Author and political commentator Ann Coulter ruffed some feathers recently when she said during a CNBC interview that Jews needed to be “perfected.”
Coulter was describing what her dream America would look like and listed Christian as one of the attributes of her perfect country.
“You said we should throw Judaism away and we should all be Christians,” recapped Donny Deutsch, host of CNBC’s The Big Idea and self-professed Jew, following Coulter’s comments last week.
“Yes,” Coulter replied firmly.
The outspoken conservative – whose most recent book is titled, “If Democrats Had Any Brains, They’d Be Republicans” – denied, however, holding the same view as the Iranian president who said he wanted to wipe Israel off the face of the Earth.
Instead, she said Christians just wanted “Jews to be perfected.”
“But that is what Christians consider themselves: perfected Jews,” Coulter said.
Christians believe in the Old Testament like Jews, but God was “constantly getting fed up” with man for not being able to obey all the laws, she explained. As a result, Coulter added, Christians believe Jesus Christ came and died on the cross for man’s sins.
“Christians believe the Old Testament. You don’t believe our testament,” said the opinionated and often times controversial author .
“We consider ourselves perfected Christians.”
“For me to say that for you to become a Christian is to become a perfected Christian is not offensive at all,” she told Deutsch after he said he was offended by her comment.
“This is what Christians consider themselves, because our testament is the continuation of your testament.”
Coulter, along with most Christians, believes that Jews like any other person need to accept Jesus Christ as their savior in order to gain salvation.
However, some Christian Zionist leaders have taught what is referred to as the “Two Covenant” or “Dual Covenant” theory on the salvation of Jews. These leaders claim there is another way to salvation for the Jews other than Jesus.
Pastor John Hagee, a staunch Christian Zionist who supports bombing Iran, for example, believes that Jews have a special covenant with God and do not need the cross or Jesus to come to God.
Hagee said converting Jews is a “waste of time.”
“The Jewish person who has his roots in Judaism is not going to convert to Christianity. There is no form of Christian evangelism that has failed so miserably as evangelizing the Jewish people,” Hagee contends, according to an article in the Houston Chronicle in 1988. “They [already] have a faith structure.”
Buddhist, Baha’i and everyone else need to believe in Jesus but not Jews, he continued, adding that Jews already have a covenant with God that was never replaced by Christianity.
More recently, on CNN’s special “God’s Warriors” program, Hagee reaffirmed that he believes Jews do not need to believe in Jesus to be saved.
While Christian leaders debate the salvation of Jews, some of Israel’s top rabbis have been trying to prevent Jews from being evangelized by Christians.
During a massive annual march in Jerusalem earlier this month, the chief rabbinate of Israel, for the first time in 27 years, banned Jews from participating in the parade for fear they would fall prey to Christian missionaries.
The chief rabbinate was informed that there were participants taking part in the gathering to celebrate the Feast of the Tabernacle who would try to convert Jews to Christianity.
Israel has also escalated its crackdown on evangelicals suspected of missionary activities. An American evangelical pastor and his wife – who have lived in Israel for nearly two decades – and the Christian TV network Daystar are among the latest victims of Israel’s no evangelism law.
Daystar’s contract was terminated for broadcasting 15-minute infomercials from a ministry accused of trying to convert Jews through the TV ads.
Over the past 20 years, Christian Zionists have poured billions of dollars into Israel. Annually, evangelical Christians make up one-third of American tourists that visit Israel – second only to American Jews, according to the country’s Minister of Tourism.
RSS
If you really want to understand how Jews need Jesus as their Savior and Lord, check out "Jews for Jesus." Anyone from that organization will be happy to share with you their testimony of how they want all Jews to embrace Jesus as the Messiah.
i believe that you have misrepresented her beliefs. If you listen on in the rest of the interview, she clearly states "I believe that Jews go to heaven." So, she does NOT believe that Jews must be converted to Christianity in order to have salvation as your article above states. In fact, she is a proponent of the very "two covenant" belief with which you contrast her. You might want to check your facts before glorifying her beliefs for your audience.
Prophet— you are misinterpreting Rom 2.28-29. Chapter 1:15-32 indicts Gentiles of sin, Chapter 2 indicts Jews. Chapter 3 (v.9) charges them both as sinners.
Paul is explaining that if the Jew is acting as a hypocrite, saying he believes the Law/Torah but does another thing, then he is acting as if he were uncircumcised.
These verses aren't about whether he believes in Jesus (something Paul will bring up later) it is about the Jew's walk/life. If the Jew (according to Paul) is living righteous and speaking the Torah then he/she is a true Jew—the emphasis is on true observance that comes from the heart, as opposed to the traditional Christian misunderstanding of believing in Jesus, making one Jewish.
anniefourjesus—You are neither male nor female? Paul's point was that in regards to God none of these things are blockers. All can come to Messiah.
However, physically, there are still males and females Jews and non-Jews. As seen by children still being born into the world.
Romans Chapter 2...specifcally verses 28-29.
Romans Chapter 3...specifically verses 23-28 “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God; To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus. Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? of works? Nay: but by the law of faith. Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law.” (KJV)
First Corinthians 1:22-24
First Corinthians 9:19-21 (if the Jews were already "saved" why is Paul trying to win them?)
Just something to think about.
www.isaiahscry.blogspot.com
Well said Big German.
Just what the Lord needs Ann Coulter and John Hagee acting as His ambassadors to the world.Ann with all of her uplifting and edifying rhetoric,her constant calls for christian love and unity.Her obvious use of the bible as a guide to her everyday life.Her kind and gentle disposition just oozes a personal relationship with Jesus.And John Hagee who wants to bomb in Jesus' name.John Hagee who equates christianity and capitolism,denies that Jesus is the only way to the Father.Does he not remember that Jesus is the ONLY name by which we may be saved,or that as far back as moses God the father promised a second covenant.With people like these two claiming to speak for God it's no wonder that we're held in such low esteem in the world.
The Apostle Paul said that the Jews are those who trust in Jesus as Messiah. And he also said those who do not are not Jews.
Anne is correct in her understanding. ONLY JESUS SAVES.
Forgive Ann's style, as I'm sure we've forgiven Dawkin's style. The role of the controversalist (and Ann is definitely that) is to engage passion (often too much so) in the debate. Ann does have a talent to make sandpaper seem velvety smooth in comparison to harsh rhetoric, either hers or those who demean her for her style.
The point however, is dealing with the person of Jesus of Narareth, and Messianic claims declaring Him Christ. This is the issue. The Messianic hope of Jewish deliverer was fueled by the Maccabean movement of the second century B.C.. With its fierce nationalism, pride for Jewish tradition preserved through all hostility, and the excellent administration of John Hyrcannus, it was natural for such a view of a messiah would emerge with the coming of the Roman Empire. Christians do not hold the Messiah as a national deliverer. We see a soteriological role of the Messiah, a Savior from sin. We view the great commission of Matt. 28: 19ff as a fulfillment of the entry of the Gentile into the coveneant (Mal. 1: 11; Isa. 56: 3ff).
Our individual Messianic concepts are the crux of the matter. If we can share our individual hopes, as those who pick up the cross and follow Him, as those whose heritage is the people of Torah, and no this in a spirit of gentleness, we win. Divisiveness and uncivility will not hold us together as a people.
Can we speak respectfully, tactfully, or has "trash-talk" caried the day?
In Christ, there is neither Jew nor Greek, male nor female! People need to get out the WORD of GOD and let The HOLY SPIRIT teach them TRUTH! Stop listening to these self-appointed "preachers" who do not correctly divide the WORD OF TRUTH!
Jesus came to reconcile ALL mankind back to GOD and that is what HE did on the CROSS, paying a DEBT we could NEVER pay(The wages of sin are death, that applies to ALL peoples) Mr. Hagee nor Ms. Coulter do not speak for me, and The Old Testament (is the old covenant) and the New Testament (is the new covenant) and it was brought to the Jews first, and they REJECTED it; so God took it to the GENTILES to stir the Jews to jealousy (meaning to spur them on towards God) God does NOT want any to perish; ALL must come to JESUS, there is no other way that MEN can be saved! That applies to Jew as well as to GREEK. If Jesus is rejected, the WRATH of GOD remains on the one rejecting Him. My BIBLE says, that Jesus is drawing ALL men unto Himself. We are called to be CHRIST's AMBASSADORS, with the Ministry of RECONCILIATION. God is not counting man's sins against them! This is the WORD of the LORD! Get that Bible down off yourself, blow the dust off from it and pray that the HOLY SPIRIT will teach you, NOT man. Pray the LORD will guide you to a place of Worship, where HE is leading and not the flesh.
Thank you LORD GOD that YOU are in charge and YOU are in control, and YOUR plan is being worked out here and in Heaven. THY KINGDOM COME LORD GOD!!! Give Your Body the strength to stand and see YOUR deliverance. Thank you LORD that YOU lead us into ALL truth! For YOU ARE TRUTH! In Your Name Lord God! Amen!
I would say that christians are not "perfected" Jews rather we are fulfilled Jews in that Christ spoke that he came to fulfill the covent rather then replace it. As for Ms. Coulter, she says stuff to get people riled up plain and simple, you may not like it but to call her names and demand she be silenced is not the way to handle it.
amatheson— The problem with what she said, is the insensitivity with which she says it. Was the Old Covenant inferior? The blood of bulls and goats was inferior. The covenant wasn't. You can't just read the one verse. It has to be read together. The context is not the LAW, the context is the sacrificial system—of which Paul and other first Century "Christians" (actually they were Jews—we can call them Jesus-Jews) continued to offer sacrifices and continued in the Temple. Also the word obsolete is a translators decision, it could have been translated becoming old. If Hebrews was written just prior to the destruction of the temple and Jerusalem then the writer is warning that these things are going to pass away—prophecy of destruction, not the destruction of God's eternal Law. Jews aren't to become Christians. They are to remain Jews. When they accept Jesus they continue to be Jews. They are still to be Torah observant just the same way that the early Jesus-Jews were. Ms. Coulter is mistaken about her theology.
I am highly offended. ( wink-wink) HampsteadPete calls Coulter a moron which we suspect to be true, although we have no proof. I say she has Dumbo-like ears ( which she does, and probably the reason for the long hair...?) and my comments get deleted. Whatever happend to free speech around here?
Speaking of Coulter, ever notice when she drops one of her acid one-liners, she waits for the reaction from the crowd? This babe is laughing all the way to the bank due to the stupidity of people who pay to hear and read her hateful magpie yammering. She professes to hate Liberals. Myself, me thinks she's lying. Actually I'm willing to bet when she falls to her knees after a hard day of spreading hate, she looks to the heavens, ( after all, she IS a Christian...as noted by the ever-present silver cross hanging around her neck) and with reverence says: "Thank you God for Liberals, they pay my rent. Thank you God for Liberals, they buy my food and clothes. Thank you God for Liberals, for without them I'd have to get a REAL job."
Do you really, honestly believe that name calling and finger pointing is what God wants? Angry rhetoric is the calling card of people frustrated with their own beliefs and needing to attack others' beliefs in an attempt the "strenghthen" their own. Edify yourselves rather than buying into this dangerous and unhealthy game.
I think that Ms. Coulters' comments are sometimes more incendiary than they have to be. but I agree with her 100%. I would like for John Hagee to explain Romans 9:1-4 for starters.
I still don't understand what she said that was wrong. Can someone please explain it?
I wonder how Hagee handles verses like "I am the way the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." John 14:6. Or Acts 4:12, "Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which they must be saved." This was spoken to a Jewish audience. In Isaiah and Jeremiah the covenant to established was in the future tense such "I will. . . . " I see no scriptural basis for any idea that there is any other way but through the narrow gate, that is, Christ.
Does Hagee really believe that "Jews have a special covenant with God and do not need the cross or Jesus to come to God"? What does he do with the likes of Hebrews 8:7,13 ... "For if that first covenant had been faultless, there would have been no occasion sought for a second ... When He said, "A new covenant," He has made the first obsolete"?
Or Hebrews 9:6 ... "But now He has obtained a more excellent ministry, by as much as He is also the mediator of a better covenant, which has been enacted on better promises." And even if a "Dual Covenant" set-up were possible, does Hagee believe God is happy for Jews to have the inferior one?
I don’t always agree with Ms Coulter, but the one good thing about this country we still have free speech and freedom to practice what ever religion faith we care too. Now when all that stops neither you or I will have the privilege of saying any thing against anyone about what they say because we will be told what to say and what religion to believe in.
Being a Christian or belong to the correct or right church will not you or I you to the place you want to go.
What will get you to the place you want to go when you die or this world ends is your belief and faith in GOD. That is what it’s all about no ifs, and, or but.
I listen to Mr. Hagee and some of the other big names on TV there are things they say that I don’t buy into, but that is me. People can believe what they want to that is their right. Our hope is that when the time come our faith and trust in his word will get us to heaven. With all that said I history for now.
While she may be inflammatory in her delivery, her stated desire that all Jews should come to know Jesus Christ as savior and Lord is right on the mark. It isn't a question of being anti-semitic, consider that the primary audience of the Gospel of Matthew was the Jew. Indeed, the Apostle Paul stated in Romans 1:16: "For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek."
Ms. Coulter cannot (apparently) dislodge her foot from its perpetual place in her big mouth. A fitting location for this appendage: it can (mercifully) silence her from further hateful, uneducated and compulsive remarks. I recommend to everyone to read "In defense of Israel" the new book by Pastor John Hagee. He is an expert on Judaica and why ALL Christians must support the state of Israel. Ms. Coulter's defamatory remarks make it as Pastor Hagee states in his book, "1938 all over again" Why? Nazis and Adolph Hitler: enough said.
Why in the world does anyone pay any attention to this moron?