The vice-president of B’nai Brith Canada says his organization wants police and the federal government to crack down on pro-Hezbollah demonstrations.

Frank Dimant says the streets of Canada should not be flooded by extremists supporting a known terrorist group. He said his group has asked police forces and government officials to target the rallies.

“The streets of Canada will not be taken over by radical Islamic forces supporting terrorist activities,” he said Wednesday. “B’nai Brith Canada will do its utmost to ensure that Canadians will not be intimidated by these terrorist sympathizers.”

It’s okay for Canadians to rally for Israel, but not okay for Lebanese to call attention to what is occurring in their country? 
Inflammatory words - targeted, flooded, crack down, taken over, intimidated.

Enter the ‘evangelicals’, who are no more benign than pro-Hezbollah demonstrators.

The Christians United for Israel coalition and Jewish groups are calling for a national day of prayer on Aug. 20 in support of Israel and peace in the Middle East.

The group is calling for 18 minutes of prayer. In Hebrew, the word for 18 is “chai,” which also means peace.

Charles McVety, president of the Canada Christian College, said it’s time for Christian leaders to drop their neutral stances and stand by Israel, the birthplace of their religion.

“It’s time for us to throw off this garment of false neutrality and stand shoulder to shoulder with our Jewish friends,” he said. “Each of us must find a way to support Israel in its time of need.”

(Chai is not the word for peace)

Christian Zionism is not the default position for evangelicals, orthodox, moderates or people who claim faith in Jesus Christ. It is not the default position for the government of Canada, and there is no ‘garment of false neutrality’ to ‘throw off’. Christian Zionists are more vocal in the US, and don’t soften their language. What does ’support Israel ‘ really mean?

Supporting or standing by Israel means Armageddon, annihilation by whatever means necessary, it is as much a biblical and political imperative to them as jihad is when a radical Muslim reads it into the Koran.

“The coming nuclear showdown with Iran is a certainty. Israel and America must confront Iran’s nuclear ability and willingness to destroy Israel with nuclear weapons. For Israel to wait is to risk committing national suicide.” John Hagee Charisma Magazine Founder - Christians United for Israel

Janet Parshall, became ecstatic at the outbreak of violence in Lebanon and Israel. “These are the times we’ve been waiting for,” Parshall told her audience on July 21. “This is straight out of a Sunday school lesson.” Parshall is a talk show host for Salem Media and The Southern Baptist Convention FamilyNet Media

The Lebanese people were “sheltering a terrorist group” …pray for an Israeli military victory. Pat Robertson host of The 700 Club after meeting with Israeli Prime Minister

Christian Zionism - The Nation
Challenging Christian Zionism - What is it? What are some of the myths?
Who are Hezbollah?

Any reasonably mature and biblical literate person can lose their sense of balance and ethics when confronted with the rhetoric of Christian Zionism.
A messianic mentality feeds fear; the use of the right words, to please God, the appeal to be on the right political side, a need to cling to false safety. It goes straight to our self-righteousness and egotism. Any believer bombarded with this can get tilted off their axis and lose the peace God has given us to serve others.

Do I believe there are members of Hezbollah’s terrorist arm operating or prepared to operate in Canada? Yes. Do I believe Canadians are potential targets? Yes.

I am not comfortable with B’nai Brith wedding itself to the christian right, I do not believe it is in the best interest of B’nai Brith or the nation of Israel.
I do not believe it is healthy for the church in Canada either. 
I am not comfortable with B’nai Brith calling for a government crackdown on people who are crying out for peace in their country of origin, and against suffering - be it Israeli or Lebanonese. Muslim, Jew, Christian.  I do not believe one group of people should have the streets at the expense of another group of people. There is a war and both peoples are suffering. Hezbollah fighters hiding in Canada need to be held accountable to our law, we do not need calls to criminalize and demonize a community.
Christians United for Israel, have a very clear agenda, and we need to look at this kind of zionism and it’s bedfellows and call it what it is.  

 If we believe the government of Canada’s policies are not clear, we can say so without spiritualizing. If we believe the Canadian government is not fulfilling it’s responsibilities to it’s citizens and to the global community, we can say so. Say so by phone, fax, letter or email. Say so with our vote.
(I’m assuming the VP of B’nai Brith is not happy with this rally)

Is is right and proper to pray, always and without ceasing, not when or how religious power brokers tell us to.  In troubled and confusing times as a regional conflict escalates again, perhaps we’d be wise to do what Jesus told his followers to do. Matthew 6. 
Get off the stage. The Message.

1 “Be especially careful when you are trying to be good so that you don’t make a performance out of it. It might be good theater, but the God who made you won’t be applauding. 2-4 “When you do something for someone else, don’t call attention to yourself. You’ve seen them in action, I’m sure—’playactors’ I call them— treating prayer meeting and street corner alike as a stage, acting compassionate as long as someone is watching, playing to the crowds. They get applause, true, but that’s all they get. When you help someone out, don’t think about how it looks. Just do it—quietly and unobtrusively. That is the way your God, who conceived you in love, working behind the scenes, helps you out.

5 “And when you come before God, don’t turn that into a theatrical production either. All these people making a regular show out of their prayers, hoping for stardom! Do you think God sits in a box seat?

 6 “Here’s what I want you to do: Find a quiet, secluded place so you won’t be tempted to role-play before God. Just be there as simply and honestly as you can manage. The focus will shift from you to God, and you will begin to sense his grace.

 7-13 “The world is full of so-called prayer warriors who are prayer-ignorant. They’re full of formulas and programs and advice, peddling techniques for getting what you want from God. Don’t fall for that nonsense. This is your Father you are dealing with, and he knows better than you what you need. With a God like this loving you, you can pray very simply…