CHRISTIANS UNITED FOR ISRAEL—Canada
May 31st, 2008
50 Gervais Drive, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M3C 1Z3
(416) 391-5000, ext.222 john@cufi.ca
info@cufi.ca www.cufi.ca www.cufi.com (USA)
_____________________________________________________________
Dr. Charles H. McVety Dr. Grant Jeffrey Dr. John B. Howarth
National Co-chairman National Co-chairman Executive Director
Hi George:
Membership Update from
Drs. Charles McVety & John Howarth
May 30, 2008
John Hagee And Adolf Hitler
“GRAPPLING WITH GOD AND THE HOLOCAUST”
Joel Mowbray , THE JERUSALEM POST May. 28, 2008
The long knives are out for Rev. John Hagee, the fiercely pro-Israel evangelical leader who, until recently, was supporting US presidential candidate John McCain. He is being branded not just an anti-Semite, but one tagged by the media with the worst association possible: Hitler. Granted, Hagee himself raised the specter of Hitler in a sermon reportedly from a decade ago that was recently dredged up by a left-wing blogger, in which he said that God sent Hitler and “allowed” the Holocaust to happen “because God said my top priority for the Jewish people is to get them to come back to the land of Israel.” Far from the ugly media-driven perception that Hagee was justifying - or even somehow praising - the Holocaust as Heaven-sent, he was actually trying to answer the question with which countless rabbis and survivors have grappled ever since: How could there be both an all-powerful God and the unimaginable horrors of the Holocaust? While anyone could rightly be outraged at his theology or even his apparent hubris in purporting to know God’s motives, it cannot be said that he is anti-Semitic. The charge, in fact, is completely counter to what is most beautiful about Rev. Hagee’s ministry, that it has
been so dedicated to combating Christian anti-Semitism.
MEDIA ELITES have pounced on this story to help McCain’s likely general election opponent, Barack Obama, but Jews in America and Israel alike have been startled by the “Hitler” headlines. If the media coverage were even remotely accurate, the concern would be warranted. But put into context, Hagee’s “Hitler” sermon is, at worst, questionable theology - which also happens to have some Jewish
adherents. In a probing and at times challenging one-on-one interview this March at a public gathering in Los Angeles, Hagee talked about how, as a young man, he was profoundly impacted by reading the book The Anguish of the Jews, by a Roman Catholic priest named Father Edward H. Flannery. The book chronicles over 2000 years of anti-Semitism, going back to before the time of Jesus. It was, Hagee explained, a dark side of history to which he had not been exposed in all his theological studies. Hagee was so haunted by the sins committed against Jews in the name of Christianity, he said, that he felt it was his calling to purge anti-Semitism from Christendom. Untold numbers of Christians have felt called by God to do many wonderful things, but it would seem too few have had the same yearning as Hagee. Which is precisely why Hagee has for so long has worked to rally other Christians not just to support Israel, but the Jewish people. A prominent theme in Hagee’s ministry, from his sermons to his books, is that the Holocaust was not an historical aberration, but rather merely the largest and most lethal manifestation of hatred against Jews. So the reverend devotes what, compared to other Christian ministers, would be seen as inordinate effort to reminding his followers of the Holocaust, as well as the many other disgraceful actions perpetrated against Jews.
WHICH BRINGS us back to the “Hitler” sermon. Hagee, like millions of other evangelical Christians, believes in an active, all-powerful God. When you preach often about the Holocaust, you had better give your followers an explanation of the Holocaust that jells with a theology revolving around an all-powerful Almighty - not a natural marriage. The answer Hagee offered his followers in the now-controversial sermon was that it was fulfillment of biblical prophecy, specifically the prophet Jeremiah’s about hunters and fishers. This is hardly a commonplace interpretation, but that’s all it was. Hagee, like countless rabbis and survivors over the years, was simply trying to offer a reason for how the Holocaust could happen in a world with an omnipotent God. His answer is at odds with the most widespread Orthodox Jewish interpretation, that God’s actions are to be accepted, though not necessarily explained. One rabbi - specifically the one who knows him best, longtime friend Aryeh Scheinberg - believes that Hagee’s theology isn’t loony at all. “Pastor [Hagee] interpreted a biblical verse in a way not very different from several legitimate Jewish authorities,” Rabbi Scheinberg said Friday at a joint press conference with Hagee in San Antonio on Friday. “Viewing Hitler as acting completely outside of God’s plan is to suggest that God was powerless to stop the Holocaust, a position quite unacceptable to any religious Jew or Christian.” Scheinberg, who leads a modern Orthodox congregation in Hagee’s hometown and has counted the minister as a friend for almost 30 years, defended Hagee by pointing to words written during the Holocaust. “No less an authority than the author of the Eim Habanim Smecha, Rabbi Yisachar Shlomo Teichtal of blessed memory, wrote these words while cowering in a Budapest cellar in the very midst of Hitler’s Holocaust: ‘Furthermore, the sole purpose of all the afflictions that smite us
in our exile is to arouse us to return to our Holy Land.’”
TO BE sure, Hagee spoke with a certitude many will understandably find offensive, as the obvious objection is that no man can read the mind of God. Fair enough. But that reasonable theological dispute in no way renders Hagee’s sermon anti-Semitic. Stripped of context, a sermon claiming that Hitler was sent by God is indeed jarring. McCain heard it and ducked for cover. He’s a politician, and it’s not his job to know the truth; it merely is to know the perception. Not so for the media. In an ideal world, anyway, journalists should be in search of the truth. In the real world, sadly, most journalists are too busy - and lazy - to meaningfully research Rev. Hagee’s theology and documented teachings. Even given this reality, however, it might seem appropriate that before rushing to reduce 40 years of a man’s career down to a convenient Hitler association, the media ought to spend 40 minutes to see
if they’re actually getting the story right.
The writer is a columnist based in New York City.jdmowbra@erols.com
WASHINGTON DC, HERE WE COME!!!
We’re going back to Washington for Christians United for Israel’s Third Annual Washington-Israel Summit on July 21 to July 24. You need to be there with us!
We are costing out renting a luxury coach that would leave Canada Christian College on Sunday, July 20, at 9:00 am. We would return to Toronto, leaving Thursday, July 24, at 9:00 am. There will only be room for 40—50 people, so you MUST reserve your coach seat NOW! Call Dr. John Howarth at 416-391-5000, ext.222, or email him at john@cufi.ca. The “ball park” cost will hopefully be $200.00, or less, for the coach.
CUFI is bringing together some of the most influential leaders and thinkers in Washington to update you on recent developments in the Middle East and in Washington. We’re holding a Night to Honor Israel down the street from the Capitol with Senator Joseph Lieberman and Pastor John Hagee. And we’re going to join our USA brothers and sisters by going to Congress, so that each of us can share our support for Israel directly with their elected officials. You won’t want to miss our largest and most important Summit yet!
Israel’s critics are speaking out and making gains. The US intelligence community is ignoring the threat of a nuclear Iran. More voices in Congress are calling for an end to aid to Israel. And the Bush Administration may soon pressure Israel to divide Jerusalem. With all of these threats emerging, it is more important than ever that pro-Israel Christians make their voices heard! CUFI’s Washington Summit is your chance to make a difference. Join us in Washington!
Go to www.cufi.org to Register for this Summit, and there are suggested hotels listed in the “2008 Israel Summit” links. You are responsible for your own Summit Registration and hotel reservation.
Join us in Washington—reserve your seat NOW, by contacting CUFI-Canada right away!
NOVEMBER 2008 PILGRIMAGE TOUR TO ISRAEL-Brochures Are Here!
CUFI-Canada’s next Pilgrimage Tour to Israel is booked for November 23-December2, 2008. The total price is $2,439, which includes return airfare on EL AL, 4-star hotels, and buffet breakfasts and buffet suppers! There are only 30 spots available, so contact Dr. Howarth, asap, for your Brochure and Registration Form.
DEAD SEA SCROLLS EXHIBIT
The Government of Israel, through the Israeli Consul General in Toronto, Mr. Amir Gissin, has asked Christians United For Israel-Canada to partner with them in bringing some of the Dead Sea Scrolls to Toronto! The exhibit will be held at the Royal Ontario Museum, and is tentatively scheduled for May – November of 2009.
The Israel Antiquities Authority, which is responsible for the Scrolls, has recently started a “Friends In Canada” chapter. Their website is www.iaafriendsincanada.org. We would encourage you to go to the website, and follow the link to “Friends of the IAA”.
The Dead Sea Scrolls verify the foundational truth that the Hebrew Bible/Christian Old Testament has been miraculously and accurately preserved and passed down over the past 3,400 years. And the Scrolls give us an exceptional picture of what the Second Temple culture and religion were like during the time of Jesus.
Because of these crucial parallels between Judaism and Christianity, the Dead Sea Scrolls are an excellent bridge between our two communities, with the ability to build understanding and mutual support between us.
We at CUFI-Canada are excited about this opportunity to promote this upcoming exhibit and to work in partnership with Mr. Alex Gropper, President of the Canadian Institute For Mediterranean Studies at the University of Toronto.
UPCOMING EVENTS:
June 1, 2008 – Gala Dinner for “The Association For The Soldiers Of Israel, on behalf of The Canadian Zionist Cultural Association. czcacanada@gmail.com; 416-783-3053.
June 5, 2008 – “Israel @ 60 Gala Evening”, sponsored by the Canadian Magen David Adom For Israel. www.cmdai.org; cmda@interlog.com; 416-780-0034.
July 21-24, 2008 — CUFI Third Annual Washington-Israel Summit in Washington, D.C. at the Washington Convention Center. Go to www.cufi.org for information and registration. We are getting quotes for taking a luxury coach of 40-50 people from Toronto, leaving Sunday morning, July 20. If interested, call 416-391-5000, ext.222, or email john@cufi.ca.
November 23 – December 2, 2008 – CUFI-Canada Pilgrimage Tour to Israel. Total price only $2,439.00 CDN! There are only 30 spaces available! Contact Information: john@cufi.ca; 416-391-5000, ext. 222.
February/March 2009 – CUFI-Canada’s “Bless Israel IV” Pilgrimage Tour. Dates to be confirmed, but contact us now to reserve your spot!
May – November, 2009 – “Dead Sea Scrolls Exhibit” at the Royal Ontario Museum, hosted by the Israel Antiquities Authority, and Christians United For Israel-Canada.
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ISRAEL AND MIDDLE EAST NEWS the “Learn” link. |
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‘No one is above the law in Israel‘
The corruption case against Prime Minister Ehud Olmert has earned Israel tremendous respect throughout the Arab world, where many have called on their leaders to benefit from Israel’s democratic system and independent judicial system. Words of praise for Israel are a rare phenomenon in the Arab media. But judging from the reactions of many Arabs to the corruption case in the past week, the trend appears to have changed. Even some Arabs who describe themselves as “sworn enemies of the Zionist entity” have begun singing praise for Israel. Over the past week, the corruption case against Olmert received wide coverage in the mainstream Arab media, prompting an outcry about the need for transparency and accountability in the Arab world. “Show me one Arab or Islamic country where a prime minister or a senior government official was ever questioned for financial corruption or bribery,” said a reader who identified himself only as Majed. Majed, like many others, was responding to a news story on an Arab Web site about the testimony in court of American philanthropist Morris Talansky, who told police he had given Olmert more than $150,000 in cash over the course of some 14 years. Another reader, Sami, commented: “The Israeli regime with all its defects is better than all the Arab ‘democracies’ and still changes ministers and governments every few years.” A Saudi national named Abdel Karim urged his Arab brethren to stop criticizing Israel and learn something about its democracy. “Before we curse Israel, we must learn from the democratic and judicial system in Israel, where no one is above the law,” he wrote. Khaled, another Saudi national, chimed in: “Although we are talking about Israel, which I have always hated very much, there is still no one above the law there.” Mahmoud al-Bakili of Yemen posted the following response on one of the Web sites: “We want this kind of accountability and transparency in the Arab and Islamic world.” And there was this comment from an Arab who described himself as a Syrian Voice: “Despite my strong hatred for the Zionist regime, I have a lot of admiration and respect for this entity because there is no one above the law. In the Arab world, laws are broken every day and no one seems to care.” Egyptian writer Abdel Aziz Mahmoud said he doesn’t believe the day will ever come when an Arab leader will be put on trial for sexual harassment or financial corruption. “I don’t think we will live to see the day when the police interrogate an Arab leader for sexually harassing his secretary or receiving bribes,” he wrote. “Nor will our children and grandchildren live to see that day. What happened in Israel can never happen in any Arab country.” Some Arabs went as far as condemning the Arab people for failing to rise against their corrupt dictators. “There is corruption in Israel and the Arab world,” wrote Abu Hadi from Iraq. “But the difference is that the Israelis hold their leaders accountable, while we the Arabs remain silent about corruption.” Jamal, who described himself as the Madman, wrote that “the reason why Israel has lasted for so long is because of its independent and fair judicial system. I challenge the Arabs to have such an independent judicial system.” Many of the readers found it quite ironic that Olmert was being questioned because of “only” tens of thousands of dollars he allegedly received from Talansky. “They say he received something like $3,000 a year,” said Abu Atab from Morocco inaccurately. “This shows that Olmert is a decent man. This is a small sum that any Arab government official would receive on a daily basis as a bribe. Our leaders steal millions of dollars and no one dares to hold them accountable.” Touching on the same issue, a reader from Algeria posted this comment: “In the Arab world, our leaders don’t accept less than $1 million in bribes; the money must be deposited in secret bank accounts in Switzerland. Olmert is a fool if he took only a small sum.” Another comment, this time from Ahmed in Jordan, also referred to the alleged amount: “Only a few thousand dollars? What a fool! This is what an Egyptian minister gets in a day or what a Saudi CEO gets in 45 minutes, or a Kuwaiti government official in five minutes. This is what the physician of the emir of Qatar gets every 30 seconds.” One Arab commentator who identified himself as Jasser Abdel Hamid advised Olmert to seek citizenship of one of the Arab countries. “Why don’t you seek Arab citizenship?” he asked sarcastically. “There you can take as much money as you want. Even if they discover the theft, they will erect a statue for you in a public square.” The following are more comments that appeared in recent days in the Arab media: Mohammed in Lebanon: “Can you imagine if there was an investigation against an Arab or Muslim leader? Do you know how much money they would discover?” Abu Yusef in Egypt: “Unfortunately, this is the real democracy. Our enemies are very good in practicing democracy. In the Arab world, our leaders steal everything and no one ever dares to ask a question.” Rashid in Saudi Arabia: “Despite all our problems with the Jews, they are much better than us in fighting corruption and revealing the truth.” Israel Lover in Saudi Arabia: “Israel is a state that deserves to exist. It deserves our profound respect. I wish I were a citizen of this state.” Hani in Ramallah: “This is democracy at its best! Enough of dictatorship in the Arab world! Let’s learn from the Israeli example. Let’s benefit from Israel’s democracy.” Rashid Bohairi in Kuwait: “I swear Israel is a state that will succeed. They are prosecuting their prime minister because of tens of thousands of dollars. What about the millions of dollars that Mahmoud Abbas and the Palestinian Authority stole? How come the Palestinian people are still hungry?” |
PARTNERS IN THE TRUTH!
CUFI-Canada wants to encourage you to go to www.honestreporting.ca, familiarize yourself with their work, and sign up for their Daily Email Blog. This will help you, and your family, know the TRUTH behind the headlines about Israel, and to be aware of the rampant media bias against Israel!
Also, we encourage you to email the Media Action Group, info@mediaactiongroup.com, and sign up for their regular e-letters
PETITION……….NOT PARTITION!!
STOP the Partitioning of Jerusalem!! Go to our website’s homepage, www.cufi.ca, and follow the link to sign our petition. This will keep the Israeli politicians from dividing Jerusalem in an ill-fated giving of “land for peace”. Such a philosophy and practice has NEVER worked before, and will NEVER work in the future.
Also, please go to the website of “One Jerusalem”, and sign their ongoing petition to prevent the dividing of Jerusalem. Isn’t it interesting that Arabs living in East Jerusalem have been applying for Israeli citizenship in record numbers. If Jerusalem is divided, they will get to move into “Israel proper”. You can find the petition at:
http://www.onejerusalem.org/sign.asp
Christians United For Israel-Canada is a registered, non-profit organization. We are totally dependent on the financial donations of our supporters. Please consider making a donation by cheque (made out to Christians United For Israel-Canada), or through our website (www.cufi.ca). You will receive an Income Tax Receipt. THANK you for your generosity!
As we bless Abraham’s descendants (Genesis 12:3) and pray together for “the peace of Jerusalem” (Psalm 122:6), may you experience God’s presence and blessings in your life,
Dr. Charles H. McVety
National Co-Chairman
Dr. John B. Howarth
Executive Director
CHRISTIANS UNITED FOR ISRAEL-Canada
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