It never ceases to amaze me that there are Jews out there who can overlook the obvious anti-Semitism of those on the religious right like John Hagee just because they spout some support (based in a vision of Armageddon) for the state of Israel. These folks believe that Jesus can return only after Armageddon, and to this end it is best if Israel continues to be at war?
These are Jews who would apparently sell their soul for some right wing political agenda that they happen to be pushing.
As one Jew to another, you people make me sick!
The outrageous statement by Reverend Hagee is an example of extremist views that are being ignored by those who laud the support Israel gets from evangelicals.
As you know Hagee argues, Hitler and the Holocaust, were part of a divine plan to expel Jews from Europe and bring them to the Land of Israel. It was written about and prophesized in the Bible, Hagee says. How will God restore Jews to their homeland? asks Hagee. The answer: "through fishermen and hunters. A hunter is the one who comes with a gun and forces you; Hitler was a hunter."
And this guy is welcome by the likes of AIPAC.
And unfortunately it isn't just AIPAC.
An official from the American Jewish Committee recently would not criticize Pastor John Hagee for his comments about Hitler as a "hunter" sent by God to drive European Jews to Palestine.
Then there is Joe Lieberman who will speak at a July conference hosted by the pastor, "Christians United for Israel," in Washington.
According to the AP, Lieberman said that "while Hagee's comments were unacceptable and hurtful, he will judge him on his life work fighting anti-Semitism and building bridges between Christians and Jews."
Joe, in addition to everything else wrong with you, you are a dope.
By the way this reverend has been making anti-Semitic statements (and anti-Catholic ones, as well) for years.
Don't get me wrong, the vast majority of us Jews aren't as stupid as these misleaders of ours. We know what these schmucks are all about. We've no use for them.
A sermon by Rabbi Jonathan Biatch (a supporter of the state of Israel) of Temple Beth El in Madison, Wisconsin, in August, 2007 laid it all out:
The following is from the Jewish Daily Forward.
Hagee’s a No-Show at Israel Lobby Meet, But He Has Plenty of Friends There
Controversial evangelical leader Pastor John Hagee did not attend this week’s annual policy conference of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, but the continuing support he enjoys within the pro-Israel community was nevertheless on display.
Just two weeks ago, presumptive Republican presidential nominee John McCain rejected Hagee’s endorsement due to the pastor’s past controversial comments about the Holocaust and the Catholic Church. But in a closed-door, off-the-record session at the Aipac conference devoted to the topic of evangelical support for Israel, there was plenty of enthusiasm for the embattled pastor among those who crowded into a Washington Convention Center meeting room.
Speakers at the session, titled “Friends in Faith: Evangelical Christians and the Pro-Israel Movement,” included Gary Bauer, president of American Values; John Buhler, founder of Christian Advocates for Israel; and David Brog, executive director of Christians United for Israel, the group led by Hagee.
“I want to take a moment to discuss with you a good man, evangelical pastor John Hagee,” Brog said to the audience. Before Brog could finish the sentence, the crowd broke into a lengthy round of applause, ending in a standing ovation. Among the few attendees who did not cheer at the mention of Hagee’s name was Abraham Foxman, national director of the Anti-Defamation League, who has occasionally been critical of the ties between the Jewish community and Christian Zionists.
“It was a heart-warming sign for me,” Brog told the Forward later, adding that it indicated to him that the pro-Israel community still strongly supports Hagee.
Leaders of the Union for Reform Judaism spearheaded the criticism of Hagee last month, after it emerged that in past sermons the pastor had portrayed the Holocaust as an attempt by God to force Jews to move to Israel.
Last year, Hagee was one of the keynote speakers at the Aipac policy conference and was warmly welcomed by attendees. According to Brog, Hagee was invited to join this year’s conference as a participant but could not attend due to his busy schedule.
These are Jews who would apparently sell their soul for some right wing political agenda that they happen to be pushing.
As one Jew to another, you people make me sick!
The outrageous statement by Reverend Hagee is an example of extremist views that are being ignored by those who laud the support Israel gets from evangelicals.
As you know Hagee argues, Hitler and the Holocaust, were part of a divine plan to expel Jews from Europe and bring them to the Land of Israel. It was written about and prophesized in the Bible, Hagee says. How will God restore Jews to their homeland? asks Hagee. The answer: "through fishermen and hunters. A hunter is the one who comes with a gun and forces you; Hitler was a hunter."
And this guy is welcome by the likes of AIPAC.
And unfortunately it isn't just AIPAC.
An official from the American Jewish Committee recently would not criticize Pastor John Hagee for his comments about Hitler as a "hunter" sent by God to drive European Jews to Palestine.
Then there is Joe Lieberman who will speak at a July conference hosted by the pastor, "Christians United for Israel," in Washington.
According to the AP, Lieberman said that "while Hagee's comments were unacceptable and hurtful, he will judge him on his life work fighting anti-Semitism and building bridges between Christians and Jews."
Joe, in addition to everything else wrong with you, you are a dope.
By the way this reverend has been making anti-Semitic statements (and anti-Catholic ones, as well) for years.
Don't get me wrong, the vast majority of us Jews aren't as stupid as these misleaders of ours. We know what these schmucks are all about. We've no use for them.
A sermon by Rabbi Jonathan Biatch (a supporter of the state of Israel) of Temple Beth El in Madison, Wisconsin, in August, 2007 laid it all out:
"The normative viewpoints of both Christianity and Judaism both look toward the coming of the Messianic Era. Christianity prays for the Second Coming; Judaism hopes for the Messiah to arrive – as our liturgy says – ‘speedily, and in our day.”
This is all well and good, and through our worship and religious observances we pray that whatever the nature of the Next World, or as we call it in Hebrew, the Olam Habah, it will be good for all of us."
Those who call themselves Christian Zionists in this era do not simply PRAY for the return of the Christian Messiah. They have lobbied our government to actualize and hasten Armageddon, that prophesied battle that will presage the coming of the Messiah."
And they do it through their agitating for war with Iran."
One of the most prominent Christian Zionist groups these days is Christians United for Israel (CUFI). Its leader’s name is Pastor John Hagee, a charismatic preacher who has predicted that this ‘end-times’ battle of Armageddon will take place within a modern-day confrontation with Iran."
In the summer of 2006, during the Israel – Hezbollah war, Pastor Hagee and his organization – which claims to represent 50 million evangelical Christians in this country – lobbied our government against imposing a diplomatic solution during the early stages of the war. They were hoping that Israel and Hezbollah’s battles would eventually bring Syria and Iran actively into the fighting, thereby resulting in the Armageddon they seek."
Pastor Hagee advocates striking Iran also because of its animosity toward Israel, and because Iran is, in Hagee’s view, the spawning ground of radical Islam, an enemy to both Israel and the United States."
I do not deny that the current president of Iran represents a serious threat to Israel; he would decimate us immediately had he the means to do so."
No: My real fear regarding Pastor Hagee’s approach is that he and his 50 million followers would push our government toward an unnecessary and pre-mature confrontation through which, they believe, they would attain Christian religious fulfillment."
In my view, such a crusade would result in far greater death and destruction than we could imagine."
We Jews see things with different eyes. The prophet Isaiah, for example, describes the so-called ‘end of days’ in decidedly different terms. He writes:
'It shall come to pass in the last of days, that the mountain of the Eternal God’s house shall be established above all mountains, and it shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow to it. Many people shall go and say, "Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the Eternal, to the house of the God of Jacob; and God will teach us God’s divine ways, and we will walk in God’s paths; for from Zion shall go forth Torah, and the word of the Eternal from Jerusalem." And God shall judge among the nations, and shall decide for many people; and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they ever again train for war” (Isaiah 2:2-4)'"
What a vision! Lofty, peaceful. A Messianic era heralded and conducted by a desire to draw near to God’s learning and instruction, and marked by a DISMANTLING of machines of war."
...One other aspect of Pastor Hagee’s philosophy concerns me, and that is his maligning of Islam."
If he were only to condemn RADICAL Islam, or Islamism, as a perversion of Islam, we might be able to agree with him."
But in sermons that Pastor Hagee has given, he questions whether Islam is a religion of peace,1 and he questions the patriotism of American Muslims."
He cites, for example, some of the bellicose statements found in the Koran, and therefore concludes that Islam is not a religion of peace."
I seem to recall a few war-like verses in the Hebrew bible. We, Muslims and Jews, share this trait. Yet no one I know would label Judaism as anything other than a religion that strives for peace."
He also asserts that 82% of American Muslims did not support the first Gulf War with Iraq, and therefore were disloyal Americans."
If a similar poll were taken of American Jews regarding the current war in Iraq, I might guess that a large majority of American Jews would likely express very similar attitudes. Would that cause Pastor Hagee to label us Jews as disloyal Americans as well?"
The following is from the Jewish Daily Forward.
Hagee’s a No-Show at Israel Lobby Meet, But He Has Plenty of Friends There
Controversial evangelical leader Pastor John Hagee did not attend this week’s annual policy conference of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, but the continuing support he enjoys within the pro-Israel community was nevertheless on display.
Just two weeks ago, presumptive Republican presidential nominee John McCain rejected Hagee’s endorsement due to the pastor’s past controversial comments about the Holocaust and the Catholic Church. But in a closed-door, off-the-record session at the Aipac conference devoted to the topic of evangelical support for Israel, there was plenty of enthusiasm for the embattled pastor among those who crowded into a Washington Convention Center meeting room.
Speakers at the session, titled “Friends in Faith: Evangelical Christians and the Pro-Israel Movement,” included Gary Bauer, president of American Values; John Buhler, founder of Christian Advocates for Israel; and David Brog, executive director of Christians United for Israel, the group led by Hagee.
“I want to take a moment to discuss with you a good man, evangelical pastor John Hagee,” Brog said to the audience. Before Brog could finish the sentence, the crowd broke into a lengthy round of applause, ending in a standing ovation. Among the few attendees who did not cheer at the mention of Hagee’s name was Abraham Foxman, national director of the Anti-Defamation League, who has occasionally been critical of the ties between the Jewish community and Christian Zionists.
“It was a heart-warming sign for me,” Brog told the Forward later, adding that it indicated to him that the pro-Israel community still strongly supports Hagee.
Leaders of the Union for Reform Judaism spearheaded the criticism of Hagee last month, after it emerged that in past sermons the pastor had portrayed the Holocaust as an attempt by God to force Jews to move to Israel.
Last year, Hagee was one of the keynote speakers at the Aipac policy conference and was warmly welcomed by attendees. According to Brog, Hagee was invited to join this year’s conference as a participant but could not attend due to his busy schedule.
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