Some Random Thoughts
Had I not grown a brain and left my fundamentalist Bible-Presbyterian church for Orthodoxy, I would have condoned Israel's actions in the Lebanon today.
While growing up, I was taught (i.e. indoctrinated) that the Jews were God's chosen people (this I do not dispute) and Israel is fulfilling her destiny as laid out in the Bible. I was told that God Himself wills that the borders of Israel stretch from the Mediterranean Sea to the Arabian Desert, from the Red Sea to the Euphrates River (as it was in King Solomon's day). I was told how Israel's sometimes ruthless actions were always provoked by Muslims. I was told how Israel defeated the world in a series of wars (at 6 years of age, the world seemed to be made up of 8 countries) and that she will always be victorious because the Jews are God's chosen people.
I was told nothing of the immense American aid to Israel. I was told nothing of the powerful international Jewish lobby. I was told nothing of the scores of Christians living under the Zionist yoke and in neighbouring countries.
To my young, infantile mind, the Jews were the "good guys" and that the Arabs, the spawn of Ishmael, were the "villains". It does not shock me if many Protestants today still hold on to this overly-simplistic and immature worldview.
Hardly surprising, since the majority of Protestants (liberal and fundamentalist alike) have proven themselves again and again to be highly adept at selective reading as well as being grandmasters at logical fallacies, as Kenny has shown us some days ago.
It has been about a decade since I believed the Christian Zionist nonsense that my former church propagated. When, at the age of 14, I discovered Orthodoxy and began challenging many viewpoints held by Fundamentalist Protestants (political as well as theological), I realised that many of those stemmed from ignorance and a stunning unwillingness to learn.
To them, all Arabs are Muslim and therefore, warlike and wish the destruction of the Jewish state. Ergo, should Israel launch any strike on Arab land, it's only because the Arabs asked for it. I'm not making any of this up - in a recent conversation (argument, more like) with a ardent and devout member of my former church, he displayed a total disregard of human life ("they attacked first, they deserve the retribution") as well as an uncompromising support for Zionism, because God wills it. Amazing that he can also condemn the Roman Catholic Church for her Crusades during the same conversation. Now, this may be just be one person's view, but I assure readers that in all my 15 years spent in this church, I have learnt that the view doesn't differ very much from member to member.
We can only hope that the recent events will open their eyes to the death and destruction Israel has brought (and is bringing) to its poor neighbour. However, the chances of that are very slim. As for me, I am incredibly thankful for being liberated from the oppressive ignorance and stupidity of fundamentalist Protestantism.
While growing up, I was taught (i.e. indoctrinated) that the Jews were God's chosen people (this I do not dispute) and Israel is fulfilling her destiny as laid out in the Bible. I was told that God Himself wills that the borders of Israel stretch from the Mediterranean Sea to the Arabian Desert, from the Red Sea to the Euphrates River (as it was in King Solomon's day). I was told how Israel's sometimes ruthless actions were always provoked by Muslims. I was told how Israel defeated the world in a series of wars (at 6 years of age, the world seemed to be made up of 8 countries) and that she will always be victorious because the Jews are God's chosen people.
I was told nothing of the immense American aid to Israel. I was told nothing of the powerful international Jewish lobby. I was told nothing of the scores of Christians living under the Zionist yoke and in neighbouring countries.
To my young, infantile mind, the Jews were the "good guys" and that the Arabs, the spawn of Ishmael, were the "villains". It does not shock me if many Protestants today still hold on to this overly-simplistic and immature worldview.
Hardly surprising, since the majority of Protestants (liberal and fundamentalist alike) have proven themselves again and again to be highly adept at selective reading as well as being grandmasters at logical fallacies, as Kenny has shown us some days ago.
It has been about a decade since I believed the Christian Zionist nonsense that my former church propagated. When, at the age of 14, I discovered Orthodoxy and began challenging many viewpoints held by Fundamentalist Protestants (political as well as theological), I realised that many of those stemmed from ignorance and a stunning unwillingness to learn.
To them, all Arabs are Muslim and therefore, warlike and wish the destruction of the Jewish state. Ergo, should Israel launch any strike on Arab land, it's only because the Arabs asked for it. I'm not making any of this up - in a recent conversation (argument, more like) with a ardent and devout member of my former church, he displayed a total disregard of human life ("they attacked first, they deserve the retribution") as well as an uncompromising support for Zionism, because God wills it. Amazing that he can also condemn the Roman Catholic Church for her Crusades during the same conversation. Now, this may be just be one person's view, but I assure readers that in all my 15 years spent in this church, I have learnt that the view doesn't differ very much from member to member.
We can only hope that the recent events will open their eyes to the death and destruction Israel has brought (and is bringing) to its poor neighbour. However, the chances of that are very slim. As for me, I am incredibly thankful for being liberated from the oppressive ignorance and stupidity of fundamentalist Protestantism.
posted by Constantine at 5:41:00 pm
2 Comments:
Great post.
I totally agree with you. By the way, really great work with the video you made! Lastly, let peace be with us all and continue our prayers towards ending the conflict between Israel and Lebanon.
Post a Comment
<< Home