Terrorist TV – live from Temple Mount!
By Aaron Klein

For the past week, Hamas’ official television network exclusively broadcast Islamic prayer services live from Jerusalem’s Temple Mount.

Article Continues… (WorldNetDaily)

I can see why they’d do this, so I won’t take issue with the Hamas choice. I think my bigger concern is: why does Israel, who controls the Temple Mount, allow a terrorist organization to have free reign?

HT: Bare Naked Islam

Focus pulls video urging prayers for rain on Obama
By Mark Barna

Focus on the Family Action pulled a video from its Web site today that asked people to pray for “rain of biblical proportions” during Barack Obama’s Aug. 28 appearance at Invesco Field in Denver to accept the Democratic nomination for president.

Article Continues… (Colorado Springs Gazette)

Honestly, my problem with Focus comes down to this statement in the article:

The video’s point, Shepard said, is that in his view Obama has not clearly stated his stances on abortion and gay marriage, important themes within the Christian right.

I strongly oppose abortion, and while I’m not a fan of gay marriage, I honestly feel it’s none of my business who is sleeping with who. However, my concern is that Focus is teaching the Evangelical sheep* out there that these two issues are the biggest, and that’s simply not the case.

Mahmoud Ahmadinejad wants nukes.

Our “friends” the Saudis have been given the green lights to move forward with a nuclear plan of their own.

Czar Vladimir Putin has nukes, and is starting something evil over in his part of the world; nobody has the guts to stop him.

But please, let’s keep arguing over gay marriage.

*While it may sound insulting on my part, the blunt truth is that most Americans don’t research the candidates themselves; they look to someone else to tell them how to vote. In a perfect world, pro-Obama media bias wouldn’t matter, as everyone would actually know what each candidate stood for behind the facade.

New Israeli regulations could cripple Christian ministries
By Nicole Jansezian

Israel’s Ministry of Interior has decided to reinstate an old regulation that is threatening to cripple, if not shut down, several Christian ministries by limiting the time volunteers can spend serving in Israel to 27 months.

Article Continues… (Israel Today)

Admittedly, I need to do some more research on this one. I know previous limitations on volunteer stays had something to do with preventing these volunteers from being able to request citizenship. If there’s a fear of watering down Israel’s Jewish identity, then that makes sense. However, I’m unsure of the reason for cutting the time from 5 years to 2.25 years.

Based on my minimal involvement with the bigger Christian organizations this will hurt, all I see this doing is harming the needy in the land. If these organizations aren’t the reason, then I guess I’ll have to do some digging and come back to this later.

German Christian student at Hebrew U. deported for ‘missionary work’
By ICEJ News

Israel’s Interior Ministry has scheduled for Barbara Ludwig, a 32-year old German Christian enrolled for studies at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, to be deported on Friday after being arrested in late April by immigration police for alleged missionizing.

Article Continues… (ICEJ)

I’m still not entirely sure how I feel about missionizing, as:

1) Christianity is a missionary religion.

2) It seems the primary way most Christians spread their faith is through deception and shallow relationships; almost caring more about adding another number to the flock than about the actual person.

However, and this article may be a little slanted based on the source, it doesn’t look like this woman is guilty of missionary work. It seems she’s being targeted for the circles she runs in, with an alternate reason for deportation being tacked on after the fact. In addition, if I understand correctly, missionary work isn’t illegal in Israel.

At the end of the day Israel is allowed to keep and deport whomever they want, but it still looks like this lady is getting unfair treatment due to her religion.

HT: LGF

By Rabbi Yehiel Poupko

A Midwest bible college recently held a program on “Christian Zionism.” Two presenters–whom I’ll call Professor Jones, a New Testament scholar, and Professor Smith, a Hebrew Bible scholar–discussed the topic, “The Theology of Israel and its Political Implications.”

Full Article (Christianity Today)

I post this only so people can see differing points of view from Christians regarding Israel. Neither is a view I agree with, but they are out there, and we have to contend with them.

I’m just going to say it: I hate Christianity Today. In addition to articles like this that display two incorrect Christian views of Israel, David Neff, the editor of Christianity Today, is one of the 30 Christian leaders that sent a letter to President Bush encouraging the division of Israel!

n January 2006, when Israeli prime minister Ariel Sharon had a stroke, permanently incapacitating him, the American evangelical leader Pat Robertson attributed Sharon’s medical condition to divine intervention resulting from Sharon’s withdrawal from Gaza a few months earlier.

Full Article (DanielPipes.org)

I have no idea if Robertson is right, as I’m no prophet and definitely not qualified to speak for God. Nonetheless, it’s an interesting topic.

Prominent evangelical Christian organizations based in Israel are facing legal hurdles in obtaining long-term visas for their permanent staff to remain in the country, hampering their day-to-day activity, Israeli and organization officials said Monday.

The sticky legal issue, which comes at a time of burgeoning support for Israel in the evangelical Christian world, is under negotiation with the Interior Ministry.

Full Article (Jerusalem Post)

I hope this can be sorted out. I have enough knowledge of at least two of these organizations to be able to say proselytizing isn’t even a minor focus of either group. It’s an unfounded claim.

Now can one be a Zionist and tackle this topic? I guess I’ll find out!