Wednesday, December 28, 2011

Zionism, Christian Fundamentalism and the Apocalypse

Recently, members of the GOP presidential nomination field, with the exception of Ron Paul, have been falling all over themselves to talk about how much they "support" Israel. They blather on and promise the armchair warriors that they would bomb Iran into the Stone Age if they were given the chance as president.

Their so-called support for Israel isn't based on some sense of responsibility out of respect for the originations of their Judeo-Christian heritage. It is catering to the right-wing, neo-c0n, fundamentalist Christian coalition of their party which salivates at every chance we get to go to war in the Middle East. There has been a very powerful alliance with the chickenhawks and the likes of Ralph Reed/Christian Coalition, Pat Robertson and others who have a bizarre "End Times" fantasy involving the return of Christ which requires a massive conflict in the Middle East first.

If you believe in the omnipotent power of an Almighty Being, then it is presumptuous to think that you can somehow alter or expedite a master plan that has already been predetermined. Yet, that is what these people think. They cheer for every war that possibly brings us closer to WWIII and the return of their blond-haired, blue-eyed Jesus through this scenario which was never really outlined in the Bible. They believe in an Apocalypse which involves the rebuilding of the Temple and the formation of the Jewish state over 60 years ago plays into the script they've created.

The religious right supports the expansion of settlements in areas already deemed to belong to the Palestinians. They cheer at every clash between the IDF and stone-throwing youths or anything else that brings things closer to the boiling point. It is really a sick, sick little enabling/fantasy combination that keeps the conflict going. This isn't really a war over territorial rights, or a conflict between mainstream Judaism and Islam. It is a proxy war fought between radical Christianity and radical Islam, pitting the hardline Jews against hardline Muslims, in hopes of igniting a religious "Final Solution" in which Christ returns to Earth, but not before we Jews are slaughtered or converted to their religion.

I've had other Jews laughingly tell me that they think these Christians are idiots but they are more than happy to keep taking their money. If it wasn't responsible for years of war, and millions of deaths, this little fantasy would be one I would laugh at. Hell, if I had religious fanatics handing me money and support because of some bizarre dream they had, I'd gladly take their money also. This isn't a laughing matter though, especially when you have these folks being tricked into voting for candidates who support wars that will never actually bring back Christ, but quite possibly the end of the world as we know it. It could end in an Apocalypse, but not the one they want. Dear Jesus, I really like you but your followers scare the hell out of me.

11 comments:

  1. All I can say is "Amen" both to your post as a whole, and especially to the last line!!

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  2. Ditto, I'm christian but I dont have my head up my ass. I agree with every word, thanks and keep up the good work.

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  3. I have been lurking and liking for a bit now. I too find the whole notion of assorted 'Chiristians' who don't see Jews as people they want hanging around when Jesus comes back as perhaps a WORSE problem for Israel than the Palestinians. True there are some who hate all Jews, but by and large Palestinians realize that Israel is not going away. They realize some accommodation must be arrived at. I do think these over-heated 'Christians' are keeping the whole problem going.
    The whole Temple thing is something else again! You may remember the story of the cow Melody, she was the result of an effort to breed red heifers so that Temple sacrifices could be offered. Eventually, she grew some white hairs by her udder, and in her switch (tail to you non-cattle folks) so far all efforts to breed red heifers IN Israel have failed. Probably a good thing since the Muslims don't want the Dome of the Rock destroyed.
    It's a mess, and most of what those people believe about the Bible and prophecies of the End Times is wrong.

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  4. It is an unfortunate reality that extremists are the ones in ruling position on both sides , whether they are trying to bring back Jesus or the 12th Imam. Isn't the question more about prophesy coming to pass and where you are in your relationship with the Creator that is more important.I have read the Quran ,Hadith, and the Bible and one thing that stands out is that the God of the Bible is graceful , loving and merciful to all and it is His will that none should perish. However,Allah is intolerant of everyone who doesn't believe in him or his prophet. Refers to Jews as dogs and pigs and calls for the death or enslavement of all unbelievers(Kaffir) . Though not all Christians are tolerant their institutions are for the most part example try drinking a beer ,or playing music in Saudi Arabia or being openly gay in Iran ,, or just being a Christian , Hindu , Taoist, atheist in any of the Muslim dominated countries.

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    1. Ask the Midianites about the loving Jahweh. Oh, wait, you can't - Jahweh told the Israelites to kill all of them.

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    2. Well..that's their side of the story, anyway.

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  5. This is an extreme reason why I will be so happy when religion is taken as seriously as sewing: a pastime some people enjoy but one that no one dies over.

    Pipe dream, I know.

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  6. cfoam

    If you think that the god of the bible is merciful while god of the koran is intolerant, you need to re-read them both again.

    Most ridiculous line I think I've heard yet, that the same god with the same stories just more added on... old testatment for judiasm, new testament for christians, and koran (new new testament) for muslims, is merciful in one version and intolerant in the other. Picking and choosing your favorite lines much?

    As for the cultural hatred of certain peoples... try being gay in a born again family, or athiest, or whatever, here in usa. Just as bad as in other countries, cept murder is illegal here. Oh, and that hatred is largely cultural and not necessarily religious, because those hatreds vary in the groups of the same religion.

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  7. The Christian Right is as dangerous for the peace of this country as are the Zionist pressure groups in the U.S.
    AIPAC and its lobby in Congress and Senate, the (now somewhat discredited) Zionist-controlled NeoCon-movement, Zionist dominated government ‘advisory think tanks' such as the American Enterprise Institute and the Israel Lobby's 'pundits' in U.S. media and in the American entertainment industry are every bit as peace-poisoning as the figureheads of the American Evangelists. As a matter of fact, the two work hand in hand and nobody knows who is the chicken and who was the egg . . .

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  8. Just found this place. All I can say is Wow! I grew up Jehovah's Witness, I could write blog upon blog upon blog!

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  9. I think some of your points are great and I agree with them, but I think your entry is an oversimplification of a complex issue. It's not just the Christian right orchestrating events over there, you also have the Palestinian leadership getting rich from this perpetual "cause," who continue to make buttloads of money as long as they paint the Jews as aggressors and demons, and they fund various Western peace groups to convince the liberals of the same. After so many opportunities to have their own state, one would have to be pretty blind not to see that when the state is gotten, the cause ends, and so does the money.

    In that vein, I think the Christian right's support of Israel is the worst thing to happen to Israel. Their support would be enough to convince any decent liberal that the Palestinians are probably correct about Israel if the nutty, evil, Christian right are such staunch supporters. Since most of the world is not made up of these nutty Christian religious whacks, most of the world is believing an untrue and inaccurate narrative launched by the Palestinian leadership. It sucks for Israel. Hermit is a prime example. This person uses the term Zionism as if it's a bad word and I can guarantee you he has no ability to accurately define Zionism.

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