- Joined
- Sep 28, 2021
I think you're in too deep in this, it seems more like a purely tactical thing.The history of Christian Zionism is interesting, what's frustrating is I was raised in that milieu-getting them to realize their theology had a definite beginning that wasn't St. Paul is very difficult. It's reinforced with media like Left Behind and over three generations of sermons, books, pamphlets, and so on.
Christian Zionism theologically and eschatologically hinges on certain events in Israel as being absolutely essential steps for the end times and hence Jesus' return. So it possesses a deep potency in that way-when your church gives money to support Jewish aliyah, or you hear about plans for the third temple-the parousia becomes ever more immanent, by assisting Israel return to the land, and constructing the third temple-you as the zionist evangelical are in some sense-expediting Christ's return.
Imagine yourself in that mindset-the end times will occur, but but certain events on planet earth must happen and you can expedite their happening, not just with prayer but with direct support, material and rhetorical to the state of israel. In some ways this is way more compelling than replacement theology. By helping Israel, you are bringing Christ's return ever closer.
Evangelical protestants would probably protest if you put it in such terms, but they really believe this. Help Israel-Jesus will come back sooner.
Convincing such Christians to become anti semitic, or even indifferent to the Jews is thus insanely hard if not utterly impossible.
Islam is a legitimate "spiritual" threat, people in general can (and do) convert from Christianity to Islam, not so much Judaism, so it makes sense to set up Judaism (and Zionism) as an ally against a common enemy (Islam). Especially when you get clear-cut religious and geopolitical alignments like in the middle east.