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CNN Sunday Morning
Fundamentalist Christians Celebrate Israel
Aired May 05, 2002 - 08:44 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: Well, in the Middle East, as orthodox Christians mark their Easter holiday, a group of fundamentalist Christians from the U.S. is showing support for the Jewish people. Jason Bellini talks more about this.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JASON BELLINI, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): It was Israel's independence day. I was in Zion Square in Jerusalem where somehow a giant shaving cream fight has become a tradition. The two most enthusiastic people I met that night, Phillips and Nancy Holmes, grandmother and grandson were from South Carolina, and devout Christians.
(on camera): How did you guys end up here tonight of all places?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: God promised Israel that they would become No. 1 in the end. And that they would be over all things. My heart is here.
BELLINI (voice-over): In these troubled times, Israel is finding a loyal friend in fundamentalist Christians, like this group I met in Jerusalem. As they get on the bus, word gets around that Palestinian gunmen just shot and killed four Israeli settlers outside Hebron.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Oh, dear.
BELLINI: Those gunmen still said to be on the loose.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Let's pray they'll be caught. Let's pay.
BELLINI: Kay Arthur is the group's leader and well known among conservative Christians. On this day, she uses every opportunity to ex-tall her love of Israel and her conviction that in the Israeli/Palestinian conflict all bible believing Christians are obligated to take the side of the Jewish people.
(on camera): Kay invited me to come along with the group today and it is a very special day for them on their tour, because today they're going to walk in the footsteps of Jesus from the time of his arrest, to his death and resurrection.
(voice-over): We stop a basement crypt in the old city. Here many believe Jesus broke bread and drank wine with his disciples. The Last Supper. Jesus promised to give his life for the sins of mankind.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We have to be so careful that we don't allow the voices of the world, the voices of the mob, the voices of those that do not know Jesus, to prevail in our lives.
BELLINI: In her lectures, Kay Arthur often makes comparisons between biblical and modern times.
KAY ARTHUR, PRECEPT MINISTRIES: It reminds me so much of today. Because what we see as we see a lot of noise, a lot of racket, a lot of calling of injustice. A lot of saying, get rid of Israel, punish them, make them do this. And what we don't realize is that Israel is the pupil of God's eye. These are his chosen people. And because they are his chosen people, God says that if you do not bless them, I will not bless you.
Because they were confronted with the truth.
BELLINI: Not all Christians agree with Kay Arthur's interpretation.
ALBERT AGHAZARIAN, BIRZEIT UNIVERSITY: I don't believe in a tribal God. I don't believe that there are people who are children of a lesser God.
BELLINI: Albert Aghazarian is a Palestinian Christian and a professor of history. He's alarmed by the fundamentalist Christians he sees coming to Jerusalem to support Israel.
AGHAZARIAN: Because I accept the Bible I feel these are completely twisting the bible. For me Christianity is not the question of dealing with the future and it's rather, you know reaching out to justice, human right and respect of the neighbor.
BELLINI: Kay Beckendorf from Texas wears a Menorah necklace to express her solidarity.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: People had better stand up and be careful and that includes my country, my country, the United States. We need to stand solidly with Israel and with God's people.
AGHAZARIAN: No question about it. They are a powerful dedicated lobby. We know that they have influence over the circle of the President Bush and the Republicans.
BELLINI (on camera): The Israeli cause may not be as central in the lives of most fundamentalists as these on this tour.
ARTHUR: My heart breaks for the Jewish people.
BELLINI: But when push comes to shove, they say the truly faithful will make their voices heard.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: God is going to make this, make Jerusalem his home once again. UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I'm here because ever since I learned that I should love Israel, and the Jews, I have loved Israel and the Jews with all my heart.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This is their land and they love it. They love it!
BELLINI: Unconditional love of the state of Israel by these conservative Christians who quote from Ezekiel, "You shall be my people and I will be your God."
Jason Bellini, CNN, Jerusalem.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
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