No Peace Without Democracy in the Middle EastEhud Barak walked away from Camp David with kind words from President Clinton. Yasser Arafat left after being offered new Israeli concessions that would have given him about 90 percent of the land he is demanding for the moment, plus frontiers that would endanger his major neighbors, Israel and Jordan, and one day make it possible to link the Iraq-Palestine axis physically. Other concessions would destroy the security value of the remaining West Bank Israeli settlements and—oh, yes—begin dismantling a united Jerusalem, which Mr. Barak and every other Israeli leader has sworn would never ever be divided.
That means Mr. Barak made his concessions for free, which turned them into gifts. Of course, he says the Arafat refusal to accept wording of the Jerusalem concessions makes the whole package null and void. But Mr. Arafat won't let these concessions slip away so easily. At the new talks the Palestinians and Israelis are already planning, Mr. Arafat will likely make all these concessions the floor, not the ceiling, of his demands. His top aides say so, I assume concealing their grins. This is something that nearly everyone watching, from outstanding moderate Israeli conservatives like Zalman (former Israeli ambassador in Washington) to American supporters of Mr. Barak and Israeli Labor, seems to have overlooked. However, so it should not seem a total loss to his country, the Israeli spokesman reveals that the tone of the talks was civilized. That's nice. What neither he nor any other Israeli can reveal is whether Mr. Barak has so damaged himself as a caretaker of Israeli interests in negotiation that he will not be able to represent Israel more effectively at a new round, or at all. There was no great mystery about Palestinian strategy at Camp David. That is the way Palestinians and other national movements operate—building on one retreat by the enemy to create another. What is something of a mystery is that after more than a half-century of struggle with the Palestinians, so many Israelis, and so many of their foreign friends simply refuse to look at Israeli-Palestinian reality. It has been this way for most of the many years of this struggle; the governments and religious and elite leadership of the Arab states would not even talk of peace with Israel. They preferred war—war with the intention of destroying Israel. The creation of Israel in 1948 could have peacefully created an independent Palestine, which never had existed. The Jews accepted the U.N. partition plan; the Arabs chose to reject it and chose unending war. From then on, the only way the Israeli nation and people could satisfy Arab rulers and religious chiefs was to die, quickly. But military war against the Jews by the combined Arab forces failed. In 1967, an attack by combined Arab forces cost their nations the West Bank and the Jordan-occupied parts of Jerusalem, neither of which had been the property of the non-existent Palestine. Decades of world economic boycott also failed, not because the world suddenly loved Israelis, but because they did not live as Arabs did, enchained by medieval monarchs and economies. The Arabs used the weapon of mind poison. Around the world they spread, and still do, the most concerted anti-Jewish campaign since the Nazis. And to all Muslims they spread the message about Palestinians with which King Hussein of Jordan had blessed Saddam's forces—they are fighting for all Islam. When all other forms of warfare failed to persuade Israel to go kill itself, Arab nations tested other techniques—like the suspension of formal warfare for terrorism against Israel and its supporters. Then came the current phase—accepting the concept of peace, kind of, and sometimes even agreeing to a perversion of it: peace in name, continued terrorism and mind poison in practice. Many Israelis and foreigners believe that, by now, desire for peace will persuade Israelis and Palestinians to cultivate their own rose gardens in peace and harmony. I remember with some sympathy the furious Arab at an international conference shouting the Jews would just grow more roses in the same damned space.
I think real peace will not come until enough democratic governments
replace the regimes of the Arab despots and mind poisoners. The U.S.
should say so and act so. That will take a long time, but not as long as
trying to achieve a sound peace by giving away land, security and
principle.
CNN grants Jerusalem autonomy(IsraelWire-7/28) If one goes to the weather page of the Cable News Network, one will find that officials at CNN have decided to cut off Jerusalem from Israel, apparently due to recent claims to the capital by Yassir Arafat and the PLO Authority.
Unlike other cities, Jerusalem is no longer listed with a state or
country, is no longer under the "Israel" listing, and remains isolated
under its own listing, not connected to any country.
We had not heard from the presidents of the various seminaries we have recently criticized until Dr. Charles Swindoll of Dallas Theological Seminary contacted us last month. Dr. Tom McCall got his doctor's degree at DTS and is very familiar with the faculty and the doctrines taught there. He answers Dr. Swindoll below. —Zola
Response to Dr. Swindoll at DTS
The 10 books he lists were published during the last ten years by some 11 current and former faculty members. The problem is that nine of the authors are in what must be considered the old guard of the seminary, who have not changed doctrinally, and only two could be considered in the new crop of professors. That is precisely the problem we were pointing out, that the most of the new professors, some of whom have adopted the aberrant view of Progressive Dispensationalism and other problematical doctrines, were not publishing any works which could be evaluated. In one sense, I am glad that they are not publishing their views, but on the other hand, it makes it difficult to evaluate concepts that are not published, but are only taught in the cloistered halls of the classrooms. Furthermore, Dr. Swindoll responded to one of our faithful readers who wrote to him, stating his concern that the seminary was teaching doctrines that produced a negative attitude toward modern Israel, and Dr. Swindoll laid down the following challenge:
It is with great sadness that I raise pen in hand to respond to the challenge presented by the president of my alma mater Dallas Theological Seminary, Dr. Charles Swindoll. Let us first make clear that we have always appreciated the ministry of Dr. Swindoll, especially on his regular radio program, in which his expository sermons in his church are broadcast widely throughout North America. Nevertheless, several years ago he became president of DTS, and has thus presided over the gradual shift of the seminary into the erroneous doctrine, which the adherents call Progressive Dispensationalism. In his letter to us, Dr. Swindoll admits that a few of the professors at DTS are teaching Progressive Dispensationalism, but that he thinks this does not violate the doctrinal statement. We are aware of at least five of the newer professors who are openly teaching Progressive Dispensationalism at DTS. Furthermore, we have shown repeatedly in this newsletter that Progressive Dispensationalism is in error, and that it contradicts at least one of the articles of the doctrinal statement of the seminary, the one forbidding any confusion in the dispensations of Law, Grace and the Millennium. Nevertheless, Dr. Swindoll does not think that Progressive Dispensationalism violates the doctrinal statement or the Scriptures. We vehemently believe it does. Who is right? We appeal to one of the "theological statesmen" at DTS whom Dr. Swindoll mentions above, Dr. Robert P. Lightner, who writes the following statement of concern in an article in The Conservative Theological Journal, Vol. 4, No. 11, March 2000, entitled "Progressive Dispensationalism":
One of the cardinal truths of the Scripture emphasized by mainstream dispensationalists is that the Church Age is a previously unrevealed parenthesis the Lord inserted into the previously revealed prophetic program. Later in this same excellent article, Dr. Lightner rebuts the view of the Progressive Dispensationalists, who object to this standard dispensational teaching:
Thus we see that one of the theological statesmen of the current professors of Dallas Theological Seminary reports with much sorrow and anguish of soul that the professors at the seminary who are teaching Progressive Dispensationalism are in flagrant violation of the DTS Doctrinal Statement, and that this is being tolerated by the administration.
Our critics may say, so what? Isn't this just theological
nitpicking? What concerns us most are the results of this aberrant
teaching, especially as it relates to the Christian attitude toward
modern Israel. The Progressive Dispensational teaching that the modern
nation of Israel has no relation to the fulfillment of Bible prophecy is
blinding the eyes of many evangelical Christians to what the Lord is
doing now in preparation for the Second Coming of Christ. Their
erosion of the Scriptural teaching of the distinctiveness of God's
program for the Church from God's program for Israel is dulling the
anticipation of the blessed hope, the Rapture. These are serious
negative results stemming from bad theological teaching. Pray that these
schools will return to the anchor of the unadulterated Word of God.
Zola's Bulletin Board
Zola and several other speakers have been invited to teach during a Thanksgiving weekend cruise (Nov. 24-27). The topics will include prophecy and the roots of Christianity. After a bon voyage banquet on Friday evening and a Saturday morning buffet meeting at The Holiday Inn Ocean-Front in Cocoa Beach, FL, we'll embark for Grand Bahama Island aboard the luxurious 13,000 ton SS-Dolphin IV. Based on double occupancy, an ocean view cabin is $395. For more information, please call Joe Vera at 727-327-0268.
"Thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things" (Matt. 25:21).
December is one of the most comfortable and affordable times of the year to make your Holy Land pilgrimage. We get special savings then, and we pass them on to our passengers. Both of our December tours depart on the 11th. The Deluxe tour returns on the 21st and the Grand on the 25th. Due to unique time differences, you can enjoy Christmas Eve in Bethlehem and Christmas Day at home. Please call Tony or Becky at (214) 696-9760, during office hours, or 1 800-WONDERS anytime. This will be the 69th tour in our tour department's 17-year history. [Click here for more information.]
As you may know, TBN has moved Zola's program to Monday mornings at 8:00 ET, 7:00 CT, 6:00 MT and 5:00 PT. FAM still carries Zola Levitt Presents on Friday mornings at 6:30 ET, 5:30 CT, 4:30/7:30 MT and 6:30 PT. That's 6:30 on FAM on both coasts. In Chattanooga, TN, WELF-23 is moving us to 8:00 AM on Mondays. Please let us know if you would like one of our free National TV Airing Schedules, or see it online at www.levitt.com.
There is only one way to be a part of our small worship group that
meets 7:30 PM each Friday at the Biblical Arts Center, in North Dallas
at Park Lane & Boedeker (214-691-4661). Be there (please). We
don't have the resources to produce tape recordings of our music,
Bible questions, Hebrew lessons and Zola's teaching, but if you are ever
in Dallas, you owe it to yourself to witness "church in the round." We
sit in a big circle, often a double circle, and interact casually, much
the way first-century Christians did.
[Click here for more information.]
A Note From Zola
Dear Friends, At the time of this writing, Yasser Arafat has completed a trip through Europe, including Russia, looking for support to declare his new state. I don't know if he will do that on September 13, but if he does, it will be another of those Palestinian propaganda initiatives. One has only to spend some time in Israel watching the Israelis and the Palestinians living their daily lives to conclude who really owns the land, who loves the land, who works the land, and who ought to have the land.> An unsaved Jewish friend pointed out to me that 25 years ago I told him there would be some unholy alliance against Israel headed up by Russia (the invasion of Gog and Magog in Ezekiel 38 and 39). He reminded me that Arafat meeting Putin, the "president" of Russia, may lead to such excessive anti-Semitism as an actual invasion of the Holy Land. God's will is clear on that. He gave Israel to Abraham and his seed after him through Isaac, Jacob, etc., down to the modern Jewish people. His promise of restoration of the Jews to Israel does not depend on their behavior or even their faith. It is simply an immutable, everlasting promise He made to His friend, Abraham, and of course, it is still in force. In fact, we are living in the generation that saw the fulfillment of this breathtaking prophecy of some 3,500 years range. Deuteronomy 30, among many other passages, cites God's intention of restoring His Chosen People to the Promised Land, and that was given during the Exodus! A 3,500-year-old promise is not to be taken lightly. And who would have guessed that our modern church would be so far out of step as to fail to see this amazing fulfillment, even as it happens before our very eyes. I mean, after all, what are the odds that the Jewish people without God would ever even have survived this long, let alone be restored to their ancient land? How likely is it that God is really working through the American church, or your denomination or mine, or some body of churchmen, however sincere, when He has always worked through Israel and promised to do that until eternity? And I guess it doesn't stop there, because eternity will create a new heaven, a new earth, and you know what city...a new Jerusalem! When our tourists arrive in the Holy City, I tell them in my first talk that they're looking at a city that will never perish, not ever, not for eternity! Our seminaries and our churches teach it otherwise. Israel is of little importance in a majority of churches and in the large seminaries, and we have belabored that point, I know. But frankly, this will be a life-long mission of mine because I am a Christian (not because I am a Jew). A Christian is a believer in the Jewish Messiah, who is on his way to Israel for a 1,000-year stay in the Kingdom to come. A Christian is one who is passionately interested in his future homeland and the land of the patriarchs, the prophets, and the Messiah. A Christian is respectful of the Chosen People, whom God loves, and takes their part when they are embroiled in political discourses, election campaigns, and every other worldly situation, from anti-Semitism to all-out war. A Christian is one who has a ready answer to the Lord's provocative question in the judgment of the sheep and the goats at the beginning of the Kingdom: "How did you treat my (Jewish) brothers?" (see Matt. 25:40). And a Christian is one who is most skeptical of the unbelievers' posturing at "peace conferences" and the like. President Clinton is simply not believable, and Yasser Arafat obviously doesn't want peace. The exasperated Israelis can't seem to give away enough to appease their myriad antagonists, and the whole peace process is at a standstill, and well and good. It would never have led to peace in any case, but I hope we can stop pretending for now. Once Clinton is out of office, I think all of this rushing about and negotiating will die off. It is increasingly clear that the Arabs don't want land for peace, they just want the land—all of it. I don't mean to sound disheartened about all this since, truly, it is what is to be expected in End Times prophecy. The chapters of Ezekiel discussing the "dry bones" vision and the Russian invasion read as one continuous story, implying that, once the Jews are back in the land, the trouble starts, and indeed it has. We are rapidly approaching the moment when Jerusalem will become the "burdensome stone" and the "cup of trembling" that Zechariah holds it to be at the end. It does seem like the whole world is burdening itself with the problem of Jerusalem (as if there really were a problem), and nobody can seem to solve the dilemma (whatever the dilemma is). Come to Israel and see for yourself what I have been illustrating here. As some of our pilgrims have said, "One trip over there is worth a lifetime of studying in church!" Our winter tour of Israel (December 11-21) will take you to Megiddo (where you can see the future battlefield of Armageddon), Mt. Carmel, Nazareth, the Western Wall, the Mt. of Olives, the Garden of Gethsemane, the Upper Room of the Last Supper, the Garden Tomb, Masada, and the Dead Sea. You will also see the beauty of the Golan Heights, see the original Dead Sea Scrolls, as well as the caves of Qumran where they were found. You will walk through the Old City of Jerusalem, learning the fascinating history of her various inhabitants through the ages, her conquerors and her true owners, God's Chosen People. You will visit the Holocaust museum, Yad Vashem, paying tribute to the more than six million Jews who lost their lives to the Nazis. Shop the marketplaces of Israel, eat hearty Israeli meals of the fruits and vegetables grown in the Holy Land where God promised He would "multiply the fruit of the tree, and the increase of the field" (Ez. 36:30). See the lush fields, groves, and flowers that are like jewels in the midst of the desert, and know that God's promise has been fulfilled. You can choose to add an extension to Petra, the ancient city carved directly out of the red mountains of Jordan, on our Grand Tour (December 11-25). Enjoy the best of both worlds—a pilgrimage to God's Chosen Land, worshipping our Lord in the Shepherds' Fields of Bethlehem on Christmas Eve, and Christmas Day at home with your family. Call Tony or Becky at 214-696-9760 during office hours for more information, or call 1-800-WONDERS any time for a full-color brochure. We'll be filming our new series, "The Rabbi's Friends," during this tour. We'll reacquaint you with the folks our Messiah loved and taught: the common man and the professional man, children, His friends of Bethany, and yes, Judas Iscariot. I hope you'll join us. And, Sha'alu Shalom Yerushalayim. Pray for the peace of Jerusalem.
Muslim's "Wife-beating Guide" Outrages WomenMadrid — Women's organizations in Spain are outraged by a book written by a Muslim cleric that contains advice on how men can beat their wives without leaving marks. The sixth chapter of Women in Islam says verbal warnings, followed by a period of sexual inactivity, can be used to discipline a disobedient wife. But in some cases, beating is appropriate—as long as the punches "don't leave cuts or bruises," the book says, according to the Spanish news agency Europa Press.
"This book promotes and gives instructions on abusing women. It is a guide that should not be in circulation," said Angeles Ruiz, the president of the European Women's Lobby, on Tuesday. On Friday, the coalition of 30 women's groups filed a lawsuit in a Barcelona court to have the book withdrawn. They invoked a Spanish law designed to protect women from discrimination in the home and the workplace. On Monday, Mostafa's Barcelona-based editor, Mowafak Kanfatch, defended the book, which he said was published three years ago and has 3,000 copies in print.
"What it says is that there should not be blows to the face or to
sensitive parts," Kanfatch said on Spanish television. "Blows should be
done to parts where the woman will not suffer damage." Sapa-AP
Save Kids from Bloodthirsty BibleMunich, Germany — Two lawyers said on Tuesday that they had written to German Family Minister Christine Bergmann asking her to officially class the Bible among books considered dangerous for children because of its violent content.
"It preaches genocide, racism, enmity towards Jews, gruesome executions for adulterers and homosexuals, the murder of one's own children and many other perversities," Sailer and Hetzel said. The book should, therefore, be kept on the "not for children" list so long as the "bloodthirsty and human rights-violating passages" were not removed. A spokesperson for the Roman Catholic Church in Munich, Adelheid Utters-Adam, described the demand as absurd. If the Bible should be put on the index, then so should every history book and practically every newspaper edition, she said.
The Bible described the dark side of human life, too, Utters-Adam
said, adding that the authors of the demand had in no way understood the
book.
|
 |
|
Thomas McCall |
The detailed information given in the May Levitt Letter prompted some of our readers to write to key Trustees of Moody whose names and addresses were listed in the June issue. The responses received by the readers indicate that the Trustees are stating that the objections raised in our newsletter are not true. To support this, the Trustees are distributing a copy of Moody's recent doctrinal clarification document that was finalized and released to its undergraduate faculty in May 2000. This document is being mailed out in an effort both to discredit our claims of doctrinal drift, and also to reassure supporters of the school.
Maintaining the financial base is probably of utmost concern to the Trustees. There have been recent disclosures of unexpected monetary shortfalls in Moody's annuities and trust arrangements, which led to the sudden dismissal of the school's chief financial officer earlier this year. This has resulted in austerity measures and belt tightening in a number of areas in the undergraduate division, including faculty privileges in the undergraduate dining room. The Trustees are apparently using the doctrinal clarification document to quash unsettling rumors about changes in doctrine that might further threaten cash flow.
However, there are many questions about the doctrinal clarification document itself. We have known of its existence, are aware of its history and the process behind it and are fully conversant with its content. The publication of this document, however, does not change the fact that, as reported in our May 2000 newsletter, there is a serious theological deterioration in the undergraduate division of Moody Bible Institute. Here are some of the questions that must be asked of the leaders of Moody.
FIRST, why was there a need for a clarification document at all? Moody Bible Institute's 1928 Statement and the two policy statements on the modern tongues movement and feminism would appear to be all that was needed. The original statement emphasized the fundamentals of Christianity and made specific emphasis on premillennial/pretribulational eschatology. When the professors were interviewed for their positions, weren't these issues discussed with them prior to their being hired?
SECOND, why did it take four years, from 1996 to 2000, of committee work to clarify the five original articles and two policy statements?
THIRD, why did President Stowell and his chief administrators allow the faculty to remove "Here We Stand" (printed in 1986 with Stowell's imprimatur in it explaining where Moody stands) from the school's publications? Actually, we know why. The faculty minutes show that one professor complained that he knew of at least half a dozen professors who would have to leave if "Here We Stand" was kept. Recently retired Dean of Education, Dr. Howard Whaley, then subsequently stated that the booklet was not official, and it was removed. Some now call the booklet, "Here We Stood."
FOURTH, why did Dean Whaley drastically reduce the initial 1999 clarification document from eight pages to eight short footnotes, a reduction in material of some 83%?! Again, we know why. When the faculty received its copy in March of 1999 and discussed its content in faculty meetings, the minutes reflect such a strong, negative reaction to the material that another year was needed to rework it. Appeal was even made from within the faculty to stop the process completely. The initial document from the subcommittees was too specific, reflected material found in "Here We Stand," was incompatible with the new doctrine of Progressive Dispensationalism and was thereby unacceptable to faculty members.
FIFTH, why has Moody's Administration allowed its faculty members to advocate egalitarianism/feminism in the classroom, in open forums, in written documents, and in the student newspaper, Moody Student? Our first-hand documentation since 1993 fully shows this to be a divisive problem. It violates the 1979 statement indicating that women should not have church pastoral roles.
SIXTH, a study done by the Faculty Concerns Committee (1996-1997) reported to faculty a number of theological views in faculty that troubled a "large number" of professors: anti-Messianic treatment of O.T. material, progressive dispensationalism, egalitarianism, charismatic issues, etc. Question: Why did the Academic Dean dismiss these reports and downplay them as non-policy items? A recent twist is the presence of professors who prefer to use the word "myth" to discuss O.T. material, especially early Genesis data. This confusion recently manifested itself in students in a senior colloquium. When asked what they thought about the creation material, they responded that they had been taught that it was myth: non-verifiable, non-historical, non-factual. Amazing!
SEVENTH, and finally, why has the administration allowed the faculty to change an important requirement for graduation? Prior to 1998, students had to "sign off" on the 1928 doctrinal statement. In 1998, faculty debated and moved to a blander "historic Christian faith," thereby eliminating some of Moody's unique dispensational elements as a requirement for seniors to graduate. In March 1999, Dean Whaley stated in a faculty meeting that there is coming a time when the Institute may have to graduate students who do not conform to the doctrinal statement. Why? What has changed?
Despite the protestations of Moody's Trustees, our claims in our newsletters about Moody are true. They can be supported by detailed documentation. Continue to pray that God would open the eyes of their leadership.
We had stated previously that God's hand will be withdrawn from
schools that teach bad doctrine. I was not surprised to hear of Moody's
problems, financial and otherwise.
— Zola
Oct 15
Life Spring of Israel
Life Christian Center
13001 Gravois
St. Louis, MO.
(314) 843-5575
Nov 19, 10:30 a.m.
Orchard Hills Baptist Church
Garland, TX 75041
972-278-1586
Nov 24-27
Speaking on Caribbean cruise
Information: Call Joe Vera at 727-327-0268
Every Friday at 7:30 p.m.
Shalom, Shalom Messianic Congregation
Biblical Arts Center,
7500 Park Lane,
Dallas, Texas
214-691-4661
Return to Levitt Letter Archive Index
Copyright © 2000 by Zola Levitt Ministries, Inc., a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization. All rights reserved. Brief passages may be quoted in reviews or other article. For all other use, please get our written approval.
In an acidic demonstration of contempt for current Israeli
diplomacy, Mr. Arafat turned down the latest cornucopia of the gifts Mr.
Barak came carrying to pay for peace; it was not enough. So the meeting
was over, leaving President Clinton and Mr. Barak looking terribly hurt
and startled. Mr. Barak carries the responsibility; Mr. Clinton is not
his nanny. Mr. Barak and his team fell into a trap than any embassy
second secretary would have avoided—spreading out your
final-settlement offerings before the opponent has given an idea of what
he might pay for them.
One of our faculty members recently shared with me the
Tony Derrick has served as this ministry's shipping manager for
roughly ten years, and now he has been promoted to Travel Manager in our
Israel tour department. He has assisted as Praise & Worship Leader
on two of our tours, and he has a Masters of Divinity degree.
The book's Egyptian-born author, Imam Mohamed Kamal Mostafa, is the
leader of a mosque in Fuengirola near the southern city of Malaga. He
could not be reached for comment.
The Holy Book contains passages of "a gruesomeness difficult to
exceed" which are glorified as the will of God, the Bavarian lawyers
Christian Sailer and Gert-Joachim Hetzel said in their submission to the
minister on behalf of "some parents of minors."
