Posts Tagged ‘Gaza’

Trump Appointments: A Case Study in Christian Nationalism

Posted: November 13, 2024 in Uncategorized
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As Christian Nationalism ties its wagon to the rise of authoritarianism, we see patterns familiar to us from history, past autocratic regimes that merged with far-right religious movements. The substance of Christian faith is often replaced with an ideology of empire even as the empire coopts religious institutions for its own purposes. In the midst of this, we see how the designs of American White Christian Nationalism tilt toward replacing democracy with theocracy.

Since the President Elect has courted Christian Nationalists, a base that includes rank and file Evangelicals as well as radicalized ones, he is now rewarding political supporters by placing them in positions of authority and leadership. They very often lack experience or qualifications because expertise is beside the point. The same can be said of unqualified judges appointed to posts above their pay grade. The only measure of qualification becomes absolute loyalty to the supreme leader and espousing the correct ideology of the regime.

A case in point is the appointment of Mike Huckabee as Ambassador to Israel. Throughout history ambassadorships in plum positions have been rewards for the rich and famous who have supported people in power. But the Huckabee move is directly related to Christian Nationalism and its implicit convictions about Israel.

Huckabee is a Baptist minister who served a term as the Governor of Arkansas and was a talk show host on Fox news. When Donald Trump states that Huckabee will bring peace to the Middle East, it is not peace in general or peace for all that he has in mind. This peace includes a particular political goal and a view of the end times as embraced by one slice of the Christian spectrum. In their end-times scenario, Israel plays a distinctive part; they need to be consolidated in Palestine as a precondition for the second coming of Christ. That means that Christians of Huckabee’s stripe have a vested interest in making sure Israel has that particular place and privilege. This goes far beyond protecting Israel as ally and friend. This is establishing Israel as a puzzle piece in their eschatological drama.

Jewish Zionists, of course, are committed to the Jewish occupation of Palestine as a part of what they understand to be their birthright, ordained by God. That means that Palestinians are simply obstacles to those designs, and must be expelled, removed from the land. Thus, Zionist settlers continue to displace Palestinians who have lived there for generations, establishing settlements in their place. This is often violent, with settlers relying on government privilege with no accountability. When tragedies such as the attack by Hamas out of Gaza into Israel take place, it provides even more fuel for the complete removal of Palestinians. When we look at Gaza today, beyond the response of Israel to protect herself and hobble Hamas, the actions go much farther, falling into a scorched earth policy – the decimation of Gaza in its entirely with no limits on the destruction and killing.

This is a far-right Israeli response under the guidance of Netanyahu and his military advisors. The action takes place under the auspicious of securing safety for Israelis. But the unspoken part unfolds piece-by-piece. The absolute destruction of Gaza is the prequel to the resettlement of Gaza with Israeli settlers, now poised on the border of Gaza, waiting to go in. This will be endorsed and enabled by the present Israeli government. It is embraced by Jewish Zionists without question. But there is another group that embraces it with equal gusto.

Christian Zionists, those who believe that Israel must take all of the land as antecedent to the second coming, are equally motivated. They want the Palestinians gone as well. But for different reasons than the far-right Israeli government or the Jewish Zionists. The end result may be the same, but they base their conviction on their own Christian grounds.

Do the Israelis know what makes Christian Zionists tick? Of course they do. They secretly disparage them for such hairbrained beliefs. But the Christian Zionists give them what they want: Total support for whatever Israel does in regard to Palestinians and an unlimited cache of weapons.

Mike Huckabee is one of these, part of the Christian Nationalist movement, a Christian Zionist, and a far-right political ideologue. When Trump says Huckabee will bring peace to the Middle East, it is not because they will pursue some negotiated two-state solution. No, they hate the idea of a two-state solution because it doesn’t fit their end-times scenario. Like Trump, Kushner, and Pompeo did in Trump’s first term, they will ignore the Palestinians altogether and never talk with them – and I don’t mean Hamas. I mean that the Palestinians will be disregarded entirely.

This is what Huckabee is being appointed to do. It fits with the vision of Netanyahu and Trump. And Christian Zionists who want this end-times scenario with Israel to play out in a certain way will embrace this as a divinely inspired moment.

This is what happens when autocratic political movements join with one version of religion. They override the concerns of American founders about religion being imposed on the public and religious dogma shaping public policy. Rather, in the interest of pursuing a church-state hybrid, replacing democracy with theocracy, they appoint ambassadors to political posts with the intent of transposing religious belief into foreign policy.

That is what is happening now, in real time. Uninformed and fairly self-centered Americans voted for it, reacting to prices that seemed too high, and the specter of immigration run amuck. Americans distressed about our country’s complicity in the disaster in Gaza staged protest votes against Harris, sometimes voting third party or not at all. The unintended consequences were inevitable. Protest actions helped a much worse option to prevail, a scorched earth regime to take power that will turn tragedy into something much worse.

One thing remains true and has been throughout history: This is how regimes emerge, especially autocratic ones, and how religion props them up to give them the illusion of legitimacy. Once religion enters into the formula, what was once a political conflict turns into a holy war, which is always the worst kind, bloodiest, and most entrenched.

The Unspoken Voice During Netanyahu’s Speech

Posted: July 24, 2024 in Uncategorized
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Along with millions of others I just watched Benjamin Netanyahu address a joint session of the American Congress. In many respects, it was a predictable moment: The old warrior made the case for an assertive defence of Israel, beseaching her chief ally, the United States, to join in common cause to protect civilization from the agents of barbarism on all sides, chiefly Iran. We will do this together, he said. We will never give up. Those who dare hurt us will pay the price. And we are very close to accomplishing this latest challenge against Hamas in Gaza, with your help.

That message was received enthusiastically by many. Afterall, Israel has been a long-standing partner in most every way. Overall, the US has stood by her resolutely. Especially militarily. Where Bibi crossed the line, however, was in painting all protesters against the prosecution of the war in Gaza as not only anti-semitic, but standing on the side of evil. Scores of citizens in Israel, the United States, and other nations around the world disagree with that assertion and do not believe that every protest is fomented by Iran and is pro-Hamas. This issue is muddier than that.

If one took a snapshot of Congressional response to the speech on the right side of the hall, the image would be one of enthusiastic unanimity. Yes, that party resonates with strongmen rhetoric and so with Netanyahu. But it is more than that. Why do they extend unqualified support to Israel, regardless of policy or practice? It has to do with a very particular sort of Zionism – Christian Zionism.

Zionism is an ethic-nationalist movement that arose in Europe in the 20th century with the aim of creating and protecting a Jewish homeland, a region corresponding to that of the land of Israel in in the Jewish tradition. That agenda included the rise of the empowered and strong Jew that would eschew victimhood. The Jewish state would provide the identiy and locale for thriving.

Christian Zionism, however, is something else. Like Jewish Zionism, Christian Zionism is committed to preserving the Jewish homeland in Palestine. But they do so for different reasons. Their motivation arises not out of altruistic concern for Israel as a people. It rather derives from a one Christian notion of the conclusion of history in which Israel needs to be reconstituted in order for it to happen. In other words, they need Israel to be established as a part of their own end-times scenario. When they advocate for Israel they are standing for something else. For them, the state of Israel is a means to another end that doesn’t have a lot to do with Israel itself.

Earlier generations of Christians saw the establishment of Israel as a moral necessity following the Holocaust. They made pilgrimage to the “Holy Land” to walk in the places cited in the Bible, both in Hebrew and Christian scriptures. But Israel was not seen as little more than a means to another end.

In more recent times a different Christian orientation has arisen in powerful quarters. Unquestioning support of Israel arises out of their eschatology and convictions about what is required to usher in the end of days. Israel is seen as a part of that chess game. Therefore, political decisions are made on the basis of serving that theological end. For example, from the point of view of Christian Zionism, a two-state solution for the Israel-Palestinian quandary is an impossibility. In this understanding, the Palestinian side of the formula is, well, beside the point. Only one thing is the point: keeping Israel established right where it is. Which means the Israel foreign aid piggy bank will always be available, even in the presence of strong humanitarian reservations.

That is why Netanyahu’s speech included explicit references to Israel and the land in the Bible; he knows very well what matters to his audience. He named the superstars every Christian would know by heart – Patriarchs, Kings, and Prophets. For Christian Zionists, this reinforces what they already believe; supporting Israel regardless is a theological mandate.

Christian Zionism is not only native to many forms of Christian fundamentalism, it has also become a plank of Christian Nationalism orthodoxy. In this religious-ideological hybrid, Christians believe that God has ordained the United States to be a Christian nation and intended a theocracy with one religion and one autocratic politic. To be a devout Christian and patriotic American means supporting Israel. Not for Israel, but for America.

When Netanyahu slyly told the story of brave college students defending the American flag from being burned at a demonstration on behalf of Palestinians in Gaza, he knew what he was doing. Immediately, the Christian Nationalists in the chamber took up the chant, “U.S.A.- U.S.A.- U.S.A.” Christianity, Israel, USA. One thing.

The current Speaker of the House, Mike Johnson, is one of those, but by no means the only one. As long as he is Speaker there will be no serious consideration of Israel’s action in Gaza or any other action. Israel will not be held to the same evaluative standards as are held for other nations. The Israelis know this, of course, and play the Christian Zionists as they always have. They know that these Christians view them as a means to another end. But then again, more than one can play that game: Believe what you will about us, Christian Zionists. Just keep sending that check.

Using force against peaceful protesters is always a bad idea

Posted: April 28, 2024 in Uncategorized
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The world was shocked last October 7 by the savage attack on Israelis by Hamas. The surprise attack left over 1,200 dead, including many who were tortured, raped and taken hostage. It was a dark and brutal day. Nothing can ever justify such an act. Shock waves crashed over Jewish communities everywhere. In retaliation, Israel conducted a military offensive to root out Hamas, protect itself, and prevent such incursions from Gaza again. The scale and type of response, however, brought about massive destruction, the deaths of over 30,000 people, the large majority of whom were non-combantants, women and children. The infrastructure of Gaza was destroyed, including hospitals, schools, mosques and churches. Israel’s prime minister and war cabinet prosecuted a war that was far beyond proportionate. The result of this outsized military action in Gaza has created nothing short of a humanitarian disaster. Sadly, regardless of American dipolmacy and requests for a cease fire and cessation of indiscriminate bombing, the destruction continued. And yet – this is the moral and political key – the United States continues to provide military aid and hardware that makes all this possible.

The history of conflict in this region is long and complex. Continuing injustices maintain simmering resentments and a cycle of retribution. Outside terrorist organizations fuel additional violence. Hopeful diplomatic resolution is often scuttled by actors who do not want peace initiatives to succeed.

All that said, it is not lost on university students that the United States is not free of culpability in this conflict. As a result, students across the county and indeed the world have engaged in on-campus protests. For those of us who have lived for more than a few years, this kind of response is not a new phenomenon. Students often represent a moral barometer on social issues, including but not limited to war and injustice. They often organize and engage in prophetic speech and action.

Siding against protesting students and instead aligning with those who attempt to repress them almost always ends up on the wrong side of history. Nevertheless, some universities, cities, law enforcement, and expressions of the military have attempted to break up protests, arrest students, tear down encampments, and exercise violent reprisals, including tear gassing, forcible restraint, and sometimes worse.

On May 4, 1970, the Ohio National Guard descended on Kent State to exert authority and maintain order. As a result, four unarmed students were killed. Others were harmed and wounded. It was entirely unnecessary. Horrific things like this happen when force is brought to bear when citizens peacefully engage in free speech and right of assembly.

If better angels were summoned in such a time as this, I believe they would counsel restraint, slow response, and free expression. University administrators would be talking with students, and doing so in public spaces. Use of law enforcement would be limited to incidents of violence or expression of hate speech.

Easy? No, not at all. But in a free society, one in which we want to tilt away from authoritarianism and the use of law enforcement and the military against our own citizens, the effort is worth it. We generally have a sad track record in how we have responded to free speech and the right to assembly during hard public conversations.

We could try to get it right this time and avoid repeating one more Kent State.