Free Republic

Evangelical Christianity remains one of the few topics about which it remains permissible, and possibly even praiseworthy, for a Jewish liberal to know nothing. Take evangelical attitudes toward Israel. Almost every time the subject comes up, someone will explain that Christian Zionism conceals, under a cloak of philo-Semitism, a nefarious agenda. Christian Zionists support Israel, supposedly, to hasten the end-times, when, as Bible professor Candida Moss writes, “Jews must convert or die.” Political scientist Elizabeth Oldmixon explains that evangelicals are part of “movement in Christianity that’s as old as Christianity itself,” and want to hasten “a millennium in the future,”...

Is Christian Zionism good for the Jews? Not every Jew thinks so. In fact, Christian Zionists make many Jews crazy. Why? Worry # 1: Jews believe that Christian Zionists believe that all Jews need to be back in the land of Israel before Jesus can return. Except it’s not true. I once asked Ralph Reed, the prominent conservative activist and founder of the Christian Coalition, about this. “Rabbi, I’ve been in church every Sunday of my life and I have never heard such a thing. It’s not the last book of our Bible [Revelation, which speaks of the end of...

As Sarah Palin begins what at least appears to be a testing—if not a parting—of the waters in anticipation of a potential presidential run, she has waded into the murky stuff that is the Israel/Palestine quagmire. One of the stops on her “Going Rogue” book promotional tour last week was ABC’s “Good Morning America.” Noting that the Obama administration doesn’t want Israel to build any more settlements on what it considers Palestinian territory, interviewer Barbara Walters asked the former Alaska governor/Vice Presidential candidate for her view. Palin’s response. The politician responded, “I disagree with the Obama administration on that. I...

The Vatican's envoy in the Holy Land and bishops from three other churches have launched a rare joint attack on the Christian Zionist movement, accusing it of promoting "racial exclusivity and perpetual war." Christian Zionists form a growing part of the pro-Israel lobby in the United States, the Jewish state's main ally. They believe the return of Jews to the Holy Land and establishment of Israel are proof of God's promises to biblical patriarchs. Churches in the Middle East often appear closer to the Palestinians, whose Christian minority makes up a substantial portion of their clergy in the region. The...

Mr. Hagee Draws Evangelicals By Arguing Jewish State Fulfills Biblical Prophecy .... WASHINGTON -- After Israel sent warplanes into Iraq in 1981 to bomb a nuclear reactor, Texas televangelist John Hagee sent letters to 150 fellow Christian preachers to rally support for the Jewish state. He got just one positive response. .....he says he got a death threat on the phone and someone shot out all the windows of his station wagon.... Last week, as Israel's armed forces pounded Lebanon and worries of a wider conflagration mounted, Mr. Hagee presided over what he called a "miracle of God": a gathering...

By now it should be clear that George W. Bush wasn't the only big winner to emerge from this month's US presidential election. In terms of flexing political muscle and shaping the outcome of the vote, no group proved more successful than America's evangelical Christians. They flocked to the polls, boosting the incumbent and helping to set the country's political agenda for the next four years. While some American Jews view this development with mounting concern, my reaction is far more sanguine, even upbeat: Israel should be thanking God for the rise of the Christian Right. They are the best...

I received the document today from Jan Willem van der Hoeven, Director of the International Christian Zionist Center. After speaking with him, I have no doubt that the below account is authentic and accurate. It must be widely disseminated. - David Wilder An amazing reportJan Willem van der HoevenDirector, International Christian Zionist Center This amazing report written by my friend and journalist Dmitry Radyshevsky came this morning into my hands. I publish it hereby in full as I believe this voice needs to be widely heard. Recently he, the executive director of the First Annual International Jerusalem Summit, had an...

There is a game plan to save Eretz Yisrael and the Jewish people created by "Netzah Yisrael Lo Yeshaqer  -  The Eternal One of Israel Never Lies." The plan consists of eight points: 1.  A real labor union that really represents the workers. 2.  A real human rights, civil liberties organization and legal aid society. 3.  Intelligent political action: demonstrations to create public interaction. 4.  Hasbarah -  Media relations and lobbying to get our case before the public. 5.  Aliyah and resettlement: - recruitment and resettlement of immigrants;     [A] Including the rescue and rehabilitation of Jewish refugees. 6.  Building the...

Petition to President Bush I am deeply moved and thankful for the strong and truthful wording of the petition to President Bush issued by Worthy News in cooperation with my friend and White House Correspondent Bill Koenig. If you want to have your name (and title) written under this wonderful petition, please e-mail us immediately and we will make sure that when this petition will be presented to President Bush during the first week of September in Washington DC, your name will be on the list that already by now carries nearly 20.000 signatures. Jan Willem van der Hoeven, Director...

Hizbullah leader Sheikh Hassan Nasrallah has accused US Christian supporters of Israel of hatching a "plot" to liquidate the Arabs and driving them into exile, the Beirut Daily Star reported Wednesday. Speaking at a graduation ceremony, Nasrallah said that "Christian Zionists" are gaining strength in the US and that they have a powerful impact on US foreign policy. Christian groups in America, he said, are financed by oil companies and weapons firms, and seek to encourage Jews to move to Israel and rebuild the temple in Jerusalem. However, he said, "if they all gather in Israel, it will save us...

Their aim is to redraw the world’s political map’ Hizbullah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah said Tuesday that Arabs were not “red Indians” and will not be liquidated or driven into exile by Israel and the United States. Speaking at a graduation ceremony in Haret Hreik, Nasrallah said that “Christian Zionists” were gaining strength and had a powerful impact on US foreign policy. Nasrallah alleged that oil companies and weapons firms that have financed the “Christian Zionists,” the Arabic term for the right-wing Christian supporters of Israel, were in alliance in the United States. “Their aim is to redraw the world’s...