Friday, August 25, 2006

Jackie Mason Sues Jews for Jesus


Jackie Mason has sued Jews for Jesus. From MSNBC:
The $2 million lawsuit seeks the immediate destruction of the pamphlet, which members of the missionary group have been handing out at various points around New York City.

“While I have the utmost respect for people who practice the Christian faith, the fact is, as everyone knows, I am as Jewish as a matzo ball or kosher salami,” the 75-year-old comedian said in documents filed in state Supreme Court in Manhattan.
...
“The pamphlet uses my name, my likeness, my ‘shtick’ (if you will), and my very act, which is derived from my personality, to attract attention and converts,” Mason said in an affidavit.

Jews for Jesus has released a press release.
Jackie Mason, the comedian, is suing Jews for Jesus over one of their evangelistic pamphlets which features his likeness. The pamphlet, entitled, "Jackie Mason, a Jew for Jesus!?" is a good natured look at how anyone, Jew or Gentile, can become a follower of Jesus.

Mason, in his lawsuit, says that the pamphlet gives the impression that he is a proponent of Jews for Jesus. Jews for Jesus denies this. The pamphlet is satirical in style and intended to point out that even someone as Jewish as Jackie Mason can come to faith in Jesus. Mason describes himself "as Jewish as a matzoh ball or kosher salami. . ."

Jews for Jesus executive director, David Brickner, responded, "Jackie may be as Jewish as a matzoh ball, but Jesus is as Jewish as chicken soup. It is our hope that this issue will not have to go through the courts, [the case has been removed from the Supreme Court of the State of New York to Federal Court] but this is a matter of freedom of speech and freedom of religion. We are not claiming Jackie Mason to be a Jew for Jesus. Of course, if he's interested, we're sure Jesus would welcome him as a follower."

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