The Blessing And The Curse Of America
by J. D. Longstreet
***********************
I’ve said a number of times that I am not a minister, Pastor, Padre, or Reverend. There are times, I admit, when I may SOUND like it, but I assure you, I am not. I’m a southern gentleman (at least I like to think I am a gentleman!) of a “certain” generation.
James Dickey, the former poet laureate of South Carolina and author of a number of novels… one of which you may remember… “Deliverance,” once replied to a reporter’s request to define a southern gentleman said: “A southern gentleman is a southern man with a bible in one hand and a cannon ball in the other.” Well said, sir!
I thought this piece might need a preamble because I’m going to rub up against some religious belief in my scribbling here offered.
"How will diplomatic pressure work to change Hamas or Hezbollah, where even military force has so far failed? If anything, one can predict coming pressure on Israel to acknowledge the legitimacy of these two terrorist groups, and to negotiate with them as equals." Thus said John Bolton, former US Ambassador to the United Nations a few days ago. Bolton also said: "Almost invariably, Israel is the loser - because Israel is the party most dependent on the United States, most subject to U.S. pressure and most susceptible to the inevitable chorus of received wisdom from Western diplomats, media and the intelligentsia demanding concessions. When pressure must be applied to make compromises, it's always easier to pressure the more reasonable side….” Bolton said this is "… bad news for Israel, and for America." Read the story HERE.
John Bolton said all this in an article published in the New York Post last Friday (03-13-09). You can read the entire article HERE.
Bolton has hit the nail squarely on its head! For some reason, I have yet to understand, “The Left” seems to hold Israel responsible for all the ills of the Middle East. And they go all the way back to the founding of the modern state of Israel as the root cause of those problems. Bolton says the Obama administration sees Israel as one of the biggest problems in the Middle East. He said: "…the Obama administration believes that Israel is as much or more of a problem as it is an ally, at least until Israel's disagreements with its neighbors are resolved."
If Mr. Bolton is to be believed, and I DO believe him, (in fact, I share his opinion of the Obama Administration’s plans to go after Israel) then, Mr. and Mrs. America, you’d better be darned sure your seat belts are snapped in place, and latched securely, because you ain’t seen a bumpy ride for America until she goes after The Chosen People!
Now, I’m not a clergyman… not by any stretch of the imagination. But. I have a fair understanding of the scriptures and as I was raised in an evangelical denomination, added to the fact that my brother is an evangelical minister and a number of my relatives and friends are as well, I am fairly well versed in the evangelical belief about Israel. Those are some of my bona fides to back up what I am about to say.
Many of my evangelical friends are of the belief that America has been under God’s divine protection since its founding. I share their belief that America had a special place in God’s plans for this earth, thus our prosperity, our relative safety, and our extreme good fortune as a nation. I also share my evangelical friends belief that as America began to slip away from obedience to God we have slowly dropped down toward the level of the other nations of the world.
In the last half of the past century America, as seen by the evangelicals, has very nearly severed it’s ties to its heretofore belief in God and obedience to his commands and, as a result, God has been slowly withdrawing his protection from America. America has begun to suffer the same ills as the nations of the world that have not had the relationship with The Almighty America once enjoyed but, sadly, enjoys less today.
The single biggest worry among the evangelicals these days is the belief that only one thing ties that Divine Protection to America today, and one thing ONLY. If, and when, America severs that tie, God’s protection of this country will cease… and… we will be on our own.
What is that one thing? What is that single strand, remaining of the divine rope binding America to God’s protecting hand? Those of us who know, already, have been anxiously watching global developments, holding our collective breathes in the vain hope that the Obama Administration will not sever that link. It appears, however, that our new president is preparing to do just that. Ambassador Bolton gives us increased reason for worry.
For the answer to the question above, we must turn to the scriptures. To be exact, the very first book of the Bible, Genesis, Chapter 12, verse 3: Speaking to Abraham, God makes this promise: “… And I will bless those who bless you, and the one who curses you I will curse. And in you all the families of the earth will be blessed."
That’s it. There is that one remaining “tie that binds,” if you will, America to Divine Protection. It is simply “blessing Israel.” Blessing Israel means doing good things to and for Israel, and yes, when needed, acting as the protector for Israel.
America has been there for Israel since it was made a state on May 14th, 1948. But, unfortunately, for America, and the rest of the world, it now appears that America is about to withdraw its support for Israel, and as a result, complete it’s abandonment of God. It will have cataclysmic results for America. If you think the recent terrorist wars and the economic meltdown of our financial system was, and is, a problem, just wait. A time of great tumult and unbelievable woe awaits America when she forsakes Israel.
America is a unique nation. She has survived when she shouldn’t have. She has prospered beyond any nation on the planet. Many Americans believe, to the very core of their being, the reason for that is… Divine Protection. Many of those people supported Mr. Obama’s bid for the Presidency. If Obama continues on a course to pressure Israel to do that, which is plainly harmful to the security of Israel, he will lose the support of those Americans. Worst yet, he will be sealing the fate of this once great nation by severing America’s last tie to the “God of our Fathers.” Then America will truly be adrift at the mercies of the winds and waves of ill fortune.
Let us all hope that Mr. Netanyahu will have the fortitude to stand up to Mr. Obama and, in doing so, save both Israel and America!
J. D. Longstreet
by J. D. Longstreet
***********************
I’ve said a number of times that I am not a minister, Pastor, Padre, or Reverend. There are times, I admit, when I may SOUND like it, but I assure you, I am not. I’m a southern gentleman (at least I like to think I am a gentleman!) of a “certain” generation.
James Dickey, the former poet laureate of South Carolina and author of a number of novels… one of which you may remember… “Deliverance,” once replied to a reporter’s request to define a southern gentleman said: “A southern gentleman is a southern man with a bible in one hand and a cannon ball in the other.” Well said, sir!
I thought this piece might need a preamble because I’m going to rub up against some religious belief in my scribbling here offered.
"How will diplomatic pressure work to change Hamas or Hezbollah, where even military force has so far failed? If anything, one can predict coming pressure on Israel to acknowledge the legitimacy of these two terrorist groups, and to negotiate with them as equals." Thus said John Bolton, former US Ambassador to the United Nations a few days ago. Bolton also said: "Almost invariably, Israel is the loser - because Israel is the party most dependent on the United States, most subject to U.S. pressure and most susceptible to the inevitable chorus of received wisdom from Western diplomats, media and the intelligentsia demanding concessions. When pressure must be applied to make compromises, it's always easier to pressure the more reasonable side….” Bolton said this is "… bad news for Israel, and for America." Read the story HERE.
John Bolton said all this in an article published in the New York Post last Friday (03-13-09). You can read the entire article HERE.
Bolton has hit the nail squarely on its head! For some reason, I have yet to understand, “The Left” seems to hold Israel responsible for all the ills of the Middle East. And they go all the way back to the founding of the modern state of Israel as the root cause of those problems. Bolton says the Obama administration sees Israel as one of the biggest problems in the Middle East. He said: "…the Obama administration believes that Israel is as much or more of a problem as it is an ally, at least until Israel's disagreements with its neighbors are resolved."
If Mr. Bolton is to be believed, and I DO believe him, (in fact, I share his opinion of the Obama Administration’s plans to go after Israel) then, Mr. and Mrs. America, you’d better be darned sure your seat belts are snapped in place, and latched securely, because you ain’t seen a bumpy ride for America until she goes after The Chosen People!
Now, I’m not a clergyman… not by any stretch of the imagination. But. I have a fair understanding of the scriptures and as I was raised in an evangelical denomination, added to the fact that my brother is an evangelical minister and a number of my relatives and friends are as well, I am fairly well versed in the evangelical belief about Israel. Those are some of my bona fides to back up what I am about to say.
Many of my evangelical friends are of the belief that America has been under God’s divine protection since its founding. I share their belief that America had a special place in God’s plans for this earth, thus our prosperity, our relative safety, and our extreme good fortune as a nation. I also share my evangelical friends belief that as America began to slip away from obedience to God we have slowly dropped down toward the level of the other nations of the world.
In the last half of the past century America, as seen by the evangelicals, has very nearly severed it’s ties to its heretofore belief in God and obedience to his commands and, as a result, God has been slowly withdrawing his protection from America. America has begun to suffer the same ills as the nations of the world that have not had the relationship with The Almighty America once enjoyed but, sadly, enjoys less today.
The single biggest worry among the evangelicals these days is the belief that only one thing ties that Divine Protection to America today, and one thing ONLY. If, and when, America severs that tie, God’s protection of this country will cease… and… we will be on our own.
What is that one thing? What is that single strand, remaining of the divine rope binding America to God’s protecting hand? Those of us who know, already, have been anxiously watching global developments, holding our collective breathes in the vain hope that the Obama Administration will not sever that link. It appears, however, that our new president is preparing to do just that. Ambassador Bolton gives us increased reason for worry.
For the answer to the question above, we must turn to the scriptures. To be exact, the very first book of the Bible, Genesis, Chapter 12, verse 3: Speaking to Abraham, God makes this promise: “… And I will bless those who bless you, and the one who curses you I will curse. And in you all the families of the earth will be blessed."
That’s it. There is that one remaining “tie that binds,” if you will, America to Divine Protection. It is simply “blessing Israel.” Blessing Israel means doing good things to and for Israel, and yes, when needed, acting as the protector for Israel.
America has been there for Israel since it was made a state on May 14th, 1948. But, unfortunately, for America, and the rest of the world, it now appears that America is about to withdraw its support for Israel, and as a result, complete it’s abandonment of God. It will have cataclysmic results for America. If you think the recent terrorist wars and the economic meltdown of our financial system was, and is, a problem, just wait. A time of great tumult and unbelievable woe awaits America when she forsakes Israel.
America is a unique nation. She has survived when she shouldn’t have. She has prospered beyond any nation on the planet. Many Americans believe, to the very core of their being, the reason for that is… Divine Protection. Many of those people supported Mr. Obama’s bid for the Presidency. If Obama continues on a course to pressure Israel to do that, which is plainly harmful to the security of Israel, he will lose the support of those Americans. Worst yet, he will be sealing the fate of this once great nation by severing America’s last tie to the “God of our Fathers.” Then America will truly be adrift at the mercies of the winds and waves of ill fortune.
Let us all hope that Mr. Netanyahu will have the fortitude to stand up to Mr. Obama and, in doing so, save both Israel and America!
J. D. Longstreet
******************
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