Gary: How do we know if Israelis have not been good stewards of the land and have angered God? How do we know if God is happy with the way Israel has responded in the current crisis? Is it possible that God is angry with the Israelites and has therefore taken favor away from them among many people on Earth? If critics of Israel have the upper hand in discussions about the current situation in Gaza, could that be a sign that Israel is doing something wrong? Perhaps God is saying, ease up on my other children or something? Is it possible that we know God's verdict by responding truthfully and thoughtfully to those who criticize us?
A few notes on a crazy-making topic.
Some religious Jews (not a small percentage) cannot accept the state of Israel insofar as they believe Israel is (still) in “galut” (exile) and that condition can only be restored by God. Israel in its modern form was established by radical atheists. And it was established through conquest, driving the Arab residents off their land and out of their cities.
Jews did live there prior to these post WWll events, but as a minority and alongside the Arabs. It all changed when the aggressive, non-religious Jews became aggressive and initiated the present state.
If we take the religious view that Israel could only be restored by an act of God, and that it was not established in that way, we are left with the theological conclusion that Israel is doubly illegal: in international law and in theological law.
The only way to justify Israel — contrary to Immanuel’s assertion — is by reference to strict power-principles: i.e. a Nietzschean analysis. Israel is a quintessential example of a Nietzschean state. However, the founders employed (in Machiavellian fashion) a religious narrative of “return” and “restoration” of the Jews to their lands, with the implied understanding that “God” is behind it all.
The use of these god-based narratives in the Jewish post-war era is legendary, but not often clearly seen. The “suffering Christs” of the Postwar are the mistreated Jews, and Evangelical Christians in a strange switcheroo “empower” the (often secular, often atheist, often non- and even anti-Christian) as a sort of Christ-figure. Jewish destiny, for Evangelicals, is to be atoned by unquestioned “support” for Israeli aggression no matter how brutal, no matter how it appears so distant from a Christian-like attitude.
Jewish identity, when examined closely, is really quite absurd. It is based, ultimately, on genetics and therefore on “race” in the most basic sense. In the inner philosophy of strict Jewish thought you find the most extreme form of supremacism as you can imagine: God has ordained the Jew to rule the Earth and the Jewish “soul” is of a different and a superior stuff when compared to the souls of the Gentile.
Secular Jews (a large component of Israel) are quasi-Jews. They are, perhaps,
genetic Jews. But Jewish identity is based on strict religious identification. If you veer from that identification and those strict religious practices, in that way you incur God’s wrath. And Jews and Judaism are, quite literally, always subject to God’s wrath. In fact God’s wrath is on-going.
Since this is all true, the “belief-system” will always lead one to disasters. For many religious Jews the counter-divinity-establishment of Israel is a set-up for just one more historical catastrophe which are the foundation-stone of being Jewish.
It is a bizarre but strangely fascinating topic. You will be embroiled in it whether you wish to or not.
