Standing with Israel. Christian evangelists
Photo: AP
Our true friends
Dan Calic praises Christian Zionists for standing with us, supporting Israel
Recently there was an event in Jerusalem called “A Night to Honor Israel.” The event was put on by Christians United for Israel, an organization founded and headed by Pastor John Hagee of Cornerstone Church in San Antonio, Texas, which has 19,000 members and is passionately pro-Israel.
Pastor Hagee started holding such events around the US back in the early ‘80s. The audiences were lean in those days, but today they are well attended with a significant number of Jews, including Orthodox in the seats.
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The events are non-proselytizing, and designed to demonstrate genuine love of the Jewish people by Christians who recognize Jews are G-d’s Chosen People. The invocation at the Jerusalem event was lead by Rabbi Schlomo Riskin, Chief Rabbi of Efrat. Keynote speakers included John Hagee, PM Benjamin Netanyahu and Jerusalem Mayor Nir Barkat.
While certain theological statements made by Pastor Hagee will challenge traditional Jews, his words regarding Israel’s right to exist, and defend itself are absolutely spot on.
President Obama would do well to have such an understanding.
With rising international criticism of the Jewish state, events such as this remind us why it is incumbent upon our survival as Jews to recognize who our true friends are, and will be in the end .It is not the Muslims. Even the so-called “moderate” Muslims. For after all they are Muslims, and when the battle lines are drawn they (like us) will not abandon their own people.
Do not be deceived by those who say we all pray to the same god. After all, the Quran is full of hateful words about our people, such as:
Allah stamped wretchedness upon the Jews because they killed the prophets and disbelieved Allah's revelations. 2:61
Allah turned the Sabbath-breaking Jews into apes. 2:65-66
Jews are the greediest of all humankind. They'd like to live 1000 years. But they are going to hell. 2:96
Don't take Jews or Christians for friends. If you do, then Allah will consider you to be one of them. 5:51
There are no such hateful verses in the Christian Bible.
Easy choice
Have any Muslim leaders created organizations which host events throughout the US and elsewhere imploring people to stand up for Israel and support the Jewish people such as John Hagee and Christians United for Israel has? Not one.However, there have been a handful of Muslims and former Muslims who have dared to speak in support of Israel, such as Walid Shoebat. Wald is a former Muslim terrorist born and raised in the Middle East who was committed to killing Jews and destroying Israel. However, in 1993 after reading the Bible he realized everything he had ever been taught about Jews, Israel and Christians was a lie. He renounced Islam and Allah, became a Christian and for the past several years has publicly proclaimed his support for Israel and the Jewish people.
The Muslims reacted by issuing death threats against him which require him to keep his residence a secret. In spite of this he continues to boldly expose the dark truth about Islam, which confirms why they do not stand with us now, nor will they stand with us in the end. He is a true friend and deserves our admiration, support and prayers for his safety.
Those who will stand with us will be Christian Zionists such as Pastor John Hagee. Some Jews may say the reason the Christian Zionists ‘love’ us so much is more about fulfillment of their own eschatology than genuine love and respect for the Jewish people. While there may be some element of truth to this notion, as a Jew if I have to choose between those willing to stand with us and support our country vs. those who murder our people, wish to destroy our country and believe in a god who curses us, the choice becomes an easy one.
G-d said to Abraham in Genesis “I will bless those who bless you, but I will curse anyone who curses you…”Let us work together with those who bless us and support our right to live in the land G-d gave us.
