Archive for September, 2008
Iran Divestment Campaign
Sep 27th
By Shelley Neese
The European Union and United Nations’ attempts to stop Iran’s nuclear program have amounted to little more than wrist-slapping. After five years of negotiations – alternating carrots with sticks – the terrorist regime remains unpersuaded. Iran’s long-range-missile test and announcement that it possesses 6,000 uranium-enriching centrifuges were this summer’s demonstrations of the regime’s nuclear intentions. In reaction to the international paralysis, on the American domestic scene, harsher economic sanctions against Iran are being pursued on a number of fronts simultaneously. Calls to ratchet up the pressure on Iran are coming from the campaign trail, the U.S. Congress and state legislatures.
There are few issues the two U.S. presidential candidates agree on this election year, but the need for keeping nukes out of Ahmadinejad’s hands has been cited by each campaign as top priority. While Sen. McCain says the military option should not be taken off the table, he has called for a worldwide divestment campaign to get “people, businesses, pension funds, and financial institutions across the world [to] divest from companies doing business with Iran.” Sen. Obama, often criticized for his willingness to hold direct negotiations with rogue states, has hardened his stance on Iran, calling for an international divestment effort modeled after the 1980s campaign against apartheid in South Africa.
In July, the Senate Banking Committee passed a bipartisan bill to expand economic and trade sanctions against Iran, authorizing divestment from companies conducting business with Iran’s oil sector. According to Sen. Chris Dodd, chairman of the panel, the bill also “helps to prevent the illegal diversion of sensitive U.S. technologies to Iran.” The legislation encourages state and local governments to divest from companies investing more than $20 million in Iran’s energy sector. Companies affected by such divestments include Royal Dutch Shell, Spain’s Repsol, Italy’s ENI, and France’s Alcatel and Total.
In the last year, there has been a flurry of activity in U.S. state legislatures requiring states to divest from companies that actively work with terrorist countries as designated by the U.S. State Department (Iran, Sudan, Syria and Cuba). Of these countries, Iran has the largest GDP and stands the most to lose. Thus far, 11 state legislatures have voted to divest their public-pension and retirement funds from Iran. For states like California, this means withdrawing an estimated $2 billion in funds tied up with Iran. Michigan was the most recent state to pass a comprehensive divestment plan that included timetables. Twenty more states are considering similar divestment proposals to supplement federal and international sanctions.
Varying degrees of sanctions have been imposed on Iran since 1979, but the new wave of U.S. divestment and talk of “world divestment” seeks to totally isolate Iran economically. The tightening of sanctions by the U.S. Senate and the expansion of sanctions by states are encouraging to be sure. Divestment, however, can also be implemented on an individual and congregational level. No matter the size of your portfolio or pension, we should all make our investments “Iran-Free” and “Terror-Free.” Send a letter to your investment manager about divesting your personal investments from Iran. Contact The Jerusalem Connection (info@tjci.org) if you would like a sample letter to send to your investment manager or if you would like to see a list of all the international companies known to invest in Iran’s Oil and Natural Gas sector.
Shelley Neese is managing editor for the The Jerusalem Connection Report.
There was no Koran on the Mayflower
Sep 2nd
Islam in America, Part 3
By Dr. Richard Booker
In spite of some who want to revise American history, our country was founded by godly Christians fleeing Britain for the purpose of religious freedom. This is not just my opinion. Anyone can learn this by simply reading books by and about the Pilgrims and Puritans who came to America.
Of the many good books available, one of the most interesting is entitled, Of Plymouth Plantation published by The Vision Forum, San Antonio, Texas in association with Mantle Ministries, Bulverde, Texas. This fascinating book traces the history of the New Plymouth Settlement from its inception on British soil in 1608, to its sojourn in the Netherlands, and finally to its establishment on American shores. It is actually the diary of William Bradford’s history of the Plymouth Settlement from 1608-1650. Bradford served as governor of the new colony and faithfully recorded his first-hand account of life at Plymouth.
The founders of our country had a strong connection to the Hebrew Bible (what Christians call the Old Testament). They studied the Hebrew language and knew well the biblical Hebraic-Jewish roots of Christianity. They had a strong Judeo-Christian heritage. They came with a Bible in one hand and faith in the other hand.
I am grateful that our founding fathers brought religious freedom to America. But with all due respect to the first elected Muslim congressman from Minnesota, there was no Koran on the Mayflower. My point is that America was founded on the basis of a Judeo-Christian heritage. Historically Americans were raised with the Bible. Since there is nothing about Islam in the Bible, the American people know little or nothing about the life of Mohammed and the teachings of Islam. Let’s begin with some startling facts about the modern revival of Islam.
Islam on the Move
Islam is one of the world’s fastest-growing religions, gaining converts in every country through an aggressive missionary program. The worldwide Islamic population has now reached one billion. This means that one in every five persons is now a Muslim. Most Muslims are peaceful folk who just want to have a good life and raise their children to be normal, healthy human beings. But if only twenty percent are radical Islamists, that means that two hundred million Muslims would kill Jews and Christians if they had a chance.
The majority of the populations of eleven of the twenty-five, fastest-growing nations in the world are Muslim. It is even more frightening to realize that these predominately Muslim populations are growing at a staggering rate. The birthrate in Muslim countries is 42 per 1,000 compared to 13 per 1,000 in the West.
Islam dominates thirty-eight countries in the Middle East, Asia and Africa and is spreading rapidly in the West. For example, in England, the birthplace of John Wesley, there are more Muslims than Methodists. There are thousands of Mosques in England and the number continues to grow. This is also true of every European country.
In the United States, Islam claims to be the fourth largest religion. Muslims are outnumbered only by Southern Baptist, Roman Catholics and those who practice Judaism. There are more Muslims in the United States than Methodists, Lutherans, Presbyterians, Episcopalians, etc. In the near future, there will be more Muslims than Jews in the United States. As one Muslim leader in the U.S. has said, “Most of our urban centers will be predominantly Muslim by 2020.” Think about that!
The number of Mosques being built in America is growing daily. Saudi money finances the building of these Mosques. The problem is not the building of Mosques because America has freedom of religion. The problem is that these Mosques represent the radical Wahhabi brand of Islam practiced by the founders of Saudi Arabia including Osama bin Ladin.
In addition, the Saudis give millions of dollars every year to American Universities to fund Islamic Studies Departments with the stipulation that the universities would hire Islamic professors to chair the department and teach the courses. Islamic professors at universities across America are teaching something other than a Judeo-Christian tradition and heritage to their students.
Our founding fathers were clear in their beliefs that our form of government would only work with moral citizens who make decisions based on Judeo-Christian values. We are a self-governing people. As our nation removes these values from public life, our beloved America will continue to crumble. The agenda of radical Islam is to hasten the day when America will not have the moral clarity and strength to stand against their onslaught on our culture. Our democracy will give way to anarchy unless the American people return to our Judeo-Christian heritage.
Dr. Richard Booker is a bestselling author and speaker and the Founder of Sounds of the Trumpet and the Institute for Hebraic-Christian Studies. He is a contribution editor for the Jerusalem Connection. To learn more of his work, see his web site at: www.rbooker.com. This is the second of six articles on the Islamic Invasion of America. The articles are excerpts from Dr. Booker’s new book, “Radical Islam’s War Against Israel, Christianity and the West.” To get the full text, order this book directly from Dr. Booker’s web site at www.rbooker.com.
Our Brother Joseph
Sep 1st
By Jim Hutchens
Everyone agreed—the moment was electric. The climate, context and occasion were perfect. Who could say it better and with greater poignancy? The occasion was Christians United for Israel’s National Night to Honor Israel in Washington, D.C., on July 22, 2008. With quiet authority, Sen. Joe Lieberman stood and announced, “I am your brother Joseph.” Wow! Did he say what I think he said? Is he saying he is a brother to thousands of Christian Zionists gathered at this conference? Right then, the benediction could have been pronounced. All could have gone home blessed beyond their greatest expectations.
The identification was obvious—at least to those who know their Bible. Joseph, a son of Jacob, now the vice-regent of Egypt, had been abandoned and sold into slavery by his own brothers. Years later, when famine and hard times hit, Joseph’s father Jacob sent his other sons to Egypt to buy food. Joseph identified himself to his brothers, provided food and, thus, saved Israel.
Perhaps Sen. Lieberman meant that, although Christians have not proven to be “good brothers” throughout much of history, now in his place of power, he can say he is one with us. He might have been alluding to being abandoned by many of his biological brothers and his “brothers” in the Senate after questioning the Bush administration’s “Road Map to Peace” and endorsing Sen. John McCain for president. (Although he was forced to run as an Independent in the last election in his home state of Connecticut, because of a lack of Democratic support, he returned victorious to the Senate.)
When Sen. Lieberman said, “I am your brother Joseph,” he was not disavowing his Jewish brothers or other Jewish politicians; his words spoke blessing and bonded him with his “in-grafted” Christian Zionist brothers. Few missed the importance. The senator then added, “You have come to Washington as Americans of faith with a purpose. You are Christians, united for Israel. May God bless you for, and in, your work.” Indeed, the senator’s statement was both given and received graciously. Sen. Lieberman said he was strongly advised not to attend this meeting, yet both his presence and his speech confirmed recognition of an incredible phenomenon occurring today.
The name Christians United for Israel speaks for itself. However, history and even eternity may well record that the most important contribution CUFI (under Pastor John Hagee) has made has been to deepen the trust and broaden the support of the Jewish people for Christians, and especially for Christian Zionists. Scurrilous attacks by some of the “Medianites” (the press) on Pastor Hagee have served only to mobilize Jewish support further. This only helps to close the gap and to strengthen the ties between Jews and Christians as together we face the perilous times ahead—and those times may be closer than we think.
Is the confirmation of the covenant coming soon?
A picture of Sept. 13, 1993, is still indelibly etched in my mind. Pres. Bill Clinton hosted Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin and Yasser Arafat, representing the Palestinians, on the south lawn of the White House. President Clinton was confirming the Oslo Accords on which Rabin and Arafat had just agreed. It was an event that had the possibility of huge Biblical implications—“In what way?” some might ask.
Thousands of years ago, the prophet Daniel wrote of a future covenant/agreement that would be confirmed by a world leader (called Anti-Christ in I John 2:18 and Man of Lawlessness in II Thessalonians 2:8). The covenant would be with Israel, among others, and would begin Daniel’s last prophetic period of seven years (Daniel 9:27). The prophet adds, “In the middle of the seven [-year period, or after three-and-a-half years], he will put an end to sacrifice and offering. And on a wing of the temple he will set up an abomination that causes desolation, until the end that is decreed is poured out on him.” Jesus refers to this same “abomination of desolation” in Matthew 24:15. Two partial fulfillments of this prophecy occurred—with Antiochus Epiphanes in 168 B.C. and with Titus in A.D. 70. However, the specific prophecy Jesus referred to will be immediately followed by a time of “great tribulation unequaled from the beginning of the world until now—and never to be equaled again” (24:21). Jesus said, “Immediately after the tribulation of those days … the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky” (24:29). Messiah becomes the Closer—He comes in power and glory!
To summarize, the seven-year countdown to the Messiah’s coming begins with the confirmation of a covenant/agreement made between Israel and others. The obvious implication is that a Temple or worship system is built and that sacrifices are offered during the three-and-a-half years leading up to the “middle of the seven.” It is then that a World Leader installs the “Abomination of Desolation.” The final three-and-a-half years leading up to Armageddon and Messiah’s return will be a time of unprecedented tribulation in the world.
When the world saw President Clinton confirm a covenant/agreement between Prime Minister Rabin and Yasser Arafat in 1993, many of us asked, “Is this it? Is this the confirmation of Daniel’s 9:27 covenant?” Obviously, it was not.
Now, comes President Bush with a full court press for an agreement between Israel and the Palestinians—one he can confirm by the end of his administration in 2008. Both Prime Minister Olmert of Israel and President Abbas of the Palestinians say it is unlikely such an agreement, especially concerning Jerusalem, will be reached in 2008. Still, Condoleezza Rice relentlessly pursues “the contours of an agreement” before the end of the Bush administration. Will this begin the countdown? Only time will tell. Perhaps it will be the next president, building on this administration’s efforts, who will confirm the covenant. Or it might be another world leader in another place at another time.
Jesus said this: “No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father” (Matthew 24:36). But this we do know—there is a divinely appointed countdown to come. It will begin when a world leader confirms a covenant or an agreement between Israel and others. Shortly after, we should expect to see the building of a third Temple or a Holy Place where an altar and a sacrificial system will be reinstituted.
Therefore, watch for a confirmation of a covenant, remembering Jesus’ words, “When these things begin to take place, stand up, lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near” (Luke 21:28). This is not a time to despair. It is a time to watch and to pray. It will be a time for Jews and Christians to stand even closer together, as our brother Sen. Joseph Lieberman so eloquently reminded us—looking for the coming of Messiah.
Jim Hutchens is President of The Jerusalem Connection, International and editor of The Jerusalem Connection Report.