Posted on 05/19/2011 5:10:30 PM PDT by SwinneySwitch
Sunday service jarred by leaflets urging rights for Palestinians.
For the first time in the history of Cornerstone Church, pastor and TV evangelist John Hagee's sermon was interrupted by roughly a dozen protesters, who rained leaflets down on an audience of 6,000 and demanded an end to what they called the Israeli occupation of Palestine, before security officers removed them.
The incident happened during the 11 a.m. Sunday service, which was dedicated to the “moral imperative of standing with the Jewish State of Israel,” according to a press release issued by John Hagee Ministries.
Hagee began the organization Christians United for Israel five years ago. This was his third CUFI Sunday sermon. Churches around the country and the globe annually participate in the event, said Ari Morgenstern, spokesman for John Hagee Ministries.
Shortly after Hagee began his sermon, a demonstrator in the upper balcony started to throw leaflets to the congregation, showing images of dead Palestinian children and demanding that Israel return occupied land to Palestine, said G.R., one of the protest organizers who asked not to give her full name because she's received multiple phone threats since Sunday.
Two dozen protesters were scattered throughout the church, G.R. said. Half verbally demonstrated, while others recorded the proceedings on cell phone cameras.
They are all community activists from San Antonio, G.R. said, who came together last week to plan the event.
She said they chose May 15 because it is “al nakba,” the day Palestinians commemorate their displacement after Israel's founding.
Among the protesters' concerns were taking a “stand against the Israel government occupying Palestine and not allowing people to return to their homes” and “the use of military force and violence on innocent people,” G.R. said.
In a letter he sent to radio and television host Glenn Beck after the protest, Hagee wrote, “We support Israel because Israel has the right to exist! ... Israel has the right to defend itself from any nation or group of people that attack them.”
The protesters' compilation video shows them yelling, “Genocide does not bring honor to Israel,” and “How many children have you killed with your tithe?” as, one by one, security officers removed them from the church.
As the audience roared with applause, Hagee said, “It hasn't been this exciting in a long time.”
Officers issued 11 protesters written criminal trespass warnings issued under a single San Antonio Police Department case number. The protesters were told verbally about the warning, Morgenstern said. SAPD also arrested two of the protesters for outstanding traffic warrants.
According to Morgenstern, security officials also asked the protesters to provide identification and for permission to take their photographs, which, he said, they gave.
G.R. said the protesters were told they couldn't leave the church unless they agreed to provide the requested identification, their addresses, and to be photographed.
Following Sunday's events, CUFI Executive Director David Brog said in a written statement, “Of course Israel's not perfect. And of course reasonable people can debate Israeli policy. But to disrupt a Christian worship service to slander Israel with accusations of apartheid and genocide is the height of intolerance.”
I too stand with Israel.
I guess these people haven’t seen the pictures of Palestinian kids being trained with weapons, and they forget about the Jews these SOB’s have killed in their bombings and rocket raids.
Soon it will be Muslim Obots, peacecreeps, Int’ ANSWER, Code Pink, Black Panthers, Nation of Islam and the far left & radical unionists against Middle America. Where do you stand?
Gen 12:1 Now the Lord had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father’s house, unto a land that I will shew thee:
Gen 12:2 And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing:
Gen 12:3 And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.
I can remember back in a 6th grade history/social studies class the teacher showing a geo-political map from some time in the distant past depicting the land of “palestine” smack dab over Isreal. I didn’t think much of it at the time, but I can now reflect and realize I was being brainwashed. There never has been a “palestine” - it’s purely fictional and only “exists” as a modem to conduct hate and violence against Isreal. Isreal is the most unique nation on Earth - bar none - and she has my undying support. Those who hate Isreal reveal their disrespect, hatred, and lack of fear of God. They’re fools.
I stand in a spot that offers me some cover and a clear field of fire, of course.
Don’t forget the Muslim Brotherhood.
Apparently these idiots don’t realize we have access to the photos of what they do to Israeli children too. The world is stupider and stupider.
“Genocide does not bring honor to Israel,”
Israel hasn’t committed genocide against the Muzzies in the local area but the Muzzies certainly have tried several times to commit genocide against them!
and “How many children have you killed with your tithe?”
Only the children you Muzzies use as human shields, fighters, or suicide bombers.
Knowing Hagee, he probably hired them.
With you and i’m ready.
Really?
Charge them with a hate crime...
oh, yeah...
there are no hate crimes against Christians.
sarc/off
It is low for these idiots to interrupt a Church service. I too stand with Israel. Grey Eagle
I stand with Israel. obama and the sobs that voted for him can go to hell as far as I am concerned.
In Wyoming. I’ll see ‘em coming weeks away. They’ll need a 4am wake-up call a week in advance of mine. Soon you’ll all be coming to us. A hint for the southern boys, don’t bring any cotton garments - long johns and cotton socks don’t work here. ;)
Also, his theology is suspect. From what I understand, he actually thinks that Jews can get to heaven without the anoning blood of Jesus Christ...through Mosaic Law. I would be very scared to tell anyone they can get to Heaven apart from Jesus Christ of Nazareth.
Nor seen the burned mutilated bodies of Israeli school children after bombing a school bus. Nor seen the burned mutilated bodies of women and old people shopping in the open air food markets. The list goes on and on.....
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