Importance of Israel’s War

The news has been non-stop in its presentation of a little war in a mostly undesirable part of the world that comprises a little more land than Rhode Island in the United States. Strangely, what happens in Israel can effect the whole world. Why? Because that tiny spot represents the religious history of very powerful religious groups. There are the Christians who formed from the Jewish heritage and rapidly grew. Muslims claim to be true inheritors of the “People of the Book” (i.e. in the Koran and not the Bible), with the others as apostates and enemies of truth. This combination of people laying claim to such a small territory is bound to cause trouble.

Right now the war is between the Jews and the Muslims, with Christians acting as some kind of back seat drivers. This is to be expected. Very powerful Muslim countries are itching for a fight between East and West, or in their view the Righteous and the Infidel. A no-holds bar war would draw the “Christian” nations in, if for no other reason than oil profits. There are those who say “curse on both your houses” against Muslims and Jews in the recent conflict, but that is wrong. Again and again the aggressor has been Muslims, with Israel as a ripe target for religious zealots. They don't want peace, but power of the ultimate kind.

Those who are for peace must stand with Israel if they believe in freedom, democracy, and civilization. That means more than railing against terrorists, but holding all Islamic countries responsible. Very few speak out against the terrorist acts of a few because they secretly, if not openly, support them. They consider it a struggle against infidels and want all people to worship Allah. It is not enough for simple missionary work (that is actually going well when it comes to Islamic growth), but they want to conquer the world. The problem is, there are groups like Israel and the United States that refuse to cooperate. And so, the sins of the terrorists are put on the heads of the defenders:

And whom do you blame for your plight? Logic would seem to dictate that the Hezbollah terrorists and their suppliers are to blame. If Iran and Syria weren’t funding, training, and supplying Hezbollah terrorists, none of this would have happened in the first place. If they weren’t launching missiles from your neighborhood, Israeli forces wouldn’t have bombed your neighborhood. Failing that, if terrorists hadn’t prevented your friends and family members from leaving, they wouldn’t have been hurt by Israeli bombs, even though, their homes and their possessions would have been destroyed as Israel worked to defend itself.

But, no, the blame falls squarely on the U.S. Why? Because the U.S. sells military weaponry to Israel. Because the U.S. is Israel’s ally. The U.S. doesn’t have to be within a thousand miles of the conflict to be at fault. There is no outrage expressed toward the Iranian mullahs and Syrian dictator that provide the missiles and war materiel that keep the conflict going after more than a month. There is no anger expressed toward the terrorists (brave martyrs, freedom fighters) that started and continue to pursue the war.

The solution to the Lebanese people featured in the article, of course, is to get rid of the Jews. One woman says, “They [Americans] have a big country, so why don't they give them [Jews] some land there so we can live in peace.” Another woman says, “I just wish I had a plane so I could destroy Israel, Bush and his dog Olmert.”

It is not as if Israel has, at least at this time in history, missed opportunities to reconcile with the Islamic world around them. They have made concessions that any other country would consider acts of treason. Yet, exactly what they have feared would happen with such concessions has happened. Instead of making things better, it only makes things worse. And if the Muslims finally do win and destroy Israel from off the Levant, it would be a mistake to think that is as far as they will go. They want us all and we shouldn't let them have it:

Israel has a right to exist, as much as anyone. You name a people and we could turn all those arguments against them. Heck at least the Jews paid for the land to begin with even if others feel that they can tell them what they own and what they don't.

It is more than enough time for the rest of us to DEMAND that Islam finally act like they keep claiming and start to be a people of peace. Israel has acted UNILATERALLY and still it is not enough, giving up the Gaza which of course now is where they are being hit from. . .

I don't want to be forced to live your religion, your sharia laws or the way you treat women. You can keep that garbage. None of it is worthy or of good report. If you want it STAY THERE! If you want peace, my first suggestion is that you let go of your bigotry against Jews.

An argument will inevitably be presented that says that not all Muslims are radicals or support them. I wish that were true (and for some few it might be), but it is their responsibility to clean up their religion and not the rest of us. It is this self-cleaning that has helped develop so many strains of Christianity and helped neutralize the more violent portion. In some ways it has sadly diluted the faith of Christ, but at least has opened up a dialogue that can be shared by individuals without much compulsion. Even the most radical “fundamentalist” groups are not blowing up hospitals and schools.

Compare what a few angry Christians say with what a leader of a powerful group who has shown they will do what they say, has said:

From The Intelligence Summit:
Iran’s Hizbollah, which claims links to the Lebanese group of the same name, said on Tuesday it stood ready to attack Israeli and U.S. interests worldwide.
“We have 2,000 volunteers who have registered since last year,” said Iranian Hizbollah’s spokesman Mojtaba Bigdeli, speaking by telephone from the central seminary city of Qom.
“They have been trained and they can become fully armed. We are ready to dispatch them to every corner of the world to jeopardise Israel and America’s interests. We are only waiting for the Supreme Leader’s green light to take action. If America wants to ignite World War Three … we welcome it,” he said.

Whoa, whoa whoa.. Hang on one sec. Does this sound to anybody else like this?:

And it seemeth a pity unto me, most noble Lachoneus, that ye should be so foolish and vain as to suppose that ye can stand against so many brave men who are at my command, who do now at this time stand in their arms, and do await with great anxiety for the word—Go down upon the Nephites and destroy them.
And I, knowing of their unconquerable spirit, having proved them in the field of battle, and knowing of their everlasting hatred towards you because of the many wrongs which ye have done unto them, therefore if they should come down against you they would visit you with utter destruction.
I swear unto you with an oath, that on the morrow month I will command that my armies shall come down against you, and they shall not stay their hand and shall spare not, but shall slay you, and shall let fall the sword upon you even until ye shall become extinct. (3 Nephi 3:3-4,8)

The answer to all of this might be disturbing, but it might also be the only answer. We must forget the “innocents” of the Muslim people and hold them all as responsible. They are upholding these evil men without either speaking out or fighting them. The wicked become heroes and “freedom fighters” instead of the violent Islamo-fascists they really are behind the curtain of protectors of the poor and downtrodden. Upholding the terrorists make them one of them with or without weapons. If they make peace than they are worthy and if they stand with the violent than they should accept their fate:

15 As the LORD commanded Moses his servant, so did Moses command Joshua, and so did Joshua; he left nothing undone of all that the LORD commanded Moses.

16 So Joshua took all that land, the hills, and all the south country, and all the land of Goshen, and the valley, and the plain, and the mountain of Israel, and the valley of the same;

17 Even from the mount Halak, that goeth up to Seir, even unto Baal-gad in the valley of Lebanon under mount Hermon: and all their kings he took, and smote them, and slew them.

18 Joshua made war a long time with all those kings.

19 There was not a city that made peace with the children of Israel, save the Hivites the inhabitants of Gibeon: all other they took in battle.

20 For it was of the Lord to harden their hearts, that they should come against Israel in battle, that he might destroy them utterly, and that they might have no favour, but that he might destroy them, as the LORD commanded Moses. (Joshua 11: 15-20)

Israel spared those who would make peace. It was those who wanted war and domination (most of the people of the land of Canaan) who were annihilated. Most of all, the whole of a nation becomes worthy of such derision and destruction when it becomes hard to tell the wicked from the righteous:

37 And it came to pass that the Lamanites did hunt the band of robbers of Gadianton; and they did preach the word of God among the more wicked part of them, insomuch that this band of robbers was utterly destroyed from among the Lamanites.

38 And it came to pass on the other hand, that the Nephites did build them up and support them, beginning at the more wicked part of them, until they had overspread all the land of the Nephites, and had seduced the more part of the righteous until they had come down to believe in their works and partake of their spoils, and to join with them in their secret murders and combinations.

39 And thus they did obtain the sole management of the government, insomuch that they did trample under their feet and smite and rend and turn their backs upon the poor and the meek, and the humble followers of God.

40 And thus we see that they were in an awful state, and ripening for an everlasting destruction. (see Helaman 6: 21-23, 37-40)

Again, it is up to the people to clean house or others will do it for them as “the people” become part of the problem. It is for these reasons that decent people should stand with Israel and hold the Muslims (all of them) accountable for what is going on in their countries. It is true that both the West and Israel are not completely innocent. But, at least they are trying where the Muslims continue to make excuses, stand by terrorists, and do nothing without violent threats. This behavior must stop and wrongdoers held accountable before any lasting peace can be achieved.

This might not happen, according to prophecy, until the end comes and Jesus Christ returns. Too bad, for there is much to admire about Islam when it lives up to itself. Barbarism has made it unworthy of respect.