Story Transcript
CHRISTINE LAMPSON, MEMBER, CHRISTIANS UNITED FOR ISRAEL (CUFI): Because the hardcore Jews do not want what is presented to them now, they will get exactly what they deserve, and that’s the Antichrist.
Pastor Hagee’s Extreme Makeover
By Harry Hanbury & Davin Hutchins
PASTOR JOHN HAGEE, FOUNDER AND CHAIRMAN, CUFI: Not everyone believes the Bible to be the inspired word of God. So be it. But for us, there are only two ways to live: the Bible way and the wrong way.
Join thousands of others who rely on our journalism to navigate complex issues, uncover hidden truths, and challenge the status quo with our free newsletter, delivered straight to your inbox twice a week:
Join thousands of others who support our nonprofit journalism and help us deliver the news and analysis you won’t get anywhere else:
VOICEOVER: Pastor John Hagee is back in the spotlight. Five months after John McCain accepted the televangelist’s endorsement.
SEN. JOHN MCCAIN, US PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE (R): I’m very honored by Pastor John Hagee’s endorsement today.
VOICEOVER: And two months after, he rejected it.
MCCAIN: —crazy, unacceptable. I would reject the endorsement.
VOICEOVER: It is remarkable that McCain courted Hagee in the first place, because the Texas preacher has never made a secret of his extreme views.
HAGEE: I believe the Antichrist is alive and well. I believe he knows who he is, and I believe he awaits with glee his day of demonic reign. This man is at least going to be partially Jewish, as was Adolf Hitler, as was Karl Marx. He will not regard the desire of women. That means he’s going to be homosexual.
VOICEOVER: But more remarkable than Hagee’s three-month sojourn into presidential politics is his enduring political clout, even after his split with McCain.
HAGEE: We are still here. We are still alive. We are still growing. We are still going forward. By God’s help, we always shall.
VOICEOVER: This week, thousands gathered in Washington, DC, for the annual convention of the organization Hagee founded, Christians United for Israel. Among the attendees were some of Washington’s best-known movers and shakers.
SEN. JOSEPH LIEBERMAN (ID-CT): The bond that I feel with Pastor Hagee and each and every one of you is much stronger than that. And so I am proud to stand with you tonight.
VOICEOVER: Most of the conference was closed to the media with no advance notice. But in his one speech on the record, Hagee steered clear of theological issues that had earned him bad press in the past. Hagee’s more moderate tone may have something to do with CUFI’s contract with the public relations firm 5W, whose clients include Microsoft, Barnes & Noble, Harris Casinos, the rapper Snoop Dogg, and the actress and Playboy centerfold Pamela Anderson.
~~~
JUDA ENGELMAYER, 5W PUBLIC RELATIONS: As I said, I’m not opening up to this. You know. So—.
INTERVIEWER: We can’t do interviews here?
ENGELMAYER: I told them this already. No. This is not what it’s for. The people aren’t supposed to be bothered or interviewed. Simple as that.
~~~
VOICEOVER: David Brog is the executive director of Christians United for Israel and another major reason for Hagee’s staying power on the national political scene. Plus he’s Jewish—an important quality for Hagee’s right-hand man, because Hagee, despite his fervent support for Israel, has long been accused of antisemitism. You see, Hagee’s brand of theology, known as Christian Zionism, contends that the second coming of Jesus will occur only when Jews gain control of the Holy Land. When that happens, all those who are saved get to go to Heaven, and everyone else—Muslims, Buddhists, Jews, and others—head for that other place.
~~~
INTERVIEWER: What about the Antichrist? How does he play into [inaudible]
JUAN RICARDO GAINES, CUFI MEMBER: He’s a mystery. We’re not supposed to speculate on who he is or where he’s come from. We know he’s coming from wrong, but we don’t know who he is, because the Bible predicts that the holy spirit will be taken out of the way and all the Christians will go up in the Rapture. Then will that wicked one be revealed, the son of perdition or the son of destruction, who [inaudible]. So he’s going to come in after the Christians are gone, move into the European Union, take it over, sign a peace agreement with Israel, pretend he’s their friend, then turn on him at the last minute and try to wipe them out.
~~~
LAMPSON: A survey published the day before Hagee’s conference found that 78 percent of American Jews believe Jewish groups should not partner with Hagee or other Christian Zionists. When Hagee’s followers speak for themselves, it’s easy to see why. It’s the split of the Jewish family into reasonable Jews and messianic Jews, and that means the hardcore Jews are outnumbered in quality and quantity. Let them learn the hard way.
INTERVIEWER: Alright. Well, thank you very much.
LAMPSON: Okay. You’re welcome.
~~~
VOICEOVER: As for those who do support Hagee, I suppose that holding one end of a poster-sized check tends to quell one’s urge to argue about theology.
DISCLAIMER:
Please note that TRNN transcripts are typed from a recording of the program; The Real News Network cannot guarantee their complete accuracy.
