We want you to recognize that Iran is
a clear and present danger to the United
States of America and Israel. And...
that it's time for our country to consider
a military pre-emptive strike against Iran
if they will not yield to diplomacy," says
Pastor John Hagee, a popular television
preacher and head of Christians United
for Israel (CUFI), an organization that
he founded in February 2006.
a clear and present danger to the United
States of America and Israel. And...
that it's time for our country to consider
a military pre-emptive strike against Iran
if they will not yield to diplomacy," says
Pastor John Hagee, a popular television
preacher and head of Christians United
for Israel (CUFI), an organization that
he founded in February 2006.
That was said, of all places, on the steps of the
Capitol during a Christian Zionist summit in
July 2007. Among some 4,500 listeners, there
were prominent representatives of the U.S.
ruling elite: on the Republican side,
presidential candidate John McCain,
former House Speaker Newt Gingrich,
and former Republican House majority
leader Tom DeLay; among the Democrats,
Senator Joseph Lieberman was in attendance.
Israel was represented at the rally by former
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Capitol during a Christian Zionist summit in
July 2007. Among some 4,500 listeners, there
were prominent representatives of the U.S.
ruling elite: on the Republican side,
presidential candidate John McCain,
former House Speaker Newt Gingrich,
and former Republican House majority
leader Tom DeLay; among the Democrats,
Senator Joseph Lieberman was in attendance.
Israel was represented at the rally by former
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
"When 50 million American evangelicals
unite with 5 million American Jews, you
know it is a match made in heaven," the
preacher said. In response, Sen. Lieberman
said of the preacher: "I would describe
Pastor Hagee with the words the Torah
uses to describe Moses: he is an ‘Eesh Elo
Kim,' a man of God because those words
fit him; and, like Moses he has become the
leader of a mighty multitude in pursuit of
and defense of Israel."
unite with 5 million American Jews, you
know it is a match made in heaven," the
preacher said. In response, Sen. Lieberman
said of the preacher: "I would describe
Pastor Hagee with the words the Torah
uses to describe Moses: he is an ‘Eesh Elo
Kim,' a man of God because those words
fit him; and, like Moses he has become the
leader of a mighty multitude in pursuit of
and defense of Israel."
Who are the "Christian Zionists"?
They are a variety of Protestant "fundamentalists"
who interpret current events literally as
prophesies fulfilled, in accordance with
Biblical prophecy, and interpret the prophetic
texts as describing inevitable future events.
They prefer the most literal interpretation,
as proposed back in the 19th century by
Briton John Darby, who said there would
be no Second Coming of Christ until the
Jews returned to the Holy Land.
They are a variety of Protestant "fundamentalists"
who interpret current events literally as
prophesies fulfilled, in accordance with
Biblical prophecy, and interpret the prophetic
texts as describing inevitable future events.
They prefer the most literal interpretation,
as proposed back in the 19th century by
Briton John Darby, who said there would
be no Second Coming of Christ until the
Jews returned to the Holy Land.
When Israel was "recreated" in Palestine in
1948, the Darby followers came to the
conclusion that that had happened exactly "
according to the Scripture." Literalists like
Hagee have since continued to replace
historiography with theology. From these
theological "heights," they imagine themselves
to be political strategists and rulers of
destinies in the world: after all, "in accordance
with the Scripture," Abraham's posterity
should possess the entire Holy Land - from
Mesopotamia to Turkey to Egypt.
1948, the Darby followers came to the
conclusion that that had happened exactly "
according to the Scripture." Literalists like
Hagee have since continued to replace
historiography with theology. From these
theological "heights," they imagine themselves
to be political strategists and rulers of
destinies in the world: after all, "in accordance
with the Scripture," Abraham's posterity
should possess the entire Holy Land - from
Mesopotamia to Turkey to Egypt.
Ironically, the literalists do notbother to
ask whether the Israelis need such an Israel
in the first place. They - i.e.: Christians
waiting for the Second Coming of Christ in
accordance with the Apocalypse prophesies -
need a great and indivisible Israel. Jesus
returns at the end of the seven years (Tribulation)
to destroy The Antichrist (The Beast) and
his armies at the Battle of Armageddon,
outside of Jerusalem. It is for this battle
that the pastor - dubbed "Texas Taliban"
by some commentators - is urging the U.S.
to prepare.
ask whether the Israelis need such an Israel
in the first place. They - i.e.: Christians
waiting for the Second Coming of Christ in
accordance with the Apocalypse prophesies -
need a great and indivisible Israel. Jesus
returns at the end of the seven years (Tribulation)
to destroy The Antichrist (The Beast) and
his armies at the Battle of Armageddon,
outside of Jerusalem. It is for this battle
that the pastor - dubbed "Texas Taliban"
by some commentators - is urging the U.S.
to prepare.
Needless to say, Good is represented by
Israel and the U.S., and Evil, by all of Israel's
enemies - i.e., Palestinians, Arabs, Muslims,
and especially Shiite Iran. "The head of the
beast of radical Islam in the Middle East is
Iran and its fanatical president, Ahmadinejad,
" Hagee intoned. "Ahmadinejad believes if he
starts a world war, the Islamic messiah will
mysteriously appear and produce a global
Islamic theocratic dictatorship. It's 1938
all over again. Iran is Germany. Ahmadinejad
is Hitler and Ahmadinejad, just like Hitler,
is talking about killing the Jews."
Israel and the U.S., and Evil, by all of Israel's
enemies - i.e., Palestinians, Arabs, Muslims,
and especially Shiite Iran. "The head of the
beast of radical Islam in the Middle East is
Iran and its fanatical president, Ahmadinejad,
" Hagee intoned. "Ahmadinejad believes if he
starts a world war, the Islamic messiah will
mysteriously appear and produce a global
Islamic theocratic dictatorship. It's 1938
all over again. Iran is Germany. Ahmadinejad
is Hitler and Ahmadinejad, just like Hitler,
is talking about killing the Jews."
According to the pastor, the principal
force of Evil will be Russia, a sponsor of
Muslim terrorists and supplier of nuclear
weapons to Iran. It makes no difference to
the preacher that the Soviet Union was
Hitler's main opponent and was also the
first state to recognize Israel, or that
many Israelis come from Russia or that
modern Russia itself is fighting against
Muslim extremists ("Russia is all over
the Middle East in an antagonistic position
against the United States... Iran's nuclear
weapons have been produced with Russian
scientists. The Islamic Arabs are using the
Roadmap to Peace to accumulate as much
of Israel's territory they can get.")
force of Evil will be Russia, a sponsor of
Muslim terrorists and supplier of nuclear
weapons to Iran. It makes no difference to
the preacher that the Soviet Union was
Hitler's main opponent and was also the
first state to recognize Israel, or that
many Israelis come from Russia or that
modern Russia itself is fighting against
Muslim extremists ("Russia is all over
the Middle East in an antagonistic position
against the United States... Iran's nuclear
weapons have been produced with Russian
scientists. The Islamic Arabs are using the
Roadmap to Peace to accumulate as much
of Israel's territory they can get.")
Whatever the case, the battle will end in a
decisive victory for the forces of Good, and
the theocratic Jewish state with be restored
with the center in Jerusalem, to which all
other kings and tsars will go cap in hand.
Alas, after such a triumph, the pastor runs
into problems: what about the Jews who are
waiting for their Messiah, not Jesus Christ?
According to the pastor, Jews have not as yet
converted to Christianity simply because they
have not seen Jesus Christ. But during His
Second Coming to Jerusalem, they will
finally be able to see Him with their own
eyes, and they will bow to him.
decisive victory for the forces of Good, and
the theocratic Jewish state with be restored
with the center in Jerusalem, to which all
other kings and tsars will go cap in hand.
Alas, after such a triumph, the pastor runs
into problems: what about the Jews who are
waiting for their Messiah, not Jesus Christ?
According to the pastor, Jews have not as yet
converted to Christianity simply because they
have not seen Jesus Christ. But during His
Second Coming to Jerusalem, they will
finally be able to see Him with their own
eyes, and they will bow to him.
"Thank you for the honor," said Rabbi
Michael Lerner, who was invited by TV host
Bill Moyers to his show to discuss the activity
of Christian Zionists. "First, you want to get
the Jewish people involved in Armageddon,"
he said, "and then you confront the winners
with a no-win choice: convert to our faith or
you'll burn in hell." From the rabbi's perspective
(and Rabbi Lerner is also editor of Tikkun, a
Jewish journal of politics, culture and spirituality),
Christian Zionists such as Hagee do a great
disservice to Israel and all Jews.
Michael Lerner, who was invited by TV host
Bill Moyers to his show to discuss the activity
of Christian Zionists. "First, you want to get
the Jewish people involved in Armageddon,"
he said, "and then you confront the winners
with a no-win choice: convert to our faith or
you'll burn in hell." From the rabbi's perspective
(and Rabbi Lerner is also editor of Tikkun, a
Jewish journal of politics, culture and spirituality),
Christian Zionists such as Hagee do a great
disservice to Israel and all Jews.
At this point it turns out that a "holy alliance"
between 50 million American Christians and
5 million American Jews is more of a dream
than reality. In spite of the fact that there
are quite a few Jews among the neo-cons
who started the war in Iraq, the majority
of American Jews vote against Bush.
between 50 million American Christians and
5 million American Jews is more of a dream
than reality. In spite of the fact that there
are quite a few Jews among the neo-cons
who started the war in Iraq, the majority
of American Jews vote against Bush.
Even in Israel itself, it is unlikely that many
people would fall for the "holy alliance."
After all, Hagee is even opposed to the
Road Map for Peace and a two-state concept,
favors the continued colonization of the
West Bank, and is against any concessions
being given to the Palestinians.
people would fall for the "holy alliance."
After all, Hagee is even opposed to the
Road Map for Peace and a two-state concept,
favors the continued colonization of the
West Bank, and is against any concessions
being given to the Palestinians.
There are just as many problems with the
50 million Americans. Presumably to
counterbalance the dispute between the
rabbi and the pastor, Moyers invited Dr.
Timothy P. Weber, another evangelist, on the
show. Unlike Hagee, Dr. Weber is a real
historian, the author of "On the Road to
Armageddon: How Evangelicals Became Israel's
Best Friend." Although Dr. Weber considers himself
to be an evangelist, he is far from being a Zionist.
According to Dr. Weber, Christian Zionists are not
Christians in the first place, nor do they represent
the majority of Christian evangelists. They
believe in the Second Coming of Christ, but
do not intend to play up to Israel. They simply
follow Christ's teachings, campaigning for
peace and justice.
50 million Americans. Presumably to
counterbalance the dispute between the
rabbi and the pastor, Moyers invited Dr.
Timothy P. Weber, another evangelist, on the
show. Unlike Hagee, Dr. Weber is a real
historian, the author of "On the Road to
Armageddon: How Evangelicals Became Israel's
Best Friend." Although Dr. Weber considers himself
to be an evangelist, he is far from being a Zionist.
According to Dr. Weber, Christian Zionists are not
Christians in the first place, nor do they represent
the majority of Christian evangelists. They
believe in the Second Coming of Christ, but
do not intend to play up to Israel. They simply
follow Christ's teachings, campaigning for
peace and justice.
Dr. Weber pointed out that during the Cold
War era, literalists portrayed the Soviet
Union as northern Gog in confrontation
with American Magog. At that time, Iran
was not even a blip on the biblical
preachers' radar screen, but now they
are trying to fit Iranian President Ahmadinejad's
policy into a biblical scenario.
War era, literalists portrayed the Soviet
Union as northern Gog in confrontation
with American Magog. At that time, Iran
was not even a blip on the biblical
preachers' radar screen, but now they
are trying to fit Iranian President Ahmadinejad's
policy into a biblical scenario.
There is no reason to believe that Christian
Zionists represent the majority of American
Christians, but Hagee, without any doubt,
represents a belligerent trend in U.S. policy,
which has yet to run out of steam. According
to recent Time and CNN polls, one-third of
Americans believed that after 9/11, the
end of the world was near at hand, while
36 percent take biblical prophesies literally.
Zionists represent the majority of American
Christians, but Hagee, without any doubt,
represents a belligerent trend in U.S. policy,
which has yet to run out of steam. According
to recent Time and CNN polls, one-third of
Americans believed that after 9/11, the
end of the world was near at hand, while
36 percent take biblical prophesies literally.
Apart from religious fanatics like Hagee,
there are also other advocates of a "holy alliance"
in the United States. For example, Daniel Pipes, the son
of the well known Russia expert Richard Pipes, who is a
specialist on the Middle East and a neo-con, said:
"Other than the Israel Defense Forces, America's
Christian Zionists may be the Jewish state's
ultimate strategic asset."
there are also other advocates of a "holy alliance"
in the United States. For example, Daniel Pipes, the son
of the well known Russia expert Richard Pipes, who is a
specialist on the Middle East and a neo-con, said:
"Other than the Israel Defense Forces, America's
Christian Zionists may be the Jewish state's
ultimate strategic asset."
On the other hand, such intellectuals as
Rabbi Lerner and Dr. Weber are very well
aware that the source of America's good will
with respect to Israel is the shared origin of
Christian biblical culture. Therefore, while
challenging the Christian Zionists' right to
be called Christians, they do not condemn
evangelicals in general. They acknowledge
that Islam as one of the three great religions
that originated from ancient Judaic monotheism.
They are concerned that the influence of
fundamentalists and fanatics in all three
religions distorts their spiritual foundations.
Rabbi Lerner and Dr. Weber are very well
aware that the source of America's good will
with respect to Israel is the shared origin of
Christian biblical culture. Therefore, while
challenging the Christian Zionists' right to
be called Christians, they do not condemn
evangelicals in general. They acknowledge
that Islam as one of the three great religions
that originated from ancient Judaic monotheism.
They are concerned that the influence of
fundamentalists and fanatics in all three
religions distorts their spiritual foundations.
When Moyers referred to Ahmadinejad's
bellicose remarks about Israel and recalled
that some Muslims believe in the return of the
Mahdi, a kind of messianic figure who will turn
the world Islamic, Rabbi Lerner condemned all
fanatics and said:
"The alternative is to create a different world view.
And this is the problem that the United States and
those of us who are liberals or progressives in the
United States and in the Western world have not
been able to articulate an alternative world view.
This is partly because we have become so secular
and no longer understand that there is some
spiritual foundation to the yearnings of people
all over the world for something other than
global capitalism, for something other than
the globalization of selfishness."
bellicose remarks about Israel and recalled
that some Muslims believe in the return of the
Mahdi, a kind of messianic figure who will turn
the world Islamic, Rabbi Lerner condemned all
fanatics and said:
"The alternative is to create a different world view.
And this is the problem that the United States and
those of us who are liberals or progressives in the
United States and in the Western world have not
been able to articulate an alternative world view.
This is partly because we have become so secular
and no longer understand that there is some
spiritual foundation to the yearnings of people
all over the world for something other than
global capitalism, for something other than
the globalization of selfishness."
Well said. But while sensible people
are creating an alternative world view,
it would probably be a good idea to recall
that the U.S. Constitution has clearly
separated religion from government.
Of course, Pastor Hagee is free to say
whatever he likes in his parish. But
when he does that on the steps of the
Capitol with the obvious goal of
influencing U.S. policy, he
violates not only the law,
but the very spirit of the
American Constitution.
are creating an alternative world view,
it would probably be a good idea to recall
that the U.S. Constitution has clearly
separated religion from government.
Of course, Pastor Hagee is free to say
whatever he likes in his parish. But
when he does that on the steps of the
Capitol with the obvious goal of
influencing U.S. policy, he
violates not only the law,
but the very spirit of the
American Constitution.
By Vladislav Krasnov, president,
the Russian American Goodwill Associates (RAGA)
the Russian American Goodwill Associates (RAGA)
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