The Bible affirms that in the spring, kings went out to war (2 Samuel 11:1). This was the “done thing” and thus as spring gave way to the hotter months there was much “saber rattling” in the region as nations prepared to extend their sovereignty or sphere of influence in the earth. Much of the “saber rattling” has to do with testing the perceived enemy …. or “playing on their nerves”. Nothing much has changed in thousands of years!
Just a few days ago, North Korea launched eleven short range missiles with the warning that a long range ballistic one might also be in the works. This, of course, was all “aimed” at the United States of America. With its new President, Barack Obama, it constitutes a game of nerves. When we add to this North Korea’s test explosion of a nuclear device earlier in the year, the “testing process” becomes more acute …. and dangerous.
Then there is Iran, that continues to saber rattle by the use of words and the construction of its nuclear capability. The world in this instance is not sure what to do and, as it hesitates and dithers, Iran is nearing nuclear capability. She already, supposedly, has the delivery system in place! All this is coupled to her constant threats to remove Israel from the map!
This of course requires that Israel do some “saber rattling” just to let Iran know that she will not become a “sitting duck”! So Israel’s air force is preparing for “long haul” strikes and one of Israel’s submarines recently passed through the Suez Canal for the first time in years.
We could go on and talk about America and Russia and of course Pakistan and India. The disputed area of Kashmir keeps these two countries well occupied in the saber rattling business.
Daniel, the Biblical prophet, declared that wars and desolation are determined until the end. The Hebrew prophets have always been proved right. All of this is a sad commentary on human nature. War in itself is a catastrophe but sometimes it is forced upon nations and they have to defend themselves. The Poles, the French, and the Czechs quickly learned this in 1939! Hitler had to be stopped and thus England and the Allies entered the fray. The truth is, Hitler had been saber rattling for years and even documented his intentions in Mein Kampf. No one really listened and took him seriously. Great loss of life was the price the world paid for this folly.
Today Israel faces a similar enemy: Iran. This enemy is self declared and is in league with North Korea and all the other crazies. The problem is that their saber rattling is not merely a game. They are deadly serious and are determined to see through their threats. All the while a new generation of “peaceniks”, who generally deny the existence of evil, are sure that these dictators will listen to reason. Sure!
Thankfully there is a God in Heaven and He watches over Israel day and night. It would be foolish indeed to enter into conflict with Him as He has already published the outcome:
“The Word of the Lord will go forth from Zion and men will learn war no more ….” (Isaiah 2:4).
Tuesday, July 7, 2009
Monday, June 8, 2009
The Politics of Betrayal
It is nothing short of astonishing to note the “agenda driven” politics of today. It gives lip service to grand ideals, “papers over” the truth in order to distort the reality, and in the end amounts to betrayal. This is the picture that is unfolding before our eyes concerning Israel and her battle for survival. Even her modern day historical narrative is being denied in order to achieve certain global goals. Caught in this “web of intrigue”, the tiny nation of Israel “twists and turns” in order to somehow appease its allies who have now decided that a “two state solution” is the only way forward for her. This in spite of the following:
1. The Road to Oblivion
Israel is now expected to make peace with a Palestinian entity that is presently at war with itself and that does not accept Israel’s right to exist! This is not just true of Hamas but also of Mahmoud Abbas’s West Bank enclave. A Jerusalem Post report dated Monday 1st June noted that in a separate interview with local journalists Abbas reaffirmed his denial of Israel’s existence; his hardline approach on refugees and Jerusalem; and of course his demands that Israel, at least, withdraw to pre-1967 borders.
In Gaza we have much of the same situation only it is less sophisticated and openly struts its stuff! Hamas not only butchered Abbas’s people but effectively turned Gaza into a militant Islamic camp that repeatedly calls for Israel’s destruction. Moreover, like its northern cousin Hezbollah, it is funded and armed by Iran. In reality Israel has fought two proxy wars with Iran in the last two years. Now of course she is expected to open negotiations with these groups in the expectation of ultimately handing over Jerusalem to them! What right thinking western nation would do this and where in history is there a precedent for this nonsense? The allies did this for a brief moment in 1939 when Hitler took over the Rhineland, Austria and the Sudetenland. They realized in the end that their policy of appeasement had encouraged destruction and war when it became Poland’s turn. Five years later with millions of lives lost, they counted the cost of “toying with evil” and turning a blind eye.
It is unthinkable that the west and friends of Israel would now insist on pushing her into the arms of terrorists who desire nothing less than her total removal from the region. This is the road to oblivion.
2. The Road to Democracy
Where in the Middle East region, apart from Israel and the Lebanon, is there an example of democracy? Israel is the stronger of these two and indeed is a shining light of freedom, tolerance, advancement and opportunity for all regardless of race, colour, gender or creed. As a consequence, her contribution to the wider world, in all fields of endeavour, is great and disproportionate to her size. By contrast the Arab/Muslim nations of the region are totalitarian; tolerant of Islam only; suppressing when it comes to women’s rights; and illiterate by world standards!
The same privilege their people enjoy in western nations concerning freedom of religion, they deny to others in their countries. Christians cannot practice their faith openly, build churches and propagate their message! Bibles are in many cases banned but the “Protocols of Zion” are sold openly on the streets from Damascus to Tehran. From their religious and political podiums one only hears calls for Israel’s destruction and incitement to hatred. Their school text books pursue the same message. In short there is no road to democracy as it all but ends at the borders of Israel. The question is, should the west impose democracy on the region? The answer is no! However, it should strongly stand behind Israel and adopt such policies when engaging the non-democratic Muslim/Arab world that do not reward their dictatorships.
3. The Road to Agreement
Where Israel has been able to find a genuine peace partner, agreement has been reached and peace has resulted. Both Egypt and Jordan are examples of this. These agreements were reached because all the parties were exhausted from, and tired of, war. They genuinely wanted peace.
This cannot be said of the Palestinians. Driven by irresponsible leadership they have embarked on one adventure of destruction after another. Even their so-called peace initiatives were pursued with deceit and dishonesty. Palestinian Media Watch and MEMRI have more than proved this by demonstrating time and time again that what was said to western politicians, was denied and reversed when speaking to Arabic-speaking journalists. Even Yasser Arafat, speaking in Johannesburg in 1994, stated that his real intention through the so-called peace agreements under Oslo, etc. was the destruction of Israel. Faced with this fact, western politicians turned a “blind eye” and said it was only rhetoric!
And what of Gaza? Israel pulled out with good intentions and was rewarded with hostility. We all saw it coming except the enlightened politicians of the world, and sadly of Israel, who knew better. It begs the question, why is the obvious not seen by the so-called knowledgeable elite? More important still, why is Israel being pushed into the arms of Hamas? What other nation would do so in similar circumstances?
The road to agreement must begin with the cessation of violence, the recognition of Israel’s right to exist and the genuine desire for peace. Anything short of this is madness but the madness continues!
4. The Road to Peace
Israel has fully demonstrated her desire for peace and willingness to make peace where all parties share the same desire. It is almost unbelievable that after 61 years of statehood Israel is yet to be recognized as an existing state by the Palestinian leadership. Both charters, that is of Hamas and the PLO (the backbone of the PA), continue to call for her destruction.
Moreover, the Palestinian Authority and Hamas are engaged in a violent power struggle and they have demonstrated this. When Israel makes concessions she is rewarded with violence. This happened in September of 2000 and after the Gaza pullout of 2005. In addition, behind the conflict is a radical Islamic theology that denies that Israel can exist on what was once the Dar Al Salem (House of Islamic Peace).
Until these realities are firmly dealt with by the international community, there cannot be and should not be a road to peace. A two state solution is unthinkable as it will result in more of the same. That is, more violence and renewed assaults against the Jewish state. Houses with weak foundations always collapse. The same is true of the House of Peace. If the foundations are not right the house will fall with unnecessary loss of life. Gaza proved this as did the negotiations under Oslo 1, 2 and 3. They failed because the foundations that should lead to true peace were not firmly put in place. In fact they were knowingly ignored. When this happens once it can be excused but when it happens repeatedly, it amounts to stupidity! Or, is there another agenda behind the stupidity?
All this is not to say that there should be no road to peace. There should but it must be properly built. Israel has time and again stated that she has no desire to rule over the Palestinians. Her actions have, I believe, proved this. However, if your perceived peace partner continuously denies your existence and calls for your destruction, then the equation changes. To move forward in these circumstances is the road to national suicide – something that Ahmadinejad continuously calls for!
Finally, it must be noted that Israel’s existence today is not because of the Holocaust. The Holocaust only proved what Herzl believed and that is that the Jews would not be safe unless they had a state of their own. His initiative to found a Jewish State called Israel began in the late 19th century (1897), some forty-five years before the Holocaust. The early 20th century saw the resettlement of what was then Palestine by Jews. At that time even Jews were called Palestinians!
The Jewish people have an unbroken 3,000 year history with the region and with Jerusalem. In fact, their first father, Abraham, crossed into the region 4,000 years ago. Their existence is remarkable, their achievements amazing and their book, the Bible, is enlightening. This book warns the nations against dividing the land (Joel 3:1-3), probably because underlying such endeavours was hostility with destruction in mind, and not sincerity.
Has anything changed?
1. The Road to Oblivion
Israel is now expected to make peace with a Palestinian entity that is presently at war with itself and that does not accept Israel’s right to exist! This is not just true of Hamas but also of Mahmoud Abbas’s West Bank enclave. A Jerusalem Post report dated Monday 1st June noted that in a separate interview with local journalists Abbas reaffirmed his denial of Israel’s existence; his hardline approach on refugees and Jerusalem; and of course his demands that Israel, at least, withdraw to pre-1967 borders.
In Gaza we have much of the same situation only it is less sophisticated and openly struts its stuff! Hamas not only butchered Abbas’s people but effectively turned Gaza into a militant Islamic camp that repeatedly calls for Israel’s destruction. Moreover, like its northern cousin Hezbollah, it is funded and armed by Iran. In reality Israel has fought two proxy wars with Iran in the last two years. Now of course she is expected to open negotiations with these groups in the expectation of ultimately handing over Jerusalem to them! What right thinking western nation would do this and where in history is there a precedent for this nonsense? The allies did this for a brief moment in 1939 when Hitler took over the Rhineland, Austria and the Sudetenland. They realized in the end that their policy of appeasement had encouraged destruction and war when it became Poland’s turn. Five years later with millions of lives lost, they counted the cost of “toying with evil” and turning a blind eye.
It is unthinkable that the west and friends of Israel would now insist on pushing her into the arms of terrorists who desire nothing less than her total removal from the region. This is the road to oblivion.
2. The Road to Democracy
Where in the Middle East region, apart from Israel and the Lebanon, is there an example of democracy? Israel is the stronger of these two and indeed is a shining light of freedom, tolerance, advancement and opportunity for all regardless of race, colour, gender or creed. As a consequence, her contribution to the wider world, in all fields of endeavour, is great and disproportionate to her size. By contrast the Arab/Muslim nations of the region are totalitarian; tolerant of Islam only; suppressing when it comes to women’s rights; and illiterate by world standards!
The same privilege their people enjoy in western nations concerning freedom of religion, they deny to others in their countries. Christians cannot practice their faith openly, build churches and propagate their message! Bibles are in many cases banned but the “Protocols of Zion” are sold openly on the streets from Damascus to Tehran. From their religious and political podiums one only hears calls for Israel’s destruction and incitement to hatred. Their school text books pursue the same message. In short there is no road to democracy as it all but ends at the borders of Israel. The question is, should the west impose democracy on the region? The answer is no! However, it should strongly stand behind Israel and adopt such policies when engaging the non-democratic Muslim/Arab world that do not reward their dictatorships.
3. The Road to Agreement
Where Israel has been able to find a genuine peace partner, agreement has been reached and peace has resulted. Both Egypt and Jordan are examples of this. These agreements were reached because all the parties were exhausted from, and tired of, war. They genuinely wanted peace.
This cannot be said of the Palestinians. Driven by irresponsible leadership they have embarked on one adventure of destruction after another. Even their so-called peace initiatives were pursued with deceit and dishonesty. Palestinian Media Watch and MEMRI have more than proved this by demonstrating time and time again that what was said to western politicians, was denied and reversed when speaking to Arabic-speaking journalists. Even Yasser Arafat, speaking in Johannesburg in 1994, stated that his real intention through the so-called peace agreements under Oslo, etc. was the destruction of Israel. Faced with this fact, western politicians turned a “blind eye” and said it was only rhetoric!
And what of Gaza? Israel pulled out with good intentions and was rewarded with hostility. We all saw it coming except the enlightened politicians of the world, and sadly of Israel, who knew better. It begs the question, why is the obvious not seen by the so-called knowledgeable elite? More important still, why is Israel being pushed into the arms of Hamas? What other nation would do so in similar circumstances?
The road to agreement must begin with the cessation of violence, the recognition of Israel’s right to exist and the genuine desire for peace. Anything short of this is madness but the madness continues!
4. The Road to Peace
Israel has fully demonstrated her desire for peace and willingness to make peace where all parties share the same desire. It is almost unbelievable that after 61 years of statehood Israel is yet to be recognized as an existing state by the Palestinian leadership. Both charters, that is of Hamas and the PLO (the backbone of the PA), continue to call for her destruction.
Moreover, the Palestinian Authority and Hamas are engaged in a violent power struggle and they have demonstrated this. When Israel makes concessions she is rewarded with violence. This happened in September of 2000 and after the Gaza pullout of 2005. In addition, behind the conflict is a radical Islamic theology that denies that Israel can exist on what was once the Dar Al Salem (House of Islamic Peace).
Until these realities are firmly dealt with by the international community, there cannot be and should not be a road to peace. A two state solution is unthinkable as it will result in more of the same. That is, more violence and renewed assaults against the Jewish state. Houses with weak foundations always collapse. The same is true of the House of Peace. If the foundations are not right the house will fall with unnecessary loss of life. Gaza proved this as did the negotiations under Oslo 1, 2 and 3. They failed because the foundations that should lead to true peace were not firmly put in place. In fact they were knowingly ignored. When this happens once it can be excused but when it happens repeatedly, it amounts to stupidity! Or, is there another agenda behind the stupidity?
All this is not to say that there should be no road to peace. There should but it must be properly built. Israel has time and again stated that she has no desire to rule over the Palestinians. Her actions have, I believe, proved this. However, if your perceived peace partner continuously denies your existence and calls for your destruction, then the equation changes. To move forward in these circumstances is the road to national suicide – something that Ahmadinejad continuously calls for!
Finally, it must be noted that Israel’s existence today is not because of the Holocaust. The Holocaust only proved what Herzl believed and that is that the Jews would not be safe unless they had a state of their own. His initiative to found a Jewish State called Israel began in the late 19th century (1897), some forty-five years before the Holocaust. The early 20th century saw the resettlement of what was then Palestine by Jews. At that time even Jews were called Palestinians!
The Jewish people have an unbroken 3,000 year history with the region and with Jerusalem. In fact, their first father, Abraham, crossed into the region 4,000 years ago. Their existence is remarkable, their achievements amazing and their book, the Bible, is enlightening. This book warns the nations against dividing the land (Joel 3:1-3), probably because underlying such endeavours was hostility with destruction in mind, and not sincerity.
Has anything changed?
Sunday, May 17, 2009
Global Hypocrisy and Selective Morality
As I write the global media has announced that the civil war in Sri Lanka is over. Well this is good news but one cannot help but wonder why there were not rallies and riots all over the world protesting the killing of civilians as this war dragged to an end over the last few months? Where were the screaming masses that took to the streets in London and elsewhere when Israel, legitimately, defended itself against Hamas initiated terrorism? They were protesting the loss of plus/minus one thousand civilian lives in Gaza. As things turned out just on six hundred of these were Hamas terrorists.
This war in Sri Lanka has seen countless thousands of civilians lose their lives and now two hundred and fifty thousand have been displaced in the last month alone! Did the United Nations hastily convene to condemn this fact? Of course not;……and, what of the European Union? Apart from a few statements, they pursued “business as usual”. This was not Israel so no one cared and no one took to the streets on behalf of the suffering civilian population. This is nothing short of hypocrisy! But we’ve become used to it since it happens time and time again.
Ahmadinejad can deny the Holocaust and call for the destruction of Israel on a global stage, and arm himself with nuclear weapons to do it, and he can walk the halls of government with impunity. As he recently did in Geneva. The masses will not turn out to protest and Iranian flags will not be burned. In fact western European governments will continue doing business with him!! This is the morally bankrupt world we live in. Selective morality is the name of the game and one thing that is always sure is that Israel will always get a bashing!
Her antagonists want concessions from her without recognizing her right to exist and the world, that is the Western World, goes along with this. This, in itself, demonstrates that the goal of those seeking concessions is not a two state solution living side-by-side in peace security but rather a one state solution with Israel consigned to oblivion. How odd that Western politicians can’t see through this or, is there another agenda?
Politics is always filled with intrigue and betrayal not to mention corruption as the British are now finding out. For these reasons it is good to know that there is a God in Heaven who has planned a day of reckoning for all nations. On that day the truth and only the truth will come out and Israel will be the place from which real peace will radiate to the world. The vision will not fail because Isaiah saw it!
This war in Sri Lanka has seen countless thousands of civilians lose their lives and now two hundred and fifty thousand have been displaced in the last month alone! Did the United Nations hastily convene to condemn this fact? Of course not;……and, what of the European Union? Apart from a few statements, they pursued “business as usual”. This was not Israel so no one cared and no one took to the streets on behalf of the suffering civilian population. This is nothing short of hypocrisy! But we’ve become used to it since it happens time and time again.
Ahmadinejad can deny the Holocaust and call for the destruction of Israel on a global stage, and arm himself with nuclear weapons to do it, and he can walk the halls of government with impunity. As he recently did in Geneva. The masses will not turn out to protest and Iranian flags will not be burned. In fact western European governments will continue doing business with him!! This is the morally bankrupt world we live in. Selective morality is the name of the game and one thing that is always sure is that Israel will always get a bashing!
Her antagonists want concessions from her without recognizing her right to exist and the world, that is the Western World, goes along with this. This, in itself, demonstrates that the goal of those seeking concessions is not a two state solution living side-by-side in peace security but rather a one state solution with Israel consigned to oblivion. How odd that Western politicians can’t see through this or, is there another agenda?
Politics is always filled with intrigue and betrayal not to mention corruption as the British are now finding out. For these reasons it is good to know that there is a God in Heaven who has planned a day of reckoning for all nations. On that day the truth and only the truth will come out and Israel will be the place from which real peace will radiate to the world. The vision will not fail because Isaiah saw it!
Sunday, April 19, 2009
The Danger to Israel from Durban II
On the 20th April, the day Hitler was born, the United Nations conference on racism, Durban II, will convene in Geneva. Durban I was nothing more than an attempt to attack Israel by accusing it of racism and of setting up the new Apartheid state. Thankfully, the USA walked out of that circus thus exposing the racist and anti-Semitic nature of the convocation. But now, in Geneva, those seeking to delegitimize Israel are seeking to ratify Durban I and smear Israel again. The Apartheid accusation against the Jewish State will be revived and more greatly amplified. Anti-Apartheid activists like Desmond Tutu will be quoted to verify the claim and even Jimmy Carter will be referenced in order to prove the point. The goal is simple: Discriminate against Israel, delegitimize Israel and, in the end, call for the dismantling of Israel. These voices are already being heard in different parts of the world. Durban II will press forward with this agenda.
Naturally, the word Apartheid is a very powerful one as it evokes images of racial discrimination and suffering that were all too common in South Africa for decades. Forty million people were robbed of their human dignity, treated like animals and herded into ghettos. They were classified white or non-white at the stroke of a pen and sometimes, when such racial profiling was not possible, the strength of one’s curled hair would determine one’s fate. Race coloured all departments of life and those who opposed the system were harassed, hunted down, imprisoned, exiled or even killed. It was an evil system that destroyed the lives of countless thousands.
It was indeed a joyous and great day when this scourge was finally removed allowing South Africa to become a fully democratic non-racist state on the 24th of April, 1994. However, to equate Israel with this system is ludicrous. I lived under the Apartheid State and its vicious machinery and know all too well what it meant. To band the word apartheid about loosely is an insult to the 40 million people who suffered under it. To use the term other than in its original context is to play down the horrific nature of this political nightmare. The same applies to the use of the word Holocaust other than in its original context. There can be no equal! Yet this is what Durban II is all about. The goal is sure; if a charge or accusation of being an apartheid state can be made to stick as far as Israel is concerned then a call can be made to the international community to dismantle such an entity. After all, why should Israel be different to South Africa? This is the danger that Israel now faces. It is a real danger and not one to be taken lightly. Powerful and significant international “players” are involved with it.
Israel is not an Apartheid state. It is a thriving modern day democracy that affords all its peoples dignity and equality under the law. Within its borders are Jews, Christians, Arabs, Druze, Armenians and many other minority groups. All have the same rights and dignity under the law. It enjoys freedom of the press and the right to peaceful protest. Women are respected under the law and allowed into all branches of human endeavour. Israel is a shining light in an Arab world that is largely in the grip of totalitarian governments. Yet it is Israel that the United Nations conference in Geneva has chosen to describe as an Apartheid one! Nothing could be further from the truth.
The conflict in Israel has nothing to do with Apartheid and never will. It is a conflict for survival and thus until Hamas, Hezbollah, Iran and their fellow travelers in the Middle East come fully to terms with Israel’s existence the sufferings of the Palestinians will continue. Not because they live under an Apartheid regime but because they live under bad leadership that has led them continuously into a no man’s land of misery and despair. The idea of a Middle East without Israel is a delusion that many have to get over. Until that day dawns the blessings that Israel can bring to the region will be forfeited.
Thursday, January 15, 2009
The Dangers of Ignoring History
Given all the uproar over Israel’s justified incursion into GAZA I have noted, from various sources that, all through the years in different conflicts, pursued by different nations that there were always “voices” that called for disengagement and appeasement in the face of persistent and blatant aggression. For Instance; there were those who thought that the Nazis had obviously improved the lives of millions of Germans at every level and therefore their warlike ‘tones” at mass rallies etc were quite irrelevant and innocuous. Their threats, though often repeated, would amount to nothing!
Even though Mein Kampf (the Nazi Charter) clearly set out the “end game” it was ignored and its sinister agenda calling for the destruction of the Jews and war was regarded as nothing more than rhetoric! In fact there were people in the United Kingdom and even the United States that fully supported the Nazis and even admired them. In the USA the Nazi Party flourished for a while and even held well attended public meetings! The message was clear, there was no need to worry and all the anger and hatred aimed at the Jews was just a passing fad!
Just sixty odd years later another like-minded organization arrived in Gaza with similar goals and rhetoric. It gave help to the Palestinian community there in the form of schools, clinics and general social relief. It murdered the opposition called Fatah and drove them out of town just like Hitler did and in essence bought the support and allegiance of the people. Everyone ignored its violent jihadist speeches at mass rallies that focused on the utter and complete destruction of Israel and its “Mein Kampf” (charter) enshrined the same focus. Even the international community has said very little about this focus choosing rather to “dress” Hamas up as a legitimate partner in the pursuit of peace.
History now instructs us that to ignore reality embodied in documents, books, charters and speeches is to do so at great risk and peril. The Nazi experiment left 53 million people dead all across Europe and Russia. Six million were Jews! Hamas, through its benevolence and hatred of Israel, has led the Palestinians down the same deceptive path but how amazing it is to hear the liberal left western media eulogizing the organization for its activities! They could hardly hide their glee when they announced during the recent war that after all Israel had done Hamas was still fighting back by launching missiles.
All the while the Charter of Hamas remains totally enshrined and continues to call for the total destruction of all of Israel. It also asserts that this is undoubtedly the will of Allah. So, in reality the nature of this struggle is not political but religious just as the struggle against Nazism was not political but religious. Under the surface of this devilish movement was a religious theory based on “Norse God belief systems’ that led them to believe that they were superior to all other people and were called to subdue and triumph over them. The Jewish people were of course the most underdeveloped people on the face of the earth and had to be removed.
Sadly, nothing has really changed; Hamas and their radical Islamic fellow travelers hold a similar belief system. They just live 60 odd years later and in a world that is not prepared to learn from history and that no longer knows or acknowledges the existence of good and evil! Hitler’s jihad against the Jews led to the death of millions of non Jews and the world must recognize that this attack against Israel today could have similar repercussions if it is not recognized for what it is. But, who will listen?
Even though Mein Kampf (the Nazi Charter) clearly set out the “end game” it was ignored and its sinister agenda calling for the destruction of the Jews and war was regarded as nothing more than rhetoric! In fact there were people in the United Kingdom and even the United States that fully supported the Nazis and even admired them. In the USA the Nazi Party flourished for a while and even held well attended public meetings! The message was clear, there was no need to worry and all the anger and hatred aimed at the Jews was just a passing fad!
Just sixty odd years later another like-minded organization arrived in Gaza with similar goals and rhetoric. It gave help to the Palestinian community there in the form of schools, clinics and general social relief. It murdered the opposition called Fatah and drove them out of town just like Hitler did and in essence bought the support and allegiance of the people. Everyone ignored its violent jihadist speeches at mass rallies that focused on the utter and complete destruction of Israel and its “Mein Kampf” (charter) enshrined the same focus. Even the international community has said very little about this focus choosing rather to “dress” Hamas up as a legitimate partner in the pursuit of peace.
History now instructs us that to ignore reality embodied in documents, books, charters and speeches is to do so at great risk and peril. The Nazi experiment left 53 million people dead all across Europe and Russia. Six million were Jews! Hamas, through its benevolence and hatred of Israel, has led the Palestinians down the same deceptive path but how amazing it is to hear the liberal left western media eulogizing the organization for its activities! They could hardly hide their glee when they announced during the recent war that after all Israel had done Hamas was still fighting back by launching missiles.
All the while the Charter of Hamas remains totally enshrined and continues to call for the total destruction of all of Israel. It also asserts that this is undoubtedly the will of Allah. So, in reality the nature of this struggle is not political but religious just as the struggle against Nazism was not political but religious. Under the surface of this devilish movement was a religious theory based on “Norse God belief systems’ that led them to believe that they were superior to all other people and were called to subdue and triumph over them. The Jewish people were of course the most underdeveloped people on the face of the earth and had to be removed.
Sadly, nothing has really changed; Hamas and their radical Islamic fellow travelers hold a similar belief system. They just live 60 odd years later and in a world that is not prepared to learn from history and that no longer knows or acknowledges the existence of good and evil! Hitler’s jihad against the Jews led to the death of millions of non Jews and the world must recognize that this attack against Israel today could have similar repercussions if it is not recognized for what it is. But, who will listen?
Wednesday, January 7, 2009
The Core Issues
What makes freedom loving western democracies attack a western styled freedom loving democracy called Israel in favour and support of a totalitarian, terrorist dictatorship called Hamas? Or, why is it that western democracies will not stand alongside Israel, the only democracy in the Middle East, in its struggle against radical Islamic terrorists?
Hamas, an organization that by its words and charter denies the existence of Israel, has for near on five years since Israel withdrew from the northern part of Gaza, attacked the southern towns of Israel by raining down eight thousand missiles on the residents there. Two hundred and fifty thousand people have been held hostage by this menace. Many children have been traumatized by the barrage and lives have been lost not to mention the destruction to property. All eight thousand rocket attacks were aimed indiscriminately at civilians. The world was not outraged and in fact did nothing to halt this aggression. Now that Israel has finally stepped in to bring an end to this state of affairs the world has rushed to condemn the Jewish State!!
Have we missed something here or has the international community “kissed its brains goodbye?”
The answers to the above questions are the following:
1. The demographics of European western democracies have changed dramatically over the last two decades. Most of these countries now have large Muslim populations which are increasing all the time and which are very outspoken and even violent (as in Britain, Holland, Spain and France) in their support of Muslim dictatorships and terrorists. Thus to stand with Israel is to invite trouble in one’s own backyard.
2. Most certainly anti-Semitism is at play here. Critics of this statement will assert that criticism of Israel is legitimate and is not a manifestation of anti-Semitism. They are right! However, what else would lead western democracies to support a terror regime like Hamas? To put Hamas on an equal footing with Israel is downright outrageous. It is the same as placing Hitler and his Nazi regime on the same footing as the western democracies that confronted and defeated him some sixty years ago. This is madness…or…anti-Semitism!
3. The Bible, that is the Book upon which western civilization was built, warns of a day in world events when good will be called evil and evil called good. The emergence of secular humanism with its denial of good and evil and radical commitment to political correctness with man at the center of all things has produced a political culture in Europe chiefly that refuses to acknowledge or identify who the aggressor is and who the victim is. Both sides are always wrong and even in war both sides have to lose equal amounts of lives otherwise the response to aggression is “disproportionate force!! What nonsense. Just a few days before the end of the Second World War Allied planes bombed the city of Dresden in Germany which resulted in hundreds of thousands of civilians losing their lives in fire storms that were in every way apocalyptic and unimaginable. The world said nothing! This was “whole sale” murder on a scale never seen before and quite unnecessary as Germany had been defeated. Israel has done nothing like this. Her attacks on Gaza have been “surgical” in an attempt to minimize loss of civilian life. However, how does one deal with an enemy that will not confront you out in the open but hides amongst the civilian population and uses them as shields?
In closing; what of Egypt? This nation, at peace with Israel, has knowingly and willingly allowed the most sophisticated missiles to be, firstly, smuggled into its sovereign territory from Iran and then, secondly, to be smuggled into Gaza! How did this happen? Most important still, where is the condemnation of this from the United Nations, the European Union and the so called Non-Aligned nations? The silence has been deafening. No this condemnation is reserved for Israel!!
While loss of life is deeply regretted and war is most certainly a last option it must be said that Israel’s patience has been extraordinary. Hamas has led its people into this carnage because it will not move away from its core issue which is the total destruction of Israel. It acts as a proxy for Iran and that should tell us everything. Thankfully, there is a God in Heaven and He will have the last word!
Hamas, an organization that by its words and charter denies the existence of Israel, has for near on five years since Israel withdrew from the northern part of Gaza, attacked the southern towns of Israel by raining down eight thousand missiles on the residents there. Two hundred and fifty thousand people have been held hostage by this menace. Many children have been traumatized by the barrage and lives have been lost not to mention the destruction to property. All eight thousand rocket attacks were aimed indiscriminately at civilians. The world was not outraged and in fact did nothing to halt this aggression. Now that Israel has finally stepped in to bring an end to this state of affairs the world has rushed to condemn the Jewish State!!
Have we missed something here or has the international community “kissed its brains goodbye?”
The answers to the above questions are the following:
1. The demographics of European western democracies have changed dramatically over the last two decades. Most of these countries now have large Muslim populations which are increasing all the time and which are very outspoken and even violent (as in Britain, Holland, Spain and France) in their support of Muslim dictatorships and terrorists. Thus to stand with Israel is to invite trouble in one’s own backyard.
2. Most certainly anti-Semitism is at play here. Critics of this statement will assert that criticism of Israel is legitimate and is not a manifestation of anti-Semitism. They are right! However, what else would lead western democracies to support a terror regime like Hamas? To put Hamas on an equal footing with Israel is downright outrageous. It is the same as placing Hitler and his Nazi regime on the same footing as the western democracies that confronted and defeated him some sixty years ago. This is madness…or…anti-Semitism!
3. The Bible, that is the Book upon which western civilization was built, warns of a day in world events when good will be called evil and evil called good. The emergence of secular humanism with its denial of good and evil and radical commitment to political correctness with man at the center of all things has produced a political culture in Europe chiefly that refuses to acknowledge or identify who the aggressor is and who the victim is. Both sides are always wrong and even in war both sides have to lose equal amounts of lives otherwise the response to aggression is “disproportionate force!! What nonsense. Just a few days before the end of the Second World War Allied planes bombed the city of Dresden in Germany which resulted in hundreds of thousands of civilians losing their lives in fire storms that were in every way apocalyptic and unimaginable. The world said nothing! This was “whole sale” murder on a scale never seen before and quite unnecessary as Germany had been defeated. Israel has done nothing like this. Her attacks on Gaza have been “surgical” in an attempt to minimize loss of civilian life. However, how does one deal with an enemy that will not confront you out in the open but hides amongst the civilian population and uses them as shields?
In closing; what of Egypt? This nation, at peace with Israel, has knowingly and willingly allowed the most sophisticated missiles to be, firstly, smuggled into its sovereign territory from Iran and then, secondly, to be smuggled into Gaza! How did this happen? Most important still, where is the condemnation of this from the United Nations, the European Union and the so called Non-Aligned nations? The silence has been deafening. No this condemnation is reserved for Israel!!
While loss of life is deeply regretted and war is most certainly a last option it must be said that Israel’s patience has been extraordinary. Hamas has led its people into this carnage because it will not move away from its core issue which is the total destruction of Israel. It acts as a proxy for Iran and that should tell us everything. Thankfully, there is a God in Heaven and He will have the last word!
Thursday, December 18, 2008
Obama Mania
The liberal left world constantly attacks the evangelical Christian world on religious issues. The barrage never stops and they pursue it on the notion that they by contrast are rational, balanced and not fundamental. All this changed when Barrack Obama arrived on the scene. Suddenly their enthusiasm for his presidential aspirations turned quickly into a religious fervor of a type that one will not see in an evangelical gathering. His Democratic Conference organizers read this “heated fervor” and turned their conference facility into a Greek temple so that he could take his place amongst the pantheon!
Who can forget the scenes of adulation characterized by screaming, tears, outstretched arms and mass hysteria. Some people in these vast crowds even claimed to have been healed as they listened to Obama. This was no doubt psycho somatic! The media has also entered this arena as they have printed stories and editorials speaking of Obama in messianic terms. He will save the world and to be honest he claimed that he would! The French Foreign Minister recently called him the President of the world as have other politicians. Everywhere he is being spoken of as a savior, messiah and deliverer but is this true and what does all this say about the world in which we live?
First of all it says that the irreligious world is more desperate and void of answers than they are about to let on. Their constant attack against the evangelical world is thus in reality hypocritical and a commentary on their own notion of hopelessness. They don’t have the answers and thus resist those who demonstrate a peace that says that they do. How else does one understand the vicious attacks against Sarah Palin? She was mocked for belonging to the Assemblies of God, for being a women of prayer, for opposing abortion and for asserting God’s sovereignty over the affairs of nations. The British based Sky Television network actually showed a video of her being prayed for by her Pastor and stated that this made her controversial!
Secondly it demonstrates the age old problem of humanity. That is, we want a savior without the responsibility of a changed life. The biblical notion of the fall and thus of sin is scoffed at today. The world is looking for a messiah who will deliver it and justify it, while at the same time, allowing it to be in rebellion against a biblical standard of righteousness.
And thirdly it is a commentary on how far so called Western nations have departed from the Judeo/Christian values that made them great and civilized their societies. We have turned our backs in the western world on our own foundations, history and culture. These have produced the soul of nations and thus guaranteed our culture of life and freedom. A body without a soul is dead and thus a people that forget God will in the end devalue human life.
To be sure Barrack Obama is no savior, messiah or deliverer and he will not change the world. He is just a man and I think that he knows this full well. As President elect of a great nation he needs our prayers and we do hope that he will lead his nation into better days. Above all he does represent a nation that has the capacity to change and thus, by his election, has the capacity to forever put to rest the charge of racism against it. We salute his remarkable achievement while all the time knowing that the God of the Bible put him there.
Who can forget the scenes of adulation characterized by screaming, tears, outstretched arms and mass hysteria. Some people in these vast crowds even claimed to have been healed as they listened to Obama. This was no doubt psycho somatic! The media has also entered this arena as they have printed stories and editorials speaking of Obama in messianic terms. He will save the world and to be honest he claimed that he would! The French Foreign Minister recently called him the President of the world as have other politicians. Everywhere he is being spoken of as a savior, messiah and deliverer but is this true and what does all this say about the world in which we live?
First of all it says that the irreligious world is more desperate and void of answers than they are about to let on. Their constant attack against the evangelical world is thus in reality hypocritical and a commentary on their own notion of hopelessness. They don’t have the answers and thus resist those who demonstrate a peace that says that they do. How else does one understand the vicious attacks against Sarah Palin? She was mocked for belonging to the Assemblies of God, for being a women of prayer, for opposing abortion and for asserting God’s sovereignty over the affairs of nations. The British based Sky Television network actually showed a video of her being prayed for by her Pastor and stated that this made her controversial!
Secondly it demonstrates the age old problem of humanity. That is, we want a savior without the responsibility of a changed life. The biblical notion of the fall and thus of sin is scoffed at today. The world is looking for a messiah who will deliver it and justify it, while at the same time, allowing it to be in rebellion against a biblical standard of righteousness.
And thirdly it is a commentary on how far so called Western nations have departed from the Judeo/Christian values that made them great and civilized their societies. We have turned our backs in the western world on our own foundations, history and culture. These have produced the soul of nations and thus guaranteed our culture of life and freedom. A body without a soul is dead and thus a people that forget God will in the end devalue human life.
To be sure Barrack Obama is no savior, messiah or deliverer and he will not change the world. He is just a man and I think that he knows this full well. As President elect of a great nation he needs our prayers and we do hope that he will lead his nation into better days. Above all he does represent a nation that has the capacity to change and thus, by his election, has the capacity to forever put to rest the charge of racism against it. We salute his remarkable achievement while all the time knowing that the God of the Bible put him there.
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