Pastor John Hagee for President

I'm only half kidding.

This afternoon I participated in a OneJerusalem conference call with Pastor John Hagee, founder of a national grassroots movement called Christians United For Israel.

While I was on hold, waiting for the call to begin, I checked out the CUFI website, and the homepage made me cry:

Thank you for your interest in Christians United for Israel.

The Bible commands us to pray for the peace of Jerusalem (Psalm 122:6), to speak out for Zion’s sake (Isaiah 62:1) to be watchmen on the walls of Jerusalem (Isaiah 62:6) and to bless the Jewish people (Genesis 12:3). These and so many other verses of the Bible have one overriding message – as Christians we have a Biblical obligation to defend Israel and the Jewish people in their time of need.

Israel’s time of need is now. There is a new Hitler in the Middle East – President Ahmadinejad of Iran -- who has threatened to wipe out Israel and America. And he is rapidly acquiring the nuclear technology with which to make good on his threat. If we learned anything from the Holocaust, it is that when a madman threatens genocide we must take him seriously.

During the Holocaust, too many Christians were silent, and we were left to mourn the slaughter of 6 million Jews. Today, Bible-believing Christians must speak up and stand up for Israel. We must act to do whatever we can to protect Israel’s 6 million Jews from the second Holocaust that has been threatened. We must get it right this time. Our faith demands it. The times demand it. Silence is not an option.

Too good to be true? You'll have to judge for yourself. I will tell you, though, that listening to the man, I became convinced that not only is he sincere, he is man of deep conviction, a man of his word and a man of action. I really should speak only for myself, but I thought his sharp wit delightful and that he used it well to put us (nervous, Jewish) bloggers at ease.

I warmly welcome and deeply appreciate Pastor Hagee's commitment and his work for Israel.

As he describes it, the Evangelical Christian community that he represents is quite amazing as well. They are highly motivated, highly organized and confident in themselves and their cause. They have poured money into Israeli charities and are developing a Rapid Response system which will enable them to have supporters of Israel in Washington DC, in the offices of Senators and Congressmen, within 24 hours in case of an emergency facing Israel. I told him that they put the Jews to shame, and they do. They are devoted believers, willing to put themselves on the line and into action when and if Israel might need them. If we Jews were out to protect the holiness of Eretz Yisrael with one tenth the ardor of Pastor Hagee, Ahmadinejad wouldn't stand a chance in the world.

As it is, however, I agree with Pastor Hagee that we're in a new 1938 and have a new Hitler in Ahmadinejad. The possibility of his raising nukes to use against Israel is a real and dangerous threat, and we need every friend who is able and willing to come to the defense of the land and the people of Israel. I look forward to working with the Christians United for Israel for our common cause.

To Pastor Hagee I say, Chazak, chazak v'nit chazek ~ Be strong, be strong, and may we be strengthened. And to the rest of you, I really want you to hear this call and hear this man. Please take the time to go to One Jerusalem and hear him out. The Editors have provided a lot of good background information, worth reading either before or after. As always, I am grateful to Allen Roth and David Goder of One Jerusalem for their generosity to (and confidence in) the bloggers.

Now I'm going to go see what my colleagues have posted. Ed Lasky from The American Thinker, Omri from Mere Rhetoric, Judith from Kesher Talk, Bennett from Daled Amos and Avi Green from Tel Chai Nation are all good, strong and generous people, true friends of Israel, thoughtful and articulate. I am grateful to be in their company.

This sounds really cheesy, but I'm grateful to feel grateful. I was getting tired of feeling alone and discouraged. This call was a shot in the arm, and I hope listening to it will inspire and energize you as it did me.

Whatever news there is will have to wait til morning. Lila tov.

Comments

[Brian]

Good to know that you are half serious and scary to even think of being half serious. For all your warm feelings toward Hagee I must say that I find his use of anyone of Jewish heritage as manipulation. Hagee believes only his way (translated..Hagee's interpretation of Christian text) as the only path to God. For all he may say in support of Israel, it is always in the service of his agenda. Should we always keep the atrocities of the past in front of us? Of course. These things should never be forgotten. But where is Hagee in condemnation of the United States treatment of indigenous American Indians? He will never say a word about this atrocity; it doesn't fit into his narrow, primitive, and theologically and historically incorrect worldview.

[Yael]

What in the world do Indians have to with it? The matter at hand has to do with the indigenous tribes of Israel, not America. Secondly, Pastor Hagee did not manipulate me. I will say again that I deeply appreciate his support for Israel, which I find neither narrow nor primitive.

[MARC SAIDEL]

GREAT ARTICLE.. PASTOR HAGEE IS A FRIEND BUT IF YOUR A FRIEND OF ISRAEL YOUR GOING TO BE MOCKED AND IF YOU ARE A FRIEND OF ISRAELS ENEMIES YOU'LL BE CONSIDERED OPEN MINDED POLITICALLY CORRECT AND WELCOME WITH OPEN ARMS BY MUCH OF OUR OWN JEWISH COMMUNITY. THE SPANISH INQUISITION..POGRAMS..ETC (EVIL THINGS DONE BY "CHRISTIANS" WHO KNOW NOTHING OF THIER OWN TRUE HISTORY) HAVE MADE US FEEL THAT EVERY CHRISTIAN HAS A HIDDEN AGENDA. I'M WILLING TO,AS A JEW,GIVE PASTOR HAGEE THE BENEFIT OF A DOUBT AND VIEW HIM AS A BROTHER, WITH NO OTHER MOTIVE THEN TO STAND WITH US AND SUPPORT US AND I'M THANKFUL. I JUST WISH CHRISTIANITY HAD THOUSANDS OF HIM IN THE PAST. HISTORY MAY HAVE BEEN DIFFERANT FOR US.

[FERN SIDMAN]

PASTOR JOHN HAGEE SHINES AT AIPAC POLICY CONFERENCE BY: FERN SIDMAN As the three day 2007 AIPAC policy conference held in Washington, DC came to a close yesterday, the nation's most powerful Israeli lobby sent a clear message to Washington, Iran and the world. "Tighten the screws on Iran" was the call of the day, as the Iranian nuclear buildup dominated the agenda of the 5500 member conference. AIPAC activists from around the country engaged in some 500 meetings with members of Congress of their staffs and pushed for the passage of new legislation tightening US sanctions on Iran in an effort to thwart its nuclear program. The bill, sponsored by House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Tom Lantos of California, would expand the types of investment subject to sanctions, eliminate the president's ability to waive sanctions for foreign oil companies and end all imports from Iran, among other measures. AIPAC members also sought support for two letters - one circulating among senators to be sent to US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and the other drafted by representatives for EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana - holding a firm line against the new Palestinian unity government. Both letters call for the continued suspension of aid to the Palestinian Authority so long as the planned Hamas-Fatah government fails to adhere to the three international demands of recognizing Israel, renouncing violence and accepting previous agreements. Vice President Dick Cheney addressed the AIPAC conference in the cavernous halls of the Washington Convention Center and called on American Jewish support for a continued American military presence in Iraq. He intimated that calls on Washington to take an aggressive lead in challenging the bellicose rhetoric directed at Israel by Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and the buildup of his nuclear arsenal could only be implemented if the pro-Israel lobby threw their complete support behind the Bush administration's policy of remaining militarily engaged in Iraq. Likud leader Benjamin Netanyahu also addressed the conference and called on American companies to divest from Iranian interests. He also warned that Ahmadinejad was preparing the ground for a second genocide of the Jewish people. According to a report by Arutz Sheva news service of 3/13/07, Netanyahu said, "The key is genocide. Do we want to mobilize the world against Iran? The answer is yes, just as we should have mobilized the world against Hitler in the previous century." "We don't need global action," Netanyahu explained to his audience. "It is enough that American money be pulled out of companies doing business with Iran for these companies to start folding their operations. The sanctions could be successful in the short term. Iran needs new investment desperately. Drilling of oil wells there is on a downward curve. American disinvestment from companies active in Iran could bring down." Other Israeli and American officials addressed the conference as well and spoke of the Iranian threat, yet the real shining star of AIPAC 2007, was Baptist Evangelical Pastor John Hagee who brought the house down in his fire and brimstone appeal for support for Israel. During the course of his speech, Pastor Hagee received a number of standing ovations as he issued a clear and personal warning to President Ahmadinejad not to threaten America or Israel. He told the audience that 50 million Christian Zionists are stalwart supporters of Israel and would stand behind her. Pastor Hagee was one of the few speakers that actually mentioned G-d and the Bible in his speech and draw Biblical parallels to those who sought to annihilate the Jewish people, but who in the end were destroyed by the hand of G-d. Speaking of Pharaoh in Egypt he said that he "became fish food in the Red Sea" when he attempted to pursue the Jews who had just been liberated from Egypt after hundreds of years of bondage. Pastor Hagee also made reference to Haman in Persia which he said was modern day Iran and how his nefarious plot to have Mordechai hanged on the gallows turned right back around at him and it was Haman who in the end would be hanged. He warned all those enemies of the Jewish people to think twice before attempting to obliterate G-d's chosen people. Despite the fact that Pastor Hagee's speech was met with an enthusiastic reception by the AIPAC membership, when the Pastor said that there is "the Torah way and then the wrong way", that remark only drew a mild and at best luke warm response from the audience. It appears that Pastor Hagee was one of the few people at the conference that actually embraced the teachings of the Torah. He then led the audience in a rousing chant of "Israel Lives" and promised the AIPAC members that Israel and the Jewish people would never be alone. It is clear that Pastor Hagee was the shining star at the AIPAC convention. This is a man who is not afraid to intone the name of G-d, to boldly and courageously call the enemies of the Jewish people evil perpetrators. This is a man who embraces G-d's word and reveres the Torah. The AIPAC membership and the Jewish people can learn a most valuable and important lesson from Pastor Hagee.

[vikki]

Although we as Christians don't agree with Jews/Judaism at every level, we desire to stand with you at all the levels on which we can agree. In many Evangelical Christian circles our understanding is growing and our hearts are changing. Just because we desire to, are committed to standing with Israel does not mean we are manipulating. It means we are willing to suffer with you and support you as Hagee said in spite of our differences because we understand this is right and good according to the Scriptures. Yes, our theology is different and we must live by our convictions. But part of that conviction is the recognition of God's ancient people, the apple of His eye, the Jew. We pray that God will bless the Jews and we pray for the peace of Jerusalem. We believe the land of Israel belongs to none other than God Himself. If I wanted to be selfish and manipulative I would not support Israel and bring persecution upon myself and my family in an antisemitic world. That is something I would only do out of love for those God loves and for His great Name. Think about it!

[maria kazikiasis]

i love the jewish people. may god bless america.

[eb22]

G-d Bless Pastor Hagee and his supporters.