March 12, 2008
Rev. Charles J. Rizzo
Maranatha Church of the Nazarene
285 E. Midland Avenue
Paramus, N. J. 07652
(201) 262-3323
Dear Pastor Rizzo:
Maranatha is among the churches in your area where Project Strait Gate will hold a “Vigil for Peace with Justice” on Sunday morning, March 30, 2008. You may learn about our Vigils by touring our website. As the web pages show, we do not hold mass demonstrations, but quiet and respectful interventions that direct our message to your attendees, not at aimed at passing traffic. Project Strait Gate challenges church leaders, who teach that “The present day State of Israel is the fulfillment of biblical prophesy.”
It appears from your website that you do so, and in so doing you are tacitly enabling the systematic destruction of Gaza, Iraq, and Afghanistan, and are overtly supporting Israel’s abusive occupation of Gaza, Golan, the West Bank, and in so doing enable future wars that are said to be in Israel’s “national interest.”
The greatest spiritual damage caused by current US policy is destructive to Christianity itself, making “Christian” a laughing stock word worldwide. Many churches no longer consider missionaries are longer consider themselves safe in Muslim countries, thus “writing off” up to 1/3 of non-Christians in the world. Christians, who have lived peacefully among Muslims for centuries, are leaving in numbers, not because of Muslim oppression, but because of their fear of US attack and embargo. A church that does not demand peace is apostate, and is an insult to the name of Christ. Jesus is the peacemaker. He bombs no one.
Consider Lebanon where the Israeli’s invasion in July 2006 was opposed by only a handful of US church groups. Israel’s own press reports that 20 Lebanese civilians, some children, have died of wounds from unexploded US-made cluster bombs that go off when stepped on or picked up since the invasion ended! Did your church go on record opposing the invasion of Lebanon?
Sadly, questionable interpretation of prophecy leads to, and in fact calls for the oppression of Arab people of all faiths whenever it is viewed to be in interest of the political State of Israel. We prayerfully request that you consider the lives and God-given rights of these precious individuals.
At our intervention Promise Keepers extravaganza I was told by a one time Marine serving as a Promise Keepers volunteer that whatever the Israelis do to the “Philistines” is justified by the Biblical accounts in the Old Testament wherein “God told the Israelis to spare no one to cleanse the land of all living things.” He talking unapologetically about killing Arabs, and firmly believes (or rationalizes) that “End Times” Bible prophecies justify every military act in Iraq, including his own acts. He told me that he was part of the armored battalion that executed Operation Desert Storm. This Marine justified his actions there by telling me he witnessed Muslim using children as shields.
Many Christians have been influenced to lie for the sake of justifying war acts. Operation “Desert Storm” was fought in the desert of Kuwait, and no children were present to be used as “shields.” However, the point is not what Muslims do, but what Christians do; even if this Marine had not lied, Jesus did not bless this slaughter.
We do not blame those who are required to make war, however this Marine and those who commanded him need repentance and forgiveness, not obfuscation and denial from their spiritual leaders. It is time “Christians” tell the truth, beginning with pastors. This church-going Marine did not tell me, but I know the historical fact that the US forces reduced the trapped and inferior Iraqi army to the living wounded within a few days. Then all traces, including many lives and wounded men were plowed under in 80 miles of trenches in the sands of Kuwait with specially built high speed snowplows mounted on tanks. I asked this man to show me in the New Testament where Jesus would allow him to participate in this slaughter, and he could not do so. Can you, Pastor Rizzo?
Millions of “believers” buy into the false eschatology that “Christians” must unconditionally support the government of Israel and escalating warfare in the Middle East as biblical imperatives. Jesus demands otherwise, and I would like nothing better than to discuss this with you privately, and invite you to show me where Jesus would accept what Israel, with the support of far too many US Churches, is doing to those who live in Gaza.
The purpose of Project Strait Gate is not to change your congregation overnight; that is unrealistic, (3) but we can call out to those whom God has already changed and who think they are alone inside Maranatha Church, as I once felt alone as a leader inside my own church before I learned that if Jesus is with you, you are not alone. I hope you will come out and meet us on the public sidewalks. I hope you will change Maranatha.
Toward the Strait Gate,
Charles E. Carlson, Director
