Statements of Solidarity

As communicated in value #4 of our value statement, we value honest conversation surrounding colonization, homophobia, patriarchy, and white supremacy. We aspire to boldly name connections between these oppressive themes within the church.

 

Reclamation Collective Statement on Palestine

Reclamation Collective is a support and advocacy organization by and for survivors of religious trauma, spiritual abuse, and adverse religious experiences. Zionism/Christian Zionism, antisemitism, and Islamophobia all result in spiritual harm and trauma. (Note: Here, Zionist refers to advocates of the religious/political ideology that supports the state of Israel as a Jewish homeland, and is not a euphemism for all Jewish/Israeli people.)

RC stands against all loss of life, including both Palestinians and Israelis. We also recognize that the violence in Palestine is not a war, but a genocide. The conflict is not as simple as Muslims vs. Jews; rather, it is about usurping resources like oil and land through settler-colonialism of Palestine by Israel.

Religious harm and trauma are not just individual. It can be passed down through generations or experienced by millions of people at once. The apartheid, violence, death, and displacement from ancestral and spiritually significant land that Palestinians have faced for 75+ years is a form of religious trauma.

Religious trauma can look like Jewish people facing antisemitism; Muslims facing Islamophobia; anti-Zionist Jews and Christians facing hostility and ostracization from their communities; and more.

The personal is political. Recovery and reclamation from spiritual harm can include self-reflection, education, and advocacy. For example, many Reclamation Collective Board members, staff, facilitators, and support group members come from Christian spaces that promoted Zionism. We have gathered a list of resources and action steps for you to consider as part of your own reclamation journeys.

 

RESOURCES AND ACTION STEPS

  1. Support a ceasefire.

    Reclamation Collective joins the many calls for an immediate ceasefire. Contact your elected representatives to urge them to support de-escalation, humanitarian aid, and an immediate ceasefire. (US residents can check here to see whether your Representative or Senator has called for a ceasefire.)

    You can also advocate by participating in the Boycott, Divest, Sanctions (BDS) movement; attending or offering supplies to local protests; joining local mutual aid and organizing groups; and more.

    2. Share support resources for those impacted by religious trauma. This can include Jewish people affected by antisemitism, Muslims affected by Islamophobia, Palestinians, and activists.

3. Reflect on the role of Zionism, antisemitism, and/or Islamophobia in your former or current beliefs.

Many of us at Reclamation Collective come from a belief system or group that was Zionist or supported the state of Israel without attention to its consequences for Palestinians. Many high-control and fundamentalist groups tend to hold superior or discriminatory beliefs toward other groups, including antisemitism and Islamophobia. You might journal, talk with friends or a therapist, or spend time learning about these kinds of beliefs. Here are some resources our BOD has found helpful:

4. Join us in continuing to learn about the history of the state of Israel and Palestinian experiences.