Christian Zionists, from the most influential like John Hagee and Pat Robertson, to the most anonymous, like the many extreme Pentecostals that weekly protest in the CBD of my hometown, Adelaide, are eager to tell us that the Zionist State of Israel must be unconditionally supported by all. In fact, Pat Robertson has said that it is only when he finally decided to support the Israelis no matter what they chose to do, did his ministry start to increase, and, in fact, it only then began to explode in numbers and wealth. God loves those who love Israel and loving Israel means supporting the Zionist state no matter what it does.
I find this type of behaviour beyond comprehension. I fully support the cause of the Arabs of Palestine in their search for justice, equality and self determination yet I would never say that I unconditionally support them no matter how they choose to achieve their goals.
I do not support the indiscriminate firing of rockets into Israel; I do not support suicide bombings or aircraft hijackings. I don’t support anti-Semitism by Arabs or anyone else. I do not believe in Arabs (Muslim, Christian or secular) forcing their ideas on non-Arabs.
I would not support the destruction of villages and the ethnic cleansing, murder and land theft of Jews by Arabs or anyone else if it occurred.
I would not support the demolition of Jewish homes by Palestinians; I would not support a nation that gave nationality to Arabs but only citizenship to non-Arabs. I would not support the building of a wall that separated Jew from Jew in Israel. I would not support Palestinian only settlements in Israel that hog precious water resources for themselves while denying Jewish people decent drinking water.
I would not support the detention, without charge or trial, of Jewish people (children included) by Palestinians. I would not support an Arab nation that kept 93% of its land for sale to Arabs only.
Whether or not there are Arab countries that would, or in fact already do such things is a worthy argument but the issue is that as a human being, I could not support such actions.
My point is that the state of Israel already does do such things to Palestinians and Christian Zionists proudly support the State of Israel as it does them. We either reject injustice and inequality everywhere or we do not. Zionist Israel does not get a free pass from God on this. The truth is that the Bible clearly teaches that while God unconditionally loves the Jewish people; He does not unconditionally support them in their behaviour. This point is declared in scripture in so many places that listing them would fill page after page in this blog article.
The idea that being “the apple of God’s eye” means a license to commit ethnic cleansing and discrimination against non-Jews in Israel is correctly termed heresy.Scripture plainly teaches that Jewish occupation of the Holy Land is completely dependent on the Jews adherence to the ethical and religious traditions of the Torah. Ethical traditions that leave Zionist Israel in a place of moral bankruptcy.
Any group that openly supports the state of Israel in such behaviour could never be said to be a true friend of Israel. The truth is that it is just such groups that are the true anti-Semites.
CRAIG NIELSEN
5 comments
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January 4, 2012 at 10:12 am
Steve
‘The truth is that it is just such groups that are the true anti-Semites.’
Amen Craig.
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January 5, 2012 at 11:33 am
ariversideview
Well said Craig.
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January 21, 2014 at 7:52 pm
philipjarman
Could you please explain your last sentence ? Who are the Semites and the anti-Semites and why ?
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January 22, 2014 at 1:49 am
craignielsen
Hi Philip,
I was using the term Semite in the common sense as it is understood by most Jewish people. That is, the Semites are the Jewish people themselves and anti-Semites are people who simply hate or discriminate against Jewish people simply on the basis that Jewish people are Jewish.
The point I was trying to make is that from a Biblical perspective, anyone who encourages or empowers Jewish people in Israel to behave in a manner that clearly contradicts their convenental responsibilities to God while in the land of Israel is not behaving in a manner that is in the Jewish peoples best interest and so in that sense they are being anti-Semetic. Since Christian Zionists indeed encourage and empower the Zionist state in its project to oppress and dispossess Palestinian Arabs, they are thus behaving in an anti-Semetic fashion. I hope this clears things up for you.
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January 22, 2014 at 1:57 am
philipjarman
It does — and thanks
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