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Dr. Akiva Belk, director of Jewish Path, and co-founder of B'nai Noach Institute, is another vocal "anti-missionary" who has written several articles and essays designed to subvert believers in Yeshua HaMashiach. Below, The Refiner's Fire exposes the agenda of one such (poorly-written and error-laden) essay entitled, An Essay About Dealing With Missionaries.
An Essay About Dealing With Missionaries ©
By Dr. Akiva G. Belk
This essay study is dedicated in the loving memory of Mr. Paul Sakash, may he rest in peace.
In the fall of 1998 while traveling through the enormous halls of Denver International Airport I was accosted by a missionary pastor. He spotted me. It wasn't difficult! standing at six foot two inches tall, with a white beard and payos wearing a five inch felt fur Borsalino from Italy, a long black coat, a black suit, a pressed white shirt and carrying the large safer, Tractate Bava Kamma made it very easy for this missionary to pick out a Jew in a non rush hour. I was walking on the people mover toward the arrival gates when he spotted me. Keep in mind, he was not on the people mover so he had to run just to keep up.
Before he approached I had already marked him as a Christian missionary. Probable a pastor from a local church who needed some material to share with his church on Sunday. He wasn't wearing a plaid sports coat like a used car salesman but just the same my neshsama pick him out as if he were. . My neshsama new what his intentions were before he approached, before he spoke a word. It was clear. He was the eager zealous type missionary. He wasn't someone I knew being a former messianic myself. He wasn't a Jews for Jesus type. He didn't sport a beard, yamakua or tzitzis with a thread of blue like many of them do.
I thought should I play with him, ignore him or nail him before he gets started?
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The Messianic response:
Dr. Belk's sadistic glee and overt sarcasm has been duly noted (as have the myriad glaring grammar, typos and spelling errors)....
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Dr. Belk continues:
He approached with these words, I like Jewish people. I thought Oh good! He continued, What's that book your carrying? I responded in a frustrated look and tone Bava Kamma. He continued to pepper me with questions that I ignored. When it eventually became clear that his conversation was not appreciated he stopped and left me alone.
Upon reaching the gate of the individual who was to be received and upon settling comfortably into a seat the missionary resurrected in the chair next to mine. Round two began with these words, excuse me...
Unaware to this missionary, I had the distinct advantage of knowing the come on's from years of training missionaries. After a brief conversation that lacked my participation I decided to nail him by saying, I know the direction this conversation is headed in. You see, I brought a book to study but before ending this conversation would you answer several questions? He affirmed with a nod. I asked, Do you have a library at home? He responded Yes. Then continuing with another question, Do you have a concordance in your library? He avoided the answer with severalquestions, What's that? Is that a book where you look things up? Maybe I have one. I'm not sure... I firmly said while staring into his eyes, You know what a concordance is. He tried to object. Then continuing on, They are published by Christian publishers. Don't sit here and lie to me! Then getting very specific I said, Are you saying that you don't own a Strongs Concordance, a Young's Analytical concordance or a Matthew Henry concordance? His head hung with embracement as he admitted owning all three. We talked a few more minutes then he left. Before leaving I gave him a Torah Nugget to consider. Study the word alone (La vah do). Notice how it is used. Does alone ever refer to more than one? Notice the examples of La Vah Do. If you would like a copy of the article La Vah Do the cost is three U.S. dollars. E-mail me under SUBJECT with the word La Vah Do.
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The Messianic response:
It would have been nice if Dr. Belk had provided an actual audio or video tape so that we wouldn't have to take his word for it because, in all honesty, the above conversation sounds somewhat stilted and one-sided. Belk seems to want us to believe that this "missionary" is some moron who wilted under his glare and left with his tail tucked between his legs. To someone who was truly intent on "witnessing" to a Jew, the above wouldn't be enough to scare him off! If the above conversation really happened, then that particlar "missionary" didn't really know his Bible or his God, or he would have been able to show Dr. Belk that the Brit Chadasha is a continuation of the Tanach ("Old Testament) - which not only foreshadowed Yeshua, but also revealed the "echad-ness" via the "Shema", the Jewish confession of faith made up of Deut 6:4-9, 11:13-21, and Numbers 15:37-41.
Furthermore, that "missionary" would have had a few questions of his own to ask Dr. Belk, such as the ones outlined and answered in Messiah Revealed, Part I, Part II, Part III, Part IV, Part V, Part VI and Part VII.
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Dr. Belk continues:
This was a sad encounter because it exemplifies how utterly stupid missionaries think Jews are. No one should be shocked by these type of actions because The New Testament depicts the Kohen Godel as a blundering idiot and the Bias Den as a bunch of fools. This is the old style missionaryattitude held by many Christian who sincerely believe anyone that doesn't confess Jesus as savior will burn in hell.
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The Messianic response:
Actually, this was "a sad encounter" because Dr. Belk - according to what he has written above - wants the world to believe that believers in Messiah Yeshua are bumbling idiots who should be ridiculed and dismissed by traditional Jews. One wonders why Dr. Belk felt he had to "nail" this guy. He would have displayed a lot more integrity and class had he simply said, "Thanks, but I'm not interested in hearing about Jesus", and walked away.
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Dr. Belk continues:
Messianic groups believe the same even though there approach is much smoother and there presentation is very authentic on the surface. Even though some Christians / Messianics are very cunning and choose to practice deceitfulness 99% will confess their true beliefs when push comes to shove.
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The Messianic response:
We challenge Dr. Belk to present documented proof, of the above allegations that "Christians/Messianics are very cunning and choose to practice deceitfulness" and that "99 percent will confess their true beliefs when push comes to shove"....We also demand he present actual evidence of "their true beliefs"! It's easy to make unfounded allegations; but providing actual proof takes some proper and truthful research.
If the reading public is interested in an example of TRUE DECEIT, we ask them to read what Dr. Belk did to BiblicalTruth @ The Refiner's Fire towards the end of 2002....
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Dr. Belk continues:
Look them in the eye and say, answer only yes or no to these questions:
Do you John smith right here and right now believe that Jesus is the son of G-d? Yes or No...
Do you John smith believe right here and right now that Jesus died for your sins? Yes or No..
Do you John smith believe right here and right now that Jesus shed his blood for you? Yes or No...
Do you John smith believe right here and right now that Jesus is the only name given whereby you can be saved? Yes or No?
G-d does not lie or practice deciet!
Wishing you the best,
Dr. Akiva G. Belk
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The Messianic response:
...And this proves WHAT, exactly? That a "missionary" doesn't really believe what he is saying? How does that disprove Yeshua or the Brit Chadasha? How does that prove that traditional Jews have the market cornered on Truth?
All that the above proves is that Dr. Belk's essay is just another attempt to defame the character of believers in Yeshua....
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