Messianic Congregations as well as home meetings rather than Churches. Many Messianic Jews in American are experiencing their 2nd and 3rd generation of believers and so provision is made for youth meetings and full family life that finds Jewish expression in the traditional home celebrations of Shabbat, Passover, Succoth and Hannukah celebrations. Messianic Jews also celebrate other of the Jewish Holidays but without the religious and Halachic commandments and significances. For example, few Messianic Jews keep the Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur) halakhically as Jesus' atonement on the cross has preempted the traditional rational for the Day and few Jews keep Tisha B'Av—the Ninth of Av, a fast day that mourns the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem. On the other hand, Israel and its survival and its continued existence as a Jewish Nation and a homeland and a refuge for the Jews is almost universally supported by Messianic Jews, probably as much as among the non Messianic religious Jews, and probably much more than secular Jews. The foundation for this adherence to the rebirth and resurgence of Israel is more the Biblical promises of God that are believed in through the teaching and preaching of their Congregations than it being based on a nationalistic or cultural agenda. Most Messianic Jews see themselves as the "first fruits" or the advanced guard of the Jewish people coming to faith in Jesus as the Messiah of Israel and the Light of the Gentiles and most are evangelistically minded toward Jews as well as non Jews coming to faith in Jesus. However, few of them have adopted "Jewishness" as a means of attracting Jews to the faith. This is for the simple reason that almost all Messianics either have experienced a deep and sincere personal conversion to Jesus that has affirmed them in whatever Jewishness that was theirs, either great or little, or they have grown up as Messianics and the Jewishness they live in is already "second nature". It is, they feel, not up for sale, for exploitation, or for "commercial use" in evangelism. This is not to say that Messianic Jews are not learning in their Jewishness and that in step with their learning to follow Jesus as their Lord. In that way, many Messianic Jews "become" more Jewish, much in the same way that secular Jews become more Jewish. Most Messianic Jews are aware that to believe in Jesus is to be fulfilled personally in what God holds out for them and their people and are good Jews for doing so, and sincerely wish the same for their fellow Jews. Though Messianic Jews are sometimes thought to be merely Evangelical Christians in "Jewish disguise", and having the mainstay of Christian belief, this is not universally so. Groupings of Messianic Jews as well as individual ones, may be differing in their adherence to Christian trinitarian and incarnational theology, and range the full gamut in understanding and creedal confession - when there is a creed. There is also a great range of practice of the Mitzvot or practice of the religious law and custom. This range of belief and custom, is evinced among the congregations in Israel as well as in the Unite States. Messianic Jews see that they have an added mission as believers in Jesus. This is to bring to Christians a deeper knowledge of the "Hebrew roots" of their own Christian faith. In Israel, there is great opposition to Messianic Judaism, while at the same time, there is a growing awareness of the movement that is keeping pace with the growing numbers of Israelis (estimated to be 15,000) that are turning to Yeshua (Jesus) in faith. This is the investigative reporting about the movement of a recent feature by "Ulpan Shishi" (Friday Studio)a secular Israeli News T.V. review. This video is in Hebrew but with English subtitles [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3sEBAldf4L0] The following is an example of the surprising diverstity found among Messianic Jews. The subject is an Indian physician working among the tribe of Bnei Menasha of north east India, whom he was instrumental in "discovering", who have been recently declared eligible for immigration to the State of Israel as descendents of Menaseh, together with Ephraim, one of the 10 lost tribes of Israel [https://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/973487.html]. His hope is that the "hundreds of thousands" of Messianic Jews, like himself, found among the Bnei Menasha will with the rest of the tribe, also be eligible for immigration to Israel.

===Why Messianic Judaism sees itself as distinct from Christianity===

Though Messianic Judaism shares with normative Christianity much of the beliefs about Jesus, it prefers to go its own way as a part of Judaism or completion of Biblical Judaism or an expression of Judaism for the following reasons:

1. It sees that belief in Jesus, is but a follow-through, and a reasonable expectation on the basis of the Jewish Scriptures (Tenakh) while it sees that Christianity often minimizes the Tenakh and the importance of [[Messianic Prophecies]] and indications in the Tenackh.

2. It sees that Christianity often is divorced or alienated from the appreciation and practice of the feasts and Holidays and customs of the Tenakh that Messianics are familiar with and in many cases have grown up with in an intimate way at home and in general Jewish society. An examples are the Passover, Hanukkah, Messianics see no reason for the discontinuance of these practices which they believe Jesus to have fully participated Himself in as being Jewish

3. Messianics are aware of much of the Church being influenced by "replacement theology". That is, God is "through with the Jews" with the Church inheriting by God the blessings he formerly bestowed on Israel - until the Jews should come to faith in Jesus. Most Messianics, though believing that Judaism's gone dreadfully wrong in its rejection of its Messiah has not annulled God's dealings with the Jews and with Israel as a nation and that He is following a timetable of His own that will bring Israel into the fold of faith in its Messiah - along with His other agenda for the people. Most Messianics do see the sufferings of the Jews through history as a punishment for the rejection of their Messiah, but also see it as a consequence of the "Evil in the World" for which perpetrators are responsible, and who will be brought to Judgement. In this way, it is not too dissimilar to religious Jews who believe that the sufferings of the Jews is due to the abandonment by the Jews generally of the Torah given them by God, but who allow other factors as explanation..

4. Messianic Jews see no reason to give up their peoplehood because, on one hand, other Jews do not agree with their choice of Jesus nor, on the other hand, the Church sees no reason for the Jews continuing unique and singular existence. They feel that Jesus was a Jew. Peter and Paul were Jews, the New Testament was written by Jews, God made the Jews, and "I am a Jew".

==Support for Messianic Judaism==

The [[Unification Church]] is arguably the biggest supporter of the main ideas of Messianic Judaism. It promotes a bridge of understanding between traditional Jewish concepts and the New Testament idea that Jesus (Yeshua) was the Jewish Messiah.

Unificationism maintains that Jesus "came to his own people, but they accepted him not" (Gospels) Indeed, it is official UC theology that God prepared the Jewish people for 2,000 years '''primarily''' to be ready to accept the Messiah when he came. It was the [[mission of John the Baptist]] to "make ready for the Lord a people prepared" (OT, Gospels). When John fell into belief - possibly because of jealousy towards Jesus - this posed a stumbling block to Jewish acceptance of Jesus as the Messiah.

The church portrays itself as a "Completed Testament" religion, coming on the foundation of [[New Testament]] Christianity and [[Old Testament]] Judaism. Its theology argues that Jews who accepted Jesus as the Messiah were correct to do so, and that when the Messiah comes again in the last day it behooves both Jews and Christians to accept him. Needless to say, this view is almost universally rejected by modern Jews and Christians.

===Israeli secular support===
Support for the civil rights of Messianic Jews in Israel has come from the quarters of civil rights activists and lawyers and some on the secular political spectrum. The reason for this has to do with the political apportionment of cabinet positions and ministries. Israel rarely has enough support in the electorate to ensure majority vote for any one party in the election of the government. Therefore, political parties vie for the support of smaller parties to bring them into the government on their side. Shas, the Sephardic-based religious party, often is one of these parties, and for their support, the larger parties usually offer it the Ministry of the Interior which deals with their interests. Part of their interest is the curtailing of missionary work in Israel which is accomplished by the Ministry of the Interior blocking the issuance to foreign missionaries of visas, and the preventing of Messianic Jews from abroad from taking out citizenship. Anti-missionary groups (foremost among them being "Yad L'Ahim"-Hand to the Brothers) unofficially are resource to the Ministry of Interior. Thus Messianic Jews find support among these civil rights lawyers and groups who find that in the defense of Messianic Jews, the power of the Ministry of the Interior is limited and civil rights for all citizens are more strongly established.

===Evangelical support===
Support for Messianic Jews has grown appreciably in the last 40 years on the part of the Evangelical Church. This is due in great part to the fact that the Evangelical Church is deeply Bible based and therefore well appreciative of the promises of God to bring the people back into the Land at or near the
End of Days. This has been abetted by a number of factors, which on the surface seem to be contradictory, but do find a resolution by leaders of the Evangelical Churches who are, by and large, politically conservative and who teach and lead their people. These factors are 1. admiration for the State of Israel in its victory over its enemies, particularly in the 1967 Six Day War. 2. Increase in Evangelical tourism that visits the sites of the Lord and, as well, the Israeli Messianic scene and congregations (see [[Israel Tourism]]) 3.. Evangelical deepening appreciation of the logistic and strategic support Israel provides the United States as the only democracy in the Mid East and the common ideological front the U.S. and Israel have. 4. Understanding that has been increasing among Evangelicals that both Israel and the United States are now shoulder to shoulder in the fight against Islamic terrorism. These political factors impact on Evangelical support for Messianics in that Messianics are seem by Evangelicals as being the forefront of a new entity bringing hope and an opening for the future. An entity combining Jewishness, Israel, and belief in Jesus as Messiah, Lord, and Savior. Much of these factors are highlighted by the once a year at Succoth Celebration in Jerusalem, when thousands of Christians from all over the world meet for a week, participate in the yearly march to Jerusalem that all Israel takes part in, and at which most often the Prime Minister of Israel delivers an address and expression of Israel's appreciation for support given to Israel by Christians throughout the world.

==See also==
*[[Philosophy]]
*[[Jewish philosophy]]
*[[Judaism]]
*[[New Testament understanding through the Jewish perspective]]
*[[Aramaic Judaism, Jewish Aramaic Christianity, and John 1:1]]
*[[Adiabene]]
*[[The Sign of the Cross: of Jewish Origin]]
*[[First Century Aramaic Jewish Christian Gospel and poetry]]
*[[Messianic Prophecies]] with relevant modern and ancient Jewish commentary
*[[Messiah]]
*[[Transmigration of Words in Religion: an essay]]
*[[In the midst of a Maelstrom: the Holy Spirit and silence: an essay]] Israeli Messianic Jew and Egyptian Muslim in Alexandria

==External links==
*[http://www.JewsForJudaism.com JewsForJudaism.com]
*[http://www.OutreachJudaism.com OutreachJudaism.com]
*[http://www.MessiahTruth.com MessiahTruth.com]
*[http://www.Drazin.com Drazin.com]
*[http://whatjewsbelieve.org/ WhatJewsBelieve.org]
*[http://bejewish.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=12&Itemid=26 Lets Get Biblical tape series online at beJewish.org]
*[http://www.simpletoremember.com/audio/anti-missionary-mp3s.htm Lets Get Biblical tape series online at SimpleToRemeber.com]
*[http://www.jews-for-jesus.org/ Jews For Jesus Home page]
*[https://www.messianic-jewish.org/ Messianic Jewish Fellowship
International (Conservative Messianic Jewish Congregation, based in the United States)]

==References==
{{reflist|2}}

[[Category:Messianic Judaism]]

Messianic Judaism

2021-10-13T20:55:27Z

Rhodesia: Update

[[Image:Olive tree.jpg|right|thumb|250px|The olive tree has long been used as a symbol in Messianic Judaism: "''Thou, being a wild olive tree, were grafted in among them''" (Romans 11:17)]]
'''Messianic Judaism''' is a religious movement which:<ref>Robinson, B. [http://www.religioustolerance.org/mess_jud.htm ''Messianic Judaism''] Religious Tolerance. Accessed 21 February 2008</ref><ref>''There is no '''contemporary''' founder or leader and no single group or individual speaks for all Messianics. However, most Messianics would generally accept these points.''</ref>

*believes that [[Jesus Christ]] is the [[Messiah]] spoken of in the [[Tanakh]] ([[Old Testament]]); they refer to Jesus as "Yeshua".
*regards its members to be committed [[Jew]]s.
*believes that it is following the practices and beliefs of the very early church.
*follows an [[Evangelical Christian]] [[theology]].

They differ from other Jews over their beliefs about the Messiah. Messianic Congregations are made up of people of Jewish and non-Jewish backgrounds, and are distinctly Jewish in [[culture]]. All celebrate Jewish [[Holy Days]] and support the State of [[Israel]], and most have their main service on the seventh day [[Sabbath]]. They believe that all of the [[Bible]], both the Tanakh and the [[New Testament]], is inspired by [[God]], and that the New Testament was written by Jewish writers to announce to the world the arrival of the long-awaited Jewish Messiah.

All Jewish [[denomination]]s reject Messianic Judaism on the principle that belief in Jesus automatically makes them Christian, and therefore outside of the Jewish community. In fact, Messianic Judaism fits the definition of Christian provided in the dictionary. Many view Messianic Judaism as a dangerous and subversive form of [[apostasy]].

==Early history of Messianic Judaism==

Members of Messianic Judaism believe Messianic Judaism predates Christianity by several decades, and Christianity evolved from the Messianic Judaism of the first century. They assert [[Jesus]] and his [[disciple]]s were all Jews. Furthermore, they interpret the Bible to mean that Jesus is the prophesied Messiah of Judaism, not to form a new religion. Whether the early Jewish followers of Jesus "left" Judaism to follow him is still debated today.

The first people to be known as Christians were the Gentiles in [[Antioch]] ([http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Acts%2011:20,21,26;&version=9; Acts 11:20,21,26]) but Christianity was still widely considered to be a sect of Judaism. In 70 AD, the [[Roman Empire|Roman]] general [[Titus]] sacked the city of [[Jerusalem]] and the [[Second Temple]] was burned down. It is estimated that as many as one million Jews died during the revolt.<ref>[http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/Judaism/revolt.html ''The Great Revolt''] Jewish Virtual Library. Accessed 18 February 2008</ref> Many Jews were taken captive and deported to [[Italy]] where they were forced to build the [[Colosseum]] in [[Rome]]. The emperor [[Vespasian]] then introduced a tax (the "Fiscus Judaicus") to be paid by all Jews to finance the reconstruction of the temple of Jupiter Optimus Maximus. Even after construction was completed, the tax was still levied, and was used as a measure to deter people from converting to Judaism.<ref>Lendering, Jona [http://www.livius.org/fa-fn/fiscus/judaicus.html ''Fiscus Judaicus''] "Articles on Ancient History" Livius. Accessed 18 February 2008</ref> Well into the second century, Gentile Christians were also required to pay the ''fiscus judaicus'' and persecuted as a sect of Judaism. Messianic Jews believe the Christians tried to escape this persecution, by widening the division between themselves and the Jews, and their practices became less and less Jewish.

WhatJewsBelieve.org says concerning the alleged Jewish roots of Christianity the following, "A Christian might ask, "But weren't the first Christians actually Jews?" Yes, but this is irrelevant. The first Protestants were Roman Catholics. Martin Luther was a Roman Catholic Priest. The Roman Catholics do not consider Protestant Christianity to be merely another form of Roman Catholicism.
If you read the Apocryphal book of I Maccabbees, you will see that the first person killed in the Maccabbee's rebellion was a Jew. He was willing to go ahead and sacrifice a pig to Zeus, just as Mattathias had refused to do. Obviously, he had to have been a very secular, assimilated Jew. Had he survived Mattathias's attack, and later formed a religion that was dedicated to the worship of Zeus and Zeus's half-human sons, would that make his newly formed faith just another form of Judaism? Should he call his new faith, "Jews For Zeus," or "Jews For Zeus And His Half-Human Sons?" Would that mean that his new faith had "Jewish Roots?" "
<ref>http://whatjewsbelieve.org/explanation10.html</ref>

==The wild olive branch==
The church in Rome was begun as a Jewish fellowship, started by those who returned from Pentecost in Jerusalem,<ref>[http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Acts%202%20;&version=9; Acts 2]</ref> not by an [[apostle]]. As these Jewish believers evangelized, many Gentile believers joined them. Around 50 AD [[Claudius]] banished many Jews from Rome,<ref>Barclay, John M. G.; Hooker, Morna Dorothy and McMurdo, John Philip (ed.) "Early Christian Thought in Its Jewish Context" (Cambridge University Press; 2007) ISBN 0-5210-4412-X</ref> leaving the church entirely Gentile. Twelve years later [[Nero]] invited the Jews back to stimulate trade. However the Gentiles refused to allow the Messianic Jewish believers back into the church, having concluded that Claudius' rejection signified God's rejection, which is probably the first appearance of [[Replacement Theology]].<ref>[http://fp.thebeers.f9.co.uk/olive.htm ''The Olive Tree and the wild olive branch''] "The Wild Olive Branch" Accessed 18 February 2008</ref>

[[Paul]]'s [http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans%209-11;&version=9; letter to the Roman church] addresses this matter, and he urges them to remember that they are like a "wild olive tree, grafted in" among the Jews, and warns them against "conceit", particularly as it is the Jewish root which supported their Christian branch. ([http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans%2011:17,18,25;&version=9; Romans 11:17,18,25])

However, by the time of the [[Council of Nicaea]] in 325, Christianity was both anti-Judaic and [[anti-Semitic]].<ref>As [[Constantine]] said at the Council: "''Let us then have nothing in common with the most hostile rabble of the Jews.''" Boyle, Isaac "A Historical View of The Council of Nicea" (T Mason and G Lane, New York; 1839)</ref>

==Comparison table==
Table comparing the mainstream '''beliefs''' of these movements with each other
{| class="wikitable" border="1" cellpadding="2"
|-
|
|Judaism
|Christianity
|Messianic Judaism
|-
|Trinity
|no
|yes
|yes
|-
|Divinity of Jesus
|no
|yes
|yes
|-
|Accept Talmud as authoritative
|yes
|no
|no
|-
|Accept New Testament as part of canon
|no
|yes
|yes
|-
|Jesus is the son of God
|no
|yes
|yes
|-
|Jesus is the messiah
|no
|yes
|yes
|-
|Hell exists
|no
|yes
|yes
|-
|Second coming of Jesus Christ
|no
|yes
|yes
|-
|Jesus was born of a virgin
|no
|yes
|yes
|-
|Jesus died on a cross for the sins of humanity
|no
|yes
|yes
|-
|Jesus was resurrected from the dead
|no
|yes
|yes
|-
|Jesus is an intermediary between man and God
|no
|yes
|yes
|-
|Original Sin
|no
|yes
|yes
|-
|skepticism towards evolution
|no*<ref>Even amongst Orthodox Jews, the mainstream belief is evolution happened, although generally Orthodox Jews believe in theistic evolution, meaning evolution but that it was caused by God.</ref>
|yes
|yes
|-
|follow teachings of past rabbis
|yes
|no
|no*<ref>Messianic Jews have even been known to criticize Judaism by calling it Rabbinic Judaism, despite the fact that Messianic Jews call their pastors, rabbis.</ref>
|-
|Jesus was God made flesh
|no
|yes
|yes
|-
|interpretation of the text by a scholar should be preferred
|yes
|no, the laity's interpretation is equally valid to that of a scholar's interpretation
|no, the laity's interpretation is equally valid to that of a scholar's interpretation
|-
|Is Daniel a prophet?
|no
|yes, Jesus Christ called Daniel a prophet in the Gospels
|yes, Jesus Christ called Daniel a prophet in the Gospels
|-
|Is Enoch a prophet?
|no
|yes
|yes
|-
|Is Sarah a prophetess?
|yes
|no
|no
|-
|Has the messiah came?
|no
|yes, he is Jesus Christ
|yes, he is Jesus Christ
|-
|Who was the greatest prophet?
|Moses
|Jesus Christ
|Jesus Christ
|}

According to WhatJewsBelieve.org the idea that God became flesh disagrees with the words of the Bible saying,

"There is the verse from Hosea in which God specifically tells us that God is not a human being:

I will not execute the fierceness of mine anger, I will not return to destroy Ephraim: for I am God, and not a man; the Holy One in the midst of thee: and I will not enter into the city. Hosea 11:9

And then there is another verse, in Numbers 23:19, where God specifically tells us that if God were a human being, then he would be a liar, as all human beings do lie on occasion. Furthermore, this verse tell us that if God were a human being, he would be in need of repentance because all human beings sin at some point in their lives.
Finally, this verse also tells us that if God were a human being, then he would make promises, but not keep them:

God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the Son of Man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do it? or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good? Numbers 23:19"

<ref>http://whatjewsbelieve.org/explanation08.html</ref>

==Criticism of Messianic Judaism==

Criticism of Messianic Judaism is predicated on the assumption that Judaism and Christanity are implacably incompatible: one must be either a Jew or a Christian: there is no such thing as a Jewish Christian or a Christian Jew. Attempts by groups like [[Jews for Jesus]] are seen in this light as outrageously deceptive.

The Central Conference of American Rabbis has stated: ''"For us in the Jewish community, anyone who claims that Jesus is their savior is no longer a Jew and is an apostate. Through that belief she has placed herself outside the Jewish community. Whether she cares to define herself as a Christian or as a 'fulfilled Jew,' 'Messianic Jew,' or any other designation is irrelevant; to us, she is clearly a Christian."''<ref>Robinson, B. [http://www.religioustolerance.org/mess_jud4.htm ''Opposition to Messianic Judaism''] Religious Tolerance. Accessed 21 February 2008</ref>
In acknowledging Jesus and the Christian Scriptures, these congregations are accepting many other theological concepts contrary to the Jewish belief system, including original sin, the devil and demonology, “vicarious blood atonement,” and the trinity, Margolis said.<ref name="a"/>

One rabbi said the following concerning Messianic Judaism: “Messianic congregations are Christians portraying themselves as Jews,” said Rabbi Richard Margolis, the leader of Temple Beth Sholom in Melbourne and a member of the Jewish Federation board of Brevard. In an e-mail, he added, “The issue is deceit. This is a deceptive missionary movement, organized and heavily funded by evangelical Christians whose sole purpose is to convert Jews to (fundamentalist) Christianity. There is nothing Jewish about any of this.”<ref name="a"/>
“I have great respect for the authentic Christian tradition and maintain an ongoing program of interfaith activities in our community,” Margolis said.
“But I cannot countenance couching fundamentalist Christianity in Jewish symbols.”<ref name="a">http://www.religionnewsblog.com/12955</ref>

Robinson states that "converts to Messianic Judaism are usually shunned by their Jewish families of origin and are excluded from the local Jewish community."

Many people, see Messianic Judaism, as the Church's last resort to convince Jews to accept Jesus as their messiah. Anti-missionaries, Jews who try to counter the work of Messianic missionaries have reported being assaulted.<ref>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1rS35_UnHRw</ref> The Jewish community has produced several groups to counter Messianic Judaism, which it sees as Evangelical Christianity disguised in Jewish garb, such as, Jews for Judaism, Outreach Judaism, and produced the Lets Get Biblical Series, a tape series produced by Outreach Judaism. The Jewish community often perceives Messianic Judaism as Christianity hijacking Judaism in order to convert Jews and misrepresenting Judaism to gain converts. They believe that Messianic Judaism is a corruption of the most deeply spiritual rituals and customs that honor Judaism's connection to God through Torah. Dr. David A. Rausch, associate professor of church history and Judaic studies at Ashland Theological Seminary, [[Ohio]], summed up the attitude of many Jewish people in the comment he was given by a member of the Jewish Defense League: ''"These Messianics are the [[Nazi]]s - the spiritual Nazis. They pretend to be Jews and use traditional Jewish symbols to trap children and the unsuspecting."''<ref>Rausch, David A. [http://www.religion-online.org/showarticle.asp?title=1339 ''The Messianic Jewish Congregational Movement''] Religion Online. Accessed 21 February 2008</ref> The sentiments are not confined entirely to Judaism; the same author was told by a Christian missionary: ''"To these "Messianic Jews" Jewishness means Judaism, a rabbinic Judaism of the Ashkenazic flavor. They neither have a real knowledge of Jewish history or of Jewish-Christian history, nor do they possess a good handle on biblical [[exegesis]]. Like the Ebionites of old they will finally blend into Judaism and deny the Messiah."''<ref>''ibid''</ref>

In the summer of 1987 in Washington D.C. (USA), there was held an Interfaith Conference of Metropolitan Washington. Partaking in the conference were representatives of various Protestant churches, Roman-Catholics, together with Moslems and representatives of Jewish organizations. The Conference concluded with an official statement (published in "Interfaith Connector" Vol. 8, No. 2) which stated:

"We condemn proselytizing efforts which delegitimize the faith tradition of the person whose conversion is being sought. Such tactics go beyond the bounds of appropriate and ethically based religious outreach. Examples of such practices are those common among groups that have adopted the label of Hebrew Christianity, Messianic Judaism, or Jews for Jesus. These groups specifically target Jews for conversion to their version of Christianity, making claim that in accepting Jesus as the savior/messiah, a Jews 'fulfills' his/her faith. Furthermore, by celebrating Jewish festivals, worshipping on the Jewish Shabbat, appropriating Jewish symbols, rituals and prayers in their churches, and, sometimes, even calling their leaders 'Rabbi', the seek to win over, often by deception, many Jews who are sincerely looking for a path back to their ancestral heritage. Deceptive proselytizing is practiced on the most vulnerable of populations - residents of hospitals and old aged homes, confused youth, college students away from home. These proselytizing techniques are tantamount to coerced conversions and should be condemned."<ref>http://www.faqs.org/faqs/judaism/FAQ/09-Antisemitism/</ref>

In 2008 the Israeli Supreme Court, ruled Messianic Jews can immigrate to Israel.<ref>https://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1208870469395&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull</ref>

[[Jews for Judaism]] claims that
Messianic missionaries have used deceit to trick Jews into converting, such as not mentioning that Messianic Jews believe Jesus is God to people who they evangelize to.<ref name="a1">http://www.jewsforjudaism.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=375&Itemid=420</ref>

Messianic organizations get most of their funding from Evangelical Christian organizations.<ref name="a1"/> In fact many Messianic organizations are former Evangelical Christian missions to Jews. For example, Messianic Jewish Alliance of America, one of the most well known Messianic organizations, was originally named the, Hebrew Christian Alliance of America, an Evangelical Christian organization geared towards spreading Christianity amongst Jews. Chosen People Ministries, another Messianic organization was originally named the, American Board of Missions to the Jews. Another organization called Jews for Jesus, which some identify with the Messianic movement, was founded in 1973 by Martin Meyer Rosen, an ordained Baptist minister. He had been a missionary for several years in the past geared towards converting Jews to Christianity, when he was unsuccessful he came up with Jews for Jesus.

==How Messianic Jews see themselves==
As a movement, modern Messianic Judaism is still very young. Prior to this, in the 1950s-1970s, Jews who believed in Jesus saw themselves as "Jewish Christians" or "Hebrew Christians" or a Christians of Jewish origins. Some were members of Churches, and some not but often met together to be "at home" with fellow Jewish believers. The most prominent organization of Jewish Christians was the Hebrew Christian Alliance of America, holding monthly meetings and annual banquets. It was not uncommon to hear Yiddish spoken at their meetings as well as English. But nowadays, Jewish expression among Jewish believers in Jesus is evinced in and through Messianic Congregations as well as home meetings rather than Churches. Many Messianic Jews in American are experiencing their 2nd and 3rd generation of believers and so provision is made for youth meetings and full family life that finds Jewish expression in the traditional home celebrations of Shabbat, Passover, Succoth and Hannukah celebrations. Messianic Jews also celebrate other of the Jewish Holidays but without the religious and Halachic commandments and significances. For example, few Messianic Jews keep the Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur) halakhically as Jesus' atonement on the cross has preempted the traditional rational for the Day and few Jews keep Tisha B'Av—the Ninth of Av, a fast day that mourns the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem. On the other hand, Israel and its survival and its continued existence as a Jewish Nation and a homeland and a refuge for the Jews is almost universally supported by Messianic Jews, probably as much as among the non Messianic religious Jews, and probably much more than secular Jews. The foundation for this adherence to the rebirth and resurgence of Israel is more the Biblical promises of God that are believed in through the teaching and preaching of their Congregations than it being based on a nationalistic or cultural agenda. Most Messianic Jews see themselves as the "first fruits" or the advanced guard of the Jewish people coming to faith in Jesus as the Messiah of Israel and the Light of the Gentiles and most are evangelistically minded toward Jews as well as non Jews coming to faith in Jesus. However, few of them have adopted "Jewishness" as a means of attracting Jews to the faith. This is for the simple reason that almost all Messianics either have experienced a deep and sincere personal conversion to Jesus that has affirmed them in whatever Jewishness that was theirs, either great or little, or they have grown up as Messianics and the Jewishness they live in is already "second nature". It is, they feel, not up for sale, for exploitation, or for "commercial use" in evangelism. This is not to say that Messianic Jews are not learning in their Jewishness and that in step with their learning to follow Jesus as their Lord. In that way, many Messianic Jews "become" more Jewish, much in the same way that secular Jews become more Jewish. Most Messianic Jews are aware that to believe in Jesus is to be fulfilled personally in what God holds out for them and their people and are good Jews for doing so, and sincerely wish the same for their fellow Jews. Though Messianic Jews are sometimes thought to be merely Evangelical Christians in "Jewish disguise", and having the mainstay of Christian belief, this is not universally so. Groupings of Messianic Jews as well as individual ones, may be differing in their adherence to Christian trinitarian and incarnational theology, and range the full gamut in understanding and creedal confession - when there is a creed. There is also a great range of practice of the Mitzvot or practice of the religious law and custom. This range of belief and custom, is evinced among the congregations in Israel as well as in the Unite States. Messianic Jews see that they have an added mission as believers in Jesus. This is to bring to Christians a deeper knowledge of the "Hebrew roots" of their own Christian faith. In Israel, there is great opposition to Messianic Judaism, while at the same time, there is a growing awareness of the movement that is keeping pace with the growing numbers of Israelis (estimated to be 15,000) that are turning to Yeshua (Jesus) in faith. This is the investigative reporting about the movement of a recent feature by "Ulpan Shishi" (Friday Studio)a secular Israeli News T.V. review. This video is in Hebrew but with English subtitles [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3sEBAldf4L0] The following is an example of the surprising diverstity found among Messianic Jews. The subject is an Indian physician working among the tribe of Bnei Menasha of north east India, whom he was instrumental in "discovering", who have been recently declared eligible for immigration to the State of Israel as descendents of Menaseh, together with Ephraim, one of the 10 lost tribes of Israel [https://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/973487.html]. His hope is that the "hundreds of thousands" of Messianic Jews, like himself, found among the Bnei Menasha will with the rest of the tribe, also be eligible for immigration to Israel.

===Why Messianic Judaism sees itself as distinct from Christianity===

Though Messianic Judaism shares with normative Christianity much of the beliefs about Jesus, it prefers to go its own way as a part of Judaism or completion of Biblical Judaism or an expression of Judaism for the following reasons:

1. It sees that belief in Jesus, is but a follow-through, and a reasonable expectation on the basis of the Jewish Scriptures (Tenakh) while it sees that Christianity often minimizes the Tenakh and the importance of [[Messianic Prophecies]] and indications in the Tenackh.

2. It sees that Christianity often is divorced or alienated from the appreciation and practice of the feasts and Holidays and customs of the Tenakh that Messianics are familiar with and in many cases have grown up with in an intimate way at home and in general Jewish society. An examples are the Passover, Hanukkah, Messianics see no reason for the discontinuance of these practices which they believe Jesus to have fully participated Himself in as being Jewish

3. Messianics are aware of much of the Church being influenced by "replacement theology". That is, God is "through with the Jews" with the Church inheriting by God the blessings he formerly bestowed on Israel - until the Jews should come to faith in Jesus. Most Messianics, though believing that Judaism's gone dreadfully wrong in its rejection of its Messiah has not annulled God's dealings with the Jews and with Israel as a nation and that He is following a timetable of His own that will bring Israel into the fold of faith in its Messiah - along with His other agenda for the people. Most Messianics do see the sufferings of the Jews through history as a punishment for the rejection of their Messiah, but also see it as a consequence of the "Evil in the World" for which perpetrators are responsible, and who will be brought to Judgement. In this way, it is not too dissimilar to religious Jews who believe that the sufferings of the Jews is due to the abandonment by the Jews generally of the Torah given them by God, but who allow other factors as explanation..

4. Messianic Jews see no reason to give up their peoplehood because, on one hand, other Jews do not agree with their choice of Jesus nor, on the other hand, the Church sees no reason for the Jews continuing unique and singular existence. They feel that Jesus was a Jew. Peter and Paul were Jews, the New Testament was written by Jews, God made the Jews, and "I am a Jew".

==Support for Messianic Judaism==

The [[Unification Church]] is arguably the biggest supporter of the main ideas of Messianic Judaism. It promotes a bridge of understanding between traditional Jewish concepts and the New Testament idea that Jesus (Yeshua) was the Jewish Messiah.

Unificationism maintains that Jesus "came to his own people, but they accepted him not" (Gospels) Indeed, it is official UC theology that God prepared the Jewish people for 2,000 years '''primarily''' to be ready to accept the Messiah when he came. It was the [[mission of John the Baptist]] to "make ready for the Lord a people prepared" (OT, Gospels). When John fell into belief - possibly because of jealousy towards Jesus - this posed a stumbling block to Jewish acceptance of Jesus as the Messiah.

The church portrays itself as a "Completed Testament" religion, coming on the foundation of [[New Testament]] Christianity and [[Old Testament]] Judaism. Its theology argues that Jews who accepted Jesus as the Messiah were correct to do so, and that when the Messiah comes again in the last day it behooves both Jews and Christians to accept him. Needless to say, this view is almost universally rejected by modern Jews and Christians.

===Israeli secular support===
Support for the civil rights of Messianic Jews in Israel has come from the quarters of civil rights activists and lawyers and some on the secular political spectrum. The reason for this has to do with the political apportionment of cabinet positions and ministries. Israel rarely has enough support in the electorate to ensure majority vote for any one party in the election of the government. Therefore, political parties vie for the support of smaller parties to bring them into the government on their side. Shas, the Sephardic-based religious party, often is one of these parties, and for their support, the larger parties usually offer it the Ministry of the Interior which deals with their interests. Part of their interest is the curtailing of missionary work in Israel which is accomplished by the Ministry of the Interior blocking the issuance to foreign missionaries of visas, and the preventing of Messianic Jews from abroad from taking out citizenship. Anti-missionary groups (foremost among them being "Yad L'Ahim"-Hand to the Brothers) unofficially are resource to the Ministry of Interior. Thus Messianic Jews find support among these civil rights lawyers and groups who find that in the defense of Messianic Jews, the power of the Ministry of the Interior is limited and civil rights for all citizens are more strongly established.

===Evangelical support===
Support for Messianic Jews has grown appreciably in the last 40 years on the part of the Evangelical Church. This is due in great part to the fact that the Evangelical Church is deeply Bible based and therefore well appreciative of the promises of God to bring the people back into the Land at or near the
End of Days. This has been abetted by a number of factors, which on the surface seem to be contradictory, but do find a resolution by leaders of the Evangelical Churches who are, by and large, politically conservative and who teach and lead their people. These factors are 1. admiration for the State of Israel in its victory over its enemies, particularly in the 1967 Six Day War. 2. Increase in Evangelical tourism that visits the sites of the Lord and, as well, the Israeli Messianic scene and congregations (see [[Israel Tourism]]) 3.. Evangelical deepening appreciation of the logistic and strategic support Israel provides the United States as the only democracy in the Mid East and the common ideological front the U.S. and Israel have. 4. Understanding that has been increasing among Evangelicals that both Israel and the United States are now shoulder to shoulder in the fight against Islamic terrorism. These political factors impact on Evangelical support for Messianics in that Messianics are seem by Evangelicals as being the forefront of a new entity bringing hope and an opening for the future. An entity combining Jewishness, Israel, and belief in Jesus as Messiah, Lord, and Savior. Much of these factors are highlighted by the once a year at Succoth Celebration in Jerusalem, when thousands of Christians from all over the world meet for a week, participate in the yearly march to Jerusalem that all Israel takes part in, and at which most often the Prime Minister of Israel delivers an address and expression of Israel's appreciation for support given to Israel by Christians throughout the world.

==See also==
*[[Philosophy]]
*[[Jewish philosophy]]
*[[Judaism]]
*[[New Testament understanding through the Jewish perspective]]
*[[Aramaic Judaism, Jewish Aramaic Christianity, and John 1:1]]
*[[Adiabene]]
*[[The Sign of the Cross: of Jewish Origin]]
*[[First Century Aramaic Jewish Christian Gospel and poetry]]
*[[Messianic Prophecies]] with relevant modern and ancient Jewish commentary
*[[Messiah]]
*[[Transmigration of Words in Religion: an essay]]
*[[In the midst of a Maelstrom: the Holy Spirit and silence: an essay]] Israeli Messianic Jew and Egyptian Muslim in Alexandria

==External links==
*[http://www.JewsForJudaism.com JewsForJudaism.com]
*[http://www.OutreachJudaism.com OutreachJudaism.com]
*[http://www.MessiahTruth.com MessiahTruth.com]
*[http://www.Drazin.com Drazin.com]
*[http://whatjewsbelieve.org/ WhatJewsBelieve.org]
*[http://bejewish.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=12&Itemid=26 Lets Get Biblical tape series online at beJewish.org]
*[http://www.simpletoremember.com/audio/anti-missionary-mp3s.htm Lets Get Biblical tape series online at SimpleToRemeber.com]
*[http://www.jews-for-jesus.org/ Jews For Jesus Home page]
*[https://www.messianic-jewish.org/ Conservative Messianic Jewish Congregation]

==References==
{{reflist|2}}

[[Category:Messianic Judaism]]

Augusto Pinochet

2021-10-11T00:22:24Z

Rhodesia: Right? Right!

[[File:Augusto Pinochet foto oficial coloreada.jpg|300px|thumbnail|Oficial Pinochet photo 1974 (colored).]]
[[Image:342px-Pinochet de Civil.jpg|right|thumb|Augusto Pinochet in civilian outfit.]]
General '''Augusto José Ramón Pinochet Ugarte''' (b. [[Valparaíso]], on November 25, 1915–d. [[Santiago]], on December 10, 2006) was a [[Chile]]an [[general]] who became Chile's head of state (or leader) from 1973 to 1990. He came to power as a member of a council of military leaders after the overthrow of the [[communism|communist]] government of President [[Salvador Allende]]. Pinochet is credited with restoring the [[free market]], traditional western values, and prosperity to Chile after hardship under communism. [[Leftist]]s hated Pinochet for his [[conservative]] policies, to the point of wrongly imprisoning him in [[England]] on political charges long after Pinochet had relinquished power. He was ultimately released.

[[United States]] intelligence reports implicated the communist Allende in the assassination of several opponents,<ref>http://nixontapeaudio.org/chile/517-004.pdf</ref> while [[KGB]] files smuggled out of Russia by Vasily Mitrokhin indicate that Allende received funds from the Soviet Union.<ref>https://www.nationalreview.com/articles/219461/pinochet-history-nro-symposium</ref> Allende was formally condemned by Chile's parliament for systematically destroying democracy in Chile.<ref>“Declaration of the Breakdown of Chile’s Democracy,” Resolution of the Chamber of Deputies, Chile, August 22, 1973.</ref> The Chilean Chamber of Deputies Resolution of August 22, 1973, accused Allende of support of armed groups, torture, illegal arrests, muzzling the press, confiscating private property, and not allowing people to leave the country. In the infamous "Cuban Packages Scandal" that precipitated the coup, large quantities of weapons were sent from Castro's Cuba to arm pro-Allende terrorists in Chile.<ref>https://www.nationalreview.com/articles/219461/pinochet-history-nro-symposium</ref> Kissinger privately told Nixon that Allende might declare martial law.<ref>http://nixontapeaudio.org/chile/517-004.pdf</ref>

By 1973, as a result of covert U.S. aid to Chilean dissidents and financing of pro-democracy protesters, US intelligence indicated Allende would likely lose the next Chilean election if it was held.<ref>http://archive.frontpagemag.com/Printable.aspx?ArtId=15648</ref> According to ''The Wall Street Journal,'' faced with illegal seizures of farms and factories, of defiance of judicial orders, unchecked street violence and death threats against the judges themselves, the Supreme Court warned on May 26, 1973, in a unanimous and unprecedented message, that Chile faced "a peremptory or imminent breakdown of legality."<ref>https://web-beta.archive.org/web/20040108221609/http://lyd.org/noticias/violencia/what_really.html</ref> Volodia Teitelboim, the chief ideologue of the Communist Party in Chile, declared that if civil war came, "it probably would signify immense loss of human lives, between half a million and one million."<ref>https://web-beta.archive.org/web/20040108221609/http://lyd.org/noticias/violencia/what_really.html</ref> On September 11, 1973, Allende committed suicide during a military coup launched by Pinochet, who became president.

General Pinochet headed a [[Augusto Pinochet regime (Chile, 1973–90)|military government for 17 years (1973-1990)]] which suppressed [[communist]] revolutionaries in Chile. In the Pinochet's military government, [[Jaime Guzmán]] drafted a new Constitution (1980), which was approved in a referendum, that established a gradual and legal path for the return to full democracy and introduced a new binomial electoral system that was also made by Guzmán. The constitution introduced an amnesty law for all military officials, and Pinochet granted himself the title of senator for life (''Senador vitalicio'') that would be enacted once he left the post of Commander in Chief of the Chilean Armed Forces.

General Pinochet instituted [[Free market|free-market]] reforms in Chile in the 1970s that resulted in lower [[inflation]] and an economic boom. During this period, he held a [[plebiscite]] on his rule and 75% of the people affirmed their support for his emergency government.

During his time in power, including the 1973 coup, at least 1,200 people were killed or vanished in the military crackdown on [[Left Wing Terrorism in Chile]]. The most common estimate is that 3,000 were killed,<ref>[http://news.bbc.co.u999999k/2/hi/americas/6167237.stm BBC profile]</ref> while other estimates go as high as 10,000. Of the confirmed 2,774 Marxist guerrillas and left-wing radicals killed or missing in the 17 years of the Chilean military government, 1,522 died or disappeared between 11 September and 31 December 1973.<ref>[http://www.lahistoriaparalela.com.ar/2008/01/16/la-verdad-olvidada-del-terrorismo-en-chile/ La verdad olvidada del terrorismo en Chile]</ref> In addition, over a quarter million Chileans were arrested. Universities were purged of terrorist sympathizers, Marxist books were burned, and rival political parties banned. Thousands of members of the Socialist Party of Chile and the Communist Party of Chile fled the country out of fear of the [[secret police]], which allegedly tortured citizens.<ref>Augusto Pinochet Biography http://www.moreorless.au.com/killers/pinochet.html</ref>

A new Constitution was adopted in Chile in 1980, which authorized General Pinochet to serve as president for another eight-year term, to be followed by a plebiscite on his presidency.

Pinochet allowed the [[Chicago Boys]] to move Chile into a market economy, privatizing many inefficient government businesses, and opening the country to foreign investment. The stability that his government gave encouraged foreign investors to come to Chile. His minister, [[José Piñera]], started one of the first [[private pension accounts|Individual capitalization]] pension systems in the world, which has been highly successful. [[Hernán Büchi]] was responsible for reintroducing economic liberal policies at the end of the government.

The US adopted sanctions to Chilean Fruit exports for 'human right abusses' and pressured Chile to introduce a series of economic reforms, a process that escalated sharply in the eighties. This led to a period of rapid economic expansion and development without precedent in Latin America, in which growth averaged 7% annually, that came to be known as the "''miracle of Chile''" (it also included the region's greatest reductions in infant mortality<ref>Nick Eberstadt, The Poverty of Communism (Transaction Publishers, 1990), pp188, 196-206, 240-6, in which he discusses living standards in [[Communist]] [[Cuba]] versus Pinochet's Chile.</ref>). In turn, this allowed Chile to make a long-term transition to sustainable democratic rule that would likely have been otherwise inconceivable.<ref>http://www.lyd.com/noticias/violencia/what_really.html</ref>

As promised, President Pinochet held another plebiscite in October 1988 on the issue of whether he should continue as president. He was defeated by a vote of 55-43%, and subsequent free elections were won by the [[Christian Democrat]] Patricio Aylwin, who was installed as president on March 11, 1990.

General Pinochet was a graduate of the [[School of the Americas]] at Fort Benning, [[Georgia]].

In 1998, the [[leftists]] who had long hated Pinochet arranged for his arrest while he was in [[London]] receiving medical treatment. An unprecedented arrest warrant was issued in [[Spain]] for alleged [[human rights]] violations that occurred in Chile while he was president. The stunt failed, and Pinochet was subsequently returned to Chile due to his ill health. He was later indicted and charged with [[kidnapping]] 19 supporters of Salvador Allende during the 1973 coup in which Pinochet took power. The Chilean [[Supreme Court]] suspended the prosecution in July 2002, again due to Pinochet's continuing poor health.

Pinochet died of a heart attack on December 10, 2006.<ref>https://www.nytimes.com/2006/12/10/world/americas/10cnd-pinochet-timeline.html NYTimes</ref>

== See also ==
*[[Augusto Pinochet regime (Chile, 1973–90)]]
*[[Gallery of Chilean Heroes]]
*[[Right-wing dictatorship]]
*[[Left Wing Terrorism in Chile]]
*[[Mi General Augusto Pinochet (song)]]
*[[Miguel Krassnoff]]

== External links ==
*[https://odysee.com/@CapitalistChile:0/THE-PINOCHET-DOCUMENTARY-360p:4 The Pinochet Documentary - English subtitles]
*[https://odysee.com/@CapitalistChile:0/the-augusto-pinochet-story-never-told:5 Pinochet, the story never told]

== References ==
{{reflist}}

{{Chilean Historic Characters}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Pinochet, Augusto}}

[[Category:Augusto Pinochet]]
[[Category:Presidents of Chile]]
[[Category:Former Heads of State]]
[[Category:Former Heads of Government]]
[[Category:Conservatives]]
[[Category:Patriots]]
[[Category:Anti-Communism]]
[[Category:Pro Second Amendment]]

Republic of Rhodesia (as of 1980)

2021-10-06T14:24:44Z

Rhodesia: New VP and Premier.

{{Country
|name =''Republic of Rhodesia''
|map =
|established=1980
|dissolved=existent
|flag =Flag of Rhodesia.png
|arms =
|capital =Rhodesbury (de jure), São Paulo (de facto)
|capital-raw =
|government =Presidential Republic
|government-raw =
|language =English
|king =
|queen =
|monarch-raw =
|president =Colonel Harper (Vice President: Stefan Schmidt-Louw)
|president-raw =
|chancellor =
|chancellor-raw =
|pm =Alexander Freudig
|pm-raw =
|area = 1735 sq mi, Rhodesian majority settlements abroad on top
|pop =1,283,702 (January 2021)
|pop-basis =
|gdp =
|gdp-year =
|gdp-pc =
|currency =Rhodesian Etro (1 Etro = 100 Pens)
|idd =
|tld = .com, .net, .org, and .bv (the latter for Bouvet Island, blocked by [[Norway|Norway’s]] socialists because of the annexation of Bouvet)
}}
The second '''Republic of Rhodesia'''<ref>Freudig, Alexander, & RANDnext March 2015 Seminary. (2015). Decisions for the Decade Game. Planning Under Deep Uncertainty: Rhodesia. Zenodo Publishing, Geneva [https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.5153615 full text pdf]</ref> was proclaimed in March 1980 with the Declaration of [[Amsterdam]] by Rhodesians who did not want to live in [[Zimbabwe]] to which their country was about to be transformed. Based on a conservative constitution (1980)<ref>[https://uploads.strikinglycdn.com/files/eb21bd28-9873-43c9-9ac2-9dc46b66c7af/The%201980%20Constitution%20of%20Rhodesia%205.pdf Constitution of the Republic of Rhodesia (1980)]</ref> the new Rhodesian government has been taking care of the Rhodesian diaspora as a transglobal country with overseas territories as harbors of security in times of crisis. The nation’s capital region under international law is the Rhodesbury area on Bouvet Island<ref>[https://www.government-of-rhodesia.org/#rhodesian-bouvet Governmental site about Rhodesian Bouvet]</ref>, however, de facto the transglobal country with 1.2 mio citizens is being governed from [[São Paulo]] ([[Brazil]], HQ of the Rhodesian Intelligence Service) and [[New York City]] (seat of the foreign ministry). Rhodesia’s overseas territories are, among others, Jaco Island, Santa Luzia and Henderson Island, all annexed since 1980.<ref>Freudig, Alex and RANDnext: The annexation policy of the Republic of Rhodesia since 1980 (Short Analysis 12/20). Zenodo. Geneva, 2020 https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.5152355</ref>

== History ==
The Lancaster House Agreement, enforced by the [[United Kingdom]] with most intense diplomatic pressure, signed on 21 December 1979, declared a ceasefire which ended the so called “Bush War” of communist rebels against Rhodesia. It also terminated the existence of the [[Rhodesia|first Rhodesian Republic]]. The territory of Rhodesia became the internationally recognised country [[Zimbabwe]] under the leadership of communist rebels. Many politicians of the first Republic tried to save what was left of their country but did not succeed. However, already in 1980 many Rhodesians, especially Eurasian Rhodesians (mostly those who were not bound to the country by a farm or factory) emigrated immediately to the [[diaspora]]. There, in Amsterdam ([[Netherlands]]) a General Assembly of 1432 delegates convened (shielded from the public by the RIS) on 31 March 1980, which declared Rhodesia “a nation without territory” and established a government and administration of Rhodesia outside Rhodesia to form a transglobal nation that cares for all Rhodesians, wherever they reside. At the same time, a squad of the newly formed Rhodesian Intelligence Service (RIS) occupied the northwestern lowlands of the uninhabited and [[Norway|Norwegian]]-administered island of Bouvet in the Atlantic Ocean, occupying and annexing this piece of land roughly the size of [[Monaco]] for legal reasons (international law). A heliport and basic infrastructure were laid out.<ref>[https://uploads.strikinglycdn.com/files/217daa28-47a6-4b57-93ec-84774e6c4a50/The%201980%20Constitution%20of%20Rhodesia.pdf Constitution of the Republic of Rhodesia, retrieved 28 July 2021]</ref> This was to underscore the seriousness of the establishment of the second Rhodesian republic<ref>Mwalimu, Charles. The African Law Collection in the Law Library of Congress with Emphasis on Primary Sources of Commonwealth Africa. USA: Publications Committee, AALL Foreign, Comparative and International Law Special Interest Section, 1990</ref><ref>Hole, Hugh Marshall. The Making of Rhodesia. Taylor & Francis, 2018</ref><ref>Mwalimu, Charles. The African Law Collection in the Law Library of Congress with Emphasis on Primary Sources of Commonwealth Africa. USA: Publications Committee, AALL Foreign, Comparative and International Law Special Interest Section, 1990</ref><ref>Hole, Hugh Marshall. The Making of Rhodesia. Vereinigtes Königreich: Taylor & Francis, 2018</ref> which does not oppose the Lancaster House Agreement and has therefore been tacitly accepted or at least tolerated by the world powers.<ref>Morris-Jones, W. (2013). From Rhodesia to Zimbabwe: Behind and Beyond Lancaster House. Taylor & Francis.</ref><ref>Salt, Beryl. A Pride of Eagles: The Definitive History of the Rhodesian Air Force, 1920-1980.Covos-Day, 2001</ref><ref>O'Meara, Patrick. Rhodesia: Racial Conflict Or Coexistence? Cornell University Press, 2019</ref>At the same occasion, then politically neutral and young Rhodesian businessman James W. Scott was elected President of the second Rhodesian Republic.<ref>Africa Research Bulletin: Political, social, and cultural series. United Kingdom, Blackwell, 1998</ref><ref>Lüthi, Lorenz M.. Cold Wars: Asia, the Middle East, Europe? Cambridge University Press, 2020</ref><ref>Mugari, Zvenyika Eckson. Press Silence in Postcolonial Zimbabwe: News Whiteouts, Journalism and Power. Taylor & Francis, 2020</ref> Like the first Republic of Rhodesia, the second was also not recognized but silently accepted because it had support of foreign nations and well-trained diplomats.<ref>Freudig, Alexander & RAND (2020). The annexation policy of the Republic of Rhodesia since 1980 (Short Analysis 12/20). Zenodo, Geneva. [https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.5152355]</ref><ref>Freudig, Alexander, & RANDnext March 2015 Seminary. (2015). Decisions for the Decade Game. Planning Under Deep Uncertainty: Rhodesia. Zenodo Publishing, Geneva [https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.5153615]</ref><ref>Mugari, Zvenyika Eckson. Press Silence in Postcolonial Zimbabwe: News Whiteouts, Journalism and Power. Taylor & Francis, 2020</ref> Thanks to active and silent diplomacy many western and neutral countries tacitly accepted the second republic de facto, while its government refrained from publicity and referencing to current events in Zimbabwe in order to show that the status quo would be tolerated without explicitly declaring it.<ref> Mbenga, Bernard, and Giliomee, Hermann Buhr. New History of South Africa. Südafrika, Nb Pub Limited, 2007</ref><ref>Turpin, Colin. British Government and the Constitution: Text, Cases, and Materials. Irland, Butterworths, 1999</ref><ref>Munochiveyi, M. Prisoners of Rhodesia: Inmates and Detainees in the Struggle for Zimbabwean Liberation, 1960-1980. United Kingdom,, Palgrave Macmillan, 2014</ref> In 1996, a Rhodesian General Assembly in Tunis elected for the first time a woman, Janette Rowland, as Prime Minister of Rhodesia and Head of Government of the exile administration.<ref>Rubert, Steven C., and Rasmussen, R. Kent. Historical dictionary of Zimbabwe. Vereinigtes Königreich, Scarecrow Press, 2001</ref> As of 2020 the Republic of Rhodesia slowly returned back to the political stage. In 2021 the RIS took over the government.<ref>[https://www.government-of-rhodesia.org Official Website of the Rhodesian Administration in exile, retrieved August 5, 2021]</ref>

== Declaration of Amsterdam ==
At the General Assembly in [[Amsterdam]] (Netherlands) on 31 March 1980, a declaration was adopted by an overwhelming majority. The Declaration of Amsterdam is therefore considered the survival document of the Republic of Rhodesia. Immediately after the adoption of the declaration, the newly elected Rhodesian President James W. Scott notified the surprisingly welcoming Secretary General of the United Nations about the proclamation of the new Republic of Rhodesia<ref>[https://www.government-of-rhodesia.org/#un Governmental site of Rhodesia, Documents. Retrieved August 5, 2021]</ref> as a transglobal nation, despite having just annexed the western part of Bouvet Island where a foreign-supported RIS squadron conquered the lowlands.<ref>[https://www.government-of-rhodesia.org/#rhodesian-bouvet The conquest of western Bouvet, retrieved August 5, 2021]</ref>

== Since 1980 ==
The new government was asked by the benevolent UN Secretary General Dr. Waldheim to work in the shadows for forty years to not cause internationally turbulences and not to stand in the way of Zimbabwe's development. Although a lot of silent international support, a conservative constitution and a stable government were given, the forty year of enforced silence led to the unfortunate situation that not all Rhodesian communities in the diaspora could be contacted or reached otherwise.<ref>Encyclopedia of Public International Law. North-Holland, 1981</ref><ref>Hole, H. M.: The Making of Rhodesia. Taylor & Francis, 2018</ref> Nevertheless, the number of citizens grew to 1.2 mio in 2021<ref>Freudig A. et al. 2005 & 2020</ref> thanks to a very family-friendly policy of all Rhodesian governments since the proclamation of the second Rhodesian republic and a citizenship law which is especially attractive for conservative, traditional Eurasians.

== Territories ==
Despite being completely without own land, Rhodesia gained overseas territories through conquest and annexation:<ref>Freudig, Alex (2020). The annexation policy of the Republic of Rhodesia since 1980 (Short Analysis 12/20). Geneva, 2020 [https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.5152355 Scientific White Paper]</ref>

*Bouvet Island/Rhodesbury in the southern Atlantic Ocean (annexed 1980)
*Jaco Island near East-Timor (annexed 2019)
*Karibu Island, locally called Silkowanzala (annexed in 2016)
*Spirit of Olympia (locally also known as: Patroklos)
*North East Caye (annexed in 2019)
*Etro de Santa Luzia Island in the tropic part of the Atlantic Ocean (annexed 2020)
*São João Batista (Henderson) Island in the Pacific Ocean (annexed 2021)

All annexation happened without casualties on both sides, peacefully. Rhodesian RIS troops are Rhodesian RIS troops secure the islands disguised as locals, fishermen, real estate agents, tourist guides, etc. to ensure peace and tranquility as well as to keep access to the islands open to day tourists until major construction projects will begin in the late 2020s.

== Relationship with Zimbabwe ==
The government of Rhodesia as of 1980 and the country of Zimbabwe maintain a mutual policy of ignoring and non-interference. The 1980 Rhodesian constitution provides for the automatic loss of Rhodesian citizenship and nationality if an individual also holds a passport of Zimbabwe, or is/becomes a resident of Zimbabwe.<ref>Politics & Government in African States, 1960-1985. Croom Helm, 1986</ref><ref>Mwalimu, Charles. The African Law Collection in the Law Library of Congress with Emphasis on Primary Sources of Commonwealth Africa. USA, Publications Committee, AALL Foreign, Comparative and International Law Special Interest Section, 1990</ref>

== Organization structure==
Based on the current constitution, Rhodesia is a presidential republic with a head of government and a governor for the overseas territories.

=== The President ===
The current head of state of Rhodesia is Colonel Harper as primus inter pares of the RIS Security Council supported by RIS Security Counselors. Vice President is Stefan Schmidt-Louw. From 1980 until 2021 James W. Scott was president and responsible for setting policy guidelines. The head of state has the right to veto any government decision, including appointments. Moreover, a law does not enter into force until the president has signed it.<ref>Midlarsky, Manus I.: The disintegration of political systems: war and revolution in comparative perspective. USA: University of South Carolina Press, 1986</ref> Executive orders issued by the president also become law when they are countersigned by the relevant minister (called "secretary" according to the Rhodesian constitution).<ref>Aron, Raymond. Democracy and totalitarianism: a theory of political systems. USA: University of Michigan Press, 1990</ref><ref>Berg-Schlosser, D.: African Political Systems. Typology and Performance. Sage Publications, 1984</ref>

=== The Prime Minister ===
The Prime Minister or Governor General of Rhodesia is the head of government and the diplomatic service. He manages the day-to-day affairs, presides the cabinet meetings, proposes members of the government to the president for appointment or dismissal. The prime minister is elected by the General Assembly for seven-year terms on the recommendation of the president and is considered confirmed only if he or she receives at least 65% of the votes. So far the Rhodesian Government has had two prime ministers under the 1980 constitution. William Harold held the office from 1980 until his death in 1996. He was succeeded by Janette Rowland, Mathilda Born, Harald Mayer-Blumenthal and Alexander Freudig.<ref>Derbyshire, Ian, and Derbyshire, J. Denis. Political Systems of the World. Chambers, 1989</ref><ref>World Encyclopedia of Political Systems & Parties: Nepal-Zimbabwe, and smaller countries and microstates. USA: Facts on File, 1983</ref><ref>[https://www.government-of-rhodesia.org/#administration The current Rhodesian administration (2021)]</ref>

=== General Assembly ===
The representation of the people is the General Assembly, which has 1432 delegates. The president (“Chairman” according to the constitution) of this parliament is automatically the vice president of the republic.<ref>Deborah, Potts, et al. Zimbabwe. Kiribati, Clio Press, 1993</ref> Since 1980, the General Assembly also elects the president and confirms the prime minister.<ref>Morris-Jones, W.H.. From Rhodesia to Zimbabwe: Behind and Beyond Lancaster House. Taylor & Francis, 2013 edition</ref><ref>The New York Times 2005 Almanac. USA, Penguin Reference Books, 2004</ref> Under the Rowland government it was planned to use digital infrastructure to enable direct elections by the entire Rhodesian people again (outside Zimbabwe).<ref>MacLean, George A. (George Andrew), and O'Neill, Brenda. Ideas, Interests and Issues: Readings in Introductory Politics. Pearson Education Canada, 2006</ref> Due to the military government since July 2021 the General Assembly has been suspended.

==The Governments since 1980==
Since the proclamation of the second Republic in 1980, Rhodesia has had three Prime Ministers and one Governor General.

=== The Harold Government ===
The first government under William Harold successfully sought to incorporate reactionary forces in such a way that Rhodesia as a nation could enter a new phase of its history within the framework of the only tolerated Lancaster House Agreement.<ref>Encyclopedia of Public International Law. (1992). North-Holland Publishing</ref> At the same time, Prime Minister Harold achieved what had always seemed impossible before, a tacit recognition and cooperation with almost half of all states worldwide by the end of his term in office. Many Rhodesians in exile consider this the most significant achievement of the Harold administration, as it made it easier to start over with life in foreign countries.<ref>Politics & Government in African States, 1960-1985. Croom Helm, 1986</ref>

=== The Rowland Government ===
After the death of William Harold in 1996, Janette Rowland became the first woman prime minister of Rhodesia. She was reelected three times by the General Assembly was considered the "mother of the Rhodesian people" due to her advanced age.<ref>Morris-Jones, W. H.. From Rhodesia to Zimbabwe: Behind and Beyond Lancaster House. N.p.: Taylor & Francis Group, 2017</ref> Her term of office saw further consolidation of the administration, the diplomatic services, digitalization and the beginning of a critical review of Rhodesia's history.<ref>Kenrick, David. Decolonisation, Identity and Nation in Rhodesia, 1964-1979: A Race Against Time. Deutschland, Springer International Publishing, 2019</ref>

=== The Born government ===
On July 13, 2021, the Rowland government fell apart and a new government was formed. The three conservative parties (Conservatives, Reactionary Union and Liberation Front) had decided to form a government without the Liberal Party, which had ruled continuously since 1980. A new cabinet under Prime Minister Mathilda Born (Reactionary Union Party) with just 50.8% of the vote and seats in Parliament was sworn in by President Scott. He wanted to prevent new elections, accepted the personnel list and swore in the new ministers as well as the prime minister. The details of the new government's plans are not yet known, but all three coalition partners are less willing to compromise than the Liberals, who dominated for decades. Initial statements on social media indicate above all very conservative tendencies. Unlike the previous government, the Born administration is dominated by mostly by experienced elder men.

=== The RIS government ===
For reasons unknown, at the end of July 2021, the Rhodesian Intelligence Service Security Council (RIS-SC) took over the reins of government in compliance with article 27 of the Rhodesian constitution of 1980. The Born government was dismissed, and the president resigned "voluntarily" after 41 years. The new President is Colonel Harper with Stefan Schmidt-Louw as Vice President. Alexander Freudig was appointed Prime Minister.<ref>[https://www.openpr.com/news/2415617/surprise-decisions-in-rhodesia-stefan-schmidt-louw-new-vice Press release, retrieved Oct 6th, 2021</ref>

== Government Security Plan ==
Rhodesian politicians from all parties, as well as higher-ranking officials, have been considered at high risk for attacks on life and limb since the founding of the second republic. The Rhodesian Intelligence Agency (RIS)<ref>https://www.government-of-rhodesia.org/#security About the Rhodesian Intelligence Service</ref> has therefore had a department since 1981 to protect all elected officials, as well as higher-ranking opposition politicians and administrative employees.<ref> Anthony Stuart Farson: Handbook of Global Security and Intelligence: Europe, the Middle East, and South Africa. Praeger Security International, 2008.</ref> The entire Rhodesian state apparatus has been sustained since 1980 by people who are not 24/7-politicians and who earn their living independently. Division One ("Shielding Service") was therefore professionally trained in cooperation with Western services in the very first year after the establishment of the second republic so that every citizen who wants to participate in Rhodesian democracy is automatically enrolled in a comprehensive protection and shielding program.<ref>William Gutteridge: South Africa's Defence and Security Into the 21st Century. Research Institute for the Study of Conflict and Terrorism. Dartmouth, 1996</ref> The RIS has successfully repelled a total of 34 attempted attacks on Rhodesian politicians since 1980.With the end of the 40-year moratorium on silence, 12 of these occurred in 2021 alone, ten of which were attributable to African ethno-nationalists.

== Citizenship law ==
According to the citizenship law of March 2021 a person acquires Rhodesian citizenship at the time of birth, if said person is born to a parent of Rhodesian nationality and caucasian ethnicity; that is, the offspring of an ethnic caucasian Rhodesian citizen, even if the parent or grandparent has not exercised his or her right to citizenship. Also ”every honest person with good intentions and a true sympathy for the Rhodesian people and its history may apply for a non-ethnic Rhodesian citizenship. Being a people without land Rhodesian citizenship does make a Rhodesian citizen not eligible to reside in south-east Africa, especially not in Zimbabwe”.<ref>Information by the Rhodesian Foreign Office</ref> Only ethnic caucasian Rhodesians can pass on their Rhodesian citizenship to their offsprings. Honorary citizenships can be granted by the president only and even be passed on the offsprings of the citizen. The Rhodesian passport is, although the nation being in exile, still highly valued outside of Zimbabwe.

== Rhodesian Intelligence Service (RIS) ==
The RIS was built up as soon as 1978 with the help of the [[USA]], [[Chile]] and former security forces of [[Portugal]] from the Salazar era. In Washington D.C. and Santiago (Chile), the political and diplomatic incompetence of the Rhodesian government was observed with considerable horror as was the actions of the Labour government in [[London]]. It was known that the British would rather let Rhodesia run into destruction by communist rebels than to forgive Rhodesia declaring independence in 1965 and abolishing the monarchy in 1970. Building up the RIS and training of the staff took place in Brazil where hand-picked Rhodesian soldiers were flown to under the protection of friendly powers. The Salisbury government was led to believe that these individuals had deserted or been captured by the enemy. While the second Republic of Rhodesia was designed as a transglobal nation that cares for all Rhodesians, wherever they reside, preparing to serve a large diaspora, a squad of the Rhodesian Intelligence Agency (RIS) occupied the western lowlands of the uninhabited and Norwegian-administered island of Bouvet in the Atlantic Ocean. This piece of land, roughly the size of Monaco, was annexed as “Rhodesbury” for matters of international law. This was the first annexation that the Republic of Rhodesia performed, however not the last one. It was meant to underscore the seriousness of the establishment of the second Rhodesian republic, and the signal was noticed in capitals around the globe. Since then the RIS has been both, Rhodesias’s intelligence service and its armed force.<ref>Freudig, Alex, & RANDnext. (2020). The annexation policy of the Republic of Rhodesia since 1980 (Short Analysis 12/20). Zenodo, Geneva. [https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.5152355]</ref>

== Perception==
*Many former Rhodesians, learning that their nation still exists only after the end of four decades of enforced silence, react negatively or skeptically. Otherwise, compared to its predecessor, the second republic is receiving considerably greater sympathy from states, organizations and ordinary people who even want to become naturalized citizens. The current administration is doing its best to incorporate the disenchanted of the first republic, but natural population growth and a continued annexation policy for habitable territories are the main priorities.
*The international press keeps ignoring Rhodesia. However “Google News” provides it readers some news about today’s Republic of Rhodesia.

== Weblinks ==
* [https://www.government-of-rhodesia Offical website of the Rhodesian Government]
* [https://www.facebook.com/rhodesia.government The Government of the Republic of Rhodesia on Facebook]
* [https://www.twitter.com/rhodesia_gov The Government of the Republic of Rhodesia on Twitter]
* [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ncm6hjQHFao National Anthem of Rhodesia, adopted in 1980]

== References ==
<references/>

[[Category:Africa]]
[[Category:Government]]

Wikipedia

2021-09-24T00:02:05Z

Rhodesia:

[[File:Wpp.png|thumb|The multilingual Wikipedia home page]]
'''Wikipedia''' is an [[internet|online]] [[wiki]]-based [[encyclopedia]] hosted and owned by the non-profit organization [[Wikimedia Foundation]] and financially supported by grants from left-leaning foundations plus an aggressive annual online fundraising drive.<ref>https://web.archive.org/web/20180527010133/http://wikimediafoundation.org/wiki/Press_releases/Wikimedia_Foundation_announces_tenth_annual_fundraising_campaign</ref> Most of Wikipedia's articles can be edited publicly by both registered and anonymous editors,<ref>https://books.google.com/books?id=wMhBQ0WdjF4C&pg=PA199#v=onepage&q&f=false</ref> mostly consisting of teenagers and the unemployed.<ref name="theregister.co.uk">http://www.theregister.co.uk/2006/09/18/sanger_forks_wikipedia/</ref> As such, it tends to project a [[liberal]]—and, in some cases, even [[socialist]], [[Communist]], and [[Nazi]]-sympathising—worldview, which is totally at odds with [[conservative]] [[reality]] and rationality.<ref>https://news.slashdot.org/comments.pl?sid=9856155&threshold=1&commentsort=0&mode=thread&cid=53229619</ref>

Wikipedia was co-founded by [[Jimbo Wales]] (an [[Atheism|atheist]], [[libertarian]], and [[objectivist]]), and philosophy professor [[Larry Sanger]] in 2001. The website was originally created to complement the now-defunct peer-reviewed online encyclopedia [[Nupedia]] as a way for collaboration on articles. However, Wikipedia overtook Nupedia and became an independent project hosted by the [[Wikimedia Foundation]], which also hosts various related websites, known as "sister projects", such as ''Wikinews'' and ''Wikibooks''. Co-founder Larry Sanger later acknowledged that Wikipedia does not follow its own neutrality policy.<ref name="SangerNeutrality">[https://uncommondescent.com/intelligent-design/larry-sanger-co-founder-of-wikipedia-agrees-that-it-does-not-follow-its-own-neutrality-policy/ Uncommon Descent, December 1, 2016, Posted by Barry Arrington]</ref>

Critics of Wikipedia state that Wikipedia's articles contain [[Examples of bias in Wikipedia|systemic bias]],<ref name=howtheleft>http://www.frontpagemag.com/2011/david-swindle/how-the-left-conquered-wikipedia-part-1/</ref> and that the information included within its articles are a mixture of truths, [[half-truth]]s, and falsehoods. It is also used to discredit conservative politicians and organisations.<ref name=hnn>http://historynewsnetwork.org/article/125437</ref> The nature of Wikipedia also makes it subject to spin and [[bias]], examples of which include paid public relations advocacy and inserting libelous content into the biographies of politicians for a political purpose.<ref name=hnn/> Wikipedia was also criticized for having a [[liberal bias]] in its articles about politics, despite Wikipedia's "neutral point of view" policy.<ref name=howtheleft/>

__TOC__

== Continuing loss of influence ==

Wikipedia's traffic level stems from its high placement in Google searches, and that many people rely upon it for quick research regarding trivial facts. However, users are turning to alternatives such as the voice-based iPhone application [[Siri]] or the Knowledge Graph display on Google search result pages of key facts about search targets.<ref name=timesindia>{{cite news|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/tech/tech-news/internet/Google-eating-into-Wikipedia-page-views/articleshow/29072825.cms?referral=PM|title=Google eating into Wikipedia page views?|work=Times of India|first=Subodh |last=Varma|date=January 20, 2014|accessdate=March 20, 2014}}</ref> Wikipedia page-views dropped by 2 billion between December 2012 and December 2013. Wikipedia's most popular versions are leading the decline: page-views of the English Wikipedia dropped by 12 percent, those of German version slid by 17 percent and the Japanese version lost 9 percent.<ref name=timesindia/>

In addition to the number of visitors declining, there continues to be a drop in active editors as well. In August 2012, it was reported that Wikipedia has a shrinking base of editors.<ref>[http://questionevolution.blogspot.com/2012/08/pro-evolution-wikipedia-has-shrinking.html Pro-evolution Wikipedia has a shrinking base of editors plus [[Quora]] is Wikipedia's worst nightmare]</ref> At the same time, ''Business Insider'' indicated [[Quora]] was "Wikipedia's worst nightmare".<ref>[http://questionevolution.blogspot.com/2012/08/pro-evolution-wikipedia-has-shrinking.html Pro-evolution Wikipedia has a shrinking base of editors plus Quora is Wikipedia's worst nightmare]</ref>

== Unreliability of Wikipedia ==
Wikipedia relies on self-selected "editors" to write and compile articles, with no preference given for scholars in the fields about which they are writing. This fact may disqualify Wikipedia from being considered a genuine encyclopedia, ironically even by its own standards. An encyclopedia is supposed to be a collection of articles by "well-educated, well-informed content experts."<ref>https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Encyclopedia</ref> Theoretically, Wikipedia is supposed to compensate for this weakness by requiring references to reputable secondary sources. But editors can delete, without collaboration, any text or entry they dislike, citing one of the many Wikipedia guidelines for doing so. Entries posted by scholars in the field, based on peer-reviewed, academic articles are deleted by editors with an ideological bias. Wikipedia, then, only represents the majority view of its editors.

As the contribution of volunteer editors has declined, some of the void has been replaced by paid public relations professionals. These paid editors seek to present their client companies or individuals in the best possible light. This has resulted in many articles being transformed into paid advertising pieces that take advantage of the English Wikipedia's high placement on Google search results. This chronic problem has become so severe that the Wikimedia Foundation has proposed amending its terms of service to require disclosures of paid editing conflicts of interest.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Terms_of_use/Paid_contributions_amendment|title=Terms of use/Paid contributions amendment|date=February 21, 2014|accessdate=March 20, 2014}}</ref> In the competition to control content, the paid PR editors win out because they are monitoring pages as a full-time job, while editors seeking to keep content more balanced are only part-time volunteers.

In 2008, the ''American Journalism Review'' declared concerning Wikipedia:
{{cquote|"An even more blunt assessment appears in the encyclopedia's "Ten things you may not know about Wikipedia" posting: "We do not expect you to trust us. It is in the nature of an ever-changing work like Wikipedia that, while some articles are of the highest quality of scholarship, others are admittedly complete rubbish." It also reminds users not to use Wikipedia as a primary source or for making "critical decisions."<ref>http://www.ajr.org/Article.asp?id=4461</ref>}}
Despite its official "neutrality policy," [[Examples of Bias in Wikipedia|Wikipedia has a strong liberal bias.]] In an article entitled "Wikipedia Lies, Slander Continue," [[journalism|journalist]] [[Joseph Farah]] stated Wikipedia "is not only a provider of inaccuracy and bias. It is a wholesale purveyor of lies and slander unlike any other the world has ever known."<ref name="wnd.com">http://wnd.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=83640</ref> Mr. Farah has repeatedly been the victim of defamation on Wikipedia.<ref name="wnd.com"/> In December 2010, [[Christian apologetics|Christian apologist]] [[JP Holding]] called Wikipedia "the abomination that causes misinformation".<ref>http://tektonticker.blogspot.com/search/label/Wikipedia</ref>

Some say that Wikipedia's unreliability is systemic, citing Douglas Adams: "''In other words—and this is the rock-solid principle on which the whole of the Corporation’s Galaxywide success is founded—their fundamental design flaws are completely hidden by their superficial design flaws.'' Wikipedia, which is written by anyone, still struggles to solve the need for traditional quality controls characteristic of conventional [[encyclopedia]]s. The self-policing practices have produced results and accuracy some claim is far better than originally expected but still widely questioned. Research released in April 2012 claimed 60% of Wikipedia articles contain "inaccuracies", leading the ''[[Daily Mail]]'' to dub it "Iffy-Pedia".<ref>https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2131458/Up-articles-Wikipedia-contain-factual-errors.html</ref> The lack of consistency and uniform supervision leaves an ever-present shadow over any given piece of information. Many in the [[College|academy]] insist that it is an unreliable source for [[research]] and an unacceptable reference in many classrooms. However, Wikipedia steers people to original [[Source|source material]], and with the use of hyperlinks and [[search engine]]s, it has become the most widely used intermediary reference tool on the [[Internet]].

According to the style manual for the [[Associated Press]], the largest news agency in the United States, Wikipedia should not be used as a primary source, but the hyperlinks in articles may be helpful as sources.

Wikipedia has millions of entries on trivia and mundane topics ranging from an explanation for "duh"<ref>https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Duh (only after Conservapedia criticized the entry on the English word "duh" did Wikipedia eventually remove it)</ref> to singles by obscure rock bands<ref>such as ''[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Honk_If_You_Love_Fred_Durst Honk If You Love Fred Durst]'' (accessed April 1, 2007)</ref> to arcane British nobility.<ref>Part of the article about [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry_Liddell Henry Liddell], a 19th-century Vice-chancellor of Oxford University and author, includes that his grandfather was the youngest son of the 8th Earl of Strathmore and Kinghorne, and that his daughter was the child ''Alice in Wonderland'' was written for (accessed April 1, 2007)</ref> There are editions of Wikipedia in 250 languages, and 130 have more than 1000 articles.<ref>[http://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/List_of_Wikipedias List of Wikipedias - Wikimedia], accessed April 1, 2007.</ref> After about four years Wikipedia had about 450,000 entries,<ref>Aaron Weiss, The Unassociated Press, N.Y. Times, Feb. 10, 2005, at G5.</ref> and after six years it had about 1.7 million entries.<ref>[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:Statistics English Wikipedia statistics] accessed April 1, 2007</ref> Four years later this number had more than doubled again: in November 2011, there were more than 3.8 million content pages.<ref>[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:Statistics English Wikipedia statistics] accessed May 6, 2011</ref> As of February 2014, there are more than 4.4 million "content" pages, many of which lack educational value. On important topics, the information is often misleading due to the unchecked, [[Wikipedia#Leftist bias|systematic liberal bias]] that dominates Wikipedia.

The quality of Wikipedia articles can vary greatly. Some articles, particularly about narrow topics and those of little interest, are well written and appear to have input from one or more subject matter experts. Articles about broader topics and with high viewership naturally have more editors, many of whom are not well versed in the subject matter. In determining the quality of an article it is helpful to check the sources or references to see if one or more of the standard references for the topic is frequently cited. Often the most valuable feature of an article will be to direct the reader to good quality references, if they exist.

==Origins==
Initially, Wikipedia was hosted on servers operated by Bomis, Inc., a company that also sold pornographic pictures.<ref>Martin Hickman and Genevieve Roberts, "WIKIPEDIA," The Independent (London) p. 12 (Feb 13, 2006)</ref> The majority owner of Bomis had lost his fortune in a lawsuit, and the Wikipedia volunteers feared that if all of Bomis' assets were seized, ownership of Wikipedia would be transferred. In 2003, Jimbo Wales addressed this risk by founding the Wikimedia Foundation to take control of Wikipedia's assets. The Wikimedia Foundation is a non-profit organization that provides support for Wikipedia and other similar projects,<ref>[http://wikimediafoundation.org/wiki/Home Wikimedia Foundation] accessed April 7, 2007</ref> and also the free MediaWiki software that runs Wikipedia and Conservapedia.<ref>[http://www.mediawiki.org/wiki/MediaWiki MediaWiki home] accessed April 7, 2007</ref> It also gives out millions of dollars in grants each year to liberal causes that recruit liberals to edit Wikipedia so as to reflect their biases.

== Leftist bias ==

{{See also|Leftist roots of Wikipedia}}

''See also:'' [[Examples of Bias in Wikipedia]]

Wikipedia shows a systematic bias in the proportion of articles which treat controversial issues. It ignores its own [[NPOV]] policy when it allows contributors to "delete well-referenced information" merely because it comes from a [[scientist]] who holds a minority view. It would only be a violation, if the article used the information to give a false impression of the proportion of scientists adhering to that view, but liberals use "undue weight" like a sledge hammer. They are either unaware or unconcerned about their bias.

This is not surprising, given this [[Zogby]] poll:

While 97% of [[Republican]]s surveyed said the media are [[liberal]], two-thirds of [[political independent]]s feel the same, but fewer than one in four independents (23%) said they saw a "conservative bias". [[Democrat]]s, while much more likely to perceive a conservative bias than other groups, were not nearly as sure the [[media]] was against them as were the Republicans. While Republicans were unified in their perception of a [[left-wing]] media, just two-thirds of Democrats were certain the media skewed [[right-wing|right]] – and 17% said the bias favored the left.<ref>http://www.zogby.com/news/ReadNews.dbm?ID=1262</ref>

David Swindle writes at [[FrontPage Magazine]]:
{{cquote|There was not a single ideological vision driving Wikipedia’s founders and core contributors as they launched the project. Jimmy Wales, who would become the face of the project and its “benevolent dictator,” according to Andrew Lih’s ''The Wikipedia Revolution'', is a libertarian and [[Ayn Rand|Ayn Randian]] [[Objectivism|Objectivist]]. Also important in shaping Wikipedia was the so-called “hacker ethos,” the culture that has developed amongst computer programmers over the last 40 years and been shaped by the Left, the counterculture, popular culture, and [[anarchism|anarchist]] thought.

What binds together these ideologies is a [[utopia]]n ideal that human beings are more prone to [[altruism]] rather than self-interest. In Wikipedia Revolution Wales is quoted as saying, “Generally we find most people out there on the internet are good… It’s one of the wonderful humanitarian discoveries in Wikipedia, that most people only want to help us and build this free nonprofit, charitable resource.” Ward Cunningham was the programmer who created the wiki concept and software. According to Lih, he believed in the Wiki because “People are generally good.”

Lih explains how this philosophy is embedded within Wikipedia’s rules:

A core idea Wikipedia embraced.. was to assume good faith when interacting with others. The guideline promoted optimistic production rather than pessimistic nay-saying, and reads, “Unless there is strong evidence to the contrary, assume that people who work on the project are trying to help it, not hurt it; avoid accusing others of harmful motives without particularly strong evidence.

But as it worked out, Wikipedia in practice has strayed from these utopian ideas because of the ease with which political and social bias trumps altruism.

After almost a decade of rapid growth and free-wheeling experimentation the situation at the site by the Summer of 2009 was chaos. Political operatives would sabotage one another in electoral contests by vandalizing pages. More malicious misinformation filtered in freely, with living historical figures accused of involvement in conspiratorial plots.<ref>http://frontpagemag.com/2011/08/23/how-the-left-conquered-wikipedia-part-1/</ref>}}

Wikipedia co-founder [[Larry Sanger]], who left the site, later acknowledged that Wikipedia does not follow its own neutrality policy.<ref name="SangerNeutrality"/>

[[File:Peter-Singer.jpg|right|thumbnail|250px|The atheist philosopher [[Peter Singer]] defends the practice of [[bestiality]] (as well as [[abortion]], infanticide and [[euthanasia]]). Despite holding these immoral views the [[liberal]] and pro-[[evolution]] academic establishment rewarded his views with a bioethics chair at [[Princeton University]].<ref>
*[https://creation.com/the-basis-of-a-christian-worldview The Basis of a Christian Worldview - Creation Ministries International]
*[https://creation.com/answer-to-philosophy-religion-professor-on-biblical-exegesis-and-the-problem-of-evil CMI answers philosophy/religion professor on biblical exegesis and the problem of evil]
*[http://www.firstthings.com/onthesquare/2011/06/the-dangerous-mind-of-peter-singer ''The Dangerous Mind''] by Joe Carter, ''[[First Things]]''</ref> See: [[Atheism and bestiality]] and [[Wikipedia on bestiality]] ]]

Wikipedia also has an automatic Wikimedia Commons editing software called "Commonist," which allows the user to upload multiple files at once. The symbol of [[communism]] - the "hammer and sickle" of the leftist ideology which murdered millions in the former [[Soviet Union]] - is featured prominently on the instruction page as well as the tags that mark each uploaded image.<ref>https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Commons:Commonist</ref>

=== Research ===

On August 23, 2011, David Swindle published an article at ''[[FrontPage Magazine]]'' detailing how Wikipedia has been taken over by the [[Leftist|political left]] and he cited statistics relating to Wikipedia's articles on [[Anne Coulter]], [[Michael Moore]], [[Glenn Beck]] and [[Keith Olbermann]] which helped demonstrate the Wikipedia has a leftist/liberal bias plus he discussed the liberal/leftist cultural foundations of Wikipedia.<ref name="frontpagemag.com">[http://frontpagemag.com/2011/08/23/how-the-left-conquered-wikipedia-part-1/ How the left conquered Wikipedia - Part 1]</ref>

For example, Swindle wrote:

<blockquote>"Consider Ann Coulter versus Michael Moore. Coulter’s entry (on August 9, 2011) was 9028 words long.* Of this longer-than-usual entry, 3220 words were devoted to “Controversies and criticism” in which a series of incidents involving Coulter and quotes from her are cited with accompanying condemnations, primarily from her opponents on the Left. That’s 35.6 percent of Coulter’s entry devoted to making her look bad. By contrast, Moore’s entry is 2876 words (the more standard length for entries on political commentators), with 130 devoted to “Controversy.” That’s 4.5% of the word count, a fraction of Coulter’s. Does this mean that an “unbiased” commentator would find Coulter eight times as “controversial” as Moore?"<ref name="frontpagemag.com"/></blockquote>

=== Talk Pages ===

A lot of Wikipedia's leftist bias is clearly evident from their talk pages.

For example, when an article about the Barcelona May Days<ref>https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Talk:May_Days&oldid=903699178</ref> (an event during the Spanish Civil War where hundreds of anti-Stalinist Trotskyists and anarchists were gunned down by the pro-Stalin Republican government) portrayed the anti-Stalinist side, which contained author George Orwell, in a generally favourable light, Stalinists filled the talk page with childish attacks on the authors of the article, including expletives, as is characteristic of Wikipedia.

==Purported "Tertiary" Source and Arbitrary Standards==
Wikipedia purports to be a "tertiary" source, relying on edited work from reputable sources. The policy is meant to build on the work of qualified editors of secondary sources. Some accuse Wikipedia, therefore, of relying on [[hearsay]], and discouraging the application of [[logic]] and new development of new insights. The result is an agglomeration of reheated "consensus" with little or no intellectual merit of its own; in particular, it is impossible to challenge orthodoxy, received wisdom or commonly held misconceptions through the Wikipedia system, no matter how factually incorrect those orthodoxies might be.

Supporters of Wikipedia would claim that relying on secondary sources encourages reliability and objectivity. However, there are cases of Wikipedia applying it's standards arbitrarily. For example, the case of Wikipedia editor "Yeoberry" (user ID 3606936), an editor with a Ph.D. in church history who first posted materials about "Icons" on August 6, 2012, with multiple citations to historical documents. The material was removed and Yeoberry was told that Wikipedia is a "tertiary" source and so he needed to find reliable secondary sources. On April 4, 2013, Yeoberry again added largely the same material, this time citing a newly published academic paper in a peer-reviewed journal. The information was again removed, with editors, at least some of whom religiously affiliated with the organization supporting icons, claiming the editor had a "COI" (conflict of interest). Neither time did the editors removing Yeoberry's material consult Yeoberry. But when Yeoberry reverted to his edition, he was charged with "edit warring." When Yeoberry challenged the arbitrary use of Wikipedia criteria he was blocked from editing indefinitely and then his access to his own talk page was also blocked.<ref>https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Wikipedia:Administrators%27_noticeboard/Incidents&oldid=548948980#Proposal:_Indefinite_Block</ref>

Wikipedia articles, especially on controversial or political and religious topics, are often guarded by editors who have an interest in slanting the content of the article, may have no formal education on the topic, and can find a so-called reason for suppressing the information they want to suppress. Editors can claim the source is unreliable (as they interpret that); that information gives "UNDUE" weight to the topic the information is about; peer-reviewed, academic articles written by scholars can be removed by editors if, in the opinion of an editor, the view expressed is "Fringe" or if the contributor has a "COI" (conflict of interest) if he's the author of the secondary source or has an advanced education or other interest in the topic; etc. Editors with advanced education in a topic, citing sources from peer-reviewed journals, can have their contributions deleted and their participation prohibited if a few other editors, without such qualification but with enough knowledge of the Wikipedia jargon, decide to suppress him or her.

Originally, encyclopedias were written by scholars, either by one or a few whose knowledge is considered "encyclopedic" (i.e. very broad) or each article is written by an expert in the field. But in Wikipedia, expertise in a given field can disqualify one from contributing in that field resulting in Wikipedia being accused of being a "[[idiocracy]]".

==Economics==

Though Wikipedia is non-profit, the [[Wikia]] project of its co-founder is very much for-profit and has raised millions of dollars in [[venture capital]]. Already Wikipedia has been criticized for favoring Wikia. When Wikipedia community voted 61-39% percent to treat all links to other sites equally by removing nofollow (Google-ignored) tags for all of them, the Wikipedia co-founder overruled this decision and Wikipedia now favors Wikia in its treatment of nofollow tags.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.techcrunch.com/2007/04/28/wikipedia-special-treatment-for-wikia-and-other-wikis/|title=Wikipedia: Special Treatment for Wikia and some other Wikis|author=Nik Cubrilovic|date=April 28, 2007|accessdate=July 22, 2012}}</ref><ref>http://lists.wikimedia.org/pipermail/wikien-l/2007-January/061137.html</ref>

''The Register'' said:<ref name="theregister.co.uk"/>
:Wikipedia has tried to balance the Utopian goal of "an encyclopedia anyone can edit" with the more utilitarian goal of "a website anyone would want to read". With over a million articles, and a rulebook almost as dense, Wikipedia has demonstrated an insatiable desire to participate, create lists and generate procedures. The result is a huge silo of recorded trivia, and perhaps the world's largest, most distributed bureaucracy - mostly manned by a casual staff of teenagers and the unemployed.

For the past few years, Wikipedia has added banners begging for money from its viewers. The site claims to be in need of more funding, but in fact it is "awash with cash - and raises far more money each year than it needs to keep operating."<ref>[http://www.theregister.co.uk/2012/12/20/cash_rich_wikipedia_chugging/ Wikipedia doesn't need your money - so why does it keep pestering you?], 20 December 2012</ref>

Wikipedia, a registered trademark of Wikimedia Foundation, is used also by services like WikiExperts.us, which is declared as not being affiliated with it.
WikiExperts.us accepts money to write Wikipedia entries for businesses and is included in American business ventures of Alex Konanykhin, the Former Russian oligarch, who has been wanted in Russia since Yeltsin's days to face charges relating to embezzlement and financial fraud.<ref>{{cite web |title='Not terrorists': Hysteria over MH17 fails to take account of both law and facts |author=Roslyn Fuller |date=July 25, 2014 |accessdate=July 26, 2014 |url=http://rt.com/op-edge/175496-hysteria-mh17-ukraine-facts-terrorists/}}</ref>

==Scandals and decline==

[[Image:Wikipedia scandals.jpg|thumb|450px|right|Decline in Wikimedia Foundation donations.<ref>[http://centiare.com/Wikipedia_scandals Wikipedia scandals]. Retrieved from centiare.com October 10, 2007.</ref> Graph courtesy [http://www.centiare.com/Directory:Gregory_J._Kohs Gregory Kohs]. Used with Permission.]]The cumulative effect of multiple scandals and revelations has led to declining activity on the English Wikipedia. The rate of new account creation peaked in early 2007 and has declined ~30% since. Overall editing activity showed a steady decline beginning in February 2007. An independent analysis reported, "The rate at which edits were being made to Wikipedia articles appears to have peaked in February to April 2007 and declined since. This decline is unprecedented in Wikipedia's history.... Though it may be purely coincidental, this time frame also corresponds to the Essjay controversy appearing in the press."<ref>[http://lists.wikimedia.org/pipermail/foundation-l/2007-October/033661.html Statistical Decline of the English Wikipedia], [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:Dragons_flight/Log_analysis Dragons flight/Log analysis], October 9, 2007.</ref>

Even after the hoax was revealed of high level intimates promoted by the Wikimedia Foundation as experts in fields that they were not, to persuade college professors to allow students to cite Wikipedia as a reliable source, and entrusted with the ability to invade users privacy which could affect, in their words, "life and death," Wikipedia still appealed to students with a Jim and Tammy Faye Baker-style fundraising slogan across one million project space pages that read, "OMG! Wikipedia is gone! I’ll flunk my exams!" [http://whygive.wikimedia.org/2007/11/24/omg-wikipedia-is-gone-ill-flunk-my-exams/]

Further evidence of the decline in Wikipedia is that the number of editors who voted in the 2012 Arbitration Committee elections has dropped to 858.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia_talk:Arbitration_Committee_Elections_December_2012#Turnout|title=Arbitration Commitee Elections December 2012|accessdate=December 18, 2012}}</ref> For a website that claims to have thousands of active editors, this is very low. Active editors are discouraged from voting because all voters are subject to automatic investigation and invasion of their privacy to determine if they are "sockpuppets" of other voters.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://archive.is/6tiF8|title=Wikipedia's "scrutineers" snoop on living arrangements of contributors|work=Examiner|first=Greg|last=Kohs|date=December 11, 2013|accessdate=December 15, 2014}}</ref>

==Shane Fitzgerald Hoax==

After the death of composer Maurice Jarre, a Wikipedia editor named Shane Fitzgerald attached a quote to Jarre's page: "One could say my life itself has been one long soundtrack. Music was my life, music brought me to life, and music is how I will be remembered long after I leave this life. When I die there will be a final waltz playing in my head, that only I can hear."<ref>http://hoaxes.org/archive/permalink/the_maurice_jarre_wikipedia_hoax/</ref> The words are poetic, yet were never spoken by Jarre, and meant to appeal to news journalists seeking information. It was cited in many newspapers as a genuine quote before its removal.<ref>https://www.nbcnews.com/id/30699302/ns/technology_and_science-tech_and_gadgets/t/student-hoaxes-worlds-media-wikipedia/#.WLNTW5ArLrc</ref>

Had Fitzgerald not confessed to the lie and informed major newspapers, it is likely that the quote would have been cited to one of them. In the days following, only one newspaper (''[[The Guardian]]'') publicly apologized for the use of a source that can be a tool for duping the public.<ref>https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2009/may/04/journalism-obituaries-shane-fitzgerald</ref> Other newspapers, such as the [[Washington Post]], simply deleted their articles from online archives.

==False claim about Brent Bozell==

In March 2007, [[Brent Bozell]] described this falsehood in Wikipedia:<ref>http://archive.mrc.org/BozellColumns/newscolumn/2007/col20070320.asp</ref>

:The other day, [[Bernie Goldberg]] emailed me, upset. He pointed me to his Wikipedia entry. To read what was written was to conclude that apparently I must hate his guts. But we are friends. He is a man for whom I have profound respect, professional and personal. He knew there was foul play.

:Right there on the screen, under the heading "Criticism," it stated that I had attacked him, "claiming that Goldberg merely lifted material he had been producing for years, and only published the book because he had an ax to grind with his former employers and was attempting to make a 'quick buck,' noting that Goldberg never mentioned the alleged liberal bias of the media until it was 'convenient' and 'profitable' for him to do so."...

:In fact, those words have never been uttered by me. The accusation would be false. Back in 1996, Goldberg used the op-ed pages of ''The Wall Street Journal'' publicly to castigate his own network for its one-sided oafish bashing of [[Steve Forbes]]. It was anything but "convenient" or "profitable" for him. It ruined his friendship with [[Dan Rather]] and put him on a path to the outer fringes of CBS News. Ultimately, it ruined his newscaster career.

:My attorney contacted Wikipedia by email demanding the removal of this false entry. No response. So we edited out the offensive material ourselves, after which in writing counsel alerted Wikipedia to the legal action that might befall them should this be repeated. Here's full disclosure, Wikipedia-style: You can see how each article is altered, sometimes hour by hour, in its "History" section. But there is no mention of the attorney's complaints. In the Goldberg article's history, an editor simply now scolds: "Bozell's article is a mock-jealous swipe at Goldberg's opportunism. PLEASE REREAD IT." (Capitals theirs.)

:Goldberg and I are not alone. The website Conservapedia.com has a [[Bias in Wikipedia|long list]] of 41 allegations of bias and factual errors at Wikipedia. You can add to that the problem with the credentials of its staff. One of its editors, named only "Essjay" online and described on his user profile "as a tenured professor of religion at a private university with expertise in canon law," was recently exposed as a 24-year-old college kid in Kentucky. He resigned in disgrace — even though Wikipedia tried to retain him, claiming he'd edited thousands of articles with flair.

Instead of apologizing to Brent Bozell, '''Wikipedia instead says "Bozell points to Conservapedia as a resource that documents Wikipedia's faults in this regard, presumably holding it as a more authoritative reference less vulnerable to vandalism."'''<ref>https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brent_Bozell accessed April 1, 2007</ref>

==Rewriting its own history==

The Associated Press and others credit Larry Sanger as the co-founder of Wikipedia.<ref>http://www.lasvegassun.com/sunbin/stories/tech/2007/mar/25/032502465.html
</ref> But the Associated Press quotes Jimmy Wales as denying it:<ref>''id.''</ref>

:"When you write this up please do not uncritically repeat Sanger's absurd claim to be the co-founder of Wikipedia."

:"I know of no one who was there at the company at the beginning who would think it anything other than laughable," he added. This is an interesting comment, considering that Larry Sanger takes credit for coining the name, "Wikipedia."<ref>[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User_talk:Jimbo_Wales/Archive_20#Sorry.2C_Jimbo.2C_but_not_buying_it. User talk:Jimbo Wales/Archive 20, Larry Sanger 03:26, 5 March 2007 (UTC)]</ref>

:"I am not bent out of shape about it," he wrote. "The facts are on my side, which is why I bother so little about it."

According to the Associated Press, Jimmy Wales "has repeatedly tried to address this - even going so far as editing his own Wikipedia biography to tone down credit for Sanger. Such autobiographical contributions are frowned upon in Wikipedia's community, and Wales apologized after his changes were noticed and publicized by blogger Rogers Cadenhead in 2005."<ref>''id.''</ref> Wales' booking agent for speaking engagements claims that Wales is "the founder" of Wikipedia, which results in surprised clients when that claim is challenged. The false "founder" claim is on Wales' webpage.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://jimmywales.com/about-jimmy/|title=About Jimmy|accessdate=February 6, 2015}}</ref>

Jimmy Wales has admitted that certain administrators, contrary to their own rules, have at times completely removed editing evidence.

== Seigenthaler scandal ==

In early October 2005, a prominent and respected journalist [[John Seigenthaler Sr.]], contacted Wikipedia founder [[Jimmy Wales]] about false and libelous content in his biographical entry. Essjay, a 24-year-old Wikipedia Administrator who was advancing rapidly in the organization, was dispatched to handle the situation.<ref name="User:Essjay/Letter">[http://www.wikitruth.info/index.php?title=User:Essjay/Letter User:Essjay/Letter]. Retrieved from WikiTruth, November 3, 2007.</ref> An anonymous contributor added to Seigenthaler's biography the previous May,
:"John Seigenthaler Sr. was the assistant to Attorney General [[Robert Kennedy]] in the early 1960s. For a short time, he was thought to have been directly involved in the Kennedy assassinations of both [[John F. Kennedy|John]], and his brother, Bobby. Nothing was ever proven," and "John Seigenthaler moved to the [[Soviet Union]] in 1971, and returned to the [[United States]] in 1984. He started one of the country's largest public relations firms shortly thereafter."

Wales told Seigenthaler that Wikipedia is "accountable" and corrects mistakes immediately, but that the internet service provider of the anonymous user probably would not be helpful in identifying who placed the content.<ref name="Seigenthaler's Op-Eds">[http://www.journalism.org/node/1673 Seigenthaler's Op-Eds], October 1, 2005. Retrieved from http://www.journalism.org November 12, 2007.</ref> Accountability activist [[Daniel Brandt]], a victim of a spurious biographical entry by Wikipedia Administrators, identified the place of employment of the anonymous user, and from there the person accountable was identified.<ref>http://www.journalism.cf.ac.uk/2006/online/index.php?id=parse-195-0-0-251&article=336&author=India+Camm</ref>

Seigenthaler returned to the editorial pages of ''USA Today'' from which he retired as its first editorial manager to write an Op-Ed piece critical of Wikipedia and the threat it poses to free speech due of its overt provocation of government regulation, its irresponsible self-regulation and lack of accountability.<ref>[https://www.usatoday.com/news/opinion/editorials/2005-11-29-wikipedia-edit_x.htm A false Wikipedia 'biography'], By John Seigenthaler, ''USA Today'', 11/29/2005.</ref>

=== CNN interview ===

On December 5, 2005 Wales and Seigenthaler appeared on [[CNN]]. An exchange between CNN moderator [[Kyra Phillips]] and Wales went like this:
{{Cquote|PHILLIPS:...I ran my name. I was shocked to see what was under my name. ...I'm telling you right now, Jimmy, that's not how I want people to see me and understand me. And what I'm about, and what I write about in my interviews, ''et cetera''. So, you know, it's not just individuals like John, but me and many other people, that just have concerns that this is creating gossip that can be very harmful. And people go to these sites thinking that this is the truth.}}
{{Cquote|WALES: Well, I mean, I think the real key is that the site matures over time, the -- all of the articles are edited over and over and over, and improved. Anyone's free to contribute. You're free to go and contribute.}}

This in fact is not the case. Phillips was not free to remove objectionable content within her biographical entry, as Daniel Brandt at that exact moment was discovering. Not four days prior, Wales told ''Editor & Publisher'' magazine regarding Brandt's objections to a false Wikipedia biography created by Wikipedia Administrators about him, "I find it hard to take him very seriously at all," and libelous slanders remained in Brandt's biography for a year and half. Wales told CNN, "we are very, very responsive to complaints and concerns."

Seigenthaler told the audience "with accountability comes credibility" and expressed fear that, "I'm afraid we're going to get regulated media as a result."<ref>http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0512/05/lol.02.html</ref>

On December 9, Seigenthaler appeared on C-SPAN's ''Washington Journal'' with Brian Lamb and articulated his concern that members of Congress or other powerful figures in government may likewise be targeted. On November 2, 2006, days before the mid-term Congressional elections, an anonymous IP address traced to the ''[[New York Times]]'' changed [[U.S. House of Representatives]] [[Majority Leader]] [[Tom DeLay]]'s Wikipedia biographical entry from "a prominent member of the [[Republican Party]]" to "Grand Dragon of the Republican Party."<ref>[https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Tom_DeLay&diff=prev&oldid=85320018 Wikipedia/Tom DeLay, Revision as of 20:19, 2 November 2006, IP 199.181.174.146]</ref><ref>[http://wikiscanner.virgil.gr/name2ip.php?orgname=New+York+Times&location= WikiScanner]</ref>

Seigenthaler wrote a more expansive column in the ''The Tennessean'' after the November 30 ''USA Today'' piece appeared,
{{Cquote|a sudden stream of invective — homophobic, anti-Semitic and racist — spilled, as if from a sewer, onto the Wikipedia page under my name. ..It identified me as ...a "Nazi," "fascist-oriented" ....murderer ...there also was the profile picture of Adolf Hitler over the caption, "Press photo of Seigenthaler." The accompanying line: "He is secretly responsible for killing all the Jews." }}

=== Accountability and Section 230 ===
[[Image:Wikifascists.JPG|thumb|275px|right|From Wikipedia Watch. [http://www.wikipedia-watch.org/] The inscription reads, ''"Two wikifascists find someone without a biography."'']]
Upon his retirement from ''USA Today'', Seigenthaler founded the First Amendment Center, an organization dedicated to a national dialogue about [[First Amendment]] rights and values. Seigenthaler criticized passage of [[Section 230]] of the Communications Decency Act of 1996. Section 230 states that "no provider or user of an interactive computer service shall be treated as the publisher or speaker." Unlike print and broadcast companies, internet service providers (ISP's) cannot be sued for disseminating defamatory attacks on citizens posted by others. Seigenthaler noted [[Jimbo Wales]] told [[Brian Lamb]] in a [[C-SPAN]] interview that Wikipedia is accountable and that mistakes are corrected within minutes, but the false information remained in Seigenthaler's biography for five months. Seigenthaler concluded,
{{Cquote|And so we live in a universe of new media with phenomenal opportunities for worldwide communications and research — but populated by volunteer vandals with poison-pen intellects.<ref>A false Wikipedia 'biography', By John Seigenthaler, ''USA Today'', 11/29/2005.</ref>}}

In the case of ''Zeran v. AOL'', Zeran sued AOL for refusing to screen and remove defamatory messages, even after Zeran notified the ISP of their existence. The lower court ruled for the service provider and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit upheld the decision, noting that the intent of Section 230 was to (1) remove incentives on service providers to restrict speech on the Internet and (2) encourage self-regulation by service providers.<ref>http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=916529</ref><ref>http://www.adl.org/Civil_Rights/newcyber.pdf</ref>

An American citizen who posts material on the Internet that is illegal in a foreign country could be prosecuted if he subjected himself to the jurisdiction of that country. Internet users who export material that is illegal, that is to say, post material that is accessible and illegal in some foreign countries may be subject to prosecution in that country. However, under American law, the United States will not extradite a person for engaging in a constitutionally protected activity even if that activity violates a criminal law elsewhere.<ref>http://www.rjayco.com/obrien/nazism.pdf</ref>

=== Essjay given oversight ===
:''See Main article: [[Wikipedia:The Essjay scandal]]

Essjay wrote a professor to persuade her to allow her students to use Wikipedia as a viable source of information and posted a verbatim copy of the email for others to use. Essjay stated, "I was the administrator who deleted the inappropriate revisions when Mr. Seigenthaler contacted our founder, [[Jimmy Wales]]; it is quite unfortunate that a relatively minor issue on a relatively minor figure has provided so much negative publicity.<ref name="User:Essjay/Letter"/> Seigenthaler noted in his Op-Ed piece, "The motive for the salacious stuff directed at me is reasonably obvious," and quoted some comments, "We all at Wikipedia think he (Seigenthaler) is a horrible, stupid p...k for complaining about small inaccuracies in his biography."<ref name="Seigenthaler's Op-Eds"/>

Others said, "Mr. Seigenthaler's attitude and actions are reprehensible and ill-formed," and “if there is an error whether large or small, he can correct it.” This again, was not true. Even prior to the Wikipedia policy, '''Biographies of Living Persons''', [[conflict of interest]] restrictions existed on the subject of an article editing their own entry. Another wrote: "Rather than fixing the article himself, he made a legal threat."<ref>http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2006/02/12/bias_sabotage_haunt_wikipedias_free_world/?page=3</ref>
[[Image:Seigraph.gif|400px|thumb|right|The Seigenthaler scandal was viewed as "the best thing that ever happened to Wikipedia" as curiosity seekers to view the [[misinformation]] skyrocketed Alexa rankings.]]
Despite the damage to an innocent person and divulgence of Wikipedia's precarious claim as a viable source, the Seigenthaler scandal was viewed as a triumph and considered "the best thing that ever happened to Wikipedia,"<ref>[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Talk:John_Seigenthaler,_Sr.#The_best_thing_that_ever_happened_to_Wikipedia Talk:John Seigenthaler Sr.#The best thing that ever happened to Wikipedia], retrieved 23 March 2007.</ref> catapulting it into a top ten most visited website as curiosity seekers responded to the negative publicity.<ref>[http://wikipediareview.com/lofiversion/index.php?t1100.html Wikipedia: A Nightmare Of Libel and Slander], Joel Leyden, Israel News Agency, 8 May 2006.</ref>

The scandal was originally billed as a "hoax", then "controversy," then downgraded to "incident," and now re-upgraded to "controversy," evidently in response to criticism. The Wikipedia entry on "Seigenthaler controversy" contains [[disinformation]], making the claim, "After the incident, Wikipedia took steps to prevent a recurrence, including barring unregistered users from creating new pages." No actions were ever taken to require disclosure of the real life identities of contributors. Barring unregistered users from creating new pages had nothing to do with the Seigenthaler scandal—the page already existed when an anonymous IP added the false information. Registration of accounts requires no accountability of the real life identity of the contributor. Indeed, many experienced Wikipedia editors and Administrators have dozens of registered accounts, called "sockpuppet accounts." Protecting the identities of anonymous high-level Administrators has always been more of a priority to the WikiMedia Foundation than the propagation of false information about real life persons whose identities are known. Wales was asked by ''BusinessWeek'' magazine, “Why do you feel it is important to allow contributors and site administrators to remain anonymous?” Wales responded, “there are definitely people working in Wikipedia who may have privacy reasons for not wanting their name on the site….there are lots of reasons for privacy online that aren’t nefarious.”<ref>http://www.businessweek.com/technology/content/dec2005/tc20051214_441708.htm</ref> In the Seigenthaler case, it was the odd circumstance that a victim of false information had a large enough platform to respond, coupled with the welcome fact that the victim fundamentally opposes government regulation of internet speech.

Wikipedia's "Seigenthaler controversy" also states, "The Foundation added a new level of "oversight" features to the MediaWiki software,[12] accessible as of 2006 to around 20 experienced editors nominated by Wales,"<ref>[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Seigenthaler_Sr._Wikipedia_biography_controversy#Wikimedia_Foundation_reaction Seigenthaler controversy#Wikimedia Foundation reaction].</ref> one of whom was Essjay.

This ban on anonymous page creation “reform” was abandoned less than two years later as Wikipedia's usage and ratings slumped in the wake of yet more scandals and questions about Wikipedia's culture, core content policies, and endemic lack of accountability.<ref>http://lists.wikimedia.org/pipermail/wikien-l/2007-October/084292.html</ref>

==Brandt / Berlet feud==
:''See Main article: [[Wikipedia:The Daniel Brandt controversy]]
An ugly [[far-left]] sectarian dispute<ref>[http://spencer.lib.ku.edu/exhibits/wilcox/5.html Laird Wilcox], ''The Watchdogs: A Close Look at Anti-Racist "Watchdog" Groups'', Second Edition, Part 2, Editorial Research Service, 1999, p. 21. ISBN 0-993592-96-5.</ref> reared its head in 2005 with disastrous consequences for the site's credibility. The feud had been dormant for many years until the need to elevate a “controversial and notable expert” above the level of “partisan and extreme” defined by its own policies became apparent which would have precluded the so-called “expert” as "a source for anything other than himself,” as Wikipedia's ever fluid policies dictate.

Daniel Brandt, founder of Namebase,<ref>http://www.namebase.org/</ref> Google Watch, and Wikipedia Watch, removed Chip Berlet from his Board of Advisors in 1991 when Berlet refused to sit on the same Board which included Fletcher Prouty." Prouty, a retired Air Force colonel whose intelligence career stretched back to accompanying President [[Franklin Roosevelt]] to the [[Teheran conference]], was allegorically portrayed as the mysterious “Man X”<ref>[http://www.arlingtoncemetery.net/lfprouty.htm Leroy Fletcher Prouty, Jr., Colonel, United States Air Force], [[Arlington National Cemetery]] Website, Retrieved November 4, 2007.</ref> by Donald Southerland in [[Oliver Stone]]'s film, [[JFK]]. A Brandt biographical page was created using Berlet as the source for unsavory attacks on Brandt. Brandt describes himself as an "accountability activist"<ref>[https://www.pbs.org/mediashift/2006/04/your_take_roundupbelievers_neg.html Believers, Negativists Debate Wikipedia’s Trustworthiness], by Mark Glaser, 20 April 2006. Retrieved from pbs.org October 29, 2007.</ref><ref>[http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Daniel_Brandt Wikiquote/Daniel Brandt#Sourced]</ref> and claims he originally began working with Wikipedia editors in good faith during October 2005 but any biographical information he revealed was spun against him to depict him in a negative light. Brandt states,
{{Cquote|I soon realized that it was also about Berlet, who was still bent on undermining me. Berlet was using Wikipedia as part of his political agenda, and he was successful in this.<ref>http://wikipediareview.com/index.php?showtopic=5641&st=40&p=21441&mode=linear#entry21441</ref>}}
Berlet's biography underwent an extensive revision with most of the substantive NPOV criticism cut out. The revising editor commented, "I kept Daniel Brandt, not because I feel he's a credible source, but because there's so little published criticism of Berlet, that I felt I had to retain something."<ref>[https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Talk:Chip_Berlet&diff=prev&oldid=9161554 Chip Berlet/Talk, SlimVirgin 00:19, 7 January 2005].</ref> This is an extraordinary statement and raises the question why the same high-level Administrator and author of several of Wikipedia's core content and citation policies, including '''Wikipedia:Reliable Sources''' and '''Wikipedia:Biographies of Living Persons''' ('''BLP'''),<ref name="en.wikipedia.org">https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Wikipedia:Biographies_of_living_persons&diff=31947681&oldid=31753956</ref> would use a source she did not consider credible.

===Biographies of living persons===

Wikipedia:Biographies of Living Persons (WP:BLP) policy did not come into being because of the Seigenthaler scandal, but rather over the Brandt controversy, as the originating editor noted in an edit summary.<ref name="en.wikipedia.org"/> Brandt requested Wikipedia delete his biographical entry, and ceased working with editors he suspected of working to further the propagation of false information about him.

''Editor & Publisher'' magazine bills itself as the nation's oldest trade journal serving the newspaper industry with roots dating back to 1884. Wikipedia founder [[Jimmy Wales]] responded to questions from ''Editor & Publisher'' in a prepared statement on December 1, 2005 about Daniel Brandt saying,
{{Cquote|I don't regard him as a valid source about anything at all<ref>[http://www.editorandpublisher.com/eandp/article_brief/eandp/1/1001612839 Wikipedia Founder, Readers Respond to Seigenthaler Article], Jay DeFoore, ''Editor & Publisher'', December 01, 2005.</ref>}}

Wales comments added '''undue weight'''<ref>https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WP:UNDUE#Undue_weight</ref> ('''WP:UNDUE''') to criticism of Brandt when placed within his biographical entry. Brandt demanded accountability from the army of unidentified Wikipedia Administrators furthering Chip Berlet's agenda to destroy Brandt's credibility, and elevate Berlet's own as a Wikipedia "expert."
[[Image:294577483 90fd22f5cd m.jpg|thumb|300px|right|From '''WikiTruth''', the inscription reads, 
"''The Big Bad Brandt is Gonna Getcha!'']]
Brandt became known as the scourge of the Wikipedia Admin community. WikiTruth says in its ''Brandt the Boogeyman'' entry,
{{Cquote|he dates back to a time when people would look up facts in books and would verify information without just doing a copy and paste from an AP news article and thinking they were done. He compares writing styles, he calls government agencies, and he writes letters. And when he's done, he tends to know. Or at least, he knows where he stands in terms of information. He's rather tenacious about getting stuff right.

Wikipedia, of course, doesn't do this much at all: depending on the day, they'll laud a link to a website as being absolutely useless (it's on the WEB, of course) and then the next minute link to a different website to back a "fact" up. Citing books and printed materials is often a no-go, because nobody can read the original citation, so it gets swept away as well. Really, you have no idea what's good and what's bad, and it's all one big happy soup-hug.

Therefore, guys like Daniel Brandt are horrible for Wikipedia: he researches. He finds laws that pertain to situations. He asks the tough questions that could upset the whole Wiki-cart.}}

Wikipedia continues to publish inaccurate and defamatory articles about living persons, written by anonymous contributors, based on other unreliable sources, and refuses to withdraw or change them. The victims of its libels have no legal means of compelling Wikipedia to make any changes. It is not answerable to any court or libel laws and simply behaves as if it is above the law.

==The Wordbomb Saga==
[[Image:Patrick byrne overstock small.jpg|thumb|right|Overstock.com CEO Patrick Byrne [http://www.overstock.com/Patrick-Byrne-and-naked-short-selling/7371/static.html]]]
One of Wikipedia's most bitter and drawn-out disputes, chronicled in ''The Register,''<ref>http://www.theregister.co.uk/2007/12/06/wikipedia_and_overstock/</ref> centers around the assertion by representatives of Overstock.com<ref>http://www.overstock.com/community</ref> that a [[Mainstream media|mainstream financial journalist]] Gary Weiss had been editing Wikipedia to impose his point of view on a series of articles relevant to the company. Weiss was once a reporter with BusinessWeek, in 2007 became a columnist with Forbes, and had for over 10 years been posting under fake names to confuse, distort, hijack Usenet groups, stock message boards, and Wikipedia, to prevent the public from understanding criminal activity.<ref>http://www.deepcapture.com/gary-weiss-scaramouch-psychopath/</ref> Weiss was notorious around the Internet for his public feud with Overstock<ref>http://garyweiss.blogspot.com/2007/05/overstockcoms-ethical-dilemma.html</ref> and its CEO [[Patrick Byrne]],<ref>http://allantyoung.com/2008/09/22/patrick-byrne-vindicated/</ref> ridiculing their campaign against the controversial practice of [[Naked Short Selling]].

In 2006, Judd Bagley, an ally of Overstock's Patrick Byrne having interviewed the CEO for a personal project, began editing Wikipedia to counter what was perceived to be a skewed representation of Naked Short Selling and Overstock.com. He was swiftly dispatched by influential Wikipedia administrators.

Shortly after, Bagley became Overstock's Director of Communications, and embarked on an aggressive campaign to publicize the dispute on various websites, aiming to expose the administrators he held responsible for protecting Weiss. Using the moniker “Wordbomb”, Bagley presented evidence<ref>http://antisocialmedia.net/final-word-on-weiss/</ref> suggesting that not only was Gary Weiss editing Wikipedia using the name “User:Mantanmoreland“,<ref>https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:Mantanmoreland</ref> but that he was operating other accounts to manipulate consensus and protect his interests in the dispute. Mantanmoreland violated Wikipedia policies against Conflict of Interest and No Self Promotion by creating an article about himself.<ref>https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Gary_Weiss&diff=prev&oldid=48341962</ref> Bagley proved Weiss had edited Wikipedia from one of two main IPs used by the Depository Trust and Clearing Corporation (DTCC),<ref>http://www.dtcc.com/about/business/index.php</ref> the organization charged with settling about a quadrillion stock trades each year. The DTCC is also the organization Overstock.com CEO Patrick Byrne said acts an enabler of perpetrators of illegal naked short selling of many public companies.<ref>http://wikipediareview.com/index.php?showtopic=10360&st=0&p=36485&mode=linear#entry36485</ref>

Wikipedia responded to Bagley's campaign in typical schoolyard fashion. The dispute was escalated by a small clique of powerful Wikipedians who seemed less interested in the truth of Bagley's assertions, and more concerned with attacking perceived threats to the status quo at Wikipedia. With the approval of [[Jimbo Wales]], administrators sided with “Mantanmoreland” / Gary Weiss, and anointed Bagley / Wordbomb an “Enemy Of The Wiki” who needed to be silenced — a “stalker” and a “harasser” for publicizing the details of the person who had been editing relevant articles on Wikipedia, and the people who had been stopping him from doing the same.

For nearly two years, Bagley's name was invoked to inspire paranoia in the Wikipedia Admin Community to keep questioning editors in line. It became a textbook case for analysis of the intense group-think Wikipedia has become notorious for.
[[Image:Judd bagley overstock.jpg|thumb|left|175px|Judd Bagley was made a target at the highest levels of Wikipedia and became a victim of a global [[witchhunt]] by the Wikipedia Admin Community for daring to expose an unholy alliance of abuse and [[corruption]] on [[Wall Street]] and in the Wikipedia cabal. [http://antisocialmedia.net/] ]]
Bagley was repeatedly disparaged<ref>http://wikipediareview.com/index.php?showtopic=15897</ref> by a cabal of out-of-control administrators such as Guy Chapman, who denounced Bagley as “lunatic” and “evil” when it suited. UK Wikimedia representative David Gerard banned an entire area of Utah to prevent Bagley raising his issues and made personally disparaging remarks.<ref>https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User_talk:David_Gerard/archive_5#User:204.15.84.2</ref> Wikipedia Arbitrator Fred Bauder claimed that Bagley's blog AntiSocialMedia.net showed “moral depravity”<ref>https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Wikipedia:Requests_for_arbitration/Attack_sites/Proposed_decision&diff=158954587&oldid=158809362</ref> for challenging the Wiki-elite. Administrator Phil Sandifer dismissed Bagley in highly personal and offensive language while boasting<ref>http://lists.wikimedia.org/pipermail/wikien-l/2007-October/083509.html</ref> that he himself had become a “powerful and trusted administrator on the 9th biggest website in the world.”

Other editors who raised Overstock's quite legitimate complaints were banned as proxies of Judd Bagley. Paranoia had taken such a hold that editors with productive records from all over the US, and as far afield as Europe and Asia found themselves accused of being Bagley. When the editor Cla68<ref>https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Requests_for_arbitration/Mantanmoreland/Evidence#Evidence_presented_by_Cla68</ref> questioned the issue of Gary Weiss editing Wikipedia, he was swiftly blocked by administrator Durova on the orders of Jimbo Wales who wrote,<ref>https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Talk:Gary_Weiss&diff=165916446&oldid=165916313</ref> “Durova and Guy have my full support here. No nonsense, zero tolerance, shoot on sight. No kidding, this has gone on long enough”.

A study<ref>https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:SirFozzie/Investigation</ref> undertaken by concerned administrators into the editing patterns of “Mantanmoreland” came to fruition. Despite the “Mantanmoreland” account ceasing edits on Overstock / Naked Short Selling articles in September 2007, the study revealed evidence beyond reasonable doubt that the same person had been operating several accounts to “control” articles. Thus affirming Bagley's claims.

More worryingly for good faith Wikipedians was the revelation<ref>http://www.wikback.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=2762#Post2757</ref><ref>http://www.theregister.co.uk/2008/10/01/wikipedia_and_naked_shorting/print.html</ref> that Jimbo Wales, alongside leading administrators, had considered that this person was almost certainly Gary Weiss in a private discussion as long ago as September 2007 (the same month the “Mantanmoreland” account quit editing the relevant articles). Meaning that behind the scenes, they were admitting that Bagley was probably right all along, yet in public were vilifying or blocking anyone who publicly stated so.

After the [[financial meltdown of 2008]], the [[Securities and Exchange Commission]] issued directives aimed at curbing abusive naked short selling.<ref>[http://www.philly.com/inquirer/business/20090728_SEC_short-selling_rule_is_permanent.html]</ref> Patrick Byrne has been widely recognized as in the forefront of the movement aimed at curbing such abuses.<ref>http://www.investigatethesec.com/drupal-5.5/?q=node/425</ref>

==Michael Moore==
[[Image:Moorecagan.JPG|right|thumb|200px|Moore with [[Leslie Cagan]] [[United For Peace and Justice]] [http://www.discoverthenetworks.org/individualProfile.asp?indid=629] ]]
The website MichaelMoore.com, dissatisfied with a Wikipedia editor's edits to ''[[Sicko]]'', published an image of a Wikipedia user on its main page. This was combined with links to edit both ''Sicko'' and the editor's user page.[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Requests_for_arbitration/Attack_sites/Proposed_decision#Michael_Moore] Several Wikipedia editors and Administrators regarded this action on the part of [[Michael Moore]]'s official website as an egregious violation of a well publicized ruling to protect Wikipedia editors from outside harassment. [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Requests_for_arbitration/Attack_sites/Evidence#Michael_Moore][https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Requests_for_arbitration/Attack_sites/Evidence#Michael_Moore_2] The consensus, per Wikipedia's policy was to remove links from Wikipedia to Michael Moore's attack site which was urging vengeance and reprisals against an editor who posted criticism of Moore's film.

In Arbitration, Wikipedia's internal policy making and dispute resolution arm, the Arbitration chairman publicly admitted,
{{Cquote|No question it contained an attack, including a link to edit our user's page. The problem is that many of us like Michael Moore very much and don't care much for the viewpoint of the user involved. Applying our policy in a rote manner (Without consideration of '''the unwritten rule that we support prominent subjects that we like''') yields removal of the link (At least while it contained the personal attack).<ref>Wikien-1 [http://lists.wikimedia.org/pipermail/wikien-l/2007-October/082980.html Harassment sites], Fred Bauder, Sun Oct 14 19:03:28 UTC 2007.</ref>}}

Wikipedia's Neutral Point of View (NPOV), laid down by founder Jimbo Wales allegedly is "absolute and non-negotiable." Few people find the claim convincing.[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Neutral_point_of_view][https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Neutral_point_of_view#_note-0] The ArbCom chairman further stated, "Obviously we need to make an exception for prominent people whose viewpoint we support." [http://lists.wikimedia.org/pipermail/wikien-l/2007-October/082987.html] When asked, "How, then, is this remotely compatible with NPOV?", the ArbCom chairman responded, "Not at all." [http://lists.wikimedia.org/pipermail/wikien-l/2007-October/082993.html] The editor whom Michaelmoore.com was urging its viewers to attack and harass is described as "a Fellow at the [[American Enterprise Institute]], a [[conservative]] [[think tank]]."[http://lists.wikimedia.org/pipermail/wikien-l/2007-October/083230.html]

==Sinbad hoax==
On March 16, 2007, Wikipedia entry on the 50-year old entertainer Sinbad, born David Adkins, stated: "He succumbed to a fatal heart attack on the morning of March 14, 2007." This hoax was widely reported in the media.<ref>http://www.ioltechnology.co.za/article_page.php?iSectionId=2891&iArticleId=3734818</ref>

==Robert Clark Young revenge edits==
From 2006 to 2013, Robert Clark Young, an author who had only published one novel to mixed reviews, edited Wikipedia extensively with 13,000 edits under username "Qworty." He engaged in aggressive behavior making revenge edits to biographical articles of his rival authors and other people against whom he held grudges. He also puffed up his own Wikipedia autobiography, and repeatedly denied that he was connected to Young. He also created other single purpose accounts to further his campaign.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Requests_for_checkuser/Case/Geri_Litton|title=Geri Litton sockpuppet investigation|date=2007|accessdate=July 11, 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Sockpuppet_investigations/Qworty/Archive|title=Quorty sockpuppet inviestigant|date=2013|accessdate=July 11, 2013}}</ref> Only after his true identity was revealed in a salon.com article,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.salon.com/2013/05/17/revenge_ego_and_the_corruption_of_wikipedia/|title=Revenge, ego and the corruption of Wikipedia|date=May 17, 2013|work=salon.com|accessdate=July 9, 2013}}</ref> was Young banned<ref>{{cite web|url=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Administrators%27_noticeboard/IncidentArchive797#User:Qworty|title=Wikipedia:Administrators' noticeboard/IncidentArchive797|accessdate=July 9, 2013}}</ref> and efforts made to reverse his vindictive edits. In essence, he would remove favorable items from the biographies of his enemies or nominate them for deletion. The salon.com article concluded,
<blockquote>But Qworty’s example tells us that even when people call attention to a rogue editor, even when that editor’s temper tantrums come to the attention of the founder of Wikipedia, it’s quite possible that no action will be taken.</blockquote>

==Rutgers-Ivy League hoax==
A Wikipedia entry falsely stated that Rutgers was once invited to join the Ivy League. Although that false statement was eventually removed from Wikipedia, it was not removed before the ''Daily News'' relied on it in this story:

:You don't have to define your college with your football team, but Rutgers long ago decided to give it a try. Back in 1954, when it was considered a 'public Ivy,' Rutgers might have joined the fledgling Ivy League and altered its destiny. But the school declined the offer - arguably the dumbest mistake in its history. Ever since then, Rutgers has scrambled to prove itself worthy of playing football with the big boys."<ref>Bondy, Filip. "They Can Finally Say They Belong Here", New York Daily News, 2006-11-10, p. 92. Retrieved on 2006-12-13.</ref>

==Barbara Bauer vs. Wikimedia Foundation==
Wikimedia Foundation is one of 17 defendants in a lawsuit suit filed in New Jersey, by Barbara Bauer and her literary agency. Her Wikipedia article was deleted on March 25, 2007 by Wikipedia administrator Doc Glasgow as a "bloody disgrace".<ref name="wikipedia-watch.org">http://www.wikipedia-watch.org/bauertc.html</ref>{{dead link}}<ref name="wikipedia-watch.org"/><ref>http://www.wikipedia-watch.org/bauert1.html</ref><ref>http://www.wikipedia-watch.org/bauert2.html</ref>{{dead link}}

==GFDL License Issue==
Wikipedia's practice of complete deletion of articles<ref>https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Log&page=Brian+Peppers</ref> without reference to the original article, the author(s)/publisher(s) of the article, and the history and title(s) of the article, including modification history, description and appropriate dates, is a direct violation of at least GFDL version 1.2. Additionally, the GFDL License states that if the article/document contains Copyright notices, that said notices must be preserved at all times. If those notices are removed, then they are in violation of Copyright Law, as well as the terms of the GFDL license. Furthermore, the question of them removing anything outright at all comes into quite a grey area. If one reads the GFDL License literally, then it implies that once the article document is posted, it is in distribution, and technical measures are not allowed to be taken to prevent the use of the document in question, and that no other conditions whatsoever can be added by the user to those of the GFDL license.<ref>http://www.wikitruth.info/index.php?title=Wikipocalypse:GF'DL</ref><ref>http://www.gnu.org/licenses/fdl.html#TOC1</ref>

However, beginning June 15, 2009, the Wikimedia Foundation began transitioning content on Wikipedia to be dual-licensed under both the GFDL and Creative Commons CC-BY-SA 3.0.<ref>https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Wikipedia_Signpost/2009-06-15/News_and_notes</ref>

==Censorship==
Among the many userboxes that are used by editors in Wikipedia, there is one that claims "Wikipedia is not censored".<ref>[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:Disavian/Userboxes/Not_Censored "Wikipedia is not censored" userbox] at Wikipedia</ref> This is a lie, as Wikipedia routinely engages in censorship against any edits [[Examples of Bias in Wikipedia|its editors and administrators do not like for political/ideological reasons]] (particularly involving political articles, the "[[global warming]]" article, the [[GamerGate]] controversy article and articles involving gender-confused individuals and those claiming to be "non-binary") and its leftist editors/administrators have been very quick to revert/censor such edits and to quickly block editors who make such edits to fit reality instead of the leftist editors' personal and ideological preference, wishful thinking and political correctness in defiance of reality and logic.

==Cyberbullying==
The press have reported on incidents of [[cyberbullying]] on Wikipedia.<ref name="LATimes">{{cite news| url=http://articles.latimes.com/2008/apr/29/local/me-wikipedia29 | work=Los Angeles Times | first=Molly | last=Hennessy-Fiske | title=Wikipedia threats went unchecked – Los Angeles Times | date=29 April 2008}}</ref><ref name="ABCLocal">[http://abclocal.go.com/kabc/story?section=news/local&id=6087243 Hacienda Heights school receives possible threat | abc7.com]</ref><ref name="LATimes2">{{cite news |title=Student arrested for violent threats on Wikipedia |first= |last= |url=http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/2008/04/wiki.html?cid=6a00d8341c630a53ef011571abd811970b |work=[[Los Angeles Times]] |date=29 April 2008}}</ref> An editor threatened an Asian student at the Glen A. Wilson High School in 2008,<ref name="LATimes" /><ref name="ABCLocal" /><ref name="LATimes2" /> and a 14-year-old boy was arrested for making a threat against Niles West High School on Wikipedia in 2006.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.pantagraph.com/news/article_baef01f3-e56f-52e1-b9af-e90eb83e811b.html|title=Teen charged after threat to school on Wikipedia|date=31 October 2006|agency=Associated Press |publisher=Pantagraph.com|accessdate=26 January 2011|location=Bloomington, IL}}</ref>

María Sefidari, the female Chair of the Wikimedia Foundation Board of Directors, is involved in a lesbian relationship with Wikipedia editor Laura Hale, which creates an inherent conflict of interest in the following controversy.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.canberra.edu.au/researchrepository/items/d2d1d08e-20c3-4781-9072-57c8960c6c91/1/introductory_pages.pdf?attachment.uuid=a046d5df-9395-4700-a345-ebda1f122cc6|title=Thesis Acknowledgements|page=4|accessdate=July 15, 2019}}</ref> Ms. Hale has a long history, dating back to 2011 of incompetent edits and abusing male editors while making false accusations of "misogyny" against editors who correct her edits. A long-time male administrator, Fram, followed Ms. Hale around making corrections to her problematic edits. In turn, Ms. Hale complained to the Trust & Security staff of the Wikimedia Foundation, rather than to the volunteer-staffed complaint mechanisms on Wikipedia. Although the Trust & Security staff has previously banned a few editors for problems involving illegal conduct such as pedophilia, in June 2019, for the first time, they suspended Fram for one year for alleged "incivility". In response, an English Wikipedia administrator lifted the block and was in turn stripped of his administratorship by the Foundation, and several other administrators resigned in protest.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Community_response_to_the_Wikimedia_Foundation%27s_ban_of_Fram|title=Wikipedia:Community response to the Wikimedia Foundation's ban of Fram|accessdate=June 24, 2019}}</ref> In response to a Buzzfeed article about the controversy,<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/josephbernstein/wikipedia-ban-editor-culture-war|title=The Culture War Has Finally Come For Wikipedia|date=July 27, 2019|accessdate=July 28, 2019|work=Buzzfeed News}}</ref> Wikimedia Foundation executive director Katharine Maher sent a tweet calling the article "s***ty", which drew heavy criticism against her on her Twitter account from other Wikipedia editors for what they indicated was her dismissive and elitist attitude toward those opposed to the Foundation's unilateral abuse of power.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://twitter.com/krmaher/status/1144394019893460993|title=tweet|accessdate=June 28, 2019}}</ref> As more Wikipedia Administrators and Bureaucrats resign or go on strike, the crisis has also been reported by Breitbart.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.breitbart.com/tech/2019/06/28/wikipedia-editors-revolt-over-sites-ban-of-veteran-administrator/|title=Wikipedia Editors Revolt over Site’s Ban of Veteran Administrator|date=July 28, 2019|work=Breitbart|accessdate=July 28, 2019}}</ref>

== Wikipedia on bestiality ==

''See also:'' [[Wikipedia on bestiality]] and [[Atheism and bestiality]]

As noted earlier, the Wikipedia project was initiated by [[atheism|atheists]] and [[entrepreneur]] Jimmy Wales and the [[agnosticism|agnostic]] [[philosophy]] [[professor]] [[Larry Sanger]] on January 15, 2001.<ref>http://www.nndb.com/lists/288/000092012/</ref>

[[Bestiality]] is the act of engaging in sexual relations with an animal. As of July 18, 2012, Wikipedia's article on [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zoophilia zoophilia/bestiality] has an entire section on "arguments for zoophilia" plus pictures depicting zoophilia as well as a section on "arguments against zoophilia". As of September 24, 2011, Wikipedia has a "[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zoophilia_and_the_law Zoophilia and the law"] article which has a section on the impact of zoophilia laws where eight alleged negative impacts of zoophilia laws are given, but no positive impacts of the laws are given.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zoophilia_and_the_law#Impact_of_laws|title=Impact of laws section of "Zoophilia and the law"|date=July 17, 2012|accessdate=July 18, 2012}}</ref>

See also: [[Atheism and bestiality]] and [[Evolutionary belief and bestiality]]
== Trademarks and domain names ==
The Wikimedia Foundation (WMF) uses the licensing of its trademarks as a tool to control local chapters. Although each local chapter is in theory an autonomous organization, each chapter signs a contract with the WMF as a condition for using its trademarks. The WMF also tried to stake out control over many domain names that contain the word "wiki" including "[[wikileaks]]". WikiLeaks and Wikipedia have no affiliation with each other. ("Wiki" describes a type of website and is not a trademark.)<ref>{{cite web |url=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:WikiLeaks_is_not_part_of_Wikipedia |title=Wikipedia:WikiLeaks is not part of Wikipedia |work=Wikipedia |publisher=[[Wikimedia Foundation]] |accessdate=September 17, 2012}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |url=http://www.independent.co.uk/news/media/online/wiki-giants-on-a-collision-course-over-shared-name-2065561.html |title=Wiki giants on a collision course over shared name |last1=Rawlinson |first1=Kevin |first2=Tom |last2=Peck |date=30 August 2010 |work=The Independent |location=London |accessdate=September 17, 2012}}</ref> Wikia did purchase several WikiLeaks-related domain names (including wikileaks.com and wikileaks.net) as a "protective brand measure" in 2007.<ref name=wikia>{{cite web |url=http://www.wikia.com/Press:Wikia_Does_Not_Own_Wikileaks_Domain_Names |title=Press:Wikia Does Not Own Wikileaks Domain Names |work=[[Wikia]] |publisher=[[Wikia]] |accessdate=September 17, 2012}}</ref> Wikia started to transfer those domain names to WikiLeaks on June 14, 2007, but the transfer was never completed, and Wikia held those domain names when the "Wikileaks scandal" broke.<ref name=wikia/>

== Humorous quotes concerning Wikipedia ==

"...dealing with the Wikipedians is like walking into a mental hospital: the floors are carpeted, the walls are nicely padded, but you know there’s a pretty good chance at any given moment one of the inmates will pick up a knife.” - quote from a ''[[New York Times]]'' article on Wikipedia written by the journalist and author Judith Newman<ref>[https://www.nytimes.com/2014/01/09/fashion/Wikipedia-Judith-Newman.html?smid=pl-share Wikipedia-Mania: Wikipedia, What Does Judith Newman Have to Do to Get a Page?]</ref>

An article entitled ''Wikipedia Gridlocked by Wikipedia Nerds'' declared:
{{Cquote|So who are these Gatekeepers to all the internet's knowledge?

A survey the foundation conducted last year determined that the average age of an editor is 26.8 years, and that 87% of them are men.

As you suspected: [[nerd]]s.<ref>http://gawker.com/5410917/wikipedia-gridlocked-by-wikipedia-nerds</ref>}}

Jimmy Wales said the typical profile of a Wikipedia contributor is "a 26-year-old geeky male" who moves on to other ventures, gets married, and leaves the website.<ref>[http://www.stuff.co.nz/technology/digital-living/5397593/Wikipedia-losing-contributors-founder-says Wikipedia losing contributors, founder says]</ref>

Seth Meyers noted on his ''Late Night'' program, "Wikipedia is now accepting donations using the online currency Bitcoin. So now you can support information you're not sure is true with currency you're not sure is money."<ref>http://www.thespec.com/living-story/4733681-tuesdayfile/ Retrieved August 8, 2014</ref>

When obscure author Patrick Modiano was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature in October 2014, few journalists knew much about him. The person updating his Wikipedia biography to reflect the prize added this warning to the article, "To the Reporter Now Copying From Wikipedia: Be careful boy. Primary sources are still best for journos."<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.slate.com/blogs/browbeat/2014/10/09/nobel_prize_winner_patrick_modiano_s_wikipedia_page_changed_to_add_note.html|title=A Reminder to Journalists Writing About the New Nobel Prize Winner, From Wikipedia|first=Forrest |last=Wickman|date=October 9, 2014|work=Slate|accessdate=October 10, 2014}}</ref><ref>https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Patrick_Modiano&diff=prev&oldid=628920987</ref>

==Unbiased editor recruitment==
Wikipedia claims that anyone can edit it. That is true to an extent,but its editor pool is self-selecting. However, on January 25–29, 2012, the Wikimedia Foundation paid for Gregory Varnum and others to attend and staff a booth at the "24th National Conference on LGBT Equality: Creating Change" conference in Baltimore, Maryland. The purpose of the Wikimedia booth was to recruit more LGBT activists to edit Wikipedia. Although Wikimedia has outreach efforts at other conferences, there has been no outreach at conservative events.

Wikipedia editor [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:SarahStierch Sarah Stierch] was the volunteer moderator of the Gender Gap email list where she departed from discussing Wikipedia to freely share her negative experiences with men in her life. In fall 2011, she was hired by the WMF as a Community Fellow to work on creating a "Teahouse" for newer Wikipedia editors. The report on the Teahouse Pilot Project<ref>{{cite web|url=http://meta.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Research:Teahouse/Pilot_Report&oldid=3832292|title=Teahouse: Pilot Report|date=June 14, 2012}}</ref> explained, "If you click through to the Teahouse, it’s clearly aiming to broaden female participation - just look at the pastel background and references to tea." Stierch tried to use Twitter to recruit more female editors into Teahouse and the English Wikipedia. The report concluded, "Because so much time and energy needed to be spend during the pilot on setting up and maintaining the space, we weren't able to focus as much as we'd have liked on gender-targeted strategies for recruiting female guests and hosts. There are clearly more experiments that need to be run in order to better integrate the space with other gender gap efforts and WikiWomen's calls to actions." The WMF terminated Stierch on January 9, 2014 following complaints of her moonlighting as a paid editor.<ref>http://lists.wikimedia.org/pipermail/wikimedia-l/2014-January/129466.html</ref>

On August 18, 2014, during the Congressional summer recess, the [[Cato Institute]] and Wikimedia DC jointly conducted a seminar to encourage Congressional staff members to edit Wikipedia about pending legislation and policy issues.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/the-switch/wp/2014/08/18/a-call-to-edit-congress-and-wikipedia-told-to-peacefully-co-exist/|title=A call to edit: Congress and Wikipedia told to peacefully co-exist|first=Nancy|last=Scola|date=August 18, 2014|accessdate=August 22, 2014|work=Washington Post}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.c-span.org/video/?321030-1/discussion-wikipedia-government-transparency|date=August 18, 2014|accessdate=August 22, 2014|title=Wikipedia and Congress|work=C-SPAN}}</ref> The panel discussion included Michelle Newby, a full-time Cato employee who edits Wikipedia as a part of her job. She promised to work with any Congressional Staff that would be interested in editing.

==Flaws in governance structure==
Perhaps Wikipedia's greatest structural problem is Jimmy Wales' inability to remove himself from the process. He calls himself a "God-King" and rules the site with the style of [[monarchy]], robbing it of its potential to achieve some form of [[Jeffersonian]] [[democracy]] and accountability. Wales once speculated that all significant productivity emerged from his circle of a few hundred personal friends while the rest of the world groped along doing only spelling and punctuation mark corrections and other trivial modifications. The computer programmer and activist Aaron Swartz did a proper analysis and showed that the productivity was the results of many, many thousands of anonymous users. Swartz later committed [[suicide]].

Wales delegated the run-of-the-mill decision-marking to a hand-picked group he called the Arbitration Committee. They take months to make any decisions and dole out multi-month to multi-year or permanent intervention solutions. A reputable encyclopedia usually simply chooses an Editor-in-Chief, i.e. one reputable, mature and experienced person with one mind to make high-quality decisions rapidly and perhaps dispense moderate penalties when needed. Sanger served as such, but Wales, an [[Objectivist]] economics major and former stock options trader, opted to drastically reduce his salary when it became clear that the project would be a success, thus forcing him out. Wales has since been making a living, in part, by promoting his notions of governance of Internet-based projects, often emphasizing that users should remain anonymous and thus without any serious form of credential or reputation.

The problems are in the structure and in the personality flaws of Wales himself. Wales takes advantage of this vast pool of free labor to hunt his perceived enemies, somewhat in the style of [[L. Ron Hubbard]] or other such supposed founders of movements.{{fact}}

Equally important are the flawed steps that Wales took to separate the community of volunteer Wikipedia editors from the financial control of the enterprise. The servers and software are owned by the [[Wikimedia Foundation]] (WMF), a non-profit organization that at first was set up as a membership organization, but quickly changed to a non-membership organization so that members would not have any legal say regarding the organization. Although people who have made a required minimum number of edits per year can vote for members of the Arbitration Committee and for a minority of the WMF Board seats, at least one community-elected Board member was removed because he did not agree with the majority of the Board. Of course, Wales is guaranteed a perpetual WMF Board seat as a co-founder.

Originally, revenue from fundraising banners in the United States went to the WMF, but banner revenue in foreign countries went to the chapters located in those countries. In recent years, the WMF has consolidated all fundraising revenues, with national chapters being forced to apply for specific grants from the WMF.

To further complicate the financial controls, the WMF established a separate endowment at the [[Tides Foundation]] which is controlled by that foundation in consultation with an advisory board. Instead of having a community-selected advisory board or the entire WMF Board serving as the advisory board, the Tides Foundation appointed a new group with Wales and large donors serving. When the endowment reaches its fundraising target, the advisory board decides whether the funds should stay at the Tides Foundation, be transferred to the WMF, or used in some other way. So, if Wales has a falling out with the WMF Board over the next ten years, he and his hand-picked advisory board could take the Wikipedia endowment somewhere else. The editing community has no say in the endowment—who manages it or how the income will be spent.

==Core policies==
Wikipedia has three policies that it calls its core policies. These are Neutral Point of View, Verifiability, and No Original Research. Despite designating these three policies as "core", Wikipedia barely even cares about them, especially with cases in regard to atheism. Wikipedia has reverted well-substantiated edits for disagreeing with atheism numerous times, gone several paragraphs on pro-atheism topics without citing a single source, banned Creation Ministries International employees for an indefinite amount of times despite said employees having not violated any written policy, and more.

==See also ==
*[[Examples of Bias in Wikipedia]]
*[[Previous Breaking News/Wikipedia|Articles about '''Wikipedia''' from previous "Breaking News"]]
*[[Essay:The Protocols of Ritual Defamation]]
*[[Wikipedia prejudice and KAL 007]] (Wikipedia deletion material related to [[New World Order]] and [[Larry McDonald]], touching [[Korean Airlines Flight 007]])
*[[Deletionpedia]]
*[[Essay:Wikipedia and Citizendium]]
*[[Wikipedia Governor Impeachment Cover-Up]]
*[[Elijahandskip|Elijahandskip - A Wikipedia Editor and Conservapedia Editor]]

==Further reading==
*[https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2008/aug/21/conservatives-miss-wikipedias-threat/ SHEFFIELD: Conservatives miss Wikipedia's threat] by [[Washington Times]], August 21, 2008
*[http://www.theregister.co.uk/2007/12/06/wikipedia_and_overstock/print.html Wikipedia black helicopters circle Utah's Traverse Mountain], By Cade Metz, ''The Register'', 6 December 2007.
*[http://www.theregister.co.uk/2006/06/15/wikipedia_can_damage_your_grades/ Avoid Wikipedia, warns Wikipedia chief - It can seriously damage your grades] by Andrew Orlowski, ''The Register'', June 15, 2006
*[http://www.theregister.co.uk/2005/10/18/wikipedia_quality_problem/ Wikipedia founder admits to serious quality problems] by Andrew Orlowski, ''The Register'', October 18, 2005
*[http://www.aaronsw.com/weblog/whowriteswikipedia Who Writes Wikipedia?] by Aaron Swartz, 2006
*[https://www.breitbart.com/tech/2016/07/05/wikipedias-seven-worst-moments/ Wikipedia’s Seven Worst Moments] by Charlie Nash, ''Breitbart News'', July 5, 2016.
*[https://evolutionnews.org/2017/11/wikipedia-and-astroturf/ Wikipedia and “Astroturf”] Sarah Chaffee, Evolution News. November 30, 2017 (Journalist [[Sharyl Attkisson]]).
*[https://oedb.org/ilibrarian/top-7-alternatives-to-wikipedia/ Top 7 Alternatives to Wikipedia] Open Education Database. (Includes Conservapedia along with six other online encyclopedias, criticizes Wikipedia for inaccuracies and hypocrisy.)

==References==
{{Reflist|colwidth=30em}}

==External links==
*[https://www.wikipedia.org Wikipedia]
*[http://questionevolution.blogspot.com/2013/01/2013-is-starting-off-to-be-bad-year-for.html Study shows that the world's biggest pro-evolution website is driving away newcomer editors! Also, video shows evolutionists at Wikipedia are clowns!]
*[http://www.wikipediocracy.com Wikipediocracy]
*[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Wikipedia_controversies Wikipedia's List of Wikipedia controversies]
*[http://www.mises.org/story/2704 Wikipedia: What Is It Good For?], By Dick Clark, 9/19/2007. Retrieved from The Ludwig von Mises Institute, http://www.mises.org/ November 5, 2007.
*[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2MoVLl_ne2Y Wikipedias' Own Cofounder Lambastes the Site for Bias]
{{Liberalism}}
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Reform

2021-09-23T23:57:56Z

Rhodesia:

'''Reform''' is the improvement or amendment of what is wrong, corrupt, or unsatisfactory. The term is frequently used in [[government]], often misused as an euphemism for the destruction of conservative values.

[[Category:Government]]

Germany

2021-09-23T23:55:33Z

Rhodesia: Settled and done :-/

{{Country
|name =''Bundesrepublik Deutschland''
|map =Germany rel 94.jpg
|map2 =Loc of Germany.PNG
|flag =Flag of Germany.JPG
|arms =Arms of Germany.png
|capital =Berlin
|capital-raw =
|government =Federal Republic (Parliamentary)
|government-raw =
|language =German
|king =
|queen =
|monarch-raw =
|president =Frank-Walter Steinmeier
|president-raw =
|chancellor =Angela Merkel
|chancellor-raw =
|pm =
|pm-raw =
|area =137,858 sq mi
|pop =82,500,000 (2020)
|pop-basis =
|gdp =$4,000,000,000,000 (2020)
|gdp-year =
|gdp-pc =$48,485 (2020)
|currency =[[Euro]] (formerly the [[Deutsche Mark]])
|idd =
|tld =.de
}}
:''For the impact on left-wing policies on Germany and the rest of Europe, see [[European migrant crisis]]''
'''Germany''' (official name: '''Federal Republic of Germany''') is a federally organized Representative [[Democracy]] in [[Central Europe]] with a population of about 82.2 million. The capital city and seat of government is [[Berlin]]. Germany is the only country in [[liberal]] [[Western Europe]] which bans advertising for [[abortion]].<ref>https://www.lifesitenews.com/news/cardinal-defends-german-ban-on-abortion-advertising-in-powerful-pro-life-homily</ref>

The major ethnic groups are German 91.5%, Turkish 2.4% Polish 1%, Yugoslavs 1% and others 4%. 29% of the population are Protestants, 27% are [[Roman Catholic Church|Roman Catholics]] and 4.4% are Muslim.<ref>https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/gm.html</ref>

As Europe's largest economy and the most populous nation wholly within Europe, Germany is a key member of the continent's economic, political, and defense organizations. The central German bank, the Bundesbank, has historically been the most influential force within the financial markets of the [[European Union]]. But Germany has allowed itself to become dependent on [[Russia]] for [[natural gas]], and in recent years Germany has taken large numbers of immigrants from [[Muslim]] countries.

Currently Germany is ruled by the pseudo-conservative [[Christian Democratic Union]] (CDU) under chancellor [[Angela Merkel]] and the left-wing [[SPD]]. Before it was ruled by CDU and the left-liberal [[Free Democratic Party]] (FDP).

In June 2017, both German parliament chambers voted to legalize [[Same-sex marriage|same-sex "marriage"]]. The new law went into effect on October 1, 2017.

==People==
===Demography===
[[File:German-fans.jpg|thumb|250px|German fans.]]
In 2005 there were 388,451 marriages and 201,693 divorces. There were 685,795 births and 830,227 deaths. The number of births has dropped from 767,000 in 2000, while the deaths have risen from 179,600.

The average age at marrying (for the first time) for men was 32 and for women 29. Abortions are officially illegal, according to a 1995 law. However, prosecutions are not brought if they are performed in the first three months of pregnancy after consultation with a doctor. The annual abortion rate, at under ten per 1,000 women aged 15–44, is among the lowest in the world. Advertising for abortion is prohibited.

In 2005 10.2% of all children lived in poverty (in households with income below 50% of the national median).

Germany had a Net Reproduction Rate (NRR) of 0.66 in 1999. A rate of NRR=1.0 equals a constant population. Therefore, in terms of births and deaths (and not counting immigration), the population is shrinking by 34% between generations.[3]

Life expectancy of females at birth in West Germany rose from 71 years in 1954 to 80 years in 2000; the expectancy for boys rose from 66 to 75. Expectancy in the eastern zone was about three years less.

The projected population in 2050 is 76 million, down from the present 82 million. There will be more deaths than births, and that is largely offset by a net inflow of immigrants from 2000 to 2050, predicted to be about 240,000 per year.

<blockquote>
Germany's recent debate about immigration misses an important reality: for Germany, and most all developed countries, attracting educated and skilled foreign workers is a matter of economic survival.<ref>[http://www.cfr.org/germany/germanys-immigration-dilemma/p24213 Germany's Immigration Dilemma.]</ref>
</blockquote>

===Ethnicity===
[[File:Germany - houses.jpg|left|340px]]
Most inhabitants of Germany are ethnic German. There are, however, more than 7 million foreign residents, many of whom are the families and descendants of so-called "guest workers" (foreign workers, mostly from Turkey, invited to Germany in the 1950s and 1960s to fill labor shortages) who remained in Germany. Germany has a sizable ethnic Turkish population. Germany is also a prime destination for political and economic refugees from many developing countries. An ethnic Danish minority lives in the north, and a small Slavic minority known as the Sorbs lives in eastern Germany. Due to restrictive German citizenship laws, most "foreigners" do not hold German citizenship even when born and raised in Germany. However, since the German government undertook citizenship and immigration law reforms in 2002, more foreign residents have had the ability to naturalize.

===Education===
Germany has one of the world's highest average levels of education, technological development, and economic productivity. Since the end of World War II, the number of youths entering universities has more than tripled, and the trade and technical schools of the Federal Republic of Germany (F.R.G.) are reasonably good. German 15-year olds score about average in comparison with similar countries.

At the university level, however, there has been a dramatic decline in quality from the days before Hitler, when German universities were the best in the world. Since the student revolts of 1968, conditions at the once-famous universities have deteriorated badly. A strong egalitarianism prevents the re-emergence of world-class faculties and no German university ranks among the top 40 in the world.<ref>Gebhard Schweigler, "Heidelberg is Not Harvard …and Germany is embarrassed." [http://www.atlantic-times.com/archive_detail.php?recordID=83 ''The Atlantic Times'' Dec. 2004]</ref>

The conservative government has tried to reverse the decline by offering €1.9 billion (about $2.7 billion) in excellence grants to numerous schools spread over a period of five years—for less money than Harvard spends in one year. Little improvement has been reported from this small investment. The leading schools are Freiburg, Heidelberg and Konstanz (all in the southern state of Baden-Württemberg), Aachen, Göttingen, the Free University of Berlin, two schools in Munich and Karlsruhe's Technical University.<ref>Lutz Lichtenberger, "Selective Upgrades The government’s 'Excellence Initiative' grants German universities small packs of ivy seeds," [http://www.atlantic-times.com/archive_detail.php?recordID=1080 ''The Atlantic Times'' Nov. 2007]</ref> Meanwhile, top German scientists and engineers migrate to the United States, where their talents are appreciated.

===Standard of Living===
[[File:Living Germany.jpg|left|170px]]
With a per capita income level of more than $28,700, Germany is a broadly middle-class society. A generous social welfare system provides for universal medical care, unemployment compensation, and other social needs. Millions of Germans travel abroad each year.

With unification on October 3, 1990, Germany began the major task of bringing the standard of living of Germans in the former German Democratic Republic (G.D.R.) up to that of western Germany. This has been a lengthy and difficult process due to the relative inefficiency of industrial enterprises in the former G.D.R., difficulties in resolving property ownership in eastern Germany, and the inadequate infrastructure and environmental damage that resulted from years of mismanagement under communist rule.
{{Clear}}

===Extremism===
Economic [[malaise]] in eastern Germany is one factor contributing to extremist violence, primarily from neo-Nazis. Confusion about the causes of the current hardships and a need to place blame has found expression in harassment and violence by some Germans directed toward foreigners, particularly non-Europeans. The vast majority of Germans condemn such violence.

Wolfgang Schaube, the Interior minister 2005–9, was shot by a deranged man in 1990 and is confined to a wheel chair. He calls on Germans to feel more patriotic, and for immigrants to assimilate faster. He has adopted tough policies on policing and anti-terrorism, such as giving the military authority to shoot down hijacked planes.

===Religion===
[[Image:St Stephens Cathedral interior.jpg|thumb|left|300px|St. Stephens Cathedral (''Stephansdom'') in Passau, Bavaria.]]
In 2006 the Roman Catholic Church reported a membership of 25.7 million. The Evangelical Church, a confederation of the Lutheran, Uniate, and Reformed Protestant Churches, has 25.3 million members. Together, these two churches account for nearly two-thirds of the population.<ref>According to [http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/irf/2008/108448.htm U.S. State Department, "International Religious Freedom Report 2008"]</ref>
[[File:Church pipe organ St Stephen s Cathedral of Passau Germany..jpg|thumb|Church pipe organ, St. Stephen's Cathedral of Passau.]]
Protestant Christian denominations include: New Apostolic Church, 371,305; Ethnic German Baptists from the former Soviet Union (FSU), 85,000; and Baptist, 75,000. Muslims number 3.5 million, including Sunnis, 2.5 million; Alevis, 410,000; and Shi'a, 225,000. Until 2004 the annual number of conversions to Islam was 300, largely Christian women native citizens marrying Muslim men; however, since 2004 the annual numbers of conversions have jumped into the thousands. There are approximately 2,600 Islamic places of worship, including an estimated 150 traditional architecture mosques, with 100 more mosques being planned. One million Muslims are citizens. Orthodox Christians number 1.4 million, including Greek Orthodox/Constantinople Patriarchate, 450,000; Serbian Orthodox, 250,000; Romanian Orthodox, 300,000; and Russian Orthodox/Moscow Patriarchate, 150,000. Buddhists number 245,000, Jehovah's Witnesses 165,000, and Hindus 97,500. The Church of Scientology operates 18 churches and missions, and according to press reports, it has 30,000 members. However, according to the Offices for the Protection of the Constitution (OPC) in Brandenburg and Hamburg, the Church of Scientology has 5,000-6,000 members.

According to estimates, Jews number more than 200,000, of which 107,330 are registered members of the Jewish community. Of these registered community members, 100,967 are immigrants and 6,363 are originally from the country. From 1990 to 2006, approximately 202,000 Jews and non-Jewish dependents from the countries of the FSU arrived, joining 25,000 to 30,000 Jews already in the country. As a result of a more restrictive immigration policy regarding Jews from the FSU, the number of Jewish immigrants decreased to 1,296 in 2007 from 1,971 in 2006 and 3,124 in 2005. The new policy was designed in cooperation with Jewish organizations in order to better manage the integration of individuals into the Jewish community.

An estimated 21 million persons (one-quarter of the population) either have no religious affiliation or belong to unrecorded religious organizations.

On December 18, 2007, the Bertelsmann Foundation published a survey on religious convictions and practice in the country, which failed to confirm the commonly held belief that the country was becoming more secular. Fully 70% of adult respondents said they were religious, and of those, 18% said they were "deeply religious" and regularly attend worship services, up from 15% in earlier studies. In the 18-29 age group, 41% expressed a belief in eternal life and a divine being, more than in any other age bracket. Roman Catholics report that 15% of nominal Catholics regularly attend Sunday Mass. Seventeen years after reunification, the country's eastern part remains far more secular than the west. The Bertelsmann Foundation found former easterners self-identified as 36% religious and 8% deeply religious, in contrast with 78% and 21%, respectively, for those from the west. Only 5 to 10% of eastern citizens belong to a religious organization, but numbers are increasing among non-Lutheran Protestants in the east.
====Discrimination====
[[File:Muslims in Europe map.jpg|thumb|290px|Muslims in Europe by country.]]
There have been recent reports of societal abuses and discrimination based on religious affiliation, belief, and practice. Right-wing extremists committed politically motivated crimes against minorities including religious groups, as well as anti-Semitic and anti-Islamic acts. Cemeteries were desecrated, and Muslim communities sometimes suffered societal discrimination when building new mosques and finding allotments of land for cemeteries; however, many members of Government and civil society initiated discussions about Muslim integration and expressed their commitment to addressing the issue. The Roman Catholic and Evangelical churches continued to use "sect commissioners" to warn the public of dangers from some minority religious groups such as the Unification Church, Scientologists, Universal Life (Universelles Leben), and Transcendental Meditation practitioners. Scientologists continue to find "sect filters" used against them in employment as well as discrimination in political party membership.

<blockquote>
Muslim population is around 3 million (3.6%); the majority of the Muslim population is Turkish, with many retaining strong links to Turkey. Others arrived from Bosnia and Kosovo during the Balkan wars. Until recently Muslims were considered "guest workers", who would one day leave the country - a view that is changing. Racist violence is a sensitive issue, with the authorities trying a range of strategies to beat it. Steps are being taken to improve integration.<ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/4385768.stm#germany Muslims in Europe.]</ref>
</blockquote>

====Religion in schools====
Most public schools offer Protestant and Catholic religious instruction in cooperation with those churches, as well as instruction in Judaism if enough students express interest. The number of Islamic religion classes in public schools continued to grow. In principle, participants of the federal government-sponsored Islam Conference agreed that Islamic education should be made widely available. Education is a state responsibility and, in part because no nationally recognized Islamic organization exists that could assist in developing a curriculum or providing services, the form and content of Islamic instruction vary from state to state. Organizations providing Islamic instruction do not have public law corporation status.

Depending on the state, a nonreligious ethics course or study hall may be available for students not wishing to participate in religious instruction.
[[File:MUSLIM GERMANY RELIGION SCHOOL.jpg|thumb|left|330px|Coauthors Evelin Lubig-Fohsel and Guel Solgun-Kaps hold the German-language textbook they wrote for state-sponsored religion classes in Germany's schools.]]
Islamic classes in public schools continued to be a controversial topic but were increasingly common throughout the country, except in areas where the Muslim population was too small to support them. Although no Muslim group had "public law corporation" status that would entitle them to offer Islamic courses, state governments recognized the need and demand and worked with local Muslim organizations to establish such courses. On March 13, 2008, the Interior Minister was quoted in the press indicating that the Federal Government and Muslim community leaders had reached an agreement in principle that schools should offer classes in Islam taught in German alongside the other religions, but he noted that it would take time to implement the agreement.

There are an estimated 900,000 Muslim students in the public school system; Islamic education in schools is offered in some states. At the start of the 2006‑07 school year, authorities in Baden‑Wuerttemberg established a two‑course system: one for Sunni and Shi'a students and another for Alevis. State officials and Muslim groups in Baden‑Wuerttemberg agreed upon the system and the initial reactions were positive. Some states offered similar programs while others were working with Muslim leaders to establish a uniform curriculum. Later in the year, universities in Frankfurt, Ludwigsburg, Karlsruhe, and Weingarten began offering training courses in the teaching of Islam.

The legal obligation that children attend school, confirmed by the Constitutional Court and the European Court of Justice in 2006, continued to be a problem for some home-schooling advocates, such as Baptists from the FSU in Eastern Westphalia, due to concerns about sex education and the teaching of evolution. On August 2, 2007, the Stuttgart Administrative Court dismissed the case brought by several Russian‑German immigrant families belonging to the Baptist group Gemeinde Gottes who had petitioned in 2004 to send their children to a private religious school run by members of their community. The court ruled that the teaching staff was insufficiently qualified. Other home-schooling cases remain in the court system.

<blockquote>
Public schools in Germany must offer religion classes, and pilot courses in Islam are now being offered in addition to established programs in Judaism, Catholicism, and Protestantism.<ref>[https://www.csmonitor.com/World/Europe/2010/0120/Why-German-public-schools-now-teach-Islam Why German public schools now teach Islam.]</ref>
</blockquote>

===State support for religion===
In order to help support [[Protestant]], [[Catholic]], and [[Jewish]] religious institutions, the German state collects [[taxes]] on members of those religions and passes the funding along to the relevant religious administrative body.<ref>[https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-19737983]</ref>

===Data===
*Population (2007 est.): 82 million.
*Ethnic groups: Primarily German; Danish minority in the north, Sorbian (Slavic) minority in the east; 7.3 million foreign residents.
*Religions: Protestants (26 million); Roman Catholics (26 million); approximately 3.2 million Muslims.
*Language: German.
*Education: Years compulsory—9-13 (depending on the Land); attendance—100%; literacy—99%.
*Health: Infant mortality rate (2006 est.)--4.12/1,000; life expectancy (2006 est.)--women 81.96 years, men 77.81 years.
*Persons employed (2006 avg.): 39.08 million; unemployed (2006 avg.): 9.8% of labor force.

==Government==
===Executive Branch===
[[File:Merkel.jpg|thumb|Angela Merkel.]]
Germany has a president as [[head of state]]. The president's powers are essentially representative.
The current president is Frank-Walter Steinmeier, succeeding [[Joachim Gauck]].

The actual political power and head of government is the chancellor ("Bundeskanzler"), who is elected by federal parliament ("Bundestag"). The chancellor is typically elected in the first session of a newly elected Bundestag for the entire legislative period of four years. The parliament can only force the chancellor to resign in a ''constructive motion of no-confidence'', if it elects at the same time a new Chancellor. The current chancellor is [[Angela Merkel|Dr. Angela Merkel]]. The current government is a coalition between the Christian Democrats (CDU/CSU) and the Social Democrats (SPD).
{{Clear}}

===Legislative Branch===
[[File:Bonn Bundestag Plenarsaal Germany.jpg|thumb|left|280px|Bundestag Plenarsaal at Bonn.]]
Germany has a bicameral system with a federal parliament ("Bundestag") and a representation of the states ("Bundesrat"). The members of Bundestag in elected every four years, using a personalized proportional system. The members of the Bundesrat are representatives of the state governments, and the delegations of each state are required to vote as a bloc on behalf of their governments. Each delegation has between 3 and 6 members, depending on the size of the represented state. The position of president of the Bundesrat rotates on an annual basis between the prime ministers of the states.
{{Clear}}

===Judicative Branch===
The German constitution provides for an independent jurisdiction. The highest appeals court in Germany is the Federal Court of Justice ("Bundesgerichtshof"), which is seated in the Southwestern city of [[Karlsruhe]]. Members of the Federal court are elected by a committee, with 16 delegates from the states, one from each state, appointed by the state governments, and 16 delegates appointed by the federal parliament. The Federal Constitutional Court ("Bundesverfassungsgericht") is the highest court to review decisions and acts by the executive and legislative branches of government. It can be called to determine whether public acts are unconstitutional and can render them ineffective if they are not. This court is also seated in city of Karlsruhe, and it members are elected by the Bundesrat and Bundestag, and need a 2/3 majority in each.

===Political Parties===
====Christian Democratic Union/Christian Social Union (CDU/CSU)====
[[File:Germ-vote-2009.jpg|200px|thumb|Exit polls from Sept. 2009 election won by the conservative coalition CDU and FDP]]
:''Main article: [[Christian Democratic Union]] and [[Christian Social Union]]
An important aspect of postwar German politics was the emergence of a moderate, ecumenical Christian party—the Christian Democratic Union (CDU)--operating in alliance with a related Bavarian party, the Christian Social Union (CSU). Although each party maintains its own structure, the two form a common caucus in the Bundestag and do not run opposing campaigns. The CDU/CSU has adherents among Catholics, Protestants, rural interests, and members of all economic classes. It is generally conservative on economic and social policy and more identified with the Roman Catholic and Protestant churches.

The September 2009 elections were a major win for the conservative forces led by Chancellor [[Angela Merkel]], breaking a stalemate and opening the way for more conservative economic policies. Previously since an indecisive election in 2005 the Christian Democrats ([[CDU]]) (on the center-right) formed a "grand coalition" with the Social Democrats ([[SPD]]) (on the center-left). From 2009 to 2013 Merkel and her CDU formed a coalition with the libertarian, pro-business [[Free Democratic Party|Free Democrats]] (FDP). Left in the cold was the SPD, the [[Alliance '90/The Greens|Greens]], and the ex-Communists who remain strong in the former East Germany under the name "[[The Left]]". Merkel moved forward on tax cuts, reform of the tax code, reduction of bureaucracy and a possible extension of the time that nuclear power plants can continue to operate.<ref>Craig Whitlock, "Germany's Merkel Reelected Easily, Will Form New Coalition," [https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/09/27/AR2009092700631.html?nav=emailpage ''Washington Post'' Sept. 28, 2009]</ref> Merkel's program announced as she took office Oct. 28 includes $36 billion in income tax cuts, lower business taxes, and higher family benefits. The budget will be in deficit for the next four years, as the government believes the economy is too fragile for spending cuts and that more stimulus is needed to end the recession. By law the budget must be balanced by the year 2016. Nuclear power plants will be given an extension, and Merkel wants to move more of the welfare costs from corporations to households.

The CDU has the greatest base of faithful voters, but is recently struggling to maintain majorities in big cities.

====Free Democratic Party (FDP)====
:''Main article:'' [[Free Democratic Party]]
The FDP has traditionally been composed mainly of middle and upper class Protestants who consider themselves heirs to the European libertarian tradition. It supports free trade and reducing the role of the state in economic policy. It is libertarian on social issues. The party has participated in all but three postwar federal governments but had not been in federal government from 1998 to 2009.

====Social Democratic Party (SPD)====
[[File:German party SPD.jpg|140px|left]]
:''Main article:'' [[SPD]]
The SPD is one of the oldest organized political parties in the world. It originally advocated Marxist principles, but in the 1959 Godesberg Program abandoned the concept of a "class party" while continuing to stress social welfare programs. Under the leadership of Gerhard Schroeder, the SPD-Greens government implemented in 2003 the centrist Agenda 2010 reforms, designed to modernize the country's social system and labor market. The SPD has a powerful base in the bigger cities and industrialized states.

After the FDP, the partner of the CDU, left the parliament, Merkel created a "grand coalition" with the SPD.
{{Clear}}

====The Left====
:''Main article:'' [[The Left]]
The PDS (for 'Partei des demokratischen Sozialismus'; "Party of Democratic Socialism", the renamed communist party of the former East Germany, and follow-up of the [[SED]]) and the WASG (for 'Wahlalternative Arbeit und Soziale Gerechtigkeit'; "Voting alternative work and social justice" composed of west-German leftists) merged in June 2007 to form a party simply known as "[[The Left]]." The party's foreign policy is largely shaped by its rigid opposition to foreign military deployments, for example in [[Afghanistan]], and insists on an immediate pull-out. On domestic policy, the party opposes economic and social reforms, such as Hartz IV, which aim to increase free markets and reduce unemployment benefits. The Left proposes to weaken the free market system with a new orientation to democratic socialist principles. The Left also experienced a lot of criticism due to its communist wing, the 'communist platform' which makes up 4.4% of the national vote, an insufficient total to clear the 5 percent hurdle.<ref>[http://www.germanculture.com.ua/library/facts/bl_electoral_system.htm German Culture.com; Electoral System of Germany (next to last paragraph)]</ref>
{{Clear}}

====Alliance 90/Greens====
:''Main article:'' [[Alliance '90/The Greens]]
In the late 1970s, environmentalists organized politically as the Greens. Opposition to nuclear power, military power, and certain aspects of highly industrialized society were principal campaign issues. In the December 1990 all-German elections, the Greens merged with the Eastern German Alliance 90, a loose grouping of civil rights activists with diverse political views. The Greens joined a federal government for the first time in 1998, forming a coalition with the SPD.

In 2012 they took advantage of the Fukushima nuclear plant desaster in Japan, allowing them to form the government of the state of Baden-Württemberg in a coalition with the SPD, which is the smaller partner this time.

====Alternative for Germany====
The [[Alternative for Germany]] (AfD) is a right-wing party that was founded to in February 2013 as a reaction to the Financial crisis in Europe. A main theme area of the party is the rejection of [[Illegal Immigration]].

====Other parties====
[[File:German communist logo.jpg|thumb|200px|The logo of the German Communist Party]]
Because of the instability caused by the need for multi-party coalitions in the Weimar Republic, Germany's Basic Law today requires parties reach 5% of the vote to win seats in the Bundestag. In addition to those parties that won representation in the Bundestag in 2005, a variety of minor parties won a cumulative 2.7% of the vote, down from 3.0% in 2002. Several other parties were on the ballot in one or more states but did not qualify for representation in the federal Bundestag.

Another important party is the [[Pirate Party]] (PIRATEN).

===Principal Government Officials===
*President—Frank-Walter Steinmeier
*President of the Bundestag—Wolfgang Schäuble (CDU)
*Chancellor—Angela Merkel (CDU)
*Vice Chancellor and Minister of Finance—Olaf Scholz (SPD)
*Minister of Interior—[[Horst Seehofer]] (CSU)
*Minister of Minister of Foreign Affairs—Heiko Maas (SPD)
*Minister of Economic Affairs and Energy—Peter Altmaier (CDU)
*Minister of Justice—Katarina Barley (SPD)
*Minister of Labor and Social Affairs—Hubertus Heil (SPD)
*Minister of Defense—Ursula von der Leyen (CDU)
*Minister of Food, Agriculture and Consumer Protection—Julia Klöckner (CDU)
*Minister for Family Affairs, Senior Citizens, Women and Youth—Franziska Giffey (SPD)
*Minister of Health—Jens Spahn (CDU)
*Minister of Transport, Building and Urban Affairs—Andreas Scheuer (CSU)
*Minister for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety—Svenja Schulze (SPD)
*Minister of Education and Research—Anja Karliczek (CDU)
*Minister for Economic Cooperation and Development—Gerd Müller (CSU)
*Head of the Federal Chancellery and Minister for Special Tasks—Helge Braun (CDU)

===Foreign Relations===
[[File:German Foreign Minister Welcomes Ukrainian President Yanukovych.jpg|thumb|340px|Former German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle welcomes former Ukrainian President [[Viktor Yanukovych]] in Berlin, 2010.]]
Germany continues to emphasize close ties with the United States, membership in NATO, and the "deepening" of integration among current members of the EU. The Federal Republic of Germany took part in all of the joint postwar efforts aimed at closer political, economic, and defense cooperation among the countries of western Europe. Germany has been a large net contributor to the EU budget. Germany also is a strong supporter of the United Nations and of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE).

During the postwar era, the Federal Republic of Germany also sought to improve its relationship with the countries of Central Europe freed from communism, first establishing trade agreements and, subsequently, diplomatic relations. With unification, German relations with the restored democracies in central and eastern Europe intensified. On November 14, 1990, Germany and Poland signed a treaty confirming the Oder-Neisse border. They also concluded a cooperation treaty on June 17, 1991. Germany concluded four treaties with the Soviet Union covering the overall bilateral relationship, economic relations, the withdrawal of Soviet troops from the territory of the former G.D.R., and German support for those troops. Russia accepted obligations under these treaties as successor to the Soviet Union. Germany continues to be active economically in the states of central and eastern Europe and to actively support the development of democratic institutions, bilaterally and through the EU.

====Relations with the United States====

U.S.-German relations have been a focal point of American involvement in Europe since the end of World War II. Germany stands at the center of European affairs and is a key partner in U.S. relations with Europeans in NATO and the European Union.

German-American ties extend back to the colonial era. More than 7 million Germans have immigrated over the last three centuries, and today nearly a quarter of U.S. citizens claim German ancestry. In recognition of this heritage and the importance of modern-day U.S.-German ties, the U.S. President annually has proclaimed October 6, the date the first German immigrants arrived in 1623, to be "German-American Day."

U.S. policy toward Germany remains the preservation and consolidation of a close and vital relationship with Germany, not only as friends and trading partners, but also as allies sharing common institutions. During the 45 years in which Germany was divided, the U.S. role in Berlin and the large American military presence in West Germany served as symbols of the U.S. commitment to preserving peace and security in Europe. Since German unification, the U.S. commitment to these goals has not changed. The U.S. made significant reductions in its troop levels in Germany after the Cold War ended, and, on July 12, 1994, President Clinton "cased the colors" at the Berlin Brigade's deactivation ceremony. The U.S., however, continues to recognize that the security and prosperity of the United States and Germany significantly depend on each other.

As allies in NATO, the United States and Germany work side by side to maintain peace and freedom. This unity and resolve made possible the successful conclusion of the 1987 U.S.-U.S.S.R. Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty (INF), the Two-plus-Four process—which led to the Final Settlement Treaty—and the November 1990 Conventional Armed Forces in Europe (CFE) Treaty.
[[File:President and First Lady Obama with Chancellor Merkel.jpg|thumb|left|320px|President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama are welcomed by German Chancellor Angela Merkel and her husband, professor Joachim Sauer, to Rathaus in Baden-Baden, Germany, 2009.]]
More recently, the two allies have cooperated closely in peacekeeping efforts in the Balkans and have worked together to encourage the evolution of open and democratic states throughout central and eastern Europe. Germany is also a strong contributor to our common effort to secure peace and stability in Afghanistan, contributing almost 3,000 troops to the NATO ISAF mission.

Following the September 11, 2001, attacks on the World Trade Center in New York City and the Pentagon in Washington, DC, Germany has been a reliable U.S. ally in the campaign against terrorism. As two of the world's leading trading nations, the United States and Germany share a common, deep-seated commitment to an open and expanding world economy. Personal ties between the United States and Germany extend beyond immigration to include intensive foreign exchange programs, booming tourism in both directions, and the presence in Germany of large numbers of American military personnel and their dependents.

The United States and Germany have built a solid foundation of bilateral cooperation in a relationship that has changed significantly over nearly six decades. The historic unification of Germany and the role the United States played in that process have served to strengthen ties between the two countries.

German-American political, economic, and security relationships continue to be based on close consultation and coordination at the most senior levels. High-level visits take place frequently, and the United States and Germany cooperate actively in international forums.

====Afghanistan====
:{{See also|Rape of Afghanistan|Biden junta}}
[[File:KabulHasFallen.png|right|300px|thumb|]]
Germany contributed troops to the NATO-led ISAF operation in [[Afghanistan]]. [[Christian Democratic Union]] (CDU) leader [[Armin Laschet]], who is possibly Angela Merkel successor, called the [[Biden regime]]'s unilateral decision to pull out of Afghanistan without consulting allies "the biggest debacle that NATO has suffered since its creation and it's a change of era that we are confronted with." Norbert Röttgen, chairman of the Bundestag foreign relations committee said, “I say this with a heavy heart and with horror over what is happening, but the early withdrawal was a serious and far-reaching miscalculation... This does fundamental damage to the [[political]] and [[moral]] credibility of [[the West]].” Chancellor Angela Merkel said, “For those who believed in [[democracy]] and [[freedom]], especially for [[women]], these are bitter events."<ref>https://www.sueddeutsche.de/politik/afghanistan-laschet-taliban-1.5382865</ref>

According to ''Deutsche Welle'' (DW), [[Taliban]] terrorists murdered a family member of a Deutsche Welle journalist and seriously injured another during a shooting as they tried to track down the journalist.<ref>https://www.dailywire.com/news/breaking-some-americans-were-beaten-throughout-the-night-in-afghanistan-by-taliban-reporter-says</ref> The Taliban conducted an organized search for journalists in Kabul and in the provinces. Other relatives had been able to escape at the last second and were on the run. The homes of at least three DW journalists were searched by the Taliban. Colleagues from other media were kidnapped or killed.

[[Christian Social Union]] (CSU} leader Markus Söder made accusations against the German government and the EU in connection with the situation in Afghanistan. "Overall, the federal government does not give a strong picture in this situation," The EU, for its part, is largely "speechless". There are attempts to blame each other between the Federal Foreign Office, intelligence organizations and other ministries, Söder said. "We do not believe that this results in a particularly sovereign external effect if the German government gives the impression that questions of responsibility are discussed afterwards. That's not enough! It's not enough to just say, 'Sorry, we misjudged ourselves.'..." Overall, Afghanistan is the biggest setback for Western efforts in the world since Vietnam, said Söder. "The results in Afghanistan are a heavy defeat for the West." It must also be clear that the [[USA]] must bear the main responsibility - the decision to rush troop withdrawal was made there.<ref>https://www.tellerreport.com/news/2021-08-19-csu-chief-on-afghanistan--s%C3%B6der-wants-to-keep-the-refugee-issue-out-of-the-election-campaign.H1wDkCpsxK.html</ref>

Interior Minister Horst Seehofer warned of an influx of refugees from Afghanistan, suggesting between 300,000 and five million people could head to Europe.<ref>https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-58256696</ref>

====Libya====

{{See also|Libyan war|Obama war crimes}}
Germany’s Defense Minister Thomas de Maziere criticized NATO’s military operation in Libya and lack of foresight when it comes to intervening in the [[North Africa]]n country.<ref>http://2012indyinfo.wordpress.com/2011/06/19/presstv-germany-slams-nato-mission-in-libya/</ref>

==Economy==
[[Image:The_castle3.jpg|right|thumb|270px|Neuschwanstein Castle, a popular tourist destination.]]
Germany is the world's fourth-largest economy and is currently the largest economy in Europe. From the 1948 currency reform until the early 1970s, West Germany experienced almost continuous economic expansion. Real gross domestic product (GDP) growth slowed down, and even declined, from the mid-1970s through the recession of the early 1980s. The economy then experienced 8 consecutive years of growth that ended with a downturn beginning in late 1992. Since unification, Germany has seen annual average real growth of only about 1.5% and stubbornly high unemployment. In 2006, Germany had its best year since 2000 with 2.7% growth; for 2007, growth was at 2.5% despite a 3 percentage point VAT hike at the beginning of the year. The government forecasts 1.7% growth in GDP for 2008. Unemployment in 2007 dropped to an annualized average of 9.0% nationwide, but it is still significantly higher—15.1%--in the German states that make up the former East Germany.

Germans often describe their economic system as a "social market economy." The German Government provides an extensive array of social services. The state intervenes in the economy by providing subsidies to selected sectors and by owning some segments of the economy, while promoting competition and free enterprise. The government has restructured the railroad system on a corporate basis, privatized the national airline, and is privatizing telecommunications and postal services.

The German economy is heavily export-oriented, with exports accounting for more than one-third of national output. As a result, exports traditionally have been a key element in German macroeconomic expansion, accounting for over half of the economic growth in recent years. Germany is a strong advocate of closer European economic integration, and its economic and commercial policies are increasingly determined within the European Union (EU). Germany uses the common European currency, the euro, and the European Central Bank sets monetary policy.
[[File:German transmission lines.jpg|thumb|left|340px|Transmission lines and generating stations.]]
In the early-mid 2000s, Germany adopted a complex set of labor/social welfare reforms to overcome structural weaknesses of the German welfare state and to create policies more conductive to employment. Defying a skeptical German public, the coalition government of Chancellor Angela Merkel initiated additional reform measures, such as the gradual increase in the mandatory retirement age from 65 to 67—a move that would add 2.5 million to the workforce by 2030. Subsequently, however, there has been active political debate and some rollback of these labor reforms; most notably the government decided to extend the payment period of unemployment benefits to older workers in early 2008.

Fifteen years after reunification (October 3, 1990), Germany had made great progress in raising the standard of living in eastern Germany, introducing a market economy and improving its infrastructure. At the same time, the process of convergence between east and west is taking longer than originally expected and, on some measures, has stagnated since the mid-1990s. Eastern economic growth rates have been lower than in the west in recent years, unemployment is twice as high, prompting many skilled easterners to seek work in the west, and productivity continues to lag. Eastern consumption levels are dependent on public net financial transfers from west to east totaling about $13 billion per year. In addition to social assistance payments, the government will extend funds to promote eastern economic development through 2019.

The United States is Germany's second-largest trading partner, and U.S.-German trade has continued to grow strongly. Two-way trade in goods totaled $184 billion in 2007. U.S. exports to Germany were $71 billion while U.S. imports from Germany were more than $113 billion. At nearly $45 billion, the U.S.'s fifth-largest trade deficit is with Germany. Major U.S. export categories include aircraft, electrical equipment, telecommunications equipment, data processing equipment, and motor vehicles and parts. German export sales are concentrated in metalworks, motor vehicles, machinery, chemicals and heavy electrical equipment. Much bilateral trade is intra-industry or intra-firm.

Germany has a liberal foreign investment policy. For 2005, the most recent year for which statistics are available, German investment in the U.S. amounted to 233 billion euros (29% of all German foreign direct investment, or FDI; the U.S. is the number-one destination for German FDI), while U.S. investment in Germany was 45 billion euros (11.5% of all FDI invested in Germany; U.S. is third-largest source of FDI in Germany).

U.S. firms employ about 510,000 people in Germany; whereas German firms likewise employ about 746,000 people in the United States.

Despite persistence of some structural rigidities in the labor market and extensive government regulation, the economy remains strong and internationally competitive. Although production costs are very high, Germany is still an export powerhouse, and unit labor costs have decreased in the last 10 years. Additionally, Germany is strategically placed to take advantage of the rapidly growing central European countries. The current government has addressed some of the country's structural problems, with important tax, social security, and financial sector reforms.
*GDP (2007 est.): $3.1 trillion.
*Annual growth rate: (2006) 2.7%; (2007) 2.5%.
*Per capita income (PPP, 2006): $31,900.
*Inflation rate (consumer prices, 2007): 2.2%.
*Natural resources: Iron, hard coal, lignite, potash, natural gas.
*Agriculture (0.9% of GDP): Products—corn, wheat, potatoes, sugar, beets, barley, hops, viticulture, forestry, fisheries.
*Industry (29.1% of GDP): Types—car-making; mechanical, electrical, and precision engineering; chemicals; environmental technology; optics; medical technology; biotech and genetic engineering; nanotechnology; aerospace; logistics.
*Trade (2006): Exports--$1.03 trillion: chemicals, motor vehicles, iron and steel products, manufactured goods, electrical products. Major markets—France, U.S., and U.K. Imports--$844 billion: food, petroleum products, manufactured goods, electrical products, motor vehicles, apparel. Major suppliers—France, Netherlands, U.S.

The German economy showed substantial improvement in 2007 at 2.5% growth due to the effect of recent economic reforms and strong global economic growth. The export-led recovery is now filtering through to the domestic economy where private consumption has long been at a low level.

=== Economic History ===

In the 1960s, Germany had (ones of) hundreds of billions of dollars in GDP<ref>https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_largest_historical_GDP</ref>, being the third-largest economy, only next to the United States and the Soviet Union. However, in 1970, Germany had a $210 billion dollar economy, still being the 3rd largest economy, but being closely approached by Japan. The Germans climbed up to $475 billion in 1975, but got bumped down to fourth by the booming Japanese economy. In 1980, Germany went up to $920 billion, but still kept fourth place. Germany suffered a crash to $660 billion in 1985, still being fourth. In 1990, Germany exploded to $1.6 trillion, compared to the Soviet Union (3rd)'s $2.6 trillion. However, Germany went up to $2.6 trillion, overtaking the crashing Russian economy, and thus getting third place. In 2000, Germany went down to $1.95 trillion, still keeping third. Germany went to $2.875 trillion, being closely approached by the booming Chinese economy. Germany went to $3.3 trillion in 2015, but got bumped again to fourth, because of China's rapidly-growing economy. However, Germany grew slightly faster, when Germany got to $3.4 trillion in 2015. Germany now has a $4 trillion economy (as of 2020), but may be bumped down by 2025 by India's $3 trillion economy, which is booming dramatically.

=== Crisis of 2008 ===

The worldwide [[Financial Crisis of 2008]] hit Germany in the summer, revealing high risk policies pursued by numerous large banks looking for high rates of return outside Germany. In September the government unveiled a $635-billion bailout package for its floundering banks. Economic growth for 2009 is forecast to be an anemic 0.2%.

Automobile manufacturing is a major sector, but the financial crisis caused credit to be harder to obtain; many families postponed purchases. Auto exports fell 10% in October 2008 from October 2007; domestic sales dropped 8%. In contrast 2007 was a record year with production of 12.1 million vehicles and employment of 756,000 workers; an eighth of those jobs were created in the last five years alone.

The German economy has since recovered and the impact of the ongoing euro crisis isn't being noticed yet.

==History==
See [[German History]]

===Coronavirus response===
:{{See also|CCP global pandemic}}
Addressing [[Chinese communist]] president [[Xi Jinping]] the editor-in-chief of Germany’s largest newspaper ''Bild'' wrote
{{quotebox|"You, your government and your scientists had to know long ago that [[coronavirus]] is highly infectious, but you left the world in the dark about it. Your top experts didn't respond when [[Western]] researchers asked to know what was going on in Wuhan. You were too proud and too [[nationalist]]ic to tell the truth, which you felt was a national disgrace....You rule by [[surveillance]]. You wouldn't be president without surveillance. You monitor everything, every citizen, but you refuse to monitor the diseased wet markets in your country. You shut down every newspaper and website that is critical of your rule, but not the stalls where bat soup is sold. You are not only monitoring your people, you are endangering them – and with them, the rest of the world....surveillance is a denial of [[freedom]]. And a nation that is not free, is not creative. A nation that is not innovative, does not invent anything. This is why you have made your country the world champion in intellectual property theft....China enriches itself with the inventions of others, instead of inventing on its own....The reason China does not innovate and invent is that you don't let the young people in your country think freely. China’s greatest export hit (that nobody wanted to have, but which has nevertheless gone around the world) is coronavirus....your laboratories in Wuhan have been researching coronaviruses in bats, but without maintaining the highest safety standards. Why are your toxic laboratories not as secure as your prisons for political prisoners? Would you like to explain this to the grieving widows, daughters, sons, husbands, parents of corona victims all over the world?"....In your country, your people are whispering about you. Your power is crumbling. You have created an inscrutable, non-transparent China. Before Corona, China was known as a surveillance state. Now, China is known as a surveillance state that infected the world with a deadly disease. That is your political legacy."”<ref>https://www.zerohedge.com/economics/china-outraged-after-largest-german-newspaper-accuses-beijing-starting-coronavirus</ref>}}
''Bild'' calculated that China owed Germany €149 billion [[euro]]s (USD $161 billion) for coronavirus damages. ''Bild'' said the compensation amounts to €1,784 euros per person if Germany's [[GDP]] drops by 4.2 percent. The ''Bild'' article was titled: "What China owes us."

A case about a man violating strict German lockdown rules by celebrating a birthday with his friends became the world’s first [[COVID]] court case that dealt intensively with the medical facts of the disease and its economic consequences. The court ruled:
{{quotebox-float|“Based on what has been said, there can be no doubt that the number of deaths attributable to the lockdown policy measures alone exceeds the number of deaths prevented by the lockdown many times over....At no time did a concrete danger of the overloading of the health system by a “wave” of COVID-19 patients occur. As can be seen from the DIVI Intensive Care Register, which was newly established on 17 March 2020, at least 40% of intensive care beds in Germany were vacant throughout March and April. In Thuringia, 378 intensive care beds were reported as occupied on 3 April 2020, 36 of which were occupied by COVID-19 patients. This was compared to 417 free beds. 

On 16 April 2020, two days before the decree was issued, 501 intensive care beds were reported as occupied, 56 of them with COVID-19 patients. This contrasted with 528 free beds … The maximum number of COVID-19 patients reported in Thuringia in the spring was 63 on 28 April, and the number of COVID-19 patients was thus at no time in a range where an overload of the health care system could have been feared. 

This assessment of the actual dangers posed by COVID-19 in spring 2020 is confirmed by an analysis of billing data from 421 hospitals by the Quality Medicine Initiative, which concluded that the number of SARI (severe acute respiratory infection) cases treated as inpatients in Germany in the first half of 2020, totaling 187,174 cases, was actually lower than in the first half of 2019 (221,841 cases), although this included COVID-related SARI cases. The number of intensive care and ventilator cases was also lower in the first half of 2020 than in 2019, according to this analysis. 

Mortality statistics paint a similar picture. According to a special analysis by the Federal Statistical Office, 484,429 people died in Germany in the first half of 2020, compared with 479,415 in the first half of 2019, 501,391 in 2018, 488,147 in 2017 and 461,055 in 2016. Accordingly, in both 2017 and 2018, there were more deaths in the first half of the year than in 2020. 

The scare projections that significantly influenced the lockdown decision in the spring were also based on misconceptions about the lethality of the [[virus]] (known as infection fatality rate or IFR) and about an existing or lack of basic immunity to the virus in the population. 

According to a meta-study by medical scientist and statistician John Ioannidis, one of the most cited scientists in the world, published in October in a [[WHO]] bulletin, the median lethality rate is 0.27%, corrected to 0.23%, which is no higher than in moderate [[influenza]] [[epidemic]]s."<ref>http://enformtk.u-aizu.ac.jp/howard/weimar_ruling/</ref>}}

== Sports ==
[[File:Sunken Village by Timm Ulrichs Munich.JPG|thumb|Architectural sculpture "Sunken Village" by Timm Ulrichs, and in the back Allianz Arena, Munich.]]
[[Association Football]] is the most popular sport by far, followed by [[Team Handball]] (not to be confused with [[American handball]]). Basketball and (ice) hockey play a minor role, whereas baseball and American football are, despite being organized, hardly being noticed by the general public.

The most popular non-sport-games are [[chess]] and [[skat]], both being organized in [[bundesligas]].

Germany was the winner of the 2014 [[FIFA World Cup]].

==The states (Bundesländer) and their capitals==
[[File:Frankfurt skyline.jpg|thumb|300px|Frankfurt am Main, Hesse.]]
(In alphabetical order)
* [[Baden-Wuerttemberg]]: [[Stuttgart]]
* [[Bavaria]] (''Bayern''): [[München]]
* [[Berlin]]: [[Berlin]]
* [[Brandenburg]]: [[Potsdam]]
* [[Bremen]]: [[Bremen]]
* [[Hamburg]]: [[Hamburg]]
* [[Hesse]] (''Hessen''): [[Wiesbaden]]
* [[Mecklenburg-Vorpommern]]: [[Schwerin]]
* [[Lower Saxony]] (''Niedersachsen''): [[Hannover]]
* [[North Rhine-Westphalia]] (''Nordrhein-Westfalen''): [[Düsseldorf]]
* [[Rhineland-Palatinate]] (''Rheinland-Pfalz''): [[Mainz]]
* [[Saarland]]: [[Saarbrücken]]
* [[Saxony]] (''Sachsen''): [[Dresden]]
* [[Saxony-Anhalt]] (''Sachsen-Anhalt''): [[Magdeburg]]
* [[Sleswick-Holsatia]] (''Schleswig-Holstein''): [[Kiel]]
* [[Thuringia]] (''Thüringen''): [[Erfurt]]

==Famous Germans==
{|
|-
|
*[[Konrad Adenauer]]
*[[Hannah Arendt]]
*[[Johann Sebastian Bach]]
*[[Franz Beckenbauer]]
*[[Boris Becker]]
*[[Pope Benedict XVI]]
*[[Ludwig van Beethoven]]
*[[Otto von Bismarck]]
*[[Heinrich Böll]]
*[[Willy Brandt]]
*[[Wernher von Braun]]
*[[Bertolt Brecht]]
*[[Dietrich Buxtehude]]
*[[Marlene Dietrich]]
*[[Albrecht Dürer]]
*[[Albert Einstein]]
*[[Roland Emmerich]]
*[[Friedrich Engels]]
*[[Daniel Fahrenheit]]
*[[Rainer Werner Fassbinder]]
|
*[[Joseph Goebbels]]
*[[Johann Wolfgang von Goethe]]
*[[Hermann Göring]]
*[[Günter Grass]]
*[[Hans Jakob Christoffel von Grimmelshausen]]
*[[Johannes Gutenberg]]
*[[Georg Friedrich Händel]]
*[[Otto Hahn]]
*[[Friedrich Händel]]
*[[Ernst August von Hannover]]
*[[Karl August von Hardenberg]]
*[[Friedrich Hegel]]
*[[Werner Heisenberg]]
*[[Heinrich Hesse]]
*[[Heinrich Himmler]]
*[[Adolf Hitler]]
*[[Oliver Kahn]]
*[[Henry Kissinger]]
*[[Helmut Kohl]]
*[[Käthe Kollwitz]]
|
*[[Otto Kretschmer]]
*[[Karl Liebknecht]]
*[[Loriot]]
*[[Martin Luther]]
*[[Rosa Luxemburg]]
*[[Thomas Mann]]
*[[Karl Marx]]
*Angela Merkel
*[[Lise Meitner]]
*[[Anne-Sophie Mutter]]
*[[Nena]]
*[[Dirk Nowitzki]]
*[[Friedrich Nietzsche]]
*[[Erwin Rommel]]
*[[Wilhelm Conrad Röntgen]]
*[[Friedrich Schiller]]
*[[Gerhard Schröder]]
*[[Heinrich Schliemann]]
*[[Michael Schumacher]]
*[[Karlheinz Stockhausen]]
*[[Richard Wagner]]
*[[Wim Wenders]]
|}

==Further reading==
* Schafers, Bernha, ''The State of Germany Atlas'' (1998) [https://www.amazon.com/State-Germany-Atlas-Bernha-Schafers/dp/0415188261/ref=sr_1_27?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1201324991&sr=1-27 excerpt and text search]
* Schulte-Peevers, Andrea, et al. ''Lonely Planet Germany'' (2007) [https://www.amazon.com/Lonely-Planet-Germany-Andrea-Schulte-Peevers/dp/1740599888/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1201324694&sr=1-3 excerpt and text search]

===Since 1990===
* Alba, Richard. Peter Schmidt, and Martina Wasmer. ''Germans or Foreigners?: Attitudes Toward Ethnic Minorities in Post-Reunification Germany'' (2004) [https://www.amazon.com/Germans-Foreigners-Minorities-Post-Reunification-Transition/dp/1403963789/ref=sr_1_22?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1201324886&sr=1-22 excerpt and text search]
* Berghahn, Volker Rolf. ''Modern Germany: society, economy, and politics in the twentieth century'' (1987) [http://hdl.handle.net.proxy.cc.uic.edu/2027/heb.01673 ACLS E-book]
* Buse, Dieter K. ed. ''Modern Germany: An Encyclopedia of History, People, and Culture 1871-1990'' (2 vol 1998)
* Kahn, Charlotte. ''Ten Years of German Unification: One State, Two Peoples'' (2000) [http://www.questia.com/read/23486249 online edition]
* Larres, Klaus. ''Germany Since Unification: The Development of the Berlin Republic'' (2nd ed. 2001) [https://www.amazon.com/Germany-Since-Unification-Second-Development/dp/0333919998/ref=sr_1_28?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1201324991&sr=1-28 excerpt and text search]

===Economics and society===
* Siebert, Horst. ''The German Economy: Beyond the Social Market'' (2005) [https://www.amazon.com/German-Economy-Beyond-Social-Market/dp/0691096643/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1201328508&sr=8-1 excerpt and text search]
* Zimmermann, Klaus F. et al. ''Immigration Policy and the Labor Market: The German Experience and Lessons for Europe'' (2007) [https://www.amazon.com/Immigration-Policy-Labor-Market-Experience/dp/354068381X/ref=sr_1_9?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1201328716&sr=8-9 excerpt and text search]

====Politics====
* Green, Simon, and William E. Paterson. ''Governance in Contemporary Germany: The Semisovereign State Revisited'' (2005) [https://www.amazon.com/Governance-Contemporary-Germany-Semisovereign-Revisited/dp/0521848814/ref=sr_1_25?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1201324991&sr=1-25 excerpt and text search]
* Hancock, M. Donald, ''Politics in Europe: An Introduction to the Politics of the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy, Sweden'' (2006) [https://www.amazon.com/Politics-Europe-Introduction-Kingdom-Germany/dp/1933116455/ref=sr_1_11?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1201324694&sr=1-11 excerpt and text search]
* Schmidt, Manfred G. ''Political Institutions in the Federal Republic of Germany'' (2003) ISBN 0198782594

==See also==
*[[Refugee]]s
*[[Atheistic Germany and alcoholism]]
*[[Atheistic Germany and loneliness]]
*[[Bavaria]]
*[[Bestiality and Germany]]
*[[Communist East Germany and alcoholism]]
*[[German Painting]]
*[[Gallery of German Masterpieces]]
*[[Prussia]]

== External links ==
*[http://www.justgermany.org/germany/germany-facts.asp Germany Basic Facts.]

==References==
{{reflist|2}}

 
===Sources===
* source: [http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/3997.htm US State Department Country Study]

{{European Union}}

[[Category:German History]]
[[Category:Germany]]
[[Category:NATO Members]]
[[Category:Christian-Majority Countries]]

Austria

2021-09-23T23:53:27Z

Rhodesia:

{{country
|name=''Republik Österreich''
|map=Austria rel99.jpg
|map2=Austria location.png
|flag=Flag of Austria.jpg
|arms=Arms of Austria.png
|capital=Vienna
|government=Federal parliamentary republic
|government-raw=
|language=German
|president=Alexander Van der Bellen
|chancellor=Brigitte Bierlein
|area=32,377 sq. mi.
|pop=9,000,000 (2020)
|pop-basis=
|gdp=$435,000,000,000 (2020)
|gdp-year=
|gdp-pc=$48,333 (2020)
|currency=Euro
}}
The '''Republic of Austria''' is a landlocked country in [[central Europe]]. The capital of Austria is [[Vienna]]. The primary language of Austria is [[German language|German]] of which is was a part from 1938-1945.

==People==
Austrians are a homogeneous people; 91% are native German speakers. However, there has been a significant amount of immigrants, particularly from former Yugoslavia and Turkey, over the last two decades. Only two numerically significant autochthonous minority groups exist—18,000 Slovenes in [[Carinthia]] (south central Austria) and about 19,400 Croats in Burgenland (on the Hungarian border). The Slovenes form a closely-knit community. Their rights as well as those of the Croats are protected by law and generally respected in practice. Some Austrians, particularly near Vienna, still have relatives in the Czech Republic, Slovakia, and Hungary. About 74% of all Austrians are Roman Catholic. The church abstains from political activity. Small Lutheran minorities are located mainly in Vienna, Carinthia, and Burgenland. Small Islamic (immigrant) communities have arisen in Vienna and Vorarlberg.
*Population (2007): 8,332,000.
*Annual growth rate (2007): 0.4%.
*Ethnic groups: Germans, Turks, Serbs, Croats, Slovenes, and Bosnians; other recognized minorities include Hungarians, Czechs, Slovaks, and Roma.
*Religions: Roman Catholic 73.6%, Lutheran 4.7%, Muslim 4.2%, other 5.5%, no confession 12.0%.
*Language: German about 90%.
*Education: Years compulsory—9. Attendance—99%. Literacy—98%.
*Health (2007): Infant mortality rate—3.6 deaths/1,000. Life expectancy—men 77.4 years, women 82.9 years.
*Work force (2007, 4.2 million): Services—67%; agriculture and forestry—5%, industry—28%.

====Religion====
[[File:Austria Telfs-Moschee.jpg|thumb|left|A Mosque in Telfs, Austria.]]
Since 2000 Austria has experienced some immigration from countries such as Turkey and Bosnia-Herzegovina, which increased the number of Muslims. The Muslim community more than doubled between 1991 and 2001 to 339,000, or 4.2% of the population. Estimates for 2007 indicate that there are approximately 400,000 Muslims in the country. In recent reporting periods immigration has slowed down due to the gradual introduction of a quota system in the late 1990s.<ref>According to [http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/irf/2008/108434.htm U.S. State Department, "International Religious Freedom Report 2008"]</ref>

According to the 2001 census, membership in major religious groups is as follows: Roman Catholic Church, 74%; Lutheran and Presbyterian Churches (Evangelical Church-Augsburger and Helvetic confessions), 4.7%; Muslim community, 4.2%; Jewish community, 0.1%; Eastern Orthodox (Russian, Greek, Serbian, Romanian, and Bulgarian), 2.2%; other Christian churches, 0.9%; and other non-Christian religious groups, 0.2%. Atheists account for 12%, and 2% do not indicate a religious affiliation.

According to a poll by the German market research institute FESSEL-GfK conducted in June and July 2007, 81% of respondents state that they belong to a church or religious group. Of that number, 2% attend services more than once a week, 10% attend weekly, 9% attend a minimum of once a month, 26% attend several times a year (on special occasions), and 53% nearly never attend.

The provinces of Carinthia (10.3%) and Burgenland (13.3%) have higher percentages of Protestants than the national average of 4.7%. The number of Muslims is higher than the national average of 4.2% in Vienna (7.8%) and the province of Vorarlberg (8.4%), where industry draws a disproportionately higher number of guest workers from Turkey and the former Yugoslavia.

The vast majority of groups termed "sects" by the Government are small organizations with fewer than one hundred members. Among the larger groups is the Church of Scientology, which claims between 5,000 and 6,000 members, and the Unification Church, with approximately 700 adherents. Other groups termed "sects" include Divine Light Mission, Eckankar, Hare Krishna, the Holosophic Community, the Osho Movement, Sahaja Yoga, Sai Baba, Sri Chinmoy, Transcendental Meditation, Center for Experimental Society Formation, Fiat Lux, Universal Life, and The Family.

==Government==
[[File:Heinz Fischer Vienna Oct 2006.jpg|thumb|Heinz Fischer, Vienna, 2006.]]
The Austrian president convenes and concludes parliamentary sessions and under certain conditions can dissolve Parliament. However, no Austrian president has dissolved Parliament in the Second Republic. The custom is for Parliament to call for new elections if needed. The president requests a party leader, usually the leader of the strongest party, to form a government. Upon the recommendation of the Federal Chancellor, the president also appoints cabinet ministers.

The Federal Assembly (Parliament) consists of two houses—the National Council (Nationalrat), or lower house, and the Federal Council (Bundesrat), or upper house. Legislative authority resides in the National Council. Its 183 members serve for a maximum term of four years in a three-tiered system, on the basis of proportional representation. The National Council may dissolve itself by a simple majority vote or the president may dissolve it on the recommendation of the Chancellor. The nine state legislatures elect the 62 members of the Federal Council for 5- to 6-year terms. The Federal Council only reviews legislation passed by the National Council and can delay but not veto its enactment.

The highest courts of Austria's independent judiciary are the Constitutional Court; the Administrative Court, which handles bureaucratic disputes; and the Supreme Court, for civil and criminal cases. While the Supreme Court is the court of highest instance for the judiciary, the Administrative Court acts as the supervisory body over government administrative acts of the executive branch, and the Constitutional Court presides over constitutional issues. The Federal President appoints the justices of the three courts for specific terms.

The legislatures of Austria's nine Bundesländer (states) elect the governors. Although most authority, including that of the police, rests with the federal government, the states have considerable responsibility for welfare matters and local administration. Strong state and local loyalties have roots in tradition and history.

===Principal Government Officials===
*Federal President—[[Alexander Van der Bellen]]
*Federal Chancellor—[[Brigitte Bierlein]]
*Vice Chancellor—Clemens Jabloner
*President of the Federal Council—Karl Bader
*Vice Presidents of the Federal Council—Magnus Brunner and Hubert Koller
*President of the National Council—Wolfgang Sobotka
*Second President of the National Council—Doris Bures
*Third President of the National Council—Anneliese Kitzmüller

===Political Conditions===
Since [[World War II]], Austria enjoyed political stability. A Socialist elder statesman, Dr. Karl Renner, organized an Austrian administration in the aftermath of the war, and the country held general elections in November 1945. All three major parties—the [[Austrian People's Party]] (ÖVP), the Socialists (later [[Social Democratic Party (Austria)|Social Democratic Party]] or SPÖ), and [[Communists]]—governed until 1947, when the Communists left the government. The ÖVP then led a governing coalition with the SPÖ that governed until 1966.

Between 1970 and 1999, the SPÖ governed the country either alone or with junior coalition partners. In 1999, the ÖVP formed a coalition with the [[right-wing populist]] [[Freedom Party of Austria]] (FPÖ), which had dramatically increased in size under the leadership of [[Jörg Haider]]. The SPÖ, which was the strongest party in the 1999 elections, and the Greens formed the opposition. The FPÖ had gained support because of [[populist]] tactics, and the [[liberal]] and [[globalist]] [[establishment]] strongly opposed it for its political incorrectness, claiming it somehow represented "right-wing extremism." As a result, the [[European Union]] (EU) imposed a series of sanctions on Austria. The [[United States|U.S.]] and [[Israel]], as well as various other countries, also reduced contacts with the Austrian Government. Israel even recalled its ambassador to Vienna for three years because the FPÖ joined the coalition.<ref>Keinon, Herb (December 19, 2017). [https://www.jpost.com/Israel-News/For-now-Israel-wont-deal-with-far-right-Austrian-Freedom-Party-ministers-518447 For Now, Israel Won't Deal with Far-Right Austrian Freedom Party Ministers]. ''The Jerusalem Post''. Retrieved February 7, 2018.</ref> After a period of close observation, the EU lifted sanctions, and the U.S. revised its contacts policy. In the 2002 elections, the ÖVP became the largest party, and the FPÖ's strength declined by more than half. Nevertheless, the ÖVP renewed its coalition with the FPÖ in February 2003. In national elections in October 2006, the SPÖ became the largest party, edging the ÖVP. On January 11, 2007, an SPÖ-led Grand Coalition took office, with the ÖVP as junior partner.

The Social Democratic Party traditionally draws its constituency from blue- and white-collar workers. Accordingly, much of its strength lies in urban and industrialized areas. In the 2006 national elections, it garnered 35.3% of the vote. In the past, the SPÖ advocated state involvement in Austria's key industries, the extension of social security benefits, and a full-employment policy. Beginning in the mid-1980s, it shifted its focus to free market-oriented economic policies, balancing the federal budget, and European Union membership.

The People's Party advocates conservative financial policies and privatization of much of Austria's nationalized industry. It finds support from farmers, large and small business owners, and some lay Catholic groups, mostly in the rural regions of Austria. In 2006, it received 34.3% of the vote. The Greens won 11.1% of the vote in 2006, becoming the third-largest party in parliament. The rightist Freedom Party traditionally had a base in classic European liberalism. However, after losing much of its support in the 2002 elections and suffering a split, the FPO won slightly more of the vote in 2006–11%--than it did in 2002, due to a populist, anti-immigration theme. The Alliance-Future-Austria (BZÖ) split from the FPÖ in 2005. All the FPÖ's Federal Ministers and most of its parliamentarians joined the BZÖ, and that party formally became the junior partner in the governing coalition. The BZO was unable to draw significant popular support away from the FPÖ, but managed to enter parliament in 2006 with 4.1% of the vote. After Haider's death, the BZÖ shifted towards the political center, and in 2010, many of its members rejoined the FPÖ.<ref>Smith, Reiss (September 22, 2016). [https://www.express.co.uk/news/world/713318/freedom-party-austria-fpo-anti-eu-europe-Norbert-Hofer What is the Freedom Party of Austria? The anti-EU party that could win Austria's election]. ''Daily Express''. Retrieved December 17, 2016.</ref>

In the first round of the 2016 Austrian presidential election, FPÖ candidate [[Norbert Hofer]] received 35.1 percent of the vote, which at the time was the party's best result in a national election in history.<ref>Troianovski, Anton (April 25, 2016). [https://www.wsj.com/articles/european-right-gets-boost-from-austrian-freedom-party-victory-1461598555 European Right Gets Boost From Austrian Freedom Party Victory]. ''The Wall Street Journal''. Retrieved December 17, 2016.</ref> Although Hofer lost the run-off election by less than one percentage point, Austria's Constitutional Court ordered a re-run of the election due to irregularities in mail-in ballots.<ref>Troianovski, Anton (June 1, 2016). [https://www.wsj.com/articles/austrian-court-orders-rerun-of-presidential-vote-1467369788 Austrian Court Orders Rerun of Presidential Vote]. ''The Wall Street Journal''. Retrievd December 17, 2016.</ref> The election was eventually postponed until December 4, 2016.<ref>Connolly, Kate (September 12, 2016). [https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/sep/12/austria-presidential-election-rerun-to-be-postponed-faulty-glue-ballot-papers Austrian presidential election postponed due to faulty glue]. ''The Guardian''. Retrieved December 17, 2016.</ref><ref>Tomlinson, Chris (September 13, 2016). [https://www.breitbart.com/london/2016/09/13/fpo-austrian-election-delay-embarrassment/ Freedom Party Calls Austrian Election Delay An ‘Embarrassment’]. ''Breitbart''. Retrieved December 17, 2016.</ref> Although Hofer lost the election, being defeated by leftist Green Party candidate [[Alexander Van der Bellen]], the party vowed to fight on.<ref>Oliphant, Roland; Cseko, Balazs (December 4, 2016). [https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2016/12/05/time-comes-says-defiant-austrian-far-right-freedom-party-claims/ Austrian far-right defiant as Freedom Party claims 'pole position' for general election: 'Our time comes']. ''The Telegraph''. Retrieved December 17, 2016.</ref> After the 2017 parliamentary elections, the FPÖ formed a coalition deal with the ÖVP and was able to take several key government agencies, including the interior and defense ministries.<ref>Multiple references:
*Korolyov, Alexei (December 21, 2017). [https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2017/dec/21/nazi-party-offshoot-rises-austria/ Austria’s far right takes power with little fanfare in altered political climate]. ''The Washington Times''. Retrieved December 21, 2017.
*Atkins, Ralph; Khan, Mehreen (December 17, 2017). [https://www.ft.com/content/4608e324-e26a-11e7-97e2-916d4fbac0da Far-right Freedom party enters Austrian government]. ''Financial Times''. Retrieved December 21, 2017.
*[https://www.thelocal.at/20171216/nothing-to-fear-as-austrian-far-right-enters-government 'Nothing to fear' as Austrian far-right enters government]. ''The Local''. December 16, 2017. Retrieved December 21, 2017.
*[https://www.cnbc.com/2017/12/16/kurzs-austrian-conservatives-bring-far-right-into-government.html Kurz's Austrian conservatives bring far right into government]. ''CNBC'' (from ''Reuters''). December 16, 2017. Retrieved December 21, 2017.
*Tomlinson, Chris (December 16, 2017). [https://www.breitbart.com/london/2017/12/16/austrian-populists-enter-government-first-time-since-2005-taking-several-key-ministries/ Austrian Populists Enter Government For First Time Since 2005, Taking Several Key Ministries]. ''Breitbart News''. Retrieved December 21, 2017.</ref>

===Foreign Relations===
The 1955 Austrian State Treaty ended the four-power occupation and recognized Austria as an independent and sovereign state. In October 1955, the Federal Assembly passed a constitutional law in which "Austria declares of her own free will her perpetual neutrality." The second section of this law stated that "in all future times Austria will not join any military alliances and will not permit the establishment of any foreign military bases on her territory." The date on which this provision passed—October 26—became Austria's National Day. From then, Austria shaped its foreign policy on the basis of neutrality.

In recent years, however, Austria began to reassess its definition of neutrality, granting overflight rights for the UN-sanctioned action against Iraq in 1991, and, since 1995, contemplating participation in the EU's evolving security structure. Also in 1995, it joined the Partnership for Peace with NATO, and subsequently participated in peacekeeping missions in Bosnia.

Austrian leaders emphasize the unique role the country plays both as a trans-European hub and as a moderator between industrialized and developing countries. Austria is active in the United Nations and experienced in UN peacekeeping efforts. It attaches great importance to participation in the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development and other international economic organizations, and it has played an active role in the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE). Austria has participated in the UN-mandated International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) in Afghanistan since 2002. In August 2005, Austria deployed 93 soldiers to the northern Afghan city of Kunduz to help support the parliamentary and provincial elections. Austria has also participated in international reconstruction assistance efforts and has provided about 8.5 million euros since 2002 to combat drugs, to strengthen women's rights and for mine removal.

Vienna hosts the Secretariat of the OSCE and the headquarters of the International Atomic Energy Agency, the UN Industrial Development Organization, and the UN Drug Control Program. Other international organizations in Vienna include the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries, the International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis, the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty Organization, and the Wassenaar Arrangement (a technology-transfer control agency).

Austria traditionally has been active in "bridge-building to the east," increasing contacts at all levels with [[Central Europe]] and [[Russia]]. Austrians maintain a constant exchange of business representatives, political leaders, students, cultural groups, and tourists with the countries of [[Central Europe]] and [[Russia]]. Austrian companies are active in investing and trading with those countries as well. In addition, the Austrian Government and various Austrian organizations provide assistance and training to support the changes underway in the region.

==Economy==
Austria has a well-developed social market economy with a high standard of living in which the government has played an important role. The government nationalized many of the country's largest firms in the early post-war period to protect them from Soviet takeover as war reparations. For many years, the government and its state-owned industries conglomerate played a very important role in the Austrian economy. However, starting in the early 1990s, the group broke apart, state-owned firms started to operate largely as private businesses, and the government wholly or partially privatized many of these firms. Although the government's privatization work in past years has been very successful, it still operates some firms, state monopolies, utilities, and services. The Schüssel government's privatization program further reduced government participation in the economy. The Gusenbauer government will not reverse privatizations, but does not plan to undertake any further privatizations. Austria enjoys well-developed industry, banking, transportation, services, and commercial facilities.

Some industries, such as several iron and steel works and chemical plants, are large industrial enterprises employing thousands of people. However, most industrial and commercial enterprises in Austria are relatively small on an international scale.
*GDP (2007): $373.6 billion.
*Real GDP growth rate (2007): 3.4%.
*Per capita income (2007): $44,890.
*Natural resources: Iron ore, crude oil, natural gas, timber, tungsten, magnesite, lignite, cement.
*Agriculture (1.9% of 2007 GDP): Products—livestock, forest products, grains, sugarbeets, potatoes.
*Industry (31.2% of 2007 GDP): Types—iron and steel, chemicals, capital equipment, consumer goods.
*Services: 66.9% of 2007 GDP.
*Trade (2007): Exports--$156.4 billion: iron and steel products, timber, paper, textiles, electrotechnical machinery, chemical products, foodstuffs. Imports--$155.9 billion: machinery, vehicles, chemicals, iron and steel, metal goods, fuels, raw materials, foodstuffs. Principal trade partners—European Union, Switzerland, U.S., and China.

Austria has a strong labor movement. The Austrian Trade Union Federation (ÖGB) comprises constituent unions with a total membership of about 1.2 million—about 31% of the country's wage and salary earners. Since 1945, the ÖGB has pursued a moderate, consensus-oriented wage policy, cooperating with industry, agriculture, and the government on a broad range of social and economic issues in what is known as Austria's "social partnership." The ÖGB opposed the Schüssel government's program for budget consolidation, social reform, and fiscal measures that favor entrepreneurs. However, because of a scandal involving a bank the ÖGB owned, the ÖGB lost much of its political influence in the SPÖ.

Austrian farms, like those of other European mountainous countries, are small and fragmented, and production is relatively expensive. Since Austria became a member of the EU in 1995, the Austrian agricultural sector has been undergoing substantial reform under the EU's common agricultural policy (CAP). Although Austrian farmers provide about 80% of domestic food requirements, the agricultural contribution to gross domestic product (GDP) has declined since 1950 to about 2%.

Austria has achieved sustained economic growth. During the 1950s, the average annual growth rate was more than 5% in real terms and averaged about 4.5% through most of the 1960s. In the second half of the 1970s, the annual average growth rate was 3% in real terms, though it averaged only about 1.5% through the first half of the 1980s before rebounding to an average of 3.2% in the second half of the 1980s. At 2%, growth was weaker again in the first half of the 1990s, but averaged 2.5% again in the period 1997 to 2001. After real GDP growth of 0.9% in 2002, the economy grew again only 1.1% in 2003, with 2001-2003 being the longest low-growth period since World War II. In 2004, Austria's economy recovered and grew 2.4%, driven by booming exports in response to strong world economic growth, but it declined to 2.0% growth in 2005.

Primarily due to higher growth in Europe and continued export growth, Austrian GDP was a higher-than-expected 3.3% in 2006. Predictions are for the economy to grow 3.1-3.2% in 2007 and 2.5-2.8% in 2008.

Austria became a member of the EU on January 1, 1995. Membership brought economic benefits and challenges and has drawn an influx of foreign investors. Austria also has made progress in generally increasing its international competitiveness. As a member of the Economic and Monetary Union (EMU), Austria has integrated its economy with those of other EU member countries, especially with Germany's. On January 1, 1999, Austria introduced the new Euro currency for accounting purposes.

In January 2002, Austria introduced Euro notes and coins in place of the Austrian schilling. Economists agree that the economic effects in Austria of using a common currency with the rest of the members of the Euro-zone have been positive.

Trade with other EU-27 countries accounts for about 73% of Austrian imports and exports. Expanding trade and investment in the new EU members of [[Central Europe]] that joined the EU in May 2004 and January 2007 represent a major element of Austrian economic activity. Austrian firms have sizable investments in and continue to move labor-intensive, low-tech production to these countries. Although the big investment boom has waned, Austria still has the potential to attract EU firms seeking convenient access to developing markets in [[Central Europe]] and the Balkan countries.

Total trade with the United States in 2006 reached $12.0 billion. Imports from the United States amounted to $4.3 billion, constituting a U.S. market share in Austria of 3.3%. Austrian exports to the United States in 2006 were $7.6 billion, or 5.9% of total Austrian exports.

==History==
[[File:Austria Wien Schloss Belvedere.jpg|thumb|500px|center|Vienna, Belvedere Castle.]]
Austrian history dates back nearly 2,000 years, when Vindobona (Vienna) was an important Roman military garrison along the Danube. The city grew through the Middle Ages and in 788, the territory that is present-day Austria was conquered by Charlemagne, who encouraged the adoption of Christianity. In 976, Leopold von Babenberg became the first in his family to rule the territory; the Babenberg line of succession lasted until the death of Frederick II in 1246. There was a brief interregnum when the territory was ruled by Otakar II of Bohemia, but in 1276 Rudolf I defeated Otakar II at Dürnkrut and became the first Habsburg to ascend to the throne.

====The Habsburg Empire====
Although never unchallenged, the Habsburgs ruled Austria for nearly 750 years. Through political marriages, the Habsburgs were able to accumulate vast land wealth encompassing most of Central Europe and stretching even as far as the Iberian Peninsula. During the 16th Century, the Ottoman Empire gained strength and in 1529, the Ottoman army surrounded Vienna. The Habsburgs held their ground and the Ottomans retreated, to return again in 1683. This time, Vienna was successfully defended by Polish King [[John III Sobieski|Jan Sobieski III]]. To this day Austrians are still proud of defending their territory from the invading Ottomans.

Habsburg rule in Europe was particularly unsettled in the 18th and 19th Centuries, when various wars were fought over their landholdings. Emperor Charles VI (1711-1740) and his daughter Maria Theresa (1740-1780) ruled the Empire during these tumultuous times. Maria Theresa was only able to take the throne as a result of the Pragmatic Sanction, which allowed a female to ascend when there was no male heir. She became a great reformer within the Empire, advocating many changes, most notably in the educational system. Maria Theresa's son Josef II (1780-1790) continued many of her reforms and he himself has been described as an enlightened absolutist.

In 1848 Franz Josef I ascended to the throne and remained in power until his death in 1916. With a reign spanning from the Revolutions of 1848 to World War I, Franz Josef saw many milestones in Austrian history. The Compromise of 1867 allowed some minor sovereignty to the territory of Hungary and created what became known as the Dual Monarchy. Under the new system, Franz Josef remained the head of state (Emperor of Austria/King of Hungary), but the Hungarians were now permitted to have a parliament and legislate on their own.

The old Habsburg Empire slowly began to deteriorate in the beginning of the 20th Century. This deterioration culminated in the June 28, 1914, assassination of Archduke (and heir to the throne) Franz Ferdinand and his wife Sophia. This incident sparked the beginning of World War I and assured the end to the Habsburg domination of Central Europe. In 1919, the Treaty of St. Germain officially ended Habsburg rule and established the Republic of Austria.

====Political Turmoil and the Anschluss====
In the years leading up to the Nazi period, Austria experienced sharpening political strife among the traditional parties, which since 1918 had created their own paramilitary organizations. By the late 1920s and early 1930s, these organizations were engaged in strikes and violent conflicts. Unemployment rose to an estimated 25%. In line with similar trends among other Central European countries, a corporatist and authoritarian government came into power in Austria under Engelbert Dollfuss, who abolished existing political parties and Austria's Constitutional Court. The Social Democrats, now excluded from the political process, took up arms, and a brief civil war ensued in February 1934. Austrian National Socialists (NS) launched an unsuccessful coup d'état in July 1934 and murdered Dollfuss. The Nazi leaders were, however, arrested, tried, and received death sentences. Following this unsuccessful coup, the Austrian President asked an ultra-conservative Christian Social leader, Kurt Schuschnigg, to form a government. Like Dollfuss, Schuschnigg sought to appease his neighbors and, at the same time, obtain support from Britain and France against pressures from Hitler's Germany, but without success due to the authoritarian trends in Austria and Austria's poor reputation. In February 1938, under renewed threats of military intervention from Germany, Schuschnigg was forced to accept Austrian National Socialists (Nazis) in his government. On March 12, Germany sent its military forces into Austria, an action that received enthusiastic support among most Austrians, and Schuschnigg was forced to resign. He and many other political leaders were arrested and imprisoned until 1945.

====The Holocaust in Austria====
The dissolution of the Austrian Empire and consequent loss of territory following World War I, as well as the political strife of the 1930s, set the stage on March 13, 1938, for Germany's Anschluss ("Annexation") of Austria and the beginning of the Nazi period, the darkest chapter in Austria's history, during which most of the Jewish population of the country was murdered or forced into exile. Other minorities, including the Sinti and Roma, homosexuals, and many political opponents of the Nazis also received similar treatment. Prior to 1938, Austria's Jewish population constituted 200,000 persons, or about 3 to 4 percent of the total population. Most Jews lived in Vienna, where they comprised about 9 percent of the population. Following the Anschluss, the Germans rapidly applied their anti-Jewish laws in Austria. Jews were forced out of many professions and lost access to their assets. In November 1938, the Nazis launched the Kristallnacht pogrom in Austria as well as in Germany. Jewish businesses were vandalized and ransacked. Thousands of Jews were arrested and deported to concentration camps. Jewish emigration increased dramatically. Between 1938 and 1940, over half of Austria's Jewish population fled the country. Some 35,000 Jews were deported to the ghettos in [[Central Europe]]. Some 67,000 Austrian Jews (or one-third of the total 200,000 Jews residing in Austria) were sent to concentration camps. Those in such camps were murdered or forced into dangerous or severe hard labor that accelerated their death. Only 2,000 of those in the death camps survived until the end of the war.

====Post World War II====
At the Moscow conference in 1943, the Allies declared their intention to liberate and reconstitute Austria. In April 1945, both Eastern- and Western-front Allied forces liberated the country. Subsequently, the victorious allies divided Austria into zones of occupation similar to those in Germany with a four-power administration of Vienna. Under the 1945 Potsdam agreements, the Soviets took control of German assets in their zone of occupation. These included 7% of Austria's manufacturing plants, 95% of its oil resources, and about 80% of its refinery capacity. The properties returned to Austria under the Austrian State Treaty. This treaty, signed in Vienna on May 15, 1955, came into effect on July 27, and, under its provisions, all occupation forces departed by October 25, 1955. Austria became free and independent for the first time since 1938.

====Compensation Programs and Acknowledgement of its Nazi Role====
During the immediate postwar period, Austrian authorities introduced certain restitution and compensation measures for Nazi victims, but many of these initial measures were later seen as inadequate and containing flaws and injustices. There is no official estimate of the amount of compensation made under these programs. More disturbing for many was the continuation of the view that prevailed since 1943 that Austria was the "first free country to fall a victim" to Nazi aggression. This "first victim" view was in fact fostered by the Allied Powers themselves in the Moscow Declaration of 1943, in which the Allies declared as null and void the Anschluss and called for the restoration of the country's independence. The Allied Powers did not ignore Austria's responsibility for the war, but nothing was said explicitly about Austria's responsibility for Nazi crimes on its territory. With the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, greater attention was given in many countries to unresolved issues from World War II, including Austria. On November 15, 1994, Austrian President Thomas Klestil addressed the Israeli Knesset, noting that Austrian leaders "... spoke far too rarely of the fact that some of the worst henchmen of the NS dictatorship were in fact Austrians. .... In the name of the Republic of Austria, I bow my head before the victims of that time." Since 1994, Austria has committed to providing victims and heirs some one billion dollars in total compensation.

{{Copyright Details (US Government)}}

source = [http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/3165.htm]
====References====
<references/>

==External links==

*[http://www.aipnews.com/talk/forums/printer-friendly.asp?tid=12514&mid= Austria 1938 by Kitty Werthmann]. Eyewitness account of Nazi takeover of Austria, and its ways and means.

{{European Union}}

[[Category:Austria]]
[[Category:Austrian History]]
[[Category:European Countries]]
[[Category:Christian-Majority Countries]]
[[Category:Landlocked Countries]]

Belgium

2021-09-23T23:51:51Z

Rhodesia:

{{Country
|name =''Koninkrijk België (Dutch) Royaume de Belgique (French) Königreich Belgien (German)''
|map =Belgium rel 85.jpg
|map2 =Belgium location.png
|flag =Flag of Belgium.png
|arms =Arms of Belgium.png
|capital =[[Brussels]]
|capital-raw =
|government =Constitutional Monarchy/Federal Parliamentary Democracy
|government-raw =
|language =[[Dutch language|Dutch]], [[French language|French]], [[German language|German]]
|king =Philippe
|queen =
|monarch-raw =
|president =
|president-raw =
|chancellor =
|chancellor-raw =
|pm = Charles Michel
|pm-raw =
|area =11,787 sq mi
|pop =11,666,667 (2020)
|pop-basis =
|gdp =$520,000,000,000 (2020)
|gdp-year =
|gdp-pc =$44,571 (2020)
|currency =Euro
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The '''Kingdom of Belgium''' is a country in northwest [[Europe]], considered along with the [[Netherlands]] to be one of the Low Countries, and a founding member of the [[North Atlantic Treaty Organization]] (NATO), whose headquarters is in the capital of [[Brussels]].

[[Euthanasia]] is common in Belgium, even for people with mental disorders, where it is legal in contrast with the [[United States]] and other countries. Belgium aggressively interfered with early treatment for [[coronavirus]] in 2020,<ref>https://covexit.com/ivermectin-to-save-belgium/</ref> resulting in by far the highest mortality in the world from the disease.<ref>https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/#countries</ref>

==Geography==
Belgium is located in Western Europe, bordered by the Netherlands, [[Germany]], [[Luxembourg]], [[France]], and the [[North Sea]]. Although generally flat, the terrain becomes increasingly hilly and forested in the southeast (Ardennes) region. Climate is cool, temperate, and rainy; summer temperatures average 77 °F, winters average 45 °F. Annual extremes (rarely attained) are 10 °F and 100 °F.

Geographically and culturally, Belgium is at a crossroads of Europe, and during the past 2,000 years has witnessed a constant ebb and flow of different races and cultures. Consequently, Belgium is one of Europe's true melting pots with [[Celtic]], [[Roman]], [[Germanic]], [[French]], [[Dutch]], [[Spanish]], and [[Austrian]] cultures having made an imprint.

The country has since 1977 been divided into three semi-autonomous regions: [[Flanders]] (the Dutch speaking area), [[Wallonia]] (the French speaking area, with a small German-speaking minority) and the Brussels capital region, a bilingual 'island' within Flanders.

==People==
Belgium is divided ethnically into the Dutch-speaking Flemings and French-speaking Walloons, the 70,000 residents of the eastern German cantons, and the bilingual capital of Brussels. The population density is the second highest in Europe, after the Netherlands.
*Population (2016): 11,250,585.
*Annual population growth rate (2008 est.): 0.82%.
*Density: 861 per sq. mi. Linguistic regions--(Dutch-speaking) Flanders 58%; (French-speaking) Wallonia 31.7%; (legally bilingual) Brussels Capital Region 9.6%; German-speaking 0.7%.
*Religions: Predominantly Roman Catholic (70%), with Protestant, Jewish, Muslim, Anglican, Greek and Russian Orthodox, as well as secularism, "recognized" religions receiving government subsidies.
*Ethnic groups: Flemmings 58%, Walloons 33%, Africans and Asians 4%, Other Europeans 5%.
*Languages: Dutch, French, German.
*Education: Literacy—98%.

[[Same sex marriage]] has been recognized by the Belgian government since 2003.<ref>[http://marriage.about.com/cs/samesexmarriage/a/samesex.htm About.com]</ref>
On February 13, the Belgium Parliament passed a law allowing children to be euthanized. The bill was first introduced in December 2012.
Alex Schadenberg, executive director of the Euthanasia Prevention Coalition, called the move a “form of abandonment.”
“Belgium has abandoned the elderly, and now they are saying they will abandon their children”. [https://www.lifesitenews.com/mobile/news/breaking-belgium-parliament-passes-law-allowing-children-to-be-euthanized]

==Government==
Belgium is a hereditary constitutional monarchy. The current [[monarch]] is King Philippe, who took the oath of office on July 21, 2013.

As titular head of state, the King plays a largely ceremonial and symbolic role in the nation. His primary political function is to designate a political leader to attempt to form a new cabinet following either an election, the resignation of a government, or a parliamentary vote of no confidence. The King is seen as playing a symbolic unifying role, representing a common national Belgian identity.

The Belgian Parliament consists of a Senate and a House of Representatives. The House of Representatives has 150 directly elected members. The Senate has 71 elected members. The executive branch of the government consists of ministers and secretaries of state (junior ministers) drawn from the political parties that form the government coalition. The number of ministers is limited to 15, and they have no seat in Parliament. The Council of Ministers is chaired by the Prime Minister and consists of the ministerial heads of the executive departments.

The allocation of powers between the Parliament and the Council of Ministers is somewhat similar to the United States—the Parliament enacts legislation and appropriates funds—but the Belgian Parliament does not have the same degree of independent power that the U.S. Congress has. Members of political parties represented in the government are expected to support all bills presented by the Cabinet. The House of Representatives is the "political" body that votes on motions of confidence and budgets. The Senate deals with long-term issues and votes on an equal footing with the Chamber on a limited range of matters, including constitutional reform bills and international treaties.

The largest parties in the current Chamber are the Flemish Liberal Party (VLD), 25 seats; the Francophone Socialists (PS), 25 seats, the Francophone Liberals (MR), 25 seats; the Flemish Socialists and Spirit alliance (SP.A/Spirit), 23 seats, the Flemish Christian Democratic party (CD&V), 21 seats; the right-wing Vlaams Belang party (VB), 18 seats; and the Francophone Christian Democrats (CDH) 7 seats. The Francophone Greens (ECOLO), have 4 seats, while the New Flemish Alliance (NV.A) and Francophone Front National each have 1 seat. The Flemish Greens (AGALEV—now Groen!) did not win any Chamber seats in the 2003 election, but have one "co-opted" Senator (see below) as a result of an agreement with the Flemish Socialist Party. National elections have taken place on June 10, 2007, the major winner being CD&V. A lengthy period of time went into forming a new government, marked by a period of informal talks (led by Herman Van Rompuy) and formal talks (led by Yves Leterme), both being appointed to do so by the King.

Yves Leterme succeeded in forming a government and getting the support of parliamend needed to govern. In December 2008 however, the government fell over a scandal involving the separation of powers, with Yves Leterme and Jo Vandeurzen (then minister of Justice) being accused of trying to influence the course of justice. The King appointed ex-prime minister Wilfried Martens to informal talks, which eventually led to Herman Van Rompuy being named new Prime Minister. Much of Yves Leterme's government was held in place, with only a few spots replaced. As of January 2009, this government led by Herman Van Rompuy was expected to carry its full term until the next election in 2011.

However, when Herman Van Rompuy was chosen to be the first President of the European Council, he had to abandon his job as Prime Minister, in order to avoid conflicts of interests. As such, Yves Leterme was named Prime Minister again. No other major changes were made to the Belgian government.

The Prime Minister and his ministers administer the government and the various public services. Ministers must defend their policies and performance in person before the House.

===The Council of Ministers===
At the federal level, executive power is wielded by the Council of Ministers. The Prime Minister chairs the council. Each minister heads a governmental department. No single party or party "family" across linguistic lines holds an absolute majority of seats in Parliament. Consequently, the Council of Ministers reflects the weight of political parties that constitute the governing coalition for the House, currently the four-party Liberal-Socialist coalition.

===Principal Government Officials===
*Head of State—[[King Philippe]]
*Prime Minister—[[Charles Michel]]
*President of the Senate—Sabine Laruelle
*President of the Chamber of Representatives—Patrick Dewael

===Foreign Relations===
The Concert of Nations sanctioned the creation of Belgium in 1830 on the condition that the country remains strictly neutral. During the two World Wars Belgium tried but was unable to follow a policy of neutrality due to the German invasions. In 1948, Belgium signed the Treaty of Brussels with Great Britain, France, the Netherlands, and Luxembourg, and a year later became one of the founding members of NATO.

Belgium remains a strong proponent of both NATO and European defense efforts. Belgium also is a strong advocate of strengthening economic and political integration within the EU. Having federalized their own country, many Belgians view themselves as the ultimate "European federalists."

Both NATO (since 1966) and the EU have their headquarters in Brussels; SHAPE (Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe, NATO's military headquarters) is in the south of the country, near Mons.

Belgium supported the expansion of NATO and EU membership to the new democracies of central and eastern Europe and is actively engaged in the Organization for Security and Cooperation (OSCE) in Europe. Belgium served as the Chair-in-Office of the OSCE in 2006. Belgium sits on the United Nations Security Council during 2007–2008.

===The Electoral System===
The number of seats in the House of Representatives is constitutionally set at 150, elected from 11 electoral districts. Each district is given a number of seats proportional to its total population (not number of eligible voters) ranging from 4 for the Luxembourg district to 24 for Antwerp. The districts are divided along linguistic lines: 5 Flemish, 5 Francophone (also called Walloon or Wallonia), and the bilingual district of Brussels.

The Senate consists of 71 seats. For electoral purposes, Senators are divided into three categories: 40 directly elected; 21 elected by the community parliaments; and 10 "co-opted" Senators. For the election of the 25 Flemish and 15 Francophone directly elected Senators, the country is divided into three electoral districts: Flanders, Wallonia, and the Brussels Capital Region. Of the 21 Senators representing the communities, 10 are elected by the Flemish Parliament, 10 by the French Community Parliament, and 1 by the German-language Parliament.

The remaining category, the 10 "co-opted" senators, are elected by the first two groups of senators. The princes and princesses of the royal line are also members of the Senate—currently Prince Phillippe, Prince Laurent, and Princess Astrid.

Several months before an election, the parties form a list of candidates for each district. Parties are allowed to place as many candidates on their "list" as there are seats available. The formation of the list is an internal process that varies with each party. The number of seats each party receives and where on a list a candidate is placed, or how many individual votes a candidate receives, determines whether a candidate is elected. Since no single party holds an absolute majority in Parliament, after each election the strongest party or "party family" will create a coalition with other parties to form the government. Voting is compulsory in Belgium; more than 90% of eligible voters participate. Voters have five options when voting: 1) vote for a party list as a whole (thus agreeing with the party's ranking of candidates), 2) vote for one or more candidates regardless of list ranking, 3) vote for one or more "alternates" (substitute candidates), 4) vote for one or more candidates AND one or more alternates, or 5) vote invalid or blank so that no party or candidate is chosen.

Belgium has 25 seats in the European Parliament.

===Belgium’s Linguistic Divide===
In August 1980, the Belgian Parliament passed a devolution bill and amended the Constitution, establishing "Community autonomy." As a result, in Flanders, the Flemish Parliament and government are competent for both regional and community affairs; in Wallonia, the Francophone Community Parliament and government are competent for community affairs, while the Walloon Regional Parliament and government are responsible for regional affairs. Subsequent constitutional reform established a community Parliament and government for the German-speaking cantons in 1983, and a regional Parliament and government for the Brussels Capital Region in 1989.

The regional and community governments have jurisdiction over transportation, public works, water policy, cultural matters, education, public health, environment, housing, zoning, economic and industrial policy, agriculture, foreign trade, and oversight of provincial and local governments. They rely on a system of revenue sharing with the federal government for most of their funds. They have the authority to levy taxes (mostly surcharges) and contract loans. Moreover, they have obtained treaty-making power for those issues coming under their respective jurisdictions.

Of total public spending—interest payments not considered—more than 40% is authorized by the regions and communities.

Provincial and Local Government
In addition to three regions and three cultural communities, Belgium also is divided into 10 provinces and 589 municipalities.

The provincial governments are primarily administrative units and are politically weak. A governor appointed by the King presides over each province. Each governor is supported by an elected Provincial Council of 47 to 84 members (depending on the size of the province), which sits only four weeks a year.

Municipal governments, on the other hand, are vigorous political entities with significant powers and a history of independence dating from medieval times. Many national politicians originate from municipal political bases; and many often double as mayor or alderman in their hometowns in addition to their federal and regional political positions.

===Political Parties===
In Belgium, there are no major "national" parties operating on both sides of the linguistic border. Only one party, the relatively small '''Workers' Party of Belgium''' (which operates in the Dutch community as '''Partij van de Arbeid van België''' ('''PVDA''') and in the French community as '''Parti du Travail de Belgique''' ('''PTB'''), and nationally under the acronym '''PTB-PVDA''') operates as a true national party.

Consequently, elections are a contest among Flemish parties in Dutch-speaking Flanders and Francophone parties in Wallonia.<ref>The small German community, primarily located in the Constituency of Liege, also has its own set of minor parties; however, for national interests Liege is considered a Francophone region, and traditionally in national elections the German parties in Liege have run on a joint list with the respective Francophone party representing its political viewpoint.</ref> Only in officially bilingual Brussels can voters choose from either Flemish or Francophone parties.<ref>Though rare, joint lists between Flemish and Francophone parties are permitted, most recently in the 2014 election, the Flemish and Francophone Green Parties ran a joint list in Brussels.</ref>

There are four main groups of parties in Belgium: the Christian Democratic parties, the Liberal parties, the Socialist parties, and the Green parties. The parties share generally similar political views but maintain separate organizations for each linguistic group.

====The Christian Democratic Parties====
After World War II, the Catholic (subsequently Christian Democratic) Party severed its formal ties with the Church. It became a mass party of the center (more like a political party in the United States). In 1968, the Christian Democratic Party responded to linguistic tensions in the country by dividing into two independent parties: '''Christen-Democratisch en Vlaams''' ('''CD&V''', English: '''Christian Democratic and Flemish''') and '''Centre démocrate humaniste''' ('''cdH''', English: '''Humanist Democratic Centre'''). The small, German-linguistic party in this grouping is '''Christlich-Soziale Partei''' ('''CSP''', English: '''Christian Socialist Party'''), which works with cdH on the national level while in the European Parliament has successfully held the seat allocated to German-speaking Belgians since 1994.

====The Socialist Parties====
Despite the post-World War II dominance of the Christian Democrats, the Socialists headed several postwar governments. The Socialists also split along linguistic lines in 1978: '''Socialistische Partij Anders''' ('''SP.a''', English: '''Socialist Party Differently''') and '''Parti Socialiste''' ('''PS''', English: '''Socialist Party'''). PS has strong showings in the industrial towns of Wallonia, while SP.a has less regional concentration. The small, German-linguistic party in this grouping is '''Sozialistische Partei''' ('''SP''', English: '''Socialist Party''').

====The Liberal Parties====
In modern times, the Liberal Parties in Belgium have chiefly appealed to business people, property owners, shopkeepers, and the self-employed. The parties maintain a more conservative free market oriented economic ideology on economic issues and a non-interventionist ideology in social issues, as reflected in their strong support for gay marriage, homosexual adoption, and euthanasia, similar to the Libertarian Party of the United States.

The two current Liberal parties were formed in 1971, after the original all-Belgium Liberal Party split along linguistic lines: '''Vlaamse Liberalen en Democraten''' ('''VLD''' or '''Open VLD''', English: '''Open Flemish Liberals and Democrats''') and '''Mouvement Réformateur''' ('''MR''', English: '''Reformist Movement'''), which is more of a federation than a party and includes the German-linguistic '''Partei für Freiheit und Fortschritt''' ('''PFF''', English: '''Party for Freedom and Progress''').

====Greens====
The ecologist parties made their Parliamentary breakthrough in 1981. Following significant gains in the 1999 general elections, the two Green parties joined a federal coalition cabinet for the first time in their history in Prime Minister Verhofstadt's first six-party coalition government. The parties experienced significant losses in the May 2003 election, however; with the French party winning only four seats in the House and the Flemish one failing to win any seats. They were thus excluded from the new coalition formed by returning Liberal Prime Minister Verhofstadt in 2003.

The two parties are the Flemish '''Groen''' (English: '''Green''', previously '''AGALEV''' and later '''Groen!''') and Francophone ('''Ecolo''', officially a backronym for "Écologistes Confédérés pour l'organisation de luttes originales" which translates in English as "Confederated ecologists for the organisation of original struggles", but unofficially is simply short for "ecologist", the French term for environmentalist). There is no German-language counterpart to the Green parties.

In Brussels the parties have adopted a joint list to maximize votes. Elsewhere they operate independently.

====The Flemish Nationalist Parties====
Growing tension between the Flemish and Francophone communities within Belgium has led to the growth of two political parties which can be classified as separatist, nationalist, and right-wing, seeking for the Flemish community to peacefully separate from Belgium. The two parties are '''[[Vlaams Belang]]''' ('''VB''', English: '''Flemish Importance''') and '''Nieuw-Vlaamse Alliantie''' ('''N-VA'''; English: '''New Flemish Alliance'''). In 2019 N-VA and VB had the most and third-most seats, respectively, in the Belgian Chamber of Representatives, but despite this were not included in the final coalition government which was comprised of the Liberal, Socialist, and Green parties along with CD&V (the Flemish Christian Democrat party). There is not a similar nationalist party among the Francophone community.

==Labor Unions==
Belgium is a highly unionized country, and organized labor has been a powerful influence in politics, although less so in recent elections. About 53% of all private sector and public service employees are labor union members. Unlike many American unions, Belgian labor unions take positions on a wide range of political issues, including education, public finance, defense spending, environmental protection, women's rights, [[abortion]], and other issues. They also provide a range of services, including the administration of unemployment benefits and health insurance programs.

Belgium's three principal trade union organizations are the Confederation of Catholic Labor Unions (CSC/ACV), the Belgian Socialist Confederation of Labor (FGTB/ABVV), and the Confederation of Liberal Labor Unions (CGSLB/ACLVB). Until the 1950s, the FGTB/ABVV was the largest confederation; since then, however, the CSC/ACV has become the leading trade union force.

The Confederation of Catholic Labor Unions (CSC/ACV). Organized in 1912, the CSC/ACV rejected the Marxist concept of "[[class struggle]]" and seeks to achieve a just social order based on Christian principles. The CSC/ACV is not formally linked to its party political counterparts, the Christian Democratic parties (CD&V and CDH) but exercises influence in their councils. The CSC/ACV is the leading union in all Flemish provinces and in Wallonia's Luxembourg province. It has almost equal strength with the socialist confederation in the Brussels area.

The Belgian Socialist Confederation of Labor (FGTB/ABVV). The FGTB/ABVV derives from the Socialist Trade Union Movement, established in the late 19th century in Walloon industrial areas, Brussels, and urban areas of Flanders. Today, the FGTB/ABVV is the leading union in the Hainaut, Namur, and Liège provinces and matches the CSC/ACV in Brussels.

The Confederation of Liberal Labor Unions (CGSLB/ACLVB). With 240,000 members, this is the smallest of the major union groups. Drawing primarily from management positions, the Brussels-based CGLB/ACVB is Belgium's most pro-business union. The union is not formally affiliated with any political party.

==Current Issues==
Belgium is a member of the European Economic and Monetary Union. Budgetary issues remain a key concern of the Verhofstadt government, particularly given the slow economic growth Belgium and most of Europe have experienced of late.

Belgium's reaction to the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks was strong and supportive. For example, Belgium played a key role in helping to obtain EU-wide agreement on a European arrest warrant and in facilitating extradition of terrorist suspects. In support of Operation Enduring Freedom, Belgium contributed a navy frigate in the Mediterranean, AWAC crews for surveillance flights over the United States, as well as aircraft for humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan. Belgium has contributed ground troops to ISAF since 2002 and provides humanitarian and reconstruction assistance to both Afghanistan and Iraq. In 2006, Belgium sent about 400 peacekeepers to Lebanon in support of the UN mission there.

Current issues before the Verhofstadt government include improving the climate for foreign investment, dealing with rising health care costs, and adjusting the federal social security system to a rapidly aging population.

Belgium continues to increase its counter-terrorism capabilities by adding domestic legislative, judicial, intelligence, and law enforcement tools that increase its ability to prevent or respond to terrorism. The government also cooperates closely with other European states and the United States in investigating cases of international terrorism. In 2006, Belgium convicted ten individuals for their support of attacks in Madrid and Casablanca. Belgium operates within UN and EU frameworks concerning the freezing of terrorist assets, and in 2007 enacted a domestic legal framework to act independently.

==Economy==
Belgium, a highly developed market economy, belongs to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), a group of leading industrialized democracies. With a geographic area about equal to that of Maryland, and a population of 10.4 million, Belgian per capita GDP ranks among the world's highest. In 2006, the per capita income (PPP) was $31,800. The federal government has managed to present balanced budgets in recent years, but public debt remains high, at 94% at the end of 2005. *GDP growth in 2006 was predicted to be 2.5%.
*GDP (PPP, 2006 est.): $330.4 billion.
*Annual real growth rate (2006): 2.5%.
*Per capita income (PPP, 2006): $31,800.
*Natural resources: Coal.
*Agriculture: (1.4% of GDP) Products—livestock, including dairy cattle, grain, sugarbeets, nursery products, flax, tobacco, potatoes, and other fruits and vegetables.
*Industry: (24% of GDP) Types—machinery, iron, coal, textiles, chemicals, glass, pharmaceuticals, manufactured goods.
*Trade: Exports--$335.3 billion (2006 est.): Iron and steel, coal, transportation equipment, tractors, diamonds, petroleum products. Export partners (2005 est.): Germany 19.4%, France 17.3%, Netherlands 11.7%, U.K. 8.2%, U.S. 6.4%, Italy 5.3%. *Imports--$333.5 billion (2006 est.): Fuels, chemical products, grains, foodstuffs. Import partners (2005 est.): Netherlands 17.8%, Germany 17.2%, France 11.4%, U.K. 6.8%, Ireland 6.5%, U.S. 5.4%.

Densely populated Belgium is located at the heart of one of the world's most highly industrialized regions. The first country to undergo an industrial revolution on the continent of Europe in the early 1800s, Belgium developed an excellent transportation infrastructure of ports, canals, railways, and highways to integrate its industry with that of its neighbors. One of the founding members of the European Community (EC), Belgium strongly supports deepening the powers of the present-day European Union to integrate European economies further.

With exports equivalent to over two-thirds of GNP, Belgium depends heavily on world trade. Belgium's trade advantages are derived from its central geographic location and a highly skilled, multilingual, and productive work force.

The Belgian industrial sector can be compared to a complex processing machine: It imports raw materials and semi-finished goods that are further processed and re-exported. Except for its coal, which is no longer economical to exploit, Belgium has virtually no natural resources. Nonetheless, most traditional industrial sectors are represented in the economy, including steel, textiles, refining, chemicals, food processing, pharmaceuticals, automobiles, electronics, and machinery fabrication. Despite the heavy industrial component, services account for 74.6% of GDP. Agriculture accounts for only 1.4% of the GDP.

===Belgian Economy in the 20th Century===
For 200 years through World War I, French-speaking Wallonia was a technically advanced, industrial region, while Dutch-speaking Flanders was predominantly agricultural. This disparity began to fade during the interwar period. As Belgium emerged from World War II with its industrial infrastructure relatively undamaged, the stage was set for a period of rapid development, particularly in Flanders. The postwar boom years contributed to the rapid expansion of light industry throughout most of Flanders, particularly along a corridor stretching between Brussels and Antwerp (now the second-largest port in Europe after Rotterdam), where a major concentration of petrochemical industries developed.

The older, traditional industries of Wallonia, particularly steelmaking, began to lose their competitive edge during this period, but the general growth of world prosperity masked this deterioration until the 1973 and 1979 oil price shocks sent the economy into a period of prolonged recession. In the 1980s and 1990s, the economic center of the country continued to shift northward to Flanders.

===Foreign Investment===
Foreign investment contributed significantly to Belgian economic growth in the 1960s. In particular, U.S. firms played a leading role in the expansion of light industrial and petrochemical industries in the 1960s and 1970s. The Belgian Government encourages new foreign investment as a means to promote employment. With regional devolution, Flanders, Brussels, and Wallonia now have substantial autonomy in courting potential foreign investors, as each deems appropriate.

Foreign direct investment totaled more than $36.7 billion in 2005. U.S. and other foreign companies in Belgium account for approximately 11% of the total work force, with the U.S. share at about 6%. U.S. companies are heavily represented in the chemical sector, automotive assembly, and petroleum refining. A number of U.S. service industries followed in the wake of these investments—banks, law firms, public relations, accounting, and executive search firms. The resident American community in Belgium now exceeds 20,000. Attracted by the EU 1992 single-market program, many U.S. law firms and lawyers have settled in Brussels since 1989.

===Monetary===
On May 1, 1998, Belgium became a first-tier member of the European Monetary Union. Belgium switched from the Belgian franc (BF) to the Euro as its currency after January 1, 2002.

===Trade===
About 75% of Belgium's trade is with fellow EU member states. Given this high percentage, Belgium seeks to diversify and expand trade opportunities with non-EC countries. Belgium ranks as the 11th-largest market for the export of U.S. goods and services. If goods in transit to other European countries are excluded, Belgium ranks as the 12th-largest market for U.S. goods.

Bilaterally, there are few points of friction with the U.S. in the trade and economic area. The Belgian authorities are, as a rule, anti-protectionist and try to maintain a hospitable and open trade and investment climate. As a result, the U.S. Government focuses its market-opening efforts on the EU Commission and larger member states. Moreover, the Commission negotiates on trade issues for all member states, which, in turn lessens bilateral trade disputes with Belgium.

===Employment===
The social security system, which expanded rapidly during the prosperous 1950s and 1960s, includes a medical system, unemployment insurance coverage, child allowances, invalid benefits, and other benefits and pensions. With the onset of a recession in the 1970s, this system became an increasing burden on the economy and accounted for much of the government budget deficits. The national unemployment figures mask considerable differences between Flanders and Wallonia. Unemployment in Wallonia is mainly structural, while in Flanders it is cyclical. Flanders' unemployment level equals only half that of Wallonia. The southern region continues a difficult transition out of sunset industries (mainly coal and steel), while sunrise industries (chemicals, high-tech, and services) dominate in Flanders.

Belgium's unemployment rate was 8.5% in 2006. A total of 4.4 million people make up Belgium's labor force. The majority of these people (73%) work in the service sector. Belgian industry claims 25% of the labor force and agriculture only 2%. As in other industrialized nations, pension and other social entitlement programs have become a major concern as the "baby boom" generation approaches retirement.

===Budget===
Although Belgium is a wealthy country, public expenditures far exceeded income for many years, and taxes were not diligently pursued. The Belgian Government reacted with poor macroeconomic policies to the 1973 and 1979 oil price hikes by hiring the redundant work force into the public sector and subsidizing industries like coal, steel, textiles, glass, and shipbuilding, which had lost their international competitive edge. As a result, cumulative government debt reached 121% of GDP by the end of the 1980s. However, thanks to Belgium's high personal savings rate, the Belgian Government financed the deficit from mainly domestic savings, minimizing the deleterious effects on the overall economy.

The federal government ran a 7.1% budget deficit in 1992 at the time of the EU's Treaty of Maastricht, which established conditions for Economic and Monetary Union (EMU) that led to adoption of the common Euro currency on January 1, 2002. Among other criteria spelled out under the Maastricht treaty, the Belgian Government had to attain a budget deficit of no greater than 3% of GDP by the end of 1997; Belgium achieved this, with a total budget deficit in 2001 (just prior to implementation of the Euro currency) that amounted to 0.2% of GDP. The government has balanced the budget every year since. Belgium's accumulated public debt remains high, but the liberal-socialist coalition government has paid it down to 94% of 2005 GDP.

==History==
see [[History of Belgium]]
== References ==
<references/>

== See also ==

*[[Gallery of Flemish and Dutch painting]]
*[[Flemish School of Painting]]

{{Copyright Details (US Government)}}

Source = [http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/2874.htm]

{{European Union}}

[[Category:European Countries]]
[[Category:NATO Members]]
[[Category:Christian-Majority Countries]]
[[Category:Belgium]]
[[Category:Belgian History]]

Seville

2021-09-23T23:50:19Z

Rhodesia: Structure

'''Seville''' ([[Spanish language|Spanish]]: ''Sevilla'') is the capital and biggest city in [[Andalusia]], in Southern [[Spain]]. It has 690,566 inhabitants (2016). The city is situated at the left bank of the river Guadalquivir.<ref>https://www.britannica.com/place/Sevilla-Spain</ref> Seville is the home of two [[Spanish Primera|Primera Division]] soccer teams: [[Sevilla|FC Sevilla]] and [[Real Betis]]. The dance and music style [[Flamenco]] origins from Seville.

== Cathedral, Alcázar and Archivo de Indias in Seville ==
Together these three buildings form a remarkable monumental complex in the heart of Seville. The [[cathedral]] and the Alcázar – dating from the Reconquest of 1248 to the 16th century and imbued with Moorish influences – are an exceptional testimony to the civilization of the Almohads as well as that of Christian Andalusia. The Giralda minaret is the masterpiece of Almohad architecture. It stands next to the cathedral with its five naves; the largest Gothic building in Europe, it houses the [[tomb]] of [[Christopher Columbus]]. The ancient Lonja, which became the Archivo de Indias, contains valuable documents from the archives of the [[colonies]] in the [[Americas]].<ref>http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/383</ref>

== See also ==
*[[List of World Heritage Sites in Europe and North America]]

== External links ==
*[http://www.sevilla.org Official website of the city of Seville]

==References==
{{reflist}}

[[Category:Spanish Cities and Towns]]
[[Category:Architecture]]
[[Category:Urban History]]
[[Category:World Heritage Sites]]

Conservapedia:Articles for deletion

2021-09-23T23:42:10Z

Rhodesia: Was added by a woke submarine…

{{policy proposal}}
<big>'''Conservapedia:Articles for deletion''' is a project space designed to explain the process and requirements for proposing the removal of an article, and to list the current discussions.</big>

==Deletion Process==

If you think an article should be deleted because it violates The Conservapedia Commandments, or for any other reason you may nominate it for deletion. The correct process for this is as follows:
# Add the template <nowiki>{{Delete Notice}}</nowiki> to the ''top'' of the page
# List the article on this page under [[Conservapedia:Articles for deletion#Current discussions|current discussions]], using the template <nowiki>{{afd|"title"}}</nowiki>, replacing "title" with the name of the page
# Follow the link from the deletion notice to the AFD page for the article nominated for deletion, and explain why you believe it should be deleted

Discussion will occur on the AFD page before a final decision regarding the article is made.

This is not the appropriate place to discuss copyright issues. Please use [[Conservapedia:Copying]] to track articles that have no problem with topic or content, but which seem to draw too heavily on material copied from elsewhere.


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= Current discussions =
{{afd|Glenn Kessler}}

= Past discussions =

== Kept ==

==Kept with provisions ==

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[[Category:Conservapedia Maintenance]]

User:Rhodesia

2021-09-23T22:12:26Z

Rhodesia:

Writing for:
*Conservapedia
*Baptist churches
*Press Office of Rhodesia
*Christians in danger
*Missionary organizations
*About Christian topics related to Europe

Keeping Conservapedia clean of woke, lefty submarines…

Republic of Rhodesia (as of 1980)

2021-09-23T22:04:48Z

Rhodesia: A new member without any substantial contribution starting a violent deletion attack on a hot topic. Dear woke submarine, this is not Wikipedia. Go home and say hello to Mr. Soros…

{{Country
|name =''Republic of Rhodesia''
|map =
|established=1980
|dissolved=existent
|flag =Flag of Rhodesia.png
|arms =
|capital =Rhodesbury (de jure), São Paulo (de facto)
|capital-raw =
|government =Presidential Republic
|government-raw =
|language =English
|king =
|queen =
|monarch-raw =
|president =Colonel Harper
|president-raw =
|chancellor =
|chancellor-raw =
|pm =Harald Mayer-Blumenthal
|pm-raw =
|area = 1735 sq mi, Rhodesian majority settlements abroad on top
|pop =1,283,702 (January 2021)
|pop-basis =
|gdp =
|gdp-year =
|gdp-pc =
|currency =Rhodesian Etro (1 Etro = 100 Pens)
|idd =
|tld = .com, .net, .org, and .bv (the latter for Bouvet Island, blocked by [[Norway|Norway’s]] socialists because of the annexation of Bouvet)
}}
The second '''Republic of Rhodesia'''<ref>Freudig, Alexander, & RANDnext March 2015 Seminary. (2015). Decisions for the Decade Game. Planning Under Deep Uncertainty: Rhodesia. Zenodo Publishing, Geneva [https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.5153615 full text pdf]</ref> was proclaimed in March 1980 with the Declaration of [[Amsterdam]] by Rhodesians who did not want to live in [[Zimbabwe]] to which their country was about to be transformed. Based on a conservative constitution (1980)<ref>[https://uploads.strikinglycdn.com/files/eb21bd28-9873-43c9-9ac2-9dc46b66c7af/The%201980%20Constitution%20of%20Rhodesia%205.pdf Constitution of the Republic of Rhodesia (1980)]</ref> the new Rhodesian government has been taking care of the Rhodesian diaspora as a transglobal country with overseas territories as harbors of security in times of crisis. The nation’s capital region under international law is the Rhodesbury area on Bouvet Island<ref>[https://www.government-of-rhodesia.org/#rhodesian-bouvet Governmental site about Rhodesian Bouvet]</ref>, however, de facto the transglobal country with 1.2 mio citizens is being governed from [[São Paulo]] ([[Brazil]], HQ of the Rhodesian Intelligence Service) and [[New York City]] (seat of the foreign ministry). Rhodesia’s overseas territories are, among others, Jaco Island, Santa Luzia and Henderson Island, all annexed since 1980.<ref>Freudig, Alex and RANDnext: The annexation policy of the Republic of Rhodesia since 1980 (Short Analysis 12/20). Zenodo. Geneva, 2020 https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.5152355</ref>

== History ==
The Lancaster House Agreement, enforced by the [[United Kingdom]] with most intense diplomatic pressure, signed on 21 December 1979, declared a ceasefire which ended the so called “Bush War” of communist rebels against Rhodesia. It also terminated the existence of the [[Rhodesia|first Rhodesian Republic]]. The territory of Rhodesia became the internationally recognised country [[Zimbabwe]] under the leadership of communist rebels. Many politicians of the first Republic tried to save what was left of their country but did not succeed. However, already in 1980 many Rhodesians, especially Eurasian Rhodesians (mostly those who were not bound to the country by a farm or factory) emigrated immediately to the [[diaspora]]. There, in Amsterdam ([[Netherlands]]) a General Assembly of 1432 delegates convened (shielded from the public by the RIS) on 31 March 1980, which declared Rhodesia “a nation without territory” and established a government and administration of Rhodesia outside Rhodesia to form a transglobal nation that cares for all Rhodesians, wherever they reside. At the same time, a squad of the newly formed Rhodesian Intelligence Service (RIS) occupied the northwestern lowlands of the uninhabited and [[Norway|Norwegian]]-administered island of Bouvet in the Atlantic Ocean, occupying and annexing this piece of land roughly the size of [[Monaco]] for legal reasons (international law). A heliport and basic infrastructure were laid out.<ref>[https://uploads.strikinglycdn.com/files/217daa28-47a6-4b57-93ec-84774e6c4a50/The%201980%20Constitution%20of%20Rhodesia.pdf Constitution of the Republic of Rhodesia, retrieved 28 July 2021]</ref> This was to underscore the seriousness of the establishment of the second Rhodesian republic<ref>Mwalimu, Charles. The African Law Collection in the Law Library of Congress with Emphasis on Primary Sources of Commonwealth Africa. USA: Publications Committee, AALL Foreign, Comparative and International Law Special Interest Section, 1990</ref><ref>Hole, Hugh Marshall. The Making of Rhodesia. Taylor & Francis, 2018</ref><ref>Mwalimu, Charles. The African Law Collection in the Law Library of Congress with Emphasis on Primary Sources of Commonwealth Africa. USA: Publications Committee, AALL Foreign, Comparative and International Law Special Interest Section, 1990</ref><ref>Hole, Hugh Marshall. The Making of Rhodesia. Vereinigtes Königreich: Taylor & Francis, 2018</ref> which does not oppose the Lancaster House Agreement and has therefore been tacitly accepted or at least tolerated by the world powers.<ref>Morris-Jones, W. (2013). From Rhodesia to Zimbabwe: Behind and Beyond Lancaster House. Taylor & Francis.</ref><ref>Salt, Beryl. A Pride of Eagles: The Definitive History of the Rhodesian Air Force, 1920-1980.Covos-Day, 2001</ref><ref>O'Meara, Patrick. Rhodesia: Racial Conflict Or Coexistence? Cornell University Press, 2019</ref>At the same occasion, then politically neutral and young Rhodesian businessman James W. Scott was elected President of the second Rhodesian Republic.<ref>Africa Research Bulletin: Political, social, and cultural series. United Kingdom, Blackwell, 1998</ref><ref>Lüthi, Lorenz M.. Cold Wars: Asia, the Middle East, Europe? Cambridge University Press, 2020</ref><ref>Mugari, Zvenyika Eckson. Press Silence in Postcolonial Zimbabwe: News Whiteouts, Journalism and Power. Taylor & Francis, 2020</ref> Like the first Republic of Rhodesia, the second was also not recognized but silently accepted because it had support of foreign nations and well-trained diplomats.<ref>Freudig, Alexander & RAND (2020). The annexation policy of the Republic of Rhodesia since 1980 (Short Analysis 12/20). Zenodo, Geneva. [https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.5152355]</ref><ref>Freudig, Alexander, & RANDnext March 2015 Seminary. (2015). Decisions for the Decade Game. Planning Under Deep Uncertainty: Rhodesia. Zenodo Publishing, Geneva [https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.5153615]</ref><ref>Mugari, Zvenyika Eckson. Press Silence in Postcolonial Zimbabwe: News Whiteouts, Journalism and Power. Taylor & Francis, 2020</ref> Thanks to active and silent diplomacy many western and neutral countries tacitly accepted the second republic de facto, while its government refrained from publicity and referencing to current events in Zimbabwe in order to show that the status quo would be tolerated without explicitly declaring it.<ref> Mbenga, Bernard, and Giliomee, Hermann Buhr. New History of South Africa. Südafrika, Nb Pub Limited, 2007</ref><ref>Turpin, Colin. British Government and the Constitution: Text, Cases, and Materials. Irland, Butterworths, 1999</ref><ref>Munochiveyi, M. Prisoners of Rhodesia: Inmates and Detainees in the Struggle for Zimbabwean Liberation, 1960-1980. United Kingdom,, Palgrave Macmillan, 2014</ref> In 1996, a Rhodesian General Assembly in Tunis elected for the first time a woman, Janette Rowland, as Prime Minister of Rhodesia and Head of Government of the exile administration.<ref>Rubert, Steven C., and Rasmussen, R. Kent. Historical dictionary of Zimbabwe. Vereinigtes Königreich, Scarecrow Press, 2001</ref> As of 2020 the Republic of Rhodesia slowly returned back to the political stage. In 2021 the RIS took over the government.<ref>[https://www.government-of-rhodesia.org Official Website of the Rhodesian Administration in exile, retrieved August 5, 2021]</ref>

== Declaration of Amsterdam ==
At the General Assembly in [[Amsterdam]] (Netherlands) on 31 March 1980, a declaration was adopted by an overwhelming majority. The Declaration of Amsterdam is therefore considered the survival document of the Republic of Rhodesia. Immediately after the adoption of the declaration, the newly elected Rhodesian President James W. Scott notified the surprisingly welcoming Secretary General of the United Nations about the proclamation of the new Republic of Rhodesia<ref>[https://www.government-of-rhodesia.org/#un Governmental site of Rhodesia, Documents. Retrieved August 5, 2021]</ref> as a transglobal nation, despite having just annexed the western part of Bouvet Island where a foreign-supported RIS squadron conquered the lowlands.<ref>[https://www.government-of-rhodesia.org/#rhodesian-bouvet The conquest of western Bouvet, retrieved August 5, 2021]</ref>

== Since 1980 ==
The new government was asked by the benevolent UN Secretary General Dr. Waldheim to work in the shadows for forty years to not cause internationally turbulences and not to stand in the way of Zimbabwe's development. Although a lot of silent international support, a conservative constitution and a stable government were given, the forty year of enforced silence led to the unfortunate situation that not all Rhodesian communities in the diaspora could be contacted or reached otherwise.<ref>Encyclopedia of Public International Law. North-Holland, 1981</ref><ref>Hole, H. M.: The Making of Rhodesia. Taylor & Francis, 2018</ref> Nevertheless, the number of citizens grew to 1.2 mio in 2021<ref>Freudig A. et al. 2005 & 2020</ref> thanks to a very family-friendly policy of all Rhodesian governments since the proclamation of the second Rhodesian republic and a citizenship law which is especially attractive for conservative, traditional Eurasians.

== Territories ==
Despite being completely without own land, Rhodesia gained overseas territories through conquest and annexation:<ref>Freudig, Alex (2020). The annexation policy of the Republic of Rhodesia since 1980 (Short Analysis 12/20). Geneva, 2020 [https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.5152355 Scientific White Paper]</ref>

*Bouvet Island/Rhodesbury in the southern Atlantic Ocean (annexed 1980)
*Jaco Island near East-Timor (annexed 2019)
*Karibu Island, locally called Silkowanzala (annexed in 2016)
*Spirit of Olympia (locally also known as: Patroklos)
*North East Caye (annexed in 2019)
*Etro de Santa Luzia Island in the tropic part of the Atlantic Ocean (annexed 2020)
*São João Batista (Henderson) Island in the Pacific Ocean (annexed 2021)

All annexation happened without casualties on both sides, peacefully. Rhodesian RIS troops are Rhodesian RIS troops secure the islands disguised as locals, fishermen, real estate agents, tourist guides, etc. to ensure peace and tranquility as well as to keep access to the islands open to day tourists until major construction projects will begin in the late 2020s.

== Relationship with Zimbabwe ==
The government of Rhodesia as of 1980 and the country of Zimbabwe maintain a mutual policy of ignoring and non-interference. The 1980 Rhodesian constitution provides for the automatic loss of Rhodesian citizenship and nationality if an individual also holds a passport of Zimbabwe, or is/becomes a resident of Zimbabwe.<ref>Politics & Government in African States, 1960-1985. Croom Helm, 1986</ref><ref>Mwalimu, Charles. The African Law Collection in the Law Library of Congress with Emphasis on Primary Sources of Commonwealth Africa. USA, Publications Committee, AALL Foreign, Comparative and International Law Special Interest Section, 1990</ref>

== Organization structure==
Based on the current constitution, Rhodesia is a presidential republic with a head of government and a governor for the overseas territories.

=== The President ===
The current head of state of Rhodesia is Colonel Harper as primus inter pares of the RIS Security Council supported by RIS Security Counselors. From 1980 until 2021 James W. Scott was president and responsible for setting policy guidelines. The head of state has the right to veto any government decision, including appointments. Moreover, a law does not enter into force until the president has signed it.<ref>Midlarsky, Manus I.: The disintegration of political systems: war and revolution in comparative perspective. USA: University of South Carolina Press, 1986</ref> Executive orders issued by the president also become law when they are countersigned by the relevant minister (called "secretary" according to the Rhodesian constitution).<ref>Aron, Raymond. Democracy and totalitarianism: a theory of political systems. USA: University of Michigan Press, 1990</ref><ref>Berg-Schlosser, D.: African Political Systems. Typology and Performance. Sage Publications, 1984</ref>

=== The Prime Minister ===
The Prime Minister or Governor General of Rhodesia is the head of government and the diplomatic service. He manages the day-to-day affairs, presides the cabinet meetings, proposes members of the government to the president for appointment or dismissal. The prime minister is elected by the General Assembly for seven-year terms on the recommendation of the president and is considered confirmed only if he or she receives at least 65% of the votes. So far the Rhodesian Government has had two prime ministers under the 1980 constitution. William Harold held the office from 1980 until his death in 1996. He was succeeded by Janette Rowland, Mathilda Born and Harald Mayer-Blumenthal.<ref>Derbyshire, Ian, and Derbyshire, J. Denis. Political Systems of the World. Chambers, 1989</ref><ref>World Encyclopedia of Political Systems & Parties: Nepal-Zimbabwe, and smaller countries and microstates. USA: Facts on File, 1983</ref><ref>[https://www.government-of-rhodesia.org/#administration The current Rhodesian administration (2021)]</ref>

=== General Assembly ===
The representation of the people is the General Assembly, which has 1432 delegates. The president (“Chairman” according to the constitution) of this parliament is automatically the vice president of the republic.<ref>Deborah, Potts, et al. Zimbabwe. Kiribati, Clio Press, 1993</ref> Since 1980, the General Assembly also elects the president and confirms the prime minister.<ref>Morris-Jones, W.H.. From Rhodesia to Zimbabwe: Behind and Beyond Lancaster House. Taylor & Francis, 2013 edition</ref><ref>The New York Times 2005 Almanac. USA, Penguin Reference Books, 2004</ref> Under the Rowland government it was planned to use digital infrastructure to enable direct elections by the entire Rhodesian people again (outside Zimbabwe).<ref>MacLean, George A. (George Andrew), and O'Neill, Brenda. Ideas, Interests and Issues: Readings in Introductory Politics. Pearson Education Canada, 2006</ref>

==The Governments since 1980==
Since the proclamation of the second Republic in 1980, Rhodesia has had three Prime Ministers and one Governor General.

=== The Harold Government ===
The first government under William Harold successfully sought to incorporate reactionary forces in such a way that Rhodesia as a nation could enter a new phase of its history within the framework of the only tolerated Lancaster House Agreement.<ref>Encyclopedia of Public International Law. (1992). North-Holland Publishing</ref> At the same time, Prime Minister Harold achieved what had always seemed impossible before, a tacit recognition and cooperation with almost half of all states worldwide by the end of his term in office. Many Rhodesians in exile consider this the most significant achievement of the Harold administration, as it made it easier to start over with life in foreign countries.<ref>Politics & Government in African States, 1960-1985. Croom Helm, 1986</ref>

=== The Rowland Government ===
After the death of William Harold in 1996, Janette Rowland became the first woman prime minister of Rhodesia. She was reelected three times by the General Assembly was considered the "mother of the Rhodesian people" due to her advanced age.<ref>Morris-Jones, W. H.. From Rhodesia to Zimbabwe: Behind and Beyond Lancaster House. N.p.: Taylor & Francis Group, 2017</ref> Her term of office saw further consolidation of the administration, the diplomatic services, digitalization and the beginning of a critical review of Rhodesia's history.<ref>Kenrick, David. Decolonisation, Identity and Nation in Rhodesia, 1964-1979: A Race Against Time. Deutschland, Springer International Publishing, 2019</ref>

=== The Born government ===
On July 13, 2021, the Rowland government fell apart and a new government was formed. The three conservative parties (Conservatives, Reactionary Union and Liberation Front) had decided to form a government without the Liberal Party, which had ruled continuously since 1980. A new cabinet under Prime Minister Mathilda Born (Reactionary Union Party) with just 50.8% of the vote and seats in Parliament was sworn in by President Scott. He wanted to prevent new elections, accepted the personnel list and swore in the new ministers as well as the prime minister. The details of the new government's plans are not yet known, but all three coalition partners are less willing to compromise than the Liberals, who dominated for decades. Initial statements on social media indicate above all very conservative tendencies. Unlike the previous government, the Born administration is dominated by mostly by experienced elder men.

=== The RIS government ===
For reasons unknown, at the end of July 2021, the Rhodesian Intelligence Service Security Council (RIS-SC) took over the reins of government in compliance with article 27 of the Rhodesian constitution of 1980. The Born government was dismissed, and the president resigned "voluntarily" after 41 years. The new head of state is Colonel Harper, Harald Mayer-Blumenrath was appointed Governor General with the duties of a Prime Minister.

== Government Security Plan ==
Rhodesian politicians from all parties, as well as higher-ranking officials, have been considered at high risk for attacks on life and limb since the founding of the second republic. The Rhodesian Intelligence Agency (RIS)<ref>https://www.government-of-rhodesia.org/#security About the Rhodesian Intelligence Service</ref> has therefore had a department since 1981 to protect all elected officials, as well as higher-ranking opposition politicians and administrative employees.<ref> Anthony Stuart Farson: Handbook of Global Security and Intelligence: Europe, the Middle East, and South Africa. Praeger Security International, 2008.</ref> The entire Rhodesian state apparatus has been sustained since 1980 by people who are not 24/7-politicians and who earn their living independently. Division One ("Shielding Service") was therefore professionally trained in cooperation with Western services in the very first year after the establishment of the second republic so that every citizen who wants to participate in Rhodesian democracy is automatically enrolled in a comprehensive protection and shielding program.<ref>William Gutteridge: South Africa's Defence and Security Into the 21st Century. Research Institute for the Study of Conflict and Terrorism. Dartmouth, 1996</ref> The RIS has successfully repelled a total of 34 attempted attacks on Rhodesian politicians since 1980.With the end of the 40-year moratorium on silence, 12 of these occurred in 2021 alone, ten of which were attributable to African ethno-nationalists.

== Citizenship law ==
According to the citizenship law of March 2021 a person acquires Rhodesian citizenship at the time of birth, if said person is born to a parent of Rhodesian nationality and caucasian ethnicity; that is, the offspring of an ethnic caucasian Rhodesian citizen, even if the parent or grandparent has not exercised his or her right to citizenship. Also ”every honest person with good intentions and a true sympathy for the Rhodesian people and its history may apply for a non-ethnic Rhodesian citizenship. Being a people without land Rhodesian citizenship does make a Rhodesian citizen not eligible to reside in south-east Africa, especially not in Zimbabwe”.<ref>Information by the Rhodesian Foreign Office</ref> Only ethnic caucasian Rhodesians can pass on their Rhodesian citizenship to their offsprings. Honorary citizenships can be granted by the president only and even be passed on the offsprings of the citizen. The Rhodesian passport is, although the nation being in exile, still highly valued outside of Zimbabwe.

== Rhodesian Intelligence Service (RIS) ==
The RIS was built up as soon as 1978 with the help of the [[USA]], [[Chile]] and former security forces of [[Portugal]] from the Salazar era. In Washington D.C. and Santiago (Chile), the political and diplomatic incompetence of the Rhodesian government was observed with considerable horror as was the actions of the Labour government in [[London]]. It was known that the British would rather let Rhodesia run into destruction by communist rebels than to forgive Rhodesia declaring independence in 1965 and abolishing the monarchy in 1970. Building up the RIS and training of the staff took place in Brazil where hand-picked Rhodesian soldiers were flown to under the protection of friendly powers. The Salisbury government was led to believe that these individuals had deserted or been captured by the enemy. While the second Republic of Rhodesia was designed as a transglobal nation that cares for all Rhodesians, wherever they reside, preparing to serve a large diaspora, a squad of the Rhodesian Intelligence Agency (RIS) occupied the western lowlands of the uninhabited and Norwegian-administered island of Bouvet in the Atlantic Ocean. This piece of land, roughly the size of Monaco, was annexed as “Rhodesbury” for matters of international law. This was the first annexation that the Republic of Rhodesia performed, however not the last one. It was meant to underscore the seriousness of the establishment of the second Rhodesian republic, and the signal was noticed in capitals around the globe. Since then the RIS has been both, Rhodesias’s intelligence service and its armed force.<ref>Freudig, Alex, & RANDnext. (2020). The annexation policy of the Republic of Rhodesia since 1980 (Short Analysis 12/20). Zenodo, Geneva. [https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.5152355]</ref>

== Perception==
*Many former Rhodesians, learning that their nation still exists only after the end of four decades of enforced silence, react negatively or skeptically. Otherwise, compared to its predecessor, the second republic is receiving considerably greater sympathy from states, organizations and ordinary people who even want to become naturalized citizens. The current administration is doing its best to incorporate the disenchanted of the first republic, but natural population growth and a continued annexation policy for habitable territories are the main priorities.
*The international press keeps ignoring Rhodesia. However “Google News” provides it readers some news about today’s Republic of Rhodesia.

== Weblinks ==
* [https://www.government-of-rhodesia Offical website of the Rhodesian Government]
* [https://www.facebook.com/rhodesia.government The Government of the Republic of Rhodesia on Facebook]
* [https://www.twitter.com/rhodesia_gov The Government of the Republic of Rhodesia on Twitter]
* [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ncm6hjQHFao National Anthem of Rhodesia, adopted in 1980]

== References ==
<references/>

[[Category:Africa]]
[[Category:Government]]

Bündnis C - Christians for Germany

2021-09-23T21:58:49Z

Rhodesia: Order

'''Bündnis C – Christen für Deutschland''' (English: ''Alliance C - Christians for Germany'') is a small fundamentalist christian and compassionate conservative party in the [[Germany|Federal Republic of Germany]]

==History==
At the founding party conference in the traditionally conservative town of Fulda in March 2015, the “Party for Labour, Environment and Family” (AUF)and the “Party of Bible-abiding Christians” (PBC) merged to form “Alliance C – Christians for Germany”. Ole Steffes (formerly PBC) and Karin Heepen (formerly AUF) were elected federal chairpeople with equal rights.<ref>[https://www.idea.de/politik/detail/zwei-christliche-kleinparteien-haben-sich-vereinigt-90192.html Zwei christliche Kleinparteien haben sich vereinigt (in German)].</ref> The party stood for the first time in the state election in the federal state of [[Baden-Württemberg]] in 2016 and won less than 1% of the votes. In the state election in the state of [[Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania]] in 2016 it received just 842 votes, which corresponds to less than 0.1% of the votes. In the local elections in the state of [[Lower Saxony]] in 2016, however, the party won a mandate in both the towns of Wedemark and Bad Essen. An attempted candidacy for the 2017 German federal election failed due to a lack of support signatures, so that the party could only put up direct candidates in four constituencies. These achieved results between 0.2% and 0.4% of the votes. In fall of 2018 the member of the European Parliament Arne Gericke joined Alliance C.<ref>[https://www.europeaninterest.eu/article/absence-electoral-threshold-sends-german-parties-ep/ The absence of an electoral threshold sends more German parties to the EP]</ref> Gericke was elected for theFamily Party of Germany in 2014 and initially changed to the “Free Voters Party” in mid-2017. Gericke has been an individual member of the “European Christian Political Movement” since 2014, which also includes Alliance C.

== Positions ==
Bündnis C states in its party manifesto that it is guided by Christian ethics and principles that have shaped the free democratic constitutional state. The party advocates "Christian conservative positions in family, social, educational and foreign policy," by which it means in particular the "fight against abortions and positions of gender mainstreaming”. The party considers marriage and family to be the God-given union of man and woman, advocates the introduction of an education salary for parents, and calls for homeschooling as an alternative to compulsory education. The party is committed to strengthening nations and criticizing international and supranational alliances such as the UN and the [[European Union]]. It advocates unconditional support for [[Israel|Israel's]] right to exist.

==Christian ideology==
Alliance C, according to its own statements, is based on Christian ethics and principles that have shaped the liberal-democratic constitutional State. The party advocates "Christian-conservative positions in family, social, educational and foreign policy", including in particular the "fight against abortions and positions of gender mainstreaming and an idealization of marriage and family as a godly connection of men and women, the introduction of an education salary for parents, the support of homeschooling, a strengthening of the nations and criticism of international and supranational alliances such as the [[United Nations|UN]] and the [[European Union|EU]], and unconditional support for [[Israel]]'s right to exist".

==References==
<references/>

Bündnis C - Christians for Germany

2021-09-23T21:57:55Z

Rhodesia:

'''Bündnis C – Christen für Deutschland''' (English: ''Alliance C - Christians for Germany'') is a small fundamentalist christian and compassionate conservative party in the [[Germany|Federal Republic of Germany]]

== Positions ==
Bündnis C states in its party manifesto that it is guided by Christian ethics and principles that have shaped the free democratic constitutional state. The party advocates "Christian conservative positions in family, social, educational and foreign policy," by which it means in particular the "fight against abortions and positions of gender mainstreaming”. The party considers marriage and family to be the God-given union of man and woman, advocates the introduction of an education salary for parents, and calls for homeschooling as an alternative to compulsory education. The party is committed to strengthening nations and criticizing international and supranational alliances such as the UN and the [[European Union]]. It advocates unconditional support for [[Israel|Israel's]] right to exist.

==History==
At the founding party conference in the traditionally conservative town of Fulda in March 2015, the “Party for Labour, Environment and Family” (AUF)and the “Party of Bible-abiding Christians” (PBC) merged to form “Alliance C – Christians for Germany”. Ole Steffes (formerly PBC) and Karin Heepen (formerly AUF) were elected federal chairpeople with equal rights.<ref>[https://www.idea.de/politik/detail/zwei-christliche-kleinparteien-haben-sich-vereinigt-90192.html Zwei christliche Kleinparteien haben sich vereinigt (in German)].</ref> The party stood for the first time in the state election in the federal state of [[Baden-Württemberg]] in 2016 and won less than 1% of the votes. In the state election in the state of [[Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania]] in 2016 it received just 842 votes, which corresponds to less than 0.1% of the votes. In the local elections in the state of [[Lower Saxony]] in 2016, however, the party won a mandate in both the towns of Wedemark and Bad Essen. An attempted candidacy for the 2017 German federal election failed due to a lack of support signatures, so that the party could only put up direct candidates in four constituencies. These achieved results between 0.2% and 0.4% of the votes. In fall of 2018 the member of the European Parliament Arne Gericke joined Alliance C.<ref>[https://www.europeaninterest.eu/article/absence-electoral-threshold-sends-german-parties-ep/ The absence of an electoral threshold sends more German parties to the EP]</ref> Gericke was elected for theFamily Party of Germany in 2014 and initially changed to the “Free Voters Party” in mid-2017. Gericke has been an individual member of the “European Christian Political Movement” since 2014, which also includes Alliance C.

==Christian ideology==
Alliance C, according to its own statements, is based on Christian ethics and principles that have shaped the liberal-democratic constitutional State. The party advocates "Christian-conservative positions in family, social, educational and foreign policy", including in particular the "fight against abortions and positions of gender mainstreaming and an idealization of marriage and family as a godly connection of men and women, the introduction of an education salary for parents, the support of homeschooling, a strengthening of the nations and criticism of international and supranational alliances such as the [[United Nations|UN]] and the [[European Union|EU]], and unconditional support for [[Israel]]'s right to exist".

==References==
<references/>

Bündnis C - Christians for Germany

2021-09-23T21:57:33Z

Rhodesia: Created page with "'''Bündnis C – Christen für Deutschland''' (English: Alliance C - Christians for Germany) is a small fundamentalist christian and compassionate conservative party in the [..."

'''Bündnis C – Christen für Deutschland''' (English: Alliance C - Christians for Germany) is a small fundamentalist christian and compassionate conservative party in the [[Germany|Federal Republic of Germany]]

== Positions ==
Bündnis C states in its party manifesto that it is guided by Christian ethics and principles that have shaped the free democratic constitutional state. The party advocates "Christian conservative positions in family, social, educational and foreign policy," by which it means in particular the "fight against abortions and positions of gender mainstreaming”. The party considers marriage and family to be the God-given union of man and woman, advocates the introduction of an education salary for parents, and calls for homeschooling as an alternative to compulsory education. The party is committed to strengthening nations and criticizing international and supranational alliances such as the UN and the [[European Union]]. It advocates unconditional support for [[Israel|Israel's]] right to exist.

==History==
At the founding party conference in the traditionally conservative town of Fulda in March 2015, the “Party for Labour, Environment and Family” (AUF)and the “Party of Bible-abiding Christians” (PBC) merged to form “Alliance C – Christians for Germany”. Ole Steffes (formerly PBC) and Karin Heepen (formerly AUF) were elected federal chairpeople with equal rights.<ref>[https://www.idea.de/politik/detail/zwei-christliche-kleinparteien-haben-sich-vereinigt-90192.html Zwei christliche Kleinparteien haben sich vereinigt (in German)].</ref> The party stood for the first time in the state election in the federal state of [[Baden-Württemberg]] in 2016 and won less than 1% of the votes. In the state election in the state of [[Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania]] in 2016 it received just 842 votes, which corresponds to less than 0.1% of the votes. In the local elections in the state of [[Lower Saxony]] in 2016, however, the party won a mandate in both the towns of Wedemark and Bad Essen. An attempted candidacy for the 2017 German federal election failed due to a lack of support signatures, so that the party could only put up direct candidates in four constituencies. These achieved results between 0.2% and 0.4% of the votes. In fall of 2018 the member of the European Parliament Arne Gericke joined Alliance C.<ref>[https://www.europeaninterest.eu/article/absence-electoral-threshold-sends-german-parties-ep/ The absence of an electoral threshold sends more German parties to the EP]</ref> Gericke was elected for theFamily Party of Germany in 2014 and initially changed to the “Free Voters Party” in mid-2017. Gericke has been an individual member of the “European Christian Political Movement” since 2014, which also includes Alliance C.

==Christian ideology==
Alliance C, according to its own statements, is based on Christian ethics and principles that have shaped the liberal-democratic constitutional State. The party advocates "Christian-conservative positions in family, social, educational and foreign policy", including in particular the "fight against abortions and positions of gender mainstreaming and an idealization of marriage and family as a godly connection of men and women, the introduction of an education salary for parents, the support of homeschooling, a strengthening of the nations and criticism of international and supranational alliances such as the [[United Nations|UN]] and the [[European Union|EU]], and unconditional support for [[Israel]]'s right to exist".

==References==
<references/>

International Association of Therapists & Medical Doctors

2021-09-23T21:35:08Z

Rhodesia:

The '''International Association of Therapists & Medical Doctors (IAAT)''' is a strictly conservative nonprofit organization for physicians founded in 1986 and headquartered in Fort Lauderdale (for the U.S.) and Berlin (for other countries). As of January 2021, membership was approximately granted to 25,000 medical professionals. IAAT operates worldwide and serves primarily as a registry and point of contact for verifying the legal status of its members, as well as an information center for those looking for a conservative minded physician.<ref>[https://www.authorea.com/doi/full/10.22541/au.162324842.24047191 The IAAT Ethics in Medicine Working Group. Ethics in medicine: a White Paper by the IAAT. Authorea. June 09, 2021]</ref>

== Qualification checks ==
Since verifying licenses is a major problem in many countries due to language barriers and divergent legislations, IAAT is a reference organization to obtain reliable information about those doctors and therapists who are IAAT members. The IAAT is politically strictly conservative and exclusively advocates evidence-based medicine. It supports the concept of freedom of therapy and does not take any other position regarding general or professional controversies.

== History ==
Founded by members of a small credentialing body in 1986, which was eventually itself taken over by the now established IAAT in 2019, the International Association of Therapists & Medical Doctors has rapidly evolved into a worldwide non-profit organization that, in an era of globalization, provides institutions with quick access to assess the academic qualifications of IAAT members, especially those from third world countries with weak bureaucracies. This is the main reason why IAAT membership, which has always been fee-free, is exceptionally difficult to achieve.<ref> Gazley B, Kissman K: Transformational Governance: How Boards Achieve Extraordinary Change. Wiley, 2015</ref>

== Membership==
The association accepts new members, but has some of the most strict admission criteria of any medical organization in the world. To become a member of IAAT, the following is required:<ref>[https://www.iaat-health.org As stated on the IAAT’s website]</ref>

*The reference as a competent conservative physician by two IAAT members in good standing who have been members of the association for at least ten years.
*The original or a certified copy of the birth certificate, passport, university diplomas, license to practice medicine and other documents during the admission process.
*A personally written letter explaining why the candidate wishes to become a member.
*An interview with senior board members.
*A letter of recommendation from the applicant's current employer and at least one previous employer.

== Hate crimes against IAAT ==
IAAT is strictly conservative politically and committed to evidence-based medicine.<ref>Prybil, L. Magill, G: Governance Ethics in Healthcare Organizations. (n.p.): Taylor & Francis</ref> It supports the idea of freedom of therapy and takes conservative positions on general or professional policy controversies. The organization is regularly the victim of smear campaigns because of its political orientation and its exclusivity.

== Website ==
*[https://www.iaat-health.org Official website of the IAAT]

== References ==
<references/>

International Association of Therapists & Medical Doctors

2021-09-23T21:33:02Z

Rhodesia:

The '''International Association of Therapists & Medical Doctors (IAAT)''' is a strictly conservative nonprofit organization for physicians founded in 1986 and headquartered in Fort Lauderdale (for the U.S.) and Berlin (for other countries). As of January 2021, membership was approximately granted to 25,000 medical professionals. IAAT operates worldwide and serves primarily as a registry and point of contact for verifying the legal status of its members, as well as an information center for those looking for a conservative minded physician.<ref>[https://www.authorea.com/doi/full/10.22541/au.162324842.24047191 The IAAT Ethics in Medicine Working Group. Ethics in medicine: a White Paper by the IAAT. Authorea. June 09, 2021.
DOI: 10.22541/au.162324842.24047191/v1]</ref>

== Qualification checks ==
Since verifying licenses is a major problem in many countries due to language barriers and divergent legislations, IAAT is a reference organization to obtain reliable information about those doctors and therapists who are IAAT members. The IAAT is politically strictly conservative and exclusively advocates evidence-based medicine. It supports the concept of freedom of therapy and does not take any other position regarding general or professional controversies.

== History ==
Founded by members of a small credentialing body in 1986, which was eventually itself taken over by the now established IAAT in 2019, the International Association of Therapists & Medical Doctors has rapidly evolved into a worldwide non-profit organization that, in an era of globalization, provides institutions with quick access to assess the academic qualifications of IAAT members, especially those from third world countries with weak bureaucracies. This is the main reason why IAAT membership, which has always been fee-free, is exceptionally difficult to achieve.<ref> Gazley B, Kissman K: Transformational Governance: How Boards Achieve Extraordinary Change. Wiley, 2015</ref>

== Membership==
The association accepts new members, but has some of the most strict admission criteria of any medical organization in the world. To become a member of IAAT, the following is required:<ref>As stated on the IAAT’s website</ref>

*The reference as a competent conservative physician by two IAAT members in good standing who have been members of the association for at least ten years.
*The original or a certified copy of the birth certificate, passport, university diplomas, license to practice medicine and other documents during the admission process.
*A personally written letter explaining why the candidate wishes to become a member.
*An interview with senior board members.
*A letter of recommendation from the applicant's current employer and at least one previous employer.

== Hate crimes against IAAT ==
IAAT is strictly conservative politically and committed to evidence-based medicine.<ref>Prybil, L. Magill, G: Governance Ethics in Healthcare Organizations. (n.p.): Taylor & Francis</ref> It supports the idea of freedom of therapy and takes conservative positions on general or professional policy controversies. The organization is regularly the victim of smear campaigns because of its political orientation and its exclusivity.

== Website ==
*[https://www.iaat-health.org Official website of the IAAT]

== References ==
<references/>

Conservapedia:AFD Republic of Rhodesia (as of 1980)

2021-09-23T21:07:10Z

Rhodesia: User Blavek’s history says it all. Nice try woke warrior…

This must be a [[hoax]], For the annexation of [[Bouvet Island]], Google returns only [https://www.google.com/search?q=rhodesbury+bouvet 21 results] including this article. After removing Twitter, Facebook and duplicates, the only two remaining relevant results were only created [https://web.archive.org/web/*/www.government-of-rhodesia.org a few months ago]. The only author of the article describes himself as the [[User:Rhodesia|Press Office of the government of the Republic of Rhodesia]]. On one of those sites there is a button "What others write about Rhodesia" with a direct link to the article on this site, on the other one the button is named "Click here to learn what really happened since 1980". [[User:Blavek|Blavek]] ([[User talk:Blavek|talk]]) 14:35, September 9, 2021 (EDT)

:: As an actual Rhodesian, I can tell you this page is all utter nonsense; please delete it. --[[User:IScott|IScott]] ([[User talk:IScott|talk]]) 20:04, September 22, 2021 (EDT)

Interesting that “User Blavek” came to Conservapedia just recently, did some minor stuff, behaved a bit helpless but knew exactly how to initiate this deletion discussion as his greatest “achievement” so far. Maybe I’m paranoid, but I bet a Bud that this pal is a lefty in disguise. Now to the facts: As every government in exile, ours has its issues with haters, aging “actual Rhodesians” who have sort of an exclusivity syndrome, traumatized veterans, “woke” warrior’s (like User Blavek??) who are into credibility assassination - and in the case of Rhodesia the fact that most gave Lancaster House a chance and did not dare to trust a fresh start. This is why the original article about UDI-Rhodesia which became Zimbabwe was not profoundly changed. These are separate entities. The 1980 proclaimed second republic had also a good reason to be silent for exactly forty years. Everyone capable of reading will find the information that the 1980 (second) republic had to stay away from the political stage for four decades because of agreements with major political players. You are of course free to delete this page, but this would mean doing the business of the leftist haters who do all they can to delegitimize today’s Rhodesia. And as to the “actual Rhodesians”: UDI-Rhodesia disappeared in 1979/1980. So today an “actual Rhodesian” is a person of Rhodesian background (or his or her parents) who has declared allegiance to the second republic, the other ones have become Zimbabweans (sorry guys…). What is more, since when do we trust Soros-Google and leftist media? Suddenly credible sources? Rhodesians should be glad that the heritage is in orderly hands which, by the way, can be contacted. The government in exile and its offices can be called without any problem. Cheers [[User:Rhodesia|Rhodesia]] ([[User talk:Rhodesia|talk]]) 16:40, September 23, 2021 (EDT)

User:Rhodesia

2021-09-23T20:58:02Z

Rhodesia:

For the Press Office of the government of the Republic of Rhodesia. (Writing here a volunteer with interest in other topics, too).

Conservapedia:AFD Republic of Rhodesia (as of 1980)

2021-09-23T20:54:33Z

Rhodesia:

This must be a [[hoax]], For the annexation of [[Bouvet Island]], Google returns only [https://www.google.com/search?q=rhodesbury+bouvet 21 results] including this article. After removing Twitter, Facebook and duplicates, the only two remaining relevant results were only created [https://web.archive.org/web/*/www.government-of-rhodesia.org a few months ago]. The only author of the article describes himself as the [[User:Rhodesia|Press Office of the government of the Republic of Rhodesia]]. On one of those sites there is a button "What others write about Rhodesia" with a direct link to the article on this site, on the other one the button is named "Click here to learn what really happened since 1980". [[User:Blavek|Blavek]] ([[User talk:Blavek|talk]]) 14:35, September 9, 2021 (EDT)

:: As an actual Rhodesian, I can tell you this page is all utter nonsense; please delete it. --[[User:IScott|IScott]] ([[User talk:IScott|talk]]) 20:04, September 22, 2021 (EDT)

As every government in exile, ours has its issues with haters, aging “actual Rhodesians” who have sort of an exclusivity syndrome, traumatized veterans, “woke” warrior’s who are into credibility assassination - and in the case of Rhodesia the fact that most gave Lancaster House a chance and did not dare to trust a fresh start. This is why the original article about UDI-Rhodesia which became Zimbabwe was not profoundly changed. These are separate entities. The 1980 proclaimed second republic had also a good reason to be silent for exactly forty years. Everyone capable of reading will find the information that the 1980 (second) republic had to stay away from the political stage for four decades because of agreements with major political players. You are of course free to delete this page, but this would mean doing the business of the leftist haters who do all they can to delegitimize today’s Rhodesia. And as to the “actual Rhodesians”: UDI-Rhodesia disappeared in 1979/1980. So today an “actual Rhodesian” is a person of Rhodesian background (or his or her parents) who has declared allegiance to the second republic, the other ones have become Zimbabweans (sorry guys…). What is more, since when do we trust Soros-Google and leftist media? Suddenly credible sources? Rhodesians should be glad that the heritage is in orderly hands which, by the way, can be contacted. The government in exile and its offices can be called without any problem. Cheers [[User:Rhodesia|Rhodesia]] ([[User talk:Rhodesia|talk]]) 16:40, September 23, 2021 (EDT)

Conservapedia:AFD Republic of Rhodesia (as of 1980)

2021-09-23T20:40:40Z

Rhodesia:

This must be a [[hoax]], For the annexation of [[Bouvet Island]], Google returns only [https://www.google.com/search?q=rhodesbury+bouvet 21 results] including this article. After removing Twitter, Facebook and duplicates, the only two remaining relevant results were only created [https://web.archive.org/web/*/www.government-of-rhodesia.org a few months ago]. The only author of the article describes himself as the [[User:Rhodesia|Press Office of the government of the Republic of Rhodesia]]. On one of those sites there is a button "What others write about Rhodesia" with a direct link to the article on this site, on the other one the button is named "Click here to learn what really happened since 1980". [[User:Blavek|Blavek]] ([[User talk:Blavek|talk]]) 14:35, September 9, 2021 (EDT)

:: As an actual Rhodesian, I can tell you this page is all utter nonsense; please delete it. --[[User:IScott|IScott]] ([[User talk:IScott|talk]]) 20:04, September 22, 2021 (EDT)

As every government in exile, ours has its issues with haters, aging “actual Rhodesians” who have sort of a exclusivity syndrome, traumatized veterans, “woke” warrior’s who are into credibility assassination - and in the case of Rhodesia the fact that most gave Lancaster House a chance and did not dare to trust a fresh start. This is why the original article about UDI-Rhodesia which became Zimbabwe was not profoundly changed. These are separate entities. The 1980 proclaimed second republic had also a good reason to be silent for exactly forty years. Everyone capable of reading will find the information that the 1980 (second) republic had to stay away from the political stage for four decades because of agreements with major political players. You are of course free to delete this page, but this would mean doing the business of the leftist haters who do all they can to delegitimize today’s Rhodesia. And as to the “actual Rhodesians”: UDI-Rhodesia disappeared in 1979/1980. So today an “actual Rhodesian” is a person of Rhodesian background (or his or her parents) who has declared allegiance to the second republic, the other ones have become Zimbabweans (sorry guys…). What is more, since when do we trust Soros-Google and leftist media? Suddenly credible sources? Rhodesians should be glad that the heritage is in orderly hands which, by the way, can be contacted. The government in exile and its offices can be called without any problem. Cheers [[User:Rhodesia|Rhodesia]] ([[User talk:Rhodesia|talk]]) 16:40, September 23, 2021 (EDT)

International Association of Therapists & Medical Doctors

2021-09-23T20:17:56Z

Rhodesia:

The '''International Association of Therapists & Medical Doctors (IAAT)''' is a strictly conservative nonprofit organization for physicians founded in 1986 and headquartered in Fort Lauderdale (for the U.S.) and Berlin (for other countries). As of January 2021, membership was approximately granted to 25,000 medical professionals. IAAT operates worldwide and serves primarily as a registry and point of contact for verifying the legal status of its members, as well as an information center for those looking for a conservative minded physician.<ref>[https://www.authorea.com/doi/full/10.22541/au.162324842.24047191 Dr. Carolina Diamandis, The IAAT Ethics in Medicine Working Group. Ethics in medicine: a White Paper by the IAAT. Authorea. June 09, 2021]</ref>

== Qualification checks ==
Since verifying licenses is a major problem in many countries due to language barriers and divergent legislations, IAAT is a reference organization to obtain reliable information about those doctors and therapists who are IAAT members. The IAAT is politically strictly conservative and exclusively advocates evidence-based medicine. It supports the concept of freedom of therapy and does not take any other position regarding general or professional controversies.

== History ==
Founded by members of a small credentialing body in 1986, which was eventually itself taken over by the now established IAAT in 2019, the International Association of Therapists & Medical Doctors has rapidly evolved into a worldwide non-profit organization that, in an era of globalization, provides institutions with quick access to assess the academic qualifications of IAAT members, especially those from third world countries with weak bureaucracies. This is the main reason why IAAT membership, which has always been fee-free, is exceptionally difficult to achieve.<ref> Gazley B, Kissman K: Transformational Governance: How Boards Achieve Extraordinary Change. Wiley, 2015</ref>

== Membership==
The association accepts new members, but has some of the most strict admission criteria of any medical organization in the world. To become a member of IAAT, the following is required:<ref>As stated on the IAAT’s website</ref>

*The reference as a competent conservative physician by two IAAT members in good standing who have been members of the association for at least ten years.
*The original or a certified copy of the birth certificate, passport, university diplomas, license to practice medicine and other documents during the admission process.
*A personally written letter explaining why the candidate wishes to become a member.
*An interview with senior board members.
*A letter of recommendation from the applicant's current employer and at least one previous employer.

== Hate crimes against IAAT ==
IAAT is strictly conservative politically and committed to evidence-based medicine.<ref>Prybil, L. Magill, G: Governance Ethics in Healthcare Organizations. (n.p.): Taylor & Francis</ref> It supports the idea of freedom of therapy and takes conservative positions on general or professional policy controversies. The organization is regularly the victim of smear campaigns because of its political orientation and its exclusivity.

== Website ==
*[https://www.iaat-health.org Official website of the IAAT]

== References ==
<references/>

IAAT

2021-09-23T20:03:32Z

Rhodesia: Redirected page to International Association of Therapists & Medical Doctors

#REDIRECT [[International Association of Therapists & Medical Doctors]]