CrownHeights.info drew my attention to this article in the St Louis Jewish Light Online newspaper. The author, Bruce Warshall, writes about his experiences with the Meshichesten in New York. While what he writes will be considered by some to be anti-Chabad I believe that it is about time that Lubavitchers came out loudly against these crazy people. If we can believe him, and I do, the pamphlet that he was given on the subway is beyond what any normal person should accept. Statements in the pamphlet such as the one below prove that these people have no grasp on reality - both with regards to the Rebbe and world events - and that outsiders believe that these points of view are mainstream Chabad:
"America's efforts to safeguard peace around the world are critical elements in actualizing the redemption, as proclaimed by the prophet of our generation, the Lubavitcher Rebbe king Messiah (Moshiach) shlita (who lives forever)... America can be proud...in meriting the blessing of exceeding success with which the Rebbe king Messiah shlita blessed the U.S. armed forces in their holy mission in Iraq." Never mind that Schneerson has been dead 13 years but is able to bless this latest war, making it a holy mission. No one told these people that it has not been a success. The rest of the country seems to understand that, but it hasn't gotten to Chabad headquarters in Brooklyn yet.
The pamphlet says it comes directly from 770 Eastern Parkway, so I assume that it is official Chabad doctrine. I am told that there are sophisticated local Chabad rabbis that do not believe the above, but I don't hear their voices. Until I hear them say that they do not believe that the Rebbe is the Messiah, I assume that they do. I also assume that they believe that the United Nations sits in New York because of the Rebbe, etc.He goes on to quote other parts of these pamphlets which I will not reproduce here. You can read them in his article if you wish.
The comments on CrownHeights.info give a wide range of views on this matter. Most people are disgusted and embarrassed by this terrible publicity. The attacks on the author are shortsighted and wrong. It doesn't help blaming the messenger. It is certainly much nicer reading those (somewhat breathless) articles extolling Chabad and the shluchim - but the facts have to be faced. These crazy, misguided people are destroying what the Rebbe spent decades building. Unless they are stopped I don't know what the fate of Lubavitch will be.
In a related matter, I don't know (and don't care) who took down the Yechi sign in Yeshivah shul. That it went back up again is another sign that the yellow people may be winning.
(Thank you to "The Sad Truth" and "Joe" who pointed out this article in the comments. I was going to post this yesterday but Pesach preparations took priority)
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