On Mar 26, 2:51 am, "Non-TweedlePug Voter" <bye...@tweedleDims.com>
wrote:
http://www.lewrockwell.com/barnwell/barnwell73.html
TV Evangelist John Hagee Wants War With Iran, and He Wants It Now!
by Bill Barnwell
If anyone still thinks that the radical end-times "prophecy" movement is =
not
a threat to peace and stability, think again. At the popular level, in te=
rms
of the TV preachers and the hot-selling prophecy books, the dispensational
pre-trib stuff still reigns supreme. Most conservative-leaning Evangelical
churches in America today are heavily influenced by popular dispensational
theology to some extent. Even churches and pastors that don't teach
pretribulationalism still are influenced by dispensationalism to varying
degrees.
The most dangerous element of this prophetic paradigm, however, is its do=
om-
and-gloom view of the world. And in most cases, those who have a fascinat=
ion
with the end of the world have a particular fascination with war and
militarism as well. More problematic, it assumes that their wars of choice
are not just their own foreign policy preferences or personal opinions.
Rather they are ordained by God. In 2003, more than a few pastors and
influential Christian figures basically said that opposing the Iraq war w=
as
opposing God's end-time plan. According to Evangelical end-times enthusia=
sts,
if you opposed the Iraq war, you didn't just hate your country and the
troops, now you were opposing God and the Bible as well.
An even bigger obsession for dispensationalists has always been Israel. F=
or
the average dispensationalist, modern-day secular Israel is going to be t=
he
focal point in the end-times. Therefore, if the Bible really does teach in
Daniel 9:27 that the Al-Aqsa Mosque is going to be torn down for a rebuilt
Jewish Temple, why should any of us seek to prevent it? Sure, it very well
might ignite a regional war and even ignite tensions around the world, but
it's all part of God's prophetic plan. Not to worry though, things might =
not
get really ugly until after the "rapture," so the Christians today who are
cheering for events that would bring about World War III won't have to wo=
rry
about it anyway. Unless of course, they are wrong about the whole thing.
Enter the Rev. John Hagee. Hagee is the pastor of Cornerstone Church in S=
an
Antonio Texas, where he has 18,000 followers right in his own congregatio=
n=2E
He also has a global television ministry and has sold scores of prophecy
books over the years. John Hagee is perhaps the most powerful and influen=
tial
Christian Zionist figure in America. Hagee has a long history making stra=
nge
predictions about world events that are almost always wrong. His books in=
the
late 90's trumped up Y2K hysteria to ridiculous levels. He inaccurately
predicted that the assassination of Yitzhak Rabin was the "Beginning of t=
he
End" in the book of the same name. In every book he writes, he is constan=
tly
warning of catastrophe in various forms right around the corner. Accordin=
g to
one of his fans, he supposedly just preached a sermon predicting that 2007
would be a "significant" year in Bible prophecy and that his prophecy cla=
ims
can be "mathematically" backed up by the Biblical text.
Given Hagee's prior success rate in making predictions, don't be shocked =
if
2007 doesn't shape up to be all that "significant" after all. As with all
popular prophecy teachers, they are immune from making inaccurate predict=
ions
and false prophecies. Their followers simply forget or forgive them. Maybe
they'll even claim that God changed His mind. Most don't even pay attenti=
on
though and don't even realize their superstars are constantly revising th=
eir
predictions and end-times charts.
However, Hagee is not just another goofy eccentric on TBN. He has politic=
al
clout and regularly meets with influential national politicians. If you've
ever watched him on TV, he clearly basks in this fact and drops little hi=
nts
about his discussions with people in governmental authority and other
positions of power. For years Hagee has hosted "A Night to Honor" Israel =
and
is founder and chairman of Christians United for Israel. Their goals span
beyond supporting Israel, but also implementing a one-sided and radical
approach to the Arab-Israeli problems in the Middle East. There is no nua=
nce
to their policy prescriptions and ironically (or perhaps not so ironicall=
y)
the agenda of Hagee and his group would actually make matters much worse =
in
the Middle East.
And he has more than a few fans out there. He has not been afraid to remi=
nd
his church and television audience, repeatedly over the years, that there=
are
"millions in America and around the world watching this program right now=
.."
Whatever the number really is, what is clear is that Hagee is reaching ma=
ny
people and has a networking system that spans into the rich and powerful,
some of whom are making national foreign policy decisions.
If left up to Hagee, there would be a military strike against Iran today.
Since last summer, Hagee has been practically foaming at the mouth for a =
new
war with Iran. Why? Because he thinks it is the rest of the world's job to
fight Israel's wars and because he thinks such a showdown is a piece of t=
he
puzzle in regards to Bible prophecy. To Hagee, there is no middle ground =
on
this issue. God told Abraham he would "bless those who bless you and curse
those who curse you" (Gen. 12:3). That means if YOU aren't on board with =
wars
that might be in Israel's interest, but not in the United States', then Y=
OU
will be cursed by God. At least according to Hagee.
Hagee is also the president and CEO of Global Evangelism Television,
which telecasts his radio and television ministry. Hagee has received
numerous honors and accolades from national Jewish organizations for
his unwavering support of Israel. In pursuit of his support of Israel,
Hagee helped found Christians United for Israel on February 7, 2006 as
a "Christian AIPAC" lobbying Congress to support Israel.
Why is Hagee's unwavering support of Israel so important to him and
his fellow Christians? Because without the Jewish promise of a second
coming, there would be no Christianity and no need for Hagee's rabid
bible thumping for Armageddon. Christians would not exist without the
Jewish promise of a Messiah Only because the Jewish bible told of a
second coming of a Messiah could the Christians explain Jesus Christ.
Ergo, they have to defend the Zionists. Without the Jews, there is no
New Testament.
WHY EVANGELICAL CHRISTIANS SUPPORT ISRAEL:?
They have no choice. Without the Jews and their promise of a second
coming of a messiah, there would not be a Christian religion, thus no
Evangelicals and no millionaire holy cloth salesmen to frighten the
hell out of their foolish contributors with threats of end times to
their trailer parks.
Without the Jews, there is no New Testament - No Jesus Christ - No
Ghost-and no Hagees, no 700 Club. Not even a Vatican for the tourists
to gloat over. The Jews understand this.The Christians are a little
slow to catch on.
I have often wondered why the Christians are so willing to approve
and
defend the Zionist colonization of Palestine when, at the same time,
they complain that the Jews killed their leader? Could it be that,
for
Christianity the Jewish prophesy of the second coming of a messiah is
necessary for the Christ of the New Testament to be real?
It doesn't matter that the Jews do not accept Jesus as their messiah;
the Christians are stuck with the second coming tale and the rest of
the Old Testament with its violence, gardens, sea-splitting and the
rest of the deal - warts and all.
Christians have been trying for years to eliminate the OT and the
insane and vicious deeds committed in the Jewish book, but they
can't.
Without the "Promise" of a second coming and their argument that
Jesus
Christ is the promised product itself, they are stuck with it.
Jesus said, "I and the Father are one." Christians confirmed it at
the
Council of Nicea.
The First Council of Nicaea, convoked by the Roman Emperor
Constantine
I in 325, was the first ecumenical conference of bishops of the
Christian Church.
The purpose of the council (also called a synod) was to resolve
disagreements in the Church of Alexandria over the nature of Jesus in
relationship to the Father; in particular, whether Jesus was of the
same or of similar substance as God the Father. This is where Jesus
became divine. Until then he was just another unemployed Jew with a
political message. Just another man.
"Jesus Christ -
Just a man just as a painter must needs paint him as a
man We shall tell what we have believed about Jesus of Nazareth, but
him we shall treat as being what he appeared to be, a man...
"Almost our only resources of information about the personality of
Jesus are derived from the four Gospels, all of which were certainly
in existence a few decades after his death, and from allusions to his
life in the letters (epistles) of the early Christian propagandists.
The first three Gospels, the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke, many
suppose to be derived from some earlier documents; the Gospel of
St.John has more idiosyncracy and is couloured by theology of a
strongly Hellenic type. Critics are disposed to regard the Gospel of
St. Mark as being the most trustworthy account of the personality and
actual words of Jesus. but all four agree in giving us a picture of a
very definite personality; they carry the same conviction of reality
that the early accounts of Buddha do. In spite of miraculous and
incredible additions, one must be obliged to say, "Here Is a Man.
This
part of the tale could not have been invented."
--- H.G.Wells
Outline of History
Aid to Israel
http://www.hdip.org/Fact%20sheets/us_aid_to_israel.htm
BUSH? http://www.biblebelievers.org.au/bushlist.htm
http://www.sweetliberty.org/issues/shadow/jewishmedia.htm
THE ADL:
What is the ADL?
"The ADL...Is one of the ugliest, most powerful pressure groups in
the
United States... its primary commitment is to use any technique,
however
dishonest and disgraceful, in order to define and silence and destroy
anybody who dares to criticize the HOLY STATE. ('ISRAEL')"
http://www.zpub.com/notes/adl2.html
We Are All Jews Now.
http://www.dissidentvoice.org/Articles4/Jones_Palestine.htm
Our Real Government Is In Israel - Our Real Government Is in Israel.
..=2E.
Anyone who doesn't see that our real government is in Israel isn't
paying attention or is too timid to face the truth. ...
http://www.apfn.org/apfn/iraq_israel.htm
Are religion and religious differences to blame for war and conflict?
Many war leaders have claimed to have God on their side, but should
religion get the blame? George Bush was in little doubt about how the
US-led coalition would bring down Saddam Hussein.
At a prayer meeting, shortly before the invasion of Iraq, he said:
"Behind all of life and all of history, there's a dedication and
purpose, set by the hand of a just and faithful God."
But God's help was being invoked in Baghdad, too. Saddam Hussein told
Iraqis: "Fight as God ordered you to do."
So does that makes the Iraq conflict a religious war? President Bush
and Saddam Hussein were only the most recent of a long line of
political leaders who have drawn on religion to help them in battle
or
to justify a military campaign. It is often suggested that there has
been a sharp rise in religiously motivated conflict.
Leaders use differences over faith as a way of sowing hatred and
mobilising support for political wars. As the American civil war
leader
Abraham Lincoln put it almost 150 years ago: "The will of God
prevails.
In great contests, each party claims to act in accordance with the
will
of God. Both may be, but one must be wrong.
God cannot be for and against the same thing at the same time."
Can religion be blamed for war?
--- Mike Wooldridge
BBC World Affairs Correspondent
Let us prey.
To see just how bellicose, belligerent, and militaristic Hagee has come, =
just
watch his speech at the AIPAC Washington conference. Behind his thundering
prose and love for the Jewish people is a militaristic and even fanatical
mindset that is hoping and praying for the world to fall apart. After all,
Jesus can't come back unless it does, but all is well since Christians be=
fore
the "rapture" will escape the worst of it.
Unfortunately for the Jewish people, they still await another massive
holocaust, according to many dispensationalists. Anyone interested in this
subject should read our own Gary North's column, The Unannounced Reason
Behind American Fundamentalism's Support for the State of Israel. An exce=
rpt:
Nothing can or will be done by Christians to save Israel's Jews from =
this
disaster, for all of the Christians will have been removed from this world
three and a half years prior to the beginning of this 42-month period of
tribulation. (The total period of seven years is interpreted as the
fulfillment of the seventieth week of Daniel [Dan. 9:27].)
In order for most of today's Christians to escape physical death, two-
thirds of the Jews in Israel must perish, soon. This is the grim prophetic
trade-off that fundamentalists rarely discuss publicly, but which is the
central motivation in the movement's support for Israel. It should be cle=
ar
why they believe that Israel must be defended at all costs by the West. If
Israel were militarily removed from history prior to the Rapture, then the
strongest case for Christians' imminent escape from death would have to be
abandoned. This would mean the indefinite delay of the Rapture. The
fundamentalist movement thrives on the doctrine of the imminent Rapture, =
not
the indefinitely postponed Rapture.
Every time you hear the phrase, "Jesus is coming back soon," you shou=
ld
mentally add, "and two-thirds of the Jews of Israel will be dead in 'soon
plus 84 months.'" Fundamentalists really do believe that they probably wi=
ll
not die physically, but to secure this faith prophetically, they must def=
end
the doctrine of an inevitable holocaust.
This specific motivation for the support of Israel is never preached =
from
any fundamentalist pulpit. The faithful hear sermons - many, many sermons=
-
on the pretribulation Rapture. On other occasions, they hear sermons on t=
he
Great Tribulation. But they do not hear the two themes put together: "We =
can
avoid death, but only because two-thirds of the Jews of Israel will
inevitably die in a future holocaust. America must therefore support the
nation of Israel in order to keep the Israelis alive until after the
Rapture." Fundamentalist ministers expect their congregations to put two =
and
two together on their own. It would be politically incorrect to add up th=
ese
figures in public.
Again, however, one can't make too big a fuss about this, since "Bible
prophecy" demands this carnage. It's "God's will" for the world to fall
apart, for tensions to further inflame between Jews and Arabs, for the Un=
ited
States to lead the charge in a pre-emptive strike on Iran, to rebuild a t=
hird
Jewish Temple after tearing down the Islamic mosque, etc. All you have to=
do
to prove this is cut passages like Genesis 12, Matthew 24, 2 Thessalonian=
s 2,
Ezekiel 36 and 37, and Daniel 9:24-27 out of context (along with the enti=
re
book of Revelation), make up some handy-dandy prophecy charts, and
confidently present it to Biblically illiterate Christians who don't know=
any
better.
While there are many doctrinal disputes amongst Christians, there are none
that have as much practical significance as this one. I strongly disagree
with those who deny the Trinity, but those who deny the deity of Christ a=
re
not clamoring for war, bombs, and destruction. Likewise, Christians disag=
ree
vehemently over issues like eternal security or the proper mode of baptis=
m,
but thankfully we've grown up and stopped killing each other over those
issues in the last couple hundred years.
When it comes to questionable or inaccurate beliefs about the end-times,
however, they are shaping many people's foreign policy and worldviews for=
the
worse. It is causing many to hold troubling escapist views towards the wo=
rld.
I know this because I am constantly told by other Christians that "we are=
not
in the business of fixing up the world, we are just in the business of sa=
ving
souls until the rapture!" It is in part because of faulty eschatology that
Evangelical Christians, more than any other demographic group in America,
supported the ill-advised invasion of Iraq in 2003. And it is faulty
eschatology that is causing this same group of people to believe the
militaristic agenda behind Rev. Hagee's bombastic oratory. After all, it's
all been ordained, so how can we oppose it?
But maybe, just maybe, their preciously held beliefs about future prophecy
are way off. Maybe they are dead wrong in their views and maybe all the w=
ars,
destruction and carnage they think are inevitable aren't necessarily mand=
ated
by God. Maybe the Bible is teaching exactly the opposite regarding these
matters than what they teach.
Alas, no matter how many false predictions these guys make, or how many
damaging theological and political beliefs they espouse, people continue =
to
follow their dangerous teachings. It's time for both Christian and non-
Christian alike to call this crowd out on their bad theology, false
prophecies, and deadly worldview.
Hopefully Hagee is right that 2007 is going to be a significant year in B=
ible
prophecy. It would be significant indeed if Biblical scholars, pastors and
laymen finally and at long last rescued the doctrine of eschatology from =
the
doom and destruction crowd of militaristic pretribulationists. Here's hop=
ing
that with each passing year the theology of Hagee and his ilk is exposed =
for
how Biblically inaccurate and destructive it really is.
March 22, 2007
Bill Barnwell [send him mail] is a pastor and writer from Michigan. He ho=
lds
both a Master of Ministry degree and a Master of Arts in Theological Stud=
ies
degree from Bethel College in Mishawaka, Indiana. Visit his blog.
Copyright =A9 2007 LewRockwell.com
Bill Barnwell Archives
.
