- To pray or not to pray in Jesus' name -- that question
now confronts Christian evangelicals. Increasingly, Jewish activists demand
that Jesus' name go unmentioned in public prayers. They also insist that
Christians not witness to Jews.
-
- Some evangelicals give them what they want. Dr. John
Hagee, passionate "Israel-first" televangelist, worked closely
with the Jewish lobby to found Christians United for Israel (CUFI). CUFI's
purpose is to unite every evangelical across the nation to "speak
and act with one voice in support of Israel."
-
- For three days in the Capitol last week, Hagee and an
array of political and religious luminaries lavished praise on Israel and
the Jewish people during Hagee's 2nd Annual Israel/Washington, DC Summit.
They did so while countless Americans agonized in prayer and concern over
impending passage of Kennedy's hate law amendment. Afterward, conference
attendees walked the halls of Congress to lobby not against the hate bill
but for Israel.
-
- Oppressive "hate crime" laws, which evangelicals
are beginning to realize will persecute them, were created by Jews--the
Anti-Defamation League and B'nai B'rith International. (See, video <http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=7217700265038533779>Hate
Laws: Making Criminals of Christians and <http://www.adl.org/99hatecrime/intro.asp>www.adl.org/99hatecrime/intro.asp)
The state of Israel's birth was midwifed by B'nai B'rith, the most powerful
Jewish organization in the world during the last century. It claims to
speak as "the voice of organized world Jewry."
-
- Zionism, the government of Israel, ADL/B'nai B'rith,
and the global hate laws agenda all have one goal: a global bureaucracy
run from Jerusalem which will make it a hate crime for any Gentile, Christian
or Arab, to criticize Jews, matters Jewish, or the state of Israel. (See,
<http://www.truthtellers.org/alerts/comingjewishutopia.html>Coming
Jewish 'Utopia' Ruled by Noahide Laws)
-
- Hate Bill Supporter Runs CUFI
-
- CUFI's executive director, David Brog, a religiously
(though not politically) conservative Jew, was hired by John Hagee. Brog
is former chief of staff to Sen. Arlen Specter. Next to Sens. Kennedy and
Smith, Specter is one of the Senate's most ardent, long-term promoters
of the federal "anti-hate" bill.
-
- Brog's personal assistant told me Brog headed Specter's
staff from about 2000 to 2004. During that period, the hate bill came before
Congress three times. Specter and Brog did their utmost to pass it, attempting
to shackle America under a hate crimes bureaucracy like in Canada, ending
free speech.
-
- Featured speaker Sen. Joe Lieberman, also a veteran hate
bill promoter, was honored last week at Hagee's gala. Lieberman and fellow
Jewish activist Carl Levin co-sponsored the infamous Sec. 220 of the Lobby
Reform Bill, which incited outrage from Christian conservatives this winter.
Rejected by the Senate, Sec. 220 would have restricted Americans' right
of petition and grassroots activism. It would have imposed oppressive reporting
and accountability requirements on small conservative lobbying organizations.
Penalty for not satisfying Levin and Lieberman's onerous requirements:
$100,000 fine.
-
- Hagee's Apostasy
-
- While Hagee praised the names of Jews and Israel for
three days last week, the name of Jesus was discouraged by CUFI policy.
This restriction is on all CUFI's "Nights to Honor Israel" which
are held in 50 states. When invited to address the American Israel Public
Affairs Committee (AIPAC) last year, Hagee assured his hosts that his appearance
would be "non-conversionary" (non-evangelical).
-
- Speaking for Hagee as well as himself, David Brog says:
"All activities of CUFI are strictly non-conversionary. Christians
who work with Jews in supporting Israel realize how sensitive we are in
talking about conversion and talking about Jesus. So those who work with
us tend not to talk about Jesus more, but talk about Jesus less. They realize
it will interfere with what they are trying to do -- building a bridge
to the Jewish community to ensure the survival of Judeo-Christian Civilization."
1
-
- Hagee benefits from a burgeoning evangelical heresy:
Jews have their own covenant with God; they are so divinely favored, even
good, that they do not need Jesus for salvation.
-
- Jesus taught the opposite. He said His name should be
proclaimed "to all nations." (Matt. 28:19) The New Testament
hardly exempts Jews from need of the gospel. Instead, it instructs Christians
to witness "to the Jew first" and then the Gentile (Romans 2:10).
-
- Hundreds of times during CUFI's recent three-day Washington
conference, Hagee and his speakers praised the names of those who created
hate laws and the name of the nation that is the primary cause of Mid-East
strife. There was no public praise of the name of the One who, coming out
of eternity, died in agony on the cross for Hagee's sins. Clearly, CUFI
is an abomination to God, as it is dedicated to public praise, honor, and
glory to persecutive, anti-Christ Israel and not to Christ. (See,
<http://www.truthtellers.org/alerts/christiansinisrael.html>Christians
in Israel: An Endangered Species)
-
- Hagee's is a monstrous sin against Jesus, His Holy
Spirit, and, tragically, against the eternal souls of Jews. The word "apostate"
("apostasis" in Greek) describes a backslidden Christian who
now prefers the approval of man and stands apart from Jesus and the reproach
of His name. The New Testament prophesies that in the latter days there
will occur a great "falling away" as former Christians deny Christ's
name to please unbelievers (2 Thess. 2:3).
-
- Hagee's Deal with the Devil
-
- Two thousand years ago the Pharisees demanded that the
apostles not "talk about Jesus." The disciples refused and were
thrown in prison and flogged. (Acts 4:3, 5:40)
-
- In contrast, Hagee gives "the synagogue of Satan"
(Rev. 3:9) exactly what it demands. He promises not to mention the name
of Jesus among them. As a result, evil Jewish leaders exalt him.
-
- Hagee boasts that he received the 'Humanitarian of the
Year' award from B'nai B'rith. "It was the first time in the history
of San Antonio," his website crows, "that it has been given to
a Gentile Dr. Hagee has received numerous honors and accolades from national
Jewish organizations for his unwavering support of Israel."
-
- Hagee has abandoned his Christian duty of moral criticism
in love. Instead, he flatters and unquestioningly supports one of the world's
most boldly oppressive regimes. (See, <http://www.truthtellers.org/alerts/mideaststrifeexplanation.html>The
Simple Explanation for Mid-East Strife and video <http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=7713806100545252588>Why
The Mid-East Bleeds) Since he praises and receives honor from those who
create hate laws, is it any wonder that his huge ministry did not significantly
warn against Kennedy's hate bill last week?
-
- Some Won't Compromise
-
- But some Christians still deserve the name. Like their
apostolic forbears, they now endure persecution from the Jews.
-
- In high profile are Navy Chaplain Gordon Klingenschmitt
and 68 Navy chaplains suing the Navy for forbidding their use of Jesus'
name in public prayers. Klingenschmitt has been court-martialed for praying
in Jesus' name in front of the White House, expelled from the military,
and stripped of his military pension.
-
- His conviction is entirely a result of Jewish anti-Christian
activism. Jewish activist Mikey Weinstein sued the Air Force Academy and
was successful in banning public prayers in Jesus' name. Rabbi Arnold Resnicoff,
chief ethical consultant to the Air Force and Navy, played the predominant
role in upholding Weinstein's victory. Previously, Resnicoff had been instrumental
in banning the use of Jesus' name in public prayers by Navy chaplains.
(See, <http://www.truthtellers.org/alerts/afacademynotfree.html>Correction:
Speech at Air Force Academy Not Free)
-
- What's in a Name?
-
- Why is the name of Jesus so hated by Jewish activists?
-
- It's an old story. In the book of Acts, the Pharisees
forbade preaching in Jesus' name because it focused blame on them for masterminding
the crucifixion. Today the physical and spiritual descendants of the Pharisees
object for similar reasons: The name of Jesus stands for a real Person
whose identity as Son of God and Israel's Messiah they find abhorrent.
-
- The name of Jesus, like our own names, refers to His
identity. Our names represent our character and life record. The name Jesus
(Yeshua) signifies that He is the Creator of all things and Deliverer of
those who trust in Him. He is also the great lover of mankind, both Jew
and Gentile, having endured an excruciating death so all who trust in His
name can be saved. (Acts 4:12)
-
- This raises indicting questions of Jews: Why did your
forefathers crucify Him? Why do you continue to reject Him and revive New
Testament persecutions against His followers? (See, <http://www.hatelawsexposed.org/alerts/philly11setup.htm>ADL
Sets Up 'Philly 11' Christians)
-
- Jewish activists have no problem with Christian chaplains
or high school graduates praying in the name of "God." That word
is non-specific, non-incriminating. "God" can be a universal
world force, a cow or monkey, even ourselves. Such Jews also don't mind
the use of "Jesus" as profanity, which levels Him to gutter language.
Yet when Jesus' name is spoken reverently in public prayer, they protest
loudly. Their "civil liberties," they scream, are being violated!
-
- The Bible Doesn't Support Hagee
-
- Hagee's mega-flattery of Israel and omission of the name
of Christ finds no precedent in Scripture. In the Old Testament, the Hebrews
gathered for lengthy festivals of praise but to God, not themselves. Most
of the time, even when Israel was moderately obedient (as in the exodus),
God describes Israel as an unusually stiff-necked and rebellious people
(Ex. 27:9, 33:3).
-
- In the New Testament, the Jews, having coerced the Romans
to crucify their Messiah, are even less worthy of praise. Do the words
of St. Paul indicate that, if he were alive today, he would have joined
Hagee, Liebermann, and over 4000 evangelicals in Washington last week,
whooping it up in praise of Israel?
-
- "The Jews killed the Lord Jesus and the prophets
and drove us out. They are not pleasing to God but hostile to all men,
hindering us from speaking to the Gentiles that they might be saved, with
the result that they always fill up the measure of their sins. But wrath
has come on them to the uttermost." (1 Thess. 2:16)
-
- St. Paul would have come toward Hagee for only one purpose:
to rebuke him. Otherwise, he and New Testament Christians would have shunned
him as a heretic.
-
- So should you.
-
- (Adapted from Rev. Ted Pike's October 2, 2006 article:
"To Pray or Not to Pray in Jesus' Name.")
-
-
- Endnotes:
-
- 1 July 13, 2006, The Washington Times, "Christian
group to advocate more support for Israel," by Julia Duin.
|
