Piling on to Glenn Beck's scheduled keynote speech to the upcoming Christians United for Israel conference, and his "Restoring Courage" rally in Jerusalem in August, CUFI founder John Hagee is hosting Beck for a conference call tomorrow so he can "address the mounting threats to Israel and what we can do to stand with Israel today."
This comes on the heels of Sen. Joe Lieberman endorsement of Beck's Jerusalem event. Lieberman once compared Hagee to Moses, "a man of God" who has become a "leader of a mighty multitude."
The Beck-Hagee alliance dates back years, too, with Beck hosting the televangelist on his CNN program in 2007 to answer "honest questions" about whether "the apocalypse is almost upon us."
The Hagee-Beck-Lieberman series of stunts is aimed at two audiences: Israel hawks who want to derail whatever shreds remain of a peace process, and biblical literalists who view all these events through the prism of prophecy and the end of days.
The two camps, through the work of Hagee and others, have long been friends of convenience, to no good end for the Israelis and Palestinians, or, for that matter, the world.
Hagee is probably the world's best known, most politically connected Christian Zionist. (He recently signed on to Rick Perry's "solemn assembly" coming up in August, an event sandwiched between CUFI's annual conference and Beck's Jerusalem rally.) He also has a long track record of leaning on his devotion to biblical prophecy to reveal his conspiratorial thinking about Jews, Muslims, and even Catholics. That would put him in good company with Beck, who despite being a convert to a religion that has faced discrimination from evangelicals and others, himself peddles in religious bigotry, including anti-Semitic tropes (such as George Soros being a "puppetmaster" of a "shadow government") and Islamophobic conspiracy theories.
Lieberman? In a word, it's a shanda. He's Exhibit A in What's Wrong With the Christian Zionist-Jewish Political Alliance: Jews who lionize religious demagogues to put a "godly" imprimatur on their refusal to support an end to the occupation, all while acquiescing to the stoking of apocalyptic panic. Will he compare Beck to Moses, too?
The American right freaked out recently over the Obama administration's stance on Israel-Palestine. Mostly what you hear in the news are words like "betrayal" of America's friend Israel. But scratch beneath the surface -- not even very far -- of Israel's "friends" Hagee and Beck, and you'll find conspiracy theories about what making peace with the Palestinians means. Peace treaties are negotiated by the Antichrist, who will attempt to annihilate Israel; Christ will return, "bringing the armies of heaven with him," and will handily demolish the Antichrist and his army, flinging them in a sulfurous lake.
Hagee has been hammering at this for decades. His 1996 book, Beginning of the End: The Assassination of Yitzhak Rabin and the Coming Antichrist, is a perfect example of how he juxtaposes his stature as a political player with his apocalytpic visions. On the one hand, he was ardently opposed to the Oslo peace accords Rabin signed; on the other, he makes sure to tell the reader how the two met on several occasions and that the late Prime Minister appreciated the televangelist's "support" for Israel. But, as the subtitle of the book makes clear, the most important thing about Rabin's assassination at the hands of a Jewish extremist is, in Hagee's view, its role in setting biblical prophecy "on the fast track." Rabin's assassination would compel Israelis to more fervently seek peace, Hagee maintained, causing them to sign a treaty with the Antichrist.
Speaking of political assassinations, Beck recently stoked hysteria about the end times (without actually saying so) by discussing food shortages, catastrophic weather, and the possibility of the big, bad (unspoken: "one world") government taking your gun. Maintaining that the entire world is moving in the direction of "civil unrest," Beck fretted that the United Nations is making it "harder for you to get a gun."
"Why would you need a gun?" Beck asked himself. "To prepare for tough times," he answered, while pointing to photograph of President Obama and his director of the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, Cass Sunstein.
In Hagee's view, peace with the Palestinians is contrary to God's word, and if Israel signs any peace treaties, it will be with the Antichrist, a false prophet of peace who is in league with a coalition of Islamic nations. (You don't have to work too hard to see how the myriad conspiracy theories about Obama could coalesce into one that he is playing the role of said false prophet.) Such a peace treaty will, in Hagee's view, trigger a seven-year period of tribulation, which will include an "Islamic jihad against Israel." All this will culminate in Christ's return (everyone will know it's him because the word "Lord" will be spelled on out his prayer shawl, according to Hagee) to vanquish the Antichrist at Armageddon, "the world's most natural battlefield," which will be "bathed in blood." The Bible has predicted this, Hagee insists. "Mark my words," he writes, "this battle of unsurpassed carnage is not a fable, it is a fact."
Excessive attention was focused on Harold Camping last month, and his misguided attempt to predict the precise date and time of the Rapture. But if you think about scope and influence, Hagee's views, which are no more based in reality than Camping's, have a much greater reach. Bizarrely, while Camping was dismissed even by fellow evangelicals as a crank, Hagee is treated by many powerbrokers as a statesman.
Sarah, this is important information. I don't know what could be more important than warning people about Hagee and his demands for more war. But besides opening the eyes of a few people, you probably can't do what is needed. What about the progressive Christians that are a part of RD? If they come out and agree with what you are saying about Hagee, that would mean so much more. The change that is needed needs to come from within Christianity, and I doubt it will come from conservative Christianity. You, I, and the rest of us are dependent on that more rational segment of Christianity to wake up and do something. Without that, I am afraid we might all be screwed.
Although I agree that what is happening in the Middle East has everything to do with the unfolding of what the Bible says is going to happen, I do not agree with Mr Hagee and his friends when they talk bad about our current administration because they should know better since they are preachers that it states we should pray for our leaders and they are also trying to stop the unfolding which puzzles me because they should know it cannot be stopped. They are fighting the wrong battle here their focus should be what the Bible says to do, spread the good news of Jesus and how He is the hope for peoples problems.
Hagee sometimes goes overboard and a few popular interpretations of end times scripture takes center stage. Most interpret Daniel 9:27 as a prophecy of the antichrist and 7 year peace treaty, when in fact it "may"� have nothing to do with the antichrist at all, but Yeshua (Jesus). There are mentions of false peace in the end times and it appears scripture is calling it a false peace. NOTE: Some may not consider "some"� of these chapters of scripture as relating to the end times.Psalm 35: 20For they speak not peace: but they devise deceitful matters against them that are quiet in the land. Jeremiah 6: 14They have healed also the hurt of the daughter of my people slightly, saying, Peace, peace; when there is no peace. Jeremiah 8: 15We looked for peace, but no good came; and for a time of health, and behold trouble! Ezekiel 7: 25Destruction cometh; and they shall seek peace, and there shall be none. Ezekiel 13: 10Because, even because they have seduced my people, saying, Peace; and there was no peace; and one built up a wall, and, lo, others daubed it with untempered morter: 11Say unto them which daub it with untempered morter, that it shall fall: there shall be an overflowing shower; and ye, O great hailstones, shall fall; and a stormy wind shall rend it. "�"�"�.. 16To wit, the prophets of Israel which prophesy concerning Jerusalem, and which see visions of peace for her, and there is no peace, saith the Lord GOD. This is very important! This SEVEN YEAR peace comes AFTER the Battle of Gog and Magog which some consider Armageddon but this may not be talking about a peace treaty but that their weapons of war will burn for seven years, literally. Ezekiel 39:9.. And they that dwell in the cities of Israel shall go forth, and shall set on fire and burn the weapons, both the shields and the bucklers, the bows and the arrows, and the handstaves, and the spears, and they shall burn them with fire seven years:And Jerusalem, according to Biblical Prophecy of Zechariah will be divided again, for ONE last time, then its over, all over. Zechariah 14: 2For I will gather all nations against Jerusalem to battle; and the city shall be taken, and the houses rifled, and the women ravished; and half of the city shall go forth into captivity, and the residue of the people shall not be cut off from the city. So no one who believes in Scripture wants Jerusalem to be divided. BUT we should not be wanting that destructive day to come as this scripture warns.Amos 5:18..Woe unto you that desire the day of the LORD! to what end is it for you? the day of the LORD is darkness, and not light.Commonsense tells us that a peace treaty of some sort is forthcoming between Israel and her enemies. Will it resemble the popular interpretation of Daniel 9:27? Who knows, it may or it may not. The evangelical community puts immense amount of stock in their popular interpretations and if their "interpretations"� are wrong, and they could be, it certainly will do Christianity no good at all. People should be Bible Literalists instead of Bible Historians and Scholars because the commonsense interpretations of scripture fell a long time ago within the Biblical Scholastic community. http://www.yahwehyeshua.com
Harold Camping sounds like he plagiarized Jehovah's Witnesses.Jehovah Witnesses are a spin-off of the second Adventist which all came from the Millerite movement.American war of 1812 army captain William Miller is ground zero for Jehovah's Witnesses. Yes,the "great disappointment" of Oct 22 1844 has never died out... it lives on in the Jehovah's Witnesses. The central CORE doctrine of the Watchtower,yes the reason the Watchtower came into existence was to declare Jesus second coming in 1914.When the prophecy (derived from William Miller of 1842) failed they said that he came "invisibly".Watchtower reckless predictions of the (1914) (1975)..... second coming of Christ hardens skeptics in their unbelief and provides new fodder for cynics to mock the Christian faith.---Danny Haszard been there
Sarah, end times speculations certainly need to be made cautiously and humbly, especially given the wild "prophesies" on a number of occasions which obviously have not panned out, which certainly can undermine credibility. However, for someone who is a Christian, biblical prophesies themselves are meritorious--it is their meaning which is difficult to ascertain. I agree with Priscilla that the MORE IMPORTANT issue is to be living out what Christ has commanded, particularly as he has warned that no one knows the day or the hour, so he may catch us "not ready" for his appearance when it does come.If I might provide my own admittedly largely "speculative" analysis of sorts, I do also agree with Priscilla that I believe Israel's restoration as a nation likely has some "end times" significance. (Hope I'm not misrepresenting you, Priscilla!) Particularly, I think the Apostle Paul suggests in Romans 11 that there will be a "shift back" to Israel as being primarily receptive to the gospel of Jesus at the end. Also, 2 Thessalonians 2:1-12 can be read as supporting some figure commonly referenced as the "Antichrist" also appearing at the end. I have no idea who that might be, and especially I don't know if Daniel's prophesy means he will be someone who signs a treaty with Israel. (The greater the "detail" that someone comes up with, the more it needs to be taken with a "grain of salt," in my view. A lot of apocalyptic literature in scripture is clearly figurative.)As an ultimate conclusion, I do believe general world circumstances, including what might be viewed as a "falling away" from strict biblical practice in a number of denominations, does suggest that Christ's return may be in the offing. But certainly no one can accurately say exactly when, and our main response if we do expect such an imminent return is "to be about the Master's business," as contrasted with making "predictions" and trying to maneuver world "politics."
Anyone who believes 2000+ years can equal soon has other issues. Don't tell me God's time is not our time. It's our language and according to you God gave us this langauge. God said "soon" to us. If HE is using a different definition than the one HE gaves us, well, that's just rude. The increase of comments on this issue, whatever site brings it, up shows just how deep our desire for something better is. We've just been duped into believing something better must be the afterlife. That way the individualistic, on your own, capitalistic lifestyle can continue.
Ah, the Three Stooges of religous hypocrisy all gathered together again. Bring on the Rapture? Why, soytenly.
The American right freaked out recently over the Obama administration's stance on Israel-Palestine. ... Peace treaties are negotiated by the Antichrist, who will attempt to annihilate Israel; Christ will return, "bringing the armies of heaven with him," and will handily demolish the Antichrist and his army, flinging them in a sulfurous lake.I see. The Religious Right is mad at Obama for bringing about Armageddon before they've all had their chance to make millions off the gullible "end times" flock.Tales of Armageddon are really nothing more than that: the fleecing of the gullible to the sole benefit of the guy(s) at the top.Then the inevitable "whoops, forgot to carry the two; I'll get back to you on the new Armageddon date; no you can't have your money back; be prepared to give me some more" statement issued a few days after the Big Event was "guaranteed" to happen.
June 16, 2011 10:48 a.m. Thus saith the Lord, Woe unto those who destroy My people Israel. It would be better if they had not been born than to face an angry God. My people who are called by My name should humble themselves and turn from their wicked ways and pray and I will heal their land. Who is it that will stand up and build the hedge for Israel? I am the Lord God who promised the land to Israel the seed of Abraham for the sake of My Prophet Noah who said cursed be Canaan the son of Ham because of the evil deed that he did to his father Noah; and it has been so until this very day. So shall it be. I shall put the hook in the jaws of Russia and all who follow Russia to attack My people. Woe be to Iran if they attempt to blot Israel out from under heaven. Woe be to Lebanon and Syria and Turkey. Woe be unto Egypt. Woe be to the United States if they join the confederacy to destroy My people Israel and take their land. Jerusalem is not to be divided for it given to Judah. Know you know that Jesus Christ is the Lion of the tribe of Judah? Woe be unto the Christians who fight against My people. Woe be unto Islam who fight against My people. Woe be to Muslims who have desecrated themselves with other men's religion and forgot My Covenant with Abraham through his son Isaac. Ishmael was blessed with twelve princes and his descendants with him but they have become a warrior people who fight in all their generations to keep their land; if they had obeyed My covenant with Abraham they would have been in peace dwelling in a land flourishing instead of one destroyed by their enemies.Hearken unto Me you stiff-necked and disobedient children and turn from your wicked ways and I shall repent for destruction of Earth by fire; but if they do not, neither will I repent but there shall be sure destruction. But, My people who are called by My name shall be in My Kingdom for their have both heard and obeyed My voice and are doing all that I have commanded of them. They are Blessed and no man curse them less the curse return upon their own head. I AM THAT I AM.
Sarah Posner, author of God’s Profits: Faith, Fraud, and the Republican Crusade for Values Voters, is an associate editor at Religion Dispatches.
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