Posted on 09/12/2014 10:16:02 PM PDT by chessplayer
Aggressively supporting Israel is a political winner for conservatives. But when it comes at the expense of persecuted Christians who fear for their lives...
Since the second half of the 20th century, some of my fellow Christians have been the most persecuted religious group in the world. They still are. You probably are surprised to hear this. That's because most of these persecuted Christians don't live in the West. They are, as the awful phrase has it, too foreign for the right and too Christian for the left.
In recent weeks and months, however, the West has heard about the plight of at least one set of these persecuted Christians: those in the Middle East. These communities, many of which date back to the very beginning of Christianity, are now facing outright extinction. And it's happening at the hands of ISIS, the West's Public Enemy No. 1.
A summit was held this week in Washington, D.C., in support of Middle East Christians, and Cruz was supposed to be a keynote speaker. However, right in the second paragraph of his speech, he began exalting Israel. After a while, the assembly started to boo and heckle him. Cruz said, "If you will not stand with Israel and the Jews, then I will not stand with you," and left the podium.
Keep in mind that many Christians in the Middle East are ethnic Arabs who live under Israel's occupation of the West Bank, and therefore have negative feelings about Israel. Of course, there are also many Middle East Christians who are supporters of Israel (indeed, there are even Arab Christians who serve, with distinction, in the Israeli Defense Forces).
As the excellent coverage, transcript, and recording provided by The American Conservative's Jonathan Coppage shows, the audience in Washington applauded Cruz's first lines of support for Israel and the Jews. The crowd turned against him ONLY WHEN IT BECAME CLEAR that he was launching into a rah-rah pro-Israel stump speech that had NOTHING to do with what they were doing there.
Cruz tarred and attacked one of the most powerless and beleaguered minorities in the world, solely for personal political gain. He was strong against the weak.
In the end, what was most striking about Cruz's tirade was the last phrase: "If you will not stand with Israel and the Jews, then I will not stand with you." Cruz was literally standing in a room with his fellow Christians. In the Bible, the idea of the fellowship of Christian believers is a very important one, and to break fellowship is to put oneself outside the community. What Cruz was saying was that agreeing to his views on Israel was more important as a badge of fellowship than believing in Jesus Christ.
Look me up in six months and see who I’m pulling for. You are more than welcome.
Unless you need a place to live.
I’m actually starting to enjoy his obstinancy: it’s making me realize more and more the implications and ramifications of this attempted trap by the CAIR hecklers at the speech.
ALL Nation’s, (even, or, especially, our) politicians have to ‘respect’ their citizenry’s anti-Semitism or lose support at the polls. Ted Cruz makes his alliance clear and unmistakable, and NO politician wants his Isaeli Alliance compared to Cruz’.
France is pushing their Jews out openly.
This Ted Cruz supporting t(r)oll is claiming France is the savior of Christianity. Like Wardaddy said, American Jews ain’t voting for Ted Cruz.
You know a man by his words and fruit. T(r)oll must be an Israel-hating ‘Christian’. Does Pat Buchanan FReep and I missed it?
Again, you respond with accusations rather than fact. You are failing to prove Ted right. Friends offer shelter in a storm.
Any Arab...any...that is without a place to live can thank his fellow Arabs. Who constitute 99% of the mid east!!
Very Christian of you.
Telling the truth about Arabs and their responsibility for the ailing state of most Arabs is quite Christian. How astute of you, despite your twisted mindset.
Is Israel helping or not?
Your lack of knowledge regarding the History of the people called Arabs is showing.
So you hate them then? Ok.
What is actually scary is how Freepers do what you’re attempting
I’ve seen it before with Bush II....Sarah... Cain
A bit with Carson and now with Cruz
Cruz is my first pick.... has been for two years now...even over Palin
I think he got sandbagged here given the name of the group...and reacted by labeling his detractors anti Semites
And I question that entire scenario
First time so far since following Cruz
BTW....I am oldish
My fears are death of a child.....my wife leaving me and my own impending doom
Going broke too...that scares me
That’s about it
What Ted Cruz does is not important enough yet in the grand scheme if things to scare me
But ive noted the cult of personality infallibility you’re trying is alive and well
He actually though he was making some sarcastic point......He’s a troll....pretty obvious!!
Again, you respond with accusations rather than fact. You are failing to prove Ted right. Friends offer shelter in a storm.
Ted Cruz went on Megyn Kelly’s show after the speech and re-stated his reasoning for walking away from the Anti-Semites.
If you are a friend of Ted, why not ask him why he’s wrong? I’m sure he’ll have a few paragraphs for you.
By the way, in your poster, is the cigar pointed up or down away from his nose to avoid smoke in his eye?
What the hell are you talking about!!!
His detractors were anti Semites!!!
Its a bit early to be calling Ted a statesman BE
I mean....he’s my favorite too...but I think he waded into this not knowing this group wasnt going to rah rah Israel to his degree
So he called them anti Semites and walked off
This group applauded his first pro Israel remarks then got irritated as he kept at it ...according to article...
What’s the point in picking a fight with old Christian Arabs still miffed over grievances from 60 years ago?
I fail to see the idealistic point or political capital point
Which leads me to guess he thought given their name they would be fellow travelers about Israel
And they were largely...up to a point
I just don’t believe his staff said let’s go find some pissed off Christian Arabs to agitate and call anti Semites.....
Doesn’t make sense
Folks here keep saying truth
Is Ted Cruz now the arbiter of anti semitism?
Hmmmmm...not for me
Some people can’t realize Cruz is trying to save the America his detractors miss actually living in. Inexplicable.
They judge POTUS candidates with an American Idol or Sons of Anarchy mindset, mindless of the implications of what the Left has actually done and is will accelerate doing to destroy their America.
The left is frantically polling on this TRAP of a speech, and very soon will drop the matter altogether when they realize Ted has woken a sleeping Giant... but it’ll be too late.
Thanks, Left!
People who advance the killing of Jews and the destruction of Israel are anti Semites......that's seems rather obvious to me!!!
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.