Ted Cruz Booed Off Stage At Middle East Christian Conference

[specsaregood]

Now, I support Israel and defend its right to exist.

I know I've said this before but I'll rant on it again. I HATE this meme that Israel has a "right" to exist. No it does NOT. No govt has a right to exist. To give it such a thing is to say that the people living there dont' have the right to dissolve their government. The people have the right to form a government or dissolve it as they see fit.

[supermario21]

We receive a Catholic newspaper from our diocese every week and a few weeks ago there was an interesting article from the point of view of Palestinian Christians, many of whom are Eastern Rite Catholics and Orthodox (AKA: heretics to most evangelical protestants). They of course want peace more than anything else but leadership was talking about how Hamas leaders were more friendly to them than Israeli leaders were when it came to protecting houses of worship, etc...Of course we never hear this from the mainstream media or FOX for that matter. The AIPAC propaganda runs rampant in this country. I'm glad these Christians stood up to Cruz. Hopefully they invite Rand Paul or Amash in the future.

[Lucille]

My question is, why was Cruz even invited? Rand is the pol who first talked about ME Christians being persecuted in Bushbama proxy war on ME Christians.

Ted Cruz Crashes Defense of Christians Summit
http://www.theamericanconservative.c...stians-summit/

The plight of Christians in the Middle East has swept to the fore of public consciousness in recent weeks as ISIS and related organizations have systematically persecuted and murdered Christians, driving them from homes that date back to the very beginning of Christendom. The In Defense of Christians Summit was organized to bring together Christians of every sect and denomination to stand in solidarity with their persecuted brethren. Summit participants spent Wednesday on Capitol Hill, meeting with members of Congress to drive home their message.

Ted Cruz, however, fractured that unity. Hours before his keynote yesterday, the Washington Free Beacon ran a customarily nuanced headline blaring, “Cruz Headlines Conference Featuring Hezbollah Supporters.” The story referenced several of the leading Middle Eastern Christian leaders present and their own remarks about their region’s politics, taking particular pains to note that Maronite Patriarch Cardinal Mar Bechara Boutros Raï has an open dialogue with Hezbollah, the Shi’ite Lebanese political party and State Department designated terrorist organization. Lebanon has a long history of inter-religious conflict and is split between Sunni, Shi’ite, and Christian communities. Many Christians in the region have either allied with or received shelter from Shi’ite Muslim communities in the face of radical Sunni organizations like al-Qaeda and ISIS.
[...]
In Defense of Christians executive director Andrew Doran later came to the stage to acknowledge the sensitivity of the Israel-Palestinian issue, but urged, “For the love of God, we’re here to talk about Christians and we’re here to be united.” When Cardinal Raï took the stage after the dinner, he related an old Lebanese saying, “At every wedding, there are a few wedding crashers,” said he was sorry for the events earlier that evening. He urged all in the crowd to put the unpleasantness behind them, an urging that echoed through the remarks of all the leaders speaking that night.
[...]
While the Cruz incident was a low-light for the summit, the Christian leaders gathered at the dinner continued to make vigorous defenses of the separation of church and state and the importance of inculcating pluralism in the Middle East. I sat next to an Iraqi man whose family had been turned out of their homes and had to flee the area their people had settled for thousands of years. Those sufferers should be the focus in discussing IDC and its summit, and they should not be made into pawns or proxies for other conflicts.

How the Iraq War Became a War on Christians
And why supporting Syria's rebels may extinguish Christianity in its oldest environs.
http://www.theamericanconservative.c...on-christians/

[Brian4Liberty]

My question is, why was Cruz even invited?
Ted Cruz Crashes Defense of Christians Summit
http://www.theamericanconservative.c...stians-summit/

Ted Cruz, however, fractured that unity. Hours before his keynote yesterday, the Washington Free Beacon ran a customarily nuanced headline blaring, “Cruz Headlines Conference Featuring Hezbollah Supporters.”

Ted Cruz, however, fractured that unity. Hours before his keynote yesterday, the Washington Free Beacon ran a customarily nuanced headline blaring, “Cruz Headlines Conference Featuring Hezbollah Supporters.”

And Cruz had breakfast that day at neoconservative central?

Yep, this was an orchestrated publicity stunt.

[Inkblots]

And Cruz had breakfast that day at neoconservative central?

Yep, this was an orchestrated publicity stunt.

Not difficult to believe, sad as it is. I honestly think that the neocons would gladly see every Christian in the Middle East killed or turned into a refugee if it would increase Israel's poll support in the US by 3%.

The fact that so many neocons call themselves "Christians" is an embarrassment. Thank God that at least the Catholic Church speaks up for Arab and Syriac Christians.

[Peace&Freedom]

You cannot deny that in the modern US, dispensationalists are far more religious about their support for Israel than non-dispensationalists. I understand that there are exceptions but that is the general rule.

Evangelicals of whatever stripe were not robotically parroting the Likud line 25-30 years ago, this trend emerged afterwards, meaning something other than biblical doctrine led to it. Dispensationalists religiously support Israel the country, but dispensationalism of itself does not lead to kneejerk support for the policies of the Israeli government, any more than our supporting America means we embrace the Bush or Obama administration. It's the neocons who have created that distortion between country and government, both with Israel and with the US.

[FloralScent]

Evangelicals of whatever stripe were not robotically parroting the Likud line 25-30 years ago, this trend emerged afterwards, meaning something other than biblical doctrine led to it.

Constant indoctrination.

[Brian4Liberty]

Evangelicals of whatever stripe were not robotically parroting the Likud line 25-30 years ago, this trend emerged afterwards, meaning something other than biblical doctrine led to it. Dispensationalists religiously support Israel the country, but dispensationalism of itself does not lead to kneejerk support for the policies of the Israeli government, any more than our supporting America means we embrace the Bush or Obama administration. It's the neocons who have created that distortion between country and government, both with Israel and with the US.

Don't forget the influence of best-selling fiction writers like Hal Lindsey and Tim LaHaye and Jerry B. Jenkins...

Harold Lee "Hal" Lindsey (born November 23, 1929) is an American evangelist and Christian writer. He is a Christian Zionist and dispensationalist author. He currently resides in Texas...In 1969, he wrote his first, and best-known book, The Late, Great Planet Earth.
...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hal_Lindsey

Left Behind is a series of 16 best-selling novels by Tim LaHaye and Jerry B. Jenkins, dealing with Christian dispensationalist End Times: pretribulation, premillennial, Christian eschatological viewpoint of the end of the world. The primary conflict of the series is the members of the Tribulation Force against the Global Community and its leader Nicolae Carpathia—the Antichrist. Left Behind is also the title of the first book in the series. The series was first published 1995–2007 by Tyndale House, a firm with a history of interest in dispensationalism.
...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Left_Behind

[RonZeplin]

The Canadian Israeli community organizer Texas guest worker/dream student, Senator.

[enhanced_deficit]

... I HATE this meme that Israel has a "right" to exist. ..

In view of many Evangelical/Christion Zionists, Jesus has a right to have a landing strip and then convert all remaining jews/non-christians to "salvation".

[RonPaulMall]

Does anyone else besides me think Ted Cruz is a rather poor public speaker? Among other things, the sincerity meter only gets up to about a 1 or 2 for me when he speaks.

I find him insufferable and obnoxiously insincere. But I felt the same way about Obama and it didn't stop him from winning the primary and two general elections.

[devil21]

In view of many Evangelical/Christion Zionists, Jesus has a right to have a landing strip and then convert all remaining jews/non-christians to "salvation".

That's the weird part of the whole Christian Zionist thing for me. Isn't their support of Israel based on the prophecy that Israel has to be destroyed before Jesus returns? Strange way to show your support...

[supermario21]

That's the weird part of the whole Christian Zionist thing for me. Isn't their support of Israel based on the prophecy that Israel has to be destroyed before Jesus returns? Strange way to show your support...

Yeah, as a Roman Catholic I've always interpreted this dispensationalism to be a selfish ploy. Encourage zionism so that all Jews return to "Israel" (I use this in quotes because I believe that Biblical Israel is not connected to the secular state of Israel) so it can be destroyed.

[devil21]

Yeah, as a Roman Catholic I've always interpreted this dispensationalism to be a selfish ploy. Encourage zionism so that all Jews return to "Israel" (I use this in quotes because I believe that Biblical Israel is not connected to the secular state of Israel) so it can be destroyed.

Oh so that's what 'dispensationalism' throughout this thread means. I don't keep up on the fancy religious terms. Do Christian Zionists generally realize this as the goal or are most just sheep that buy into the Hagee type rhetoric while not understanding the meaning behind it?

[Smitty]

Cruz knew exactly what response his message would get and his closing line was prepared well before he stated it.

His whole purpose in speaking to the Middle Eastern Christians was to tell the world that he didn't "stand with them".

[DFF]

$#@! Ted Cruz. And $#@! all these other politicians who put Israel's interests ahead of the United States.

[supermario21]

Oh so that's what 'dispensationalism' throughout this thread means. I don't keep up on the fancy religious terms. Do Christian Zionists generally realize this as the goal or are most just sheep that buy into the Hagee type rhetoric while not understanding the meaning behind it?

I believe it is something along those lines. And not even all evangelicals believe in it, but it seems to be becoming more pervasive. From what I've read about it, they believe that all Jews must return to their homeland (the zionism part) in order for Jesus to return and destroy it. Now a lot of that is from sifting around Catholic answers lol but I believe that is where the "Stand With Israel" mantra comes from. It's essentially to get played by the Hagee-type hucksters.

[CPUd]

There are people on RPFs who cheer on riots because they believe armed revolution is the only way to 'restore' the US.

[RandallFan]

It could help Cruz if it looks like an ethnic pandering group attacked him. I wonder if it was more to do with hate for the Neocons pushing to bomb assad.

I don't think it is a good idea to say the War on Drugs hurts blacks and this is why the GOP oppose it. It looks like pandering. They should just say it is a waste of money and many people will benefit such as blacks and young people.

I hope Savage covers this story. He hates Cruz.

http://www.newsmax.com/Newsmax-Tv/sa.../29/id/523018/

"What we know is true is that Israel is deeply involved in the war drum beating," said Savage, who said he considers himself "a friend of Israel."

"Assad's … not at war with Israel," he said, and Israel believes it has much less to fear from the regime if it’s without an air force.

Israel is "pulling [President] Obama’s strings," the talk show host maintained.

[devil21]

6:53 mark is disturbing.

[Brian4Liberty]

You found all of your answers right there. Note the reference to the Left Behind books and movies.

They want a big war in the Middle East so they can be raptured, and then they will have a ring-side seat for Armageddon.

Note the other political bonus that derives from those that believe the end of the world is around the corner: they don't have to care about government spending and debt, the economy, or anything related to the future of America.

[Demigod]

The Canadian Israeli community organizer Texas guest worker/dream student, Senator.

This is deliberate provocation.I am amazed someone did not come up and attack him.Their relatives are dying back home so they are trying to find help around the world and this clown uses their podium not only to spread his agenda but while doing it discredits their cause as well.

Also to me at least it seams that a lot of Americans are more Jewish than Christian ( they just call them self's Christian for traditions sake ),all the time everything they write about God is Old Testament vengeance and pain.And to claim that someone is not Christian just because he does not support Israel is beyond stupidity.

[HOLLYWOOD]

Wow, Senator Ted Cruz has become the Zionists/NEOCONS puppet and sounds more like a programmed replicant. Another sellout politician or maybe he's just been programmed with the latest chip out of Zionist operations of EMET, JCRC, or CIPAC lobbyists? People keep thinking AIPAC, but it's all of these special interest eg, EMET, CIPAC, and ZOA who are more involved in US government than ever before.


Sarah and Buddy Stern and their associates at EMET, will be holding a gala event on Capitol Hill to honor Senator Ted Cruz, Sarah is also on the executive staff of, the Zionist Organization of America(ZOA).

CIPAC Archives CIPAC ONLINE

Ted Cruz has proven himself to be a two-faced insincere lying panderer which is kinda scary in he sounds just like Congressman and 'now rewarded governor' of Indiana Mike Pence' or governor presidential 2016 chosen-one, Rick 'Texas-Israeli Chamber of Commerce' Perry.


Oh well, George Carlin warned everyone of these bought and paid for politicians and of course, don't count of things getting better, as long as Americans remain willfully ignorant. The puppetmasters control almost all levels of government and it appears we are just along for the ride, given America's voting record and programming.

The Canadian Israeli community organizer Texas guest worker/dream student, Senator.

Here's July pandering

[Christian Liberty]

@Peace and Freedom- I understand that it doesn't require supporting every facet of Israel's foreign policy, but can a dispensationalist really say that Israel is no longer God's chosen nation and that Christians have no special obligation to support them?

[Ecolibertarian]

I am not totally unconvinced that Cruz may be campaigning for the express purpose of helping Rand get elected at the convention. I'm guessing Cruz might like to be A.G. or on the SCOTUS.

Interesting. I haven't heard that suggested before. I'm a little skeptical, because he seems so incredibly ambitious. Can you go into your thinking a bit here?

[Peace&Freedom]

@Peace and Freedom- I understand that it doesn't require supporting every facet of Israel's foreign policy, but can a dispensationalist really say that Israel is no longer God's chosen nation and that Christians have no special obligation to support them?

Yes they can, although I still point out neocons have been very successful in steering adherents of the theological views into conflating it with modern political Zionism. Dispensationalism is largely about making or administering proper distinctions, be it between different points in history, different programs for different groups, different conditions for Divine intervention, etc. There is a difference in scripture between God's promises (which are conditional, or depend on the faithfulness of a person or people in order for God to fulfill them), versus prophecies (which are unconditional and will happen regardless of the behavior of the people in question).

Israel's status of God's chosen people was a promise that depended on their remaining righteous, and accepting the Savior---when Jews failed to accept Jesus, the promises were switched to the Christian church (body of believers) who became "spiritual Israel." This however, does not change the prophecies that were made regarding a physical nation of Israel, which are mainly as yet unfulfilled, and did not transfer to Christians. Whether the current reconstituted nation is the physical nation of end-time prophecy can be debated. Nonetheless, those prophecies will be fulfilled to a future physical Israel, but until then Christians are not obligated to give it special status or support as the chosen nation.

[fr33]

Being fairly ignorant of what goes on in evangelical churches, I'm more inclined to believe right wing radio and tv pundits do just as much to make people become Israel-firsters. I know a lot of Catholics who are like Cruz on this.

[Brian4Liberty]

Here's some spin on the story. These people are all allied with Obama...

http://www.breitbart.com/Big-Peace/2...d-Praise-Obama

[Brett85]

This will probably make Cruz go up 10% in the GOP primary election polls. All of the conservative websites love it, and he even posted about this on his Facebook page.

https://www.facebook.com/SenatorTedC...10572999055004

[supermario21]

What's silly is that these leaders aren't allied with Obama..They just want someone, ANYONE willing to listen to their concerns and their concerns only. And not go pontificating about Israel. Note that many of the people commenting are calling out Catholics, Paul supporters, and terrorists and lumping them all together as "not Christian" or "anti-Semite," etc...

Quite frankly, it's absolutely repugnant stuff. Cruz should be ashamed of himself and I hope that the Catholic and Orthodox right educate themselves and stand with our Middle Eastern brothers and sisters. I've seen folks like Michael Brendan Dougherty and Ross Douthat among many others condemning Cruz. Hopefully if someone asks Rand for a comment he says something like "I told you so" or points out his efforts to protect the Christian population rather than parrot this pro-Israel screed.