Killing Adam Sandler???

 

“What distinguishes genocide from murder, and even from acts of political murder that claim as many victims, is the intent. The crime is wanting to make a people extinct. The idea is the crime.”

                                                                            Philip Gourevitch

 

It’s a scene being repeated on university and college campuses across the country. On April 5^th Rutgers University President, Jonathan Holloway, held a town hall with students. It devolved into anarchy, and for his safety, he had to flee the scene with a police escort. But Jewish students who came to ask about how the administration would keep them safe on campus were left to beg the remaining police to escort them out as other Hamas supporting students chanted genocidal slogans calling for intifada and the destruction of the Jewish state. How deplorable! On an American university campus students are screaming for Israel to be annihilated and celebrating the intifada, which is physical violence and murder of Jews.
  As the war in Gaza grinds through its deadly sixth month, this month also marks 30 years since the world turned its back on Rwanda’s Tutsi minority. The 100 days of killing that became known as the Rwandan genocide began on April 7, 1994. Hutu extremists murdered 800,000 Tutsis. Mark it down! If Hamas had their way, it would be a genocide of Jews in Israel.
  Hamas is committed to exterminating all Jews. Don’t be fooled. They don’t want a Palestinian State. They and other radical Islamic groups won’t be satisfied until all Jews are exterminated. This is not about land, it’s about genocide.
  Worldviews matter. If Hamas had their way celebrity Jews like Adam Sandler, Hailee Steinfeld and Ben Platt would be exterminated, along with an estimated 2.4 million Jews that are our friends and neighbors, living in the U.S., who are part of the 16 million Jews in the world.
  Not all Palestinians are aligned with Hamas. Hamas is an evil, terrorist nation that not only kills Jews but uses Palestinian civilians, women and children, as human shields. To oppose Hamas is not to hate Palestinians.
  What’s the bottom line? As Bible-believers, we are pro-Israel yet to be obedient to Scripture, we cannot be anti-Arab. Add to that, many Arabs are Christians and our brothers and sisters in Christ. We share a solidarity with them as Christ-followers. Radical Islam’s first objective is to eradicate all Jews, but then to eradicate all Christians.
  Even though many Jews are atheists, they’re still God’s chosen people. The nation of Israel is the land that God promised them. Here’s what the Apostle Paul said. “The God of this people Israel chose our fathers…He gave them their land as an inheritance” (Acts 13:17, 19). “The gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable” (Romans 11:29). Israel’s continuing chosenness gives ongoing spiritual significance to their land. If God had rejected the Jews, it would be theologically reasonable to expect Him to take their land away from them forever, just as He has with other nations. But since He hasn’t rejected them. The land given to them by God is still their inheritance. That’s the biblical logic that led Robert Murray M’Cheyne to anticipate in 1839, with astonishing foresight, that God would eventually restore the Jewish people to their ancient homeland, which He did in 1948.
  After the cross and the birth of the Church though Israel as a nation is no longer the special focus of God’s redeeming work. Jesus Christ is the fulfillment of the promises made to Israel. The Church, the New Covenant community is made up of both Jews and Gentiles. A person isn’t saved on the basis of being genetically related to Abraham, (Romans 9). While we look prophetically for a great turning of the Jewish people back to God through Christ, as Christians, we must be clear in our conviction that no one enters the family of God or receives the blessings and favor of God apart from a personal faith in Jesus Christ.
  Supporting Israel is not a blank check. It’s the responsibility of the international community to hold Israel accountable to the rules of war. Reasonable attempts must be made to minimize civilian casualties of Palestinians in Gaza. While much of the world is condemning Israel, as Bible-believers and those committed to justice, we must call out the unspeakable evil perpetrated by radical Islam. There is no choice but for Israel to take strong measures against Hamas’ decades-long campaign of terror. Yet, to defeat Hamas, they can’t be evil like Hamas. Non-combatants must be protected as much as possible.   
  None of this in light of what biblical prophecy tells us is a surprise. The book of Revelation tells us that Israel would be attacked. As Jesus’ first coming was promised, so is His return. There is coming a day when our just God will finally bring all the evil in this world to an end.
  Until then, we live with an ever-present fear of horrible destruction. Let one person press one button and a nuclear disaster could happen. There are wars on top of wars. Russia has invaded Ukraine. China threatens Taiwan. Israel is attacked by Hamas from the south and Hezbollah to the North.
  So, what can Christ-followers do? First, “Pray for peace in Jerusalem” (Psalm 122:6.)  Israel is special to God by covenant. Jesus was born there. He died there. He rose from the grave and will ultimately return there. The tiny nation of Israel has been the most disputed land in history. It’s the staging ground of God’s story of salvation and His final redemption.
  While we don’t always know what governments should do, we do know what we as Christ-followers must do. The only thing Christians can do with absolute certainty is to share Christ’s gospel of peace. During times of conflict and international crisis, it becomes even more vital for believers to make evangelism a top priority. By loving people and proclaiming the good news, we can bring hope and healing amid the chaos and uncertainty that crisis produces. These situations provide unique opportunities for evangelism. When people fearfully face challenges and seek answers, they’re more receptive to hearing the message of Christ. By prioritizing gospel sharing in these difficult days, we demonstrate the love and compassion of Jesus while offering the transformative power of His grace.
  My friend, if you’re unsure of your own spiritual state, may this and other crises be a catalyst to turn you to Christ. Jesus Christ died on the cross for sinners like you and me. He does not want anyone to perish. He loves us and longs for each of us to know His forgiveness and peace.

Can we help you spiritually? Please check out more resources on our church's web page, Gracechurchwi.org. Or call us at 262.763.3021. If you'd like to know more about how Jesus can change your life, I'd love to mail you a copy of how Jesus changed my life in "My Story." E-mail me at Carson@gracechurchwi.org to request a free copy. Please include your mailing address. 

#Boycott Mulan?

 

“Never forget that everything Hitler did in Germany was legal.”                                                    Martin Luther King, Jr.

Follow the money! Periodically, some stateside politician is called a “Hitler.” Such labeling only reveals the vast ignorance of the “labeler.” Fortunately, because even with our flaws, Western Civilization is a culture where rule of law still has precedence and there is a justice system.

Perhaps because we didn’t go to war with China or lose half a million American lives, we don’t realize the brutality of Communist China. One is hard-pressed to name a single movie made about China’s atrocities under Mao. But it’s not history. It’s the daily news because it’s still taking place.

Just in Mao’s 1958 Great Leap Forward, 46 million died between 1958 and 1962. During his reign of terror some 80 million died. In contrast, Hitler was responsible for 20 million civilian deaths. An obvious question is: “Who’s the real Hitler?” China’s current “president” (that’s a nice word for dictator), Xi Jinping openly admires Mao, who committed the biggest genocide of the 20th century. Such admiration is repugnant. Imagine any Western Civilization leader openly praising Hitler?  

Yet somehow all of that didn’t stop Disney from whitewashing this evil empire. Their newest live-action movie, “Mulan,” had substantial portions filmed in China’s Xinjiang province, with the blessing and cooperation of the Chinese Communist government. Xinjiang is the home province of some 12 million Muslim Uighurs. Over one million of them have been moved to concentration camps where “they are starved, abused, tortured, electrocuted, raped and even killed.” Uighur women have been forcibly sterilized, and there have been reports of forced abortions and infanticide.

Not only did Disney choose the Xinjiang province, but in the closing credits, they thanked China’s Communist government and propaganda departments for their assistance. Disney has chosen to cozy up to the Chinese government for years. In 1997, a Disney film that cast the Dalai Lama in a positive light so upset Beijing, they “restricted the studio’s ability to work in China.” Disney’s then-CEO Michael Eisner quickly issued an apology and promised not to insult Disney’s “friends” in the future.  Appeased, Beijing opened the doors for Shanghai Disneyland.

But it’s not just Disney. There are a long list of companies who fill their coffers with little regard for China’s suffering population. Walmart, Boeing, Caterpillar, General Motors, Starbucks and Ford…to name a few. Many of these same companies lecture Americans for racism, but close their eyes to oppression and “crimes against humanity” just to increase their profit margin.

For example, recently the NBA canceled games in protest of racism. What a bunch of hypocrites! Because no one in the NBA dares to whisper criticism of Communist China or they quickly find themselves sentenced to a virtual bamboo gulag. A reported half a billion annual profits for the NBA from China buys a lot of silence. And where are all of the Hollywood stars who clamor to speak out on anything political? Have any of them said a word about the latest Disney-China connections? Crickets.

God’s Word is clear. Racism is evil. It’s an evil that must be repented of. Yet, racism is a worldwide evil. It’s disingenuous to speak against racism in the States, yet for financial gain, close one’s eyes to genocide.

How horrible are China’s acts of oppression? Just this week more than 150 human rights groups urged the International Olympic Committee to rethink holding the 2022 Winter Games in Beijing. In a letter, the coalition said that since the 2008 Olympics in Beijing, China has built—quote, “an Orwellian surveillance network” in Tibet and incarcerated more than a million Uighurs.” It listed a litany of other abuses from Hong Kong to the Inner Mongolia region, as well as the intimidation of Taiwan.

Fortunately, not all American corporations are heartless to these crimes against humanity. Apple, Microsoft, Amazon, Nike and Google are looking to move production away from China. As we learned with the repudiation of Apartheid, dinging a company’s bottom line gets their attention.

Yet, companies like Walmart have helped cover that a product is made in China with their blanket “distributed from Bentonville, Arkansas” labeling. What does that mean? Zilch! It’s a cover. Those concerned about oppressed people groups and dictatorial governments want to make an informed consumer’s decision even if it cost us a little bit more. Walmart and companies like it have stripped us of that option.

Recently, Wisconsin’s Senator Tammy Baldwin proposed a bill that requires labeling for a product’s country of origin. I wrote her to thank her for the bill. While some products have multiple manufacturers, many do not, and often a high percentage is made in one nation. It’s the right thing to do to put economic choices back in the hands of consumers.

What can we do? The truth is that boycotts for the most part don’t work. Corporations and manufacturing companies are too intertwined. For example, Disney Corporation also owns or has part ownership in ABC, ESPN, Marvel, Lucasfilm, The History Channel and Pixar.

Do I believe you should boycott Mulan? That’s truly up to you and a matter of personal conscience. Yet, with all of the negative publicity about Disney’s supporting China’s oppression, taking a financial hit on this one might make them and other corporations think twice about supporting totalitarian governments in the future.

Then, I’d encourage you to communicate with our national leaders like Senators Baldwin, Johnson and Congressman Steil to support bills that put economic choice back in the hands of consumers by clear product labeling. Their government websites and local offices make it simple to communicate with them. Encourage your friends to do the same. If we do nothing, one thing is certain – nothing will change. We need to be part of encouraging justice.

Most importantly, we need to remember that the Church is not American or our particular sect or ethnicity. Our Lord’s Church is worldwide with a 2,000-year history. Please pray for the persecuted Church. Stay updated with how our brothers and sisters are suffering from organizations like Voice of the Martyrs. The most important action we can take is to pray.

The Imago Dei, freedom from oppression, the injustice of racism, the evil of genocide, freedom of religion are biblical values. It’s part of our Christian responsibility to be salt and light in a dark world. Instead of cursing the darkness, it’s time to light some candles. 

 

Can we help you spiritually? Can we help you know Jesus better? Please check out more resources on our church's web page, Gracechurchwi.org. Or, call us at 262.763.3021. If you'd like to know more about how Jesus can change your life, I'd love to mail you a copy of how Jesus changed my life in "My Story." E-mail me at Carson@gracechurchwi.org to request a free copy. Please include your mailing address.