Event #1 Catholic Bishop suggests animal blood sacrifice be renewed One of the latest heresies from the Catholic Church and it's corrupted Clergy: Source: Ecumenical News International; 12 April 2000:
It is with amazement and great sorrow that we read this story. How on earth can the Catholic church, a supposed Christian religion, even begin to condone the blood of an animal to be a "symbolic sacrifice" is beyond all comprehension. In the Old testament (Old Covenant), animals were to be sacrificed to atone for sin. But in the New testament (New Covenant), Jesus Christ's blood on the cross was a one-time sacrifice for all time for the atonement of sin. Since Christ's sacrifice on the cross any animal sacrifice is an abomination unto the Lord God and an insult to the blood of Jesus Christ!
The Catholic Church has a duty and obligation to teach the heathen of the Lord God, and to teach them to do the will of God, and also to teach them of the sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the cross done for their salvation if they would believe. The Church is not to condone heathen rituals nor partake of the abomination under the banner of Christianity!
God bless you in your observation of the signs, the discernment of the truth, and your studies of His Word; in the Precious and Powerful name of Jesus Christ.
Event #2 Holy See Reminds
Divorced They cannot Go To Communion
WBSG Commentary on the Churches position: We ask the 'Holy See' (the Official Catholic Church governing body) this: Is divorce the unforgivable sin? Of course not, the unforgivable sin is found in Luke 12:8-12. (We have an in-depth study on this sin at The Unforgivable Sin) Are there not legitimate Biblical reasons for divorce? The Bible speaks of divorce:
So then, is divorce good? God forbid! But can the sin be forgiven? Yes, through repentance! And even if the divorce was in error, or one or both of the parties was wrong to do it, is not Christ's Blood on the cross able to cleanse ALL SIN?!?
This does not apply in the Catholic Church
apparently. They have obscured the sacrifice on the cross
and covered over the atoning blood of Jesus Christ. The
Catholic Church does NOT speak for God, they corrupt what God has
spoken for their own gain.
The Lord's Supper (Communion) is for all believers to partake of. The term "Taking Communion unworthily" means someone who takes Communion without believing upon Christ. It does not mean sinners can't take Communion, for we are all sinners to some degree.
It would seem that with all the perverted dogmas coming out of Vatican City Rome that the first beast of Revelation chapter thirteen is the Catholic Church. But this is not the case entirely. the Catholic Church will just be a part of the unholy confederacy. If one were to simply place all of his focus on the Roman aspect of the Beast, one would necessarily close his eyes to the other components of satan's confederacy of religions and political alliances that shall make up the many headed Best of Revelation chapter thirteen. This would be dangerous indeed, and hamper the student of Biblical prophecy from maintaining a all encompassing overview of satan's prophesied plan as it unfolds in our generation. The first beast is described as multi-headed, in other words, a confederacy of individual political/religious bodies. This Beast rises up out of the sea, which means it rises from the peoples. In the book of Revelation waters are used symbolically for peoples:
God bless you in your observation of the signs, the discernment of the truth, and your studies of His Word; in the Precious and Powerful name of Jesus Christ. Back to list of Events at top of page Event #3 The Myth of
Separation
The Supreme Court's ruling that forbids student-led prayer at public schools does not affirm our nation's deep commitment to allowing the practice of religion without government interference. It is just the opposite. Our "founding fathers," men and women of intense faith and great wisdom made sure that we could pray in public. The Supreme Court has reversed what our constitutional architects had designed. It takes only a few minutes of research to destroy the "myth of separation" presented in so many articles and debates. Many people do not realize the Constitution does not contain the words "separation of church and state." This phrase was not recorded in the discussions of the Constitutional Convention, nor in the records of the subsequent congress that produced the First Amendment and the Bill of Rights. This phrase was born in a message by Roger Williams. The Danbury Baptist Association of Danbury, Conn. was concerned over a rumor they had heard concerning a "National Denomination." All states encouraged Christianity, yet no state allowed an exclusive state-sponsored denomination. Pastor Williams made the following statement: "When they have opened a gap in the hedge or wall of separation between the garden of the church and the wilderness of the world, God hath even broke down the wall itself……" According to Williams, the "Wall of Separation" was to protect the "garden of the church from the "wilderness of the world." Because the Danbury Baptists were concerned there would be a state-sponsored denomination, they wrote to the then President Jefferson of their fears. President Jefferson calmed their fears and used a phrase to establish a common ground. On Jan. 1, 1802 he wrote the following: "I contemplate with solemn reverence the act of the whole American people, which declared that their legislature should ''make no law respecting an establishment of religion. Or prohibiting the free exercise thereof;'' thus building a wall or separation between church and state." David Barton in his research "Separation of Church and State" wrote: "That wall was originally introduced as, and understood to be, a one directional wall, protecting the church from the government." This was also Jefferson's understanding, as conveyed through statements he made concerning the First Amendment.
Of the first 108 colleges in America, 106 were founded on the Christian faith. It never ceases to amaze me that we have forgotten American history and abandoned our heritage. This court's ruling is but one more foundation stone of religious freedom being ripped out of our moral foundation. Maybe we should affirm, as a people, we still pray! While we are praying, we can petition the Congress to make the Supreme Court accountable to the people instead of a government unto themselves. Hugh Hewitt, in his Searching for God in America started the section on "America's Spiritual Treasury" with the Mayflower Compact in 1620. It states the very purpose of our nation's existence was for the "glory of God and advancement of the Christian faith." In 1892 the Supreme Court ruled in "Church of the Holy Trinity vs. United States." The court states: "This is a religious people. This is historically true from the discovery of this continent to the present hour, there is a single voice making this affirmation……These are not individual sayings, declarations of private persons; they are organic utterances; they speak the voice of the entire people……" "These and many other matters which might be noticed, add a volume of unofficial declarations to the mass of organic utterances that this is a Christian nation." This affirms that the court of 2000 is wrong and is destroying the very heritage that gave us morals and character.
God bless you in your observation of the signs, the discernment of the truth, and your studies of His Word; in the Precious and Powerful name of Jesus Christ. Back to list of Events at top of page Event #4 Homosexuals target Boy Scouts; Activists threaten funding, legislation, protests, taunt members
Homosexual activists jeered and taunted young Boy Scouts at the Democratic National Convention last week, and today they escalate their campaign with protests in front of 36 Boy Scouts of America offices around the nation. Last week Eagle Scouts from the Los Angeles Council of BSA participated in a ceremony on stage at the Democratic National Convention. Delegates at the convention waved signs and booed at the six boys and one adult leader. Homosexual activists said such protests against boys who participate in Scout activities would become more frequent until the group of 6.2 million boys changes its policy prohibiting homosexual Scouts and leaders. "Fair-minded Scouts who have expressed outrage over the intolerant BSA stance toward homosexuals will have the opportunity to renounce their badges, which will be gathered and returned to the BSA in protest of the organization's biased membership policy," said Scouting for All in a news release about today's national protest. The six boys who participated in the opening ceremony at the Democratic National Convention said they didn't even hear the protesters because the convention hall was so noisy. Their adult leader and members of the press did hear. "It's unfortunate that a few individuals would disagree with the policy and hold it against the kids. We respect their right to protest, but it's sad that their protest was aimed at the kids," Los Angeles BSA council spokesman Joey Robinson told WorldNetDaily. He said he was aware of the plans for a national protest today, but no official response from the BSA was planned. "They have a right to do it. That's the way the system is, as long as they don't interfere with other people," said Robinson. He said the BSA respects the rights of others who disagree with their policy. Scouting for All, located in Petaluma, Calif., was formed by Scott Cozza after he was banned as a leader from scouting because of his activist role in promoting homosexuals as leaders and members of the BSA. Steven Cozza, his 15-year-old son, is an Eagle Scout and has become the poster child of the organization. He has been touring the country as a guest speaker at many homosexual activist events. Scouting for All has been gathering signatures for a petition denouncing the BSA policy on homosexuality. "I don't know anyone who wants to be discriminated against, the way the Boy Scouts of America discriminates against gays," said the younger Cozza, who has not revealed his sexual orientation in any of his many news releases. His website says he is the cofounder of Scouting for All and a member of the Petaluma High School Gay/Straight Alliance. The BSA won a major victory June 28. The U.S. Supreme Court reversed the decision of the New Jersey Supreme Court -- a court order that would have forced BSA to accept gay Scout leaders. The BSA has a national policy that forbids homosexual Scouts or homosexual Scout leaders from membership in the private organization. The successful appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court was expected to end the debate, but the Cozzas have clearly stated they plan to go to war with Boy Scouts until they get their way. "The U. S. Supreme Court ruling does not mean Americans must support BSA's policy of discrimination," said Scouting for All in a news release. The group repeatedly refer to Boy Scouts as bigots in the many news releases sent to WorldNetDaily in July and August. "Until we reach a satisfactory resolution with you, we must continue to protest this injustice, until Scouting lives up to its own professed ideals and is truly for all," warned the senior Cozza in a letter to BSA chief Scout executive Roy L. Williams. Demonstrations and protests have been scheduled in 20 different states and the District of Columbia at 36 different BSA council offices. The Cozzas have rallied the support of many homosexual activist organizations around the country to support their efforts. "They're just a small group with a loud voice," national BSA spokesman Jeff Reilly told WorldNetDaily. "We are not going to change our position to mollify a small group when there are millions who have supported Scouting all along and who continue to support us," he explained. The protest in Philadelphia is supported by the Freethought Society of Greater Philadelphia, the American Civil Liberties Union, the Philadelphia Lesbian and Gay Task Force and the Center for Lesbian and Gay Civil Rights. Protests in other cities have support from similar groups, according to Scouting for All press releases. "The message Scouting for All supporters is giving through the protest/rally is to counter the horrific message the BSA has given our gay youth. We will be conveying to our gay youth the message that we will no longer tolerate their having to remain invisible out of fear. We will continue to work towards creating a society where gay youth can feel safe, accepted, and loved for the beautiful individuals they have been blessed to be. We will also be giving the Boy Scouts of America the message that all Americans who believe in social justice have been offended and violated by the social injustice perpetuated by them. Their policy of discrimination is increasingly harmful to Scouting and to both gay and straight youth as well as being fundamentally contrary to the precepts and principles for which Scouting was founded," stated Scouting for All in an invitation sent to homosexual activist organizations. Cozza sent a letter to Williams demanding that he permit representatives of Scouting for All to meet with him after the protest in Dallas. Williams has received similar demands in recent months from the group but he has not responded to them. That meeting will not happen, according to Reilly. He also said Williams would not accept an invitation for an interview with WorldNetDaily. "It just won't happen, I can tell you that," said Reilly. He said that the BSA respects the right of Scouting for All to protest, but he said there are no plans to try to respond to their claims. Reilly also said the BSA has no plans to lobby Congress to prevent the efforts now underway to revoke their national charter. "Everyone knows we are a volunteer organization and what our stand is on this issue," Reilly told WorldNetDaily. He said the national and local BSA officials are "well aware" of Steven Cozza and his protest plans. Those plans go beyond today's protests. Young boys trying to earn awards at events and camp outs are now being confronted with protests. Homosexual activists plan to demonstrate when the BSA holds events on public land or facilities that are supported by tax dollars. When the National Order of the Arrow Conference, a special honor group of Boy Scouts and leaders, was held at the University of Tennessee July 29 through Aug. 3, activists from the Gay and Straight Political Network conducted protests at the event. "Our job now is to educate the community that the Boy Scouts is not a public organization and therefore should not receive public accommodations. Certainly, they have no business hosting their conference on a publicly supported state land grant campus like the University of Tennessee. Perhaps they should convene at one of those private country clubs that, like the Boy Scouts of America, openly and legally discriminates against minority groups," said protest organizer Rob Power. Power said homosexual activists would be working to end many practices of Scouting. "Among these are a call for public schools and other taxpayer-supported entities to end special privileges currently extended to the Boy Scouts," explained Power. Scouting for All has appealed to a number of politicians. Democratic Rep. Lynn Woolsey, D-Calif., filed H.R. 4892, titled, "The Scouting for All Act: To repeal the Federal charter of the Boy Scouts of America." Steven Cozza has also written to President Clinton and asked him to resign as the BSA Honorary President. Eleven other Democrats joined with Woolsey and sent a letter to Clinton supporting the request of Cozza. Many homosexual activists have responded to Cozza's request to send similar letters. "The U.S. Supreme Court decided that the Boy Scouts' First Amendment rights granted them the right to exclude gays. We don't dispute that," said Woolsey in a speech when she announced her bill. "This is not a question of whether the Boy Scouts have a right to establish anti-gay policy, it's a question of whether the Boy Scouts' anti-gay policy is right," said Wooley. "The fact is the Boy Scouts' mission is to educate boys. That doesn't mean that they discriminate by, say, excluding girls. That's not discrimination, that's fulfilling their mission. But excluding some because of their sexual orientation is discrimination." "As an Eagle Scout I am asking you to find the courage to step down as the Honorary President of the Boy Scouts of America," said Cozza in his letter to Clinton. "This courageous act would give a great message to millions of gay kids in this country that they are accepted, loved, and supported by you as the President of the United States. This would mean so much to gay kids. Right now all that my gay friends have heard from the BSA that is, they are no good and are immoral." Clinton has not yet responded to the request, although he is the first president to refuse an invitation to speak to Scouts at the National Jamboree, and he is the first president not to sign the certificate given to boys who earn the rank of Eagle Scout. Steve Frank, president of the National Federation of Republican Assemblies said in a news release that the Democrats just don't get it. "Bill Clinton lies to a grand jury, has sex with an intern in the Oval Office, lies to Congress, abuses the powers of his office, and the Democrats think that is a good role model for the Boy Scouts and the children of America. The Supreme Court rules that the Boy Scouts may teach, by example, moral values, and the Democrats get huffy. These are sick puppies in Congress who believe the right of association and moral upbringing is bad and that lying, cheating and harassing women is good," said Frank. Cozza and his homosexual activist supporters have already found success in their war against Boy Scouts. They found that attacks on financial donations have support from the United Way. They are getting supporters to send letters to United Way organizers demanding the BSA be dropped as one of the groups receiving money from the fund. Many United Way chapters are seriously considering a ban on the BSA. "A lot of people are of the opinion that since the BSA is a private organization, they should be allowed to ban anyone they want from participation in their organization. What these same people do not understand, is that our money pays for their privilege of discrimination and intolerance. The money we give to United Way, the money we give to BSA and to BSA chapter sponsoring businesses, the money we drop in the churches' offering plates, it funds the BSA, it funds their antiquated views of what is acceptable and what isn't," explained Jody Renaldo, chairman Mississippi Gay Lobby. Scouting for All is asking homosexual activists to contact local United Way chapters and demand they stop funding the Boy Scouts. They want the BSA to sign a non-discrimination policy before funds will be restored. "The UW does a lot of excellent work for the community and provides much needed money, but why give good money to such a hateful and intolerant organization as the BSA, when there are other much worthier groups and organizations needing the money, who will do good with it," asked Renaldo. He said the donation of millions of dollars to the BSA is an "expensive bigotry habit." The financial portion of the war against the Boy Scouts will be extended to businesses that donate and sponsor Cub Scouts and Boy Scouts, according to Renaldo and Scouting for All news releases. The single largest sponsor of the BSA is The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The next largest sponsor is the Catholic Church. Both churches are regarded as "chartering organizations" because they pay the cost of chartering Scout units each year. The two churches teach that homosexuality is a sin, and officials from both have told WorldNetDaily that their organizations will cease to charter Boy Scouts if homosexuals are permitted to participate. The two churches represent over 33 percent of all members of the BSA. "Certain powerful and influential professional Scouters, and certain chartering organizations which donate large sums to Scouting, have hijacked the BSA by trying to impose their own bigoted values upon the whole Scouting movement in the United States. Scouting does not belong just to professional Scouters, or to certain bigoted chartering institutions," said Cozza in his letter to homosexual activists. Cozza said in his letter that he believes the BSA has been "taken over" by "religious fundamentalists." He said they "use the Scout Law and Scout Oath as weapons of hatred, discrimination, and bigotry to hurt people who are gay in the same way they use the Bible, Jesus Christ and God to hurt gay youth and adults. This type of behavior is what is immoral," said Cozza. Over 25,000 boys and leaders recently gathered for a three-day Boy Scout encampment called Expo 2000 in predominantly LDS Utah. Gov. Mike Leavitt, R --Utah, and President James E. Faust, second counselor of the First Presidency of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, spoke to the boys about moral values. Faust told the large crowd that Scouting is not about merit badges. "It's much, much more. It's about putting God first and then the country. The purpose of Scouting is to build character and to build leadership," said Faust. He then had the Scouts stand and repeat the Scout Oath with him. Leavitt, an active member of the LDS Church, counseled the Scouts to live solid values despite what is happening in the world around them. He compared the values of the Boy Scouts to glowing embers of a dying campfire. He said as a young man he learned to blow on the embers to keep them glowing. He then told the boys that the values of the Boy Scouts may appear to be dimming, but "it's important for Scouts to keep them glowing," he said. The New York chapter of Scouting for All says the national protest is just the beginning of the war to financially cripple the BSA. "This rally will be the first in a series of actions taken to ensure that government sponsors of Boy Scout troops, such as public schools and fire departments; corporate sponsors, which in New York include Goldman Sachs, Bloomberg, Merrill Lynch, Chase Manhattan Bank, and others; and charitable organizations, such as local United Way chapters, withdraw their sponsorship until gay men and youth are given equal opportunities to participate in Scouting. The government should not fund programs that discriminate on the basis of sexual orientation, because of both the Constitution's equal-protection clause and any state or local law that might require non-discrimination by public entities," said the New York group in a news release. Cozza advises BSA members and leaders who agree with Scouting for All to resign rather than stay in an organization that does not believe as they do. Those who do not resign are criticized. "If you chose to remain silent, then you are colluding with the discrimination of the BSA. Ethically one should stand up and be counted. If one is not able to advocate from within and is not able to locate a Scout unit that will adopt an anti-discrimination statement then Scouting for All encourages members to resign from scouting. We must look at the message we give to our young people by staying in a bigoted organization and not try to change it," said Cozza in the letter. Cozza claims that he supports the BSA in every aspect, except for the policy that excludes gays and those who do not believe in God. "We would like all boys in scouting who are gay to remain Scouts if scouting can respect who they are. We want all adult leaders who are gay to remain in scouting if they are respected for who they are. We want all kids, gay or not, to be able to become Scouts. We want all interested and competent adults, whether gay or not, to be permitted leadership roles within scouting according to their talents and merit. We want parents and their children to participate in scouting, as long as scouting does not advocate bigotry towards others," described Cozza. Lesbian parent Carol Gillingham and her partner Carmen Velez are not putting their boy in Cub Scouts because of the policy. "I believe that Scouting should be for all children," said Gillingham, who plans to be at the protest today in Houston. "My son would love to be a part of scouting and wants his parents to be involved with him, she complained. National BSA policy does not prohibit her 8-year-old son from membership, but Gillingham would not be able to participate as a leader. Scouting for All has a campaign to encourage participants in scouting to defy the national policy banning homosexuals from the Cub Scouts and Boy Scouts. They are asking parents of Scouts to get their local unit to adopt an "antidiscrimination statement" and send it to the national BSA office. Cub Scout packs and Boy Scout troops that adopt such statements will be added to the "Rainbow Role" to honor them for their stand. "People are like a beautiful rainbow with many different colors. I'm glad rainbows are not just one color. Life would be pretty boring," said the younger Cozza in a statement on the Scouting for All website. Scouting for All advises parents to take children out of Scouting if the local Scout unit does not become a member of the "Rainbow Role." Scouting for All has also begun a letter-writing campaign to BSA officials at the local and national level, as well as to members of Congress and to President Clinton. "Remaining a member of a Scout troop, which permits open bigotry is contrary to the Spirit of Scouting. Colluding with that bigotry implies agreement with it by association. We hope it doesn't come to that. But if you do resign, please tell us at Scouting for All. We want to support you in your grief and anger at the BSA," said Cozza in his letter of instructions to homosexual activists. Cozza has asked all Scouts and former Scouts who agree with Scouting for All to relinquish their rank and merit badges, particularly Eagle Scout badges. "We will hold it in trust for you, pending the day when you can retrieve it from us because scouting has ceased to discriminate," said Cozza. One of the protest organizers has already received a response from the BSA as a result of the letter he sent demanding a change in the policy toward homosexual Scouts and Scout leaders. Eagle Scout Christopher R. Hayes revealed that he is homosexual and was interviewed by Albany, N.Y., members of the press. On Aug. 8 he received a letter from BSA with a refund of his membership fee. "Due to information currently being investigated, we have decided that your registration with the Boy Scouts of America should be revoked. We are therefore compelled to request that you sever any relations you may have with the Boy Scouts of America," said Jerry D. Vorse, Scout executive for the BSA Twin Rivers Council in the letter to Hayes. "We reserve the right to refuse registration whenever there is concern that an individual may not meet the high standards of membership that the BSA seeks," Vorse added. Hayes, who is critical of the BSA policy, has organized the protest in Albany, N.Y., to "let the Boy Scouts know that intolerance has no place in Scouting." Reilly told WorldNetDaily that the national BSA office rarely gets involved in local decisions. The local BSA council office makes all decisions related to membership and actions taken against those who violate BSA policy. The plan for today's protests was to include a demonstration in front of the national headquarters of the BSA in Irving, Texas. Scouting for All moved the protest to the Circle Ten Scout Council in Dallas because it could not find public land on which to protest at the national office. The group ran into another problem in Dallas -- no local homosexual youth could be found to join the protest. Cozza sent out a letter of appeal to Texas homosexual organizations. "Scouting for All has been unsuccessful in (gay) youth organizations in the Dallas area. We'd like to invite gay and straight youth to both our protest and healing ceremony. If you are interested in attending either of these events please let me know so we can plan on meeting you," said Cozza in his letter of appeal. Scouting for All has been writing to Williams at the BSA headquarters in Texas since May. The numerous letters have requested a meeting, but Williams has not responded to any of them, and Reilly confirmed that it is unlikely he will. "As we see it, the purpose this meeting would be for us to provide you with a better understanding of who we are and precisely what we advocate. Together we could have a productive dialog about the current BSA 'policy,' the growing groundswell of reaction against it, and the role that Scouting for All can play in assisting the BSA to bring closure to this divisive issue which is increasingly harmful to Scouting and fundamentally contrary to the precepts and principles for which Scouting stands," said Cozza in his most recent letter to Williams. "We are well-aware of the Cozza group and their complaints. There is nothing to add to the BSA long-standing policy on the issue," said Reilly. The Scouting for All features a quote from Margaret Mead on the front page of the organization's website: "Never doubt that a small group of committed citizens can change the world. Indeed it is the only thing that ever has." Cozza has not returned calls from WorldNetDaily requesting an interview. His answering machine says that he provides a "professional counseling practice." God bless you in your observation of the signs, the discernment of the truth, and your studies of His Word; in the Precious and Powerful name of Jesus Christ. Back to list of Events at top of page Event #5
Judaism: An inside look at a Temple divided in Florida
By Douglas Belkin, Palm Beach
Post Staff Writer Saturday the rabbi led his congregation in Sabbath prayer. Sunday the rabbi punched the temple president in the face. And since that moment last November, animosities simmering for months at Temple Emanu-El in Palm Beach have boiled over and split this well-to-do religious community into two infuriated camps. Men and women who prayed together last year now cross the street to avoid one another. At least a dozen members disgusted with the battleground mentality have quit and pledged to drive 70 miles south to worship with their rabbi at his new Miami Beach temple. And the factions struggling to control their synagogue's destiny have wrangled in courthouses, board meetings and the press. In a matter of months, a house of worship once so united it raised enough money to entirely rebuild its synagogue has become a house divided. If there was a flash point, it came the morning one of the most respected rabbis in the country threw a roundhouse left to the face of his temple president and knocked him to the floor -- in front of a stunned group of synagogue leaders who represent some of the most successful and accomplished citizens in South Florida. Now, the identity and perhaps even the existence of the 37-year-old temple may be on the line. "This is no longer an issue between the rabbi and the president," said Norman Taplin, a longtime temple leader and a member of one of the founding families. "It's about the survival and strength of one of the most prominent synagogues in the world." At 6-foot-2, Rabbi Leonid Feldman is a striking man with a full head of dark hair he wears longish in the back. He speaks with a slight accent from his native Kishinev in the former Soviet Union, and in conversation he leans slightly forward and his eyes lock intently on his subject. As a Russian Jew born behind Stalin's Iron Curtain, his ambitions should have shriveled at an early age. But Feldman is, if nothing else, a man of exceptional energy and intellect. And being thwarted was not in his plans. In 1976, when he was 23, he applied for a visa to emigrate to Israel. It was a bold move in its day, and, as the story is told, retribution was swift: He was fired from his job as a teacher. In what has become an almost legendary episode among his congregation, Feldman staged a hunger strike and sent telegrams of protest to Soviet leader Leonid Brezhnev and President Jimmy Carter. He was imprisoned for a month before being released and allowed to go to Israel. In 1980, he came to America. In 1988, Emanu-El fired its rabbi and started looking for a replacement. By this point, Feldman was already a nationally renowned lecturer. Though he was just 35, the synagogue wanted him so much that when he negotiated for six trips a year to lecture -- in addition to his eight weeks vacation -- the temple agreed. His sense of self and confidence suited the community perfectly. "I want to make one thing clear," Feldman told the board of trustees as they were courting him. "I want to be a role model for your sons and daughters, granddaughters and grandsons. Therefore, I'm going to drive a nice car; I'm going to wear nice clothes; I'm going to ask for a very nice salary. When some of your brilliant children and grandchildren are sitting in the sanctuary, looking up at me, I want them to think, 'I could be a doctor, I could be a broker, I could be a lawyer, but I want to be a rabbi, just like Rabbi Feldman.' . . . I want to destroy the image of the eastern European rabbi who's a poor guy everyone feels sorry for." Almost from the moment Feldman arrived, he began delivering on his promises of making Emanu-El the diamond in the crown of Jewish South Florida. He earned a salary that, according to board members, would eventually top out at between $200,000 and $250,000. He began bringing in high-profile speakers: vice-presidential candidate Sen. Joseph Lieberman, D-Conn., former Israeli Prime Minister Shimon Peres, Vice President Al Gore, Jerusalem Mayor Ehud Olmert and Camelia Sadat, the daughter of assassinated Egyptian President Anwar Sadat. In 1993, Feldman pushed for a fund-raising campaign to rebuild the temple and add a school. The campaign took three years, raised $8 million and entirely renovated the temple that stands on North County Road, replete with meditation garden and, in season, valet parking for congregants. The sanctuary itself is long and slightly sloping toward the pulpit. Mosaics and stained glass windows of Jerusalem line the walls, and light from a sun roof shines onto the pulpit during Sabbath morning services. Etched in stone in both Hebrew and English on the ark containing the Torah are the words: Hear O Israel, the Lord is Our God the Lord is One. The synagogue and the new rabbi attracted a veritable Who's Who of the Jewish American business and philanthropic class. Wealthy and well-established members like S. Daniel Abraham of Slim-Fast, the Resnicks, the Bronfmans, the Lauders and hundreds more helped create what became a tremendous Jewish renaissance. An island that just two decades before had openly discouraged Jews from buying homes east of Flagler was giddily likened to Manhattan's Upper East Side. Between 1988 and 1999, membership almost tripled -- from 300 families to more than 850. When he was hired, Feldman had said: "People will run to the synagogue because it will give them a lot of the things that they cannot get in the country clubs or The Breakers hotel or wherever else they are going." And he was proving himself right. "He was a magnificent speaker," said congregant Patricia Lovit. "He was dynamic about everything he did. He inspired me to the point where I now read the Torah at the drop of a hat." Indeed, Feldman never seemed to be without a dozen things to do at once. And though the size of the congregation grew and grew, the lay leadership could never agree on an assistant rabbi to help him with his increasing responsibilities. The strain began to take its toll. "He was so overworked that it was really starting to show," said Dick Weinstein, Feldman's father-in-law and a member of the board of trustees. "Everybody wants the rabbi, and I'm talking about everybody. He had no life; he had no help. It was wearing him down." Some members of the community felt slighted if the rabbi didn't call after a parent died or make time for their particular woes. Others felt they were ignored if they were not useful as fund-raisers or benefactors. Yes, there was a cult of charisma that followed Feldman, almost everyone who knew him agreed. But if this "rock star rabbi" in his fancy European cars didn't have time for his congregants, what was the point? Complaints about the rabbi were growing by the time Stephen Levin was elected president of Temple Emanu-El's board of trustees three years ago. At 5-foot-8, Levin is not nearly as imposing a figure as Feldman, but he harbors an acute sense of power and simultaneously manages to convey the demeanor of both a salesman and a CEO. He has succeeded at both because he is able to motivate people to do what he wants, he said. Raised in a conservative Jewish household in Reading, Pa., Levin, 54, earned his reputation as a savvy, aggressive businessman early. After his father became ill, he took over the family's Coca-Cola distributorship when he was 29, and over the next 10 years branched out, eventually owning 55 Pizza Huts and a half-dozen other ventures. When he moved to Florida in 1986, he sold most of his businesses and bought a beverage distribution company that today employs more than 500 people and does a quarter-billion in sales a year. In 1990, he built a $9 million, 15,000-square-foot Palm Beach mansion on the edge of Lake Worth. The front door opens into a cavernous living room with a broad view of the backyard pool, a pair of 10-foot statues and then the Intracoastal. Inside, dozens of Chagalls, Miros and other 20th century paintings and sculptures are scattered like toys on walls and tables and on the floor, waiting for wallpaper to be put up so they can be rehung. His third wife, Petra, is a former Miss Germany. Married in June, they end most exchanges with the words "love you," and hold hands when they speak. Still in his 40s and eager to network, Levin was a natural choice for Feldman in 1993 when the rabbi needed a go-getter to chair the synagogue's 21st Century Campaign. With Feldman making the spiritual pitch and Levin closing the deals, the pair was largely responsible for the success of the campaign. "We worked well together," Feldman said of the collaboration. And Levin enjoyed the work. Already a member of several civic boards, he continued to volunteer at the temple after the campaign was complete. Mostly, he said, he wanted to ensure his community had a strong, progressive synagogue for his youngest son from his second marriage to attend. Levin became the synagogue's treasurer, and in 1998, with the rabbi's blessing, he was elected president. Grumbling about clergy is the rule, not the exception, in virtually every house of worship. In a place where people are married, children are confirmed and parents are mourned, attachments run deep and jealousies fester. But Temple Emanu-El is not any house of worship. It is a social beehive filled with philanthropists and captains of industry. Neurologists and trial lawyers are rank and file here. And while there are plenty of middle class members, there are more than a fair share of extremely successful members accustomed to getting things done their way. "In Palm Beach, everybody is a somebody," Feldman said last week. "And if they are not, then they think they are." As the temple began to grow, opinion formed along two lines about the man who led the prayers. In the pro-Feldman camp were people thrilled to see the membership multiply and the buildings expand. In the anti-Feldman camp were those who ruefully watched the synagogue lose its rarefied air as more and more people came from the less prestigious south end of the island and eventually from West Palm Beach and points north and west. Beyond the egos was the issue of how a synagogue on this island of privilege should conduct itself. This was not, after all, Brooklyn, some members agitated. It was Palm Beach, and we should conduct ourselves accordingly. That was not Feldman's style. When a member complained that the congregation's traditional dancing in the street with Old Testament scrolls during the Simchat Torah celebration embarrassed the Jews of the community, the rabbi handled the situation with characteristic bluntness: "Let me tell you one thing. Even the KGB allowed Jews to dance in the streets once a year in Moscow." And when Feldman refused to congratulate a congregant who was engaged to a non-Jew, the congregant's aunt called to complain. "He is stabbing the Jewish people in the back, and you think this is harsh on my part?" Feldman said to the aunt. "Intermarriage is one of the worst crimes a Jew can commit after 6 million Jews marched into the gas chambers." By the late '90s, factions had begun to crystallize. There were those who had been touched by Feldman personally and spoke of him in reverent tones. And there were those who felt he was too proud and had created a synagogue that was more an extension of his ego than a spiritual Jewish community. For some this was OK. "For a man like this, you take what you can and enjoy it," said Dr. Jerry Singer, the lone member of the executive committee to support the rabbi through his departure. "But others wanted more, always more." Feldman was not unaware of the split within the synagogue. Dynamic people challenge sacred cows and invite judgment, he said. And besides, that's why his hero is the Bible's King David. "He had weaknesses, and he's not boring. People who are fascinating have a very powerful . . . what we call in Hebrew . . . yetzer ha-tov and, simultaneously, yetzer ha-rah, an impulse for good and an impulse for bad, a passion for goodness and an evil inclination. It's what makes people interesting." What Stephen Levin found when he took over as president, he said, was a rabbi who had operated without accountability for the past decade. At the helm of the synagogue was a man who "had an ego the size of this house." Feldman was, in Levin's assessment, "out of control." As president, Levin felt it was his mandate to rein in the rabbi. To begin with, he asked Feldman to start telling the board where he was and what he was doing with his time. Levin wanted to know when he was leaving town and where he was going, and when Levin wasn't informed to his satisfaction, he began to insist. If Feldman began to stew, those around him didn't notice: "He was not a happy camper, but he is the kind of guy who keeps things to himself," said Weinstein, his father-in-law. Tensions grew and built to the breaking point at an executive board meeting one Sunday morning last November at Levin's home. As the rabbi sat in one of the living rooms in the south wing of the house with the 10-member executive committee, the conversation turned again to accountability. Exasperated and angry, Feldman threw a piece of paper pertaining to his schedule onto a glass coffee table in front of the president. Seated on an ottoman to Feldman's right just two feet away, Levin picked up the paper, crumpled it and threw it back at the rabbi. "This isn't what we're talking about," Levin said. The rabbi stood up next to Levin and threw a roundhouse left into Levin's face. The temple president said he never saw the punch coming. When it landed under his right eye, it knocked him to the polished granite floor. "I was stunned," Levin said. "I couldn't believe it." Other men from the executive committee jumped up and pulled Feldman back. "He was immediately remorseful," said Gladys Jacobson, the committee's recording secretary, who was there. "He certainly didn't come there meaning to do it." On the other hand, Jacobson doesn't excuse Feldman. "He wasn't provoked," she said firmly. "Our intentions were to meet in the spirit of cooperation. We even chose Steve's home rather than an office to keep a warmer atmosphere. This was purely to better relationships." Jerry Singer saw it differently. "For an hour, everybody in turn was criticizing his abilities as a rabbi in addition to criticizing his time away from the temple," Singer said. "It wasn't that the tone was so harsh, but it kept going. They would say, 'Rabbi, you know I love you, but you let me down.' 'Rabbi, you know I respect you -- you did my husband's funeral -- but you've lost touch with the congregation.' This is a guy who put his soul into making this one of the premier synagogues in the world, and they were tearing him apart." The meeting ended with Feldman apologizing for hitting Levin, the committee pledging to keep the matter quiet. There was talk of anger-management classes. Levin promised not to fire the rabbi or file charges. The next day, the rabbi called each member of the board and apologized again. "Maybe I should have pressed charges," Levin said last week, sitting on the same ottoman on which he was hit. "But I was in a lose-lose situation. The season was just getting under way, and where are you going to get another rabbi at the last minute?" The punch left a bruise under Levin's right eye for two weeks. Word of the incident spread like an oil leak in the sea. In March, Feldman announced he was leaving. At a later meeting when some congregants asked if the board had anything to do with his departure, Feldman said it did. The remark heated up the already volatile situation, and Levin found himself the victim of the same sort of whisper campaign the rabbi had faced: He didn't come to synagogue enough, he was married to a gentile and shouldn't be allowed to hold elected office. Perhaps the most consistent opinion was that he was selfish and mean-spirited. "How would I describe him?" asked Sheldon Bufferd, a decadelong temple member. "In a word: dictatorial." Things went from contentious to fierce. Hundreds of congregants signed a petition to vote on Levin's removal, but he refused to hold a meeting. Levin then fired two executive board members who supported the rabbi, and the members took him to court. At stake was the release of a 16-page report detailing the circumstances leading to Feldman's departure. Two weeks later, half of the board of trustees met without Levin or any members of the executive committee present and dismissed them all. "It's a dissident executive committee," said Bufferd, who believes Levin must have provoked the rabbi. "We all have a breaking point, and this harassment had been going on for years." On Monday, Levin's board and the rival trustees intend to hold meetings a half-hour apart at the temple to debate how best to carry on. Each side considers the other illegitimate. In the meantime, Bufferd -- like dozens of other members -- said he has no intention of leaving the synagogue. And while he has lost respect for "the other side," he is "determined I'm not going to let these people chase me away from my temple." From Miami Beach, to where he has since moved to lead another temple, Feldman said last week that he is watching the imbroglio at the prestigious synagogue with a great deal of pain. "I left a big piece of my heart and soul in Palm Beach, and I care very much what will happen there," he said. "I hope and pray for peace. I did not want the fighting. . . . I am trying to maintain the dignity of the place. Nobody wins. This is a house of worship. It is a sacred place, and it is the sacred duty of the rabbi to try and be above the politics and personalities." Asked why he hit Levin and what was -- or was not -- going through his mind, Feldman said he didn't "know how much detail he wanted to get into." His 12-year tenure should speak for itself, he said. Asked about his hero, King David, and about yetzer ha-tov and yetzer ha-rah -- the impulse for good and the impulse for bad -- and how they may apply to the situation, he said: "It is an interesting metaphor. An interesting parallel. Nobody is perfect -- it is one of the things I adore about the Jewish Bible. "Our heroes, none of them are perfect, and I think that's what makes it so compelling, because none of us are perfect. I could relate to somebody like David, somebody like Moses. Even Moses, who is the greatest teacher, he too made mistakes. In fact, he was punished in the most cruel way in not being allowed by God to enter the Promised Land. . . . We are dynamic creatures and we struggle every day." From his mansion in Palm Beach, Levin has drawn his own conclusions about his three years as Temple Emanu-El president: "The moral of the story for me is that I think I'll stick to community endeavors that don't involve religion." 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