My Opinion on Ann Coulter's Opinion of the Jews

American Thinker ^ | October 13, 2007 | Kyle-Anne Shiver

[neverdem]

I'm no more an expert theologian than Ann Coulter is, but I have been a Christian nearly all of my life and have logged in more than 40 years of personal and formal Bible study.  So, even though I'm not a lawyer or a best-selling author, I'm compelled to put in my "two cents" on Ann's recent comments about converting all the Jews, so they will be "perfected" like we Christians are.  [Please don't anyone throw a Bible at me until I have stated my opinion.] 

I remember being positively dumfounded -- exactly the way I am at Ann's declaration -- when I was watching a Phil Donahue show in the early 80's and heard with my own ears as Reverend Jerry Falwell made a similar proclamation on network television.  Phil asked Jerry whether he believed all Jews who refused to convert to Christianity were going to hell.  Without so much as the blink of an eye, or a moment to consider, the Reverend boldly proclaimed that "Yes!" indeed the Jews are bound for hell.  Phil Donahue was as shocked by the statement as I was, but he had neither the knowledge of Scripture nor the Christian experience to debate him, and so the statement just stood there --  un-debunked.  A pity.

But along comes Ann Coulter, another famous Christian, who once again throws down the same gauntlet.  I'm picking it up now, and I will stake my own salvation and eventual residence in heaven with the Jesus I love with all my heart and soul, on this:

All Jews are no more going to hell than all people who believe they are Christians are going to heaven

I am well aware of the New Testament verses where Jesus declares Himself the one and only Way to the Father.  Jesus, as the only begotten Son of God the Father, loved human beings so passionately that He was willing for a time to forsake the glories of heaven, to come down here, live as one of us, suffer humiliation for no cause, and give Himself up without a fight to an anguished death to provide a "roadmap" to His Father's House.  I wholeheartedly believe this.

Jesus' birth, life, ministry, Passion, and death provides expatiation of the Sin of the world -- past, present, and future.  The price on humanity's collective head for turning against God has been paid in full.  

But it's not a Get-out-of-jail-free card for every individual; it serves whatever purpose God ultimately decides Himself.  God and God alone will decide.  Not me, not Ann Coulter and not Jerry Falwell.  If the Pope gets to decide, then I'm probably in and Ann and Jerry might be out.  But I'm not touching the authority of the Pope; I'm Catholic.

When it comes to personal salvation, I would like to remind every Christian of this verse that seems to get far less attention than it rightly deserves.  This is Jesus speaking to his disciples:

Not everyone who says to me, "Lord, Lord" will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven.  On that day many will say to me , "Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and do many deeds of power in your name?"  Then I will declare to them, "I never knew you; go away from me, you evildoers."

Matthew 7:21 (New American Bible)

On the matter of salvation and judgment of the individual soul, Jesus is clear.  Talking a good line means little; it's doing that gets rewarded.

Jesus repeats this thinking for us human dullards here:

For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother, sister and mother.

Matthew 12:50  (also, Mark 3:35 and Luke 8:21)

I know of one man -- a Jew -- who is most definitely in heaven right this very minute.  His name was Professor Liviu Librescu.  He was the Jewish hero of the Virginia Tech massacre.  He was the only hero of that hideous day.  The supreme irony is that the day he became the Angel of Deliverance for more than a dozen American youth -- April 16, 2007 -- he was also quietly observing Holocaust Remembrance Day. 

Professor Librescu, an Israeli citizen, had been living and working at Virginia Tech for 20 years on the day that he blocked his classroom door, used his own 76-year-old body as a shield to protect his students, and heroically bade them to jump out the windows to safety -- even as his own body was riddled with the killer's bullets.  Professor Librescu, in that solitary act, demonstrated his abiding faith and love for God and neighbor.  As Jesus said, "There is no greater love than when a man lays down his life for his friends." (John 15:13)  I know of no one personally who has done a greater act of "Christian" charity than this one.      

Now I have an alternate opinion on Judaism and the Jewish people, something I would like Ann to mull over a bit. 

Hasn't it occurred to anyone other than myself that God has a very vested interest in maintaining faithful Jews as a people set apart by Him, for Himself, until the very end of time?  Whether it was a plan from the very beginning, who knows?  But we do know that God is constantly having to call up new recruits and adopt new battle plans to work out His divine will for a human race that uses its free will to run things amuck again and again -- and again. 

And let's face this fact, shall we.  Any attack on the Jews is a personal attack against God.  They are His people; He set them apart for His reasons.  God will never, ever abandon His people.  Period.  If only for the matter of honor.  God's own honor rides on the Jews and how the world treats them.  If anyone of any generation is most certainly dooming himself to eternal hell, it is the anti-Semite, for to hate the Jews, one must first hate God.

Which brings us to the current world struggle.  Anyone who proclaims to be a person of God, must surely recognize the religious dimension of our War against Islamo-Fascism.  It may not be the last one of its kind, but the stakes certainly do seem to be escalating. 

The Jews refused to recognize Mohammed as a prophet in the 7^th Century, and therefore adamantly refused to convert and follow him.  This is the precise reason that Mohammed declared them all to be pigs and monkeys, and why he and his followers have waged war on the Jews most of all, and likely will never be willing to live in co-existing peace with them. 

This isn't a new war for Israel.  The Israelis have been tasting the bitter fruit of Islamo-Fascism for going on 60 years now.  While we Americans were still jitter-bugging and baby-booming, Israel was seeing her children -- God's own beloved -- being blown into bits by homemade bombs at their birthday parties.  We were blinded to the gruesome reality of the false prophet's "fruit" until 9/11, but the Israelis have had front-row seats, and to this very day have spilled more of their innocent blood on the altar of our God in heaven than could ever hope to be avenged.

So, Ann, please read a little more Scripture.  Stop trying to convert Jews, and aim all of your arrows at God's enemies - not at his Chosen People.

[Past Your Eyes]

Roger that! Never will I understand how there can be a Jewish “demokkrat”.

[Non-Sequitur]

Knowing Anne, I wager that her remarks were directed to liberal socialist Jews who support the Democrat Party.

No, Coulter's remarks were directed at Jews in general. There are transcripts out there, her disapproval of any non-Christian was surprisingly bipartisan.

[muawiyah]

Had a job for a very long while where it was vitally necessary to quickly judge someone's soul. That way you'd know how easy or difficult it was going to be (as well as how costly) to collect the debt due.

Never noticed a second where my own credit rating wasn't up for judgment.

The point of the scripture you are tossing at us is that unless you are willing to bear scrutiny, don't take a job (or office in the church) where it is required to scrutinize others.

[Yaelle]

This is beautiful. I am sad that so many FReepers agree with Ann. I don’t think being holier than thou is a good sign of Christianity or of loving our one and only G-d.

Thank you for this post.

[syriacus]

Maybe I missed something. I don’t remember Coulter saying that Jews were going to hell. She seemed to be saying that Christians have a shortcut to heaven.

[muawiyah]

Still, when you read the transcript you find nowhere in it that she "disapproved of any non-Christian".

I think you are confounding Deutsch propagandistic faux responses with what Ann actually said.

[big'ol_freeper]

I never realized that the point of that scripture reading was a "duties and responsibilities" description for you being God. I am sorry for failing to recognize your credentials.

By the way, just for future reference, there is a rather large difference in judging a persons soul and their credit worthiness.

[TheBattman]

Therein lies the difference between Catholics and Protestants:

Does that mean you are taking the Catholic or Protestant point of view?

The way I see it, there are two issues- salvation and rewards. They are two separate items. Salvation is what can ONLY come through faith in Jesus Christ as savior through his death, burial, and resurrection. The second is the rewards promised to those who - THROUGH FAITH (not in place of it) - are faithful in carrying out God's works (including, but not limited to, charity, evangelism, witnessing, labor, generosity, etc.). The Apostle Paul referred to this as "running the race". We, as believing and PRACTICING Christians are to live obediently (because we are thankful for that first part- salvation), thus we are to run our own race.

The Bible is very clear (Ephesians 2:8-9) that it is by Grace we are saved, NOT OF WORKS, lest any man should boast.

[muawiyah]

I think you really should read the transcript. Ann didn't do a "holier than thou" act. Deutsch did, and he misappropriated her words to come back at her with false statements that many in the MSM have picked up to use to criticze Ann.

Frankly, I too tire of these "holier than thou" deals too ~ including those where someone says "I am sad that so many FReepers agree.....". Tell me that wasn't a supercilious sanctimonious statement ~ do you practice this on Wednesday evenings or what.

[DManA]

I get the exact opposite impression from this author. Seems she's saying the way to get to heaven is good (in her view) works. I don't think that's beautiful, I think it's hopeless.

I don’t think being holier than thou is a good sign of Christianity or of loving our one and only G-d.

[muawiyah]

She said “shortcut”. Doesn’t mean this guy Deutsch isn’t going to hell ~

[DManA]

You express my point of view very well.

[cammie]

Thank you for your excellent post, despite all the slings and arrows you have taken for it here. I have read the transcripts, and although it is true that Anne did not say Jews NEED to be perfected, she went somewhere she didn’t have to go, and gave the other side more ammo, as she usually does. For the past few years, I’ve wished Ann Coulter would STFU as she does more harm than good, and this interview was just another example.

[joebuck]

"I get the exact opposite impression from this author. Seems she's saying the way to get to heaven is good (in her view) works. I don't think that's beautiful, I think it's hopeless."

Yep. Martin Luther sincerely tried it her way and ended up in confessional 7 hours a day only to realize he was still damned. And he was really trying. If her way worked we wouldn't need a savior.

[RetiredArmyMajor]

I’m no theologian either, but it’s pretty clear that Christ felt the Jews needing converting through his gospel. The Jews’ special position with God entitled them to hear the gospel FIRST — but it wasn’t an entitlement to salvation from means other than Christ’s atoning work on the cross.

Indeed, just before baptizing Jesus, John Baptist told the Jewish leaders that their genetic descent from Abraham (racial/ethnic Jewishness) was insufficient to save them — they needed the coming Messiah.

Matthew 3:1-12:

1In those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judaea,

2And saying, Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.

3For I am he that was spoken of by the prophet Isaiah, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.

4And the same John had his raiment of camel’s hair, and a leathern girdle about his loins; and his meat was locusts and wild honey.

5Then went out to him Jerusalem, and all Judaea, and all the region round about Jordan,

6And were baptized of him in Jordan, confessing their sins.

7But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees come to his baptism, he said unto them, O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come?

8Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance:

9And think not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, that God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham.

10And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: therefore every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.

11 I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance. but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire:

12Whose fan is in his hand, and he will throughly purge his floor, and gather his wheat into the garner; but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.

Jesus himself said to his disciples during the Great Commission:

Acts 1:4-8

8But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.

The Apostle Paul (Jew of Jews and Pharisee of Pharisees) said:

Romans 1: 16:

16I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile.

Galatians 3:28-20

There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s offspring, heirs according to promise.

In Romans, Paul discusses how the Jew and Gentile are now one in Christ. He discusses the favored position of Jews as God’s chosen people, to have the prophets and the law and much more. But he also goes on to explain how the Jews (in large) reject Christ at their peril, breaking Paul’s heart. He states that he would give up his own salvation in Christ if he people, the Jews, would embrace Christ and be saved. He also talks about the Jews received the gospel first, rejected it, then it was taken to the gentiles, who embraced it in far greater measure, and that it would ultimately make the Jews “jealous” and help bring them to salvation.

And Paul also says:

Romans 2:9-29:

9Tribulation and anguish, upon every soul of man that doeth evil, of the Jew first, and also of the Gentile;

10But glory, honour, and peace, to every man that worketh good, to the Jew first, and also to the Gentile:

11For there is no respect of persons with God.

12For as many as have sinned without law shall also perish without law: and as many as have sinned in the law shall be judged by the law;

13(For not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified.

14For when the Gentiles, which have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law, these, having not the law, are a law unto themselves:

15Which shew the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another;)

16In the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my gospel.

17Behold, thou art called a Jew, and restest in the law, and makest thy boast of God,

18And knowest his will, and approvest the things that are more excellent, being instructed out of the law;

19And art confident that thou thyself art a guide of the blind, a light of them which are in darkness,

20An instructor of the foolish, a teacher of babes, which hast the form of knowledge and of the truth in the law.

21Thou therefore which teachest another, teachest thou not thyself? thou that preachest a man should not steal, dost thou steal?

22Thou that sayest a man should not commit adultery, dost thou commit adultery? thou that abhorrest idols, dost thou commit sacrilege?

23Thou that makest thy boast of the law, through breaking the law dishonourest thou God?

24For the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles through you, as it is written.

25For circumcision verily profiteth, if thou keep the law: but if thou be a breaker of the law, thy circumcision is made uncircumcision.

26Therefore if the uncircumcision keep the righteousness of the law, shall not his uncircumcision be counted for circumcision?

27And shall not uncircumcision which is by nature, if it fulfil the law, judge thee, who by the letter and circumcision dost transgress the law?

28For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision, which is outward in the flesh:

29But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God.

[muawiyah]

There you go again, changing someone's words. I wasn't talking about someone else's credit rating ~ only my own. What I was doing was COLLECTING DEBT.

Big, big difference.

Did you know nearly everyone lies about why they owe money. Once had a lady tax collector down in Alabama who'd purposefully paid the wrong postage rate for several tens of thousands of dollars worth on tax bills give up without resistance. She begged my forgiveness ~ said she'd been misled by this traveling salesman who was selling envelopes ~ and he was evil.

Had the woman write out the check and rush over to the postmaster right away.

She didn't lie ~ but I looked into her soul and saw that hers was a battlefield conversion and we'd best get the money now.

After all, she was a taxcollector herself and she'd had little sympathy for someone who peddled her tale of being misled ~ and would have laid on every penalty provided in the code.

So, not God, but God speaks of debts a lot, and with experience in the matter comes enlightenment!

Many pieces of Scripture speak multiple lessons. Matthew knew Our Lord in a way only those who come from the government to take your money and property can appreciate. It's a hard road.

[Recovering_Democrat]

Well, this is all very interesting and I appreciate the writer's expression of opinion.

But I think the entire POINT of this entire episode has been missed: the Hillary Clinton hit machine, Media Matters dot org was the one making a big deal about this expression of speech by Ann Coulter.

They were the ones who were orchestrating the entire "oh dear God! She is at it again!" machinations in the LameStream Media.

Donny Deutsch is probably watched by fewer people than those who attend, oh, let's say, a "San Jose Sharks" hockey game. But Ann makes a little appearance on his show, says some things that Christians have said for centuries, and you'd think she was calling for the Inquisition. Not the case at all, but hell, it makes for great copy in the press! So let's have at it...until we shut Ann Coulter and every other conservative pundit up!

THAT is the goal of Media Matters dot org.

I even saw a story about Ann this week that ended with her being referred to as a "crazy old aunt no one listens to any more" or something like that...I think it was a CNN story. At any rate, shutting down conservative speech is the goal. They failed with Rush Limbaugh, so media matters dot org is going on to Ann.

When this fails, they'll move on (no pun intended) to another conservative pundit.

Ann and Rush aren't beltway conservatives...they don't spew the Republican party line all the time, so they don't always get the support of establishment conservatives--party conservatives...but we shouldn't join in the bashing.

[adopt4Christ]

actually, HER name is Kyle-Anne — she’s a she....

[DManA]

Shortcut is way too flip to refer to a gift of a love that passes beyond human understanding.

[Jorge]

.. LOL..same difference