The plight of Arab christians

This unfortunate group of people is caught in the middle of tensions between Jews and Muslims. While many Christian Arabs sympathize politically and culturally with their fellow Arabs over the Jewish people, they nonetheless are often targets of scorn from Arab Muslims. What is most shocking, however, is that Christians of Arab descent are non-issues in the minds of most Western Christians. Arab believers are most notably ignored by many Christians in America who believe fervently in the dispensational, pre-tribulational, premillennial view of Bible prophecy.

__________________
1689 Baptist Confession

Psa 55:16 As for me, I will call upon God; and the LORD shall save me.
Psa 55:17 Evening, and morning, and at noon, will I pray, and cry aloud: and he shall hear my voice.
James Farley, Wilderness Road Baptist Assembly.
Husband of Melissa and father of Ann.
www.wildernessroadbaptist.org

Maybe we should ask these folks

__________________
John
Member
Christ Presbyterian Church (OPC)
Salt Lake City, Utah
www.christpres.net

This is a very sad situation. My wifes uncle was a missionary in Palestine (Bible Pres) for years and he told many stories of American Christians who would come to his town and would not go to church with Palestinian christians because they were told by (Jewish) tour guides that they "were all terrorists".

He said that thousands of local christians would be worshipping in their local churches while the Americans would hold a service in the hotel to pray for the Israeli army to kill all the Arabs so that "Jerusalem would have peace".

The stories he told about American Christian indiference would make you feel sick.

These brothers suffer from all sides; Israeli, & Muslem persecution and western Christian indifference.

We should remember to pray for them.

__________________
Kevin Rogers
Sovereign Community Church, PCA
Moncton NB

When I look back at the years I spent spewing forth the doctrines of dispenstionalism one emotion comes over me time after time. SHAME.

I find some of this to be broadbrushing. Yes, I can understand the Christians believing the tour guide out of ignorance (thinking that the Arab Christians must surely be siding with the other Arabs due to background...common issue amoung men). However, when I was a dispensational, we NEVER prayed the Arabs would "be killed so the Jews could have peace"!!! We prayed for the "Peace of Jerusalem" (however that would come about) and we prayed for the salvation of all those involved. Voice of the Martyrs, I believe, even put out articles about the Arab Christians and that was a highly recommended periodical amoung the dispys. Seems like some of this is assumptions or stretches. Concern for Israel being seen as aggression against the Arab Christians. Perhaps the tour guide never mentioned these Arabs were Christians.

I can see a million scenarios playing out as to the whats and whys of the situation.

__________________
JC
URCNA
PA, but homesick for SC

"Who says you can't go back, been all around the world and as a matter of fact. There's only one place left I want to go, who says you can't go home" Bon Jovi

You bring out a good point dear lady, but I believe he is pointing this article toward the Hagee/Falwell types.

Thank you, Mr. Farley...I'm not familiar with Hagee and Falwell very much, they are a bit on the funnyfarm side. The more fundamental dispensationals take missions to various cultures seriously regardless of political persuasian.

I also admit, I can understand how this appears to the Arab Christians and the minister. I'm just saying that there is much misunderstanding on both parts involved. It would help if there were those that would seek to go and come back and speak with these churches here. I know the Presbyterian missions seem to be pretty good about that.

The sad thing is that most dispys do not if ever acknowledge Arab Christians. They are seen as second class Christians. Much of the same way as Reformed Christians are viewed in America by popular evangelicals.

We have more in common with Arab Christians than a non-believing Jew. They are our brothers and sisters in Christ! What upsets me about dispensationalism is the absolute worship and idolatry of Israel and Jewish people.

The question that I propose to dispensational Christians is this: How can God bless the nation of Israel when, as a whole the entire nation curses his son?
Orthodox Jews in Israel will not even pronounce the name of Jesus they use a derogatory term to refer to him.

This topic hit close to home for me because 5 years ago when I went to Israel all I saw was a worship of Jewish people from dispy Christians. As a result of their foolish zeal to support Israel on its civil issues; dispys have done more to hinder the gospel in the Middle East than to spread it.

I'm with LadyFlynt on this one. I've known many dispensationals who do not support Christian Zionism, and recognize that unbelieving Jews are enemies of the gospel even if they believe that they are in some sense beloved in the eyes of God (Romans 11:28). It is unfair to characterize dispensationalism or dispensationalists this way.

__________________
[IMGL]http://x79.xanga.com/144c6b7b05d37172179798/w130772988.gif[/IMGL]

[IMGL]http://x18.xanga.com/b8cc2b4341633172177963/w130771430.gif[/IMGL][URL="http://www.harborpc.org/"]Harbor Presbyterian Church[/URL] (PCA)
[IMGL]http://x18.xanga.com/b8cc2b4341633172177963/w130771430.gif[/IMGL]San Diego, CA
[IMGL]http://x18.xanga.com/b8cc2b4341633172177963/w130771430.gif[/IMGL][url]http://www.xanga.com/elnwood[/url]

Actually what really shocks me is that there are a LOT of North American Christians (Reformed, Dispy, you name it), who not only are unaware of the plight of Palestinian Christians, but are unaware they exist! They think they are all Moslem. Part of it is the fault of mainstream media, they always or almost always present problems as Jewish/Moslem. Not that North American Christans are foolish mind you! Many simply do not know about that aspect.

__________________
~etexas~

Mr. Crim hit the nail on the head. It's not an ignoring thereof, but rather ignorance on the part of many that such exists. The people are not always to blame for their ignorance. It helps when mission boards and others (like VM) speak up and inform others of such an existance.

What Arab Christians?

__________________
Bob Vigneault (Bawb Vēēn-yo)
"We are God's children and He's the Father of all fathers and we need to obey him." Jean-Baptiste Vigneault (5)

The Heartbeat of Heaven (blog) MySpace (Music), MySpace (Personal)
Member of Christ Presbyterian Church, Janesville, WI OPC www.christ-opc.org

Click to get: Board Rules -- Signature Requirements -- Suggestions?

My wife's family are rabid evanjellyfish zionists. I just stay quiet in order to keep the peace (what little I see of them).

Once I said, "I'm not a dispensationalist." My father-in-law BELLERED back. "YOU ARE TOO A DISPENSATIONALIST!!".

That's the last time I broght that up. In fact, now, every time there's a protest or fist fight at the temple mount I print out the story and bring it to him. He get's so excited and is sure that Christ is about to return any minute. He thanks me profusely. He's an old man. This is easier.

What facts do you have to back up this assertion?

I know firsthand of missionary minded dispensationalists who have a deep abiding love for their Arab brethren. Did you know that the Plymouth Brethren have made a great impact for the gospel in Egypt? I have met many of these brothers and sisters who have been lovingly accepted by their brothers in the West.

I'll make an assertion myself, and as proof I would be happy to cite more than a few posts on the PB. The assertion? There is such a strong anti-dispensationalist and anti-Israeli sentiment with some PB posters that they are wont to throw accusations against the wall and hope that they will stick in the absence of evidence. Brethren, this ought not be! If you have factual evidence to present then do so. If not, be careful lest you be found to be slandering a brother or sister in Christ.

__________________
Bill Brown
Elder
Grace Baptist Church
Anne Arundel County, Maryland

Click to get: Board Rules -- Signature Requirements -- Suggestions?
Visit my BLOG Theology for the Rest of Us

Lady Flint,

I think my wifes (late) uncle was frustrated by the fact that American Christians would not even acknowledge the persecution he was seeing from 2 sides--because in their minds Arab=bad, Jew=good with no ability to recognise that these were brothers in Christ.

He would be greeted with enthusiasm by the America Christian tourists until they found out his ministry was (primarily) to Arabs & Palistinians and not to "Gods Chosen People".

I know that there are pleanty of dispys who don't hold this view--He was one himself(!), but the fact remains that this is a huge blind spot for many western christians.

Not enough, certainly. I will try to keep them in my prayers now.

__________________
My name is Davis. I am the Lord's.

I gather with saints at Bethel Presbyterian Church here in Lake Charles, LA, where I live.

[b][SIZE="3"]"[/SIZE][/b][COLOR="RoyalBlue"]I dwell in the high and holy place, also with him that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones[/COLOR].[b][SIZE="3"]"[/SIZE][/b] -Our Father, the Lord God (Isaiah 57:15)

I was citing first hand accounts of a life-long missionary family. Does that count as factual?

Kevin, you accused dispensationalists as a whole. You said "most dispies." How can you build a case against an entire group based on one experience? Lady Flynt was right. Broad brushes are being used. Let's hope no one uses the same standard of criticism against Reformed theology.

Sorry Bob.........the YOU ARE TO A DISPENSATIONALIST.........is well too funny! My Father in Law believes much the same as yours does, I do the same as you......I never discuss it.

I'm sure there are some dispy's who support the Arab christians brother Bill. Of that I have no doubt. Can you name me one prominant dispy though who does not believe that physical Israel is the seed of Abraham and that the Body of Christ and the seed of Abraham are two different things? The ones I am in contact with here in my area are ate up with dual covenant theology.
Now I know that there are dispy lites out thier like Macarthur who would not go there but among dispys of various denominations they are the minority.

Ok, I should re-phrase my position and statement. I apologize for the broad brush please forgive me.

In my circle of friends, acquaintances, and dispy Bible teachers that I have personally been exposed to there seems to be a lack of consideration for Arab Christians. In order to gather factual evidence this would take some time for me to compile. My statement should have been worded this way, as a whole there seems to be little emphasis on Arab Christians in the circles that I am familiar with. Obviously, this may not be true for other such dispensationalists and this is where I was wrong in my statement.

Grace and Peace