ANSWERING QUESTIONS FROM THE PODCAST: ISRAEL & HAMAS, WHAT’S A CHRISTIAN TO DO?
Many listeners had questions regarding my recent podcast, Israel & Hamas: What’s a Christian to Do? on the current conflict between Israel and Hamas.
Others had questions regarding my podcast entitled, The Three Reasons Bill Maher Wants God to Exist.
It was impossible to fully answer some of the questions in the comment section so I decided to do a follow up podcast to answer them in more detail.
Let me first say, the goal of my first podcast was to explain the perspectives of both Israel and Hamas in the current conflict, and then to talk about what Christians can do in response.
The goal of my second podcast was not to argue for the existence of God, but to give three reasons why people might want God to exist.
Q:
** So why can’t they share it? Is there just one GOD?
A:
Is there just one God? Yes. The problem is there is more than one VIEW of God. That is the root cause.
For instance, if one person believes God says “Love your enemies,” and another person believes God says, “Kill the infidel,” that is going to result in very different actions. I touched on that in my full podcast.
But regarding SHARING the land. As I explained in my full podcast, both Israel and Hamas feel they have a legitimate claim to the land. Those two claims are in direct conflict.
The Jews feel like they have a right to be there since the land belonged to their ancestors for thousands of years. Hamas feels like they have a right to be there since their ancestors have lived there for 1,400 years. I’m simply stating the perspective of each side, not defending either perspective.
My goal was simply to help people understand the “WHY?” behind the current war.
But there are 2 KEY differences, and this is where I am going to be blunt:
Hamas is behaving like Freddy Krueger. Intentionally gunning down defenseless women and children, and beheading babies is ABSOLUTE EVIL. Period.
Second, the Jews are willing to share the land. Hamas is not. And Hamas RULES Gaza. The RULERS of Gaza give the Jews only two choices,
LEAVE or DIE.
Of course, some Jews in Israel want push out all the Palestinians, but unlike Hamas, they do not RULE Israel. Those are the two critical distinctions. I recommend you go listen to my full podcast.
Q:
**What would we non-native Americans do if Native Americans gathered together to take America back?
A:
REASONABLE QUESTION. Unlike Israel or Hamas, they’d have zero chance of winning, so it would be INSANE to even attempt it.
Q:
(FLIPPANTLY)** I guess England had nothing to do with it.
A:
Wow! Of course they did. But I was trying to help people understand the big picture, in light of thousands of years of history, not just a limited snapshot of the last 100 years beginning with the Balfour Declaration in 1917, and then the establishment of the Jewish state in 1948.
Neither Hamas nor Israel base their claim to the land on the last 100 years of history.
Q:
**Palestine was divided after WW2 against their wishes. ITS IN THE HISTORY BOOKS.
A:
That is correct—but that’s only HALF THE STORY. Nazi Germany was also divided AGAINST the wishes of the German people after WW2. The real issue was that the Arab Palestinians sided with the Nazi’s in WW2.
Some people debate this point because INITIALLY about 9,000 Arab Palestinians enlisted in the British Army, LATER, over 7,000 deserted and joined the Nazi’s. Survey data from 1941 shows that 88% of Palestinians supported the Nazi’s. Also, the leaders of Arab Palestine actively supported the Nazi’s.
Some people leave out these facts. The Arab Palestinians brought it on themselves, just like Nazi Germany did. They were NOT innocent or neutral bystanders.
Q:
** It all changes once you add the God factor to it. If you don’t then you can use human history to argue it but if you believe in God you know it was promised to the Jews…period.
A:
You are correct. According to the Bible, the land was promised to the descendants of Jacob (aka Israel).
However, in the books of the Law in the Old Testament, God also told the Israelites he would remove them from the Promised Land for a period of time as punishment for their disobedience.
However, God’s initial promise to Abraham, Issac and Jacob was never nullified. Furthermore, he did promise to bring them back to the Promised Land, which is what we see happening today.
There’s more to it than that, but that’s the Cliff Notes version.
Q:
**Mohammed never said, “Kill the Infidel.”
A:
If you believe Allah told Mohammed what to say word for word as he was writing the Koran, then ALLAH himself said “Kill the infidel.” That’s even worse. Maybe from now on I should say, Allah said, “Kill the Infidel.” Mohammed was simply Allah’s secretary taking down dictation.
Either way, that’s a huge issue.
Q:
**The same person said, “Jesus said, “Kill the infidel” too.
A:
Anyone who says that Jesus said, “Kill the infidel” has never read the Bible. What Jesus actually said was, “Love your enemies. Do good to those who hate you.” And then he modeled what he meant on the cross where he died for friend and foe alike.
Mohammed never did or said anything like that.
Background:
WHAT CAN CHRISTIANS DO?
Embracing Cultural Hospitality. Hospitality is very important in the Middle East.
Extend hospitality to Muslims in your community.
Start dialogue.
Build bridges.
Q:
**The pro Hamas ones too?
A:
Of course. The only way to overcome HATE is with LOVE. Martin Luther King quote:
- "Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that."
We can extend love to Muslim Arabs in the U.S. by offering relationship and hospitality.
Again, to I encourage you to view my full podcast: Israel and Hamas: What’s a Christian to Do?
Let me end this podcast by condensing the TEACHINGS of Jesus into 8 words:
Love God.
Love your neighbor.
Love your enemies.
God IS the issue in every issue—including the current Israel/Hamas conflict.
This is Brad Bright and the God is the Issue Podcast. If you found this podcast helpful, don’t forget to LIKE and SUBSCRIBE.
