Wednesday, September 14, 2005

 

Thinking Again About The Holy Land.

Yesterdays' Blog Thought was about Our Foreign Policy in the Holy Land, and the need for religious groups to begin talks then invite nations and international organizations into the discussions to hopefully find a solution to conflict between the Jewish and Palestinian Peoples'.

Today, the first thought should be simple and proclaimed aloud by everyone involved...and that is about PEOPLE...children, women, men, the elderly, and families...PEOPLE who just want to live life as The Good Lord intended...Loving You Neighbor.

Although people have always been in conflict, I have learned thru conversations with an Arab-Christian Lady and thru several books that prior to the 1948 declaration of the state of Israel, Jews, Arab-Muslims, and Arab-Christians generally got along well, living in a neighborly way, knowing and caring about their neighbors, and as a good example, when for instance the end of the Muslim Holy Fast of Ramadan ended, the Arab-Muslims would invite their Jewish and Arab-Christian neighbors over to celebrate and feast TOGETHER! AS NEIGHBORS! As friends, and as Brothers and Sisters of the Human Family...who if I remember correctly...were made in The Image Of God...and Jews and Arabs are COUSINS...they are of Abraham.

About the Palestinian People of the Holy Land. They have a right to this Land. They have lived there for many centuries and many generations, living off the Land by herding livestock, farming vegatables and fruit groves and living in towns and villages. While most Palestinians are Muslim, there is a considerable sized Christian community made up of Orthodox Christian, Roman Catholic Chirstian and various Protestant Christian groups. We must remember that The Christian Faith has been there since The Year Of Our Lord Thirty Three...and Christians have been there since. Whether They are Muslim or Christian, the Palestinians are a People of accomplishment, not only in the Arab World where They are known for Their educacation and professionalism, but to all the world.


About the Jewish People of the Holy Land. They have a right to this Land. It is through Them that God has given Salvation to All the World! It was the Prophets who would 'Tell The Story'. It was The Law given to Moses. It was The Ark Of The Covenant. It was God In His Temple. It is the stories of Adam and Eve, Noah, Abraham and His Sons, of Joseph, Joshua, Jonah, David, and the many others. It is the story of the falling down of the Jews, and Gods' Love helping Them up again, and how that would apply to Everyone. And it is this 'application of loving help' that would bring in, and graft the Gentiles into this Salvation Of All...Jews and Gentiles...All Made In The Image Of God. The Hebrew People have given the world a Holy Legacy and an Accomplishment Of Humanity.

This Image is Bloodied every day...Palestinians Fighters bombing non-military targets inside the state of Israel...Israeli aircraft bombing targets in Palestinian neighborhoods...and it is the Innocents' that perish...the civilians that suffer. Human Dignity is that which is lost. And Human Rights are ignored in the streets, on the battlefield, and in the political fields, and this is where the dark side of Our Human Nature is sowed and harvested.

Those Israelis in the Likud Party and other organizations promoting 'the destruction of the Palestinian People and Their hope for a State' by continuing the policies of Settlements in the Occupied Territories, the construction of the 'security wall and fence system', the destruction of Palestinian homes and properties whether as 'retaliatory strikes' or 'land grabs', the continued ignoring of land deeds which Palestinians hold and have for generations, the obstructions of individual travel throughout the Holy Land, the continued harassment of North American and European Christians who try to assist Palestinians in Their daily life, and the continued impoverishment of the Palestinians and their economy, shouldn't both fair well in this 'land of plenty'.

Then, there are those in the Palestinian Community who advocate for the 'destruction of the Jews and the state of Israel', the commiting of an ethnic cleansing and genocide, which, could be said is being waged against them as well. There are those Palestinian who see themselves as 'freedom fighters' and 'liberators'(as there are some who are), but when genocidal rhetoric is screamed and acts of terrorism is used against particular civilian targets, then they loose the cause, loosing sympathy and support from those who could give legitimate help in the form of diplomactic, security, and economic, assistance, and their dream of a Independent State will not be acheived. Palestinian feelings are understandable, the death of family members and friends would bring out vengence in any of us, not matter your race or faith, we would strike out and seek justice...as is true for Israeli citizens who suffer the same. While there are justified grievences with the Israeli government, the ideology, rhetoric, and actions of militant Palestinian groups and their continued use of terror as a preferred weapon of choice is only destructive to Their Dreams of a Palestinian State.

A dangerous volatile poisonous weed that is thrown into this 'dark harvest of hate' is the Christian Zionist Movement. Now it must be said that their individual 'Love For The Lord' is apparently clear and is not in question here. And their study of Holy Scripture is admirable and must be commended. And it is true to say that most are real and true Christians. But their theology, ideology, and religious-political thinking on eschatology is just what it is, and must be named, it is Heresy! And this heresy will lead individuals, churches, organizations(religious and political) and nations down a destructive diabolical path. This Movement is not only made up of religious leaders and their congregations, but also political leaders and figures whose influence on policy decisions is monumental and has a tremedous impact on Our Nation and Its Course. Church and organization leaders like Pat Roberston, Gary Bauer, Jerry Falwell, and Robert Upton encourage Our foreign Policy to support the state of Israel 'no matter what'...even when the Jewish Government commits 'ethnic cleansing' and 'acts of terror' against the Palestinian People. The religious and political ideology of the 'Theo-political Right' fails to recognize the Palestinian and all Arabs as 'People'. It is my observation that they ignore the Arab Christian...I think this is because 'they' are not Evangelical, Penecostal, Baptist, Presbyterian, or any other Protestant group. Most Arab Christians are Orthodox Christian and Roman Catholic Christian, and the others being of the Coptic, Nestorian, and Assyrian Churches. This failing to 'recognize' is very un-Christ Like, Racist, and hurtful to their Arab Brothers and Sisters in Christ. The Policy Makers in Our Republic that are listening to the Christian Zionist Movement are making decisions that is setting America on 'path of perpetual war' with the Arab and Muslim World. This 'path' could be avoided if Our Nations Policy Makers had a 'Fair-Handed' and 'Even-Approach' to the situation in the Holy Land. And if we applied this, then America would be truly respected.

To Be Continued...

posted by Gary 11:29 AM