WASHINGTON – A well-known, outspoken group of Christian Zionists is being criticized by an ecumenical organization of churches for its “uncritical” support of Israel, as it kicked-off the first day of its annual gathering in the nation’s capital on Monday.
The National Council of Churches USA (NCC), a coalition of 35 denominations representing 45 million members, says many Christians have a different opinion of Israel than Pastor John Hagee’s Christians United for Israel (CUFI).
Among the points of contention is CUFI’s “uncritical” support for the State of Israel based on a literal reading of biblical apocalyptic texts, argues NCC.
“John Hagee’s message differs greatly with what theologians have taught for centuries,” said Dr. Antonios Kireopoulos, NCC’s associated general secretary for International Affairs and Peace, in a statement.
And “CUFI stands apart from the historic Churches still present in the Holy Land,” he added. “All of these Churches serve Palestinian Christians, who are adversely affected by the policies supported by Hagee and CUFI. As a result of these policies, Christian communities in the Holy Land are diminishing and are threatened with extinction."
Pastor John C. Hagee is the founder and senior pastor of the Cornerstone Church in San Antonio, Texas – a non-denominational evangelical church with over 18,000 members. He has received numerous recognitions for his vocal support of Israel, believing that Jews continue to be favored by God by grace despite their unbelief in Jesus.
Hagee rejects the replacement theory which says that the new covenant presented in the New Testament given to the Church replaces the old covenant given only to Israel.
While the NCC noted that its members also support Israel, it is critical of the Israel-occupied Palestinian territories. NCC advocates for a two-state solution of a secure Israel alongside a Palestinian state.
“Only a just solution will bring peace to the Middle East,” said Kireopoulos.
A fairly new critic of Israel, who previously had a history of strong support, has also been expressing her opposition to Christians giving “blind support” to the country when it is wrong.
Award-winning talk show host Janet Parshall has criticized Israel’s parliament for condemning groups that share the Gospel. The Knesset Christian Allies Caucus – a group in the Israeli parliament that seeks to build cooperation between the parliament and Christian leader – does not associate with groups that share the gospel of Jesus Christ.
In addition, an Israeli political party had introduced a legislation in the Knesset which would punish someone for sharing the Gospel in Israel for up to a one-year prison sentence.
“I thought, wait a minute, we can’t just blindly support Israel,” she said, according to OneNewsNow.com.
Parshall subsequently withdrew from speaking at a Jerusalem conference sponsored by the Knesset Christian Allies Caucus.
Christian Zionists are often characterized by “a kind of blind support that says no matter what Israel does, Israel can do no wrong,” noted Parshall.
“I don’t believe that of our government and I certainly don’t believe that of the Israeli government. And friends tell friends, in love, when they see things that they think are wrong,” she added.
Christians are arguably Israel’s strongest and most vocal supporters in the world with American evangelicals making up 1/3 of American tourists that visit Israel, second only to American Jews.
CUFI is hosting its 2nd annual Israel/Washington DC Summit July 16-19. Pro-Israel churches, ministries, and individuals will hear from speakers such as Sen. Joseph Lieberman of Connecticut, former speaker of the house Newt Gingrich, and former Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu. The gathering will also include a lobby day on Capitol Hill for participants to meet their representatives to press for support of Israel.
Comments
When Jesus RE-turns he will set up shop in Israel Gods temple will be there,God chose israel,But befor that happens parts of israel will be of mixed peoples and the anti-christ will be in the temple there,and God wont take kindly to the false ones proclamations,so he gets put in chains and put in a hole.but be that as it may-God will accept anyone in christ if they truely repent and turn to him,pray for Israel
I guess Christ died on the cross because he was obligated to do so, not out of love. The Bible said that Christ loved the entire world. He did not pay the price for land. He paid the price for all people. None are saved outside of Christ. I will never take heed from someone that dares to say that God does not love all people. You are twisting everything that I said. I guess that is your manifestation of the love of Christ.
Anyone that can actually said that God does not love all people has forgotten their salvation. I will not say that you are not saved. That would be wrong of me. However you have completely forgotten God's mercy shown towards you. If you thought about that fact that is in the word you would not be so mean and vicious towards any human being, especially those that are lost.
God speed, dannygirl. There are several that are probably praying for your deliverance:)
My Friend, the problems that America, Israel, and all the world is facing today is Bibliical. Not. political. It's eternal life or eternal death. It is about Who is God. It is Satan trying to take over the world through Islam. It's all in the Bible. You should read Ezekiel 38-39. Daniel 8, 11. Rev 13, 16, 17, 18,
Satan thinks if he takes over Israel. He can take over the whole world. America Europe, and Austrailia represent Christiandom. America is the Jewel. What does politics have to do with it?
Foolish. You are so blind. Or so compromised. Or maybe you are not a real Christian. Islam does not believe God has a son. It does not except Jesus as Saviour. It does not allow freedom of religion. In Islam you have to bow your knee to the false strange god allah. The word of God says there is no other name which one can be saved. Jesus is the way the truth and the life. Islam will kill to prevent muslims from being saved. Much worse they want the world under islamic rule. Why don't you see this You are the one with the political agaenda. You are also Anti-Semtic. Jesus was a Jew. He weeped for Jews. You should weep for them. They are in darkness. Weep anyone that does not know the Salvation of Yashua.
Jerusalem will be a cup of trembilng. We are not supposed to boast against the natural branches. We should wantn to see the Jewish people saved. We are nearing the end of the day were no man can work. The fullness of the gentiles is coming to an end.
Don't give that God loves all people. So make no distinstion. He loves the whole world. But as I have presented to as fact through the scriptures. First the Jew then the Gentile. Not because Jews are better or something. unbelieving Jews are very stiffnecked and Anti-Christ. But as Christ we are embassators of Christ. We make Gods appeal to the whole world. How can we do this if we sho a anti semtic spirit towards the Jewish people who are the Lords Brethen after the flesh?
This fine sounding arguments you make don't work. It's what you would like to be verses the Word of God. The word of God says love all men. Be at peace with all men. But gospel if for Jew first then for the Gentle. I would imagine because Paul knew there would be so few jew to come to Christ and that many Gentiles would came and thaey we would forget that "Salvation comes from the Jews." This is said by Jesus himself when he spoked to the Sammaratin women at the well. When you dismiss what I've said you dismiss the Word of God. I got everything I know from the word of God. So you're not arguing with me but God. And you show a anti semtic spirit. ....................I have no more to say. I am arguing with someone who trully doesn't believe the Word of God and has anti-semitic spirit. Take Heed.
In August 1974 I did the following: (1) I repented of my sins, (2) I came to believe that Christ paid the price for my sins and(3) I came to believe that God raised Christ from the dead. According to the word of God I am saved and my sins were washed as far as the east as from the west. I am a work in progress but saved. Sorry if that fact offends anyone but it is the truth nonetheless. I have been grateful for my salvation and wish that all would come to Christ. That goes for the Jews, Muslims, Hindu and anyone that does not know Him.
There is a ministry at the church I attend that reaches out to those in the Middle East. He has gone to many Muslim countries in the region. He is teaching them correctly about Christianity. One of the things he is teaching them is that they cannot have hatred for the Jews. He has not had the opportunity to go to Israel to try and reach them. I'm sure that he would if given the opportunity even though he could be put in jail for doing so just like in the Muslim countries he goes to. The gospel is the only thing that will change the attitudes of those that hate the Jews. At least he is trying to be a productive solution to the problem instead of those that want to berate them and damn them to hell as "God's enemies". This is not a political or religious exercise with me. I want to see people saved. That’s all.
The Bible says that anyone that believes in Christ is saved. It did not say anything about wrong believing about Palestine or anything else. It says in more than one place that if you believe that Jesus Christ was raised from the dead thou shalt be saved. The fact that people have a lot of religious and maybe political baggage does not change the fact that they are saved. The implication is that if they are a part of 'Palestine' that they are probably not Christians because of an OT prophecy given long before Christ paid the price for all sin. I guess the blood of Jesus really did not pay the price for all sin. To hurl an unrighteous judgment and say that they are not saved when you have no idea if they met the Biblical qualifications for salvation is dangerous and putting yourself in the place of God. He is the one that sent Christ to pay that precious sacrifice for all persons no matter their location or status.
What Christian had every line of doctrine right as soon as they accepted Christ? None. What Christian has had every line of doctrine right after being Christians for many years? None or else we would see what Jesus said we should be experiencing on a regular basis. We are a product of our experiences. That is why Romans 12:1-3 says that we are to renew our minds. We all have believed a lot of garbage. Those in so-called Palestine have probably only heard the stuff about them being a legitimate nation, especially the younger ones. Just because they are there does not mean that all of them are 'for Palestine'. Assumptions being made here are unfair and again unrighteous judgments. I have no so-called support for Palestine. It is a bunch of madness IMHO. However I care about them as people just like I care for the Jews and any other person that does not know Christ. I want to see them saved. Period. I refuse to lump people into a category because of the insane behavior of the leaders. That is unfair and ungodly.
We do not know if someone tried to contact JH about this article or not. He is busy with the CUFI meeting. We would not hear anything new if they had gotten in touch with him. It is pretty clear where he stands. He has boldly said what his views are. All one has to do is search out the CUFI web site and know. No one really needs to interview him.
I love the way Hagee didn't get to speak for himself in this article. So much for unslanted journalism.
Palestine means Choas. to Create or to revert back to "Palestine" create or revert back to Chaos. The world was in Chaos before Christianity. No salvation for the gentiles. Israel was too small a thing. Christianity is God's reciliation with the world. Inwhich he sent his only begotten Son to died for our sins. The Jewish brought forth the Messiah. To revert or build "Palestine" back up again is to go back to a world without Christianity. Palestine is of the Devil, Lucifer out of his pit. IS 14 read the whole chapter. The devil in his bitter contrition wants to be God. He is wormwood. "hell below me". Palestine is chaos. It is Anti-Christ. There is nothing good about palestine in the bible. Joel 3:2-5, God says "what have I do with you O' Palestina?"
Read for yourself. For a Christian to be for "Palestine" is a christian against himself or just plain Anti Christ. I would think he's not a real Christian.
Muslims persecute the Chrstians in Gaza. They kill Christians all over the world.
They want to kill the both Jews and Christians. They want to kill anyone that's not a muslim. Jesus loves the Muslims too. We need to pray for them. But, to make israel Palestine is Chaos. Muslims want whole world under Islam. If you deny this. I know where you stand. I trully question that you are a christian.
I have given many scripute reference many times. One more time.
Rom 2: the Jew first. Then the Gentlile twice
Rom 11: Boast not against the Natural Branches
Joel 3: Dividing God's land. Being paid back switfly and speedily twice.
Rom 9: the rejection of the messiah by Jewish people, brought about salvation to the whole world. Is 53: does too.
Rom 11: warns us not to boast againt the Natural branches. God can graph them in again and cut us out so we need to fear.
My friend, you need to humble yourself and read the word of God. You are very prideful. Heed Brother.
well, what esle is there to say. You consistantly show your prideful anti semtic spirit.
To deny every I have been saying about "Christ Jesus, first for the Jew then for the gentile ", is to deny the words quoted from the Word of God. It also shows a Anti-Semitc Spirit. There is no perversion. It is the word of God. It is written twice in the same Chapeter Romans 2. I did not make it up it is in the word of God. We are not supposed to "boast against natural Branches". Romans 11. written there too. What Pride there is to deny this. Say what want, you are Anti-Semtic which in essence Anti-Christ. Jesus came from the Jews after the flesh.
Jesus loves the whole world. He died for the sins of the whole world. He weeped for his people because they rejected him. The Apostle Paul wished he could be seperated from God and consigned to hell that the Jewish people could be saved. He weeped for the Jewish People too.
Here you are making excuses to ignore the admonishment Paul gives. You're not arguing with me. Your problem is not with me but with the Word of God. My friend, I urge you to fear God and His word. Stop deceiving yourself. You are very Anti Semtic.
Without Love you gain nothing. You are a clanging cymbal.
Not only love the Jew. But Love evryone. I didn't say anything about not loving arab Christians. They are my sister and brothers too. If they are trully Christian, they have the New Testament. It comes in Arabic too. It says the same thing. They should love the Jew too. And many of them do.
I supect it's the Arab muslims that hate the Jews. They hate Christians too. As Christians we need to love Muslim too and pray they see Jesus a the son of God and wants them to have salvation too.
After Jesus was resurrected EVERYONE had access to salvation, including the Jews. There is nowhere that supports the fact that the Jews are being held up for salvation so we can be saved. If that was the case not one Jew would ever have come to Christ. Thousands of Jews were saved within a week after Pentecost. Jews over the centuries have come to Christ. How is their salvation being held up? It is not. Those Jews that believe in Christ are saved, many at great sacrifice and persecution. Some in Israel pay with their lives. Now their government has officially said that they could be punished for being Christians. A good number of them are on TV trying to reach others for Christ. Jews for Jesus has been around for many years. Many messianic congregations exist around the world. Their salvation is not being held up for the non-Jew or the Bible is full of lies. If you read the word carefully just about every Christ said in the word was said to Jewish people. Thus Christ to the Jew first. Many received Him and many rejected Him.
The idea that God would sacrifice a people for another in order for them to be saved contradicts the price of Christ. It says that His sacrifice was not enough. Because of this many Jews had to go to hell so I could be saved. That is heresy. The Bible clearly says that Jesus paid the price for all. If the price has been paid it has been paid. The Bible says that ALL who believe in Him will be saved. It did not say that God would harden the hearts of the Jews so that we can be saved. That is a gross misinterpretation of those verses. Even if anything was going on like that, it happened before Christ made His precious sacrifice. After that ALL have the ability to be saved. If anyone believes otherwise they are calling Christ a liar or the word of God fables and myths. It is clear what Christ said about all of this. All people have to do is to read.
The perversion of 'loving the Jew first' has caused hatred towards fellow brothers and sisters in Christ. Tell me where that is supported anywhere. This has nothing to do with loving the Jews at all. We are to love all people, including the Jews. We are to support their efforts to retain the land. There is no problem with that. HOWEVER the views of the main people around CUFI are heretical. To say that one has to be a part of that heretical madness to 'love the Jew first' is at best confused and illiterate in the Scriptures. Things changed with Jesus. Any group or movement that is formed that totally ignores EVERYTHING that Christ said relating to it is doomed.
I have no problem with supporting efforts for them to keep the land. I feel that is Biblical and quite frankly fun to watch God move on behalf of their land. However this has NOTHING to do with the policies of their government. Israel is supposed to be a democratic government BUT has chosen as a government to officially persecute Christians. Saying nothing about that fact is disobeying the word. The Bible says to do nothing to offend the nations, the Jews and the church. Being quiet while any government persecutes any people because of their faith should be denounced by Christians.
Calling other followers of Christ terrorists I think is a bit much and reveals the lack of love for fellow believers that this new move of loving Israel has produced. It also twists what was said. It was correctly stated that Palestine is not a true nation. It has also been stated that Palestine is anti-Christ. Whether the nation is a true nation or not is one thing. To lump all the people and say they are anti-Christ is the very judgment that we are warned about in Scripture. It has been proven time and time again there are true followers of Christ amongst the 'Palestinians'. What I will NEVER ACCEPT is the hostility towards all Arabs and fellow Christians that this new move of loving Israel has produced. There is no mercy shown for them at all EVEN THOUGH Christ's precious blood was shed for them. I will boldly ask, "Have those that have hostility towards them forgotten how Christ rescued them from hell?" We must remember that many of these people have never heard anything about Christ and His goodness. What do you expect people that have never heard the Good News toi act like? Think about what we might have been like had we been born in those nations. I truly think that these folks have lived so much in the Old Testament that they have forgotten the power of their salvation and the desperate need that Jews and Muslims both need.
For the Christian, we are to fear God. Romans 11, Says we should not boast against the natual branches. He says there will be life from the dead for the Jewish people. We Gentile Christians should fear and love God more. The rejection of Jesus Christ by the Jewish people brought about salvation to the whole world. God does have a special place in his heart for Israel. They are written on the palms of Hands. "Christ Jesus first for the Jew, then for the Gentile."
There is no Palestine in the New Testament. Luke 2: 54-55, 68-75. Palestine is Anti-Christ. Whether a foolsh prideful christian will aknowledge it or not. Christians, all believers have been grafted into Israel. We are all spiritual Jews. The Apple of God's eye. But if we boast against the Natural Branches (The Jewish People) we can be cut off and God can graft them back in again. This the Word of God. Israel is not Occupiers. Yahweh God has brought them back to their own home land. If you don't see this I question you are a bible believing Christian. You can say what ever you want, you don't obey God.
We should love everyone even the arabs in Israel. God is no respected of persons. But we should love the Jew first. Paul said "Christ jesus, first for the Jew, then for the gentile." Romans 2:9-11. Why do you not love with a perfect love???????
Have you ever thought that Christ loved us first? Before we loved him? For Heaven sake must we all beat the jews in the head with our bible while they are at risk of extinsion. In my opinion that has a terrorist like mentality(convert or abandon suport). Is there a such thing as unconditional love, like the bible talks about? If so I think its being aplied here . And I choose not to beat this group up for not beating that group up for not converting. Let God be God. Enough already.