I really don't like it when religious groups or churches use deception, you know?

I was in a local supermarket today that caters to the NE's Russian immigrants. On the side where the Russian free newspapers were, I saw a flyer almost all in Russian, which looked for all intents to be a Jewish religious advertisement for High Holiday services. It had a picture of a rabbi blowing the shofar, some Hebrew characters, etc.

Because I only know a few words in Russian, I could not make out what it was, but I assumed it was a synagogue catering to Russian Jews (since I know a lot of Russian Jews go to that store where the fliers were.)

Anyway, I took a flyer, went home and out of curiosity, looked the address up online. I was curious as to whether it was a new synagogue (because I know almost all the synagogues up here in the NE.)

What a shock to find out that the address given is for Bethesda Presbyterian Church!

It is a church's Constitutional right to proselytize any group they want to, and I respect that. But if they do it using deceptive practices, posing as Jews when they are not, that really sticks in my craw.

How would they feel if a Jewish group posed as Christians, complete with Christian symbols, to try to convert Christians to Judaism?

Does anyone see why this is insulting and just plain unethical?

The church you speak of is this one:

http://www.bethesdapc.org/

The website is in English and doesn't say much.

They have one sign outside the church in Russian, but I don't know what it says.

I was thinking, it is a long shot but possible- that a Jewish group is using the church's building to meet at because they have no other place to meet? This would explain the Jewish symbols along with the address of the church. Some churches will rent out their space to groups that have no affliation with their religion at all.

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"I think that anything that begins to give people a sense of their own worth and dignity is God."
John Shelby Spong

Congrats Phils 2008 World Champs!

If this is as you say it was, how harmful could it be, really?
It seems unlikely that people would convert based on a supermarket flyer, or by "accident" after visiting the church, doesn't it?

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Reader Notification: Information contained in this post may be the result of prior searches in Google, Wikipedia or other online sites. The rest is stuff I made up.

Before you accused the Bethesda Presbyterian Church of deception, I wish you had taken a few minutes to do a little research via Google. Rock of Israel is a Messianic congregation which meets in the Fellowship Hall of Bethesda Presbyterian. http://www.rockofisrael.com/default.htm

In my little corner of suburbia, it's not at all unusual for local churches to share their facilities with congregations of other faiths who are just starting out. I'm sorry you were so quick to condemn...rather than consider that one congregation was trying to help another.

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Don't make me send my flying monkeys after you!

Alas, Mizz, you've actually just proven Scorpio's point. A "Messianic" congregation is a Christian one parading as a Jewish synagogue in order to convert Jews.

I'm sure that Scorpio knew this when she posted as she's been involved in countermissionary work for a long time and was just waiting for a post like yours to pounce on, in order to explain this to you (and everyone else).

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---Shosh

Wow!

It's a Christian's job to convert people, as they believe they're saving you. You guys made up the Messiah concept, then somebody grabbed the ball and ran with it, so deal.

I'm sure you're absolutely right...

However, I'd still bet dollars to doughnuts that Bethesda Presbyterian is offering the use of their facilities only, and is not directly involved in the Rock of Israel congregation. The ministry team is apparently comprised of two members, one of whom is a Russian Jew who emigrated to Philadelphia in the 1990's. The other doesn't seem to have any particular affiliation with Bethesda Presbyterian, as far as I could see.

Thanks for your observation.

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Don't make me send my flying monkeys after you!

What's so "wow!" about that? It's exactly what Jews for Jesus groups do, how they target Jews for conversion to Christianity.

Proselytizing is completely foreign to Judaism. Not only do we not attempt to convert anyone to Judaism, we actively discourage people from converting. (Indeed, even if someone seeks to convert, a rabbi will always turn them away at least twice before agreeing to take them on as students).

But Scorpio is right [much as it kills me to say it] ... how would you feel if you were handed flyers with crosses and pictures of Jesus on them, with someone suggesting that you come and join their Christian fellowship ... only to arrive and find out that the reason they had all those pictures was to explain to you that Christ was just another 2000 year old dead guy and that Judaism was the only true religion? Wouldn't you be just a little bit upset?

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---Shosh

Out of curiosity, which of the Russian stores? Bell's Market? I live nearby so would love to take a look at this flyer.