We Hold These Truths has conducted about 100 vigils for Peace and Justice In Palestine around the country. Typically, the media ignores us but a few vigils have been filmed by local TV stations. The most notable happening at one of our Project Strait Gate vigils was the time a school teacher from Los Angeles, who was helping WHTT at an “Angry” Evangelical church made the mistake of parking in what he thought was public parking. Turns out it belonged the the church. He was handcuffed and detained by the church security staff. So much for Christian love and charity. But that incident is an exception rather than the rule when you follow help from We Hold These Truths.div
On August 28, 2011, We Hold These Truths Director, Tom Compton, traveled to Fresno, CA to join local vigil leader, David Jacobs. David was assisted by his wife Kitty and Patty Ford. Four other local residents joined in at the Cornerstone Church in downtown Fresno. We were there at 7:30 a.m. in preparation for the services that started at 8:00 a.m. and 11:00 am. David Jacobs had mailed a letter to pastor Jim Franklin a week before letting him know about our vigil and why we were going to be there. We walked up to Pastor Franklin who was standing outside the church (an old movie theatre that has been lovingly restored). David Jacobs wanted to make sure the pastor had received his letter. Pastor Franklin said that he had not seen the letter because he had been on vacation. So, David gave him a copy of what he sent. Pastor Jim Franklin\’s church is called Cornerstone Church, the same name as nationally known “Angry” Evangelical Preacher, John Hagee, who\’s mega-church is located in San Antonio, TX. John Hagee has called for such un-Christ-like actions as “a preemptive military strike against Iran to protect the state of Israel.” The Cornerstone Church in Fresno has sponsored John Hagee and his Christians United For Israel (CUFI).
Much to our surprise, a local TV News truck showed up before the 11:00 a.m. service. We all looked at each other in amazement because none of us had issued a press release. We found out later from Pastor Franklin\’s daughter that she had sent the press release out. The TV coverage by Channel 30, KFSN was very fair. In fact, they did some homework on their own. They mentioned some things that I said nothing about during the interview: “They say they targeted Cornerstone Sunday because of its association with Televangelist John Hagee who has been criticized for his statements about Israel, the Roman Catholic Church and Islam. Hagee spoke at the church in May.”
Let’s hope that a large number of our Catholic and Muslim friends were watching that newscast so they could get an idea of what “Angry” Evangelicalism is all about. My favorite sign to carry at a vigil is “Choose Life Not War.” Most evangelicals claim they are pro-life but seem to ardently support wars in the Middle East to protect Israel and, in large part, unconcerned about the deaths of innocent children, whether they are Iraqi, Afghani or Palestinian. My next favorite sign is “Blessed Are The Peacemakers” followed by “No More Wars For Israel.”
For more details on this vigil listen to our podcast:
Tom Compton
