A Reply to Eddie Chumney re Ephraimites (14 [22] September, 2014 , 19 [27] Elul, 5774)
An Answer to:
Ephraimites: A History by Edward Chumney
Note. This article was written a week ago but has now been re-edited and made public.
Contents:
1. Eddie Chumney is a friend of Yair Davidiy and of Brit-Am/Hebrew Nations
2. The Complaints of Ephraim According to Eddie.
3. Defence of the Complainers is Exagerated.
4. Replies to the Complaints.
5. The Need for Mutual Respect.
6. Physical Ancestry is Important to Ephraimites!
7. Conclusion
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1. Eddie Chumney is a friend of Yair Davidiy and of Brit-Am/Hebrew Nations
First of all Eddie Chumney is a friend of ours.
Eddie in the past has helped Brit-Am/Hebrew Nations a great deal. He still supports us and says so. He has suffered because of it, been discriminated against, slandered, misrepresented, and so on.
We in Brit-Am emphasize spreading the knowledge of physical ancestry, whereas Eddie nowadays concentrates on theological issues in addition to acknowledging a biological connection between the Jews and peoples in the west. We have great respect for each other but differences of opinion obviously exist..
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2. The Complaints of Ephraim According to Eddie.
Eddie Chumney in Ephraimites: A History by Edward Chumney says:
So, how do Ephramites get frustrated as Judah? When Judah says to Ephraim:
1) You don't have to follow the Torah
2) We don't recognize you as our brother even though you claim you are
3) You have to convert to Judaism
When these things are said to Ephraim, then Ephraim regards Judah as NOT building a bridge. So, in frustration, Ephraim starts to attack Judah and do things independently from Judah.
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3. Defence of the Complainers is Exagerated.
There is such a thing as loyalty that is unrequited. Someone who is disappointed in love does not turn to hate. Judah should be respected because the Bible requires it. It should not be dependent on how the Jews react to expression of fraternity. I have known Eddie for years. He has been my guest for weeks on end on some of his visits to Israel. We have spent many hours in mutual conversation. I never once heard Eddie make a statement or say anything that could be considered even remotely anti-Jewish. On the contrary. Eddie has always spoken well of the Jewish People. So this point is NOT directed against Eddie but rather to some of the others who may not even be Ephraimites but are identified as such.
It should be noted that US Identity people who are associated with neo-Nazi and pagan groups (and whom Joseph Dummon of Sighted Moon quotes as authorities against the Jews and Judaism) seem to have dedicated very large sums of money in recent years to inlfuencing Ephraimite type Christians and even Jews. Eddie may well not be yet aware of this.
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Brit-Am Replies:
Eddie listed three complaints. Let us change the order in order to deal with the questions in a logical sequence.
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No.2. Recognition.
The complaint was:
2) We [i.e. Jews] don't recognize you as our brother even though you claim you are.
According to Eddie the Ephraimites are not claiming to be the brother of Judah through ancestry but rather by virtue of their belief in the Christian Messiah. Presumably this means believing in a version approved by Eddie and his fellows and not necessarily that of all Christians? We however know from other messages from Eddie and his support for us that the truth of physical ancestry is important to him. He therefore means that in addition to physical ancestry Ephraimites should have the right to declare others as part of Israel just as Jews convert non-Jews to Judaism.
Anyway Jews do not believe in any form of Christianity, let alone the version Eddie favors. Eddie can do as he will but he should not expect others, who do not believe as he does, to acquiesce? Jews, like non-Jews, on the whole are unaware that the Lost Ten Tribes are amongst Western Peoples. They may have heard of the idea but they do not believe in it. Neither do most other peoples, including the majority of the actual possible descendants of Israel in the west. We hope one day this will change but in the meantime why come with claims against the Jews in Israel? There are numerous other peoples of whom it is claimed that they too are descendants of Israel. These other claims are mistaken but they receive more support and more publicity than our own beliefs do.
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No.1. Keeping the Torah.
The complaint was:
1) [Jews say to Ephraimites] You don't have to follow the Torah
This is complicated. Rather than discuss (for the present) the Jewish attitude let us look at what Ephraimites actually want.
The Ephraimites DO NOT WANT to follow the Torah as it is written or as the Rabbis explain it but rather to pick and choose commandments and practices they feel easy with.
For example, no Ephraimite today (as far as I know) advocates the death penalty for desecrating the Sabbath.
How therefore do they deal with such verses as:
Exodus 31:
15 For six days shall work be done, but the seventh day is a sabbath of solemn rest, holy to the Lord; whoever does any work on the sabbath day shall be put to death. 16 Therefore the Israelites shall keep the sabbath, observing the sabbath throughout their generations, as a perpetual covenant. 17 It is a sign for ever between me and the people of Israel that in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, and on the seventh day he rested, and was refreshed.
It is a free country. The Ephraimites say in effect that they do not have to follow the Torah but may pick and choose what they like from it. It is not our business to say whether the Ephraimites are right or wrong in this concerning themselves.
But why should they be offended when Judah does not agree with them?
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No. 3. Conversion.
The complain was:
3) [Jews say:] You have to convert to Judaism
No-one says anyone has to convert. In fact Judaism discourages converts.
If however one wished to be considered a full-fledged Israelite in the eyes of the Rabbis then one should convert.
Now this can be argued or discussed or modified but what is the point?
What does Eddie want? That we accept non-Jewish Christians as honorary Jews because they want it? And this, despite some of them not exactly being as pro-Jewish as many other Christians are?
Concerning Conversion.
Other the centuries there have been non-Jews who became Jewish. One source gives the opinion that these were descendants of the Ten Tribes.
The Ten Tribes shall return and re-unite with Judah in the End Times (Ezekiel 37). Until then, the two entities will be separate. The Zohar (VaYechi) may be understood as saying that these and descendants of Jews who were also lost shall return and convert as an outcome of their returning. In this case the conversion is not a denial of physical ancestry but rather a Renewal of the Covenant. This has Biblical precedents. At all events, it is something that may be resolved in the future and is not a question for the present.
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Dwelling in the Land.
Eddie should have added that Judah does not recognize Ephraimites as Israelites as far as inheriting the land alongside the Jews is concerned. This seems to create a certain amount of resentment. We used to get a lot of letters and e-mails on this matter. I do not know how many Ephraimites would actually come and stay in Israel if they could but some would and others would like to feel they could if they ever wanted to.
Again, to resolve this issue we may have to wait for the coming of the Messiah. Meanwhile the physical ancestry of non-Jews in western nations who are descended from Israel should be ascertained as much as it possibly can be. People should be encouraged to look into this matter for its own sake.
Non-Jewish possible descendants of Israelites should be told:
You may descend from Israelites or you may not. We may be able to close the uncertainty gap to a great degree but an element of doubt will remain until the Messiah resolves the issue in the future. This means you cannot come to Israel as a citizen since you are not Jewish by religion, and presumably do not wish to change that. This is how Divine Providence wants things to be, for the time being. In the meantime you may actuate your possible Israelite Ancestry by learning of the issue; helping the uncertainty factor to be reduced by supporting research and propagation of information; upgrading your own Biblical Consciousness; supporting the State of Israel and the Jewish people.
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5. The Need for Mutual Respect.
Somewhere along the line we may be working for the same aim but expressing it differently. We naturally believe that our own approach is the more correct one. At all events we need to respect each other.
One of our audience summed up the matter very nicely, see the comment below the following video clip:
Re
Are the Ten Tribes Following Christianity Today? Eddie Chumney interviews Yair Davidiy (article continued below. Please Scroll Down).
Ally McBeaver
Seeing a Christian and Jew together like this demonstrating respect for each other and basically working toward a common goal makes me feel very encouraged. A reunified House of Judah and House of Israel will be the most powerful force on the planet. I wonder if this will happen during my lifetime?
to which Eddie commented:
Yes, what Ally said is 'Music to my ears'. It touches my heart.
Notice she said .... "Respecting each other" ....
The interview that you and I did .... is what people want to see .... and see more of ...
Ephraim and Judah .... respecting each other .... and working together. That is the bridge.
Eddie
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6. Physical Ancestry is Important to Ephraimites!
The belief that the Lost Ten Tribes are physically amongst Western Peoples has an importance to many Ephraimites.
Eddie himself for many years was the strongest supporter that Brit-Am had. He still supports us. Eddie suffered because of this and his organization was discriminated against over it. Eddie emphasizes a spiritual identification as Israel as well as the physical one. OK. In the past, many Ephraimites were interested and did support us. Now many do not. Perhaps matters have changed? We have continued with our researches and improved upon them. They who are no longer interested may go their own way.
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Eddie himself is a personal friend of Yair Davidiy. He also supports Brit-Am. In this sense Eddie is a Hero of the Hebrew Nations. On the other hand certain processes have been evolving in the Ephraimite Movement that militate against the spread of Hebrew Nations awareness. Eddie is a leader of the Ephraimite Movement but may not be aware of all aspects of this tendency. The emphasis in the Ephraimite Movement on spiritual belonging based on belief rather than physical ancestry that Eddie speaks about is new to us but it does explain much. If such is the situation it involves theological principles that we would rather not be involved with discussion of. May the God of Israel bless all of us and show us the way to the truth.