Strange and Curious Sects: Chabad Messianism

[joeblow]

http://www.daylightatheism.org/2010/02/ ... -viii.html

You get all kinds of weird and amusing religious literature on the New York subways, and here's the latest proof:



Click to enlarge. Also see interior and back cover.

If you've attended a college with a significant Jewish population, you're probably familiar with Chabad House, an organization that runs community centers and programs for observant Jews. What you may not know is who runs these centers - or one of this group's stranger and more curious offshoots, the subject of today's post.

The Chabad Lubavitch movement was founded in the 18th century by Shneur Zalman, an Orthodox Jewish rabbi, in Russia. Zalman was an adherent of Hasidism, the offshoot of Judaism that emphasizes ecstatic and mystical worship (i.e., Kabbalah), and is known for its followers' distinctive dress and use of the Yiddish language. Hasidic Jews are organized into dynastic communities each under the leadership of a single sage, a Rebbe, who's believed to enjoy God's special favor and, often, to possess miraculous powers and semi-divine insight into the workings of the world.

Including its founder, Shneur Zalman, the Chabad Lubavitch sect has had seven Rebbes. The seventh and most recent, Menachem Mendel Schneerson, took office in 1950. The Chabad Houses on college campuses and elsewhere were mainly his creation, the result of an outreach program intended to educate Americans about Hasidic Judaism and - more importantly - to urge all Jews to obey Orthodox religious law. (He also ran a secondary campaign to encourage non-Jews to obey the seven "Noahide Laws" for gentiles - probably the closest thing Judaism has ever had to explicit evangelism.)

Schneerson died in 1994 without naming a successor, and the Chabad movement has been without a Rebbe ever since. As you might have expected, this has led to fragmentation and power struggles, though the movement as a whole appears to be thriving - it has over 200,000 adherents, making it one of the single largest Hasidic groups. But it may be that the lack of clear earthly leadership has inspired some of its followers to start thinking in new directions. As you can see from my subway pamphlet, there's a small but vocal and growing faction of Lubavitchers who believe their last, deceased Rebbe was the Moshiach - i.e., the Messiah, the prophesied hero of the Bible who will unite and rule over the Jews and usher in God's kingdom on Earth.

As this article explains, when Schneerson was alive, Lubavitcher belief in his messianic status was fairly strong. Schneerson never explicitly proclaimed himself the messiah, but he never denied it either; he repeatedly made wink-and-nudge references to the imminence of the messianic age and did little to quell the growing messianic enthusiasm of his followers. In one video from later in his life, he accepts a petition signed by thousands of Lubavitchers declaring him the messiah; in another, he smiles as a group of his followers sing a song called the Yechi - the Yiddish lyrics of which translate to, "May our master, teacher and rabbi, the king messiah, live forever."

Being deceased would seem to be an obvious disqualifier for messianic status - and indeed, there are non-messianic Lubavitchers who consider their messianic brethren an embarrassment and try to squelch them. Yet Schneerson's devotees, commonly referred to as "mesichists", don't see this as an obstacle. Exactly how they deal with the fact of his death varies: some insist that he's not actually dead but is merely hidden, biding his time to return. Others claim that his messiahship persists in some spiritual realm beyond the physical world. Still others believe that he'll be resurrected when the time is right. All, however, share the belief that the Rebbe will return and the messianic age will arrive when a sufficient fraction of the world's population learns about him and is convinced of his messiahhood - hence, my pamphlet from the subway.

I looked on Chabad World, the website set up by Schneerson's followers, for an explanation of how they reconcile the fact of his death with their belief in him as Moshiach. I didn't find one - it's a subject the website tends to skate around, for example by repeatedly referring to Schneerson in the present tense ("the Rebbe teaches..."), such that someone who didn't already know he was dead probably wouldn't realize it. However, I did find lots of entertaining supplementary material, such as these miracle claims attributed to Schneerson, or this highly amusing page which argues not just for creationism, but apparently for geocentrism. Also not to be missed from that page is the comical explanation of how the Rebbe knew there is no intelligent life in the universe other than humans, which I can't possibly do justice to by trying to summarize it here.

Aside from the clear documentation of Schneerson's life, it's hard not to notice the similarities between Chabad-Lubavitch messianism and early Christianity. As time passes and the Rebbe fails to return, it's inevitable that historical memory of him will grow vaguer, the stories of his life and miracles will become further exaggerated, and his absence will almost certainly be worked into apologetic arguments which claim it was the plan all along for him to bide his time. Like Christianity, this new faith may flourish and grow; or like the teachings of Sabbatai Zevi, another would-be Jewish messiah, it may lose its ardor and fade away. There seems to be a perennial tendency in Judaism to latch onto some earthly figure as the messiah, which may be because the lack of a clearly defined afterlife has led them to continually look for this-worldly deliverance.

[joeblow]

The chabad lubavitch Rebbe is not Moshiach!

[youtube:29fiumyj]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LYv8x4xqjtE[/youtube]29fiumyj]

Uploaded by hatufim on Dec 21, 2010

the chabad lubavitch rebbe rabbi menachem mendel schneerson is not the moshiach (messiah)

the fact that the members of the chabad lubavitch organization say that their dead rebbe rabbi is the moshiach only causes problems to the people of israel

video courtesy of BeJewish.org

[joeblow]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Menachem_M ... leadership

America and leadership

Escape from Europe

In 1941, Schneerson escaped from Europe on the Serpa Pinto, which embarked from Lisbon, Portugal. It was one of the last boats to cross the Atlantic before the U-boat blockade began,[22] and joined his father-in-law, Rabbi Yosef Yitzchok Schneersohn, in the Crown Heights section of Brooklyn, New York. Seeking to contribute to the war effort, he went to work in the Brooklyn Navy Yard, drawing wiring for the battleship USS Missouri (BB-63),[23][24] and other classified military work.[25]
Rise in America

In 1942, his father-in-law appointed him director of the Chabad movement's newly-founded central organizations, placing him at the helm of building the movement's Jewish educational, social services, and publishing networks across the United States, Israel, Africa, Europe and Australia. However, Schneerson kept a low public profile within the movement. He would speak publicly only once a month, delivering talks to his father-in-law's followers.[4]

During the 1940s, Schneerson became a naturalized US citizen. For many years to come, he would speak about America's special place in the world, and would argue that the bedrock of the United States' power and uniqueness came from its foundational values, which were, according to Schneerson, '"E pluribus unum'—from many one", and "In God we trust."[26] In 1949, his father-in-law would become a U.S. citizen, with the Rebbe assisting to coordinate the event. A special dispensation was arranged wherein the federal judge came to "770" to officiate at Rabbi Yoseph Yitzchak's citizenship proceedings, rather than the wheelchair-bound Rebbe travel to a courthouse for the proceedings. Uniquely, the event was recorded on color motion film.[27]

[joeblow]

http://www.chabad-mafia.com/

C H A B A D   M A F I A
chabad = lubavitch = cult = mafia = crime = fraud = abuse = drugs = fake

| Chabad | Cult | History | Religion | Mafia | Crime | Fraud | Abuse | Drugs | Fake |
| Hatred | Holocaust | Messianic | Boss | Jewish Law | Alternatives | Español |
| Violence | USA | Israel | World | Idolatry | Book | Psak | Life | Psycho |
| Madness |

The Jewish People have a big problem. This problem is an organization known as Chabad, Chabad-Lubavitch, or Lubavitch. This website describes this problem, and tries to prevent additional Jews from becoming "Victims of Chabad."

This website was created by Jews for Jews. If you are not Jewish you may not understand what is being presented. If you are Jewish and you do not understand, then you should consult with your local Orthodox (non-Chabad) Rabbi, and do your own research about these issues.

What is Chabad? Chabad is a religious cult and a criminal organization. Why is this a problem for the Jews? Chabad poses as an Orthodox Jewish group. They say they are more religious, more strict in their religion, than regular Orthodox Jews.

In reality, Chabad's ideology is NOT Jewish. In Israel, Chabad is considered by the most important Rabbis as a religion different from Judaism. Chabad is a different religion. Chabadism is NOT Judaism.

So, why is this bad for the Jews? Chabad is a criminal organization. Chabad is mostly involved in white collar criminal activities such as financial fraud, tax evasion, and money laundering.

Chabad has also been linked to various Jewish child abuse cases

When these criminal activities are discovered and exposed to the public, and because Chabad poses as a Jewish organization, anti-Jewish hatred is created. That is, Chabad creates anti-semitism in the world.

Also, many of Chabad victims are Jewish. Mostly, Jewish children. Chabad runs several schools around the world. The objective of these schools is NOT to provide a good Jewish education for their students. The objective of these schools is to MAKE A PROFIT at the expense of the Jewish children.

A Chabad school is NOT a safe place for Jewish children

In fact, everything and anything Chabad does, they do to MAKE A PROFIT. Chabad Rabbis are known to have millions of dollars in their offshore bank accounts resulting from, among other things, donations.

This facts explain the advice that many important Rabbis have been giving us for the past few decades:

DO NOT PUT YOUR CHILDREN IN A CHABAD SCHOOL,
EVEN IF THEY OFFER YOU FREE TUITION

IF YOUR CHILDREN ARE NOW IN A CHABAD SCHOOL,
REMOVE THEM IMMEDIATELY

NEVER GIVE ANY MONEY TO CHABAD,
NEVER GIVE ANY DONATIONS TO CHABAD

BOYCOTT ALL CHABAD PROJECTS, AND
AVOID PRAYING IN A CHABAD TEMPLE

Chabad-Lubavitch is a religious cult from Crown Heights, Brooklyn, New York. Chabad-Lubavitch thrives in areas with large numbers of assimilated Jews, who are ignorant about Judaism, so they can teach them their ideology.

Chabad-Lubavitch is also an international organized crime syndicate that strangles free enterprise and raises the level of violence, fraud, and corruption in various cities in the USA, and across the world.

What to do? First, DO NOT SEND YOUR CHILDREN TO A CHABAD SCHOOL. NEVER! If your children are now attending a Chabad-Lubavitch school, remove them IMMEDIATELY and send them to a regular Jewish school, a non-Chabad school. Also, NEVER GIVE ANY MONEY TO CHABAD. If you want to give charity, give to a Jewish organization, not to Chabad.

IF YOU LOVE YOUR CHILDREN,
DO NOT PUT THEM IN A CHABAD SCHOOL

Advice from the Rabbis for those living outside of Israel, "A Jewish child should always be sent to a private Jewish school. A family living in a place where there are no Jewish schools, should move to a Jewish community with good Jewish schools. A family that has no money to send their children to a private Jewish school should move to Israel, where all schools are free, and send their children to a religious school there. A Jewish child should NEVER be sent to a Chabad school because a Chabad school is NOT Jewish. In the USA it's better to send a child to a public school rather than a Chabad school."

Rabbi Aaron Leib Shteinman
Rabbi Aaron
Leib Shteinman    Advice to Jewish parents:
"A Jewish child should NEVER be
sent to a Chabad school because
a Chabad school is NOT Jewish"    Rabbi Yosef Shalom Elyashiv
Rabbi Yosef
Shalom Elyashiv
Rabbi Shmuel Auerbach
Rabbi Shmuel
Auerbach    Rabbi Chaim Kanievsky
Rabbi Chaim
Kanievsky    Rabbi Chaim Pinchas Sheinberg
Rabbi Chaim
Pinchas Sheinberg    Rabbi Nissim Karelitz
Rabbi Nissim
Karelitz    Rabbi Michael Yehuda Lefkowitz
Rabbi Michael
Yehuda Lefkowitz
DO NOT SEND YOUR CHILDREN TO A CHABAD SCHOOL. NEVER !!! Hidden camera reveals what Chabad teaches children
Chabad Children Salute Invisible Rebbe Moshiach
THIS IS NOT JUDAISM !!!

CHABAD-LUBAVITCH IS NOT A JEWISH ORGANIZATION, KEEP
YOURSELF, YOUR CHILDREN, AND YOUR MONEY, AWAY FROM IT!

In this website we try to provide a simple explanation as to why Chabad is bad for the Jews. At the same time, we call on all Chabad Rabbis to abandon their Chabad ways and come back to the Jewish People. Make no mistake, Chabad is a religious cult and a criminal organization. Chabad is bad for the Jews.

IMPORTANT MESSAGE FROM THE GDOLEI HADOR:

WE CALL UPON EVERY RABBI IN EVERY JEWISH COMMUNITY IN THE WORLD TO EDUCATE AND TELL THEIR COMMUNITY THAT CHABAD IS NOT JEWISH.

WE CALL UPON EVERY PRINCIPAL IN EVERY JEWISH SCHOOL IN THE WORLD TO EDUCATE AND TELL THEIR STUDENTS THAT CHABAD IS NOT JEWISH.

WE CALL UPON EVERY JEWISH FATHER AND JEWISH MOTHER IN THE WORLD TO EDUCATE AND TELL THEIR CHILDREN THAT CHABAD IS NOT JEWISH.

THIS IS ALREADY BEING DONE IN ISRAEL AND MANY OTHER PLACES. CHABAD HAS GONE TOO FAR.

EXPEL CHABAD FROM YOUR COMMUNITY NOW,
BEFORE THEY CAUSE ADDITIONAL HARM.

!!! CHABAD IS BAD FOR THE JEWS !!!
!!! JUST SAY NO TO CHABAD !!!

Disclaimer: Please conduct your own investigation about the issues mentioned in this website. This website is only a brief summary of the problems with Chabad. For more information, please talk to your local community Rabbi. Also, if you really care about being Jewish, come live in Israel and study Judaism.

Copyright Notice: According to Jewish Law, it is a Mitzva, a religious obligation, to provide this information to every Jew in the world, in order to protect Jewish children from Chabad, and to save Jewish lives and Jewish souls from being destroyed by Chabad. Therefore, permission is granted to copy and reproduce all of the information found on this website in any form and publication, including any website or blog, and to translate it to any language. The only requirement is that you mention that the information was obtained from this website, and in the case of internet pages, please add a link back to this website.

[Michael K.]

Dear Joeblow,

You provide an interesting look at the Chabad movement, but I still have a few questions, for instance; are Hasids and Chabad Lubavichers all the same?  And what about Meyer Kahane, he was a kook; was he also Lubavich?

Is this the Orthodox Jewish equivalent of a "limited hang-out?"

[joeblow]

Dear Joeblow,

You provide an interesting look at the Chabad movement, but I still have a few questions, for instance; are Hasids and Chabad Lubavichers all the same?  And what about Meyer Kahane, he was a kook; was he also Lubavich?

Is this the Orthodox Jewish equivalent of a "limited hang-out?"

Chabad is a subset of Hassidic Judaism, Kahane was Ultra-orthodox Sephardic Haredi, if by Orthodox Judaism you mean groups like Satmar and Neutrei Karta, then no, I do not think so, I consider them allies.

The reason for creating this was to expose something embarrassing that Jews would rather keep unknown.

 8-)

[Michael K.]

Dear Joeblow,

When you say:

The reason for creating this was to expose something embarrassing that Jews would rather keep unknown.

...it seems as though you take my words as a question about your motives, but that was not my intent.  Rather it was about this particular quote from the text above:

The Jewish People have a big problem. This problem is an organization known as Chabad, Chabad-Lubavitch, or Lubavitch. This website describes this problem, and tries to prevent additional Jews from becoming "Victims of Chabad."

This website was created by Jews for Jews. If you are not Jewish you may not understand what is being presented. If you are Jewish and you do not understand, then you should consult with your local Orthodox (non-Chabad) Rabbi, and do your own research about these issues.

In context, I question whether this was Orthodox Jewish "limited Hang-out,"being that the use of Chabad as a scapegoat might serve the purpose of directing the reader away from the negative aspects of Orthodox Judaism, which is Talmudism, and hence, for lack of a better word, Talmudic.