Benjamin L. Corey

Benjamin L. Corey

BLC is an author, speaker, scholar, and global traveler, who holds graduate degrees in Theology & Intercultural Studies from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, and received his doctorate in Intercultural Studies from Fuller. He is the author of Undiluted: Rediscovering the Radical Message of Jesus, and Unafraid: Moving Beyond Fear-Based Faith.

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5 Reasons Why I’m A Christian Who Stopped Supporting Israel

 

Growing up conservative Evangelical, we loved Israel as much as we loved America– probably even more.

And why not, right?

We truly believed that among the world’s nations, God actually has a favorite– and that he will curse anyone who doesn’t blindly support his team.

When you sincerely believe that, there’s little room left for actually thinking, because anything you see is filtered and given meaning by the narrative we were given at church. This false narrative we’re told about Israel makes it almost impossible to see the situation fairly or clearly, because we become victims of confirmation bias– we’re only willing to consider evidence that verifies the narrative we were taught.

As an adult at seminary studying theology and international culture, I finally broke free from the confirmation bias that had caused me to support Israel and ignore Palestinian suffering. As such, I now see the Israel and Palestinian conflict in a completely different light– one where my Christian faith itself dictates that I cannot stand with Israel and still be faithful to Jesus.

Here are 5 reasons why I stopped supporting Israel:

5. I realized that loving Jewish people was completely different from supporting the modern, secular state of Israel.

Many quickly confuse loving Jewish people with supporting Israel– but a religion/people group and a secular nation state are not the same thing. For example, one can be opposed to US policy without being “anti-American.” In the same way, one can look at Israel and say, “Wow, this is absolutely wrong” without being anti-semitic (though that’s the first thing you’ll be accused of).

I love the Jewish people because as a Jesus follower, I love all people. But I do not– I cannot– support Israel as a nation, precisely because I love all people.

4. I realized Israel was a violent military occupation, much like the one Jesus lived under.

I used to think the Israel was a peaceful nation who just wanted to mind their own business but couldn’t because those darned Muslims wouldn’t leave them alone, but that’s not the case at all. Israel is a violent military occupation, with no end in sight.

Where Palestinians once lived in peace and security, they now live under military rule by a foreign military that controls nearly all aspects of their daily lives.  Their access to water is tightly restricted, their movement is restricted, and they are denied security in their homes by military forces who often stage middle-of-the-night raids under the accusation of “rock throwing.”

Furthermore, children are often Israeli targets and are imprisoned and tortured by Israeli solders. There have even been cases of Israeli soldiers shooting Palestinian children for sport. How a Christian can support this is literally unfathomable to me.

3. I realized Palestinians weren’t terrorists, but a frustrated people living under apartheid.

Imagine it this way: what if you woke up one morning and world leaders had given the Southern United States to Russia, to be a country for displaced Russians? The Russians arrive, kick you off the land that’s been in your family for generations, confiscate your homes and possessions, burn your farms, and put everyone into refugee camps or segregated into ghettos, which are then policed by the Russian military.

Would it not be understandable that once in a while you’d attack the Russian soldiers? In fact, if that were in America, most conservatives would call it self defense.

While I am against all violence, it’s important to understand why violence happens, and in this case it is quite understandable that such an oppressed people would resort to violence against the oppressors. However, this violence is not about Muslims hating Jews– it’s about people being tired of an occupying army taking their homes, their land, and harming their children. Truth be told, as wrong as I believe it is, I’d be tempted to throw a few rocks too.

2. I realized Israel continues to steal land and violate international law.

I once thought that Israel just wanted to peacefully exist, but the truth is they are on a violent conquest to take all the land they can get– even though it is a total violation of international law.

Day by day new Israeli settlements crop up on land that still belongs to Palestinians. Quite often the Israelis will burn down Palestinian crops  before harvest (this is in the news often), and try to take Palestinian land by terroristic force. Illegal settlers have firebombed Palestinian homes, most recently burning a baby and mother to death. Settlers recently even attacked a Rabbi who had previous work with Christian Peacemakers, showing they’re willing to not just attack Palestinians, but even their own peacemakers.

This reminds me of someone who once said, “Oh Jerusalem! You who kill the prophets and stone those God sends to you.” (That was Jesus, BTW.)

Until Israel stops violently and unapologetically violating international law by their conquest for more land, they could never have my support.

1. I realized Christians were being persecuted and oppressed, and I choose to stand with them.

One of the ways Evangelicalism continues selling support for Israel is by painting this as a Muslim vs Jew situation– but that’s not reality. This is a situation of a violent, secular nation state, who is oppressing a group of people that include Christians.

Palestinians include both Muslims and Christians, and Christians are being just as persecuted as the rest of Palestinians. Israel has targeted Christian schools while Christians in the West remained silent. Christian churches and institutions have a long history of being burned and vandalized by the Israelis. Furthermore, Christians have lamented that the Israelis spit on them as they walk down the street, with many Christians ultimately accepting that being spat on in Israel is part of daily life. (Can you imagine if it were the Muslims doing that? Conservative leaders would be calling for war.)

And this is perhaps the top reason why I no longer support Israel: to do so would be a complete betrayal of my Christian brothers and sisters who suffer under anti-Christian persecution in Israel.

…

So, your pastor growing up taught you to support Israel.

I get it. Mine did too. As a result, I blindly supported Israel for many years– even to the point of voting for candidates I thought would be the most pro-Israel.

But now that I have set aside my bias, and been willing to consider the facts as they are, I realize I can’t support Israel and still be faithful to Jesus.

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Benjamin L. Corey

Benjamin L. Corey

BLC is an author, speaker, scholar, and global traveler, who holds graduate degrees in Theology & Intercultural Studies from Gordon-Conwell, and earned his doctorate in Intercultural Studies from Fuller.

He is the author of Unafraid: Moving Beyond Fear-Based Faith, and Undiluted: Rediscovering the Radical Message of Jesus.

It's not the end of the world, but it's pretty #@&% close. Trump's America & Franklin Graham's Christianity must be resisted.

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  147. Israel is the equivalent of 1st century Rome? Nonsense. You ruin your arguments with such hyperbole.

    Reply

  148. The world ended apartheid in South Africa….we will end it in Israel. God has nothing to do with it. It’s upon us.

    Reply

  149. An excellent article by Rev. Alex Awad
    Former United Methodist Missionary to Israel and Palestine
    Former Pastor: East Jerusalem Baptist Church

    Palestinian pastor gives 8 reasons Christians should pray for Israel
    By: Alex Awad

    Dear Charisma and Standing With Israel,

    I fully agree with you that we need to pray for Israel but not because of a threat from Assad’s chemical weapons or Iran’s weapons of mass destruction. These enemies pose no real threat to Israel. We need to pray for Israel for the following reasons:

    1. The Israeli Prime Minister and his right-wing government have used every trick in the book to derail all international and US effort to make peace between Israel and its Palestinian and Arab neighbors. This extended the occupation for 50 years and there is no end to this cruelty in sight. Yes! Pray for Israel!

    2. Most Israelis are either outright atheists or agnostics and only a small percentage of the Israeli population believes in God or in the prophets of the OT. Yes! Israel needs our prayers since most Israelis know no god to pray to!

    3. Over 99 per cent of the Jewish population of Israel have no faith in Jesus Christ. The Messianic Jewish population of Israel (Jews for Jesus) numbers between 10,000-12,000 people. Pray for all Israelis that their eyes may be opened and pray for Messianic Jews because often they are persecuted by Orthodox Jews and are not favored by the Israeli government. Certainly, Israel needs our prayers!

    4. Israel is fast becoming an Apartheid state. Since most Israelis reject a one-democratic-state and most government officials reject a 2-state solution, Israel is fast heading towards a regime where, within a few years, the minority (the Jewish folks) will control the majority (the Palestinian folks). The Jewish population of Israel will never accept a one-democratic-state solution and the leaders of Israel are doing their utmost in destroying the possibility of a 2-state solution. Pray that Israel will get out of this dilemma!

    5. Injustice against Palestinians has become the norm in Israel. Consider for a moment the Israeli Law of Return. It states that any Jew, living anywhere in the world, has the right to come to Israel and become an Israeli citizen. Palestinians however, whose ancestors lived in Palestine/Israel for the last 1,400 years, have no Law of Return to protect them and often they lose their citizenship if they leave the country to pursue a job or an education in another country (This actually happened to me). This is discrimination that is based only on a person’s race. Please pray for Israel!

    6. Israeli human rights organizations are screaming foul over their country’s oppressive measures against Palestinians. The list of these oppressive measures is long but here are a few to help us as we pray for Israel:

    • Miles and miles of the segregation wall and/or security barriers that Israel built to separate Israel from the Palestinians is built on Palestinian lands in the West Bank against international laws and UN agreements.

    • A minimum of 6,000 Palestinians suffer in Israeli jails. Some of them have not been tried or convicted. Israeli officials call this inhumane practice, administrative detention. The struggle for freedom, independence and justice is what got these men and women incarcerated. Nearly half of all Palestinian males have been incarcerated at one time or another by Israeli authorities. Pray for Israel!

    • For the last 10 years, Israel has blockaded the Gaza strip causing much pain, hunger, suffering, destruction and death on a besieged population of over 1.8 million people. Yes! Israel needs our prayers.

    • Israeli policies in Jerusalem continue to inflame 1.7 billion Muslims around the world and pour fuel on radicalism and extremism. This and the actions of Israel in Gaza and in the West Bank are recipes for future wars and much bloodshed. Indeed! We need to pray for the peace of Israel!

    7. Sooner or later, Israel will drag the US into another bloody war in the Middle East. It will not be good for Israel, for Israel’s enemies or for the United States. US citizens who care for their children and grandchildren and desire peace on earth should fervently pray for Israel!

    8. Israel has friends in the US that are cheering it on to Armageddon and down to hell. Among them are US Zionist organizations, many members of the US Congress and Christian Zionist organizations such as Charisma’s “Standing with Israel”. These Christian Zionist organizations have no understanding of the prophetic mandate of the Bible to “Do justice and love mercy”. We need to pray for Israel because with friends like these, Israel needs no enemies!

    Let us heed the call to pray for Israel and pray for Israel’s enemies and friends .

    Rev. Alex Awad
    Former United Methodist Missionary to Israel and Palestine
    Former Pastor: East Jerusalem Baptist Church

    http://www.comeandsee.com/view.php?sid=1336

    Reply

  151. Once i visited Israel, interviewed the Palestinians, observed how so called Israelis treated them, observed and interviewed Israelis, I could not support Israel. The whole objective is to exterminate all Arabs creating an apartheid state, which began in 1948. Messiah will destroy Israel b4 He returns His people to the land. Maranatha!

    Reply

  152. I support Israel & her people, but I also support Palestinians, too. I just want both sides to get along with each other, love one another, & be happy together. 🙁 After all, are we all not children of the seed of Abraham? God may have promised the Jews their own land, but there’s absolutely NO reason that the land can’t be shared openly & freely with their neighbors, without any bigotry or segregation or any of that!

    Reply

    1. don’t think you understand the difference between the Israel of God(those whose hearts have been circumcised by Faith in Christ) and the israel of the flesh. By the way most of those people who call themselves israelis are not even semitic, they are of a turkic-mongol bloodline called khazarian, The SEED of Abraham was Christ, read Galations 3:16 if you want some TRUTH

      Reply

      1. don’t think you understand the difference between the Israel of God(those whose hearts have been circumcised by Faith in Christ) and the israel of the flesh. By the way most of those people who call themselves israelis are not even semitic, they are of a turkic-mongol bloodline called khazarian, The SEED of Abraham was Christ, read Galations 3:16 if you want some TRUTH

        Really? I never thought of it that way…

        But in any event, I just want all this animosity & anger between Israelites & Palestinians to go away! 🙁 It’s breaking my heart!

        Reply

        1. That poster is saying that Jews aren’t Jews, because they aren’t Christian. Consider for a moment just how offensive and inappropriate that sounds.

          The Khazar line gets tossed around a lot, I remember when Yasser Arafat was spouting it. Again, it really isn’t for Christians to presume to define who is or isn’t a Jew, and Jews are rightly concerned about non-Jews who seem obsessed with making pronouncements about their bloodline. It didn’t go well when the Nazis did it. Anyway, only half of Israeli Jews are of Ashkenazi (European) descent. Most of the others are from North Africa and the Middle East. Since most North American Jews are Ashkenazi, a lot of folks don’t fully realize that non-European Jews exist. Ashkenazi Jews are a mix of Middle Eastern and European, but have distinctive DNA due to a long period of endogamy (relatively small gene pool and very few outsiders coming in).

          Reply

  153. Do you know why the Jews killed Christ? Jews had and have certain expectations of their messiah. Jews expected their messiah to enslave their enemies, the non-Jews. Christ preached forgiveness of ones enemies and peace making. That was blasphemy to the Jews so they killed him. Christ was killed by the Jews because he refuse to enslave the world for the benefit of the Jews and for no other reason. And Jews hate him and all Christians to this very day for his refusal to enslave humankind for the benefit of the Jews and to this very day the Jews want all of Christendom dead and destroyed.

    Reply

    1. They killed him after his last challenge, the last straw, when Jesus violently chased the bankers and merchants working on the Temple Property as a type of early shopping centre, telling the Jewish Leadership the House of his Father is a House of Prayer for ALL NATIONS, and they turned it into a den of thieves.

      Reply

      1. You have to understand, the promise of the Jew religion to the Jew people is the subjugation of the non-Jew for the benefit of the Jews. Christ as the messiah rejected Judaism and the supremacy of the Jews over all others and was killed for it. Christ was the son of God had all the powers of God and could have done as the Jews demanded and enslave the world for the Jews but instead he chose to die. Christ died so you Ray Joseph would be a freeman instead of a slave to the Jews.

        Reply

        1. I don’t understand how US Christians from any denomination, could support Israel supporting the various Temple movements hungering for the Islamic Dome on the Rock to be destroyed, and a 3rd Jewish Temple built in its place, re-instituting animal blood sacrifice for the Atonement of Sin.

          Those alleged Christian groups, who have made the so called ‘Chosen Jewish People’ like Idols to be worshipped without question or criticism, by supporting that Movement in Israel, are undermining the Fundamental of the Christian Faith, that Christ is the One and Only True Atonement for Sin, for ALL People, for ALL Time, and don’t realize it.

          As I see it, the secular, non-religious News Media are propagating these ancient words and visions of the Bible using other words with the Revelation of the unfolding details Day by Day. The words in brackets are what I get out of reading those verses of Scripture.

          And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs come out of the mouth of the dragon, and out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet.(false beliefs about God in Judaism, Christianity & Islam. Written some 500 years before Islam, the 3rd arm from the Jewish religious record appeared)

          For they are the spirits of DEVILS, working miracles, which go forth unto the kings of the earth (the 1%, Presidents, Prime Ministers, Senators, CEOs, and other Idols of the People) and of the whole world, (the rest of Humanity) to gather them to the Battle of that Great Day of God Almighty. (the war is already underway Today between Judaism, Christianity and Islam, leading to the climax of that Great Day)

          Behold, I come as a thief. (when you least expect it)

          Blessed is he that watches, and keeps his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame.
          And he gathered them together into a place called in the Hebrew tongue Armageddon.
          Revelation 16:13-16

          Armageddon was derived from Har Megiddo, located in Judea and Samaria of occupied Palestine 2000 years ago. Israel as a kingdom disappeared some 800 years before Jesus walked in that area during the occupation.

          Har Megiddo/Armageddon still exists as a physical place in this material world, but is now under the control of temporal Israel re-created from the Bible after an absence of some 2800 years. After all those years, the occupation of Judea and Samaria in Palestine is still an unresolved, violent, open wound in the Middle East and this material world.

          Reply

  154. Excellent thank you very much. about time to.
    On another matter its long past time for the Evangelicals to learn that the prophecy of Gog and Magog from Ezekiel 38 and 39 has got nothing, absolutely nothing to do with either the current nations of Russia and Germany nor does it have anything to do with the nation of Israel. It is high time for this message to get out because with all of the talk about a third world war it is a message that desperately needs telling. An excellent book on the subject can be found here:
    World War 3, Gog & Magog, and Israel, lies all Lies Kindle Edition by Gerry Fox

    Reply

    1. Israel is GOG, they just called it Israel to trick you, The dead giveaway is the six pointed star of remphan on their flag, six points, six triangles, hexagram(six sided in the middle)666, all hidden in plain sight. It is as if someone hit you in the face and you didn’t even notice, i guess you have been hexed

      Reply

      1. O good grief please.

        Here for your reading pleasure an excerpt from Fox’s book:

        Gog was first and foremost the name of one of Reuben’s grandsons, circa 4004 B.C. (1 Chronicles 5:4). Next to this Gog and the Reubenites, they were a military-trained bunch (1 Chronicles 5:19, 24). It’s very interesting, if not highly significant, that a connection to the nation of Israel exists here, and twice no less. First, the Reubenites’ father was the firstborn of Israel who lost his birthright to Joseph for defiling his father’s bed. A very grievous and serious sin! We are then told that the Reubenites ended up as traitors of God because they decided to follow idols. They betrayed God even after He helped them in their war against the Hagrites (1 Chronicles 5:25). Note the words:

        But they were unfaithful to the God of their ancestors and prostituted themselves to the gods of the peoples of the land, whom God had destroyed before them. So the God of Israel stirred up the spirit of Pul king of Assyria (that is, Tiglath-Pileser king of Assyria), who took the Reubenites, the Gadites and the half-tribe of Manasseh into exile. (1 Chronicles 5:25–26)

        This is quite interesting, because it tells us that they were traitors. Treason, as we shall see shortly, is why Gog and Magog will be destroyed. The important thing to understand here is that God uses figurative language and historical types to explain and describe events. This is one of the keys to unlocking prophecy. We must understand how typology works, and the best illustration is surely where the book of Revelation refers to Jerusalem as “Sodom and Egypt”:

        …which is figuratively called Sodom and Egypt—where also their Lord was crucified. (Revelation 11:8)

        Here we have both the figurative and literal in play, and why does God do this? Well, ultimately it has everything to do with faithlessness and idolatry. Both Egypt and Sodom knew who God was, saw His work, and yet were blatantly faithless and rebellious. Jerusalem was likewise faithless and rebellious, and still is in our current day and age. Note that halfway through the great tribulation, with Armageddon staring them in the face, the people of Jerusalem will still deal with idolatry. It’s referred to as the Abomination of Desolation.

        Get it TYPOLOGY. Gog is not Israel!!!! It’s just a name/term used by God because he sees in these future nations the same kind of behavior as these traitors from the past.
        Simple really.

        Reply

        1. here for your reading pleasure, Japheth beget Magog and ashkenaz which later became the khazars in an area of the Ukraine. they were a wicked people and converted to the Babylonian Talmud (Ashkenazi Jews) but the Russians defeated them and kicked them out and they migrated to Germany and Poland and parts of Russia over the centuries, thus all the animosity over the years. Incidently the symbol on their war shield was a six pointed star. Bolcheviks were Ashkenazi Jews. anyway these people invaded Palestine from the North during those years of ww2 and are currently residing there posing as Hebrews but are of the Synagogue of Satan. with their old war shield symbol on their flag, the Star of remphan as mentioned in Acts and Amos. you sound a little self-righteous to me and maybe you should find out what God’s Holy Temple is and retreat from it post haste

          Reply

  157. Fake Christians who support Israel are nothing but gutless degenerates that aren’t really human in a truly ethical sense. Even many orthodox Jews, having made study of biblical scripture a life’s work, consider Israel an abomination – created in direct and flagrant defiance of “God’s” will. If we are created in “his” image, it’s because we are to have a conscience, with an innate sense of right and wrong. Clearly, anyone who supports Israel and turns a blind eye to its criminality, has thrown their conscience overboard and is in league with pure evil. End of story.

    Reply

  158. Christians are being duped by compromised and bribed clergy tasked on selling an agenda that is not God’s. Christians need to read The Babylonian Talmud, the actual bible the Rabis use and look for quotes on Jesus and Gentiles. A quick search of this book of racism HATE demon worship murder pedofilia etc will MAYBE help them recognize what they are supporting and STOP. How can a group of people who hate and deny Jesus Christ be supported by a group who’s whole religion is based on Christ??? The Talmud states Jesus is in hell burning in excrement and Mary is a whore! Didn’t God tell them if you do t have the son then you don’t have the father? He didn’t call them the Synagogue of Satan for nothing. Note he did NOT say church or mosque???

    Reply

  159. Send a copy of this to John Haggee. Fake jews just love him. So observing fake jews, we can also conclude there are plenty of fake christians as well. The real jews in Israel are just as persecuted and treated badly as all the other ethnic groups there. They know tools like Benny Yahoo are not remotely jewish. Many have latched onto the name, but in their bellief system they are totally talmud, which insults the KING of KINGS and HIS mother. So I don’t fund the enemy. By default pastors like Haggee are doing just that…

    Reply

  160. Don’t forget that according to the book of Revelation, earthly Jerusalem is the great whore which reigneth over the kings of the earth. Revelation 11:8 says that Jerusalem is spiritually called Sodom and Egypt, where our Lord was crucified.

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  161. Thank You for this as it totally describes the antithetical behavior that so violates everything Christ stands for. Simply put God is NO RESPECTOR OF PERSONS therefore neither should anyone be excused from stealing, killing & destroying b/c of their religious affiliation. Since Jesus is the visible image of the invisible God He showed us clearly that laying down our lives & loving one another was priority. Never did or never will we see Christ exalt a physical ‘nation’ based on their name. So why do so many ignorantly support this rogue behavior of Israel? Could it be they simply do not read the Word of God nor do they have a viable relationship with the Living God…

    Reply

  162. Brought back by Patheos. What click-fed platform could resist a topic that got 1086 comments, and probably turns up on lots of feeds to draw more clicks?

    Personally I appreciate all coverage that draws attention to the egregious behavior of the Israeli society, and the egregious behavior of the Palestinian resistance. In a fight between the strong and the weak, we know who will suffer the most, and we know who has the most responsibility to make peace. But I can never accept a narrative in which one side is the bad guy, and the other the good guy. It was one more struggle to be decided by force, and it remains that kind of situation, but it is not impossible to reach peace and have the key decisions made on the basis of law, not force.

    Reply

  163. I’m an American Jew, raised by wealthy parents who sent me to Israel for post grad work, after suffering the indignities of being a Jew at Stanford…the white, tight ass Republican factory for compliance and obedience. While living in Israel (actually, Palestine)I saw the violence, racism and rabid hatred and persecution of Muslim Arabs at the hands of the Chosen People. Chosen People? So Gentiles are UN-CHOSEN people? There’s the problem….if you start out with a system of beliefs that regard The Other as moral trash, you can justify such a vile thing as the violent, racist, Police State of Israel, built on stolen lands, with a 69 year history of genocide, land theft, and immeasurable suffering inflicted on the OWNERS of that land. Jews have absolutely NO moral, legal, familial, DNA or social identity, history or claim to Palestine……any more than Texas has a claim to Arizona just because they choose to imagine that God gave Arizona to them.
    In a Nation that requires that your race and religion is on your driver’s licence, so you cannot drive on Jewish Roads, or enter Jewish Neighborhoods, you cannot possibly call that Police State a Democracy. When you deliberately bomb schools and hospitals, poison wells to drive out the Palestinians, and shoot children in the streets for protesting, you are a Police State. Israel is a copy of Nazi Germany, and behaves like it. Anyone with a Moral Compass knows that.

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    1. They are Askenazis from Eastern Europe and have no bloodline to the Biblical Hebrew Israelites, the “chosen” people from the House of Israel and the Bible. You have NO argument,bc “Jew” is a made up word that well funded, powerful interest groups twisted from the word Judaite , in the 18th century. These powerful individuals gave those from Judah/Judaite a totally different meaning from the initial to do exactly what they have done…stolen land, just as America has done. So called Jews are identity thieves and have stolen both a heritage and land that did not belong to them, but to the Israelites and Palestinians. These people who migrated to Palestine in 1948, are converts, who studied and practiced a Babylonian form of Judaism, studied the Talmud and have NOTHING to do with the Torah or the descendants of JACOB. This all occurred in 740 A.D., under their King Bulan, who refused to accept Christianity or Islam. This was a political move. There DNA, has been scientifically proven. We can fool man, but not the Almighty. He is in control and shall act upon this matter soon. Check the Israeli flag, a hexagram, the symbol of Satan and Moloch, the god to whom so called Jews sacrificed babies. Why would a nation of the Most High YAH, use the symbol of Satan on its flag? These are questions that should enter your mind when focusing on Israel. Every other nation despises Israel and 101 countries have kicked them out of their land. In fact, initially the U.S.A. would NOT allow them to enter. Something wicked changed their minds. Do your research bc from what I have researched, observed in the land, it is what was spoken of in Revelation 2:9 and 3:9…”I know thy works, and tribulation and poverty (BUT THOU ART RICH) and I know the blasphemy of them that say they are JEWS, and are not, but are of the SYNAGOGUE OF SATAN. the synagogue of Satan.” Revelation 3:9…”Behold, I will make them of the SYNAGOGUE of Satan, which say they are JEWS, and are NOT, but do LIE:;…,I have loved thee.” Research the Balfour Declaration and your eyes will be opened. Christian churches are teaching a LIE and will never teach truth bc they are afraid of losing the 501c3 non-profit, tax exempt status and leaders being defrocked, so thy must teach you that Israelis are YAH’s people and to support them. Wrong, wrong doctrine and practice. Ever wonder why Messiah states that there will only be a remnant SAVED? So called Christians are under strong delusion, false doctrines and roughly 85% will perish after judgment. Many are waking up to truth and studying to show themselves approved, but most will sleep on until Messiah returns, sadly, but, it will be far too late. Research, research, research.

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  164. Pray for the peaceful dismantlement of the zionist state that arrogantly refers to itself as Israel. This apartheid cult does not represent Jewish people or their religion.

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  166. As I read through these comments I am disappoint in the lack of insight expressed. Learning is only achieved through listening.

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  167. Its always good to be open. However, in your five reason why you no longer support Israel, you have not mentioned GOD, nor GOD’s Will. For it only God that I stand accountable. Life, death, suffering, are only mere elements of the Almighty who creates life out of death. It has no meaning. As a theologian from Concordia Seminary I hold fast in humility to the Holy Scripture as interpreted by Scripture as basis of my devotion and faith, in simple terms….The Word of God. The terms Christians, Muslims, Jews, Palestinian, etc. have no meaning in today’s rhetoric of deception. For man nor his logic cannot be trusted, only God. This world is facing a spiritual battle of which we as mere human beings cannot comprehend. It is only by free will that we act or listen to the Holy of Holies. You can choose or you can listen.

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  168. Thank you for sharing this. I am actually a covert to Islam and was originally raised in Greek Orthodox Christianity. I had an aunt who married a Palestinian Christian, and have cousins that that are half Greek half Palestinian. I was taught by that side of my family the plight and struggles of the Palestinian Christians was the same as the Palestinian Muslims, and so even before I became a Muslim I knew full well as a Christian who the real oppressor was.

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  170. Great article, thanks. I am a South African and understand Apartheid. I am pro-Jewish and pro-Israel, but absolutely anti-Zionist. The Israel of today is nót the Israel of biblical times, as you also mentioned. In fact, Jesus néver practiced Rabbinical Judaism, but the ancient Hebrew faith. Rabbinical Judaism of today is based on the traditions of the Pharisees, as was written down in the Mishnah and Gemara, ie the Talmud. Jesus “loathed” most religious leaders of His time. The Jews have added to the written Torah, the Oral Torah, ie all the traditions of the Pharisees. This is what today’s Judaism is based upon. Now they even consider the occultic Zohar (Kabbalah) as part of the Oral Torah. However there are still some Torah Jews left, but they are in the minority. These Jews, especially in Israel, do not support at all what the Israeli government is doing, referring to the Palestinians. I completely reject Rabbinical Judaism, Talmudic Judaism, and Kabbalah Judaism. Even in the letters to the seven churches in Revelation Jesus already mention twice “those who say they are Jews, but are not (true Jews). But.. Christians in general, don’t really grasp the reality of what’s going on in Israel and in Judaism. I think we should still pray for the peace of Jerusalem – as the Bible mentions (just thinking of conflict on the Temple Mount), and for the prosperity of Israel, whatever that really means in God’s eyes.

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  171. This is a highly emotive subject and there are people out there calling for the destruction of Israel itself and for the massacre of its people. Language is important and (unless I have got this wrong) what you are saying (which I would agree with) is you cannot support what Israel is doing, not that you no longer support Israel’s right to exist at all (with of course the complicated issue of within exactly what borders). The article fails to make the distinction and given the contentious topic, really ought to, unless you, the supposed pacifist, are calling for the violent destruction of the whole state itself.
    You have also been dangerously sloppy in your use of language (since I can’t imagine you really being that ill-informed) in referring to the state of Israel as a “violent military occupation”. It isn’t. It is engaging in a violent military occupation of Palestinian lands outside its internationally-recognised borders, which is not the same thing (for example if the US invaded Canada and occupied it, the US itself would still be a democracy, but one that was occupying somewhere else). These distinctions are important when others are calling for the entire state’s destruction and its people to be effectively thrown into the sea.
    Finally you are confusing two issues in talking about Israel as an “apartheid state”. Palestians in the occupied territories are not living in an apartheid state since they are under military occupation and not living in the state of Israel at all. Israel Arabs living in Israel, on the other hand, are full citizens of Israel, and vote for the Knesset etc, but do complain in a number of ways of getting treated as second class citizens and being discriminated against. There complaints, however, are not in a way comparable to the treatment of those in the occupied territories. (Perhaps a closer parallel for how the Israeli Arabs complain they are being treated might be the treatment of African-Americans in the southern US in the 50s and 60s, rather than a formal apartheid system as once prevailed in South Africa. )
    I am not about to disagree with you over the appalling treatment by Israel of the Palestinians, or that blind unconditional support by the US is an enabler of this and needs to stop, but I think you need to get the issues clearer in your head before wading in.

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  172. Thank you! I am sharing on my Facebook page! And any time on other relevant posts I find in future. thank you thank you!

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  173. It also is important to remember, if Christians wish to support Israel based on biblical injunctions, today the only people really living according to the biblical model of farming and tending the land are the Palestinians!

    The Israelis are mostly into high tech and the Tree of Knowledge. They also have advanced programs in biowarfare under contract with the Pentagon.

    Israel is a slick silicon valley totally removed from its biblical origins and model as an agricultural society.

    Only the Palestinians tend the land. That is why they weep when the IDF callously uproots and destroys olive trees, something prohibited in the Torah by the way.

    American support for Israel is largely undiscerning and uninformed based on false romantic notions, guilt over the Holocaust, and a yearning for more infidels to slaughter now that the American Indians have been destroyed.

    America is a violent and rebellious society for whom Israel is just good macho entertainment.

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  174. Comment by Messianic leader in South Africa about anti Semitism and Jewish paranoia:

    The Torah commanded that the people of Israel listen to the Prophet like Moses whom the Lord would send – and he, the prophet like Moses, the mediator of a covenant between God and Israel, is of course Jesus Christ.

    So, to reject Jesus is also to completely reject the Torah and rebel against its requirements.

    And the consequence of rebellion, unfaithfulness and disobedience, for those who claim to be yoked to the Torah, is clearly stated in the Torah – which is most likely the explanation of a very unique anxiety disorder among those claiming to be Jews – they would be scattered throughout the world:

    If you do not carefully follow all the words of this law, which are written in this book, and do not revere this glorious and awesome name —the Lord your God— 59 the Lord will send fearful plagues on you and your descendants, harsh and prolonged disasters, and severe and lingering illnesses. 60 He will bring on you all the diseases of Egypt that you dreaded, and they will cling to you. 61 The Lord will also bring on you every kind of sickness and disaster not recorded in this Book of the Law, until you are destroyed. 62 You who were as numerous as the stars in the sky will be left but few in number, because you did not obey the Lord your God. 63 Just as it pleased the Lord to make you prosper and increase in number, so it will please him to ruin and destroy you. You will be uprooted from the land you are entering to possess. 64 Then the Lord will scatter you among all nations, from one end of the earth to the other. There you will worship other gods—gods of wood and stone, which neither you nor your ancestors have known. 65 Among those nations you will find no repose, no resting place for the sole of your foot. There the Lord will give you an anxious mind, eyes weary with longing, and a despairing heart. 66 You will live in constant suspense, filled with dread both night and day, never sure of your life. 67 In the morning you will say, “If only it were evening!” and in the evening, “If only it were morning!”—because of the terror that will fill your hearts and the sights that your eyes will see (Deuteronomy 28:58-67).

    And, the most likely explanation of an otherwise strange and uncalled for phenomena of people being anti-Jewish is also found in the Law – and also as the result of Israel’s unfaithfulness and rebellion against the Torah and against the Messiah:

    You will become a thing of horror, a byword and an object of ridicule among all the peoples where the Lord will drive you (Deuteronomy 28:37) .

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  176. very powerful and eloquent! it takes courage to post stuff like this! someday it probably will be considered a hate crime!

    May God bless and protect you!

    Amen.

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  178. Ben,

    What would you want us (Israelis) to do? I am an Israeli living in the USA, I love Israel, I want peace. But I don’t believe it can be achieved. I find your post very, very biased. But everything I would try to say will be claimed as propaganda.

    There are so many extremely violent actions the Palestinians have committed, dozens of them; will it help if I will provide the links? I don’t think so…

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  179. This is all really frustrating because there’s still a fundamental difference between “I support the Israeli people’s right to exist and to live in happiness as well as peace” and “I will always and forever agree 100% with what the Israeli government as a government chooses to do”. The difference is… gigantic. Seriously.

    That the U.S. federal system has engaged in horrible things just over the past, say, decade and a half (think of exact examples such as the ATF gunwalking scandal, the Niger uranium forgeries, the Secret Service prostitution fiasco, and so on)… does that mean that there’s anything inherently evil or wrong about the American people? Does it imply that there’s any reason to not believe in a better world for Americans, working for a more peaceful and just society? The answers are clear.

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  180. Do you know you cannot build a church in a muslim state such as Saudi arabia. Do you know a christian in a muslim ruled state is known as dehimi which is a degrading social and religious state and a low cast individual and infact to stay alive he has to pay a fine called a Jizah to his local mosque.

    Reply

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