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FRIENDS DON'T LET FRIENDS DISAPPEAR AS PART OF THEIR ESCHATOLOGY
I heard this NPR story this morning as I made pancakes:
"Seven thousand evangelical Christians from nearly 100 countries are in Israel this week to show support for the Jewish state.[...]
The evangelical Christians in colorful costumes wave flags, sing and dance — marching as part of the city's traditional parade for the Jewish holiday of Sukkot...
Wearing large styrofoam cowboy hats and beaming with joy, Sandy and Greg Cassee from Amarillo, Texas, said this was their first visit to Israel.”
You know, to me, nothing quite says "zman simchateinu!" like a large styrofoam cowboy hat. On the other hand, I should point out that the wearing of large styrofoam cowboy hats in observance of Sukkot has about as much to do with Jewish tradition as premillenial dispensationalist Christian Zionism does with anything Jesus ever taught, so I guess there's a certain symmetry there.
The article is worth reading (or listening to). TAP contributor Gershom Gorenberg is quoted in regard Christian Zionists' support for Israel in relation to their belief that Jews and Judaism will eventually disappear.
--Matthew Duss
COMMENTS (6)
Excellent title. Excellent post.
Posted by: Neil the Ethical Werewolf | October 4, 2007 3:45 PM
"You know, to me, nothing quite says "zman simchateinu!" like a large styrofoam cowboy hat. "
Quote of the week!
Posted by: lux | October 4, 2007 3:48 PM
The goyim just can't win. If they oppose Israel, they're Anti-Semites. If they support Israel (for admittedly absurd reasons that are internal to their movements), then they're Anti-Semites.
Posted by: Anonymous | October 4, 2007 10:54 PM
Reading Tapped, one gets the impression that it's all the fundy Xian wingnuts' fault that the US so blindly supports Israel. Aren't there a few Jews involved in the project of influencing US foreign policy in this manifestly unujust direction as well? The bible thumpers' reasons for supporting Israel are crazy and offensive to Jews. But then American Jews are no better since their support of Israel is based on good old racism.
Posted by: Charsky | October 5, 2007 2:42 AM
Don't think of it as a styrofoam cowboy hat. Think of it as a really, really large yarmulke.
Posted by: Fred App | October 5, 2007 10:21 AM
If they support Israel (for admittedly absurd reasons that are internal to their movements), then they're Anti-Semites.
Um, their "support" consists of wishing to hasten the day when Israel is attacked with apparently irresistible force by the Soviets / Ethiopians / Iranians / Daleks, as this is part of their End Times checklist. As is the eventual extermination of a majority of the world's Jews (again). Yeah, how could any Jewish person not find this sort of thinking heartwarming?
Posted by: mds | October 5, 2007 1:16 PM