CHURCH LEADERS ARE  JOINING THE CALL FOR PEACE IN THE MIDDLE EAST,  BUT YOU DO NOT
Dear Sr. Pastor Wendell Vinson
and Pastor Steven Vinson
Canyon Hills Church
7001 Auburn Street
Bakersfield CA 93306
WHEN YOU HOST JOHN HAGEE’S STANDING WITH ISRAEL, YOU ARE SPONSORING AN OPEN CALL FOR WAR, IN IRAN, SYRIA AND OCCUPIED PALESTINE
We invite memember of the Bakersfield community, especially those from peace seeking churches to join us in a vigil for peace on the public right of way outside your church.
Date: October 20 2012
Time: 8:00 AM to 11:30 AM (as your time permits)
Place: 7001 Auburn Street (off Highway 178) do not park on the church lot, use open space on the north side of Auburn.
There can be no peace at Standing With Israel
Pastor Vincent, we ask you to cancel your Standing With Israel event on October 20th.  It is a matter of record that Israel’s lobby in American (AIPAC) is openly blitzed our Congress with demands that we attack (the people) of Syria.  Your Israeli guests are anything but peacemakers!
Israel’s Prime Minister, Binyamin Netanyahu just appeared before the United Nations pleading for what amounted to a call war on Iran when the rest of world is seeking peace.  He said if the UN will not attack Iran, Israel will go it alone.  Is this the kind of “peace” church members want?
Many church leaders were among the overwhelming public resistance to President Obama’s campaign to bomb Syria. Their long awaited call for peace is a most encouraging sign of peace.  Pastor Vincent, your name was not among them!
Project Strait Gate will be there on  October 20, during the hours that you host John Hagee’s, this event with a message of peace for your members.  In accordance with the instruction of Jesus’ words and your obligation to shepherd your congregation, we pray you will join us in our call to peace, and that you will cancel your pro-war event.
Our 32-minute video entitled Christian Zionism, The Tragedy and the Turning, Part 1.  is free on Vimeo to anyone who will watch it.  It contains a visual witness of Israel’s deadly bombing raids on the Palestinians photographed by this writer from a rooftop in downtown Gaza City.  You will hear my agonized narration as bombs fell and ambulance sirens screamed.  The funeral the next day carried four dead and 39 wounded civilian Philistines to their graves in in front of my eyes historic Gaza City.  Our Bakersfield volunteer team will be pleased to show the film by invitation to your staff or your entire church .  Just ask us.
In November 2012, fifteen mainline church denominations joined in the call to stop military aid to Israel, because the aid led to the deaths of many Palestinian children.  The list included leaders from Evangelical Lutherans (ELCA), United Methodists, Presbyterians (PCUSA), The United Church of Christ, and others.(4)  They wrote to Congress of the abuses of Palestinians by Israel.  The signatories asked politicians to investigate why US taxpayer dollars are being given to Israel, knowing they are used for occupation and war. Others have publicized the sorry role played by Christian Zionists promoting wars, not life.
You may not agree with the theological minutia of these mainline churches but you join the m in belief that Jesus called both you and them to be “peacemakers.”  The truth about Israel and its constant war with all its neighbors is getting out.  Soon your congregation will soon know about it.
We will be located on public right-of-ways near your church, ready to answer questions from all who wonder why you honor Israel instead of peace.  We will be respectful of your rights and the local laws, but not in respect of your abuse of Jesus’ words.
Toward the Strait Gate,
Charles E. Carlson
Contact phone on site: Dave 559-579-6224
(Copies to staff, CA Press, Other area churches)
(1) “John Hagee With Benny Hinn:  Praying For War In The Name of Jesus,” The clip of Hagee’s prayer for war was made on the “This Is Your Day” program hosted by Benny Hinn prior to the Gulf War against Iraq that was started in 2003.   WHTT, 2012:  https://vimeo.com/59933668.
(2) Christian Zionism, The Tragedy And The Turning, Part 1, Carlson, 2010 (c):  http://vimeo.com/34409225
(3) “Why We Should Be Concerned About Christian Zionism,” National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA, 2007:  http://www.ncccusa.org/pdfs/christianzionismbrochure.pdf  Also, see News from the National Council of Churches:  “Most Christians support Israel AND Palestine, and oppose a war with Iran, say NCC leaders,”  Jan. 16, 2007:  http://www.ncccusa.org/news/070716israelpalestine.html
(4) Mainline church leaders ask members of Congress to “make U.S. military aid to Israel contingent upon its government’s “compliance with applicable US laws and policies.”  Oct. 5, 2012:  http://blogs.elca.org/peacenotwalls/files/2012/10/12oct5letteraboutaid.pdf
Also, see:  “JVP Rabbinical Council stands with churches challenging US aid to Israel,”  Mondoweiss, Oct. 15, 2012:  http://mondoweiss.net/2012/10/jvp-rabbinical-council-stands-with-churches-challenging-us-aid-to-israel.html
(5) “The inheritance of Abraham? A report on the ‘promised land’,” Church of Scotland, May, 2013:  http://www.churchofscotland.org.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0010/14050/The_Inheritance_of_Abraham.pdf