This t-shirt, depicting a pregnant Arab woman, is one of many disturbing designs that have been ordered by soldiers in the Israeli Army. News reports this past week contained statements by some soldiers that they were encouraged to kill Palestinian civilians. Much has been made of army religious leaders passing out publications, containing the Religious Zionist view that Israel is a gift from God and that He has ordained that the country's destiny is to rule the Holy Land.
In an earlier post I mentioned the fact that the Religious Zionist movement encourages military service. Now in light of the recent decimation of Gaza there are accusations that this movement is attempting to take over the Israeli Military. One soldier stated that military rabbis "had a clear message — we are the people of Israel, we came by a miracle to the land of Israel, God returned us to the land, now we need to struggle to get rid of the gentiles that are interfering with our conquest of the land." He went on to say that, The general atmosphere among people I spoke to was . . . the lives of Palestinians are . . . let's say far, far less important from the lives of our soldiers," Ram said. The religious literature gave "the feeling of almost a religious mission." Others have expressed concern that they were ordered to kill Palestinian civilians.
Traditionally, the Israeli military has been secular with an attempt to meld all groups together, and form relationships between the groups that continue after military service. Now it appears that the Religious Zionists may be gaining the upper hand. As in this country there is a battle brewing between the religious nationalists and the secular advocates for control of Israeli society. In the military, much of the leadership is turning toward religious nationalism. The military’s chief rabbi, Brig. Gen. Avichai Rontzki, a settler and Religious Zionist, has been accused of turning the recent war into a holy war with a booklet that was handed out to soldiers that contained an edict against showing the enemy mercy. He was later reprimanded.
Where this will all lead depends upon the strength of Israeli society and whether it can or even desires to withstand the religious right's assault. The Middle East is fraught with religious fundamentalism on both sides. As in this country, the Israeli religious right cannot or will not see that in advocating no mercy and claiming their religious rights to the land, they are no different from the Muslim fundamentalists they oppose. Religious fundamentalism, regardless of the sect, is inherently cruel, when it undertakes to impose its power on others. The enemy becomes worthless and deserving of death, because it opposes God's people. Therefore, indiscriminate killing of the infidel is condoned in the name of God. Just how much this mindset influenced the events in Gaza remains to be determined. The outcome of this inner struggle in Israel will determine future Israeli actions in the Middle East. As usual, the future of the United States in the Middle East will remained wrapped around Israel because as Israel goes in that part of the world, so go U.S. fortunes.
http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1072466.html
http://www.mcclatchydc.com/255/story/64518.html
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/21/world/middleeast/21gaza.html
14 comments:
As usual, Ralph, your commentaries are well informed, and well thought out. In essence, the zionists are initiating their own Jihad, on mostly innocent civilians. These actions portray amovement out of control. In the past the fundamentalists in Israel were outnumbered by the secularists, I don't know if this still holds true or not. I have read that because of the instability and violence that Israel's population is in decline, people with common sense are leaving. It is a shame, for these are the people in Israel that desire resolution, and peace, with the Palestinians.
I haven't been able to find time recently to post on my own blog, but I have been keeping an eye on yours. Keep up the good work.
If you would ever read or listen to anything other than the liberal media, you would know that it is the total destruction of Israel that is desired by their neighbors. Read your Bible to see that the return to Israel by Jews is prophesied. Peace will not come to Israel by man's fancy ideas and it is foolishness to look to politicians expecting such. I will always be a friend to Israel because I need the promises of God to be my provision and protection. mom2
Mom2, I know very well that Israel's neighbors want total destruction. I don't know what your statement to that effect has to do with this post, nor do I understand why you need to be a friend to Israel to receive God's blessing. Remember, the Jewish religion doesn't recognize Jesus, so the second coming that you keep talking about isn't in their thinking. Peace won't come to Israel by its indiscriminate killing of women and children, if that has, indeed, happened, and God certainly won't condone such. This has nothing to do with the so-called "liberal media," just facts coming out of Israel and reported on Israeli radio and tv.
Jesus return will happen even if those calling themselves Christian don't believe, so what does your remark about the Jews have to do with anything? Is there some bias on your part when you fail to mention the indiscriminate killings on the other side? mom2
No bias at all, except we and the Israelis are supposed to be the good guys. I don't condone indiscriminate killing on either side. My point, which you never seem to be able to determine, (makes me think you don't read the entire post) is that the Israelis are not ever going to win if they keep raising the ire of the Arab world. If they do allow the military and the country to become a fundamentalist Jewish state, they will be no better than the Arab fundamentalist's they they are fighting. The hatred of Israel by the Arab world translates into hatred of the US. I know that means nothing to you because you believe that the world will end soon. In fact you seem to want that, which is really, really weird. I don't happen to believe that. I want a better world for my descendants.
Get your descendants ready for the eternal kingdom, because this world is not going to get better unless a great revival occurs and with liberals fighting God and His standards more and more all the time; this world is becoming more violent and in love with death and destruction. Read your Bible more and listen to the liberal media less. mom2
Mom2, maybe you need to read your Bible a bit less and read your history books a bit more. The world has always had its troubles with periods of death and destruction. Some of the most cruel times occurred hundreds of years ago. Many of those cruel activities were committed in the name of God. In this country women were hanged by the New England fundamentalists because they were Quakers. As usual, it was the insecure, self-described Christians who did it. They were afraid of the Quakers and their beliefs. Entire Indian villages in the US west were destroyed by a Christian pastor, an officer in the military. You guessed it, in the name of God. They were heathens, you see, and their lives were worthless. But I digress...
They were heathens, you see, and their lives were worthless. But I digress..... (Your quote)
Not everyone calling themselves Christians, are. Is that your best advice, to tell me to read my Bible less? Sorry, you can't comprehend what even you are saying. mom2
Mom2, I refer you to this quote on the Rev. Tony Cartledge's Baptist's today blog:
I don't think evangelicalism is about to collapse, but I think it will be healthier when more of its leaders get off the fundamentalist-inerrantist bandwagon that turns the Bible into a sociopolitical hammer, and help people learn to appreciate the scriptures as an often-ambiguous and multi-layered story whose ultimate focal point is the "Jesus-shaped spirituality" that we would all be wise to seek.
http://www.tonycartledge.com/2009/03/on-collapse-of-evangelicalism.html
Who is Tony Cartledge? What are his political leanings? Do you read the views of people like Franklin Graham, James Dobson, Anne Graham Lotz? I'm more interested in the whole Bible views than in just selected ones. mom2
Mom2, I have no idea what his political leanings are. I notice all those that you claim to read are of the same right-winged consevative ilk and you accuse me of only reading one side. If you had bothered to check out Carledge, you might know a little bit more about him.
I went to the site and read some. I will read more later. His site, like yours sounds more into today than eternity and that is why this world has gotten to where it is now. We have forsaken the time honored values that were given in the scriptures. It is all about greed and instant gratification now days and turning to politics instead of God and His Word. It is time to place God and our Savior Jesus Christ back upon the throne instead of Obama and any politician. mom2
Poor dear. You must be so unhappy. So worried about the future and everyone's elses' religious faith and no way of truly determining either. All of this because I wrote a post about Israel's military, its possible domination by Religious Zionists and the resulting accusations of atrocities in Gaza.
GMM, Save your pity. None needed. Just what is your problem or problems? Look at these posts you make, mocking and scorning Sarah Palin and her family, talking about your brothers and sisters in Christ because they have differing political views from you. You have a BLOG! I'm just a retired housewife that has managed to navigate the computer enough to read and see what is going on in the blog world. Old enough to have seen a lot of moral downslide and sorry to see the lack of concern by believers. It is difficult to tell the difference in Christians and the unbelievers because greed can afflict all, while eyes become blind and hearts grow cold. It is still better to read the Bible than it is to take the liberal medias ideas for truth. mom2
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