Re: Passion - Where is the Gratitude to Conservative Christians, for Their Support for Israel?

February 24, 2004 | Comte de Maistre

[ComtedeMaistre]

The respected Jewish pro-family activist, Rabbi Daniel Lapin, has noted the immense damage that leftist Jewish organizations like the ADL have inflicted on Christian/Jewish relations: http://www.towardtradition.org/article_Passion_Feb_2004.htm

Rabbi Lapin notes that

"instead of helping the Jewish community, they have inflicted lasting harm. By selectively unleashing their fury only on wholesome entertainment that depicts Christianity, in a positive light, they have triggered anger, hurt, and resentment."

Before the year 2000, when Ariel Sharon was elected Prime Minister of Israel, it was often said that American conservative Christians were among Israel's best friends.

Since that time, Arab and other Islamic nations have preached extremely vile anti-semitic propaganda in their media. In 2001, there was a conference in Durban, South Africa, where third world nations denounced Israel as a racist state. After 9-11, Western European nations, especially France, Germany and Belgium, turned against Israel. In Eastern European nations such as Russia and Poland, anti-Jewish feeling is widespread, mainly because of bitter memories of the communist years. In the US, the Democratic party is less supportive of Israel than in the past, as demonstrated by Howard Dean's call for "even-handedness" in the Middle East. Dems took this position to attract Muslim and Arab votes.

Today, it would not be accurate to say that conservative American Christians are "among Israel's best friends". It would be more accurate to say that they are Israel's ONLY true friends left in the world today.

And where is the gratitude to American conservative Christians, for their strong and consisent support for Israel, even in times when everyone else seems to have abandoned Israel? As Rabbi Lapin has noted, the Jewish groups that are attacking the "Passion" movie by Mel Gibson, are attacking the deepest and most heartfelt beliefs that conservative Christians have. Is this how you treat your only remaining friends left on this earth?

[ComtedeMaistre]

The vicious, spiteful and malicious attacks on Gibson and his film, have simply sickened me. We never saw similar attacks on anti-Christian movies like "Dogma", "Last Temptation of Christ", "Priest", etc.

Doe that mean anti-Christian movies=good, while pro-Christian movies=bad?

[RKV]

Actually is means (nominally) anti-Jewish movies = bad and pro-Christian movies = much worse.

[anniegetyourgun]

xactly. You clearly understand the world. But, remember, they hated Him first.

[reed_inthe_wind]

I am not a Jew, but if I may speak for them I might respond by saying, How dare you demand "gratitude". And, what is your motive by linking this tempest in a tea pot with Christian /Jewish relations.

[ComtedeMaistre]

It was Rabbi Lapin of Toward Tradition who raised the issue.

[LS]

You must understand that Israelis want to "thank us" from a distance. They are extremely wary of evangelical support for Israel. Don't look to them for gratitude.

[AppyPappy]

Maybe we should ask the Jewish Pope to render a verdict. Where is he?

[InvisibleChurch]

when we open a door for someone, we shouldn't get upset for them not saying thank you... we do things because they are the right thing to do, not for the recognition

[Doug Loss]

In all things, do what is right. Do not do it in expectation of gratitude or reward, do it because it is right.

[HairOfTheDog]

I don't support Isreal because they are Jewish or on the condition they speak only glowingly about Mel Gibson's movie, I support them because they are a country fighting attackers who blow themselves up in city buses. How they feel about this movie has no bearing on whether they deserve our support in the fight they fight for survival.

[ComtedeMaistre]

>>when we open a door for someone, we shouldn't get upset for them not saying thank you<<

I agree. But the least that we should expect from those we have helped, is that they should not belittle the faith that we hold so dear.

[reed_inthe_wind]

In all things, do what is right. Do not do it in expectation of gratitude or reward, do it because it is right.

Thank you for the words.

[Shermy]

The vicious, spiteful and malicious attacks on Gibson and his film, have simply sickened me. We never saw similar attacks on anti-Christian movies like "Dogma", "Last Temptation of Christ", "Priest", etc.

You saying these Jews should be held in collective guilt for not protesting movies they didn't perceive as targeting them - and which didn't?

As for "Christian" I'm going somewhere other than heaven according to Mel because I don't subscribe to the Western ("Catholic") Church. Is Mel therefore an anti-Christian too?

[CindyDawg]

I don't expect any gratitude since as a Christian, I do it for God.

[InvisibleChurch]

understood, but remember the Lord's words ...Jesus said, "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing."... just goes to show that His words are as applicable now as they were 2,000 years ago

[ComtedeMaistre]

>>Do not do it in expectation of gratitude or reward, do it because it is right.<<

I do not disagree with that statement. Even in the case of the French. We liberated the French from the Nazis 60 years ago. But, today, the French treat us like dirt.

But even if we had to do it all over again, we would still find it worthwhile to risk the lives of our troops, to liberate the French from Nazism.

But a little gratitude from those who benefit from us, wouldn't be a terrible thing, would it?

[Dog Gone]

America supports Israel because it is a democracy. Conservative Christians do so for the same reason, but there are some other factors involving biblical prophecy, which may be more compelling.

Israel has not shown a whole lot of gratitude to the US, simply because it doesn't mean much, and would be counterproductive diplomatically. We really don't want Israel gushing over our support.

American Jews vote overwhelming Democrat, which never seems to bother the conservative Christians who support Israel, which is rather astonishing. If they support Israel more than American Jews, then some disturbing conclusions have to be reached.

[Spok]

This whole notion of collective guilt has been resurrected by the Liberals to condemn present-day whites for slavery. I always thought that in America, a criminal's whole family is not punished for the acts of one member, no more than all American Jews were held accountable for Julius and Ethel Rosenberg. Afixing moral blame for shared ethnicity or skin color is rascist, archaic and leads inevitably to the kind of hatred that fuels ethnic feuds like the Jihad. But it appears to be a mindset that mankind will never get rid of-it's a premise that's not even challenged in 21st century America.

[ComtedeMaistre]

>>This whole notion of collective guilt has been resurrected by the Liberals to condemn present-day whites for slavery.<<

It is also used to condemn present-day American Christians, for crimes committed by Europeans against Jews 500 years ago.

Europeans who lived in the past, should rightly be blamed for the Inquisition and other injustices.

But present day American Christians bear no guilt, for what some Europeans did 500 years ago.

America has no history of anti-Jewish persecution of the sort that existed in Europe.

[Honestfreedom]

The problem is that too many Jews are much more liberal than they are Jewish and care more about abortion and gay rights than about Israel.