A pro-Palestinian meeting at a Methodist church in Hammersmith turned into an opportunity for the anti-Semites to express their bigoted views. A Jewish Chronicle blog report says
One was recorded as saying when asked about the Holocaust "I don't know, I wasn't there" in response to our question "Were there gas chambers in the concentration camps?" We also recorded her saying "a few hundred thousand" Jews died in the Holocaust. "How did they die?" we asked. "They had their foreskins chopped off ...."
We also recorded her saying "You are using the fuc*ing Holocaust to kill the Palestinians."
When the Methodist Church took the decision to throw our reputation in with the Palestine Solidarity Campaign we ran the risk that we would be reduced to being tarred with the same brush as some very undesirable elements. It is time we understood that a large motivation for the anti-Israel activity comes from old fashioned anti-Semitism both within Christianity and Islam.
I would advise every Methodist to read this article and try to understand why Methodism's antagonistic policy towards Israel and the new "friends" we have recruited are causing distress and dismay to our Jewish neighbours.
I can't support Jonathan's suggestion that individuals lobby the Minister by calling her on her mobile phone. However I do think someone at Connexional Headquarters should look again at standing order 921 and point out that meetings with anti-Semitic content clearly violate Conference policy. A google search for "Ravenscourt Methodist Church" does suggest a very eccentric lettings policy and they have previous form.
UPDATE: A fuller report of this meeting appears here
UPDATE: The PSC has admitted these comments were made
One was recorded as saying when asked about the Holocaust "I don't know, I wasn't there" in response to our question "Were there gas chambers in the concentration camps?" We also recorded her saying "a few hundred thousand" Jews died in the Holocaust. "How did they die?" we asked. "They had their foreskins chopped off ...."
We also recorded her saying "You are using the fuc*ing Holocaust to kill the Palestinians."
When the Methodist Church took the decision to throw our reputation in with the Palestine Solidarity Campaign we ran the risk that we would be reduced to being tarred with the same brush as some very undesirable elements. It is time we understood that a large motivation for the anti-Israel activity comes from old fashioned anti-Semitism both within Christianity and Islam.
I would advise every Methodist to read this article and try to understand why Methodism's antagonistic policy towards Israel and the new "friends" we have recruited are causing distress and dismay to our Jewish neighbours.
I can't support Jonathan's suggestion that individuals lobby the Minister by calling her on her mobile phone. However I do think someone at Connexional Headquarters should look again at standing order 921 and point out that meetings with anti-Semitic content clearly violate Conference policy. A google search for "Ravenscourt Methodist Church" does suggest a very eccentric lettings policy and they have previous form.
UPDATE: A fuller report of this meeting appears here
UPDATE: The PSC has admitted these comments were made
