Christians for Israel
"The US must join Israel in a pre-emptive military strike against Iran to fulfill God's plan...which will lead to the Rapture, Tribulation and ... the Second Coming of Christ."
Rev. James Hagee, addressing Christians United for Israel (CUFI) (1)
Do you share Rev. Hagee's apocalyptic vision? If not, would you still work with him to foster the US-Israel special relationship?
The American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) featured him as a guest speaker at a Washington conference. Senator Joe Lieberman and Israeli Ambassador Sallai Meridor (among other notables) are scheduled to appear at Hagee's CUFI Washington-Israel Summit next month.
On the other hand, Leonard Fein, founder of Moment Magazine, referred to Hagee's "A Night to Stand for Israel" as a "noxious melodrama", which Jews should repudiate. (1) Indeed, quite a few Jews picketed this event in Madison,Wisconsin, on June 18, 2007. Who is right? Who is wrong?
By the term "Christian Right" I do not mean simply devout Christians, but those who have sought to use the power of government to promote Christian beliefs and practices, such as teacher-led prayer, Bible study, and Christmas carols in the public schools. They have looked upon Jews primarily as targets for proselytization efforts.
However, since the 1967 Six Day War there has been a subtle re-alignment of political forces in the United States relative to Israel. While many liberals have embraced the cause of the Palestinians, conservatives have come to admire Israel for standing up first to Soviet allies (such as Egypt and Syria) and more recently to Islamic terrorism. (2) Today I would estimate that the majority of the most fervent advocates for Israel in America today are evangelical Christians, not Jews.
Many Jews today, including notably Mr Fein, are uncomfortable in an alliance with people like Mr Hagee. (3) While I sympathize with this discomfort, I believe those who support a strong US-Israel relationship should continue to work together, even when sharply divided on religion and other issues.
In any democracy, various groups of people often support a common cause for totally different reasons. For example, feminists may back a bill demanding long mandatory prison terms for rapists because rapists hurt women, while hard-line conservatives may back the same bill because they want all violent criminals treated harshly. By the same token, I hope that Jews and Muslims will work together to thwart any measure that would give Christian beliefs or practices any form of state preference, even while they battle over Middle East policy.
Co-operation can have its pitfalls. For example, several Zionist groups have proposed to speak for Israel in churches; if this is permitted, should Christians then be allowed to speak for Christ in synagogues? I hope not! CUFI has made many donations to Jewish Federations; should Jews be expected to contribute to Christian causes? It would be contrary to halacha (Torah-law) to contribute to any church or mission.
In other words, we should accept support for Israel wherever we can get it, even from the Christian Right, but offer nothing in return. If that arrangement is good enough for Rev. Hagee and his colleagues, it is good enough for me.
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(1) Quoted in the Wisconsin Jewish Chronicle, May 30, 2008, page 4.
(2) See "Dead End on J Street", the May 16, 2008, Glazerbeam.
(3) Rev. Hagee does not advocate trying to convert Jews because (a) they already have a covenant with God, which is still valid and (b) they cannot be converted. However, he holds that "in the end of times, someone's going to have to make a major theological readjustment, I think it will be them (the Jews)......" The "end of times" refers to after the "Second Coming."
(Thanks to Jim Beer for this quotation.)
Rev. James Hagee, addressing Christians United for Israel (CUFI) (1)
Do you share Rev. Hagee's apocalyptic vision? If not, would you still work with him to foster the US-Israel special relationship?
The American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) featured him as a guest speaker at a Washington conference. Senator Joe Lieberman and Israeli Ambassador Sallai Meridor (among other notables) are scheduled to appear at Hagee's CUFI Washington-Israel Summit next month.
On the other hand, Leonard Fein, founder of Moment Magazine, referred to Hagee's "A Night to Stand for Israel" as a "noxious melodrama", which Jews should repudiate. (1) Indeed, quite a few Jews picketed this event in Madison,Wisconsin, on June 18, 2007. Who is right? Who is wrong?
By the term "Christian Right" I do not mean simply devout Christians, but those who have sought to use the power of government to promote Christian beliefs and practices, such as teacher-led prayer, Bible study, and Christmas carols in the public schools. They have looked upon Jews primarily as targets for proselytization efforts.
However, since the 1967 Six Day War there has been a subtle re-alignment of political forces in the United States relative to Israel. While many liberals have embraced the cause of the Palestinians, conservatives have come to admire Israel for standing up first to Soviet allies (such as Egypt and Syria) and more recently to Islamic terrorism. (2) Today I would estimate that the majority of the most fervent advocates for Israel in America today are evangelical Christians, not Jews.
Many Jews today, including notably Mr Fein, are uncomfortable in an alliance with people like Mr Hagee. (3) While I sympathize with this discomfort, I believe those who support a strong US-Israel relationship should continue to work together, even when sharply divided on religion and other issues.
In any democracy, various groups of people often support a common cause for totally different reasons. For example, feminists may back a bill demanding long mandatory prison terms for rapists because rapists hurt women, while hard-line conservatives may back the same bill because they want all violent criminals treated harshly. By the same token, I hope that Jews and Muslims will work together to thwart any measure that would give Christian beliefs or practices any form of state preference, even while they battle over Middle East policy.
Co-operation can have its pitfalls. For example, several Zionist groups have proposed to speak for Israel in churches; if this is permitted, should Christians then be allowed to speak for Christ in synagogues? I hope not! CUFI has made many donations to Jewish Federations; should Jews be expected to contribute to Christian causes? It would be contrary to halacha (Torah-law) to contribute to any church or mission.
In other words, we should accept support for Israel wherever we can get it, even from the Christian Right, but offer nothing in return. If that arrangement is good enough for Rev. Hagee and his colleagues, it is good enough for me.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(1) Quoted in the Wisconsin Jewish Chronicle, May 30, 2008, page 4.
(2) See "Dead End on J Street", the May 16, 2008, Glazerbeam.
(3) Rev. Hagee does not advocate trying to convert Jews because (a) they already have a covenant with God, which is still valid and (b) they cannot be converted. However, he holds that "in the end of times, someone's going to have to make a major theological readjustment, I think it will be them (the Jews)......" The "end of times" refers to after the "Second Coming."
(Thanks to Jim Beer for this quotation.)
Labels: AIPAC, Christians, Hagee, Israel
posted by Gerald S Glazer at 9:19 AM
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