Christian Zionism and the conflict in Lebanon

I'm not quite sure where I stand on the current conflict between Israel and Lebanon. I'm not firmly on either side because there are elements on both sides that are in the right, and both that are in the wrong. What I do know is that somebody needs to work this out because otherwise it won't end well. The problem is, some people out there do not want it to end well, and in fact they see this conflict as a sign that the end of the world is near and jesus is coming soon. This movement is called Christian Zionism.

http://christianactionforisrael.org/...
http://en.wikipedia.org/...
http://blogs.salon.com/...
http://www.raptureready.com/

From Wikipedia, here's what the Christian Zionists are hoping for:

The role of certain Christians in supporting the establishment of Israel following World War II is well known; and it is regarded by some critics as, in part, a kind of self-willed fulfillment of prophecy. Given this, some are alarmed by what else Christian Zionists envision being done to bring about the conversion of the Jews and the end of the world. As an example, Hal Lindsey, one of the most popular American promoters of dispensationalism, has written in one of his books about the end times: "the valley from Galilee to Eilat (a town in southern Israel) will flow with blood and 144,000 Jews would bow down before Jesus and be saved". According to Lindsey, the rest of the Jews, and presumably all non-Christians, will perish in "the mother of all Holocausts", a great battle of religion called Armageddon. Such beliefs asserted as inevitable fact, and a basis for human action, are often criticized in alarmed tones.

There's more on the Wikipedia site, and it's easier to read then a lot of the Christian Zionism websites because it's got a lot less apocryphal scripture.

http://www.raptureready.com/...
If you read here, it lays out their beliefs in a very detailed manner. The war in Iraq (fall of Babylon) and the fighting in Israel are all signs that Jesus is inbound. Thefaster things deteriorate, the faster he will get here and all the "faithful" can go up to heaven and sing hosannas while you and me burn. To that end, these people are supportive of the war in Iraq, and they encourage anything that escalates the conflict in Lebanon. They're anti-Muslim, and they are very much for war with Iran.

It would be nice if we could dismiss them as harmless kooks, but we need to be aware and vigilant that these nutbags have infected every level of our government, and in a big way they're driving Republican policy. Their beliefs fit right in with the fundamentalist "Battle between Good and Evil" that the right has been masturbating over ever since adopting fundamentalist Christianity as a campaign platform.

Keep an eye out. Educate when you can. A lot of people who support their ideals don't realize exactly what they're supporting. Hopefully not all of them are this far gone:

July 12th, 2006, 12:46 PM
Kidsintow123
...Our bridegroom and kinsmen redeemer, what a beautiful thought!! To finally see His face!!!

Sound the shofar! Let the Enemy know the alert has been sounded and Yeshua is stepping onto the battlefield.

I am a Jewish princess, my Father is the King of Kings!

•  they are antichristians

  visa bloodthirsty barbarians are not Christians at all, they are anti-Christians standing against all of the love and compassion preached by Jesus, a great philosopher who, like most great philosophers, remains dead and will remain so for ever. they are an insult to all those peaceloving people who follow the actual words of the Bible rather than these apocalyptic fantasies created by the exploitive snake oil salesman.

  It is very important for us to identify these people as anti-Christians and two tried to protect young people from their evil influence. It doesn't matter whether or not you are a Christian, exposing the frauds perpetrated by these intellectual criminals is a moral obligation for all decent human beings.

  There is absolutely no doubt that Jesus would demand an immediate cease-fire in the middle east regardless of who's right and who's wrong. He would be appalled by the slaughter of innocent civilians even while recognizing the right of the Lebanese and Palestinians, among others, to defend themselves.

  We should show zero tolerance to the right wing fraudsters who attempt to deceive innocent people on a daily basis. We must elect leaders who are brave enough to stand up to these frogs and defend human rights and the primacy of reality based science over barbarism and deliberately invented superstitions.

  by MakeChessNotWar on Wed Aug 09, 2006 at 02:37:52 PM PDT

  •  visa =- these

    sorry, my voice recognition has a mind of its own.

    by MakeChessNotWar on Wed Aug 09, 2006 at 02:38:47 PM PDT

  •  One megachurch preacher says no

    Recently interviewed on NPR's On Point, and written up in this NYtimes article, Pator Gregory Boyd, author of The Myth of a Christian Nation: How the Quest for Political Power Is Destroying the Church is a great example of the back-swing away from dominionism.

    By the way, Dominionists are the term I usually hear used to describe these people.  According to religioustolerance.org the term comes from

    Dominionism & Dominion Theology are derived from Genesis 1:26 of the Hebrew Scriptures (Old Testament):

    "Then God said, 'Let us make man in our image, in our likeness and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth and over all the creatures that move along the ground.'" (NIV)

    Most Christians interpret this verse as meaning that God gave mankind dominion over the animal kingdom. Dominion theologians believe that that this verse commands Christians to bring all societies, around the world, under the rule of the Word of God.

    He's not to be confused with a liberal.  He's self avowedly conservative.  He just accepts that Christ wouldn't bomb little brown people in order to help the republican party stay in power.

    by 3rdeye on Wed Aug 09, 2006 at 04:13:30 PM PDT

    •  Different group

      There's a difference (but doubtless some overlap) between Dominionists and Christian Zionists. The CZ's are a little more "OMG we're in the End Times like RIGHT NOW", think "Left Behind". The Dominionists are more "We don't know the hour, but religion sure makes a good political tool for controlling others."

      by jabbausaf on Mon Aug 14, 2006 at 08:58:02 PM PDT

•  Most Christians don't want to get involved.....

  Chritendom did't make the state of Israel, these dont represent anywhere near the mainstream view of most Christians.

  Dare I say it, even though some christians do believe in the salvation of Israel etc etc, they leave the job to God to do, to them it is not their place to take up arms and fight.

  Unlike the nutcase in Iran who ( in his apocalyptic illusions) seems to have prolaimed himself the judge, jury and executioner.

  by pimpmydiary on Wed Aug 09, 2006 at 03:14:29 PM PDT

  •  can't stay still on a moving train

    Like an unplanned pregnancy, refusing to make a choice becomes our choice.  The fact is that we, through our government, are already involved.  "We" are speeding bombs to israel right now.  Which is why most of the world blames us in part for the fighting in the ME.  

    Quite simply, if the majority of Christians want to stay ignorant of our involvement, then I hope "plausible deniability" can get us through the pearly gates.  I doubt it somehow.

    by 3rdeye on Wed Aug 09, 2006 at 04:20:04 PM PDT

  •  Even as Israel goes down in flames,

    you'll still blame Iran for her destruction when it actually those who 'supported' Israel.

    These Christian Zionists - Pat Robertson, Billy Graham and son, Jerry Falwell - all believe that Jews must convert or die before the Messiah returns. And you believe them to be harmless?  Have you been paying attention?  They watched people drown in New Orleans and NONE of these 'men of God' came forth and used their influence to persuade Bush to give a damn.  After 911, they blamed feminists and the ACLU for the terrorist attacks?  Say what?? And Pat Robertson pretty much said that Sharon got what he deserved for trading land for peace - and now he prays with Olmert.  And you call these people harmless? I'm not going any further with this.

    You need to check yourself out of denial and lower the volume of whatever hatred you have that's blinding you to the real threat.

    Early Jewist Zionists ignored the rabbis who believe it was a sin to force Israel's creation after God turned them out of her centuries ago.  What makes you think Christian Zionists will leave their own prophecies in God's hand?

    by callmecassandra on Wed Aug 09, 2006 at 10:58:23 PM PDT

    •  I dont believe or agree with any Christian.......

      Or so called Christian who advocates hatred for any other human, it is simply not Christian.

      Any one who takes the bibles teaching into their hands and uses it to perpetrate any kind of hatred, quite simply has not read the Bible at all.

      I dont hate the nutcase in Iran, I fear his fanaticism,and hate his intollerance, I'm not going to compare who is more Evil than who when it comes to religion.

      But suffice to say that if, and this is an if, every Christian followed Jesus teaching to the letter, there would be no war or hatred were it up to a Christian.

      I just cannot say the same for the other major denomination.

      I dont see too many Chrsitian Zionists waging terroism at the moment, can you point me in the right direction?

      What I do see, is a pattern from Asia to the Middle east into Africa, of another religion taking up arms for the same cause, and it seems like it's growing in pace.......

      I don't see a similar pattern with fanatical Christians, possibly isolated pockets in the US somewhere, so how does this compare?

      by pimpmydiary on Thu Aug 10, 2006 at 02:53:33 AM PDT

      •  The dangers aren't

        the average everyday fanatics.  The danger comes from those who represent them. It's the difference between immediate vs. enduring dangers, short term vs. long term. And today, they influence the most powerful man on the globe and have been doing so disastrously for quite some time.  They are not considering what's best for Jews and Arabs in the ME.  They want to fulfill their prophecies as well and will force it into being if they have to and it looks like they're doing a damn good job of it.  And it doesn't undermine the 'creative chaos' theory either.

        If Syria and Iran falls, what do you think will happen? How much will Israel compromise for continued U.S. support under an admnistration influenced by these people who belive the ME is to be on fire before the return of the Messiah?  How hot is over there now?

        by callmecassandra on Thu Aug 10, 2006 at 09:41:20 AM PDT

        •  Hmmmm, I agree but I venture to say that......

          From what I see Bush is moved more on "his" principles rather than some Messianic prophecy fulfiller.

          He keeps repeating the "spread freedom and democracy" line, but I haven't heard him say that he wants to "spread Christianity et al".

          Granted Bush is a more "out there" with his beliefs, but you can't damn the guy because he has strong convictions.

          I realy don't take too much of the imference that he is some apocalyptic visionarie.....I think he has his feet on earth most of the time.

          The brand of Christianity that Bush belongs to dosen't believe that the ME should be burned into a cinder for the Messiah and for Israel to prosper for ever after....

          by pimpmydiary on Fri Aug 11, 2006 at 02:03:40 AM PDT

          •  Claims God talks to him...

            Bush claims God told him to invade Afghanistan and Iraq

            "President Bush said to all of us: 'I'm driven with a mission from God. God would tell me, "George, go and fight those terrorists in Afghanistan." And I did, and then God would tell me, "George, go and end the tyranny in Iraq ..." And I did. And now, again, I feel God's words coming to me, "Go get the Palestinians their state and get the Israelis their security, and get peace in the Middle East." And by God I'm gonna do it.'"

            Bush says God chose him to lead nation

            Bush said to James Robinson: 'I feel like God wants me to run for President. I can't explain it, but I sense my country is going to need me. Something is going to happen... I know it won't be easy on me or my family, but God wants me to do it.'

            by jabbausaf on Mon Aug 14, 2006 at 09:05:11 PM PDT

•  They've already taken over the Air Force

  the branch of the military with arguably the easiest access to nuclear weapons.

  by Magnus Greel on Wed Aug 09, 2006 at 03:43:27 PM PDT

•  Most Zionist fanatics are Jews. But, yes, there

  are Christian whack jobs just as evil in JesusLand. They just don't have the tanks and bloodlust as the Israelis do.

  by earthmissinglink on Wed Aug 09, 2006 at 04:20:16 PM PDT

•  Good on you for doing this diary

  Like you, I am torn in how I feel about events in Mideast but strongly agree the Christian Zionist/prophesy mythology is a dangerous ingredient to throw on the fire, as is being done happily by sensationalistic, ratings-hungry, IRRESPONSIBLE newsmedia, as CNN/Blitzer did today 8-9-06 with Pat Robertson disingenuously in code language aimed at his flock, saying "God will fight for Israel."

  Code language works by means of stating only the half-said, while targeted listeners fill in the unsaid in their own minds; there is a wink and a nod in agreement, and there is satisfied understanding among virtual conspirators. In this case, Robertson failed to say (and Blitzer being uninformed -- a Jew who used to work for the Jerusalem Post, go figure -- failed to point out) that, per evangelical prophesy beliefs, God will stop fighting for the Jewish people as soon as Israel's prop function in prophesy mythology is fulfilled in the "end of days." Then God will be happy to dump non-believers (including most Jews) into the fires of hell.

  It's really crossing the line badly when MSM gives these cockamamie ideas about the end times, apocalypse, Second Coming credence by doing on-air interviews with wackos like Pastor John Hagee, Falwell, Robertson et al., "putting a biblical sin on events in the Middle East," and not even telling viewers the whole myth including what happens to unconverted Jews in the End Times (as you point out, they die some sort of horrible death). All these statements by Falwell and Robertson and their ilk like "we support Israel" are disingenuous (sorry to repeat the word but it's the most descriptive term in this whole discussion) and a means of suckering Jews as Rapturists really just want to be sure Israel exists like a stage prop ("a nation of destiny" says Robertson) for the unfolding of events supposedly leading to Second Coming.

  CNN's Paula Zahn, Carol Lin and Delia Gallagher all wallowed in "end times" prophesy fake news last weekend (7-30, 31), interviewing Pastor John Hagee, a notorious prophesy swiller from a huge prophesy-believing congregation in San Antonio TX. Gallagher even has a religion degree from Oxford, for God's sake . . . OUTRAGEOUS!

  One little prophesy belief (per CS Monitor, link below) held by evangelical Christian Zionists is that the Jewish Temple will be rebuilt on the ground now occupied by the Dome of the Rock -- very, very sacred to Muslims. That sounds like a recipe for Apocalypse right there.

  Oh, and I just discovered (in the same CS Monitor story below) that Lord Balfour, Prime Minister David Lloyd George and other highly placed Brits -- the guys who decided that the Jewish homeland after the Holocaust would supplant Arab territories and displace (and infuriate) their occupants and that homeland called "Israel" would remain forever  surrounded by a bunch of mad-as-hell people committed to the Jews' annihilation (this scheme always seemed to me an anti-Semitic dirty trick) -- then I found out Balfour,  Lloyd George and their pals were themselves Rapturists and prophesy-believers.

  This story is so loaded with irony and even humor in its extremes, I'm surprised Keith Olbermann hasn't latched onto it and really sent the whole thing up.

  For reference, allow me to add a couple more Christian Zionism links for the record:

  Excellent summary article from Christian Science Monitor: "Mixing Prophesy and Politics," 7-7-04:
  http://www.csmonitor.com/...

  Also a couple of excellent programs on Bill Moyers "Now" (PBS) Full transcripts available:

  Theology of Christian Zionism: Bill Moyers, "Now" (PBS) 2-20-04
  http://www.pbs.org/...

  Christian Zionism in the Promised Land, Feb 20, 2004
  http://www.pbs.org/...

  Christian Zionism and Israeli settlement, June 6, 2003, Bill Moyers, "Now" (PBS):
  http://www.pbs.org/...

  by wardlow on Wed Aug 09, 2006 at 09:45:39 PM PDT

  •  Above should read . . .

    "putting a biblical spin on events in the Middle East" ... not "sin."

    by wardlow on Wed Aug 09, 2006 at 10:08:04 PM PDT