jerry@falwell.com
This argument seems unsupportable. As far as giving money to political candidates, Jews are notoriously tight-fisted when it comes to money. It seems unlikely that they give significant amounts of money to any political candidates.
As far as their voting power is concerned, Jews are mostly concentrated in New York City. In the other 49 states, their vote would not be enough to swing an election. Moreover, the anti-Israeli voters are unquestionably in far greater numbers than the Jews.
As to the other points, it is not correct that all American Jews support Israel. Many American Jews are strongly opposed to Israel and to the policies of Israel.
There must be some other reason why America supports Israel.
The answer is obvious to almost everyone who had studied the subject. America supports Israel because Fundamentalist Christians in America support Israel.
Whereas Jews are tight with their money, Fundamentalist Christians are required by their religion to donate ten percent of their income to religious causes. A surprisingly large number of Fundamentalist Christians follow this rule exactly, especially since they have been taught that they will burn in Hell for all Eternity if they do not do so.
Fundamentalist Christians constitute the biggest voting block in the USA. No political candidate can get elected if the Fundamentalist Christians are opposed.
Fundamentalist Christians are those who believe in the exact words of the Bible. For example, when the Bible says that the earth and all of its creatures were created in six days, that means exactly six days, according to the Fundamentalist Christians.
The Catholics are not Fundamentalist Christians. The Catholics in general do not read the Bible and are unfamiliar with its contents. The Catholics follow whatever the Pope says. The Fundamentalist Christians do not have any titular leader. They read the Bible and consider every word it contains to be true.
Interestingly, Muslims have exactly the same split. There are two kinds of Muslims: Sunnis and Shiites. The Sunnis are like the Fundamentalist Christians. They read the Koran and believe that every word it contains is true. The Shiites are like the Catholics. Although they read the Koran, they follow the teachings of the descendants of the Prophet, starting with Ali, the son-in-law of the Prophet, and his sons, and continuing down to the present generation. Every Ayatollah in Iran claims to be a direct descendant of the Prophet. Also, every person with the names Said, Sayed or Saidy claims to be a direct descendant of the Prophet.
Fundamentalist Christians are all Protestants. The largest group is the Baptists.
Whereas the Jews are divided in their support of Israel, the Fundamentalist Christians are united in their support of Israel. This explains why no political candidate can be elected in America who is opposed to Israel.
Now, the key question is: Why do the Fundamentalist Christians support Israel?
Fundamentalist Christians believe that every word of the Bible is true. Their support for Israel comes directly from the Bible. Most importantly, it comes from the Book of Revelation, the last book of the Bible, chapters 16 to 21.
According to the Bible and the Book of Revelation, chapters 16-21, in order for the Second Coming of Christ to occur, several things must happen. First, the Jews must return to Jerusalem. That has already happened. Then, there will be a series of catastrophic events. The moon will turn to blood. Next, there will be a major battle known as the Battle of Armageddon. Satan will declare war on Jerusalem. He will effect it through the Anti-Christ. The Bible states that part of Jerusalem will be destroyed and pillaged. It also states that when all appears hopeless for the Jews, the Second Coming of Christ will occur. From the ruins a new Jerusalem will arise and all the remaining Jews who were not killed in the Battle of Armageddon will convert to Christianity.
These events all depend on one thing: The Jews must be in control of Jerusalem. The Biblical account of The Battle of Armageddon describes the Jews as bring in Jerusalem. Therefore, if the Jews do not control Jerusalem, Battle of Armageddon and thereafter the Second Coming of Christ cannot occur.
For this reason, the Fundamentalist Christians support Israel.
Some Fundamentalist Christians, including especially Jerry Falwell, believe that the attack on the World Trade Center was the first of the series of catastrophic events described in the Book of Revelation which will lead to the Second Coming of Christ. This is why immediately after the attack on the World Trade Center Falwell said that the attack was "God's punishment". Falwell later apologized for this statement, but he has since said different versions of the same thing many times. This is now part of his regular sermon.
This explains many of Falwell's other statements, such as his statement which made the world press last year that "The Anti-Christ is a Jew".
This explains the surprising dichotomy. Falwell supports Israel and even helps to raise money for Israel, but he is against the Jews. He wants the Jews to be able to return to Jerusalem and he wants the Muslims to be attacked and driven out of Jerusalem. Falwell does not like the Jews, but he helps and supports them. This is because he believes that many of the Jews in Jerusalem will be killed in the Battle of Armageddon and the remainder will all convert to Christianity.
The Jews know all this. They often remark that there are problems with accepting support from a man who supports them only so that they will be killed or else convert to Christianity. However, the Jews do not believe in the Book of Revelation and they figure that their pragmatic choice is to accept support from all who offer it, regardless of motivation.
One factor which gives Falwell such power is that most Fundamentalist Christians believe in the separation between church and state. They feel that religion and politics should not be mixed. You will never hear the Rev. Billy Graham, a much more prominent Christian Fundamentalist than Falwell, telling his followers for which political candidate to vote. Falwell is virtually the only Christian Fundamentalist who consistently makes political statements. However, when the others remain silent and appear not to disagree, Falwell appears to be speaking for all Christian Fundamentalists, which constitute a near majority of all Americans.
It can be said with certainty that without the support of Jerry Falwell, George W. Bush would never have been elected president. His father, George Bush senior, would also never have been elected without Falwell's support, nor would Ronald Reagan have been elected. Jimmy Carter was himself a Fundamentalist Christian. Thus, the only president in the last 30 years who was neither a Fundamentalist Christian nor did have their strong support was Bill Clinton.
How does this affect the current situation regarding the pending War with Iraq??
Right now, George W. Bush is on the verge of declaring war, even though a majority of Americans are against the war. Why? Because Jerry Falwell is telling him to do so.
The war with Iraq fits in with Jerry Falwell's vision of the future. Falwell regards the attack on the World Trade Center as the first of a series of catastrophes leading up to the Battle of Armageddon. Falwell knows that an attack on Iraq could lead to a world conflagration. Muslim Fundamentalists in countries like Pakistan and Egypt could rise up against their own governments and then rally to the support of Iraq. Reasonable minds realize that this is something to be avoided. Falwell, however, wants this because he believes that this will lead to the Battle of Armageddon and the Second Coming of Christ.
The latest controversy began when Falwell said in an interview broadcast on October 6 on CBS's "60 Minutes": "I think Muhammad was a terrorist." This statement was broadcast in India and resulted in riots in which nine people were killed. Falwell later apologized, but nobody is convinced by his apology because Falwell often makes such statements, then apologizes and then makes almost exactly the same statement again. Falwell also apologized for his statements that the anti-Christ is a Jew and the attack on the World Trade Center was God's punishment, but he has since said almost exactly the same things again.
You may ask how I know so much about Jerry Falwell. I have known Jerry Falwell for 47 years. Is that long enough? Sam Falwell, a cousin of Jerry Falwell, sat next to me for two years in home room at E.C. Glass High School in Lynchburg, Virginia.
Sam Sloan
What the Bible ACTUALLY says is that the Church (made up of all Christians) will be raptured BEFORE the battle of Armageddon. You are close in your assumption of the Jews returning to Jerusalem and as you have noted, they have already done that.
Isaiah predicted that one+ACE-
Jerry Falwell has no power (nor does anyone else) to effect the consummation of prophecy. God is sovereign and will do what HE wishes. Jerusalem will not be completely destroyed. The Bible teaches in Revelation 12 that somewhere in the middle of the TRIBULATION, Satan will declare war on Jerusalem. He will effect it through the Anti-Christ. The Bible states that only part of it will be destroyed and pillaged. It also states that when all appears hopeless for the Jews, Jesus will return.
All during that time, no member of the bride of Christ will be left upon the earth. It will be a terrible time that I would wish on no one
Pay no attention to what ANY preacher says (myself included) unless they can back up what they say with scripture.
Dr. Dave Cash
At 07:03 PM 10/12/2002 -0400, brian wrote:
ahhhh, riiight. its +ACI-religion's+ACI- fault that anybody cares what jerry falwell has to say. and certainly every other Christian out there should shoulder some of this blame too right? +ACoAKg- Falwell comments spark firestorm +ACoAKg- Indian police fired warning shots Saturday to disperse a crowd of nearly 2,000, some armed with swords and knives, in the latest protest against the Rev. Jerry Falwell's calling the founder of Islam a terrorist. http://www.msnbc.com/modules/exports/ct+AF8-email.asp?/news/820495.asp
That is not the problem. The problem is not with religion. The problem is that Falwell has undue influence over George W. Bush. Right now, George W. Bush is on the verge of declaring war, even tough a majority of Americans are against war. Why? Because Jerry Falwell is telling him to do so.
Why is Jerry Falwell telling George W. Bush to start a war?? Because, according to the Bible and the Book of Revelations chapters 17-21, in order for the Second Coming of Christ to occur several things must happen. First, the Jews must return to Jerusalem. That has already happened. Next, there must be a major battle known as the BATTLE OF ARMAGEDDON. In this battle, Jerusalem will be destroyed. However, from the ruins a new Jerusalem will arise and all the remaining Jews who were not killed in the Battle of Armageddon will convert to Christianity and then will be called up in the Rapture to Heaven.
Go back to reading your Bible. I have just been reading it for the past few hours.
Jerry Falwell considers the attack on the World Trade Center to be the first of a series of disasters which must happen before the Second Coming of Christ. This is the reason why Falwell said, after the attack on the World Trade Center, that the attack was +ACI-God's punishment+ACI-.
So, Jerry Falwell wants the USA to attack Iraq in fulfillment of a prophesy contained in the Book of Revelations. The Hindus and the Muslims over India read the Bible too and they know this. Don't think that they do not know what the Bible says. It is you heathens who do not know. That is why the Muslims are rioting and people are being killed over in India even as I type this, and rightly so.
Sam Sloan