Christian Zionists are not the other guy’s family
Many of us have close friends, business associates, family, or may even be married to a Judeo-Christian. I myself was one, at least by acquiescence if not by firm commitment, and no one explained to me why it was important to confront this issue.
It is frustrating not to know where to draw the line…where to start to try to convince one’s brother that he may be the one who is wrong. Judeo-Christianity (Christian Zionism to some) by whatever name, is only three generations old, it is one of the youngest and largest religions making up 24% of the US population, some 70 million persons according to impartial polls, and we have reason to think it is even larger, with power that extends far beyond its numbers.
Most of the growth of Judeo-Christianity occurred since 1967 when Oxford University Press rewrote the Scofield Reference Bible. The Jewish political state of Israel was then added in as a party to God’s plan. Hundreds of pages of additional footnote sub-headings were added and interspersed to create the illusion that political Israel made biblical sense. Tragically, this has lead Judeo-Christians to be as much in scriptural error as were the Crusades, the Spanish Inquisition, or the Salem Witch Trials.
See no evil
In order to justify the acts of political Israel Judeo-Christianity requires a myopic see-no-evil blurred vision morality to hide from daily images of brutality and genocide especially in Palestine, but also in Iraq and Lebanon. Judeo-Christians are taught to ignore or excuse political Israel’s every act based on some celebrity leader’s view of his bible, rarely from their own study. Judeo-Christianity has become the great enabler of serial wars.
Judeo-Christians need to be told their biblical view is very wrong, but how does one get started when the response from a close friend may well be “Its been nice knowing you,” and it may even be your own family who says it? There are no Bible verses in context that support the Judeo-Christian’s views of political Israel…none, so it sounds like unwinding the error of Judeo-Christianity would be an easy task; it’s anything but easy. One needs to learn to deal with Jesus’ statement about how we are to live our life in the simplest and most direct way, else he will be doomed to live a dual life, or have a “daily duel.” It is a strange semi-silent life when family is involved, where taboo subjects are never broached and must remain unspoken to the deathbed and occasionally the divorce court. We suggest confrontation in the interest of the loved ones, and for the sake of the victims.
Israel first, Jesus a close second
Every Christian Zionist (a Judeo-Christian with teeth) even if it’s someone in your own family, expects you to sublimate your understanding of Jesus’ teachings to the interests of Israel. If you will not do so, you are doomed to either the endless frustration of tolerating circuitous arguments, or stony silence. Christian Zionism is a contagious mental disease seeded with deliberate political intent. How does your author know this? Because Project Strait Gate has now conducted over 55 official vigils outside the gates of some of the most opulent and successful churches in America, and we may have talked to more Judeo-Christians than anyone, except perhaps the pastors who make a profession of deceiving them. 1* (Strait Gate homepage)
We have learned how to debate scripture with uncounted hundreds over the last four years. We have witnessed a wide variety of attitudes, some Christ-like and some very pagan, at churches that called themselves “dispensational” or “Judeo-Christian.” It has become increasingly clear that very few of those who follow it understand the apostasy called Judeo-Christianity, or Christian Zionism; Amazingly we have found that practically none of those inside the cult (yes it is a cult in every way) understand it well enough to explain it on paper.
Tactics for the rescue
Judeo-Christians, when challenged, usually clam up or insult those who ask them questions because very few, even the leaders, can debate the issues they think they believe. When confronted with a simple question such as “Who Would Jesus Bomb” the answer is usually secular, something about the World Trade Center or Saddam Hussein, but NEVER does it address what Jesus said about killing and not killing. This is because Christian Zionism is a lock-tight circular logic cult with a different worldview than the New Testament of Jesus Christ teaches. It makes no concessions to Jesus’ words. To deal with it you must ask a few (but not too many) pointed questions. Here are some:
Before beginning, properly identify what your friend thinks himself to be and why. Many people are in their Judeo-Christian setting for comfort, family contacts, moral acting friendships, and entertainment, three or four times a week or more. These can be reached, though they may not want to give up the comfort of the “Church.” Most think they are the norm in Christianity and everyone else is an offshoot. This is what they are told. They do not suspect that they are the cult and they do not want to hear it, so do not tell them…stick to Christ’s words and let them figure it out.
Stealing the Philistine’s humanity
Judeo-Christianity’s great apostasy is that its most outspoken leaders, including the late Jerry Falwell and John Hagee, can and do ignore the example Jesus set for us, as well as his plainly spoken teachings, whenever these examples and teachings come in conflict with the needs and desire of the political state of Israel. In so doing, they have robbed the Palestinians of their humanity.
I prefer to call those whom most call Palestinians, “the Philistines,” because this ancient word loosely ties them to a history and tribe that occupied at least a part of the land. The Philistines’ decedents today have no land, and are prisoners in the land of Judea and Samaria, that political Israel calls Palestine. Judeo-Christians, including the two giants of Christian Zionism I mentioned above, say the Philistines have no right to exist as humans because they are the wrong people in the wrong place at the wrong time and that Political Israel is “chosen” to possess the land it took by force. As one of our vigil team members put it,
“Israel wants the land but not the people.”
Take the land and trash the people
The problem for Judeo-Christianity is that the New Testament does not allow Israel’s tactics. The words of Jesus himself suggest you can’t take the land and dump the people. When He said, “Blessed are the Peacemakers” he was talking directly to his followers. When he told his Disciples “it is easier for a camel go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven” he did not say he excluded Falwell and John Hagee. He did not say “Blessed are the Warmakers if you need war to carry out your purpose.” Jesus simply did not provide a way out of the dilemma of being a good neighbor. When he said “love your brother as yourself” he made it clear you may not pick and choose, you must even “love (offer kindness to) your enemy.” Christian Zionism is racism; it picks and chooses who it will love and who may be hated.
In confronting Judeo-Christians we have found it best to bring out a copy of a New Testament and ask the person we are trying to convince to show us the words in the book that justify war upon anyone. Vigil volunteers are constantly confronted with Judeo-Christians who refuse to even try to do so, but who want to talk secular opinion or about Old Testament accounts of God’s wrath on some ancient tribe or another. Our answer is usually something like this:
“Yes I also know that story, and God also told Noah to build an ark so He, God, could drown the rest of the wicked world. But God did it, and I do not recall where God ever told Noah it was OK for him to drown his neighbors whenever he felt like it, nor did he give that authority to Noah’s sons and future generations,” or
“Maybe God did order killing 3000 years ago, as the account says, but where did he convey that authority to you? You are making yourself part of political Israel’s evil acts when you justify it. You place the blood of the innocent on your hands,” or
“Can you show me a single account where Jesus allowed killing of anyone…I know you can’t because there is not one! So how do you feel about doing it?” I have yet to have a pastor or layman accept the challenge of taking my little New Testament and show me where Jesus ever gave anyone leave to kill anyone. Some seem actually frightened by a New Testament challenge.
Our sword in dealing with any Judeo-Christian is the New Testament and it is best to have one in pocket or purse (we sell them in English and Arabic). A self-professed Christian Zionist was passed on to me in Arvada, Colorado; by a frustrated volunteer who was much too polite with this man. When I confronted him with a New Testament challenge he accused me of not believing in the “whole Bible,” and like most, he refused the challenge to examine his acts in the light of Christ’s words.
This man like many who come out to challenge us, is a Bible scholar and he knows he can only find a tale of tribal genocide to justify being a Christian Zionist in the ancient books, not in the writings of Jesus or his followers. But he did, to his credit, read our own paper on John Hagee before he went away, and after doing so he told me, “You have made me even more a Zionist than I was.” I do not think so, but to some in Judeo-Christian churches, Zionism is a commitment that is not a Christian one.
If you will simply have the confidence to use the New Testament challenge you will win the debate providing the other party is not a committed Zionist and still believes Jesus is Lord. If you are patient, kind, and Christ-like (I sometimes am not, I must confess) you will win back your family member or friend. You can tow him back across the swamp (or at least get him started) from Judeo-Christianity, without drowning either of you.
This is not to say we should be patient with the leaders of Judeo-Christianity. They know what they are doing – – – or they should know. They must be treated as deceivers, as John the Baptist and Jesus spoke to the Pharisees as “Sons of Satan.” The man who refused to talk about Jesus’ words and told me he was committed to Zionism after reading our paper knew himself well. You and I will not
change him, but God may.
One note of mental preparation; in many cases experienced Judeo-Christians, especially the advanced scholars and leaders, will dredge up Abraham’s promise from God and attempt to challenge you with Genesis 12:3 about “blessings and curses” and the supposed promise of the land to Israel. This often comes up first, and if so you must deal with it in full detail. We have long ago written many papers with a simplified approach. Start by listening to Christian Zionist’s Roots before going any further. (2) Christian Zionism’s Roots
Zionism, the Christian’s final Apostasy
“Apostasy” means mistakes in Christian belief and practice of such magnitude as to make it impossible to follow the precepts of Jesus Christ. Judeo-Christian apostasy is an absolute barrier to even reading and studying the precepts that Christ stated were essential for one to entering into his Kingdom. How can one say he is a blessed “peacemaker” when he is supporting war in Iraq, Iran, Palestine, and Lebanon? How can one say he belongs to Jesus while relying on the biblical interpretations of men who openly call for suppression and expulsion of 2.5 million Arab Palestinians from their homes?
Judeo-Christians believe they are in communion with Jesus Christ. But often they cannot face what his words. Apostasy means the offender will be one of the “goats” in Jesus’ little pastoral scene about heaven and hell in Matthew 25. No church member wants to be apostate, or “fallen away” as it is translated in Greek. This is why you need to tow your friend back across the swamp. If you love them, you don’t want them to remain apostate either.
The Apostle called Paul, speaking to those in the first Century who were attempting to convert followers of Christ into Judeo-Christians had this to say to Jesus followers:
“Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith.” (Galations 5)
I was recently a guest of a radio talk program with Robby Noel where I am becoming something of a Wednesday night regular on Republic Broadcasting Network. A caller told us he had been freed from the “disease” of Judeo-Christianity after many years of squirming uneasiness about being in it. But he said, his wife is still a Judeo-Christian and now she thinks him to be a “kook.” To him I say we must not give up on our families and friends who are in apostasy. It is in their best interest that we try to drag them, kicking and screaming, back to sanity. The Judeo-Christian idea of knowing Christ is much talked about, but rarely practiced because one cannot follow Christ if locked out of his most important commandment. (3)
The apostasy of the Christian Zionist churches can be described in one line; it believes that political Israel is the fulfillment of Biblical Prophesy. Followers of Christ believe Jesus is the fulfillment of God’s promise to Abraham. Jews quite naturally believe Jesus did not exist, or if he did exist, was a clever pretender who came to a bad end. Christian Zionism melds the two views into one ugly hodge-podge. It is wrong; it is a disease, it is a cult. Come out of her!
https://whtt.org/straitgate/index.php?id=14&news=1
3* Chuck Carlson with The Robbi Noel program, Wednesday nights, 4:00-5:00 PM Pacific Time
