Eretz Israel is our unforgettable historic homeland...The Jews who will it shall achieve their State...And whatever we attempt there for our own benefit will redound mightily and beneficially to the good of all mankind. (Theodor Herzl, DerJudenstaat, 1896)

We offer peace and amity to all the neighbouring states and their peoples, and invite them to cooperate with the independent Jewish nation for the common good of all. The State of Israel is ready to contribute its full share to the peaceful progress and development of the Middle East.
(From Proclamation of the State of Israel, 5 Iyar 5708; 14 May 1948)

With a liberal democratic political system operating under the rule of law, a flourishing market economy producing technological innovation to the benefit of the wider world, and a population as educated and cultured as anywhere in Europe or North America, Israel is a normal Western country with a right to be treated as such in the community of nations.... For the global jihad, Israel may be the first objective. But it will not be the last. (Friends of Israel Initiative)

Thursday 3 November 2016

Stephen Sizer Chastised By His Bishop

It seems especially appropriate that, on the 99th anniversary of the Balfour Declaration, the Bishop of Guildford, Andrew Watson, has issued the following statement respecting the Vicar of Virginia Water's attendance at the Israel-demonising event chaired by Baroness Tonge (see my post here):
"In February 2015, Dr Stephen Sizer undertook to refrain from writing or speaking on themes relating to the current situation in the Middle East and to its historical backdrop for as long as he remained a parish priest in the Diocese of Guildford. Until now, this agreement has been upheld in letter and spirit, however Dr Sizer recently attended an event which clearly engages in these themes, and around which there has subsequently been understandable controversy. Additionally, Dr Sizer published a social media post relating to the event, also contravening his agreement.
 Dr Sizer has already given notice of his resignation as vicar of Virginia Water from Easter 2017, and said that he attended the event in question on the understanding that our agreement no longer stood now that his resignation had been tendered. This is certainly not the case. I have spoken with Dr Sizer to make clear that I am disappointed by his actions and to clarify that our agreement categorically must run until the end of his tenure of office.
 Dr Sizer is aware how seriously I view this and has stated to me that it was not his intention to break the agreement which he has upheld until now. However, with its terms now clarified beyond any doubt, Dr Sizer has been warned that any further breach of the agreement must result in his tenure of office ending with immediate effect." [Emphasis added]
Time to de-friend John Hannah and Harriet, vicar.
 The Board of Deputies of British Jews has responded:
"Stephen Sizer has breached the terms of the undertakings he gave to the Church of England by attending and publishing a social media post about a particularly ugly and inflammatory event with Jenny Tonge in the chair. Tonge was subsequently suspended from the Liberal Democrat Party as a result.
The terms of Sizer’s agreement – drawn up after he repeatedly shared antisemitic material on social media – required him to refrain from writing or speaking on themes relating to the current situation in the Middle East and to its historical backdrop for as long as he remained a parish priest in the Diocese of Guildford. By attending an event where the audience is alleged to have applauded the suggestion that Jews were responsible for the Holocaust, he clearly flouted the agreement, earning him a stinging public rebuke from his bishop in the Diocese of Guildford. The Bishop’s statement makes it clear that while Sizer intends to leave his post in 2017, his ability to reach that date by his own accord now hangs by a thread.
Board of Deputies Vice President Marie van der Zyl said: “A repeat offender in the trafficking of antisemitic slurs, the ‘soon-to-be-ex’ clergyman Stephen Sizer has spectacularly flouted his written undertaking to the Church of England by attending an event filled with toe-curling antisemitism. If he had any shred of decency, Sizer would have fulfilled the terms of the agreement and tendered his resignation with immediate effect. He now guarantees that he will end his clerical career under a cloud. The sad irony that this divisive figure is moving on to a charity called ‘Peacemaker Mediators’ is not lost on us.” [Emphasis added]
I guess that until his resignation on Easter Sunday the vicar will stop pressing the "Like" button on other Israel-bashers' social media posts, then, as in this "Like" regarding a comment from Baroness Tonge disparaging pro-Israel commenters who have taken to countering her anti-Israel observations on Facebook:

17 comments:

  1. Excuses, excuses -- the bishop needs to take anything coming from that parson with a whole shaker of salt not a pinch!

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  2. Indeed... Excuses excuses... What the Bishop's "chastising" basically boils down to is "one more last chance"... I wonder how they define "last"...

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  3. Nathan and Shtrudel, time to post the link you, Nathan, reminded me of last week, to this great article:
    https://www.firstthings.com/blogs/firstthoughts/2015/02/the-master-of-apologies

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  4. The JC reports the story. http://www.thejc.com/news/uk-news/165549/stephen-sizer-warned-after-attending-anti-israel-meeting
    ("The JC understands he posted seven pictures of the session on Facebook, but has since deleted the images")
    Reporter Marcus Dysch was offered my scoop 9/11 Sizer screenshot back in January 2015 but politely declined it. Not so the JC's rival paper, the Jewish News. I haven't bothered sending Dysch my screenshot of the Sizer Facebook post he alludes to in his article.

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  5. What a vile person is that Tonge wo
    man.

    Sizer reminds me of a KKK clergyman singing benedictions while they whipped a Black man to death.

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    Replies
    1. He seems to be licking his wounds at the moment.

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  6. crap spin -- Sizer announced his resignation (good riddance) before his latest outing -- https://rehmat1.com/2016/11/04/uks-stephen-sizer-to-leave-priesthood-over-jewish-bullying/

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    Replies
    1. Thanks, Nathan. That guy is an obvious antisemite; our old mate should be embarrassed by having a guy like that going to bat for him.

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  7. The actual agreement issued by the Bishop of Guildford Andrew Watson, calls on Sizer to immediately resign should he breach the terms of the agreement. Apparently the Bishop can not be expected to uphold his vows, go figure.

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    Replies
    1. I noticed that. I bet he will be happy to see the back of Sizer, though.

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  8. There is strong evidence that the Good Braying Vicar has been flouting his ban all along, via his website(s) balfourproject.org and balfourdeclaration.org which were once listed as belonging to Sizer but curiously were registered as "private" since Sizer's 2015 wrist slapping by the Right Reverend Bishop.

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    Replies
    1. I recall being told soon after it appeared that the Balfour Project website was registered in his name.

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    2. The ownership can be empirically proven but will the Bishop ask the question, "during the time of your agreement [not to bleat on social media] were you writing for these websites but not in your name?" ?

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  9. Replies
    1. Does anyone have contact details of His Holiness?

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    2. If you google Diocese of Guildford you will probably find them. I am assuming by "His Holiness" you mean the bishop and not the vicar. If the latter, there is a contact email given on the Peacemaker Mediators poster that I think is on his personal blog.

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    3. Yes, I should have remembered Google! I fear that should anything untoward happen to the Vicar, it will be like the wasp's nest we found in our garage when I was a child, that unless it is totally and painstakingly removed then there will only be more anger.. and attacks.

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