John Hagee's recent Hitler comments were entirely consistent with his theology and should not have come as any surprise to Jewish groups. Fulfilling Biblical prophecy has always been at the root of Mr. Hagee’s support of Israel. Many Jews understood that but bargained that the motives for his support were less important than the fact of it, including his role in rallying other evangelicals and in raising money for Israel.
This desire for allies has led Jews to downplay all sorts of Hagee comments. For instance, in his book “Jerusalem Countdown,” he disparages modern Judaism:
"Today they have a flag; they have a constitution; they have a prime minister and a Knesset. They have a police force, a powerful military might, and the world's best intelligence agencies. They have Jerusalem, the City of God. They have a nation. They have everything but spiritual life.”
For Jews wanting the benefits of Hagee's support without the problems, the toughest question is whether he really wants peace in the Middle East. He certainly believes that any two state solution -- even if supported by the government of Israel -- will bring down God's wrath. "There will be grave consequences for the nation or nations that attempt to divide up the land of Israel," he writes. "This is not a time to provoke God and defy Him to pour out His judgment on our nation for being a principal force in the division of the land of Israel."
Beyond that, prophecy requires not peace for Israel but horrific war, an ultimate battle, with Iran as the aggressor, aided by the anti-Christ, who will be the head of the European Union. In the end, the war will prompt the Jews of Israel to accept the returning Jesus as the Messiah, and thereby gain their spiritual life. “He has dragged these anti-Semitic nations to the nations of Israel to crush them so that the Jews of Israel as a whole will confess that He is the Lord.”
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I live just a few miles from Hagee's church. The lady who cuts my hair faithfully attends each and every Sunday, and while she sometimes opens her Bible in mid-cut to show me why God wants her to have a Lexus, she insists she has never once heard Reverend Hagee preach on Israel. The lady who owns the shop, however, who also attends the church, once commented to me "I love all the Jew-people. I just wish they would schedule on Saturday."
I think Reverend Hagee's preaching on Israel has far more to with the recognition he can receive from politicians, his ability to stand in their halo and claim prominence in his own congregation as a result. My guess is the Reverend's calculus is all about politics and very little about Israel, that he really doesn't care about Israel one way or the other as long as the net result is to keep those donations coming in. He has to have a few fanatic followers, of course, to keep up the charade.
Is my view unfair to the Reverend? Perhaps. But the Reverend is preaching that the slaying of the Jews and all others not sharing his Biblical beliefs before their eternal punishment in Hell will trigger his free pass to Heaven (OK, I know it's a bit more involved that that, but you get the idea), so I'm not for giving him the benefit of many doubts.
Can't we just agree that Hagee is a racist idiot just like Jeremiah Write and leave it at that. Real Christians should know better that to pay any attention to either of these fools.
I'm guessing you aren't a multi-millionaire, Paul. If they are idiots, why aren't you rich? And would a real Christian refer to someone as a "fool," I wonder. Isn't there some kind of Biblical injunction about that?
The point I was trying to make, unsuccessfully it appears, was that Hagee's appeal isn't all about the Rapture. He's a preacher of the prosperity gospel. And the admixture of "Christian Zionism" has entertainment value for his followers, keeping them amused while keeping them in church for a few more hours during the week. Even those calls on Congressional offices are really exciting for the people making them.
Idiot? Fool? Anything but! A real force to be reckoned with--but far more substantial than the You Tube clips show. I wouldn't be suprised if something similar hasn't occurred in Wright's church.
Of course Hagee wants war. Even more than the prosperity gospel he is trying to sell, his end-times/faith-based nihilism theology/philosophy is what keeps his pews, and thus his collection baskets, full.
In response to Paul, Hagee is dumb like the fox who gets the gig to guard the henhouse. Can't say the same for his zombie-like followers.
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