I’m in Louisville, KY, at a 2-day conference my church is sponsoring, called “Christianity Without Christian Zionism.” It’s the first of multiple events that have arisen from our General Assembly’s recent actions, where we as a denomination have been courageous enough to call the Genocide that continues in Gaza and the West Bank exactly what it is – a GENOCIDE. (Despite the scofflaws in our current administration to the contrary, or the efforts by the MAGA universe, AIPAC and other evangelical entities trying to convince us otherwise.)
Two days of incredible wisdom, shared by some of the best and brightest theological minds we have in our nation. Some shared by people who are pastors, leaders, teachers and theologians who are Palestinian and working in the occupied areas of Gaza and the West Bank. Our last Zoom presentation this afternoon was from two people who stayed up late in Bethlehem to share with us what it’s really like to be Christians and Palestinian living in a perpetual state of siege due to the Israeli government’s heavy handed policies.
While there’s a LOT to process – something for which I’m actually glad I have a few days of driving to ponder and think – One thing is already crystal clear. You can call Christian Zionism a lot of things; a money making scheme, a way to keep the evangelical church linked to Israel in a codependent and enabling (and decidedly unhealthy) relationship, a way to continue persecuting an entire people regardless of their faith or nationality, an actual heresy which some churches and Christians should fall on their knees asking God’s forgiveness for, (Are you listening Robert Jeffress, John Hagee, Mike Pence, and a whole cast of others?)… But you flat out better NOT call Christian Zionism any kind of holy partnership with God whereby Scripture is being fulfilled and Jesus’ return is being hastened! ‘Cause that isn’t even CLOSE to being true!
One of our presenters told us all today: “Speak the truth! Call this pernicious heresy out for what it is. And if people get pissed off by this truth? So what?”
I think she’s 100% on target. Being anti-Zionist doesn’t mean I’m anti-Semitic. (But if someone wants to think I am? Knock yourself out.)
I’m so glad your church is standing up against the crimes being committed by the Israeli government. The Jewish people are a loving people. Netanyahu is a war criminal.
Hey Rick: There’s a really poignant collective thought about this right now. On the one hand, there are “just good folks” on both sides of the Jewish / Palestinian divide that are bring hurt and scarred by the ongoing genocide in Gaza. And then there’s the war criminal running Israel’s gov’t, surrounded by lackeys who seem to prefer killing people instead of finding peaceful compromises. And one thing I’m learning this week is how we American Christians – especially those evangelicals who fully support this myth of “Zionism” (which objectifies the Jews and actually uses them for their own purposes – usually nefarious and monetary!) – play right into perpetuating the violence and strife. I heard a pastor today speak to us from Bethlehem; he talked about how hard it is to find any kind of hope in the midst of such oppression. Personally, I find it hard to fathom how the Israeli Zionists, settlers, and hard liners – who never hesitate to remind us all of their suffering during the holocaust – have now become the very same kind of oppressor who tried to wipe them off the face of the earth. That old adage? We have met the enemy… and he is us. So yeah, I’m glad we are finding a clear and definitive voice. It’s not always appreciated or even accepted, but telling the truth – in love if possible – never is a bad choice.
Hope all well in Minnesota! Hi and hug to Susan.