Christian Zionism: The New Heresy that Undermines Middle East Peace

[KamaAina]

https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/articles/guest-writers/6743-christian-zionism-the-new-heresy-that-undermines-middle-east-peace

At least one in four American Christians surveyed recently by Christianity Today magazine said that they believe it is their biblical responsibility to support the nation of Israel. This view is known as Christian Zionism. The Pew Research Center put the figure at 63 per cent among white evangelicals. Christian Zionism is pervasive within mainline American evangelical, charismatic and independent denominations including the Assemblies of God, Pentecostals and Southern Baptists, as well as many of the independent mega-churches. It is less prevalent within the historic denominations, which show a greater respect for the work of the United Nations, support for human rights, the rule of international law and empathy with the Palestinians.

The origins of the movement can be traced to the early 19th century when a group of eccentric British Christian leaders began to lobby for Jewish restoration to Palestine as a necessary precondition for the return of Christ. The movement gained traction from the middle of the 19th century when Palestine became strategic to British, French and German colonial interests in the Middle East. Proto-Christian Zionism therefore preceded Jewish Zionism by more than 50 years. Some of Theodore Herzl's strongest advocates were Christian clergy.

Christian Zionism as a modern theological and political movement embraces the most extreme ideological positions of Zionism. It has become deeply detrimental to a just peace between Palestine and Israel. It propagates a worldview in which the Christian message is reduced to an ideology of empire, colonialism and militarism. In its extreme form, it places an emphasis on apocalyptic events leading to the end of history rather than living Christ's love and justice today....

Burgeoning Christian Zionist organizations such as the International Christian Embassy (ICEJ), Christian Friends of Israel (CFI) and Christians United for Israel (CUFI) wield considerable influence on Capitol Hill, claiming a support base in excess of 50 million true believers. This means there are now at least ten times as many Christian Zionists as Jewish Zionists. And their European cousins are no less active in the Zionist Hasbarafia, lobbying for Israel, attacking its critics and thwarting the peace process. The United States and Israel are often portrayed as Siamese twins, joined at the heart, sharing common historic, religious and political values.

[Agnosticsherbet]

1. Christion Zionism is the belief that all Jews should go back to Israel so that all but a few

can be slaughtered or tortured to death and in preparationfor Jesus to return and wipe out at least four fifths of the human species.

It is deeply disturbing that so many people can share that vile a thought.

I actually consider Christian Zionism a form of anti-Semitism. They have no use of us except as corpses or as virgin soldiers in their last great war.

[Scootaloo]

3. And yet it is the primary form of Zionism in the US, and is a factor in foreign policy

US politicians don't fawn over Israel because we think they have good ideas, or because they give us great benefits... And it's certainly not because of any secret testicle-grip Israel has on the US. No, it's far less interesting - It's pandering to Israel for US Christians.

[Agnosticsherbet]

6. For Christian Zionists it is about the second coming. For politicians, it is about the money.

and the support it gets them.

[jwirr]

2. And the movement to restore Israel was not hurt by the

fact that President Harry Truman was a Baptist who believe we need to protect them and help establish them in the ME.

Having worked on a reservation where traditional enemies reside side by side I could have told them that would not work. But no one was asking back then.

[Agnosticsherbet]

7. Europe had a massive Jewish Refugee problem. They did not want us there.

The US, Mexico, and other countries put harsh limits on how many refugees they would allow to emigrate. Creating a Jewish state was a convenient way to solve their problem with we Jews and assuage collective guilt at what those countries did, especially beginning with the Évian Conference.

[cpwm17]

4. And they're essentially enemies of Middle Eastern Christians also:

[zazen]

5. oh, they promote "four Jews for $800" crap on Christian TV--it's hilarious but sick

If you can stomach it and find a local Christian TV channel you'll often see big promotions to "buy a coat for a Jew" or "sponsor a Jew in Israel," which gets translated into "sponsor 5 get one free" sorts of sales pitches in the really bad promo's. They show footage of Israelis, and sometimes interview them, but since the elderly Israelis whom they interview don't understand a word they're saying I suspect the "recipients" don't know the level of insanity of the groups in the US who are supporting them. The Christian Zionists throw around the term "Holocaust" a lot in their promos.

It's disgusting how they play on Jewish suffering to raise money for their latest Christian resort in Branson Missouri.

[Bluenorthwest]

8. It's sort of interesting how strongly their end times beliefs reflect those of Daesh

It's mostly a matter of substitutions. In Christian Right version, Israel must exist and the Jewish Temple established, then comes anti-Christ, final battle north of Jerusalem ended by return of Jesus to save the remaining believers. Daesh version, the Caliphate must exist and enforce law under a Caliph who fulfills certain prophecies, then comes a sort of anti-Caliph rising from Iran, final battle slightly further north from Jerusalem also ended by the return of Jesus to rescue the remainder of the Caliphate. Yes, both have Jesus doing the big finish. Many Christian doomers also adopt elements of the Islamic prophecies for example many expect an Iranian born anti-Christ, this comes from Islamic prophecy about the 'anti-Caliph' from Iran.

So, really it is the same scenario, with the same star and same set of events.

[Coventina]

9. K&R