An old question once again roils Christianity — where do the Jews fit into God’s plan? Are His promises to them still valid? Are prophetic mentions of Jerusalem and Zion just symbols now? For the last 77 years, these questions have centered on the reborn nation of Israel.
Former Fox News anchor Tucker Carlson entered the debate some time ago. But in recent months, he’s gone scorched earth. He said he’s not even sure Hamas is actually a “radical jihad organization,” claiming it “seems more like a political organization.” He has taken to praising Sharia Law because countries where it is practiced have “a rape rate of zero.” He doesn’t mention child brides, or that in those places, women are afraid to report being raped because the woman who reports rape is more likely to be punished than the perpetrator of the crime.
In his recent interview with Nick Fuentes, Tucker proclaimed that those of us who believe God will keep His promises to Israel are perpetrating a “Christian heresy.” He said we are mentally ill — suffering from a “brain virus.” But he seems to have no problem with Fuentes, a man who says Hitler “was cool” and calls himself a Stalin “admirer.” Fuentes might like Sharia Law, too. He says, rape is “not so big a deal,” and that the Holocaust didn’t happen. He says that Kanye West, an avowed Nazi and admirer of Hitler, should be the next President of the United States. He wants the death penalty for all “perfidious Jews.”
Carlson did not confront Fuentes on these extremist positions. Instead, he repeatedly emphasized areas where he and Fuentes agree — particularly on the evils of Israel.
Oddly enough, the backlash to all of this seems to have been most harmful to the conservative Heritage Foundation and its president, Kevin Roberts. When people called on Heritage to cut ties with Carlson, Roberts made an angry video defending the interview in no uncertain terms. He called those who criticized Tucker a “venomous coalition” of “bad actors,” and even “globalists.” He made the bizarre claim that criticizing Carlson was the same as “policing the consciences of Christians.”
Conservatives across America condemned him and the foundation. So, he tried to walk it back. He told a Heritage Foundation staff meeting that the script had been written for him and that he simply read the words. He said, “I didn’t know much about this Fuentes guy. I still don’t.” He added, “I actually don’t have time to consume a lot of news.”
Roberts pointed out that, under his leadership, Heritage had started something called Project Esther, meant to combat antisemitism. But after his video, several members of that team resigned. Then, after his “apology,” even more of them quit. Charles Jacobs, a member of the Project Esther team, addressed Roberts’ ignorance excuse, saying, “If it’s true, he’s incompetent, and he should leave for that reason. And if it’s not true, he’s a liar.”
Right now, both major US political parties have deep divides over Israel. Prophecy warned us that such a time was coming. Still, most of us can’t help but be surprised to see it happening in our beloved country, including in its churches.
The current battles over Israel are minor foreshocks of a future earth-rattling event — Armageddon. Already, the world’s leaders plot together, saying, “Come, and let us cut them off from being a nation, that the name of Israel may be remembered no more” (Psalms 83:4). Even well-meaning Christians may speak against those who love Zion. But nothing will thwart God’s plan.
