TV meant to ‘bring Jesus’ to Jews, communications minister says 'no way'

CEO of GOD TV, which operates the Shelanu TV Hebrew-language channel: 'God has opened the door for us to bring the gospel of Jesus into the homes, lives and hearts of his Jewish people.'

By JEREMY SHARON
Man Watching TV (photo credit: INGIMAGE)
Man Watching TV
(photo credit: INGIMAGE)
Communications Minister Dudi Amsalem (Likud) has denounced the decision to give a license to a Christian missionary cable channel called GOD TV, which is being broadcast by the HOT cable television provider in Israel.  
The Hebrew-language channel, which on HOT is called Shelanu TV, began broadcasting last week after a license was approved by the Council for Cable and Satellite Broadcasting and a contract signed with HOT four months ago.  
GOD TV claims to be available to 310 million homes around the world and has 15 million people accessing its material on social media.  
In a video announcing the new channel, GOD TV CEO Ward Simpson states that, “God has supernaturally opened the door for us to bring the gospel of Jesus into the homes, lives and hearts of his Jewish people.”
Simpson said that, “there are nine million people in Israel who need to hear the gospel of Jesus. Now for the first time ever, they can hear the gospel presented to them in their native tongue; now they have an opportunity to hear that Yeshua [Jesus] is here for them, he is their answer, their saviour, their deliverer.”
The “Our Mission” section of GOD TV’s website describes its mission as “preaching, teaching and discipling. Taking the Gospel to the ends of the earth.”
In a video from August 2019 on the GOD TV YouTube page, Simpson said: “Here at GOD TV, our passion is to see souls won, saved, healed, delivered and discipled,” and that “We’re going to win some souls together in Jesus’s name. Touching lives with the good news of Jesus Christ.”
Missionary activity in Israel is legal, although the law prevents missionizing to minors without their parents presence or consent, and promising any monetary or material compensation for converting to another religion. 
Amsalem said on Tuesday morning that “we will not allow any missionary channel to operate in the State of Israel at any time and in any situation.”  
The minister added that the Council for Cable and Satellite Broadcasting approved the license for GOD TV, not the Communications Ministry.  
If the channel in question deals with missionizing it will be removed immediately,” said Amsallem, adding that he has requested an investigation by the council into how the license was granted.
HOT said in response: “The Shelanu Channel is an independent religion channel similar to other religion channels broadcast in Israel, which have received a license from the Council for Cable and Satellite Broadcasting. The [HOT] company is cooperating with the relevant officials in the council and will act in accordance with the decisions of the council.”
The Council for Cable and Satellite Broadcasting said in a statement to the press that it has always allowed religious broadcasting of all faiths, “within the framework of freedom of religion and practice in accordance with the policies of the council.”
It said, however, that its policies preclude “unfair influence on viewers,” and that having seen the video in which Simpson announced the new Shelanu TV channel, it was now summoning “the relevant officials to clarify the nature of the channel and its compliance with the conditions of the license, as well as inspecting the content of the broadcasts on the channel itself.”
The council said that if the channel does not comport with its policies or the conditions of the license, it would consider “immediate and decisive steps.”  
A decision is expected later this week.
Rabbi Tovia Singer, a longtime counter missionary activist, described GOD TV and those running it as “spiritual predators [who] want to convert Jews.”  
Singer alleged that Shelanu TV was not acting legally since the channel specifically mentioned reaching out to all “nine million” citizens of Israel, which would include minors who make up more than 30% of the overall population to whom it is illegal to try and missionize.  
The rabbi also argued that GOD TV “blurs the distinction between Judaism and Christianity in order to lure Jews who would otherwise avoid straightforward Christian messages.”


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