Let’s Clarify Our Terms – I Am A Jew!

(by Thomas) The article in yesterday’s newspaper got many things right. There were, however, some misleading terms that cloud the dialogue. The two “C” words, for example, “Christian” and “convert”. I’d like to set the record straight and deepen the dialogue for those willing to wade past the confusion and labels handed down for centuries. Let’s Clarify Our Terms – I Am A Jew!

As far as whether I am a Christian, as the caption in the picture noted, let me be clear. I was born a Jew. I became a Bar Mitzvah, was confirmed in Temple, went to Israel with a team of Jewish college youth from around the country, was married under a Chuppah, both of my parents and all my grandparents were Jewish. Hitler would have killed me without thinking twice. I love my Tanakh (a.k.a. Old Testament) and I love the G-d Who is in it. I also believe with all my heart that these writings of the family of Israel point to a Messiah, who will one day rule the world as King. Furthermore, I believe the identity of this Messiah is a Jewish man who walked the earth roughly 2000 years ago. There were many like me who became convinced to follow him as he taught, healed, and exposed the hearts of many. He was a Jew and he came to the Jews. His followers were primarily Jews and many of them wrote about him, and wrote to others about him. We have these writings as additional writings of the family of Israel that confirm the identity of this Messiah (a.k.a. New Testament). So, if by the term “Christian” you mean do I love and follow Yeshua as  Messiah and do I believe that ALL the writings of the family of Israel, given not just to enlighten the Jews but all the world, are true and trustworthy, then the I will not protest that label. If, on the other hand, you mean am I no longer Jewish, then I reject equally wholeheartedly the meaning and implication of such a label. I am a Jew. I am a Jew who believes in Messiah. I am a Jew who believes that Yeshua is the Messiah.

In other words, the term “Christian” means different things to different people. In fact, if you ask 10 people around Nashville what the term means, you will likely get quite different answers. Evangelical, mainline Protestant, Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, Jewish, Agnostic, Atheist. Each will have a different way of “unpacking” or defining this label. Unfortunately, labels often get used to clarify exactly who is “US” and who is “THEM”. The history of Christianity is tragically filled with repeated wars and murders against those who did not have the same definitions or theology. Oftentimes, this division was an “in house” debate between people who all wore the same label, “Christian”, but viewed themselves as the REAL kind while others were not.

This issue of my identifying myself as a Jew is an “in house” debate as well. Jews do not agree on what is the definition of a Jew. Which brings me to the second word “convert.” The article said I converted in college. Well, if by this term we mean “teshuva”, the Hebrew word for repentance, or literally “turning away and going the other direction” the only conversion I underwent was turning away from my rebellion against G-d and turning and running back TO Him. In other words, while you could say I converted from my sin back to G-d, it would be totally inaccurate, misleading and untrue to say that I converted from one religion to another. Religion is man’s path to try and reach G-d. I believe G-d is more interested in having a relationship with people.  So, I did not convert away from being a Jew. Yeshua did not call the people of Israel to turn away from being Jews. To imply as much by using this common term “convert” only serves to keep the dialogue on a more superficial level and helps preserve the religious “status quo” where many Jews and Christians are quite comfortable, but perhaps only seeing through a glass dimly. Let’s deepen the dialogue and try to see more clearly. The fruit of such an endeavor can be love. Indeed that is what has happened with my father and me. To what degree is love the fruit of your dialogue with those with whom you may disagree? Why not commit to pursue this love at whatever cost. 1 Corinthians 13 exhorts us that “the GREATEST of these is love!”

Frank’s thoughts

Here’s an article that my Dad wrote the other day after there was some discussion about Israel in the newspaper (I’m working with him to be able to post his own stuff. We’ll try and specify who’s writing what…especially as it represents views that we may hold that are distinct):

Over the past years we have read many disturbing op-ed columns and letters to the editor in various newspapers around the country on the subject of the Israeli-Palestinian never ending conflict. The degree of misinformation surrounding this issue and the well meaning but misguided opinions that flow from this misinformation have caused  concern to us as well as many other  readers.

As a result, I believe that there is a serious need for people to come together and begin to deepen the dialogue about the Middle East conflict while using facts as the basis for the discussion. Any meaningful dialogue must begin with verifiable facts. Here are but a few such facts that often go overlooked or misunderstood.

When, in November, 1947, the United Nations gave half the land of Palestine to the Jews and the other half to the Arabs; it was the Arabs who rejected the United Nation’s decree while Israel accepted it. What followed was a war initiated by all the surrounding Arab nations and was won by Israel in 1949. Over two thirds of the Arabs living in what is now Israel left their homes voluntarily so as not to be killed in the fighting that was to follow. They fully expected the Arabs to win and to return to their homes as well as being able to take Jewish land and homes for their own. Therein lays the origin of the Palestinian refugee problem, one that could have been settled by refugee absorption by one of the numerous Arab nations in the region. Unfortunately, these Palestinians became the pawn in an Arab chess game of who would win all of the land that God promised the Jewish people.

Following this war, the Arab nations once again declared an unprovoked war against Israel in 1967 only to lose what is now called, the six day war. In this war as well, Israel only wanted to live in peace with its neighbors and did not seek war. Israel won the land now called the West Bank as well the entire city of Jerusalem. Still no Arab nation was willing to make peace with Israel. A common mantra prevailed over most of the Arab world. No peace ever! Israel had to be destroyed. There was to be no middle ground or compromise.

When President Clinton and Israeli Prime Minister, Ehud Barack proposed to give Arafat 95% of the West Bank, all of the Gaza strip and east Jerusalem for its capital in 2000, Arabs once again refused this incredible peace offer making the world fully understand that Arabs leaders only wanted Israel and its Jewish inhabitants to be destroyed. Even when Israel entirely left Gaza in 2005, Palestinians living there refused to create a land of opportunity for its people. Rather, they elected into power the terrorist organization Hamas, which has vowed to not rest until Israel is destroyed, Instead of building a place for education, jobs and beauty, Hamas spends its resources bombing Israeli citizens and digging tunnels to bring in weapons to kill more Israelis. Were Israel to leave the West Bank in a similar good will gesture, Hamas would quickly take over that land as well and begin bombing more cities including Israel’s airport creating havoc among all the citizens of Israel.

Since 1947, Israel has only wanted to live in peace with its neighbors. The 7 million Israelis (5.5million Israeli Jews and 1.5million Israeli Arabs) now living in a comparably small sliver of land between the Jordan River and the Mediterranean Sea desperately want a peace with its neighbors. But they want a durable peace, one that recognizes Israel as a nation for the Jewish people while respecting treaties that have been signed in the past. Surely that cannot be too much to ask for.

These are only a small portion of facts that many do not know and it is time for people of all faiths to deepen the dialogue with those who know and understand the history of the Middle East.

That is why we have begun a dialogue with our Christian community in presentations to churches in Nashville on the subject of conflict in the Middle East. We call ourselves, The Boehm Boys and our presentations so far have been educational, productive and enlightening. Only by deepening the dialogue about this extremely important subject can there be any hope for real understanding.

We’re in the newspaper!

Click on this Article Link to read what was published about us on the front page of the Local Section of the newspaper, The Tennessean.

Scroll up to 10/7/09 where I (Thomas) respond to some of the content in the article in my post entitled “Let’s Clarify Our Terms – I Am A Jew!”

Christian Business Leaders mtg.

We had a wonderful meeting this morning with around 100 Christian business leaders and if any of you are reading this who were there…thank you for receiving me and my father so warmly! We both came away with an appreciation for your receptivity and obvious love. If any of your churches would like for us to come and share please consult with your pastor and contact us at BoehmBoys@gmail.com. Shalom!!

Come Join the Next Dialogue!

October 4, 2009

Woodmont Bible Church at 9:30 AM (1710 Woodmont Blvd., Nashville, TN (615) 972-9035 www.wbcnashville.org). We’ll be speaking from about 9:30-10:30 during the adult Sunday School hour. Their service starts at 11:00 and they’ve asked me (Thomas) to begin the service by leading in prayer for the peace of Jerusalem. This is the church’s effort to join a growing worldwide movement of believers uniting annually in prayer for the peace of Jerusalem on the first Sunday in October. See www.daytopray.com for more details on this effort.

Hello world!

Deepening the Dialogue about Israel.

Demonstrating The Path To Peace.