Sunday, 11 October 2009

• Question 187 – Catholics for Israel's Ariel Ben Ami

  Question 187 – Catholics for Israel's Ariel Ben Ami

  Ariel Ben Ami: Mr. Sungenis has even come into conflict with his own bishop regarding his position against the Jews.

  R. Sungenis: “Conflict” with a bishop is common in Catholic history, because not all bishops protect and defend the Catholic faith. That’s why the US bishops, in a vote of 231 to 14, voted to change the bishop’s catechism of 2006 that had a heresy in it about the Mosaic covenant. My bishop, unfortunately, like you, believes and promotes the heresy that the Old Covenant is somehow still valid for the Jewish people. I suggest you find out the real story of Bishop Rhoades and his vicar general Father William King from our website article on the issue before you start making slanderous innuendos about me. (http://www.catholicintl.com/qa/Ask_Your_Question_about_the_Jews.pdf)

  Ariel Ben Ami: Strange that of all people who would choose to critique our apostolate, it turns out that he is the first.

  R. Sungenis: Unfortunately, yes, I’m the first. That just tells you how sadly misinformed most Catholic apologists are to the dangerous heresies that are attacking the Catholic Church under the guise of Jewish ecumenism. What’s “strange,” Mr. Ami, is that you would support these heresies. As long as you do, you will have me to contend with.

  Ariel Ben Ami: He obviously has some kind of a negative fixation on the Jews.

  R. Sungenis: This is the typical comment from ideologues such as yourself who think that criticism of false Jewish beliefs (like your belief in a “limited Zionism”) is merely because I have a “negative fixation” on Jews. I assure you, the only “fixation” I have is on Jesus Christ and protecting his Catholic Church from heresies, such as the ones you are promoting on your website. I suggest you learn the Catholic faith first before you start preaching to the rest of us how the Jews or Jewish converts fit into the Catholic Church.

  Ariel Ben Ami: It’s too bad he doesn’t choose to spend his energy in a more constructive way for the Church.

  R. Sungenis: So my condemnation about your heretical views about the Old Covenant and Zionism is not constructive? It is the most constructive thing I can do for the Church, since no one else seems to have the courage to do so. As for other “constructive” things I do, Mr. Ami, I’ve spent the last 17 years promoting the Catholic Church with books, articles and lectures. Jewish heresies and our denouncement of them are only a percentage of our work.

  Ariel Ben Ami: And by the way we also oppose Judaizing (which means trying to Judaize gentiles) just as we oppose the equally wrong idea of de-judaizing the Jews, which is one of the greatest obstacles that Christians have traditionally put in their way to encountering Christ (and which Mr. Sungenis sadly continues).  I would be interested in knowing how many Jews were warmed up to receive the Gospel through his work.

  R. Sungenis: Jews that want the truth have been “warmed up” tremendously. They write to me and tell me every week. It’s Jews like you who want to hold on to Jewish racial and spiritual distinctions who don’t like what I have to say, and they use the same childish accusations that you do, instead of arguing about the facts with me. I suggest you take a good look at the critique I gave of your website and answer them one-by-one instead of engaging in name-calling and slander.

  Ariel Ben Ami: You may or may not know that Robert Sungenis is well know for holding anti-semitic attitudes,

  R. Sungenis: I don’t have any anti-semitic attitudes. You have anti-Robert Sungenis attitudes simply because I try to correct your false beliefs about the Jews.

  Ariel Ben Ami: and barely has any credibility left regarding this subject.

  R. Sungenis: Is that why the Vatican and the USCCB listened to my critique of the United States Catholic Catechism for Adults which had claimed that the Mosaic covenant was still valid for the Jews? I was the only Catholic in the world to alarm the Vatican and the US bishops to this error, and they listened.  

  Ariel Ben Ami: However, we are reading the document with interest and considering whether it is worthy of a response.

  With blessings in Christ, Ariel Ben Ami, Catholics for Israel (www.israelcatholic.com), Jerusalem

   R. Sungenis: I encourage you to do so, Mr. Ami. It would be much better than the name-calling and innuendo that you engaged in here.

  • 1:23 AM
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