This gem from James Dobson in today's NY Times
http://www.nytimes.com/...
"Despite all the spiritual shortcomings of the Jewish people..."
This is naturally not his description but
"according to scripture -- and those criticisms come not from Christians but from the Old Testament. Just look in Deuteronomy, where Jews are referred to as a stiff-necked and stubborn people -- despite all of that, God has chosen to bless them as his people. God chose to bless Abraham and his seed not because they were a perfect people any more than the rest of the human family."
I don't know Deuteronomy well enough to critique or analyze Dobson's citing of scripture. I also do not know how his copy of the Old Testament (most likely translated by Christians well after the fact) may differ from the ancient Hebrew text. Perhaps a more learned Kossack could help here?
Dobson's anti-Semitic backhanded compliment of sorts aside, since when does being a "stiff-necked and stubborn people" equate with being spiritually bereft? For nigh on four centuries (and evidently well before) these were characteristics largely admired, if not encouraged, in my New England Yankee family. Pioneers, seafarers, wanderers and the persecuted alike could all scarcely hope to survive without these qualities regardless of faith.
If so, what does that say about Dobson and his ilk? Now there's a bunch of implacable, obstinate louts that are a living definition of "stiff-necked and stubborn people." Never a sign of spiritual shortcoming in that camp, right?
While perhaps the most obviously outrageous nugget in this article, there's further cause for alarm. It's been said many times here and elsewhere yet we must continue to shout it from the rooftops. This is a dangerous game that the Dobson/Hagee/Robertson faction and certain US elected officials are intent on playing to their desired conclusion. This will not have a happy ending.
Their concern for Israel's well being is not humanitarian at all. This particular brand of evangelical cares not for the lives of Jews, Muslims nor any others who are not "saved." Rather, their role in this morbid passion play is to further agitate the Muslim world against Israel (and in effect the United States) thus provoking a long-awaited conflagration...
NYT: Hagee "believes the Bible assigns Israel a pivotal role as a harbinger of the second coming. Citing passages from Revelation and Ezekiel, he argues that conflict between Israel and Iran may be a sign that that time is approaching.
This evangelical crew has unprecedented access to our halls of power. Earlier this year Rev. James Hagee was in Washington, D.C for the first annual confab of his new organization, Christians United For Israel. At that time he described the Israel/Hezbollah conflict as "a battle between good and evil" claiming support for Israel was "God's foreign policy" and "Appeasement has never helped the Jewish people. Hagee also claimed White House deputy national security adviser Elliott Abrams essentially agreed. After these White House meetings Hagee "felt we were on the right track."
What track? What did Elliot Abrams agree with? Appeasement sucks, the battle of good v. evil, "God's foreign policy" or all of the above? I know that Hagee/Dobson and the like are publicity whores who often seemingly exaggerate their political influence but this shit sends chills down my spine.
It gets worse. More excerpts from the Times:
Many evangelicals now talk of the Iranian leader as a "mortal threat" to Israel...At rallies this fall for Christian conservative voters, Dr. Dobson sometimes singled out Mr. Ahmadinejad as a reason to go to the polls, arguing that Democrats could not be trusted to face down such dangers. "Hitler told everybody what he was going to do, and Ahmadinejad is saying exactly what he is going to do," Dr. Dobson explained. "He is talking genocide."
Gary Bauer, a Christian conservative political organizer:
"I am not sure there is a foreign leader who has made a bigger splash in American culture since Khrushchev , certainly among committed Christians," he said.
I am not a fan of James Baker's, but he's certainly no Neville Chamberlain...
Some evangelical leaders say they are wary of reports that a panel including former Secretary of State James A. Baker III might recommend negotiating with Iran about the future of Iraq. "It certainly bothers me," said Dr. James C. Dobson, founder of Focus on the Family and one of the most influential conservative Christians. "That has the same kind of feel to it as the British negotiating with Germany, Italy and Japan in the run up to World War II."
Yep. Iraq's not working for this evangelical set so they've set their sights on Iran. Apparently with a population of less than a third of Iran's 70 million, Syria is small change. Dobson & cos. message is clear: We must not negotiate with Iran under any circumstances. We must prepare for war to fulfill their prophecy and Israel, the US and the whole world be damned.
Perhaps the screwiest part of this whole equation is how Israel has for years actively curried favor with these evangelicals. This has increased dramatically under the Bush administration. Israel has every right to be concerned for its safety. However, they and their American allies are probably playing the most risky of gambits. By aligning with Hagee/Dobson, etc., Israel clearly hopes to further influence US foreign policy in their favor. Now who in their right mind would get in bed with bigots whose stated mission, whose endgame is to bring about the end of the world?
Disclaimers:
I'm not anti-Israel, pro-Iranian, etc. I cannot and will not pick sides in the Middle East as I feel there's much good and much evil on all sides. It's up to the global community has to come together to work towards a solution.
I am of the staunch belief that the Bible, other religious texts and much great literature make liberal use of metaphor and therefore should not be taken literally 100% of the time. You may do so at your peril.
I am all for spirituality while remaining suspicious of most forms of organized religion. Too many times I've found their leaders, their policies and their goals wanting.