On September 13, an incident was reported from the old city of Jerusalem, Israel where a group of children from the Jewish community were seen confronting two Christian women who had allegedly come as tourists to the city. While several reports mentioned that the women were attacked and spat on by the boys, they failed to mention the reason behind the attack.
A video by Middle East Monitor reported that two Christian tourists in Jerusalem came under ‘attack’ from a group of Israeli children and adults. It also mentioned that the two women tried to calm the situation down as children kicked, punched, and threw objects at them.
Also, a report by Russia Today stated that two Christian women were ‘beaten’ on the street in Jerusalem by Jewish children just for mentioning Jesus. Apart from media houses, several individuals on Twitter (X) also condemned the ‘attack’ as they claimed that the women were attacked just because they belonged to the Christian faith.
Here's what motivated the children to 'attack'Two Christian women were beaten on the street in Jerusalem by Jewish children, allegedly for mentioning Jesus
— RT (@RT_com) September 14, 2023
The attack was condemned by Israeli President Isaac Herzog, who called it, and a recent spate of attacks on Christians, 'a disgrace.' pic.twitter.com/v72w1COCvO
However, while the claims of the children attacking the two women are mostly true, a larger picture behind the chronology and the context of the entire incident is being ignored. David Lange, a Jew activist, also an analyst and commentator often cited by the mainstream media houses revealed that the video of the Christian women being 'attacked' being made viral on social media is edited and does not show the full story.
You are full of it @TheLaurenChen. We merely provided context for the abuse - which we condemned - by showing the entire video and not the edited version you shared. Meanwhile, you did not seem to think the Muslims abusing the missionaries was noteworthy. Why the focus on Jews?… https://t.co/AD1ua9c48Z pic.twitter.com/IPPbueNFam
— (((David Lange))) (@Israellycool) September 13, 2023
In his blog, Israelly Cool, he exposed the women and said that they were 'attacked' by the kids after they attempted to actively proselytize the kids and forced them to 'believe in Jesus'. He said that the women were Christian missionaries and that they tried to convert several other Jews and Muslims living in the city to Christianity.
Sarah and her followers unfortunately take it upon themselves to attempt to convert Jews & Muslims to Christianity. Mainly on our Sabbath when such a reaction can be expected although not condoned.
— GnasherJew®גנאשר (@GnasherJew) September 13, 2023
Here she is harassing Muslims too but @CensoredMen only mentions Jews - why is… https://t.co/DODnLHRPPU pic.twitter.com/9Z5RliXDmb
This is no attempt to justify the acts of the Jewish kids but to shed light on what exactly motivated them to behave in the way they did. The children reacted aggressively towards the women, verbally abusing them and even throwing objects, as per some reports.
It is believed that the women abused the faith followed by the children and said to them, "Your faith is false," before asking them to convert.
As per a blog post by David Collier, the missionaries were a part of 'Sarah's ministries for Jesus Christ' by controversial preacher Sarah Walis who has been accused of deliberately placing themselves in religious places and trying to proselytize non-Christians, especially Jews and Muslims in Israel. In her social media posts, Sarah openly calls all other religions false and all other Gods 'false gods'.
Incident given the color of 'anti-Christian hatred of Jewish children'
The attack was meanwhile given a color of Jewish hatred towards Christianity by some people on Twitter who justified the act of proselytizing children adopted by the two women. "This is a hate crime," said YouTuber Lauren Chen from Nashville as she defended the two women for proselytizing the kids.
"You believe Christians shouldn't be proselytizing at all in Israel? The hope of any Christian is that all will come to accept Jesus Christ as their Lord and Saviour, including those in Israel and this is a hope born out of love," she said. In the series of tweets, she also accepted that the women were evangelists and alleged that Israelis were "minimizing or excusing the physical abuse that Christian evangelizers faced and that was caught on camera."
In other words, she asserted that all non-Christians should just accept Christianity and the expectation that all non-Christians should abandon their respective faiths and welcome 'Jesus', is 'borne out of love'.
In the next tweet, she also said that Christians are compelled to share the Gospel. "Places where people don't believe in Jesus are the best places to talk about Jesus," she said. She also called the Jewish faith 'false' and suggested they should convert to Christianity.
The comments by Lauren on the said issue were criticized by many who said that the YouTuber was failing or refusing to understand that aggressive proselytization is not neutral or good behavior.
David Cohen says Hindus also are forcefully converted by Christian missionaries
Also, director and producer David Cohen responded to Lauren's tweet indicating that Christians were proselytizing even the Hindus residing in India. "If telling Jews, Hindus, etc. that their faith is false and they should convert is your way of showing LOVE, then shove your LOVE and learn to treat us with respect instead. What we need to be saved from is proselytizers like you," he said.
If telling Jews, Hindus, etc that their faith is false and they should convert is your way of showing LOVE, then shove your LOVE and learn to treat us with respect instead. What we need to be saved from is proselytizers like you. pic.twitter.com/8ROw1Fr4Nd
— David Cohen (@DavidBCohen1) September 14, 2023
Christian missionary on a mission to spread Christianity was killed by the tribals in Amdaman's North Sentinel island
The overt and assertive zeal of Christian missionaries to 'make everyone accept Jesus' was also seen in a rather tragic display in Andaman and Nicobar's North Sentinel Islands in 2018. John Allen Chau, a fanatic Christian preacher from the USA, broke Indian law, ignored legal, and ethical concerns, and tried to sneak into the North Sentinel Island.
Ignoring the scientific fact that exposure to an 'outsider' may spread diseases and may even wipe out the entire population of the Sentinelese tribals residing on that Island, Chau and his supporters considered it their 'divine right' to enter and convert the tribals.
The tribals of the North Sentinel Islands refuse contact with the outside world and their rights of isolation are protected under Indian law. Chau was killed by the tribals when he tried to approach the Island.
A detailed article on how Christian missionaries across the world justified Chau's actions and dismissed the illegality and unethicality of his behavior can be read here.
Previous cases of forceful conversion to Christianity reported by OpIndia
The issue of forceful conversion by Christians is creating a menace in society, especially in India as the evangelists target the poor people belonging to the Hindu community and lure them with money, food and jobs. They, at times, also abuse Hindu Gods and Goddesses and make the Hindus believe that Jesus is the only solution to all their problems.
OpIndia has reported several such cases recently. In June this year, a Canadian citizen identified as Eapen Mohan Kidangalil was caught luring poor tribal children in Odisha under the pretext of ‘Prarthana Sabha’ and attempting to convert them to Christianity. The accused was on a Tourist visa and was trying to influence the tribals to follow Christianity. An FIR was filed in the case after the locals were noted saying that they had stopped believing in Lord Jagannath and that they had changed their religion to Christianity.
Also, in the Alandi region of Pune on January 1 this year, three Christian persons were caught red-handed while attempting to forcefully convert people from the Matang community to Christianity. The accused forced them to convert their religion to Christianity after offering them red grape juice as the 'blood of Jesus'.
Recently in the month of August, American evangelist Daniel Courney who was deported and blacklisted earlier could be seen reaching Manipur on a tourist visa and delivering a hate speech against Hindus and the BJP-led Indian government amid the violence. He also distributed Bibles to the people in Manipur and said that Christians were being persecuted in Manipur and that the community was being deliberately targeted.
