It is one thing to advocate for the humane treatment of the Palestinians and to criticize Israel when its policies and actions fall short. In fact, it is quite Christian to do so. It is another thing to be such an arch-critic of Israel so that you side with radical Islam. That is anything but Christian.
Unfortunately, it is a British-based, Anglican minister, the Rev. Dr. Stephen Sizer, who is helping lead the pro-Islamic, anti-Israel charge, to the point that some have accused him of outright anti-Semitism, a charge he strongly denies.
Several years ago, Rev. Sizer stated that “There are certainly churches in Israel/Palestine that side with the occupation, that side with Zionism. One of my burdens is to challenge them theologically and show that they’ve repudiated Jesus, they’ve repudiated the Bible, and they are an abomination.”
When I confronted him with this quote during a radio debate, he denied ever saying it. When I gave him the date and place of the quote, he then said he was comfortable with it. That is how radical his position is.
In recent days, however, he has crossed a more dangerous line.
When the Presbyterian Church USA announced its tragic decision to divest its funds from some key companies that worked with Israel’s military, Sizer stated, “We’re very encouraged by the Presbyterian decision. It will be a great encouragement to other Christian denominations,” adding, “It’s a bold step, and its one that we have been lobbying for many years.”
So, a reprehensible decision by the PCUSA is backed by an even more reprehensible comment.
To make matters worse, this was reported by the Iranian-based Press TV, a network for which Rev. Sizer is a regular guest.
Why isn’t Sizer lobbying for a formal rebuke of the rampant corruption and violence and oppression found within Hamas and the Palestinian Authority?
Why isn’t he critical of the policies of the Islamic leadership that causes so much suffering for their own people?
Why must Rev. Sizer focus his attack on Israel, which treats its Arab citizens (now more than 2 million strong) better than the Palestinian Authority and Hamas treat their own citizens?
But it gets worse.
On June 22, in response to the kidnapping of the three Israelis teenagers several days earlier, Sizer posted a link on his Facebook page to a Jewish, anti-Zionist website that questioned what evidence there was that the teens were actually kidnapped. He then wrote, “What evidence indeed? When Jewish sources ask the question, you know there is more to the story than is being told.”
There is not even an attempt to hide his anti-Israel animus or his deep distrust of the Jewish people.
As Messianic Jewish leader Louis Lapides noted in 2011, “The problem with Sizer’s credentials is that once one studies all the groups he associates with, the clearer it becomes that Sizer’s major stance is anti-Christian Zionism. In fact, the vicar has no problems with associating with pro-Hamas groups like Viva Palestina Malaysia and with anti-Semitic speakers such as Mahathir Mohamad, Azzam Tamimi, and an apologist for anti-Semites, Lauren Booth.”
Returning to the present, on June 14, Rev. Sizer changed his Facebook picture to that of a Crusader uniform, explaining in a comment, “It’s meant to be a parody – I increasingly see the Christian Zionist Hasbarafia [meaning, its strongly committed elements] as simply Christian Jihadists.”
What ugly, dangerous, misplaced and inflammatory words, especially in light of the atrocities being carried out by Islamic jihadists worldwide. (To make matters even more muddled, he recently wrote an article calling for Christian jihad, but redefining the term so as to find harmony with some Islamic concepts.)
In the past few days, Rev. Sizer also shared a picture on his Facebook page with Palestinian children sitting on a concrete ledge as armed Israeli soldiers stood by. And in yet another slap in the face of the kidnapped Israeli teens, not to mention their families, he added the comment, “Free the kidnapped youth [meaning the Palestinians]: All of them.” (It appears this picture has since been removed from his Facebook page.)
And as if this were not enough – let’s not forget that Sizer is recognized as a Christian leader, not a Muslim leader – he also posted a link to a YouTube video featuring Sayed Hasan Nasrallah, secretary general of the terrorist group Hezbollah.
The video was entitled, “Nasrallah: Zionists Wish to Destroy Iraq due to Ancient Prophecy,” and it makes the claim that Israel is behind the attempted destruction of Iraq for both pragmatic and prophetic reasons. (Here is this bizarre video. This link also appears to have been deleted from Rev. Sizer’s Facebook page.)
Over the course of several years, my ministry organization has written to Rev. Sizer, inviting him to debate these issues with me on my radio show (or in other settings), but we have never heard back from him once. (Our one-hour radio debate was hosted by another network, and we had no contact other than during the debate.)
In light of the escalation in his rhetoric and the increasingly high stakes involved, I am issuing a formal invitation to Rev. Sizer to debate me on the relevant issues, including: Do promises to national Israel still exist? Do the Jewish people have any right to the land today? And, Is your criticism of Israel fair and balanced?
I’m sure we could find a proper setting for an in-depth, moderated, public debate, and I’m sure there would be much interest in such a debate, whether it was held in the States, the U.K., or Israel.
Until then, Rev. Sizer, I pray that God would grant you repentance for your ill-advised words and stands.
I would love to join you in standing for justice for all in the Middle East, but there can be no justice until your heart is softened toward the Jewish people and you embrace the full testimony of the Scriptures.
