Kudos to Rabbi Eric Yoffie, head of the Union for Reform Judaism, who has publicly spoken out against Jewish political cooperation with those Evangelicals who label themselves "Christian Zionists," with their most prominent organization - Christians United for Israel - and with its leader, Rev. John Hagee. Yoffie's words:
The heart of Pastor Hagee's message is to be found in these words: "Stop giving the land away. The land belongs to you. Keep it."
...mainstream Christian Zionists are, by their own admission, not "advocates" of Israel but "Biblical advocates" of Israel, and this means that they oppose any territorial concessions by the Government of Israel for any reason whatsoever. It follows that their vision of Israel rejects a two-state solution, rejects the possibility of a democratic Israel, and supports the permanent occupation of all Arab lands now controlled by Israel.
Are they entitled to such views? Of course. But we are entitled to say, and are obligated to say, that such views may advance their theology but they do so at the expense of Israel's security and well-being. If implemented, in fact, these views would mean disaster for Israel...
Hagee's intolerant views of Catholicism have received considerable attention since his public endorsement of Sen. John McCain. The Texas mega-church pastor's views on Israel and Judaism have received less srutiny - in part because some pro-Israel activists have given him their seal of approval. Hagee spoke at the American Israel Public Affairs Committee's annual conference last year. Matthew Brooks, executive director of the Republican Jewish Coalition, has used that fact to defend McCain's acceptance of Hagee's support:
"The fact [Hagee] has been kashered by AIPAC makes it very difficult to attack him," he said.
Sen. Joe Lieberman, another McCain backer, not only spoke to Christians United for Israel's big gathering last summer, he compared Hagee to the biblical Moses as someone who "has become the leader of a mighty multitude in pursuit of and defense of Israel."
But Yoffie, leader of the largest Jewish denomination in America, is right: Hagee's views on Israel are pernicious. In fact, Yoffie could have said more. As I've written elsewhere, Hagee has expressed uncommon sympathy for Yigal Amir, the man who murdered Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin. His enthusiasm for Israel is predicated on the belief that its existence heralds the "terminal generation" of history - when Jews will all accept Christianity. Now that's love for Israel and Jews.
Yoffie, speaking at a Reform rabbinical meeting, also criticized televangelist Rod Parsley for his vitriol against Islam. Parsley, too, is in the McCain camp. Yoffie didn't mention McCain; he didn't need to.
Are you listening, Joe Lieberman?
Cross-posted at South Jerusalem.
Just call Traitor Joe what he is: McCain's Brain.
Lieberman??? Hard to say. He's pretty wacked out as well as he makes the rounds at Rapture Ready conferences. Is he playing the game for millions of easy bucks or does he really feel an affinity for the Fundies? It doesn't matter in the end. He's acting like a jack-ass either way.
Deuteronomy 3:14-28:
"The LORD your God has given you this country to possess. You must go as shock-troops, warriors all..."
San Diego Natural History Museum., by Risa Levitt Kohn, Ph.D.
Is this passage where Bush got the idea of shock and awe? "The things that you are liable to read in the Bible, well, it ain't necessarily so." Gershwin, Porgy and Bess. Now who are you going to believe? Which version of the myth? I say if you want something just take and pay the consequences. Don't try to justify your conduct on the basis of some book, even the Bible. First, you don't know what the original said. Second, maybe the person is being misquoted. Third, maybe something was lost in the translations. Fourth, maybe somebody just made this stuff up.
cut to the chase
it's all about money and power
It is Joe Lieberman's own total and unquestioning support for expansionist Israel and his enthusiastic willingness to act as its agent that concerns me. His love affair with Israel, a country viewed with scorn and derision around the world, does not serve the United States.
And for reminding all of us that one can find "Talibans" in every single denomination!
How is Rev. Hagee different from the Afghan Mullahs? Or from the Wahabists? Or from Moqtada al-Sadr and the Iranian Ayatollahs? Or from Adolf Hitler for that matter?
They are all expressions of intolerance and extremist ideology.
They only differ in the power they have at hand.
Give Hagee some more power and you'll be looking at the next Hitler.
And if McCain feels he owes him votes, he may feel compelled to oblige by making him his Billy Graham...!
God Help America!
They are fighting for control of their country. Hagee also wants control of their countries, perhaps so that they can be destroyed along with their countries.
and hearing they may not understand.
...and after me comes many false prophets
...i didn't come for the righteous i came for the sinners
...do unto others has you would have others do unto you
Reverend Wright is a bit much sometimes with his rhetoric. Yet, his voice against injustice is one that should be heard. He is not one the neocons supporting perpetual war, and bleeding America.
Jeremiah Wright Bad -----> Barack Obama bad
Rev. Hagee nice Christian man ----- > McCain is looking "presidential".
GWW