Episodes
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Franklin Graham, son of evangelist Billy Graham has demonstrated that he is a Christian Zionist. On November 11, 2023, when he prostrated before Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. This 1 minute. 28-second video verifies this. Our post, "Franklin Graham Goes to Bat for Israel and Is Challenged" gives another look at Mr. Graham's fervent Christian Zionist theology.
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During Operation Cast Lead by the Israeli Occupation Forces ending in January 2009, over 300 innocent, Palestinian children, such as this child from Gaza, were brutally murdered.
Update: 2024: We Hold These Truths has challenged Christian Zionism for over 20 years. Christian Zionism’s influence on American politics is still powerful. The recent address by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin to the US Congress on July 24, 2024, corroborates this—for example, Speaker of the House. Mike Johnson (R – La) is a Christian Zionist who can’t do enough to fund Israel’s genocide of Palestinians in Gaza.
Lorrie Rutledge rejected Christian Zionist Theology
This interview with Lorrie Rutledge is over 10 years old but is even more relevant today with over 16,000 Palestinian children killed since October 7, 2023, by Israel. Lorrie woke up to the errors of her theology when she was convicted of the Israeli murder of 300 Palestinian children in Gaza during their Operation Cast Lead in 2008-9.
Lorrie Rutledge, from Michigan, was a Christian Zionist who didn’t know she was one because her pastors had told her that the modern state of Israel was the fulfillment of Biblical prophecy and deserved support by Christians, and, she never questioned them. One day, a friend of Lorrie asked her to watch a video that showed pictures of murdered Palestinian children. Lorrie went to work to find out if what she saw was true. This podcast is about Lorrie’s journey out of Christian Zionism. Don’t miss it. It’s very inspiring. And, if you’re not sure about the Israeli treatment of Palestinian children, you need to watch the recent Australian Broadcasting Company documentary about the brutal and ongoing attacks against Palestinian Children. Click Here
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Missing episodes?
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A powerful retelling of Jesus' parable of The Good Samaritan is made by Rev. Dr. Munther Issac from the Evangelical Lutheran Christmas Church in Bethlehem, at The Way Christian Center in Berkeley, CA on August 11, 2024. Several things are remarkable about Rev. Issac's message. He tells the parable as a follower of Christ and as a Palestinian to a predominantly Black, evangelical, inner-city church. Evangelical churches in America, for the most part, have turned their backs on the ongoing genocide of Palestinians in Gaza. Meanwhile, the US Congress hosted a speech by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and gave him 58 standing ovations as the US continues to supply the munitions to sustain the genocide in Gaza. Please watch Rev. Issac's address: "Silence Is Complicity: A Palestinian Call to Action" while on tour with Friends of Sabeel North America (FOSNA).
Pastor Michael McBride of the Way Christian Center
welcomes Rev. Dr. Munther Issac to the pulpit
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Friends of Sabeel North America (FOSNA), A Christian Voice for Palestine, presents Rev. Dr. Munther Isaac: "Empty calls for peace without a ceasefire and end to the occupation, and the shallow words of empathy without direct action, are all under the banner of complicity." Rev. Munther Isaac is on an eight-city speaking tour sponsored by FOSNA. This talk is his address at the Claremont Presbyterian Church in Claremont, CA on August 8, 2024. Rev. Munther addresses the silence of many U.S. churches in the face of genocide and Christian Zionism's support of apartheid in the West Bank and Gaza.
Rev. Munther Isaac is a Palestinian pastor and theologian. He now serves the Evangelical Lutheran Christmas Church in Bethlehem and the Lutheran Church in Beit Sahour. He is also the academic dean of Bethlehem Bible College and director of the highly acclaimed and influential "Christ at the Checkpoint" conferences.
During the genocide in Gaza, Munther gained global attention for his sermon, "Christ under the Rubble," which was heard by tens of millions of people and subsequently quoted in South Africa's case against Israel at the International Court of Justice. He has appeared on CNN, BBC, Al Jazeera, MSNBC, CBS, TRT, and Democracy Now! Munther is passionate about issues related to Palestinian theology. He speaks locally and internationally and has published numerous articles on the theology of the land, Palestinian Christians, holistic mission, and reconciliation. He is the author of "The Other Side of the Wall," "From Land to Lands, from Eden to the Renewed Earth," "An Introduction to Palestinian Theology" (in Arabic), a commentary on the book of Daniel (in Arabic), and more recently a book on women's ordination, also in Arabic. He is a Kairos Palestine board member involved in many reconciliation and interfaith forums. Munther originally studied civil engineering at Birzeit University in Palestine. He then obtained a Master in Biblical Studies from Westminster Theological Seminary and a PhD from the Oxford Centre for Mission Studies.
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When two young American Jews raised to unconditionally love Israel witness the brutal way Israel treats Palestinians, their lives take sharp left turns. They join a movement of young American Jews battling the old guard to redefine Judaism’s relationship with Israel, revealing a deepening generational divide over modern Jewish identity. "ISRAELISM" is directed by two first-time Jewish filmmakers who share a similar story to the film’s protagonists. The documentary uniquely explores how Jewish attitudes towards Israel are changing dramatically, with massive consequences for the region and for Judaism itself.
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Most people say, “If I had been alive in the 1940s and known about the Nazi death camps, I surely would have done something to stop that slaughter.” Sing A Little Louder is a short film portraying how one small church in World War II Germany dealt with the cries of Jewish prisoners, trapped in cattle cars and headed for the death camps. They just – “Sang a little louder.”Proverbs 24:11-12 states:"Rescue those who are being taken away to death;hold back those who are stumbling to the slaughter.If you say, 'Behold, we did not know this,'does not He who weighs the heart perceive it?Does not He who keeps watch over your soul know it,and will He not repay man according to his work?"Today, we have the slaughter and genocide of Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank, some of whom are our Brothers and Sisters in Christ! This time, social media and instant communication capture the horrors, even if FOX, CNN, MSNBC, and PBS choose not to. We also see an unholy alliance between the Zionist State of Israel, the US Government, and the Evangelical churches. Ask a Christian this question:
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Rich Siegel was raised Jewish and was an ardent Zionist growing up who became the president of a student Zionist organization. He moved to Israel in his twenties and worked there for a while. A job offer brought him back to the US and led him to ultimately reject Zionism and become an activist for peace and justice for Palestinians. In 2008, Rich led a We Hold These Truths' Project Strait Gate vigil in Paramus, NJ assisted by Chuck Carlson, founder of WHTT. You will find Rich's journey out of Zionism remarkable and inspiring. You can read his article. "On Gaza & Being Jewish" (Here). Also, more about Rich is on our website. (Here)
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Israel's genocidal war on the Palestinians in Gaza has renewed support among Christian Zionist churches. They are holding special events to support Israel. Evangelical churches that are not overtly Christian Zionist from the pulpit are unwilling to hold prayer sessions for peace and a ceasefire in Gaza. They might be accused of supporting Hamas and upset those Christian Zionists/Super Patriots in their congregation who might be offended and cut their tithes or leave. Chris, Craig, and Tom from We Hold These Truths discuss and show examples of this phenomenon like Franklin Graham's meeting with Prime Minister Netanyahu in Israel to pledge his undying support. Never mind the killing of innocent women and children in Gaza.
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Regis Tremblay of Dateline News & Conversations interviewed Tom Compton of We Hold These Truths on Christian Zionism. With over 23,000 Palestinians murdered in Gaza at this point, the situation is becoming a human catastrophe there while American churches are silent, for the most part, in calling for peace and a cease-fire in Gaza. Learn why this is so in this interview.
Tom met Regis in 2013 when he hosted a film showing of Regis' remarkable documentary, The Ghosts of Jeju in Phoenix, AZ. Regis describes his film: "This is my award-winning, blockbuster film about the people of Jeju Island, S. Korea who had been protesting the construction of a large naval base in the village of Gangjeong to accommodate Obama's "pivot to Asia." Now completed, it has destroyed this pristine, UNESCO-protected environment as well as the livelihoods of the farmers and fishermen who have lived there for 500 years. What I discovered was shocking! The US Government of Korea which occupied S. Korea at the end of WWII, feared a peasant uprising against this occupation and rose up against it in massive protests. Fearing a "communist" uprising, the US military organized, trained, armed, and commanded a militia of Koreans and ordered a crackdown on these unarmed peasants. From 1946-47, as many as 50,000 peasants were massacred in what was essentially a free-fire zone on the entire island.
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Palestinian Pastor Munther Ishaq of the Evangelical Lutheran Christmas Church in Bethlehem was interviewed by Katie Hallper and Aaron Matte of the Useful Idiots on January 4, 2024, and revealed how Palestinian Christians are being ignored for the most part by Christians in the US. Pastor Munther's video "Look for Jesus Under the Rubble in Gaza" went viral and exposed people to the reality of what is going on with the genocide in Gaza. In this interview, Pastor Munther reveals that the conflict is not about religion as the Israeli government and the mainstream media tell us. The irony of this interview is that the interviewers are Jewish with a genuine heart for peace and justice for the Palestinians. Any Christian who watches this and is not affected by this must have a heart of stone. What will you do with this information? Tell other people or hide it under a bushel?
Pastor Munther Ishaq beside his Christ in the rubble Nativity scene.
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This video was made 14 years ago when We Hold These Truths held a vigil at the Christians United For Israel (CUFI) "Night to Honor Israel" event in Phoenix, AZ. Back then attendees interviewed told us they supported the wars in the Middle East to protect Israel. Nothing has changed since then, Zionised Christians still believe that wars are necessary to protect Israel. After the October 7, 2023 attack by Hamas on Israel when they broke out of the world's largest open-air prison the rhetoric has now changed to "We must eradicate the evil Hamas". Of course, there is no concern by Israeli supporters about the now over 19,000 Palestinians that have been killed by Israel's vindictive siege on Gaza. About 70% of the victims are innocent women and children. To prove their continued support for Israel, Cornerstone Church led by John Hagee held on October 22, 2023, a "Night to Honor Israel" event described in the article "A San Antonio Megachurch Plays an Outsized Role in Supporting Israel's War Efforts" in the Texas Monthly.
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This is quite a remarkable story, With the support of the Fresno mayor, Israeli activists were allowed to raise the Israeli flag in Eaton Park. Palestinian activists took up the challenge with help from a Fresno City Councilman were allowed to raise the Palestinian flag as reported from GVWIRE: Fresno City Council Members Clash Over Palestinian Flag Raising at City Park
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Around the world, Christians will celebrate the birth of Jesus in 2023 pretty much as they have in the past. But in Bethlehem, there will be no community Christmas celebrations. Munther Ishaq, pastor of a Lutheran church in Bethlehem, Palestine explains: "Christmas is the solidarity of God with those who are oppressed, with those who are suffering. and if Jesus is to be born again this time, this year, He will be born in Gaza under the rubble in solidarity with the people of Gaza."
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Israeli journalist, Yuval Abraham. who writes for +972 and was interviewed by Owen Jones, explains that Israel's IDF now defines "Collateral Damage" as allowing 200 civilian deaths to attack one Hama target. Previously it was allegedly 5 civilians per Hamas target. Yuval's article, "'A mass assassination factory’: Inside Israel’s calculated bombing of Gaza" explains the permissive airstrikes on non-military targets and the use of an artificial intelligence system that has enabled the Israeli army to carry out its deadliest war on Gaza.
Civilian deaths in Gaza far outweigh Hamas fighters deaths.
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In this heart-wrenching report by AlJazeera, "Why does Israel target Palestinian hospitals? Psyops, say analysts" there is a 2-minute video "Gaza war: 31 premature babies evacuated from al-Shifa as Israel seizes hospital". Although the large evangelical church I attend does not preach Christian Zionist dogma from the pulpit, there is a Christian Zionist undertow within the congregation that might begrudge showing any compassion towards the Palestinians. Here's the letter that I sent to the pastor to challenge him to pray for peace and a ceasefire in Gaza.
"Pastor, your sermon on Sunday was good however I was greatly saddened by your preamble prayer. You did not pray for peace and a ceasefire in the Israel/Palestine conflict. My friend at her evangelical church said their pastor prayed for peace in Israel this past Sunday. The "war" has escalated and the death toll in Gaza continues to rise with more than 5,000 innocent Palestinian children being killed. Israel's latest atrocity is the siege on the Al Shifa hospital where 39 premature babies were forced to be evacuated to a southern hospital in Gaza. I beseech you to watch this 2-minute video report at the bottom of the AlJazeera report on this tragedy. Eight of the babies could not be transported because they died. I pray that this will motivate you and the elders to call for a churchwide prayer meeting to pray for peace and a cease-fire to this conflict that is spiraling out of control.
Our leaders in Washington do not want a ceasefire. But we as followers of Christ are called by Jesus to be peacemakers. I would guess that there is a sizeable number of members at our church who may, because of their eschatological beliefs requiring them to protect Israel no matter what it does, not want a ceasefire or prayer meeting. Recall one of our members who was baptized at our church told me that all the Palestinians should be killed. If the genocide continues, his wish may come true. I pray that our church will stand for peace and the protection of innocent lives.Peace & Blessings,Tom Compton -
Jeremy Nell on his TNT internet radio show, Jerm Warfare interviews Tom Compton of We Hold These Truths about the theology of Christian Zionism and how it relates to Israel's current punitive war on Gaza. At the time of the interview over 11,000 Palestinians in Gaza have been killed by Israel. Over 4,000 of those killed were children.
We Hold These Truths has conducted over 200 vigils since 2002 like this one at the Southern Baptist Convention's annual meeting in Phoenix.
Jeremy Nell is an award-winning political cartoonist from South Africa, whose work has been featured in numerous publications, in various languages, around the world since 2005. His website Jerm Warfare and podcasts, discuss counter-narrative ideas, and have featured some of the greatest minds in the world, such as Robert Kennedy, David Icke, Victor Davis Hanson, Peter McCullough, John McAfee, and Scott Adams.
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Max Blumenthal with The Gray Zone has been a long-time supporter of justice for the Palestinians. In Killing Gaza, journalists Dan Cohen and Max Blumenthal documented Israel’s 2014 war on Gaza. This film is a chilling visual document of war crimes committed by the Israeli military, featuring direct testimony and evidence from the survivors. And, now in 2023, the Israeli genocidal, retribution attack on Gaza pales what it did in 2014. In this 6-minute interview, Max talks about the influence of the Christian Zionist lobby led by Christians United For Israel which was formed with the aid of Israel.
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Chuck Carlson was interviewed by Mark Glen on The Liberty Hour program way back in 2009. What he said then about Christian Zionism and the Christian right is still true today. We found this interview treasure hidden in an archive and we think it needs to see the light of day again. Especially so, in light of the genocidal attack on Gaza by Israel as retribution for Hamas breaking out of the world's largest open-air prison on October 7, 2023, and attacking Israel. The killing of innocent civilians whether they are Israelis or Palestinians is deplorable. For 16 years before this attack by Hamas, Israel had attacked Gaza numerous times while killing thousands of women and children.
Chuck Carlson with a Palestinian woman from Gaza at an Occupy AIPAC rally in Washington, DC in 2012.
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The October 7, 2023 attack inside Israel has resulted in an unprecedented and genocidal reaction by Israel that eclipses their four previous assaults on Gaza. Over 7,000 Palestinians have been killed. Almost half were children. This video by Stop World Control was made after the Hamas attack and is quite revealing. It's entitled "The Mystery of Israel - Solved."
Palestinians carry a dead child, found under the rubble of a destroyed house after Israeli air strikes on Gaza City, 24 October 2023 (AP)
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The world seems to be backing Israel without question on the recent violence committed against them by Hamas forces that broke out of Gaza (the world's largest open-air prison) and attacked. Sadly, there were civilian casualties on both sides. Such actions are as horrific as were the three previous Israeli, collective punishment "wars" in Gaza that targeted civilians. Violence only begets more violence. Our beltway pundits and the mainstream media have called the attack by Hamas "Unprovoked". This would indicate that Israel has not provoked Palestinians in the past. The documentary People and the Land: The Story of A People Under Occupation was made in 1997 and funded by PBS but was prevented from airing on public TV. This documentary delves into the history of the conflict and is a valuable reminder that the Zionists have been provoking Palestinians for over 75 years.
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