By the way, John Hagee has been controversial in the Jewish community, for reasons you might not expect. Though he's been anti-Catholic and anti-Muslim, Hagee has been a defender of Jews and foe of anti-Semiticism. His group Christians United For Israel has raised money and lobbied for Israel, to the point that Hagee is now an invited guest speaker at prestigious Jewish functions.
He's controversial, though, because the reason he supports Israel is that he believes it will play a crucial role in an End Times apocalypse. He believes that for the Rapture and Christ’s return to occur, there will need to be a catastrophic war in the Middle East. He opposes a two-state solution in the Mideast and is hankering for war with Iran. In other words, he has a theological desire for tensions to be worse not better in the Mideast.
But because he supports Israel, he has earned tremendous support from American Jews., As the Forward put it;
“And like orphans parched for love, we run to drink Hagee’s Kool-Aid. So he is invited to the annual conference of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, and is greeted there with rapturous applause. He is given the “Humanitarian of the Year” award by the San Antonio B’nai B’rith Council. He is honored with the Zionist Organization of America’s “Israel Award.” In the two years since its birth, CUFI [Christian United For Israel] has sponsored 75 times, in cities all across America, a “Night to Honor Israel,” most if not all including participation by local rabbis and Jewish federation executives.”
Perhaps McCain saw a Hagee endorsement as a two-fer, winning over both Christians and Jews. Now he’s facing charges that he’s soft on anti-Catholic bigotry. Religious pandering is complicated, isn’t?
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As far as Hagee being a friend of the Jews, I would qualify that as being a friend of right wing Jews. As far as anti-Semitism is concerned, the following Hagee quote sounds pretty anti-Semitic to me:
"It was the disobedience and rebellion of the Jews, God's chosen people, to their covenantal responsibility to serve only the one true God, Jehovah, that gave rise to the opposition and persecution that they experienced beginning in Canaan and continuing to this very day....
How utterly repulsive, insulting, and heartbreaking to God for His chosen people to credit idols with bringing blessings He had showered upon the chosen people. Their own rebellion had birthed the seed of anti-Semitism that would arise and bring destruction to them for centuries to come.... it rises from the judgment of God uppon his rebellious chosen people."
The guy has a lot of hate in him for gays, Catholics, Jews and anyone else who disagrees with him.
John Hagee is a "friend of the Jews" in the same way that Michael Vick is an animal lover. Vick raised, fed and otherwise provided for his dogs not out of any respect for the dogs themselves but because they played a necessary part in a violent, bloody climax that was, for this twisted human being, their entire reason for being. Of course dogs aren't as smart as us so one could understand them willingly accepting Vick's "support" because they have no inkling of what he has planned. It's not like it was written down somewhere, where all dogs could read it for themselves... wait a minute...
It's like I was saying... Of course, we're not as smart as dogs...
Israel certainly doesn't need Hagee for a friend. Why would they want someone as a friend who believes that in order to get JC's 2nd coming started he needs Israel. Only the "good Christians' and the Jews who accept Christ wil be saved. Israel, I think need to tell him to take a flying leap.
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