The Third Coming of John Hagee To Denver

previous pieces on the `sage from San Antonio’…

The Second Coming of John Hagee To Denver (September 13, 2010)

John Hagee: Second Coming Cancelled; Rapture Delayed (September 30, 2010)

Open Letter: John Hagee’s Pool: Swim At Your Own Risk; No Lifeguard on Duty (November 16, 2010)

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Gaza: Four years of blockade...an open air prison...

He’s probably been in Denver far more than three times actually. In any event, John Hagee, Christian fundamentalist pastor from San Antonio, Texas and leader of what is called Christians United for Israel is returning to the mile high city. He’s scheduled to be the keynote speaker at the Faith Bible Chapel in Arvada (a suburb just west of Denver) on Sunday, October 16.

Scheduled to share the platform with him is Rabbi Selwyn Franklin of Denver’s BMH Synagogue, one of the city’s largest and most influential. Rabbi Franklin spent time in South Africa where he was active in the anti-apartheid movement. It is ironic, but perhaps not accidental to see a Jewish leader with such liberal credentials cozying up to the likes of George Morrison and John Hagee. But then as one Denver Jewish resident put it, when it comes to the Denver rabbinate, that ” `Israel-friendly’ trumps human rights every time”.

Last year the organizers of Denver’s annual Jewish Men’s Dinner, underwritten by Denver developer and politically conservative Larry Mizel, invited Hagee as a keynote speaker. A large event that raises money for different social causes in which Denver’s Jewish Community participates, the Men’s Dinner often boasts attendance of 1000+ participants. The Hagee invitation, defended by the Allied Jewish Federation of Colorado as somehow appropriate, triggered an outcry of opposition from many quarters of the Jewish Community – including some Orthodox synagogue’s in the city’s old Jewish neighborhood on the West Side, Jewish youth, women, gays, liberal and left elements – many of whom consider Hagee’s `message’ one of sexism, homophobia and pro-Israeli (Likud) war-mongering.

The outcry was so great that the event organizers had to cancel Hagee’s appearance, a result which was unprecedented in recent history at least, in Denver’s Jewish Community. Both Mizel and Doug Seserman, who heads up the Allied Jewish Federation of Colorado came under sharp criticism at the time, a fact that did not go unnoticed in the broader community.But if John Hagee was un-invited, in his stead, one of his board members, who happens to be Jewish, came in his place to defend Hagee’s record. The message was the same, only the messenger changed.

One year later ….support for Israeli practices is fading 

While support for Israel (by this I mean specifically – the Israeli Occupation of the 1967 Territories) is weakening both nationally and internationally, the political alliance between the Allied Jewish Federation of Colorado and Christians United for Israel remains as strong as ever. The loss of enthusiasm for Israeli practices is noticed,  not only across the broader political spectrum but among American Jews as well, especially Jewish youth who find it difficult to impossible to reconcile traditional Jewish values and liberalism with Israeli treatment of the Palestinians, the oppressiveness of the Occupation, the on-going Gaza blockade, etc.

Unconditional support for Israel – despite congressional votes – is fading domestically; sympathy for the creation of a viable Palestinian state is growing based on pre-June 1967 borders is gaining strength.

As these tendencies continue to grow, so does the dependency of mainstream Jewish organizations on their Christian fundamentalist and neo-conservative allies.  Not much else left. John Hagee might still be persona non grata in the mainstream Jewish Community here in Colorado, but if anything – the political ties between the Allied Jewish Federation of Colorado and Christians United For Israel – are even stronger than they were last year.There are some suggestions that CUFI not only actively and even aggressively funds West Bank settlement building, but actually funds state wide Jewish federations state side as well, which might explain their continued influence on the otherwise liberal U.S> Jewish Community. It is unclear if or how this works here in Colorado but would be interesting to find out.

Internationally, Israel cares little about criticism as long as it has Washington’s support (which it does). Likewise, domestically, as long as neo-Conservatives like John Bolton and his coterie and Christian fundamentalists like Hagee blindly support Israel, who cares  about the growing chorus of criticisms of Israeli behavior coming from  liberal Christians, non-Zionist Jews and others think about the wall, the growth of settlements in the West Bank or the turkey shoot of Palestinian civilians tin Gaza in 2008 described by one Israeli soldier as `like killing ants with a magnified glass’.

A year after John Hagee was rejected, exposed and essentially publicly humiliated – and deservedly so – by this city’s Jewish Community, he will return to Denver. It will be different this time though. The planning is – from a right wing point of view – more thoughtfully shaped in certain ways, the opposition far more tame, at least to date.

• About ten days ago, the Allied Jewish Federation of Colorado  held a rally (it was called a `community briefing’ ) opposing the Palestinian statehood initiative at the United Nations. It was held at Temple Emmanuel in Denver  Although he was not given the platform to speak, Dr. George Morrison, chief pastor of the Faith Bible Chapel (where Hagee is invited to speak) was introduced. He was singled out as being `a great friend’ in attendance and enjoyed enthusiastic applause.
• George Morrison, is a long serving board member of Christians United For Israel; Faith Bible Chapel has donated undetermined, but admittedly large sums to West Bank settlements; Faith Bible Chapel members regularly visit settlements (Ariel for one) to do volunteer work.
• Hagee will not be invited by a Jewish organization, but comes at the invitation of the Faith Bible Chapel of Arvada (where he has spoken on `Israel Appreciation Day’ in the past) .
• If Morrison enjoyed a warm reception at Allied Jewish Federation `community briefing’ , in return, it seems, Rabbi Franklin will share the podium with Hagee at the Faith Bible Chapel. The publicity around Rabbi Franklin’s appearance is already widespread. Expect an important delegation of Denver Jewish Community dignitaries to also (as they have been in the past) be in attendance, holding their noses perhaps, but there all the same.