With friends like Glenn Beck…
Israel’s international standing and relationship with Jewish-Americans is threatened as Israel is increasingly linked to right-wing political agendas in the United States. This situation has been exacerbated as controversial American broadcaster Glenn Beck has tried to remake himself into Israel’s champion. Beck, who is currently in Israel to lead his “Restoring Courage” rally in Jerusalem, has become a marginal and toxic figure in the United States. So much so that Fox News ended his daily show earlier this year.
Beck has used his media platforms to promote secular anti-Semitic conspiracy theorists and evangelical end-times prophets. What these two groups have in common is an obsession with Jews and the belief that Jews control and manipulate the lives and destiny of non-Jews.
Although Beck is a convert to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormonism ), he has developed close ties with a group of evangelicals who are career Christian Zionists. Beck headlined this year’s conference of Christians United for Israel (CUFI ), founded by televangelist John Hagee. Hagee had appeared several times on Beck’s show, including one where they speculated the earth as we know it would end within 20 years.
Beck’s embrace by Israeli leaders is further indication to Americans that support for Israel is becoming linked to an extreme political agenda in the United States. This threatens to alienate Jews and Christians, Democrats and Republicans.
Ironically, this alienation of Israel is seen by Christian Zionists as fulfilling end-times prophecy, which, they claim, requires a second Jewish holocaust before Jesus returns. Surviving Jews must accept Jesus before a 1000-year Christian utopia, ruled from Jerusalem, can begin.
Beck’s cultivation of Israeli leaders follows, step by step, the instructions Christian Zionists have used to gain access to Jewish communities and leaders. One of the most popular of these manuals is the 2001 book, “Your People Shall Be My People,” by Don Finto. Finto’s network of evangelists is encouraging churches around the world to “bless Israel” by supporting Messianic Jewish ministries and proselytizing Jews. His book has been promoted internationally, including by directors of Hagee’s CUFI.
