John Hagee, Hitler, and end-tme Christians
May 27th 2008 01:15
Most people were shocked by the most recently disclosed outrageous comments by John Hagee. What they might not realize is that Hagee is only saying what a good portion of the evangelical fundamentalists believe. In fact it something I remember hearing in an evangelical church years ago. The fundamentalist Christian believes that everything that happens is the direct result of action of by God, up to and including installing leaders and allowing wars. Beyond that, most believe we are in the "last days" and everything we do is a part of fulfilling God's final plans. Read what pastor Hagee said in light of that belief system and you will have a better understanding of where he is coming from, and why he is dangerous.
Below are the Hagee remarks
"'And they the hunters should hunt them,' that will be the Jews. 'From every mountain and from every hill and from out of the holes of the rocks.' If that doesn't describe what Hitler did in the holocaust you can't see that."
He goes on: "Theodore Herzl is the father of Zionism. He was a Jew who at the turn of the 19th century said, this land is our land, God wants us to live there. So he went to the Jews of Europe and said 'I want you to come and join me in the land of Israel.' So few went that Hertzel went into depression. Those who came founded Israel; those who did not went through the hell of the holocaust.
"Then god sent a hunter. A hunter is someone with a gun and he forces you. Hitler was a hunter. And the Bible says -- Jeremiah writing -- 'They shall hunt them from every mountain and from every hill and from the holes of the rocks,' meaning there's no place to hide. And that might be offensive to some people but don't let your heart be offended. I didn't write it, Jeremiah wrote it. It was the truth and it is the truth. How did it happen? Because God allowed it to happen. Why did it happen? Because God said my top priority for the Jewish people is to get them to come back to the land of Israel."
What is important to note is the role such thinking plays in end-time thinking for those who are growing more desperate in their desire to see Jesus return and bring about their imagined Christian Empire on earth. The formation the state of Israel is seen as critical. For years end-timers have been proclaiming Israel as a sure sign. A common theme was that the end would come "within a generation" of the formation. It's been 60 years. People like Hagee and authors Tim LaHaye and Jerry Jenkins (of the "Left Behind" series) or before them, Hal Lindsey (whose "The Late Great Planet Earth" was a bestseller in 1970) have been making millions preaching about and hoping for the end of days. Sooner or later, they need to be right or to be discounted as fools. To be right in the context of the end times means to see billions perish.
They hold that in addition to the formation of Israel there must also be war, usually referred to as beginning with Iran and growing to include Russia and China. They also believe the Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem has to be destroyed so that a new temple can be constructed on the site. More and more staunch believers are leaning toward the opinion that God needs them to get things started. That's the danger in this line of thinking and that's the danger in a presidential candidate seeking endorsement from them. Especially a candidate who seems to want to start bombing.
There is no room in the office of president for religious zealotry and end-time wishfulness. The comments made by Reverend Wright were offensive and wrong, but they aren't centered around involving America in a new Crusade. John McCain must go beyond just renouncing the endorsements of John Hagee and Rod Parsley. He must publicly state his opposition to the twisted visions of those who would love to see the planet plunged into their grand Armageddon.
Below are the Hagee remarks
"'And they the hunters should hunt them,' that will be the Jews. 'From every mountain and from every hill and from out of the holes of the rocks.' If that doesn't describe what Hitler did in the holocaust you can't see that."
He goes on: "Theodore Herzl is the father of Zionism. He was a Jew who at the turn of the 19th century said, this land is our land, God wants us to live there. So he went to the Jews of Europe and said 'I want you to come and join me in the land of Israel.' So few went that Hertzel went into depression. Those who came founded Israel; those who did not went through the hell of the holocaust.
"Then god sent a hunter. A hunter is someone with a gun and he forces you. Hitler was a hunter. And the Bible says -- Jeremiah writing -- 'They shall hunt them from every mountain and from every hill and from the holes of the rocks,' meaning there's no place to hide. And that might be offensive to some people but don't let your heart be offended. I didn't write it, Jeremiah wrote it. It was the truth and it is the truth. How did it happen? Because God allowed it to happen. Why did it happen? Because God said my top priority for the Jewish people is to get them to come back to the land of Israel."
What is important to note is the role such thinking plays in end-time thinking for those who are growing more desperate in their desire to see Jesus return and bring about their imagined Christian Empire on earth. The formation the state of Israel is seen as critical. For years end-timers have been proclaiming Israel as a sure sign. A common theme was that the end would come "within a generation" of the formation. It's been 60 years. People like Hagee and authors Tim LaHaye and Jerry Jenkins (of the "Left Behind" series) or before them, Hal Lindsey (whose "The Late Great Planet Earth" was a bestseller in 1970) have been making millions preaching about and hoping for the end of days. Sooner or later, they need to be right or to be discounted as fools. To be right in the context of the end times means to see billions perish.
They hold that in addition to the formation of Israel there must also be war, usually referred to as beginning with Iran and growing to include Russia and China. They also believe the Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem has to be destroyed so that a new temple can be constructed on the site. More and more staunch believers are leaning toward the opinion that God needs them to get things started. That's the danger in this line of thinking and that's the danger in a presidential candidate seeking endorsement from them. Especially a candidate who seems to want to start bombing.
There is no room in the office of president for religious zealotry and end-time wishfulness. The comments made by Reverend Wright were offensive and wrong, but they aren't centered around involving America in a new Crusade. John McCain must go beyond just renouncing the endorsements of John Hagee and Rod Parsley. He must publicly state his opposition to the twisted visions of those who would love to see the planet plunged into their grand Armageddon.
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Comment by RubySoho
Music Zone
Thought Zone
But Hagee's comment? Not only does it insult the memory of the six million Jews that were murdered by the Nazis but what about the other victims of the Holocaust and the many millions more who died in the war? The civilians, the soldiers, the diseases, the homelessness? Are they all just extras and bit players in God's grand piece of theatre? Window dressing?
When are humans going to move beyond this stunted thinking? That book was written by an ancient tribal people for an ancient tribal people.There is no place in modern society for a literal translation of such superstitious fairytales. None.
Comment by Morgan Bell
Deep Pencil
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Comment by Winston
Small Thoughts on Big Questions
The question is, what percentage of people are actually enamored enough with these ideas to act on them? How many really are "leaning toward the opinion that God needs them to get things started"? At this point I tend to think that the majority of believers don't genuinely support all of the ideas espoused above. I think most pay lip service or don't really consider the ramifications, but when push comes to shove I hope that they would reject any end-times fetishist violence. Possibly I'm naive, but I tend to think this is the case....
Comment by Jeff Musall
Morgan, it's not modern thinking at all, but it is the thinking of far too many.
Winston, it would be nice if we could just dismiss his words as the ravings of a fringe lunatic. But it's not just him....it's Rod Parsley, Pat Robertson, Janet Parshall, James Dobson, on an on...and they do have tens of millions of followers. I've seen estimates that around 25 to 30 percent of Americans are strong end-timers. Interesting by this - that isn't much different from the percentage of Americans still supporting Bush.
And make no mistake, they will be more than happy to some of the things they regard as the "last signs" to happen. It seems like they are on the wane now, and may well be. But an Iran attack or an attack on the U.S. or major disaster will rally them.
This morement is wrongheaded, but it is strong, cohesive, and sure that they are doing God's work. It's a big mistake to underestimate it.
Comment by Anonymous
Comment by Jeff Musall
Comment by RubySoho
Music Zone
Thought Zone
That Stephen Hawking. He's just so simple-minded!
*snort*.
By the way Anonymous, the Big Bang and Evolution? Two different and unrelated things.
Comment by Jeff Musall
Comment by RubySoho
Music Zone
Thought Zone
But for all of you that haven’t read the bible and try to prove that it’s wrong the you yourself is saying that you are the babbling fool in front of everyone. Read more and listen less. And as always God Bless America Love yeah
Nonsensical and unnecessarily patriotic to boot!
You yourself is saying that you are the babbling fool Jeff! In front of everyone! Read more AS LONG AS IT IS THE BIBLE!
Comment by Jeff Musall