Hal Lindsey Report ~ June 28th, 2013

Kinda important, Christian... I'm thankful for this man's ministry.

June 28th, 2013 This week on 'The Hal Lindsey Report'   Iran has a new president-elect that the Administration and the media think is a "moderate." Does this sound like a "moderate?" In 1993, Hassan Rohani officially approved the bombing of a Jewish community center in Buenos Aires, Argentina. 85 people were killed (mostly Jews) and more than 300 injured. He approved of Iran's brutal crackdown on student protesters in 1999. He brags of deceiving the West into allowing Iran's nuclear program to go forward while serving as Iran's nuclear negotiator with the Europeans. Also, Rohani has had a long and close relationship with Iran's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei -- something not common among true Iranian "moderates." Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warns the West not to expect much of a change in Iran. He points out that in Iran the president "doesn't call the shots," the Supreme Leader does. And he hasn't changed. Here's something that may surprise you. Remember the Taliban? They're the guys we've been fighting in Afghanistan, the ones who sheltered and fought alongside Osama bin-Laden. They're the ones who ran Afghanistan for a few years and who are known for their brutality and cruelty -- all in the name of Islam. They publicly lop off the limbs of "infidels;" behead youngsters scavenging for food; behead teenagers (17 of them) who ill-advisedly attend a party that includes both boys and girls; shoot a 15-year old girl in the head for wanting to go to school; strap dynamite belts on small children and send them to American soldiers to beg for candy; treat women and girls as cattle... and that's just the stuff they've done recently that we know about! Anyway, those are the guys President Obama has decided to negotiate with for "peace" in Afghanistan. Not the elected president we've spent billions establishing and supporting in office. Apparently, the State Department feels they can influence the Taliban into "renouncing terrorism and violence." Maybe at the same time the Administration can influence baseball players into renouncing the use of bats while playing the game! What's more, the Taliban doesn't have to give an inch or offer any concessions before the U.S. hands them Afghanistan on a silver platter. They know all of our combat troops will be out of the country next year. They know because our President announced it! If I could find a word more accurate than "stupid," I'd use it. "Naive" might work, but I don't think naivete is involved here. I think, however, it was naivete that drove former President George W. Bush to believe that "democracy" is an antidote to terrorism, poverty, human rights abuses, and a host of other problems plaguing the world. Just because the American Revolution worked here doesn't mean it's going to work everywhere. Just a few years later, it didn't work in France. In fact, revolution there produced the "Reign of Terror." And "revolution" as evidenced in the "Arab Spring" hasn't worked in the Middle East, either. The governments that replaced the old regimes are more brutal and suppressive than their predecessors. Iran is the perfect example of revolution gone wrong. And the Egyptians, among others, are now paying the price, too. Why? Because democracy doesn't survive in cultures dominated by Islam -- which is the antithesis of freedom of choice and action. Democracy is a beautiful thing, but by itself, it isn't enough. Democracy works best in places where Biblical principles are respected. It eventually dies everywhere that respect dies. That's because liberty by itself leads to depravity. Depravity leads to tyranny. I've got news for our government and the West: if you expect the al-Qaeda-led rebels in Syria to successfully set up a government that is of the people, by the people, and for the people, you are sadly mistaken. (Once again, if I could find a better word than "stupid," I'd use it.) It will work no better there than in Iran, Egypt, Iraq, or Afghanistan. History tells us that Muslim nations have never long remained democracies. But history also teaches us that man learns nothing from history. Finally, the World Council of Churches recently issued a statement condemning Israel. The WCC authoritatively pronounced Jerusalem "an occupied city with a government which has adopted discriminatory policies against Christians and Muslims alike." The WCC also says that "Christian Zionism distort[s] the interpretation of the Word of God and the historic connection of Palestinians -- Christians and Muslims -- to the Holy Land...." I'm not sure where the WCC gets its information, but I can tell you two things: when they complain about Christian Zionists' wrong interpretation of the Bible, they have to mean that we take the Bible as literally true and authoritative -- while they do not. Second, when they seek justification by referring to "Palestinian Christians" more than once, they're being disingenuous. The truth is that Christians are a very small minority in the Palestinian areas and they are often persecuted by the Palestinians. But in Israel, Christians are accepted and respected. And it's infinitely better to be a Muslim in Israel than a Jew or Christian in any Arab or Muslim country. And the WCC laughably refers to "the historic connection of Palestinians... to the Holy Land...." The Palestinians, as a people, have only existed for a few decades (invented by Yasser Arafat and his cronies) while Israel's historic connection to the land must be measured in millennia. When these phony Christians condemn the "intolerance" of the most tolerant, open, and accepting society in the Middle East, they reveal more about themselves than about Israel. Israel fights every day to survive. Remember how you felt when you first heard about the bombings at the Boston Marathon? Three died. That feeling is a regular part of Israeli life. From 2001 to 2006, there were 441 terrorist attacks that claimed 1,161 Israeli lives and injured more than 8,600 others. The World Council of Churches says the way to peace is for Israel to withdraw to its "1967 borders." But the terrorists and the Palestinians say this won't satisfy them. They won't be satisfied until Israel is annihilated from the face of the earth. For radical Muslim leaders (are there any others?), the problem is not what Israel does, it's that Israel exists. The Bible is very specific about what will happen to those who mistreat or abuse His people. Whether you are a Muslim who hates Israel or a Christian who has so allegorized the Word of God that you think you can be against Israel and get away with it, you will not. God keeps His word. Don't think He'll not keep it now. I pray that you'll have a happy Fourth of July. Take a few moments to express your gratitude to God for the blessings of this wonderful country. We are, without doubt, the most blessed people on earth. Take time, too, to make certain the young ones in your family hear the story of our founding and understand how truly privileged we are. God bless the United States of America. Don't miss this week's Report on TBN, Daystar, CPM Network, The Word Network, various local stations, www.hallindsey.com or www.hischannel.com. Check your local listings. God Bless, Hal Lindsey