Pastor John Hagee: John McCain's Louis Farrakhan

[Grendel]

Statements By Pastor Who Endorsed McCain Drawing Scrutiny (http://www.cbsnews.com/blogs/2008/02/29/politics/horserace/entry3892932.shtml)
Brian Montopoli

On Wednesday, John McCain received the endorsement of Pastor John Hagee, the evangelical Texas mega-church leader.

The endorsement could help McCain shore up support amongst conservatives in a state where Mike Huckabee has been running relatively strongly. Huckabee complained about Hagee's decision to back McCain, saying, “I felt that it was totally out of character for what I knew he believed. Or at least I thought he did.”

But what Hagee believes could turn out to be a problem for McCain, if the reaction over the past few days is any indication. As CBS News' Dante Higgins points out, Catholic leaders asked McCain to distance himself from Hagee over anti-Catholic comments such as calling the Catholic Church "The Great Whore."

McCain responded to a question on the issue today by saying that while he is "very proud of the Pastor John Hagee’s spiritual leadership to thousands of people and I am proud of his commitment to the independence and the freedom of the state of Israel," it "does not mean that I support or endorse or agree with some of the things that Pastor John Hagee might have said or positions that he may have taken on other issues."

And there are, it turns out, a fair share of "other issues" to worry about. Bloggers such as Salon's Glenn Greenwald have been pouring through Hagee's record and uncovering controversial statements on a whole range of issues. The pastor made this comment in an interview with NPR:

"All hurricanes are acts of God, because God controls the heavens. I believe that New Orleans had a level of sin that was offensive to God, and they were recipients of the judgment of God for that.

The newspaper carried the story in our local area, that was not carried nationally, that there was to be a homosexual parade there on the Monday that the Katrina came. And the promise of that parade was that it would was going to reach a level of sexuality never demonstrated before in any of the other gay pride parades.

So I believe that the judgment of God is a very real thing."

Hagee also said, in the same interview, "Islam in general -- those who live by the Koran have a scriptural mandate to kill Christians and Jews."

And the pastor suggested in a book called "Jerusalem Countdown" that, as Sarah Posner puts it, "military confrontation with Iran is foretold in the Bible as a necessary precondition for the Second Coming."

Liberal bloggers are uncovering other controversial past positons as well, including a fundraiser that included an appeal to "Make plans to come and go home with a slave."

All of this has critics wondering: Why has Barack Obama been asked to repudiate the backing of Louis Farrakhan when McCain has thus far not faced similar pressures?

"This is no worse than some of the inflammatory comments Farakkhan has dropped over the years," wrote The New Republic's Dayo Olopade after listing some of Hagee's quotes. "But given a minor toasting (as opposed to the full-panini-press Barack Obama got on Tuesday evening) on Hagee's comments, McCain said, 'all I can tell you is that I am very proud to have Pastor John Hagee's support.' Not a rejection or denouncement in sight."Gays caused Hurricane Katrina.

We must attack Iran to bring about the Second Coming.

64,000,000 Americans belong to an "apostate church," the "Great Whore" that is Roman Catholicism.

It'll be interesting to see if the Catholic Tim Russert will push John McCain to disavow a man whose support he actively courted as hard as he did Barack Obama to repudiate a man he wanted nothing to do with.

Any bets on what would happen if Obama made the same statement about Farrakhan that McCain does, here:

"(I'm ) very proud of the Pastor John Hagee’s spiritual leadership to thousands of people but... it does not mean that I support or endorse or agree with some of the things that Pastor John Hagee might have said or positions that he may have taken on other issues."

[RIP]

Russert surely won't hammer McCain the way he did Obama. Sad thing is...Obama has no connection to Farakhan. Farakhan simply said nice things about him. McCain on the other hand, sought the support of Hagee and now refuses to denounce this guy as anything but a complete fucking lunatic.

I wonder if the masses can muster up the same outrage towards McCain (who is applying to be the leader of the free world) as they did for Mel Gibson when he went anti-jew.

Here's hoping the media's love affair with faux-maverick McCain ends sooner rather than later. Shine the light of scrutiny on this guy and watch him unravel.

[Grendel]

The story seems to be creeping out there, slowly, but still nothing close to the Obama situation.

[dead breed]

John McCain looks like a zombie in your sig RIP :lol:

[Driden]

Gays caused a hurricane huh? no wonder people fear them jk. Shouldn't San Francisco be on the top of God's list? just saying. But serious who ever believes this garbage imo is a danger to society

Since when are Christians rushing Christ's second coming? Aren't Christians suppose to help one another and the day Christ returns it's too late for sinners. If anything Christians are the last people who should want the second coming so they have more time to 'convert' people.

[WarBeast]

Gays caused a hurricane huh? no wonder people fear them jk. Shouldn't San Francisco be on the top of God's list? just saying. But serious who ever believes this garbage imo is a danger to society

Since when are Christians rushing Christ's second coming? Aren't Christians suppose to help one another and the day Christ returns it's too late for sinners. If anything Christians are the last people who should want the second coming so they have more time to 'convert' people.

What's really ironic about the bible-thumper theory that Katrina was God's Wrath for New Orleans being so steeped in sin is that the very epicenter of sin in New Orleans, that being the French Quarter, was virtually untouched, comparatively speaking, by the Hurricane... I guess God hates New Orleans, but he loves those Bourbon Street titty bars.

[Driden]

What's really ironic about the bible-thumper theory that Katrina was God's Wrath for New Orleans being so steeped in sin is that the very epicenter of sin in New Orleans, that being the French Quarter, was virtually untouched, comparatively speaking, by the Hurricane... I guess God hates New Orleans, but he loves those Bourbon Street titty bars.

Maybe God just hates the blacks then?

[toxicangel19]

no matter what hagee says God does not promote hate against anyone no matter whom they are and true christians don't try to shove our beliefs down people's throats. I have read the bible. God says that we should minister to people but not push our faith onto them. everyone has the right to believe what they want. it is not our place as christians to tell people where they are going or judge them for their beliefs. to do this is hypocrisy. I can't stand those people who go on television and say they are chrisitans and then they turn around and try to twist god's word into a hate psalm and use the word of god to reap the benefits of the "good life". It makes me sick. Any real christian would give the clothes off there back for their neighbor and help those without wanting something in return.

[Searcher]

no matter what hagee says God does not promote hate against anyone no matter whom they are and true christians don't try to shove our beliefs down people's throats. I have read the bible. God says that we should minister to people but not push our faith onto them. everyone has the right to believe what they want. it is not our place as christians to tell people where they are going or judge them for their beliefs. to do this is hypocrisy. I can't stand those people who go on television and say they are chrisitans and then they turn around and try to twist god's word into a hate psalm and use the word of god to reap the benefits of the "good life". It makes me sick. Any real christian would give the clothes off there back for their neighbor and help those without wanting something in return.

Very well said.

[RIP]

Any real christian would give the clothes off there back for their neighbor and help those without wanting something in return.

A trait not limited to "real" Christians as you know.

I'm not exactly sure about your brand of "non-judgemental" Christian. I'm not sure how you reconcile that with the Christian faith. It just doesn't jive. I applaud the sentiment though for sure.

[Duff McCartney]

Hagee is a fucking nut. And I'm ashamed that he actually preaches and his mega church is located in my hometown. I can't believe that my people would allow this moron to preach his brand of hate and filth down everyones throat.

As for toxicangel, parts of the Old Testament do promote hate on other people. There are numerous verses where God commands the Israelites to kill and destroy every man, woman and child on the losing side.

[toxicangel19]

Hagee is a fucking nut. And I'm ashamed that he actually preaches and his mega church is located in my hometown. I can't believe that my people would allow this moron to preach his brand of hate and filth down everyones throat.

As for toxicangel, parts of the Old Testament do promote hate on other people. There are numerous verses where God commands the Israelites to kill and destroy every man, woman and child on the losing side.



yes it is true that the israelites where told to fight,and to cleanse the land of sin , even I sometimes don't understand God's thinking, but I feel in my heart that he is not a God of hate and violence, but one of understanding and salvation. I have never read anywhere that says or makes any reference to hurting people who are different than myself or condeming them. According to what i read it is only God whom can condem a person and that for a person to try and do that makes them a fool. Right now we are in the new covenant(time after christ died) in the new covenant when we are saved we are forgiven of all our transgressions because God has mercy on us. We are saved by faith through grace. I can tell you that I have been through some things as a child that children should not have to see or go through pretty serious bad things, but the only one who made me feel safe was God. I remember clearly one time when i was crying very hard and I thought i would never escape what was going on I prayed, and the next night at church I felt something pulling at me by my chest and i heard someone say "what are you waiting for i am here?" I felt like i literaly been pulled to the alter and then i felt this sudden happiness. I never felt that before I didn't understand it at first but then i realized that God was comforting me in my time of need. every since then i felt like no matter what as long as i have him nothing can break me down.


sorry for the long story please note that this is my own personal expierence and that i don't judge any of you for your beliefs. Also please note I am no saint i make the same mistakes that everyone else does and i do not profess to be a perfect christian because i am not perfect. im not all knowing either there are passages out of the bible i forget and sometimes have to go back and read or read more closely. I believe that god undestands that we are not perfect but he just wants us to have faith in him and try to love eachother. Even though so many out there hate. this world may be bitter and sad but there are still those of us whom don't give up helping one another because we believe we can make it better. people who distort religon or use it to promote violence are the biggest hypocrites in the world because they turn there back on what there bible teaches to love eachother. love certainly doesn't kill people. anyways ive said enough. hope yall see my point.

[Searcher]

I'm not exactly sure about your brand of "non-judgemental" Christian. I'm not sure how you reconcile that with the Christian faith. It just doesn't jive. I applaud the sentiment though for sure.


Non judgemental are the only brand. Any Christian who spends a lot of time and energy minding others buisiness for them isn't much of a Christian, but is using religion to align themselves with a more perfect being or philosophy in order to justify their own self-rightiousness.

[Duff McCartney]

yes it is true that the israelites where told to fight,and to cleanse the land of sin , even I sometimes don't understand God's thinking, but I feel in my heart that he is not a God of hate and violence, but one of understanding and salvation.

If that's the case than what do you say about the Old Testament? Hell Psalm 137 even makes reference to someone "bashing a baby against the rocks..." If he is a god of understanding and salvation then he wouldn't say things like that. That's not cleansing sin, a baby doesn't sin. A baby is closer to god than any man.

[WarBeast]

If that's the case than what do you say about the Old Testament? Hell Psalm 137 even makes reference to someone "bashing a baby against the rocks..." If he is a god of understanding and salvation then he wouldn't say things like that. That's not cleansing sin, a baby doesn't sin. A baby is closer to god than any man.

My theory on the differences between the Old and New Testament goes something like this:

Men wrote the old testament to keep people in line, strict rules with a well-defined and very certain punishment: If you sin, you are damned... go straight to hell and burn.

That worked for a while to keep the sheep in line, but then perhaps as the population and society grew and evolved, people found themselves in sinful situations, so rather than have a populace that believed that they were damned and might as well go for broke and just sin their asses off, some men threw together the New testament with a kinder, more forgiving God.... gotta keep the people under control, ya know.

So now, you've got an out... you're not supposed to sin, you're still supposed to follow the rules, but now if you get out of line, you won't want to just give up on trying to obey the rules because you're damned anyway... Now you can just repent and stay in the flock and under control.

[toxicangel19]

from the new international version only difference from king james is the wording.

1 By the rivers of Babylon we sat and wept
when we remembered Zion.

2 There on the poplars
we hung our harps,

3 for there our captors asked us for songs,
our tormentors demanded songs of joy;
they said, "Sing us one of the songs of Zion!"

4 How can we sing the songs of the LORD
while in a foreign land?

5 If I forget you, O Jerusalem,
may my right hand forget its skill .

6 May my tongue cling to the roof of my mouth
if I do not remember you,
if I do not consider Jerusalem
my highest joy.

7 Remember, O LORD, what the Edomites did
on the day Jerusalem fell.
"Tear it down," they cried,
"tear it down to its foundations!"

8 O Daughter of Babylon, doomed to destruction,
happy is he who repays you
for what you have done to us-

9 he who seizes your infants
and dashes them against the rocks.

this is psalm 137 and you can see that god doesn't tell these people to smash babies on rocks the people are talking about gaining vengence on those whom had hurt them. (happy is he who repays you for what you have done to us) "he" not god to further prove it is not the lord they are talking about in psalm 139 it talks a bout how the people considered those who did not believe in god or love him that the people of god should hate them and consider them enemies. these people were singing this. It doesn't tell whether or not God was pleased with these actions but that only that this was the song they were singing in the presence of their captors.
Duff it also depends on how you interpret the text as well. as you know we don't all interpret it the same.

i went to a website to view all the english interpretations of this one passage and 80% of all the text says that it was the people whom had done this not God instead of he sometimes the word those was used in verse 9 of the scripture.

[Duff McCartney]

Duff it also depends on how you interpret the text as well. as you know we don't all interpret it the same.

You're right. It is about the interpretation but then mine isn't wrong nor is yours. It's hard for anyone to say that God is this and that if it's all about interpretation of sacred texts. You saying God is good and all this doesn't make it true.

[toxicangel19]

You're right. It is about the interpretation but then mine isn't wrong nor is yours. It's hard for anyone to say that God is this and that if it's all about interpretation of sacred texts. You saying God is good and all this doesn't make it true.

exactly you have your opinion and i have mine. Like i said before i do not judge anyone for their beliefs but im a very opinionated person so i always like to share what i think. the thing that tests us is holding fast to what we believe and not giving in to persecution or prejudice. Thank you for not being inconsiderate and argumentative.

[Driden]

The problem with the bible is the way its written. A majority of it is in prophecy and parables that everyone and every religion interprets their own way to their means. I also find it funny how most christians preach about sins and change yet themselves have their own issues and the Bible even speaks about not judging others. Pastor John Hagee commits one of the 7 deadly sins by being obese, yet that's okay.

[Duff McCartney]

Well obesity is not entirely linked to the food you eat. It can be genetic. But regardless I do agree with you that he sins everyday. He's a hypocrite.

As far as the Bible being parables I agree with that too. I heard this guy talk about religion when I was watching a documentary and I agree with what he says. Here's his quote....

"All religion, Western and Eastern, is founded upon miracle. It makes little sense to present arguments against Joseph Smith and early Mormonism. That would extend equally well to what we are told about the origins of Judaism, the origins of Christianity, and the origins of Islam. All religion depends upon revelation, all revelation is supernatural. If you wish to be a hard rock empiricist then you should not entertain any religious doctrine whatsoever."

[Driden]

I saw this guy on tv no lie he was on some weird channel I never saw before and he wasn't preaching God's love or saving grace but condemning people and pointing fingers at everyone for being evil and sinners. He ran off about God's wrath on evil countries and getting what they deserve. Sounded very Anti-American imo. Kind of scared me in a evil vibe kind of way.