tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5448098771845236542.post6015883417000485997..comments2022-02-10T12:13:09.902-05:00Comments on my burg: support for Israel?Sandyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13880758087711821309noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5448098771845236542.post-39626502513417482252014-09-01T11:26:26.732-04:002014-09-01T11:26:26.732-04:00Thanks, Jeff, for the comment. I want to think abo...Thanks, Jeff, for the comment. I want to think about your points and look at the sources you cited. Sandyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13880758087711821309noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5448098771845236542.post-59091532653467027162014-08-31T14:35:12.102-04:002014-08-31T14:35:12.102-04:00I would agree with much of what you write. But, t...I would agree with much of what you write. But, there is an intellectual/theological leap when you say, “the nation still has a special place in God’s redemptive history, and they have the right to that land.” There is much debate, even among Jews, as to whether the State of Israel is synonymous with the nation of Israel. Since before 1948 there were, and continue to be Jewish religious groups (particularly at the right end of the Orthodox Jewish continuum) that reject the notion of the State of Israel as being “God’s chosen people”. It has been documented that among the Zionists and founders of the State of Israel the argument of a “right to the land” was not used. In recent decades this argument has been used to draw in the evangelical Christian community to support the State of Israel. However, if one looks at the literature throughout the whole history of the Christian Church one does not find this entitlement to the land doctrine to be anything more than a recent innovation. A very detailed and scholarly link that touches on this and other topics can be found at: http://www.goarch.org/ourfaith/ourfaith9285. Further reading on the topic from a scholarly, contemporary perspective can be found in the recent books by the Jewish professor, Shlomo Sand. An introduction to him can be found at: http://www.counterpunch.org/2014/02/14/whatever-happened-to-shlomo-sand/<br /><br />It is interesting to me that for the vast majority of the time of Islamic occupation of Palestine both Jews and Christians were allowed to live, to worship, and to maintain some degree of normalcy of life. In fact, within the boundaries of the State of Israel, Moslems, Christians, and Bedouins have gotten along amazingly well. The two latter groups seem not to have any champions in the world. Life for them has come to be miserable. The Bedouin have no place to go. The Christians are leaving in droves. However, the heavy handed policies of the State of Israel have incited much of the distrust/hatred that is found for them (and for the U.S.) in the greater Muslim world and that world has reacted in greater or lesser degrees of civility. Further, much of Western Europe is reacting to current Israeli action (particularly in Gaza) to call for economic boycotts of Israeli corporations. <br /><br />I don’t think there were any Christians supporting Saul in any form or fashion when he was persecuting the Church. At best, they were praying for God to be merciful to him and to forgive him. They would not have been touting his rights as a Jew any more than Christians today should be touting the rights of modern Jews as they harass, displace, and kill Christians or Muslims living within their borders. The “Hebrew of Hebrews” who was blameless concerning the righteousness found in the Mosaic Law realized that the stumbling block was Christ. As St. Paul he came to know that there is no salvation outside of Christ. Any group that is persecuting the Body of Christ (in Saul’s day or now) cannot expect to have God’s blessing. Our compassion should be directed toward those who suffer, starting with our Christian brethren and any other groups (Jews, Muslims, etc.). Our cooperation should be withheld from any group, national entity, or individual who is less than humane to any people, Jew or otherwise.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00524822703029813045noreply@blogger.com