Evangelical leader calls for churches to cut ties with Candace Owens, applauds New Zealand ban
Laurie Cardoza-Moore condemns Owens for spreading "blind Jew-hatred" and urges ex-communication.
Laurie Cardoza-Moore, President of Proclaiming Justice to The Nations (PJTN), praised New Zealand and Australia for denying entry to commentator Candace Owens and called on churches worldwide to excommunicate her for promoting antisemitism.
“Candace Owens has verged into the abyss of blind Jew-hatred, rooted in the sewers of historical Christian antisemitism, which led to the death of millions of Jews in the name of Christianity,” said Cardoza-Moore, a former deacon of the World Council of Independent Churches.
“Her ideas are a lethal cocktail of conspiracy theories and heresy, rejected by almost every denomination in Christendom.”
Cardoza-Moore continued, “It’s time that churches close the doors on Candace. The Candace Owens we once knew is no longer there. She has no substance beyond her repugnant, unfounded, and obsessive hate for God’s Chosen People. There is no place for her anywhere in the Conservative Christian world.”
Support for Israel and Jewish values
Cardoza-Moore’s organization, PJTN, is a nonprofit focused on educating Christians and building global support for Israel and Jewish communities. Its flagship program, Focus on Israel, reaches an international audience of over one billion viewers. PJTN has also been active in shaping K-12 school curricula in Florida and Tennessee, emphasizing Judeo-Christian values.
Owens has had her visa application rejected by Immigration New Zealand, according to New Zealand's news media website Stuff.
Owens had applied for an Entertainers Work Visa but was turned down due to her ban from Australia. Immigration New Zealand (INZ) confirmed to Stuff that Owens's application was denied.
Owens has a history of making controversial claims, including downplaying the Holocaust. She has been accused of being antisemitic and homophobic. These accusations have raised concerns among officials and organizations about the potential impact of her statements.
The Holocaust Centre of New Zealand had previously urged Immigration New Zealand to "carefully consider" granting a visa to Owens. Deborah Hart, Chairperson of the Holocaust Centre of New Zealand, said Owens had some "wacky" ideas, including that there had been no moon landing and that Jews orchestrated the assassination of President John F. Kennedy.
Owens had a speaking event organized in Auckland, New Zealand. She was due to speak in Auckland on November 14, 2023, but the show had already been postponed. The postponement occurred amidst growing controversy and hesitancy surrounding her visit.
Immigration New Zealand told Stuff that all visa applicants must meet specific requirements, including a good character assessment that considers factors such as criminal convictions, deportation history, and potential risks to New Zealand's security, public order, or public interest. Owens had already been banned from entering Australia before her visa application to New Zealand.
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