Rev. Dale Crowley hands out anti-Zionist literature. Who would Jesus bomb? The answer is “nobody.” These protesters make more sense than John Hagee.

‘Mite’ Makes Right

Zionist evangelist says God wants U.S. to attack Iran . . . and suckers to give generously to his pro-Israel church

By James P. Tucker Jr — AFP

Thousands of fundamentalist Christians joined atheist Jews in another “solidarity” event that filled the pockets of Israeli flak John Hagee with gold while filling the minds of innocents with the notion that a merciful God endorses aggressive war and mass torture and slaughter of Palestinian men, women and children.

The gruesome message was sent to Congress and the world when Christians United for Israel (CUFI), founded by high-income television evangelist John Hagee, met in Washington July 16-19. CUFI organizers announced that God wants the United States to launch a holy war against Iran to protect Israel and allow further expansion of its borders. No Israeli blood is to spill, only that of Americans.

Hagee works hard to keep his finances under cover but it involves big bucks. In 2003, The San Antonio Express-News investigated Hagee’s filings with the IRS. The newspaper reported that Hagee received millions of dollars in compensation and benefits in 2001 for his church and TV work and had a trust that includes a nearly 8,000 acre, $2.1 million Texas ranch with a mansion and three barns for his horses, cows, servants and limousines.

Embarrassed, Hagee reorganized his holdings in a manner that allowed him to avoid making public filings. In September 2004 he had his Global Evangelism Television re-registered as a church under the name Grace Church of San Antonio. Churches, unlike religious TV companies and other nonprofit groups, are exempt from filing detailed returns with the IRS. A further reorganization moved all assets into Cornerstone Church. None of the church’s financial records are publicly available, yet Hagee said the change was for “greater clarity.”

The vast majority of evangelical ministers are good, sincere people working to save souls, feed the hungry and clothe the naked. But Hagee is among a few well-known exceptions. Evangelist Jimmy Bakker preached honesty and chastity, but had sexual relations with a young girl on his staff and went to jail for tax evasion, where he shared a cell with Lyndon LaRouche.

Evangelist Jimmy Swaggart exploited Bakker’s downfall in an effort to claim his empire. But Swaggart’s own empire went belly up when it was learned that he patronized prostitutes. In the 1950s, evangelist Oral Roberts exhorted the “widow to give her mite.” Poor, frail old ladies would trot down his sawdust trail and put coins in his cup. Roberts, according to Time, wore $60 shirts— expensive 50 years ago.

But thousands of well-dressed evangelicals gave their “mite” to Hagee as a price for favor with God. “When you give, it qualifies you to receive God’s abundance,” Hagee tells his flock. “If you’re not prospering, it’s because you’re not giving.”

While Hagee’s flock was inside the Washington Convention Center calling for an American invasion of Iran, a diverse group—men, women, old and young—were outside educating those who entered. Among them were Willis Carto, founder of Liberty Lobby in 1955, and Washington-area radio evangelist Dale Crowley Jr. Both presented copies of Crowley’s special report titled “Open Letter to Jerry Falwell,” which documents Israel’s brutal occupation of Palestinian lands and unquestioning blank-check support by the United States. “Open Letter to Jerry Falwell” was published by American Free Press. Order it by calling AFP at 1-888-699-NEWS.

Author-philanthropist E. Stanley Rittenhouse passed out literature challenging Biblical interpretations of “Christian Zionists.” Representatives of Pharisee Watch! also challenged claims of Biblical blessings for demanding aggressive war against Iran on behalf of Israel.

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Article Source: American Free Press