by Al Benson Jr.
Brian McGlinchey had an interesting article on https://www.lewrockwell.com for 5/14 which I felt was worthy of comment. It dealt with the US “passionate attachment” to Israel, or to any other country for that matter. He noted that George Washington warned against “passionate attachments” to other countries–attachments that, he said, inevitably lead America “astray from its duty and its interest.”
He observed that Washington’s sentiments in this area were shared by others in his generation, notably Thomas Jefferson and John Quincy Adams. He noted where Washington said: “The nation which indulges towards another an habitual hatred or an habitual fondness is in some degree a slave. It is a slave to its animosity or to its affection, either of which is sufficient to lead it astray from its duty and its interest.”
He then went on to take note of this country’s habitual fondness for the state of Israel. McGlinchey observed, in regard to Israel, that “That habitual fondness is routinely manifested by pronouncements that would make Washington, Jefferson and Madison cringe. Drawing from a common well of fawning rhetoric, politicians frequently refer to a supposedly ‘unbreakable bond’ between America and Israel…Endorsing DC’s unconditional backing of Israel, and showing utter disregard for future contingencies, President Obama proclaimed that “our alliance is eternal, it is forever.” That statement from Obama, right there, ought to give Americans grave concern.
McGlinchey also noted: “For many–especially evangelical Christians–habitual fondness for Israel has a religious dynamic. Viewed through religious, rose colored glasses, the State of Israel is transformed from a modern, man-made political entity–led, like all governments, by manipulative, power-hungry politicians who pursue all manner of ungodly policies–into something sacred that supposedly represents and carries out God’s will.”
I understand McGlinchey’s concern here and I share it. I am a Reformed Christian and I agree with his take on this issue. I’ve talked to Christians who’ve told me that it is the Christian’s duty to support Israel no matter what they do or how bad it is. Their view is that whatever Israel does, no matter how underhanded it is, must be supported by all Christians just because Israel did it. I’m sorry, but I totally disagree with that. Israel in our day is no different than any other secular country. The Israel established in Palestine in 1948 is not, I repeat, NOT the Israel of biblical days! Nor is it some sort of reincarnation of biblical Israel.
McGlinchey also noted that “Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has personally affirmed the idea that habitual fondness has made America ‘in some degree a slave’ to Israel. In a moment of candid conversation with West Bank settlers , Netanyahu was caught on video as he boasted ‘I know what America is. America is a thing you can move very easily.” In other words, Israel plays this country for a sap–and we fall right into the trap every time!
Christians in this country need to start to figure that out, but I won’t hold my breath until that happens. We have had over a hundred years of dispensational theology, via the Scofield Reference “Bible” shoved down our throats in this country and we have mostly yet to gag on it. If you want to read about the origins of Scofield’s “Bible” try to get a hold of Joe Canfield’s book The Incredible Scofield And His Book. It may still be available from Ross House Publishing in Vallecito, Cailfornia. Joe spent seven years traveling around the country gathering all the info he could on Scofield and his background and he concluded that Scofield had been a con man of the first water-and later an instrument for the political Zionists to use to promote their Israel first policy in this country.
Check out Lew Rockwell’s site today and read McGlinchey’s entire article. And while you are at it, check out Ross House Books site for Joe Canfield’s book about Scofield. You’ll most definitely learn something from both. Christians have been sold a bill of goods in this country about the State of Israel. And please, don’t quote Genesis 12:3 to me in this regard. It doesn’t mean what you think it does–and its meaning is not for the State of Israel in our day. The Pharisees in Jesus’ day were the ones that wanted Him crucified. Go back and read the Gospels–if they are still allowed after the new congressional “antisemitism act” and let what you read sink it!