Should Catholics Support Israel?

THE CATHOLIC KNIGHT: I realize this entry may be highly controversial. That being the case, I've decided to do it anyway. Why? Because it needs to be said.

First and foremost, let it be known that members of my family are Jewish. Let it be known that 'The Catholic Knight' holds no animosity toward Jewish people nor Judaism. I also believe the Jewish people have contributed much to European and American culture that is beautiful and indispensable. I acknowledge the inexcusable suffering of the Jewish people, throughout the centuries, and most recently in the Holocaust, perpetrated at the hands of the Neopagan Nazis. I acknowledge the teachings of Pope Pius XII who said that as Christians we are all "spiritual Semites" and went to great measures to save nearly one-million European Jews from the gas chambers during World War II. After that war, I must confess that I wish all those persecuted European Jews had come to my home country of America, which has already benefited so much from American Jewry. Sadly, however, that did not happen.

After World War II many European Jews joined Zionist Jews in Palestine to complete what the Zionists had been working toward for decades -- the creation of a modern and secular State of Israel.

Let me clarify that Zionism is a political mindset, an ideology, that is apart from the religion of Judaism. This blog entry is not about Jews nor Judaism. It's about Zionism, which is different. One need not be a Jew to be a Zionists. In fact, I dare say there are more Christian Zionists in the world than Jewish Zionists. So that being said, Jews are not the problem, nor is Judaism the problem. The problem is Zionism, and it's 100% political in nature.

Zionism is the political ideology that a physical "homeland" for the Jewish people must be restored, using political and military force if necessary, on the real estate once known as Palestine. This is Zionism in it's basic form, but it doesn't stop there. Some Zionists (both Jews and Christians), believe that the Biblical Temple should be rebuilt on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem, alongside the Dome of the Rock, and the ritual animal sacrifices should be restored. It goes further than that. Some Zionists also believe the seven Noahide Laws (Noahidism) should be promoted throughout the world as a global religion under the Jewish Talmud.

It is the opinion of this blogger that Zionism is the problem, not Judaism, and certainly not the Jewish people. Zionism is a political ideology, embraced by Christians and Jews, as a para-religion that attaches itself to traditional Jewish and Christian beliefs. It's unbiblical, and defies essential tenets of both faiths. Certainly not all Jews are Zionists, just as not all Christians are Zionists. Below is an excerpt from just such a Jewish website that opposes Zionism. I invite you all to read it and explore their website...

JUDAISM VERSUS ZIONISM

Judaism believes in One G-d who revealed the Torah. It affirms Divine Providence and, accordingly, views Jewish exile as a punishment for sin. Redemption may be achieved solely through prayer and penance. Judaism calls upon all Jews to obey the Torah in its entirety including the commandment to be patriotic citizens. Zionism rejects the Creator, His Revelation and reward and punishment. Among its fruits are the persecution of the Palestinian people and the spiritual and physical endangering of the Jewish people. It encourages treasonous, dual loyalty among unsuspecting Jews throughout the world. At its root Zionism sees reality as barren and desacralized. It is the antithesis of Torah Judaism.

There is a vile lie, which stalks the Jewish people across the globe. It is a lie so heinous, so far from the truth, that it can only gain popularity due to the complicity of powerful forces in the "mainstream" media and educational establishment. It is a lie which has brought many innocent people untold suffering and if unchecked has the potential to create extraordinary tragedy in the future. It is the lie that declares that Judaism and Zionism are identical. Nothing could be further from the truth. Judaism is the belief in revelation at Sinai. It is the belief that exile is a punishment for Jewish sins. Zionism has for over a century denied Sinaitic revelation. It believes that Jewish exile can be ended by military aggression. Zionism has spent the past century strategically dispossessing the Palestinian people. It has ignored their just claims and subjected them to persecution, torture and death. Torah Jews the world over are shocked and pained at this short-lived dogma of irreligiosity and cruelty. Thousands of Torah scholars and saints have condemned this movement from its inception. They knew that the pre-existing good relationship between Jews and Muslims in the Holy Land was bound to suffer as Zionism advanced. The so-called "State of Israel" stands rejected on religious grounds by the Torah. Its monstrous insensitivity to the laws of basic decency and fairness appall all men be they Jewish or not. We of Neturei Karta have been in the forefront of the battle against Zionism for over a century. Our presence here is to refute the base lie that the evil, which is Zionism, in some way represents the Jewish people. The reverse is true. We are saddened day in and day at the terrible toll of death emanating from the Holy Land. Not one of them would have occurred if Zionism had not unleashed its evil energies upon the world. As Jews we are called upon to live in peace and harmony with all men. We are exhorted to be law abiding and patriotic citizens in all lands. We condemn the current Zionist atrocities in the Holy Land. We yearn for peace based upon mutual respect. We are convinced that this proposed mutual respect is doomed to fail as long as the Israeli state exists. We welcome its abolition in a peaceful manner. May we be worthy of true redemption when all men will join in brotherhood in His worship.

'NETUREI KARTA' WEBSITE HERE

Now personally I don't agree with the assertion that Israel should be disassembled as a nation. I don't see how that is even practical. However, I think the rabbis at Neturei Karta (along with similar Jewish organizations) raise a legitimate point that we as Christians need to consider. While we shouldn't be wishing ill upon any nation, it is reasonable and practical to question how much we're supporting a nation. What Zionists do in Palestine is their own business. Ultimately they will reap what they've sown -- good, bad or ugly. For Christians however, to blindly support a political (and unbiblical) ideology such as Zionism is niave at best, and heresy at worst. We really must be careful who we throw our support behind. While we must strive to love all people, Jews and Muslims included, the only people Chistians should be "supporting" in the Holy Land are other Christians -- Israeli, Palestinian and Lebanese! That's it. In the end, that is what Christ will hold us accountable too.