Stealing the Palestinian land 'for God'

[james armstrong]

From: “Faith and Freedom” by ex President Jimmy Carter.

   “One of the  most bizarre admixtures of religion and government is the strong influence of some Christian fundamentalists on U.S. policy in the Middle East. Almost everyone in America has heard of the “Left Behind” series  by Tim La Haye and Jerry B Jenkins, twelve books that have set all time records in sales. Their religious premise is based on a selection of Bible verses, most from the book of Revelation, and describes the scenario for the end of the world. When the Messiah returns, true believers will be lifted into heaven, where, with God, they will observe the torture of most other humans who are left behind. This transcendant event will be instantaneous, and the timing unpredictable. 

   There are literally millions of my fellow Baptists and others  who believe every word of this vision, based on self-exaltation of the chosen few along with the condemnation and abandonment, during a period of “tribulation,” of family members, friends, and neighbours who have not been chosen for salvation.

     It is the injection of these beliefs into America’s governmental policies that is cause for concern. These believers are convinced that they have a personal responsibility to hasten this coming of the “rapture” in order to fulfil the biblical prophecy. Their agenda calls for a war in the Middle East against Islam, (Iraq?) and taking of the entire Holy Land by Jews (occupation of the West Bank?), with the total expulsion of all Christians and other gentiles. This is to be followed by infidels (Anti Christs) conquering the area, and a final triumph of the Messiah. At his time of rapture, all Jews will either be converted to Christianity or be burned.

   Based on these premises, some Christian leaders have been at the forefront of promoting the Iraqi war, and make frequent trips to Israel, to support it with funding, and lobby in Washington for the colonisation of Palestinian territory in the West Bank.  Some Israeli leaders have utilized this assistance, while ignoring  the predicted final plight of all Jews.

   This has helped to bring about another dramatic departure from the American opposition to settlement activity that prevailed during the previous four decades, beginning when Dwight Eisenhower was president and extending through the terms of his successors until 1993, when President Bill Clinton gave almost blanket approval  to settlement expansion. President George H W Bush has been  had been especially forceful in opposing specific Israeli settlements between Jerusalem and Bethlehem, even threatening to cut off financial assistance to Israel.

   Although some encroachment on Palestinian territory can be accommodated  in future peace negotiations current Israeli plans to retain far-reaching West Bank settlements and to expand a large enclave known as  Ma’aleh Adumin from deep within the West Bank all the way into East Jerusalem will likely spell the death knell to prospects for the “Road map for peace,” the keystone of President George W Bush’s Middle East policy. This will be a tragedy for the  Israelis and the Palestinians.
 
>From “Faith and Freedom” by Jimmy Carter.



This is Stan Johnson and his take on The Rapture. Long but makes some excellent points even if they are mixed up with confused sounding commentary on the millennium bug. An interesing exercise to sort the wheat from the chaff - not by Jimmy Carter
The Prophecy Club The Truth About the Rapture by Stan Johnson
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=6533812121868615652