From the Lew Rockwell blog:
“The Christian neocons voted for Huckabee for president at their Value Voters Summit today in Dee-Cee. There was a virtual four-way tie for second: Romney, Pawlenty, Palin, and Pence. No reports in the media on Ron Paul’s votes, but given that the VVs booed him during the presidential campaign for saying that he worshipped the Prince of Peace, who could be surprised?”
Considering what “cristyun” Neocons in my neck of the woods will support, it’s probably a blessing that they don’t support RP.
Christian conservatives, in general, have got to be the dumbest mf’ers on the planet. All they really care about is Israel. Huckabee, for what it’s worth, is a CFR member in good standing, which is all one really need know to see what kind of President he’d be.
Shouldn’t that read, Imperial Christian Neocons?
Laurence M. Vance has some pretty good descriptions of the Imperial Christians which left me never seeing high-rolling fancy pants so-called Christians the same way.
Ditto to clark words about Laurence M. Vance. You can find plenty of his articles on this subject of Imperial Christianity in the Lew Rockwell archives. Highly recommended reading.
Yes, I’m going to sit down and read through Vance.
I don’t know that Christian supporters of Israel are that dumb. I think they have a literal interpretation of Revelations – about which I’ll post. That literalism was actively encouraged by Zionists for decades and brought to the center of US politics – much as Al Qaeda was actively encouraged.
In the dispensationalist version, the Jews eventually convert to Christianity..so it’s hardly a Judeophile posture to take..
Israel is eventually destroyed (if I understand that part right)..so I do wonder what sort of marriage of convenience it is (between Christian and Jewish neocons).
I am in two minds about the left’s call fo an anti-Israel boycott. I really dislike sanctions for any country. They are a blunt instrument that hurts innocent people. Ditto for generalized boycotts. I can understand them as a retaliatory measure – and I suppose it would be legitimate to use them at times.
But I can’t get enthusiastic about them. They tend to produce resistance and antagonism and solidify support for the regime among a hard core…besides hurting masses of innocent people, very often children.
Thanks for all the good information..
The ardent support of the geographical Israel by mainstream Christians stems from Genesis 12:1-3
1 Now the Lord had said to Abram: “Get out of your country, From your family And from your father’s house, To a land that I will show you. 2 I will make you a great nation; I will bless you And make your name great; And you shall be a blessing. 3 I will bless those who bless you, And I will curse him who curses you; And in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.”
Hence, the idea that those who bless Israel are blessed. I do not ascribe to this view, in that many of those who hold to biblical principles pick & choose which OT items are types & shadows of NT realities, and which are literal. In the case of geographical Israel, many (most) hold to a literal unchanged transition from OT to NT.
To blindly support a neocon position based on some supposed biblical mandate is to me misguided and out of line with both the spirit and letter of the scriptures, both OT and NT. That is a long discussion outside of this blog topic.
Hi –
But that Genesis text refers to people who are by all accounts no longer existent in the world..the ancient Israelites..
And if you are going to go by ancient scriptures, then let’s look at what “god” seems to have promised other people too..and get into the business of giving that to them.
That will be a lot of fun in India..with all the different religions there..
Taking religious texts literally is a serious problem. The Bible also condones the stoning of adulturers, soothsayers, and witches, homosexuals, fornicators…should we go along with that?
We have to know what to take seriously in a religious book and what to take with a grain of salt.
It’s why we have brains, consciences, learned commentary and the other things we need to live rational lives in the universe
Well, this is one of those potentially endless subjects. 🙂
Actually, at the time of the above referenced scripture, there was no Israel nor were there any people referred to as Israelites. I recognize what you are saying though.
As I previously wrote and presently concur with you, many have hand picked certain topics to apply their own twists to, or to either eliminate or uphold due to OT origin.
Good statement about brains, rationale, etc. If one chooses to believe in being created in the image of god, then it is also quite natural to conclude that the brain, rational thought, and conscience are all attributes created for a purpose. Oft times such attributes are tossed in favor of doctrines, traditions, or denominational policies.
Hi Jim —
yes, of course..
Abram was from Ur of the Chaldees and his descendants were led into canaan, the promised land and then subsequently, the descendants became known as Israelites..
..I’m merely saying that genetically, there is no/or very little connection between Israel then and now..if anyone is genetically connected to the ancient Israelites it is the Palestinians and possibly some Sephardic Jews..
The current Israeli (the non Arab part) population is from all over the place..
I would say that the dominating interpretation of Revelations / Daniel — end times prophecy is that Israel is the time clock to which we are supposed to be watching for Christ’s 1st part of a 2 part return. Therefore, Israel should be protected at all costs.
There are many problems with this interpretation.
I think there is a one part return, not two parts. But, I digress.
Ron Paul is also a literalist in another way. He takes literally Christ’s description of himself as the Prince of Peace. He also takes literally, Christ’s statement of “blessed are the peacemakers.” He also strives to tell the truth and keep his oaths — these are great values.
However, I think Paul’s position is boring and anti-hawkish to neo-con Christians who want continual war.
Paul is for honest, sound money, very low taxes and free markets — these are things that would benefit a heckuva lot of ordinary people a great moral value. Further Ron Paul is anti-war in most cases. He realizes that wars kill a great deal of innocent people. Ron Paul to me is the ultimate, most consistent pro-life politician in our generation.
What’s surprising about these neo-con folks is that alot of them also DONT want these Israelis to convert to Christianity YET. It’s crazy.
An anti-Israel movement is the wrong thing to do. I would much rather see the US pull out of this thing completely and cut off funding to everyone. We have no obligations there.
To those of us who see that the US is funding both sides in the debate and also that war is a racket, our eyes have been opened to the truth.
Problem is, there’s too few of us in the Christian, so thank God for Lawrence Vance & Ron Paul.
You’re right.
One should know when to be literal about something and when to interpret it.
Ethical commands might be taken literally without harm. Other kinds of statements need to be parsed differently.
Let me backtrack on that last statement.
There are plenty of christian folks who DO NOT adhere to the “Israel-timeclock” & perpetual war theories. They’re actually too busy doing God’s work: helping folks in need, raising families, telling everyone about Jesus and trying to live holy lives. They don’t get caught up in the politics. It’s counterproductive for them.
There are too few of these folks in the political arena and the MSM to challenge the neo-con christians but, I think their ranks are growing.
Hi Luke –
Yes. That’s true. And that is why a few evil people can do so much damage.
I disagree about the political arena. I think it’s a waste of time to go into that..
People are better off learning to live outside politics and the government.
Don’t take money from the government for anything..try to keep as much of your income as you can out of gvt hands..stay out of their way and undermine them silently..
One thing that’s very much needed is wiki vigilantes..
People who will go after the zionist shills on wiki who manipulate information
Lila,
I agree. It is much better to live outside of the political / govt realm. Have as little to do with it as possible.
I know quite a few folks like that. They live full happy lives too.
In other words, “Depoliticize – Now”?
On the one hand I like it, on the other hand isn’t it like ignoring a bully? Or a mugger? It may be possible for awhile, but sometimes they find you, then what? Play the victim? Or maybe that is why, with groups such as non-Imperial Christians in the political arena, “their ranks are growing”? That seems counter for some reason and probably isn’t a good thing. Another ball of yarn?