An observer at Cornerstone Church

defending the First Amendment against the Christian right ...

... because if Jews don't speak out, they'll think we don't mind

Web JewsOnFirst

Optional Member Code

Please email us
(click here)
catcher@JewsOnFirst.org

And "bookmark" us at
JewsOnFirst.org

Jews on First
P.O. Box 33821
Washington DC 20033

310-553-1146

An Observer at Christian Zionist Leader John Hagee's Cornerstone Church

By Rev. Art Preisinger, Institute for the Study of Christian Zionism, November 26, 2006

Note: Rev. Preisinger is a Lutheran minister. This report and an earlier one below are reposted with the generous permission of the Instititue for the Study of Christian Zionism, www.christianzionism.org.

SAN ANTONIO. Last Sunday, Nov. 19, I went to Cornerstone Church for the last time in the foreseeable future -- I hope.

If John Hagee downplays, yea ignores, Christianity when he is with his CUFI [Christians United for Israel] friends, Rabbi Scheinberg [an Orthodox rabbi in San Antonio, who is a longtime collaborator with Hagee], and the barbershop group from Jerusalem in his "Night to Honor Israel," [see below] he reverts to "end time" type among his local followers on Sunday morning and evening.

Aside from roller rink organ music to lead off the show, as well as for the offertory which segues into an audience clappy shtik; and aside from the female soloist crooning a love song to Jesus (I'm reminded of the pop song writer who switched to Gospel music, and when asked how made the transition, said, "It was easy. I just substituted 'God' for 'Cindy' in the lyrics") -- aside from all that, the sermon (lecture) is what concerned me.

Those of you who have seen Hagee's TV program will know that he often uses large backdrops. In this case the mural was a colorful depiction of the [New Testament] book of Revelation (with angels and monsters, etc.) because that is what his current series is on. Hagee is preaching on the letters to the seven churches, and Sunday's theme was "Sardis." He has determined that each church represents a period of time in history.

Hagee prefaces his presentations on Revelation each week by a lengthy review of pertinent history, beginning with 70 CE [Rome's defeat of Judea] and the "Die-aspora" to the creation of the state of Israel in 1948. The next event of note will be the rapture. Well, you know the drill: those not raptured will suffer tribulation. Then Christ will come to establish his literal 1000 year reign in literal Jerusalem on the literal Temple Mount. Then the destruction of the earth, then heaven, etc., etc.

A number of things to note: Hagee emphatically maintains that it is UNCHRISTIAN to preach that there will be no rapture. On Revelation: "You don't know Jesus until you know the book of Revelation" (tell that to Eastern Christians, who barely let Revelation into the canon.).

In the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus is a lamb (??). In Revelation he is a lion, a conquering hero, a sort of storm trooper.

And so on and so forth.

Hagee mentioned that Ruth Chris was in the front row in the early service and promised that she would build a steak house in north San Antonio, I imagine to fatten up believers to emulate Hagee's girth.

I have discovered that the louder Hagee yells, the louder the clapping and cheering of his disciples.

P.S. The September-October issue of the Cornerstone magazine features an abundance of pictures and text about what Hagee calls the July 18-19 "2006 Washington D.C. Summit." [Our report on that is here.] The magazine states: "From the moment the Shofar sounded, the excitement was enthusiastic and unwavering. As the Regional Directors had roll call over their states, their delegates stood in exuberance, waiving (sic) their state flags along with Israeli flags!"

Prominent attendees were Texas Senators Kay Bailey Hutchison and John Cornyn, Sam Brownback, Rick Santorum, Pat Boone, Rod Parsley, Jerry Falwell, General Moshe Ya'yalon, Israeli Ambassador Daniel Ayalon, General Shimon Erem ("one of Israel's most celebrated generals"), Gary Bauer, Henry Bonilla (Republican Representative from Texas), Kenneth Copeland, et al. Quite a lineup. President Bush sent greetings.

What strikes me is how much this business is turning into a cult of the personality.

From Religious Rant to Political Bombast to Spiritual Emptiness and Deception

By Rev. Art Preisinger, Institute for the Study of Christian Zionism, October 23, 2006

If John Hagee’s "Night to Honor Israel" extravaganza is any indication, Christian Zionism is a misnomer. From happy-clappy Jewish praise music, to love songs crooned to and about Israel, to a kitschy Hava Nagila; from invocations and benedictions that turn out to be sermons; from Muslim-bashing to Israel lauding; from dramatic processions to keynote addresses; from offerings taken and offerings given -- there was not a shred, a trace, a scintilla of Christianity in the proceedings. It could well have been sponsored by the PTA or the Rotary Club.

Of course, if Hagee wants to honor Israel and give it gobs of non-governmental funds that is certainly his privilege. But to promote this under the aegis of "Christian" is, frankly, fraudulent.

But the "Night to Honor Israel" was worse than a fraud -- it was idolatrous, and this in two ways.

First, what was worshiped was the state of Israel, and more particularly, Jerusalem. Select passages culled from the Hebrew Bible, referring to Israel’s "right" to the land -- all of Palestine -- and an undivided Jewish Jerusalem were repeated again and again ad nauseam. What was not quoted were those passages that speak of the obligation to do justice and practice mercy.

Part of the problem is in the word "prophecy." Christian Zionists, as well as most fundamentalists and millennialists, use that word almost exclusively as a means to understand present, and predict future, events. [Jewish understanding of "prophecy" also differ from Christian Zionists.] Contemporary events, seen through the spectacles of "prophecy," lead to "Rapture" and "Tribulations" and "Second Comings" and "Armageddon." Biblical passages are interpreted to coincide with that scenario.

On the other hand, prophecy in its initial sense is a human agent (the prophet) who speaks God’s word for a particular existential situation. Christian Zionists would be well-advised, for example, to read the book of the prophet Amos as a corrective to these skewed interpretations of various passages often quoted from Ezekiel. Daniel, and Revelation.

Second, the adulation of John Hagee, as one who is becoming the most important leader of contemporary Christian Zionism, if not idolatry, comes awfully close to it. This cult of the personality was most striking at the "Night." David Brog, Executive Director of CUFI [Christians United for Israel] extolled the virtues of Hagee in the words, "Pastor John Hagee is not an important man. Pastor John Hagee is a great man!" With the cheering and clapping and whistling and stomping of feet and raised arms of the 3000 disciples at this announcement, I was reminded of Leni Riefenstahl’s film, Triumph of the Will, about the Nuremberg rallies in Nazi Germany. Hitler had his Goebbels; Hagee has his Brog.

Interspersed with religious rant from misinterpreted Hebrew Scriptures (the New Testament was not mentioned once, nor was Jesus; God got a tip of the hat only occasionally) was political bombast. This was supplied by Malcolm Hoenlein, Executive Vice President of the Conference of Presidents of Major Jewish Organizations.

Two things were most disturbing: the advocation of violence and the racism of the Christian Zionist movement. Time and again Hoenlein, as well as Hagee, called for the bombing and possible invasion of Iran. Diplomacy is not an option since it simply conveys weakness to the 300 million (count ‘em) Muslim terrorists who "hate freedom" (that old canard) and who, if not stopped in Iran, will eventually come to our shores with suitcases full of nuclear bombs.

What is inherent in this scenario is the racism that declares the superiority of the West and western culture over against the East (read Middle East). And that racism is Manichaean -- in stark terms "they" are evil, "we" are good (so Hoenlein). The good must not only defend itself against the evil, it must wipe it out; it must obliterate it.

Finally, I am struck by the fact that throughout the speeches and the hoopla the centuries-old complaint of Jewish victimhood was juxtaposed with Israeli military triumph (also of the will), which (God?) will grant Israel. Victim or conqueror: You can’t have it both ways.

Hagee closed his speech with "God bless Israel and God bless the United States of America." Implied is "and God damn all those who are not us."