Christian Zionist's Destruction of Christian Missions

CHRISTIAN ZIONIST’S DESTRUCTION OF CHRISTIAN MISSIONS

Article written by:  Bob Finley, Christian Aid’s founder and CEO

Since the state of Israel proclaimed its existence within a small portion of Palestine in 1948, many events have transpired in that region which have had devastating effects on tens of thousands of evangelical Christians living in 29 Islamic countries from Morocco to Indonesia. Their continued suffering weighs so heavily upon the missionary staff of Christian Aid that we can no longer maintain silence. We must speak up on behalf of our fellow believers whose very lives have been put in jeopardy by the endorsement of Zionism by evangelical Christians in America. Christian support for the Zionist movement began in England a century ago when a few Bible teachers began to interpret certain Old Testament prophecies regarding the ancient Hebrews as being applicable to the present day Jewish people.

Apparently those teachers did not know that (according to the Universal Jewish Encyclopedia) the Ashkenazi, or Yiddish, majority of Jewish people originally came from the empire of Khazaria in Southern Russia and are not biologically related to Abraham. So when a few Ashkenazi Zionists began trying to take over parts of Palestine through acts of terrorism about 70 years ago, some Christians started saying it signified the fulfillment of some obscure Old Testament prophecies. Christians today fail to realize how such statements have had a destructive effect on our fellow believers in many parts of the world, so Christian Aid has begun to call attention to these facts. Since 1940 the Zionists have killed, driven out or displaced over two million of the original residents of Palestine. Their lands, houses and businesses have all been stolen, and most of their personal property as well. Hundreds of thousands of Palestinians fled to refugee camps in surrounding countries over a 20-year period. Yet all the while, unbelievably, some Christians in America were cheering for the Zionists, and proclaiming their atrocities as being blessed of God.

In the eyes of Palestinians and their neighbors, what the Zionists have been doing is the equivalent to what the Nazis did to 600,000 Jews in Germany 60 years before. How, then, could Christians endorse such things? Our thoughtless expressions of approval have been destructive in three ways.

1. What we have done to our fellow Christians in Islamic Lands.

When Americans speak favorably about Zionist aggression in Palestine, we bring needless persecution on multiplied thousands of our fellow believers now living in Islamic countries. Christian citizens of those countries are suspected of being in agreement with what the Americans are saying, though not one in a thousand of them are. When Muslims hear of Baptists in America praising Zionist atrocities, what are they to think of the Baptist churches in their countries? Or the Pentecostals? Or Presbyterians? How can we expect them not to retaliate against those who favor killing their fellow Muslims?

2. What we have done to missionary work among the Muslims.

Fifty years ago millions of Muslims were open to the gospel. There was a great missionary opportunity for reaching them for Christ. Muslims make up the largest segment of unreached peoples on earth, and they were very open until American Christians began to praise Zionist conquests in Palestine. Since most of the violence has been against Muslims, it is to be expected that Muslims in other countries would be sympathetic toward the victims and resentful toward the Christians who support Zionist expansion.

This political development has served to cut off millions of Muslims from their previous receptivity to the gospel. For a Muslim to become a Christian today has come to mean that he would have to endorse Zionist atrocities against innocent victims. To them that's the equivalent of a Jew approving Hitler. Not one in a million would be willing to accept such a seemingly vile and evil persuasion. So accepting Christ is no longer a reasonable alternative for millions of Muslims. Our missionary opportunity among them has been ruined.

3. What Zionism has done to our churches.

Until 50 years ago most Christians accepted events recorded in the book of Joshua as something special for that particular time. We believed that the coming of the Saviour brought a New Covenant under which we no longer resort to violence to advance the kingdom of God. But when the Zionist movement began in Palestine around 1920, some Christians started to disregard New Testament principles. We would say it's wrong for us to kill our neighbor and steal his property, but if Jewish people did it in Palestine, then it was O.K.

First it was thousands, then tens of thousands, and eventually hundreds of thousands of Palestinians who were driven from their homes. All of their property was stolen by the Zionists. Forty percent of the victims were professing Christians, many of whom were born again believers. Yet, to our everlasting shame, many Christians in America have stood on the sidelines and cheered for the murderers. It's all O.K., we say, because Zionism is a fulfillment of prophecy. It is hard to imagine how any Bible believer with reasonable intelligence could endorse such things, particularly when so many thousands of conscientious Jews the world over have objected strenuously to Zionist aggression in Palestine.

Some of our faithful friends in Christ have told us that if we dare to say anything about the tragedies that have resulted from Christians endorsing Zionist atrocities we may lose some financial support as a result. That doesn't bother me. My Bible says, “We must obey God rather than men.” (Acts 5: 29)

Faithfully yours in Him, Bob Finley Chairman and CEO134

The Jews of Israel are NOT “God’s Chosen People”

The Jerusalem Post observed in 1983: The real Zionists in the U.S. are not the American Jews but the Christian evangelicals since these Christians feel that we are coming closer to a critical period in history and they want the Jews to fulfill prophecies and thus hasten the Second Coming of the Messiah. The evangelicals affect 20 million people a day in America. They are a great asset and must be used as such.

Jack Bernstein, an American Jew who lived in Israel, wrote: Tourism is one of Israel's main sources of income. The largest group of visitors are American Jews. But, there are also many American Christians who want to visit the holy shrines and to see the land of “God's Chosen People.” These Christians come away very impressed and filled with religious fervor. While in Israel, Jews and Gentiles alike are carefully watched so that they do not stray and happen to see the sordid side of Israel – the true Israel.