John Hagee may be viewed by many as an antisemite, anticatholic, and virulent homophobe, but that did not stop Senator Joe Lieberman from proudly embracing him as a friend and kindred spirit during Hagee’s Christians United for Israel conference.
If you recall, Hagee is so hateful and unhinged that McCain had to refuse his endorsement and association, click here and here..
Lieberman, however, went out of his way to proclaim his close affinity with Hagee. After noting that many people discouraged him from appearing at the event, Lieberman stated “The bond that I feel with Pastor Hagee and each and every one of you is much stronger than that, and so I am proud to stand with you tonight.”
Hagee previously said that God sent the Nazi to persecute the Jews as part of his divine plan.
Fortunately, Hagee’s people did not encourage vomiting testaments of faith at this event as they reportedly do at their religious camps, here. However, many Democrats, still reeling from Lieberman’s campaigning for McCain, may have to fight the sensation.
For the full story, click here.
cindy,
Thanks for writing in. I do have a question. I understand what you, as a Christian Zionist get from supporting Israel. Why do you believe every Jewish person must convert or suffer eternal torment? That seems a belief that may work for you but just doesn’t seem to offer any real friendship or kindness to any Jewish person who does not want to convert.
Jill
Jill, rafflaw, gyges, Michael, others, I’m actually one of those fundamentalist premillenial Christian Zionists myself and I do get it, so if there’s something in particular you want to know about our position just let me know. Basically our support for Israel that has to do with religious reasons (as opposed to our secular reasons for supporting Israel) is grounded in the Abrahamic Covenant which we view as unconditional.
“And your most important point – Palestine was also just a tiny country that just wanted to be left alone.”
The country of Palestine never existed. The West Bank was controlled by Jordan and the Gaza by Egypt. As for Zionism being racism I can understand that as a position. Isn’t interesting though that after Israel proclaimed its’ independence, 600,000 Arabs left Israel and 600,000 Jews were expelled from Arab countries?
The Jews should have been given a chunk of Germany or maybe some of Britain or the US – as they were so generous with Palestine. I’m sure the Zionists originally thought that asking for any of Europe would never happen and that Palestine would be easy to occupy, they were only half right. BTW, they also had their eye on Argentina but Palestine “won out”.
And your most important point – Palestine was also just a tiny country that just wanted to be left alone.
I wouldn’t say any of my comments are anti-Jew (Semites include Arabs and people tend to forget that – I remember several Israeli politicians labeling Arafat an anti-Semite). I also feel that pointing out that a majority of people who pushed for war with Iraq and now with Iran are Zionist Jews is propaganda. I have no problem with Jews or Arabs – I do have problems with Zionism which is racism and for Arabs that use their relationship with the US to oppress people (as Israel does with the Palestinians).
I totally agree that most people like Bush probably hate Jews and only support Israel because they feel that is what’s necessary for the Second Coming of Christ at which time Jews have to convert to Christianity or go to Hell.
“Christian” like Bush also hate Muslims, but only prop up people like the Saudis, Mubarak, Saddam Hussein, the Shah as long as they suppress their people and support the US and especially keep the oil flowing. If all of the population ever threw out those puppets like the Ayatollah, Castro and Chavez did (that’s why the US hates them so much) the next oil embargo would make the last one look like it never happened.
Fanatics like Bush who believe he has personally spoken to God will always support Israel no matter (or maybe especially) if they occupy all of Palestine or kill all the Palestinians. But I can guarantee when the oil runs out, the next sane US President will abandon Israel in a heartbeat. And when the Arabs drive the Jews out, the US won’t take them just like they didn’t after WWII.
Zakimar,
I wouldn’t label you an anti-semite based on your comments. However, I would label you someone who has injested too much propaganda whole and refused to digest the meaning of its’ contents:
The war was pushed by some neocons who are not Jews such as Cheney, Rumsfeld and Bush (PNAC anyone?). Also thank you for informing me that Ruppert Murdoch, Sccoter Libby and John Bolton are Jewish, that is very helpful. The rest you mention are merely courtiers, lapdogs of the powerful, who get scraps from the table when they apply psuedo-intellectual rationalizations towards naked power grabs for
ME oil.
Please reason with me for a second. Who are Bush, Cheney and Rumsfeld most tied to in the ME, Saudi Arabia (Sunni)or
Israel? I don’t recall any Israeli visiting Maine, holding hands with the President, or being called Bandar Bush. Then too there is the Carlysle Group. Not many Jews there, but many Saudi’s and non-Jewish power brokers. The US’ ME policy is all about taking care of the needs of the Saudis and of Big Oil. Israel is a pawn in the game because the despots ruling most of the arab countries need an external scapegoat to take the minds of their downtrodden populace
off how they are being screwed. The Romans did it with circuses, we do it with football and they do it with Israel.
Same old game.
America’s political elite has played the game that Israel is their number 1 ally, since its’ founding, but that is just more propaganda. Prescott Bush and the Dulles brothers
were big time backers of Hitler. No Israel lovers there. John Dulles was Eisenhower’s Sec’y of State, look at his history via Israel.
I’m not able to give you all of the facts because I’ve got to go. However, try to think beyond the box and try to get through the propaganda to the real history, you might be surprised at what you see. Israel is a tiny country that has to play the game to some extent. The truth is that they just want to be left alone.
Leiberman has no conscience. Hagee just finished saying that Hitler was doing God’s work and I guess even some Jews believe that. Loserman will do anything to try and get McCain into office so that they can attack Iran and then any other country that Israel wishes to destroy (which is basically the entire Middle East).
From my previous article:
Israel is the parasite and the USA is the host – is the best analogy for the Israel/US relationship.
Almost every neocon that pushed for the Iraq “war” was a Jew. From Wolfowitz and Feith and Leiberman to Kristol, Frum and Murdoch (let’s not forget Perle, Kissinger, Luttwak, Irving Lewis “Scooter” Libby, Elliot Abrams, Haass, Zoelick, Bolten, Wurmser, Adelman, Eliot Cohen…).
The aim is for the US to destroy Israel’s enemies and then to keep a “presence” in the Middle East to control as much oil as possible. The neocons who swore that Iraq was an imminent threat to Israel and the US, now say the same nonsense about Iran. And if Iran is attacked, then it will be Syria, then Lebanon, then Jordan, and once that US stooge Mubarak goes, Egypt and if it wasn’t for the fact that Pakistan has a much larger army, more skilled pilots AND enough nuclear weapons to turn Israel into a sheet of glass in 30 minutes, Pakistan would be on the list too.
Too many people are afraid of being labeled an “anti-Semite” if they speak the truth.
Micheal,
Glad to know that I wasn’t completely off. And congratulations.
Jill, Rafflaw and Gyges,
I a Jew and I don’t get it. Most polls of Jews show that they don’t get it either. Many so-called Jewish Leader’s like Perlman, Bronfman, Foxman, et. al. are rich and Republican. Many of the Ultra-Orthodox Jews like Evangelicals because they share the same values and support Israel. That there is ignorance in this behavior eludes these fundamentalists, but why should that be a surprise?
The fundamentalists of any religion are the people who don’t understand what their religion is about. I could go on and on about this but I’m up North celebrating the birth of my granddaughter to religious Jews (my Daughter and son-in-law)who think Lieberman is a tool and vote Democratic. It’s complicated but the Jewish sentiment is really shown by the polls of Lieberman’s popularity among Jews.
Janus,
Wow, that was full of sound and furry…
Thanks to the lunatic fringe Republican Plutocrats and their ownership and control of the military-industrial-compliant media complex and of thir lackeys in the Congress wearing the Republican Party label, the Country may find itself saddled with another eight years of the Gilded Age II-Military Disaster in charge of President McBush. The media propagandists, especially at Fox and in right wing squawk radio, and their audience of Dupes comprised of the evangelicals, the vacuous, and others bereft of critical thinking contributed greatly to the obscene election results that allowed Bush to squat in the White House for what seems an eon of incompetence and corruption. One should hope that the lesson of Bush as the worst U.S. president in history will settle for decades how utterly mistaken it is for an average American even to consider voting into office any candidate proudly claiming to be a Conservative.
Well that’s a good point Gyges. I’ve seen a lot of these marriages of conveience end badly such as poor Trish’s did. Some people hang out with people who hate them, knowing they’re being used and thinking they’ll just use them back. That is usually a very poor bargin. It is never a substitute for real friendship.
Jill,
I can only speak with authority from the end of things I know about. I get the impression that the few Jewish people that I’ve had a conversation about this with don’t really get it either. I also gathered that the older community who remembers when there wasn’t an Israel might be more willing to get into bed with supports Israel, no matter what the reasons for that support. I can see the view point of “what do I care if these crazies think I’m going to Hell when some event that’s not going to happen happens?” For a group of people who have a long history of being persecuted and exiled from one homeland after another, the fact that another group thinks that they’ll eventually go to Hell might seem more harmless then not. Especially if that other group is willing to give them money and political aide.
Brother Gyges,
I’m with you on above. I understand what christian “end timers” get from this. Certain Holy Land tours are indeed a great business model for both groups. Still Jews who don’t become Christians not only get to die, they get to die painfully AND spend eternity in torment. So unless a Jewish person wants to convert, why would s/he associate her/himself with people who thought so badly/hatefully toward them? I’m certain it’s all about power and money for the buffoons mentioned above, but what about the strange alliance between ordinary Jews and Christians who believe these things. I don’t get that!
Sister Jill
Jill,
From what I remember, a key part of the relationship between Israel and Evengelical Christians comes from a specific verse that they interpret to say that Israel will have been re-established as a nation for a generation before the Rapture happens. Since all the horrific apocalyptic things described in Revelation bring about the Kingdom of God, the attitude towards them always seemed to be “well best to get it over with.” The fact that most believed they wouldn’t have to experience the events first hand (they’d have been called up in the Rapture) also helped to ease any fears.
As far the salvation of people of the Jewish faith goes… it’s actually a pretty debated issue. I don’t remember most of the nitty gritty but it has to do with translations of specific words, and interpretation of some pretty symbolic and obtuse passages. Don’t forget that parts of the New Testament work from the assumption that Christianity is just Judaism post Messiah. I knew a guy who was a Biblical Scholar by profession (he edited annotated translations of the Bible and gave talks at various churches) who believed that the people taken up in the Rapture were actually select descendants of the original Tribes that Moses lead out of Egypt.
Also it’s a huge tourist industry to “tour the Holy Land” and see that places that Jesus was supposed to have walked. It’s sort of a Economic Crusade to retake the Holy Land.
The unpricipled must unite!
Jill,
I am as confused as you are with the “end of timers” for same reason. If the Jews don’t convert they are doomed according to their comical thinking. But Lieberman just has to hand out his love to crazies like Hagee to try to help his good buddy McCain.
I’m not certain, no I”m certain, I don’t understand the interrelationship between the eschatological christians and jews. In fact the “end time” christians do attend and are welcome at one of the jewish temples here in Toledo. I understand that they all share a hope for the end of the world and a powerful kingdom headed by the return of the messiah. So far, crazy but on the same page. However, the christians state quite clearly that jews will have one last chance to convert to christianity. If not, they are thrown to torment for the rest of eternity. O.K. really crazy and not on the same page.
Lieberman is power mad. Maybe they both feel they will increase each other’s power by bonding. Sadly, in their own groups, this is true.
I am still amazed at the depths that Lieberman will stoop to in his “love” for a religious fanatic. The so-called “United for Israel” conference is established by Hagee and this is the same guy who only likes Israel because the end of time is coming soon and Israel must get destroyed in a certain way in order for “God’s will” to be done. So Hagee only supports Israel so it can get destroyed in the way he thinks the bible says it should. That sounds like Bush/McCain’s idea of love.
😐
They should get a room.