News

Zionist Christianity is American heresy

Egypt-USA, Religion, 5/11/2002

From Arabianews.com

Patriarch of Alexandria and Saint Mark Diocese, Pope Shenouda III said the term Zionist Christianity is an American heresy and a by-product of a bizarre environment that has no existence in the Arab world.

There is no such thing as Zionist Christianity in the Arab world, it is an "American heresy", totally unacceptable and rejected by all genuine Christian sects around the world, the Pope emphatically told his congregation at his weekly sermon at St Mark's Cathedral Wednesday night.

"It is a by-product of a bizarre environment in the U.S. under which any radical group has the right to establish a religious belief, giving way to unacceptable political ideologies under the cover of religion," he added.

"It is from this American environment that Jehovah's Witnesses and the Adventists emerged, whose doctrines are much closer to Zionist Judaism than Christianity," he said.

"Christianity in general advocates peace and love and rejects suppression, occupation, usurping the rights of others or liquidating the opposition, which are basic principles in world Zionism," he added.

"Eastern Christianity in particular has been committed to Arab national causes and has together with Islam struggled for the realization of independence and the protection of the land and honour," he said.

"Among the doctrines of these radical groups is the sanctification of the Sabbath and the belief that the return of Christ is linked to the Jewish regrouping in Israel, which are all Zionist beliefs," he added.