May 12, 2003
God is on Israel's side,
SBC leader declares at prayer breakfast
___WASHINGTON (BP)--The United States should support Israel because the Jewish state has a far more powerful ally than the world's superpower, Richard Land said at a prayer breakfast at the Israeli embassy in Washington, D.C.
___Speaking to about 800 people May 2, the president of the Southern Baptist Convention's Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission said he supports Israel as a Christian and as an American.
___As an American, he supports Israel because he knows "a fellow lover of liberty and freedom and a believer in human dignity when I see one, and I see them in the Jews and in the nation of Israel," Land said. "And I want God to bless America. And America needs to support Israel more than Israel needs our support, because Israel has an ally far stronger than the United States of America. He is called the Lion of Judah."
___God "blesses those who bless the Jews, and God curses those who curse the Jews," Land said.
___Support for Israel by Christians is a "matter of conviction, and it will never be surrendered," Land said. Support for the Jewish state and her people "is biblical," he said. "It is the fulfillment of biblical promises. We have seen God fulfill his promises in that the Jews are back in the land and they are going to be there; they're never going to leave."
___The breakfast came only two days after the "road map" to Mideast peace was officially unveiled to Israel and the Palestinians. The plan--proposed by the United States, Russia, United Nations and European Union--calls for a Palestinian state with temporary borders this year and a permanent state in 2005. Critics of the plan say it could result in a division of Jerusalem, with Palestinians controlling half the city.
___No quartet or trio or "even a beloved president ... can give away what they do not own," said Gary Bauer, president of American Values and former Republican Party presidential candidate. Jerusalem belonged to the Jews when "Washington was a swamp," he said.
___Televangelist John Hagee of San Antonio told the audience: "As Christians, we believe that Jerusalem is now and forever shall be the eternal and undivided capital of the state of Israel. Jerusalem is not up for negotiation with anyone for any reason at any time in the future."
___Hagee also called on Congress to move the United States embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.
___Other speakers at the prayer and solidarity breakfast included Israeli Ambassador Daniel Ayalon and Christian Coalition President Roberta Combs.
The Baptist Standard
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