In reference to Israel, and what Candice Owens has done in using public platforms to point out errors in the Jewish people, we know by what Paul says in his Epistles in particular Romans
"All of Israel will be saved". But "not all of Israel is Israel".
So indeed there's ungodliness in the nation of Israel, but God is The Judge to determine who out of Israel is saved.
There's problematic issues in every nation, including Israel but to use a public platform to demonize any part of a nation, especially using historical references to justify it, then begin with our own nation America. We have a lot of dirt to point out with some who have brought disgrace to this country.
Humans in general are a fallen people. Without Christ Jesus there's no hope in humanity.
So when we are Christians, how do WE keep the command to love our neighbor but to speak Christ Jesus, not speak of whatever flaws have been found in a nation, present or past to drive the point that there's problems within the nation.
The story comes to mind of the woman who was about to be stoned and Jesus said "whoever is with no sin, cast the first stone" and he bends to write in the dirt. No one was without sin and left her alone.
I have nothing to condemn Ms Owens for, but it's bothersome that she believes she does a righteous thing, that by going public with history, as she points to such as how the Jewish Star of David came to be the symbol for Israel. Why point it out? As a history lesson or to give a bad image to the people of Israel because they are still in denial of Jesus being the Messiah
because they're in a temporary stupor that God has them in until they call on Jesus to save them.
We are called to share the gospel, first to the Jew, then to the Gentile. It's a prophetic fact that Israel is partially blind to the fact of Jesus being the Messiah, but at God's appointed time all of that will change for at least 1/3 of the Jews who are saved during Jacob's trouble.
My opinion is just that, my opinion. I don't expect anyone to agree but I think we have more importance in praying for the salvation of the Jewish people and not go on various programs and YouTube channels to point out all that's wrong with Israel, or to nod in agreement with someone who does.
We have The Love of Jesus in us and in that love we want to invest on doing good to bring God Glory.
I hope this didn't ruffle any feathers. I felt a need to express my thoughts on this.
I think this is a very lovely post 1Lover. And love the Avatar
Sometimes because of how Candace comes across I have asked a friend of mine who thinks most things I get into are super fringe...poor soul...lol..."Do you think maybe Candace is Q?" lol. I'd ask him. Some of her focus is very Q-esque. So I really don't mean that. I just say that to get a rise. He kind of loves Candace but is always leary...knowing she kind of can come across as just a bit much.
But on the sober side of things, I totally hear what you are saying. And in spirit I agree quite a bit. But there is probably a huge dynamic of difference that will just be things coming from a perspective I have. It may be accurate or not so much. But I don't mean in any way for it not to be biblical. Although at its core it may tend to come across as such. And I think this perspective you offer here might be a helpful place where I might be able to share in what ways it means to compliment views such as you hold and are at the core of your caring person in Him.
So, I will try to be as direct as I can so its not too wordy. But in so doing, I'm not trying to be super raw or anything. I just have a Christian worldview that I don't know maybe this forum could help curb if need be. In God's good grace perhaps He might just have me sanctified through interaction here to adjust some of my views, amen. But as a Christian worldview, I would say on the surface mine might not seem so Orthodox. I think it is. But I can totally relate to how it might present some raised eyebrows. I'll try...here goes...
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I believe in everything your heart holds dear. I see huge Christian ethic in your passionate heart toward Him. Amen. But in general (and I do mean "in general") there are ways I have noticed where Christian worldview perspective can seem to overlay well meant Christian ethic upon extremely detailed secular unfoldings. And off the bat, I would be the first to say, we do need that. At its core, Christians in any society (communism, socialism, democracy, or anarchy) are to be the conscience. The world around us won't respect that in many cases. But never the less it is what we are or should be I believe. And to be a conscience we need to call it like we see it. Like you do, amen. So I hold that as precious.
However, when we are looking at large schematics of socio-poliical interaction I believe there are spheres in those arenas that will tend to travel outside of even the best intended Christian worldview. I believe that is because even though we have His Spirit, He still transcends us. On social issues like gay marriage, abortion, transgenderism, child mutiliation etc we are solid. And I believe see a quite sharp contrast. But when it comes to socio-political dynamics involving deeper sociological overtones and especially those that might stray into eschatological interplay, I tend to give a bit more pause on that. Not that I don't hold a futurist pretrib rapture eschatology. Because I completely do. But I just noticed there is a great interest in our striving to put the puzzle pieces together that we might tend to overlay our understanding perhaps a bit heavy upon it. This is just a general trend that seems to come about quite regularly and normally.
Let me try and explain how I am looking at that from a different vantage point. Let's time travel back into the past. Let's say the church became Isreal during the Babylonian captivity days. How ready would some perspectives be had thought Jeremiah was speaking for God telling us to surrender our understanding of God being for His people to love and see good days? How well might it sit with some to honor becoming hostages of Babylon? Would that sound like God? That was a super major issue after having like 1200 years of history with a God that established our nation and our ceremonial rituals. So just forsake all that and go be Babylonian? Do good to their land? Heathen oppressors? Godless mystics? Help their culture? I don't think it would be such a no brainer.
Further more, God tells us "Hey, so I raised up a Shephard for your guys. He is heathen and worships a lot of different Gods. But I am going to use him to free you and make your new nation now that your time of captivity is over. Ok?" I think we would be glad for the rescue. But Cyrus is no David, Lord, we might say. And maybe we might struggle a bit to wonder like how does a Zoroastrain heathen king become a Shephard of God? Does that even make sense? Yet. Not only did God use Cyrus...he called him to rescue Israel and gave him victory for their sake. And it is likely Cyrus never came to know Him. Yet a Shephard freeing Israel from the most renowned worldly empire known to mankind, Babylon.
Or lets travel to another time. The 1st century. We be chilling at the synagogue and some man comes as God? Well, you guys that is not exactly a thing. I mean where we would go to see that God becomes a man? From what we understood in the 1st century, we could see a lot, amen, from His Spirit. But the concept of God coming as man himself would have sounded a bit blasphemous to us. Not only that, but this man scolded our religious leaders. He would even compare them with the enemy. The most holy men we knew. And then he gets sentenced to death for blasphamy. Of course the difference would be what His Spirit would provide for us to see. But the word also tells us in 1 Cor that had too many known, Christ would never have been put to death. And we come to discover that a curse over our land because of our unbelief become a blessing for not just the whole world, but for all those who would be saved from all history ever.
These are concepts that can often be just a bit above our spiritual pay grade. And I just believe that history in God's Providence teaches us to hold fast to what we know as true. Amen. But unmistakenly demonstrates in diverse ways through incredible history and story this One who transcends us. So because He is Holy and utterly other than us, as we take comfort in that, perhaps we might consider the surrounding archives of our world here and now traveling with us to be peculiarly precious to Him from vantage points that would surely transcend our good faith well meant views. And in His providence He will walk among the nations also transcending our cultural moment perspectives. And to the degree this is true about Him, it can tend to lovingly and gently challenge what we might consider. Not to be open to deception. But Him. Just Him.
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So like in saying all that, I understand how a Candace Ownes might look. We know Israel is coming back on the scene. This woman being a Catholic has shut her eyes toward themes regarding Israel's future. Whereas our eyes are open more so. But if Candace calls attention to themes that many don't even have the courage to think upon, an unregernate heart as hers (likely) will use this courage also in sin. But, where it can provide exposure to themes in a day that might be far more about exposure than deception, she, like any worlding, will get some things wrong. And some things a bit more accurately. By this I am not trying to change your mind about Candace. She is one player in a super grand theater. I just believe that her calling attention to some abnormalities in culture (a time we are seemingly waking up from quite a few delusions), this can be helpful I believe.
Yeah saying things about the star of David or whatever she gets into is probably not too helpful...lol. I could only imagine (I have not watched much of her lately). I think Candace did good in exposing some things with George Floydd exposure. And some things she kind of did not do too well there. She is an attention seeker. But some things she sets sites on can help I believe. As for Israel, yeah, weill I don't mind so much her pointing out areas where they may do overkill. As a journalist, it is reasonable to consider. As a Catholic defender and having a thesis of her own, do I trust her views on Israel wholesale? No. Do I respect them all? No. But my personal perspective is that Israel is going to do just fine. And I am more interested in how Candace might handle an Isreal on steroids. That I will get popcorn for. Because the one who will most likely have to look deepest in the interim will likely be Candace. For Israel has a bit of time it would seem.
I know some of this is just my own sense of political direction to occur. But in that grand theater, to me, the expose' on things to expose about Isreal seem to have a cultural capture moment place along the way. One thing it does do, is make them more noticed. Which I would see ultimately as a providential themes Candace is just a school girl in. So I am going to say this going out on a limb. But in hopes more so to at least express how perspective can be multiple orbed. More than it be a prediciton. For it may not be. But for perspective sake, in recent years Isreal making so much awareness in the world historically would have been the holacaust. And then a nation. This period has no Holocaust but with America on the increase, Israel stands to gain great ground exponentially. No holacaust. Just smack from the peanut galleries. I would see this period in history perhaps a bit less problematic for them. With quite a bit of upside. This view may not be accurate. But if it is providential, I could see the likes of a Candace and a whole host of other theater being made to serve quite a spectacle. One where Candace's world will probably have a much smaller Israeli space, I'd imagine. Well, those are the themes I would guess to be most likely brewing.
In all of this I don't say having such character in your view would be for not. For they are your concerns in Him. I guess what I am hopeful to be somewhat of encouragement in is that if there was ever a time in history where themes of nostalgic heavenly import providentially simmer across our shore at night, the day we are in seems to potentially qualify pretty highly. And although we may each have our share in how to view, amen, knowing our God and His ways...with what we have been introduced to lately? I can only imagine. Blessings.
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