Then came the American role, inheriting the legacy of the old Western colonial empires and establishing a partnership with the Zionist project, based on Protestant myths:
The white settler founding fathers who colonized America and eradicated the Red Indians considered themselves a revival of the Israelites when they left Egypt for the land of Canaan. King James I (1566-1625), the King of England, whom they left his lands, was deemed a “Pharaoh,” and they saw themselves as leaving for the “New Canaan” and the “New Jerusalem.” They believed they were the chosen people of God, going to a land without a people to be a homeland for a people without a land!
These Protestant settlers bestowed Hebrew names on the territories they conquered, such as “Hebron” and “Canaan.” They also gave Hebrew names to their children, like Abraham, Sarah, and Eleazar. They enforced the teaching of the Hebrew language in their schools and universities, to the extent that the first doctorate from Harvard in 1642 had the title “Hebrew is the Mother Tongue!” The first book published in America was the “Book of Psalms,” and the first magazine was titled “The Jew!” They even named the Colorado River “Bashan,” an ancient Torah name!
They allowed the construction of Jewish temples in America before permitting the construction of Catholic churches! Thus, America became twinned with the Israelites, and the state that claims to represent Jewish and Zionist revival in Jerusalem and Palestine was established!
In this atmosphere, among Americans who called themselves “Children of Israel,” the myths of Christian Zionism were formed. They believe that the coming of Christ should await the return of the Jewish state. Consequently, they have worked towards this goal since the early days of the founding of their country, America.
American religious leader Joseph Smith (1805–1844), the founder of the Mormon Church, adopted the theory of Jewish resurrection in Palestine. He was followed by a constellation of prominent evangelical theologians such as Cyrus Scofield, William Blackstone (1841–1935), and Worder Grieson, who worked on building Jewish settlements in the land of Palestine.
Blackstone also established “The Hebrew Mission for Israel,” which continues to this day under the name “American Messianic Fellowship,” representing the core of the Zionist lobbying apparatus in America.
In 1818, U.S. President John Adams (1735–1826) called for the restoration of Jews to Palestine and the establishment of an independent Jewish government there.
In 1866, American Protestants sent the first colonization missions to Palestine, led by Reverend Adams and accompanied by 150 American ministers. The following year (1867), the first American settlements were established in Palestine, with the participation of 70 Zionist Christian religious figures.
In 1878, American pastor William Blackstone (1841–1935) contributed to the theological reflection of Christian Zionism and the usurpation of Jerusalem and Palestine in his book “Jesus Is Coming.” The book, translated into forty languages, became widely distributed in the 19th century, second only to the Bible.
When Blackstone visited Palestine in 1888, he raised the slogan, “A land without a people for a people without a land!”
This occurred a decade before the First Zionist Congress and Theodore Herzl's writing of “The Jewish State” in 1896. Therefore, Protestant Christian Zionism was the initiator of marketing the Crusader project in Palestine even before it was adopted by Jews.
Based on Protestant religious myths, the Zionist project and its entity “Israel” became a divine manifestation, paving the way for the return of “lord Jesus,” rather than being a political entity holding nations accountable and subjected to the law. American pastor Walter Riggans expressed this theological theory, stating, “Torah Zionism, which is undoubtedly every Christian's wish fundamentally related to God and His goals, is therefore understood through the Christian vision as part of religious theology, not part of politics. The state of 'Israel' is just the beginning of what God does for the Jewish people and through the Jewish people. It is the duty of Christians to support 'Israel' and its policies as a divine sign of God's mercy and a response to His will. 'Israel' constitutes a Torah sign that God is very involved in the affairs of this world.” (1)
As this matter is religious and theological rather than mere political and imperialistic, American commitment to “Israel” was comprehensive, through financial aid, military support, and using the “veto” power in a way that might surprise those who are unaware. The pressure on decision-makers was aimed at implementing and applying this Christian Zionist theology.
In 1891, Pastor William Blackstone collected the signatures of 413 Christian and Jewish figures on a memorandum requesting U.S. President Benjamin Harrison (1833–1901) to convene an international conference for the return of Jews to Palestine. Among those who signed this memorandum were John Ro Klover (1839–1937) and William Ro Klover (1841–1922). (2)
In 1918, President Wilson (1856–1924) declared America's commitment to implementing the “Balfour Declaration.” Later, in 1922, America officially endorsed this commitment, and the U.S. House of Representatives decided to grant Jews the opportunity they had been deprived of to reestablish Jewish life and culture in the ancient Jewish land!
During President Theodore Roosevelt's administration (1858–1919), Jews, who constituted less than 3% of America's population, came to control 15% of leadership positions in sensitive areas of the American state. (3)
Christian Zionism, or Zionist Christianity, became the driving doctrine for American leaders.
President Lyndon B. Johnson (1908–1973) gave a speech in 1968 at a Jewish organization, stating, “For most, if not all of you, have deep ties to the land and people of Israel, as I do, because my Christian faith grew out of yours. The stories of the Torah are woven into my childhood memories, and the courageous struggle of contemporary Jews for liberation from oppression is embedded in our hearts!”
President Jimmy Carter (1924–present), who embraces the “born-again” doctrine, acknowledges that his supportive sentiments for Zionism guided his Middle Eastern policy. In a May 1978 speech, he said, “The return to the land of the Torah, from which the Jews were expelled hundreds of years ago, and the establishment of the Israeli nation in its land is the fulfillment of a Torah prophecy, and it is the essence of this prophecy!”
President Ronald Reagan (1911–2004) stated in 1984, “I return to the ancient prophecies mentioned in the Old Testament and to the indicators about 'Armageddon.' I wonder to myself: Are we the generation that will witness this fulfillment? These prophecies undoubtedly describe what we are going through now.” (4)
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(1) Muhammad Al-Samak, “Religion in American Decision-Making,” pp. 26-27, Beirut, 2003.
(2) Ibid., pp. 33-34.
(3) Ibid., p. 81.
(4) Ibid., pp. 41-42.
Source: “Al-Azhar Magazine,” April 12, 2015.
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