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Politics : Middle East Politics -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: StormRider who wrote (2425)	10/20/2002 3:30:31 PM
From: StormRider	Read Replies (3) \| Respond to of 6945

FALWELL AND HIS ILK MAKE A SHAM OF AMERICANISM Jefferson Price III, Baltimore Sun, 10/17/02 ohio.com If the Rev. Jerry Falwell represents Christianity, then count me out. The same goes for his partner in evangelical obsession, Pat Robertson. Christianity, as I know it, represents peace, love, forgiveness, charity, inclusiveness, struggle for the good of mankind as a whole and hope. Falwell, a Baptist minister, does not seem to embody or espouse these objectives. He is narrow-minded, singularly directed in his own bizarre mission; he is mean and insulting. In an age when most of the Christian church is working toward ecumenism and understanding among the three monotheisms -- Judaism, Christianity and Islam -- he is a force of rejection and disparagement, which seems neither Christian nor, really, American… With respect to Islam in America, Robertson has implied it has been a great mistake to allow so many Muslims to live in this country. In comments in February on his TV show, as reported by the Washington Post, Robertson suggested a purer ethnic immigration policy might spare America. "The fact is that our immigration policies are now so skewed to the Middle East and away from Europe that we have introduced these people into our midst and undoubtedly there are terrorist cells all over them." Muslim rein? Robertson and Falwell and a lot of others in the Christian right in America have formed a fascinating relationship with the right wing in Israel, which they may think is enhanced by the hatred and venom they heap on Muslims… The relationship between the Christian right and the Israeli right blossomed after Menachem Begin was elected prime minister of Israel and Ronald Reagan was elected president of the United States in 1980. Robertson was enthusiastic as Israel developed its relationship with Christian militias in south Lebanon, where he was supporting a Christian broadcasting station. Falwell's Moral Majority euphorically supported Begin and then Defense Minister Ariel Sharon as they developed their disastrous alliance with Christian militias in Beirut… Twenty years ago, while the Israeli army occupied Beirut, Israel's Christian militia allies went on a rampage in the Sabra and Shatilla Palestinian refugee camps, where they massacred more than 2,000 inhabitants -- men, women, children -- while the Israelis stood by outside… Last week, I happened to see a broadcast by Pastor Jack Hayford, of the Church on the Way, the First Foursquare Church of Van Nuys, Calif., talking about why Christians should support the state of Israel. When it was over, I realized that although Pastor Hayford had thrown a scrap of sympathy to Palestinian Arabs, he did not mention that they include tens of thousands of Christians. Unmentioned, they seem not to fit into the ambitions of the American Christian right. Their numbers are dwindling, but the families of those who remain have been in place a lot longer than Robertson, Falwell, Hayford & Co…