Podcasts about Balfour Declaration

Headlines:  Heavy security presence at COP30 in response to peaceful protests by Indigenous peoples calling for protection of their lands and their right to be includedThe Victorian Ombudsman's letter to Victorian MPs about Premier Allan's crackdown on crime Segments: - A speech from the Free Palestine Rally of November 2nd by Amo Ihab of the Sit Intifada. The rally marked the anniversary of the signing of the Balfour Declaration in 1917, as well as expressing solidarity with the people of Sudan.- Two speeches from the national rally to protect trans youth which took place back in February this year. Firstly we heard Frankie Mizzone (she/her) and her mum Patrice (she/her). Frankie is a trans teenage activist and trailblazer. Frankie spoke of her experiences accessing puberty blockers as a young transgender person. Patrice spoke about what it's like raising a trans child and keeping them safe in world of ever-expanding transphobia. Patrice also reads out Mac's speech, a young transgender person who was unable to attend the rally. There will be a vigil for Trans Day Of Remembrance this Thursday from 5:30pm at Collingwood Town Hall. Register to attend here.  - Thursday the 20th of November is Trans Day of Remembrance, but this Saturday the 22nd of November is Trans of Day Resistance, two days that go hand in hand as we mourn the dead and fight like hell for the living. There will be a rally for trans day of resistance this Saturday at 2pm at Flinders Street Station, we spoke with Sasha and Natalie from the Trans Action Network. TAN are also organising a fundraiser for the Red Rising Lantern fund, helping support Asian migrant sex workers targeted by the Border Force. Find details about both actions here. - Interview with Subhi Awad, a Palestinian refugee activist speaking on the blockade that happened in Tingalpa at Ferra Engineering, spoke on his experiences being a refugee, the connection between hiphop and resistance and his work with the Northern Rivers Friends of Palestine. Music: - Milkumana by King Stingray- Security by Amyl and The Sniffers- City Looks Pretty by Courtney Barnett

Send us a textIn this conversation, Ricardo Karam meets Munib Al-Masri, a man whose life story mirrors a century of Palestinian history.From his childhood in Nablus, where he first heard of the Balfour Declaration, to his youth spent studying geology and politics in the United States, and his return home determined to make knowledge and success serve identity rather than exile. Munib Al-Masri is a businessman who viewed wealth as a responsibility, not a privilege, building institutions, universities, and a national economy rooted in dignity and belonging.He speaks about his deep friendship with Yasser Arafat, about leadership and sacrifice, about wars, displacement, and endless political deals and about Palestine, which he calls his only party and eternal cause. Today, in what he describes as a “war of extermination,” he shares his legacy with the younger generation, calling for faith, resilience, and rebuilding rather than despair.Join Ricardo Karam and Munib Al-Masri in an honest and inspiring exchange that captures the journey of a man who carried Palestine in his heart and through his life leaving us with one lasting truth: A nation never dies as long as it keeps telling its story.في هذا الحديث، يلتقي ريكاردو كرم برجلٍ تختصر سيرته قرنًاً من حكاية فلسطين … منيب المصري، الذي عاش وطنه بكل أسمائه وحدوده وأحلامه.من طفولةٍ في نابلس سمع خلالها عن وعد بلفور، إلى شبابٍ قضاه في المنفى والدراسة بين الجيولوجيا والسياسة في الولايات المتحدة، ثم عودةٍ جعلت من العلم والعمل وسيلتين لخدمة الهوية لا للهجرة عنها. منيب المصري، رجل الأعمال الذي رأى في الثروة واجباً وطنياً، بنى المؤسسات والجامعات، وغرس فكرة أنّ النجاح الحقيقي هو ما يُترك "لهم" لا "لك".يتحدث عن صداقته العميقة بياسر عرفات، عن معنى القيادة والتضحية، عن الحروب والنزوح والصفقات، وعن فلسطين التي بقيت حزبه الوحيد رغم تبدّل الخرائط. وفي زمنٍ يسميه "حرب إبادة"، يوجّه وصاياه إلى الشباب، داعياً إلى الإيمان والعمل والتمسّك بالجذور مهما اشتدّ العصف.انضمّوا إلى ريكاردو كرم ومنيب المصري في حوارٍ صادق ومُلهم يوثّق رحلة رجلٍ حمل فلسطين في قلبه، وسار بها على دروب القرن، ليقول في النهاية: "لا يموت وطنٌ ما دام يحكي."

--{ "If you build it..."}-- What is the new project Melissa is working on? Who are Darick and Ula Chamberlain and when did they conceive this project? Original Talk Jan. 28, 2009 - Balfour Declaration, Rothschild - Dispensationalism, Premillenialism, Scofield Bible - Supersessionism, the New Covenant of Christianity, Spiritual Israel - Carroll Quigley's Tragedy and Hope; Anglo-American Establishment - Ronald Reagan, Jeane Kirkpatrick - George W. Bush, Gog and Magog, Nine/Eleven - World Religions and Bible Prophecy - World War I - Protests against Netanyahu - Iran, Baha-i Faith - Armageddon - Phospherous Bombs - Royal Institute of International Affairs, Chatham House; Council on Foreign Relations; Cecil Rhodes, Milner's Kindergarten, Round Table movement - Edward Bernays, League of Nations - Mandate for Palestine - Global Citizenship, Rockefeller - Brzezinski, Mujahadin - Ronald Storrs, Milner Group, RIIA, Balfour, "Ulster in the Middle East" - Young Turks, Ottoman Empire - Zionism - Birth Control, Abortion - Radical Music - Peter Wright's book, Spycatcher, Rothschild.

In this thought-provoking episode of Breaking History, Matt Ehret sits down with journalist and historian Martin Sieff to mark the 30th anniversary of Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin's assassination, an event they argue changed the course of Middle Eastern peace. Sieff, a former Washington Times correspondent who covered Rabin firsthand, reveals startling insights into Rabin's secret peace negotiations with Syria's Hafez al-Assad, his conflict with Shimon Peres, and the Israeli deep state divisions that may have sealed his fate. Together, they explore the tangled roots of Zionism, British imperial intrigue, the manipulation of eschatology for political control, and how modern global elites still play by those same occult-inspired rules. From Herzl's utopian vision to Tony Blair's technocratic “peace boards,” from the Balfour Declaration's hidden motives to the modern Abraham Accords, Ehret and Sieff connect a century of hidden agendas shaping today's geopolitical chaos. A sweeping and explosive conversation that exposes how myth, power, and ideology collide to steer world history.

Enjoy this episode? Please share it with at least ONE friend who you think needs to hear it!Ivy League historian and Middle East scholar Dr. Zachary J. Foster  @zacharyfoster7426 joins Faust for a groundbreaking deep dive into the hidden history of Zionism: from its roots in eugenics and racial nationalism to its modern entanglement with U.S. power and propaganda, in episode 223 of the Far Out with Faust podcast.Dr. Zachary J. Foster is a Senior Law Fellow at the Rutgers Center for Security, Race and Rights. He holds an M.A. in Arab Studies from Georgetown University and a Ph.D. in Near Eastern Studies from Princeton University. He is the founder of the digital archive Palestine Nexus and writes the newsletter “Palestine, in Your Inbox.” His work appears in international outlets including Haaretz, the Israeli newspaper, and TRT, Turkey's national public broadcaster.Together, Faust and Dr. Foster dismantle the myths behind Israel's founding — tracing how early Zionist leaders rejected Jewish refugees, collaborated with anti-Semitic regimes, and built selective immigration policies rooted in eugenic ideology. They connect the dots between the Balfour Declaration, the Haavara Agreement, and today's militarized state, exposing how a movement sold as liberation became a vehicle for control.They unpack how propaganda, psychological conditioning, and religious distortion have shaped Israeli and Western consciousness alike, and ask the hardest question of all: What happens when victimhood becomes identity, and ideology becomes dogma?In this explosive conversation:

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Welcome to the Monday Breakfast Show On the show we had: Headlines: NSN in recruitment overdrive targeting young boys and men online Victorian Treaty Legislation  4,500 people have fled Sudan's North Kordofan state as the Rapid Support Forces continue their attacks against civilians Segments:- A speech by David Shoebridge, the Greens Senator for NSW from Yesterdays Free Palestine Rally outside the State Library. Yesterdays rally marks the anniversary of the signing of the Balfour Declaration in 1917. According to Al Jazeera, "The Balfour Declaration (“Balfour's promise” in Arabic) was a public pledge by Britain in 1917 declaring its aim to establish “a national home for the Jewish people” in Palestine. The declaration turned the Zionist aim of establishing a Jewish state in Palestine into a reality when Britain publicly pledged to establish “a national home for the Jewish people” there. The pledge is generally viewed as one of the main catalysts of the Nakba – the ethnic cleansing of Palestine in 1948 – and the conflict that ensued with the Zionist state of Israel." The Free Palestine Coalition Naarm refuse the colonial management of Palestine, from the British mandate, to the 1917 Balfour Declaration signed on November the 2nd 1917, to Zionist genocide, military occupation and apartheid, todays imposed Trump deal that seeks to offer Gaza to bidders and contractors.  - A second speech from yesterdays Free Palestine rally by Faris Mindal. Faris is a Sudanese Engineer, Poet, and Film Director, as well as the co-founder of Red Sea Media Melbourne, who are a creative Media Arts and Film making company aiming to showcase and and amplify stories and voices of marginalised communities affected by conflict and war. The following speech includes a poem written and performed by 8 year old Sudanese poet, Leyla. - Yousef speaking with Alice Drewery and Hannah Shomali about their upcoming fundraiser for families in Gaza that will be this thursday the 6th of November at the Trades Hall in Carlton starting at 630pm. To find tickets go to https://apan.org.au/event/voices-under-fire-stories-from-gaza/ . To listen to that full episode go to 3cr.org.au/palestine and to hear more of Palestine Remembered tune into 3cr on Saturdays from 930-10am.  - Tiny Sparks and Turning Points, a bulletin from our good friends at the Commons Social Change Library.Today, they'll bring us some radical events over the years that changed this country.This feature is looking at the month of October over our collective history, and will come to listeners on the first Monday of every month, at 8AM.It is a good example of why we need to remember our history in order to build a better future. For now, a big thank you to our friends at The Commons Social Change Library. You can find their work at www.commonslibrary.org & look out for their page on the 3CR website which we will feature if you want to listen back - which is coming soon. - Interview with Jodie Hall of the Trans Justice Project speaking about Queensland's Supreme Court ruled that the state's ban of prescribing puberty blockers and hormones to adolescents experiencing gender dysphoria was unlawful as it did not follow correct processes, the ban and the challenge against it. The case was brought to the court by the mother of a 14-year-old trans teenager, whose lawyers exposed that the directive, issued back in January, was done so without consultation of medical professionals. Just hours after that ruling, Queensland's Health Minister Tim Nicholls reinstated the ban on puberty blockers.  Music: Treaty - Yothu Yindi Are You With Me Now - Cate Le Bon  

In this powerful conversation, Dipak Gyawali, John David Seddon, and Jason Baidya explore how today's global crises—from *Gaza and Ukraine to Sudan and Iran—*reflect a deeper collapse of the rules-based world order. John Seddon, author of Nepal in Crisis, shares his global perspective on settler colonialism, the Balfour Declaration, and the failure of ceasefire diplomacy. The trio dives into the UN Security Council veto problem, Western economic decline, and the geopolitical tensions shaping Europe and Asia. Gyawali and Baidya bring the discussion closer to home, analyzing Nepal's economy, leadership, Gen Z activism, and the growing monarchy debate. From the UK's housing and healthcare collapse to Iran's nuclear threat and the immigration crisis, the podcast paints a vivid picture of a world struggling for stability. The conversation ends on a sharp reflection about Nepal's role in a changing global order, urging young Nepalis to rethink leadership, democracy, and national identity. Keywords: Gaza conflict, Israel Palestine war, John David Seddon, Dipak Gyawali, Jason Baidya, UN Security Council veto, World order collapse, Nepal economy, Gen Z Nepal, Democracy crisis, Iran nuclear, Immigration crisis, Global politics, South Asia geopolitics, Monarchy debate Nepal. GET CONNECTED WITH : Dipak Gyawali Twitter - https://x.com/dipak_gyawali Jason Baidya Twitter - https://x.com/JasonDBaidya Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/jason.baidya.5/  

In this episode of Out of Zion, ICEJ USA President Dr. Susan Michael tackles the claim that Israel’s founding was “illegal” and shows why it has a solid basis in international law. She traces the Jewish historic connection to the land and unpacks the events that shaped the modern Middle East—the fall of the Ottoman Empire, the British Mandate, the Balfour Declaration, the creation of Transjordan, and even the UN’s involvement in Israel’s rebirth. Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Recorded live at the Beyond Borders International Festival in Scotland, this episode of Palestine Matters explores the historic role of Britain in shaping the Israel–Palestine conflict -  and what responsibility Britain carries today.Host: Diana Safieh, Britain Palestine Project Guests:Sir Vincent Fean – Former British Consul-General in Jerusalem (2010–2014), former Ambassador to Libya, and BPP trustee.William Dalrymple – Historian and bestselling author, widely known for his work on empires and their legacies.

In part 2 of this series, Yousef continues to trace the history of Palestinian statehood, beginning with the collapse of the Ottoman Empire at the end of World War I.He explores the overlapping international agreements to divide Arab lands, the 1917 Balfour Declaration, the role of Prince Faisal and Ottoman commander Jamal Pasha, and the rise and fall of the short-lived Kingdom of Arab Syria (1918–1920) and the subsequent French occupation. These developments shaped the region and laid the foundations for the ongoing complexities of Palestinian statehood. For details on Tarab Ensemeble's upcoming concert 'Melodies of the Vast Minority', head to melbournerecital.com.au.Join the Free Palestine rally every Sunday at the State Library Victoria, from 12 PM.For info on upcoming events and actions, follow APAN and Free Palestine Melbourne.Catch daily broadcast updates via Let's Talk Palestine. 'The Prisoner's Song' performed by Tarab Ensemble and Victorian Trade Union Choir. Image: Palestine stamp (2015) by Monocletophat123, CC BY-SA 4.0 licence. 

Matt Ehret and Ghost welcome Cynthia Chung to dig into Count Richard Coudenhove-Kalergi, the architect of Pan-Europe and an overlooked forerunner of fascism. They trace how Kalergi's blueprint for the European Union drew from crusader ideology, Masonic symbolism, and a vision of reviving the Habsburg Empire. The conversation unpacks his ties to Mussolini, the Vatican, and Zionism, revealing how the League of Nations and Balfour Declaration carried forward a larger imperial strategy. From propaganda nudging Gen Z into crusader cosplay to Steve Bannon's modern “gladiator schools,” the hosts expose how old Templar currents resurface in today's geopolitics. They examine the danger of game theory traps that pit groups against one another, pushing societies toward engineered conflict and authoritarian “solutions.” With insights into social imperialism, the Fabian roots of fascism, and the modern Pan-Europe movement's push to break up Russia, this episode connects the past to the precarious present, urging listeners to resist empire by reclaiming sovereignty, economics, and responsibility for self-government.

Send us a textJoin Professor Jeffrey Sachs and Yakov M. Rabkin, historian and Professor Emeritus at the University of Montreal, for a wide-ranging and fascinating discussion on the history of Zionism, Jewish thought, and the modern state of Israel. Delving into Rabkin's path-breaking work, including his newest book, Israel in Palestine: Jewish Rejection of Zionism, Rabkin and Sachs discuss the early opposition to modern Zionism from many parts of the world Jewry, and the deep theological, political, and cultural divides that Zionism has created in Jewish communities around the world.  Together, Rabkin and Sachs trace the surprising origins of Zionism in 17th century British Protestantism, and its transformation into a modern political movement in 19th century Europe, led by both British evangelical Protestants and Central and Eastern European secular Jews. They delve into Herzl's Zionist movement, which faced many Jewish opponents, including rabbinical authorities, assimilated Jews in Western Europe, and socialists who viewed it as a distraction from class struggle. Rabkin and Sachs discuss the pivotal role of Britain's Balfour Declaration, the Russian revolutionary roots of Israel's political culture, and the enduring legacies of figures such as Theodor Herzl and Ze'ev Jabotinsky.The conversation then turns to the present crisis in Israel and Palestine. They discuss the ideologies of Israel's ruling parties, the rise of Israel's religious-nationalist movements since 1967, and the role of these ideologies and movements in the ongoing conflict. Rabkin's scholarship offers listeners a deeply informed narrative of history, religion, and power - shedding a powerful light on the disastrous, ongoing Israel - Palestine conflict.  The Book Club with Jeffrey Sachs is brought to you by the SDG Academy, the flagship education initiative of the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network. Learn more and get involved at bookclubwithjeffreysachs.org.Footnotes:Yakov Rabkin Books ZionismSatmar HasidimChristian ZionismIsaac Newton's religious viewsJoseph PriestleyFirst Jewish–Roman War (66–73 CE)Bar Kokhba Revolt (132–135 CE)Theodor HerzlWilliam HechlerTalmudThree Oaths (Judaism)Pale of SettlementGeneral Jewish Labour Bund⭐️ Thank you for listening!➡️ Sign up for the newsletter: https://bit.ly/subscribeBCJS➡️ Website: bookclubwithjeffreysachs.org

Recorded at the Beyond Borders International Festival in Scotland, this episode tackles one of the most pressing questions in UK and international politics: Why does recognition of the State of Palestine matter—now, in 2025?Host Diana Safieh is joined by two leading voices:Humza Yousaf, former First Minister of Scotland and the first Muslim to hold the role. A lifelong advocate for justice in Palestine, he speaks movingly about the issue as both a political leader and as a family member of Palestinians trapped in Gaza.Sir Vincent Fean, former British Consul-General in Jerusalem and trustee of the Britain Palestine Project, who brings diplomatic and historical insight into Britain's responsibilities and opportunities.

Peter Thiel of Palantir is hosting a lecture series on the Antichrist in San Francisco between September 15 and October 6, 2025. Entirely secretive, the talk is put on by Acts 17 Collective, referring to the Biblical book of Acts wherein we read about how the divine being is not like material things (gold and silver) but instead something far more valuable. Is this ironic or intentional? Many see this as the fulfillment of prophecy, but perhaps it is the fulfilling of pop-culture prophecy instead. Perhaps technocrats are playing and preying on 4 billion Christians and Muslims to run a scenario designed to strip away faith in the divine and parlay it into technology. A satirizing of eschatology? The tech-bros believe that God messed up and man can fix it by replacing organic creation with synthetics. Everlasting life can be achieved through gold and silver (material means) which will extinguish the real spiritual nature of mankind - the true gold that is ‘Christ' consciousness - and replace it with antichrist consciousness. In the process, vampires like Thiel will feed on your corpse. True eternal life begins with recognizing death and choosing to make the world a better place anyways rather than becoming a nihilist. It is the choice of Christ consciousness and of faith in what lies beyond. One often overlooked detail of the technocracy is the apparent obsession with homosexuality, transgenderism, and Judaism. Consider the gay technocrats of Thiel, Yuval Harari, Sam Altman, and the debated sexuality of Alex Karp. All but Thiel are also Jewish, as is Larry Ellison and Curtis Yarvin, the man giving JD Vance many of his philosophical ideas. In fact, Thiel and Yarvin created Vance and influence him through their Dark Enlightenment philosophy, which wants to replace governments with a techno-monarchy equivalent to the Christian concept of a NWO. Are their Homosexual practices recycling sexual energy to create synthetic life? Homosexuality is also a rejection of God's creation, which is why so many Jews embrace not just homosexuality but the entirety of LGBTQ. People like Sam Altman have placed the hexagram into his ChatGPT logo while he has unveiled an ORB device that is a machine which confirms your humanity. We need only recall Matthew 26 where the high priest Pharisees accuse Jesus of being the Son of God to which Jesus rejects such a notion and lectures them on the end of their monopoly over salvation. The tech-bros are the modern pharisees and they not only reject Christ, but intend to convince his followers to fight a Holy War, and then offer salvation from the destruction with their vampiric machines. Alex Karp has promised a 3-front war is coming and Larry Ellison did say that most of the advanced AI technology was coming from Herzliya Israel, not Silicon Valley, which would make it a brother to transgenderism which finds its home in Tel Aviv. If all of this is slightly more true then it means Israel is the beast and the Balfour Declaration of 1917 was the dragon giving power unto the same. This is probably why the Trump administration has given military roles to the tech-bros and held high-profile dinners for Silicon Valley technocrats who he is himself a slave too. Hence the cutting of his right ear as a result of an assassination attempt, which Biblically speaks to the servant of the high priest, which in the Church of Satan is MAGA.*The is the FREE archive, which includes advertisements. If you want an ad-free experience, you can subscribe below underneath the show description.FREE ARCHIVE (w. ads)SUBSCRIPTION ARCHIVEX / TWITTER FACEBOOKWEBSITEBuyMe-CoffeePaypal: rdgable1991@gmail.comCashApp: $rdgable EMAIL: rdgable@yahoo.com / TSTRadio@protonmail.comBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-secret-teachings--5328407/support.

Subscribe now to skip ads, receive access to the entire podcast catalog, and listen to subscriber-only bonus episodes! A group of Palestinians whose families were uprooted from their ancestral homelands in 1948 has filed a legal petition with the British government. The petition is seeking an apology and reparations for British support of Zionist immigration, starting with the Balfour Declaration of 1917. The Palestinian petitioners say Britain unlawfully acted as an occupying power, giving itself the authority to rule the territory without a legal basis; and Palestinians were subject to a widespread pattern of murder, torture, and persecution under British rule. In this episode, international legal expert Victor Kattan delves into whether today's catastrophic war in Gaza has its origins in imperial decisions made more than 100 years ago. Further reading: Britain Owes Palestine (website) Gaza is a direct result of Balfour (Middle East Eye) Subscribe to the podcast: historyasithappens.com    

Commander John Sharpe joins John-Henry Westen for a frank look at how Catholic just war teaching collides with modern U.S. foreign policy. A decorated Navy officer, Sharpe recounts his own “cancellation before it was cool” after opposing the Iraq War, drawing on Aquinas, Vatican II, and Leo XIII to argue that America's wars often fail the tests of just cause, last resort, and proportionality.He exposes how leaders exploit fear, like the infamous “mushroom cloud” threat, to bypass moral analysis, leaving soldiers, families, and nations scarred. The conversation ranges from the false logic of punishing nations for possible future crimes, to the bipartisan collapse of moral coherence that saw Pat Buchanan and Noam Chomsky aligned against Iraq. With ties to Versailles, the Balfour Declaration, and today's Middle East turmoil, Sharpe urges Catholics to reject propaganda before another war is waged under false pretenses.U.S. residents! Create a will with LifeSiteNews: https://www.mylegacywill.com/lifesitenews ****PROTECT Your Wealth with gold, silver, and precious metals: https://sjp.stjosephpartners.com/lifesitenews +++SHOP ALL YOUR FUN AND FAVORITE LIFESITE MERCH! https://shop.lifesitenews.com/ ****Download the all-new LSNTV App now, available on iPhone and Android!LSNTV Apple Store: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/lsntv/id6469105564 LSNTV Google Play: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.lifesitenews.app +++Connect with John-Henry Westen and all of LifeSiteNews on social media:LifeSite: https://linktr.ee/lifesitenewsJohn-Henry Westen: https://linktr.ee/jhwesten Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On November 2, 1917, England's foreign secretary sent a letter to an English Baron, declaring that the land of Palestine, which was in the process of being taken militarily from the Ottoman Empire by England, would be given to the Jewish people as their homeland. Known to history as the Balfour Declaration, the first draft … Continue reading "Civ 1919 – Treaty of Versailles 10: England gives Palestine to the Zionists"

There is no more salient, no more pressing global event right now for the Church to engage than what is happening currently in Gaza. Gaza presents not just a lightning rod for conversation (or controversy), but also serves as a moral compass for all humankind. The global Church is wrestling with questions like, "is Israel justified in their offensive?" "how do we understand the theology and politics in play?" and "are we watching a genocide unfold before our eyes?" To help us understand the broader history and context around Gaza, we've invited Dr. Ben Norquist from Churches for Middle East Peace to the show. He sits down with Brandon Stiver to discuss all things surrounding the conflict and most importantly the decades leading up to what we see in 2025. Join us in this conversation and join us in praying and acting for peace. Support the Show Through Venmo - @canopyintl Podcast Sponsors Join more than 2,000 ministry leaders at CAFO2025 in Houston, Texas from October 1-3, hosted by the Christian Alliance for Orphans. Register for CAFO2025 in Houston Take the free Core Elements Self-Assessment from the CAFO Research Center and tap into online courses with discount code 'TGDJ25' Take the Free Core Elements Self-Assessment Resources and Links from the show Churches for Middle East Peace Online Church at the Crossroads Conference Information Christ in the Rubble by Munther Isaac UN Definitions of Genocide and Related Crimes Conversation Notes The difference between a 'thin' Gospel and a 'thick' Gospel Growing up in evangelicalism and what that means for supporting modern day Israel Understanding the historical context of Gaza What is the Nakba?  What were the Intafadas? How the Balfour Declaration laid a framework for the land that continues to reverberate over a hundred years later Comparing the current conflict and humanitarian crisis to the UN definition of genocide   Theme music Kirk Osamayo. Free Music Archive, CC BY License

Today's HeadlinesIsrael approves Gaza City occupation plan amid criticismRevival with no discipleship: “almost catastrophic”

Why are young Republicans abandoning Israel at unprecedented rates, dropping from 63% support to just 48% in only three years? This shocking generational shift reveals a fundamental transformation in American foreign policy attitudes that establishment voices desperately want to ignore. What's driving this dramatic change, and why are even evangelical youth turning against America's closest Middle Eastern ally? Studio Sponsor: Cardio Miracle - "Unlock the secret to a healthier heart, increased energy levels, and transform your cardiovascular fitness like never before.": CardioMiracle.com/TBNS Middle East analyst Abdullah Hayek joins The Brian Nichols Show to expose the uncomfortable truths behind America's most controversial foreign policy debate. From the historical roots of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict dating back to the Balfour Declaration, to the current humanitarian crisis in Gaza with over 60,000 reported civilian casualties, this conversation cuts through the propaganda and political narratives to examine the facts on the ground. Discover why influential conservative voices like Marjorie Taylor Greene are now calling the situation a "genocide" while others continue justifying the military actions. The numbers don't lie – and they're screaming. Young evangelicals have seen their support for Israel crash from 75% in 2018 to just 34% by 2021. Only 9% of Americans under 35 approve of current military actions, while Netanyahu's approval rating among young Americans sits at a devastating 6%. These aren't leftist talking points; these are hard data points that reveal a generational earthquake reshaping American politics. But this isn't just about foreign policy – it's about the future of American conservatism itself. When Republican congressmen openly state their "sole purpose" is serving Israel while ignoring their own constituents' needs, young voters are asking hard questions about priorities and representation. The very voices that built careers on "America First" rhetoric are now defending billions in foreign aid while domestic infrastructure crumbles. This explosive conversation reveals why the pro-Israel establishment may have "blown their load too early," alienating the very generation they need for long-term support. From Tucker Carlson receiving thunderous applause at Turning Point USA for criticizing Israel, to Dave Smith dominating debates on the topic, the tide is turning – and the implications for American politics are massive. Don't miss this unfiltered analysis of the most consequential foreign policy shift of our generation. ❤️ Order Cardio Miracle (CardioMiracle.com/TBNS) for 15% off and take a step towards better heart health and overall well-being!

Christian Zionism, a movement rooted in the belief that the Jewish people have a claim to their ancient homeland, has evolved significantly from its medieval origins through the Reformation, Puritan restorationism, and modern dispensationalism, culminating in robust support for the state of Israel, as seen in the 1948 establishment under David Ben-Gurion and bolstered by figures like Lord Shaftesbury, William Blackstone, and evangelicals such as Billy Graham and Jerry Falwell. Emerging from theological shifts like those in the Geneva Bible and spurred by geopolitical events such as the Balfour Declaration and the Six-Day War, the movement faced opposition from some Jewish groups, particularly Reform Jews, and even criticism for alleged ties to anti-Semitic ideas, yet gained traction through American evangelicalism, a commitment to the liberal order, and lobbying efforts like AIPAC. Download PowerPoint for Show: https://www.patreon.com/posts/135171928Order Against the Waves: Againstthewavesbook.comCheck out Jon's Music: jonharristunes.comTo Support the Podcast: https://www.worldviewconversation.com/support/Become a Patronhttps://www.patreon.com/jonharrispodcastFollow Jon on Twitter: https://twitter.com/jonharris1989Follow Jon on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jonharris1989/Our Sponsors:* Check out Express VPN: https://expressvpn.com/CONVERSATIONS* Check out TruDiagnostic and use my code HARRIS for a great deal: https://www.trudiagnostic.comSupport this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/conversations-that-matter8971/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

#0193 A Brief History On Zionism, Should Christians Support It?- Further. Every. Day. Cut 1 https://youtu.be/fGH94HoSJ2s?t=63 Until timestamp: 1:56 Discussion on the issue of what is Britain going to do? Play youtube again until 5:26 What about the Arabs and Sharif Hussein? Cut 2 https://youtu.be/fGH94HoSJ2s?t=446 Until timestamp:9:30 Cut 2 Cut 3 Cut 4 https://youtu.be/fGH94HoSJ2s?t=715 Until Timestamp: 13:07 Remember, in this region, Jews were considered second class citizens and persecuted by the local Arab population. (We can have a conversation about the Jews moving into the territory, displacing Arabs with purchases and evictions.) Continue video with commentary until end: This region was in tumult. The Arabs killed Jews, the Brits then killed Arabs, the Brits locked down the Jews, the Jews killed the Brits, and then the Jews took over in 1948. Israel has fought for survival since. Andrew Wilson's objections to Christian Support of Zionism Opening Arguments: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V2ocm1feSOU&t=5827s until 27:26 Cuts 5-17 (What does the Bible say?) Opinion: Bad theology aside, Israel is uniquely scrutinized and is required to hold an unreasonable standard, that is largely responsible for the predicament today. Donald Trump's strategy is unique and brought about the end of the 3 No Policy from other Arab nations: (No Treaty, No Peace, No Israel.) Let President Trump cook here. We may finally have peace with a Peace Through Strength mentality. Zionism may or may not have displaced people, historians would debate if those same people would be there today without the Balfour Declaration with the warfare occurring in those lands. However, Anti-Zionism, by definition, is a call for the ethnic cleansing and REGIME CHANGE of Israel. Half of the Anti-Zionist camp or more are the same people wringing their hands at the idea of Regime Change in Iran. Just a note. The Jewish People have every right to protect themselves, we may not have a Theological “Ought”, but I believe we DO have a strong military and perhaps even a moral (love thy neighbor sort of way) ought to strengthen the only Western-esque Republic in the region. (And we are told to pray for the peace of Jerusalem.) US Land Being Sold, What Does It Mean? Mike Lee: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=neTOwRc_Daw Glen Beck's Perspective: https://youtu.be/_qeecCifsJA?t=910 Who gets it? Some say that there are no provisions to protect against Chinese purchases. Jefferson's Opinion Nicki Knows Facts The Great Divorce Chapter 13

Israel has big plans for expansion, and they are not afraid to advertise it as a patch on the shoulder of the Israeli Defense Force's uniform. The Greater Israel Project calls for the invasion of all of the neighboring countries, which is well underway, as well as the removal of all Palestinians from the planet. To understand where Israel plans to go, it is essential to know the history of how the state came into being in 1948. The Rothschild influence was there before the Balfour Declaration and extends to this day. The Zionist movement was behind the formation and remains fully in control, but the world is waking up to the many tricks of the rogue state of Israel. The Octopus of Global Control Audiobook: https://amzn.to/3xu0rMm Hypocrazy Audiobook: https://amzn.to/4aogwms Website: www.Macroaggressions.io Activist Post: www.activistpost.com Sponsors: Chemical Free Body: https://www.chemicalfreebody.com Promo Code: MACRO C60 Purple Power: https://c60purplepower.com/ Promo Code: MACRO Wise Wolf Gold & Silver: www.Macroaggressions.gold LegalShield: www.DontGetPushedAround.com EMP Shield: www.EMPShield.com Promo Code: MACRO ECI Development: https://info.ecidevelopment.com/-get-to-know-us/macro-aggressions Christian Yordanov's Health Program: www.livelongerformula.com/macro Privacy Academy: https://privacyacademy.com/step/privacy-action-plan-checkout-2/?ref=5620 Brain Supreme: www.BrainSupreme.co Promo Code: MACRO Above Phone: abovephone.com/macro Promo Code: MACRO Van Man: https://vanman.shop/?ref=MACRO Promo Code: MACRO My Patriot Supply: www.PrepareWithMacroaggressions.com Activist Post: www.ActivistPost.com Natural Blaze: www.NaturalBlaze.com Link Tree: https://linktr.ee/macroaggressionspodcast

Ancient Roots of Life & Wellness Episode 8Please support our sponsor Modern Roots Life: https://modernrootslife.com/?bg_ref=rVWsBoOfcFPatreon: https://patreon.com/JT_Follows_JC?utm_medium=unknown&utm_source=join_link&utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator&utm_content=copyLinkJESUS SAID THERE WOULD BE HATERS: https://jtfollowsjc.com/product-category/mens-shirts/WOMEN'S SHIRTS: https://jtfollowsjc.com/product-category/womens-shirts/In this episode, the hosts discuss various themes including censorship in health discussions, the intersection of current events with biblical prophecy, and the historical context of Israel. They explore the implications of the Balfour Declaration, the narratives surrounding World War II, and the influence of secret societies on modern conflicts. The conversation emphasizes the importance of understanding history to make sense of contemporary issues and the role of faith in interpreting biblical texts. In this conversation, Josh and JT delve into the complexities of biblical texts, particularly focusing on bloodlines and their interpretations. They discuss the significance of faith in understanding historical contexts and the implications of modern interpretations of ancient prophecies. The dialogue also touches on the concept of the 'little season' and its relevance today, as well as the geographical changes that have occurred over time and their historical significance. The conversation concludes with reflections on the evolution of beliefs and narratives surrounding promised lands and their realities.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/jt-s-mix-tape--6579902/support.

Dr. Eric T. Karlstrom : Tavistock, Mind Control, Cults9/11 – New World OrderWebmaster, Dr. Eric T. Karlstrom: Emeritus Professor of Geography, California State University (bio)The Following Introductory Quotes Explain the Present Plight of the American Republic and the World:1) The 9/11 attacks were an inside job by the USAF (US Air Force) and the IZCS (International Zionist Criminal Syndicate). The staged Gladio-style False-Flag attack was the choice selected for the attack on the Twin Towers in NYC and the Pentagon in Washington, DC, on 9-11-2001. This attack was done by the USAF, under the authority of a zionist-controlled Criminal Cabal inside the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) and the Secret Shadow Government (SSG).The 9/11 attack was planned, set up and run by (Jewish/dual Israeli-American citizen) NeoCon top Policy-Makers, Israeli Intel and their stateside Sayanims, utilizing a small criminal cabal inside the USAF, NORAD and the JCS. These are facts that can no longer be disputed by any reasonable person who has examined all the available evidence.And it is exceedingly clear to any reasonable person who examines the pre-announcement of WTC-7 destruction that the whole attack was pre-scripted in London and Israel, and that WTC-7 was wired in advance with conventional demolition charges.… There is now a New American War. It is inside America. It is called the “War on Terror”. The enemy is YOU! It is a staged, Phony War that has been created by the International Zionist Crime Syndicate (IZCS). This New War on Terror has an enemy. That enemy is the American People, You and Me…. This new War on Terror has been socially engineered to provide a continual stream of degradations and provocations against the average American, provoking many… to resist, and causing them to be labeled dissenters.Once they have been labeled dissenters they are put on a Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Main Core Terror Watch List, which top insiders know is a targeted assassination list for later eradication of all Freedom-loving Americans who want to restore the American Constitutional Republic.At present, the Main Core list has over ten million Americans on it, and it is growing every day with thousands of new additions. Get a ticket for a driving offense or any arrest (even if later proven innocent) and it is highly likely you will be placed on this Main Core Terror Watch and Assassination list…. Any and all Dissenters are now being defined as “Enemies of the State”. And anyone who wants to restore the American Republic will also be defined as a “Domestic Terrorist”.DHS (Department of Homeland Security) is a terrorist group, hand assembled by American/Israeli dual citizen Traitors and is designed to tyrannize, capture and eventually be deployed against Americans to serially mass murder them. This is why they have been called the New American Gestapo of the Neo-Bolshevik Red Cheka Terror Machine.…..The War on Terror is obviously a Phony. But it has been the greatest boon to the American Defense Complex ever, with many times more net American Taxpayer dollars spent on this war than any other war in history, including WW2 or the Vietnam War.Another way to establish a war is to create and fund so-called foreign terrorist groups. This is a costly exercise that take years and can involve as much work as fighting a war…. But enemies for necessary wars can be created if you have the technological help of a nation that has hundreds of years experience in creating its own enemies. This nation is the City of London (Financial District), a separate nation state like the Vatican, located within England.There is a reason England has been referred to as “Perfidious Albion” for centuries. They have been known for their ability to instigate chaos inside nations they want to control by their standard well-developed strategy of “Divide and Conquer”. They are experts at creating long-term provocations between different nations that have competing economic interests. They do this in order to establish a beach-head from which to control the removal of natural resources and accrued wealth.The nation state Israel was created to serve as a long-term provocation for numerous Mideast perpetual wars. This is why the Balfour Declaration was made. This is why the City of London created the New Israel and took land away from the Palestinians to set up a nation of Khazarian Judaic converts (aka “fake Hebrews”), a racially paranoid group mind-kontrolled to believe the delusion that they were of ancient Abrahamic Hebrew Blood.The IZCS believes in preemptive strikes against Goyim (non-Jews) and their institutions. Judaics have also been mind-kontrolled by zionists (many of whom are not Judaics) to believe that they must hijack the American political system to preemptively crush Christianity and American Goyim Culture.….A SERIOUS SPELL, A RACIAL DELUSION OF SUPERIORITY HAS BEEN CAST ON MANY JUDAICS NO MATTER WHERE THEY LIVE, BUT ESPECIALLY SO AMONG THOSE LIVING IN GREATER ISRAEL, WHERE THE LUCIFERIAN HEX FLAG FLIES. WHETHER TRUE OR NOT, TOP ZIONIST LEADERS BELIEVE THIS HEX FLAG SIGNIFIES THE MERGER OF DEMONIC FALLEN ANGEL BEAST-BLOODLINES FROM ABOVE, BRED WITH HUMAN FEMALE BLOODLINES BELOW. THEY BELIEVE THIS MAKES THEM THE “CHOSEN ONES” OF THEIR GOD LUCIFER, AND SUPERHUMAN OR PART GOD ALSO.Conclusion: The IZCS has hijacked America and has deployed numerous weapons against it now culminating in a phony, staged War on Terror, and if you are an American or live in America, one way or another YOU will soon become THEIR NEW ENEMY. Yes, from here on out if you live in America, you are the designated enemy of the USG and its agents of war DHS, the TSA, FEMA, the Alphabets and the US Military in this new War On Terror (which is a war against the American people who are not in the “federal Family”).If you are a member of the (IZCS-created and controlled) “federal family,” it is suggested that you read and study up on the Night of the Longknives (Operation Hummingbird) and the various purges under Lenin, Stalin and Mao. Maybe you should reconsider (following) the oath you took to UPHOLD the US Constitution from ALL ENEMIES, FOREIGN and DOMESTIC.….Preston James, PH.D., 2014, YOU are THE ENEMY (Veterans Today)2) “Israel was behind all four fronts in 9/11, that momentous event in our nation´s history: 1) The actual terror attacks themselves; 2) the subsequent cover-up; and both 3) ¨the U.S.-led military invasions overseas¨ and 4) the ¨domestic security state apparatus.¨(Hugh Akins, “Synagogue Rising,” 2012)3) “We (Jews and Israel) control America, and the Americans know it.” Ariel Sharon, Israeli Prime Minister, October, 2001, in response to question about 9/114) (9/11) was a mighty operation that was prepared by the special forces of the global mafia to involve the USA in the war against the Muslim world… The global mafia carries out global politics. The USSR collapsed and the same fate has been prepared for the USA. People like the Rothschilds and the Oppenheimers and the Morgans have long term plans.…the entire system of international terrorism works for fascism. There are explosions in Spain, France, Germany, United States, South America, Indonesia, Malaysia, Russia and Iraq. This is worldwide. The conclusion is very simple; The people themselves will want someone like (Chilean fascist General) Augusto Pinochet to rule them… The entire system of international terrorism is pushing humanity toward the reception of a hard fascist regime.Russian General Konstantin Petrov5) “Israel has used America as a whore…. They control our government, our media, and the finances of this country…. Through their lobby, Israel has manifested total power over the Congress of the United States… We're conducting the expansionist policy of Israel and everybody's afraid to say it… They are controlling much of our foreign policy, they are influencing much of our domestic policy. They control much of the media, they control much of the commerce of the country, and they control powerfully both bodies of the Congress. They own the Congress… Israel gets billions a year from the American taxpayers, while people in my district are losing their pension benefits…. and if you open your mouth, you get targeted. I was the number one target of the American Israeli Public Affairs Committee… We have investigated and found 2 separate incidents of AIPAC spying on America….My concern is the taxpayers and the citizens of the United States should control their government, not a foreign entity… But if you deal with the real problems in America, YOU GET TARGETED.”James Traficant, Jr., U.S. House of Representatives (Ohio) (1941-1941; who was expelled from the House and served 8 years in prison for representing the interests of the United States rather than those of Israel and the Jews6) Treason doth never prosper, what's the reason?For if it prosper, none dare call it Treason.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-opperman-report--1198501/support.

Ezekiel 33:1-62 Timothy 3:1-7Mark 13:3-13Abrahamic CovenantGenesis 12:1-3Davidic Covenant 2 Samuel 7:13-16Jesus is the FulfillmentMatthew 1:1Amos 9:11-157 Fulfillments in Amos1. when the plowman shall overtake the reaper and the treader of grapes him who sows the seed; 2. the mountains shall drip sweet wine, and all the hills shall flow with it.3. I will restore the fortunes of my people Israel, 4. and they shall rebuild the ruined cities and inhabit them; 5. they shall plant vineyards and drink their wine, 6. and they shall make gardens and eat their fruit. 7. I will plant them on their land, and they shall never again be uprooted out of the land that I have given them,50 Year Timelines1867: The Rediscovery of the City of David1917: The Balfour Declaration and British Capture of Jerusalem1967: The Six-Day War and the Reunification of Jerusalem2017: U.S. Recognition of Jerusalem as Israel's CapitalJohn 3:16Mark 13:9-13Ezekiel 38:1-7What Happens Next?Luke 21:28

Intelligence Notes:The Nazi State of Israel and the Palestinian Holocaust (You are witnessing an Ethnic Cleansing Operation) The German Rothschild Balfour Declaration (1917) expressed British support for the establishment of a “national home for the Jewish people” in Palestine. • After World War I, Britain was given control of Palestine through the League of Nations Mandate, and the Balfour Declaration was incorporated into that mandate. • During the British Mandate (1920–1948), Jewish immigration to Palestine increased, partly enabled by British policies aligned with the Rothschild's Balfour Declaration — though Britain later limited immigration under pressure from Arab opposition. • The declaration legitimized Euro-Zionist aspirations on the international stage and contributed to the growth of a Jewish community (the Yishuv) in Palestine. • Over time, tensions escalated between Euro-Jews and Afro-Shemitic Arabs in the region, leading to violence and political conflict. • Following the Euro- Holocaust and increased international sympathy, the UN voted in 1947 to partition Palestine into Jewish and Arab states. • On May 14, 1948, the Euro-Jewish leadership declared the independence of the State of Israel.To support the [Show] and its [Research] with Donations, please send all funds and gifts to :$aigner2019 (cashapp) or https://www.paypal.me/Aigner2019 or Zelle (1-617-821-3168). Shalom Aleikhem!

Burning Bright and Chris Paul dive into Lawrence of Arabia in this sweeping episode of Badlands Story Hour, unpacking the cinematic grandeur and the layered commentary on empire, narrative warfare, and moral relativism. They explore T.E. Lawrence as a character crafted from myth, an effeminate yet hardened warrior whose legend was both operation and illusion. The discussion winds through parallels with Dune, reflections on British imperialism, the manipulation of tribal identities, and the modern weaponization of narrative. The hosts interrogate the tension between law and values, the decline of moral systems in favor of systemic control, and how the story itself becomes the most powerful weapon in regime hands. They also dissect generational warfare, information battles, and the continued relevance of Lawrence's tactics in today's geopolitical landscape, from Afghanistan to Ukraine. With references to the Balfour Declaration, regime storytelling, and even camel warfare logistics, this episode is both a masterclass in film analysis and a critique of the global narrative machine. Next week, the film club continues with The Final Countdown (1980), joined by Colonel Oak McCulloch.

Episode Synopsis:Is the Israeli Palestinian conflict solely the result of geopolitical maneuvering and religious disputes or has all of that been orchestrated by the Illuminati to setup World War III and the ushering in of the Antichrist?We talk about this and much more, including:What happened to the nation of Israel in 73 A.D., and did the loss of the 2nd temple leave Jews open to occultism?How did the Haskalah/Jewish Enlightenment influence the thinking of Jews?What is Zionism, where did it come from, is it influencing pro-Isreali movements like “Stand with Israel” and should Christian support Israel no matter what?How did the Balfour Declaration affect the Jewish and German relationships?Did Samuel Untermeyer declare war on Germany before Hitler declared war on the Jews, and was WWII partial designed to create Zionist sympathy around the world?Is the symbol on the Israeli flag the Star of David or a pagan symbol representing the pagan god Remphan?Did the founding of the United Nations affect the forming of Israel as a nation?When taking the land of Palestine did Jews create the Hamas problem that we see today?How does Albert Pike's WWIII prophecy help us understand the conflict breaking out now, and are the roots of this conflict coming from an ancient blood feud and a religious holy war, or is it something more sinister? Original Air DateOctober 18th, 2023Show HostsJason Spears & Christopher DeanOur PatreonConsider joining our Patreon Squad and becoming a Tier Operator to help support the show and get access to exclusive content like:Links and ResourcesStudio NotesA monthly Zoom call with Jason and Christopher And More…Connect With UsLetsTalk@ORPpodcast.comFacebookInstagram

In the final part of this House of David podcast series, Pastor Eric and his sister Gabi explore the legitimacy of Israel as a modern state, not only from a Biblical standpoint but also through the lens of international law. Building on the historical context of the land's governance by various empires, they dive into key legal milestones, such as the Balfour Declaration, the San Remo Resolution, and Article 80 of the UN Charter, which solidify Israel's right to exist. The episode further delves into the miraculous events that led to Israel's independence in 1948, from the War of Independence to divine interventions that turned the tide against overwhelming odds. Finally, the discussion addresses common misconceptions about Israel, particularly the claim that it is an apartheid state, emphasizing Israel's democratic nature and the equal rights of its Arab citizens. Ultimately, the episode reinforces the view that Israel's existence is not only a political reality but also a fulfillment of God's promises, with Christians called to support Israel in prayer and truth.

The roots of the current conflict in Gaza trace back to the Balfour Declaration and earlier, but also to a series of ethnic killings and counterattacks in the years just before Israel became a state. Oren Kessler joins us to discuss Palestine 1936: The Great Revolt and the Roots of the Middle East Conflict. Plus, Trump's latest tariff chaos has Canadians resorting to some choice words. And in The Spiel, we examine the status of the most aggressive initiatives of the Trump administration. Produced by Corey Wara Email us at thegist@mikepesca.com To advertise on the show, contact sales@advertisecast.com or visit https://advertising.libsyn.com/TheGist Subscribe to The Gist: https://subscribe.mikepesca.com/ Subscribe to The Gist Youtube Page: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC4_bh0wHgk2YfpKf4rg40_g Subscribe to The Gist Instagram Page: GIST INSTAGRAM Follow Mikes Substack at: Pesca Profundities | Mike Pesca | Substack  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Host Noam Weissman tackles one of the most complex and debated topics in modern history: the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. In this 30-minute crash course, Noam distills over a century of history, including the origins of Zionism, the Balfour Declaration, wars, peace efforts, and the tragic events of October 7. Whether you're a history buff or just looking for a clear, no-frills summary, this episode provides the context, nuance, and key turning points that shaped the conflict. Click here for the sources used in this episode. Follow Unpacking Israeli History on Instagram and check us out on youtube. Please note that our email address has changed. You can now email noam@unpacked.media. This podcast was brought to you by Unpacked, a division of OpenDor Media. ------------------- For other podcasts from Unpacked, check out: Jewish History Nerds Soulful Jewish Living Stars of David with Elon Gold Wondering Jews

In this riveting episode, we explore two pivotal narratives that continue to shape modern geopolitics and civil liberties—the Balfour Declaration and the fallout of January 6, 2021.First, we examine the historic Balfour Declaration of 1917, a document that set the stage for the establishment of Israel and defined the long-standing relationship between America and the Jewish people. Was it merely a political move by the British government, or was it a prophetic moment in history? How does it continue to influence U.S. foreign policy and Christian support for Israel? Joining us is Bishop Leon Benjamin, who offers a deep dive into the spiritual, historical, and geopolitical significance of this declaration.Then, we shift to the untold story of January 6 political prisoner Christopher Worrell. A Florida native and Proud Boys member, Chris faced controversial legal battles, including his detention in the D.C. gulag, inadequate medical care, and a high-profile fugitive saga before being sentenced to 10 years in prison. In an unexpected twist, President Donald Trump issued a full pardon in January 2025, bringing Chris's legal nightmare to an end. Now, Chris shares his firsthand account of political persecution, the reality of the D.C. jail system, and his fight for justice.This episode is a powerful intersection of faith, history, and modern political struggles—a must-listen for anyone seeking truth, justice, and a deeper understanding of the forces shaping our world today.Make sure you follow Maverick Broadcasting Network on the following platforms:Pickax: https://pickax.com/maverickbroadcastingRumble: https://rumble.com/c/maverickbroadcasting Substack: https://maverickbroadcasting.substack.comX: https://x.com/mavbroadcastnet Maverick Broadcasting Network benefits when you shop with the following companies:MY GOLD GUY - https://mygoldguy.comAs inflation surges and global elites toy with our financial future, My Gold Guy empowers you to safeguard your wealth with physical gold and silver – a real asset for real Americans. Get your FREE Gold & Silver Guide today, and mention that you were referred by Maverick Broadcasting Network. PREPPER ALL-NATURALS (code FFN) -  https://freedomfirstbeef.comIn a world where global elites push lab-grown meat and insect-based diets, safeguard your family's health with Prepper All-Naturals' premium freeze-dried beef—100% American, mRNA-free, and boasting a 10-year shelf life. Use code FFN at checkout for a 25% discount and ensure your pantry is stocked with real, nutritious beef amid uncertain times.THE WELLNESS COMPANY (code MBN) - https://twc.health/mbn In an era where government overreach threatens personal health choices, safeguard your autonomy with The Wellness Company's Medical Emergency Kit—featuring essential medications like Ivermectin and Amoxicillin. Use code MBN for 10% off and take control of your health today.SUPERMASSIVE BLACK COFFEE (code MBN) - https://supermassiveblackcoffee.com Tired of the corporate sludge masquerading as coffee? Supermassive Black Coffee is your defiant alternative, roasting 100% organic beans with Victorian-era fire roasters to deliver a brew that's pure, bold, and breathtakingly smooth. Join the rebellion against mediocrity and savor the difference. Use promo code MBN for 20% off your order. 

Send us a textJoin Professor Jeffrey Sachs and historian Eugene Rogan, professor of Modern Middle Eastern History at Oxford, as they delve into the complex history of the Arab world, from the Ottoman conquest in 1516 to today's geopolitical crises of the modern Middle East. Through the lens of his acclaimed book The Arabs: A History, Rogan brilliantly examines the long history of foreign domination, the rise of Arab nationalism, the roles of Europe and the US as outside powers, and the unresolved conflicts shaping the Middle East until today.  Together, they offer us a masterclass in history that sheds light on the urgent questions of war, power, and the possibility of peace in the region. From Ottoman rule to European colonialism, the impact of the Balfour Declaration, and the ongoing Israeli Palestinian conflict, the conversation provides crucial historical context for today's challenges.The Book Club with Jeffrey Sachs is brought to you by the SDG Academy, the flagship education initiative of the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network. Learn more and get involved at bookclubwithjeffreysachs.org.Footnotes:ZionistPalestine and Israel ConflictBritish Mandate for PalestineBalfour DeclarationCapture of Cairo (1517)PotentatesFly WhiskPanic of 1819Creditor NationSovereigntyWorld War IConstantinople AgreementThe Fall of the Ottomans: The Great War in the Middle EastBalkan WarsKing Krane CommissionWhite Paper of 1939Ethnic Cleansing⭐️ Thank you for listening!➡️ Sign up for the newsletter: https://bit.ly/subscribeBCJS➡️ Website: bookclubwithjeffreysachs.org

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit andrewsullivan.substack.comAdam is a literary critic and poet. He's been a senior editor at The New Republic and a contributing editor for Tablet and Harvard Magazine, and he's currently an editor in the Wall Street Journal's Review section. The author of many books, his latest is On Settler Colonialism: Violence, Ideology and Justice. I've been fascinated by the concept — another product of critical theory, as it is now routinely applied to Israel. We hash it all out.For two clips of our convo — on the reasons why Europe explored the world, and the bastardization of “genocide” — pop over to our YouTube page.Other topics: Adam's roots in LA; coming from a long line of writers; the power of poetry; its current boom with Instagram and hip-hop; Larkin; the omnipresence of settler colonialism in human history; the Neanderthals; the Ulster colonists; the French in Algeria; replacement colonialism in Australia and North America; the viral catastrophe there; the 1619 Project; “decolonizing” a bookshelf; Marxism; Coates and fatalism toward the US; MLK's “promissory note”; Obama's “more perfect union”; migration under climate change; China the biggest polluter; More's Utopia; the Holocaust; the Killing Fields; Rwanda; mass migration of Muslims to Europe; “white genocide”; Pat Buchanan; the settler colonialism in Israel; ancient claims to Palestine; the Balfour Declaration; British limits on migrant Jews in WWII; the US turning away Holocaust refugees; the UN partition plan; the 1948 war; the Nakba; Ben-Gurion; Jabotinsky's “Iron Wall”; Clinton's despair after 2000; ethnic cleansing in the West Bank; the nihilism of October 7; civilian carnage and human shields in Gaza; Arab countries denying Palestinians; a two-state solution; the moral preening of Coates; and the economic and liberal triumphs of Israel.Browse the Dishcast archive for an episode you might enjoy (the first 102 are free in their entirety — subscribe to get everything else). Coming up: Andrew Neil on UK and US politics, John Gray on the state of liberal democracy, Jon Rauch on his new book on “Christianity's Broken Bargain with Democracy,” Sebastian Junger on near-death experiences, Evan Wolfson on the history of marriage equality, Yoni Appelbaum on the American Dream, Nick Denton on the evolution of new media, and Ross Douthat on how everyone should be religious. Please send any guest recs, dissents, and other comments to dish@andrewsullivan.com.

// GUEST // Website: https://jackkruse.com/ X: https://x.com/DrJackKruse Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drjackkruse // SPONSORS //The Farm at Okefenokee: https://okefarm.com/Heart and Soil Supplements (use discount code BREEDLOVE): https://heartandsoil.co/In Wolf's Clothing: https://wolfnyc.com/OnRamp: https://onrampbitcoin.com/breedloveMindlab Pro: https://www.mindlabpro.com/breedloveCoinbits: https://coinbits.app/breedloveEmerge Dynamics: https://emergedynamics.com/breedlove // PRODUCTS I ENDORSE //Protect your mobile phone from SIM swap attacks: https://www.efani.com/breedloveNoble Protein (discount code BREEDLOVE for 15% off): https://nobleorigins.com/Lineage Provisions (use discount code BREEDLOVE): https://lineageprovisions.com/?ref=breedlove_22Colorado Craft Beef (use discount code BREEDLOVE): https://coloradocraftbeef.com/ // OUTLINE //0:00 - WiM Intro 1:10 - What you want most is where you least want to look 10:29 - 1812 and 1941 (The Battle of Waterloo and WWII) 19:52 - The Farm at Okefenokee 21:11 - Heart and Soil Supplements 22:11 - Helping Lightning Startups with In Wolf's Clothing 23:04 - Follow the Money, Find the Truth 33:13 - Washington, Bukele, and Milei 37:31 - COVID, Trump, and CBDC's 46:36 - On-Ramp Bitcoin Custody 47:58 - MindLab Pro 49:07 - Buy Bitcoin with Coinbits 50:36 - Medical Corruption and the Polio Vax 1:08:03 - EMF's and Biomedical Interventions 1:11:45 - Emerge Dynamics 1:12:48 - “The State Makes Satan Look like a Nice Guy” 1:24:22 - Central Banking, Intelligence Agencies, and Propaganda 1:36:50 - Trump and the Future of America's Health 1:41:59 - Should Bitcoiners Run for Office? 1:45:41 - The Rothschild Family, The Balfour Declaration, and WWII 2:04:53 - WHAT IS MONEY? 2:07:18 - Zionism, Trump, and Bitcoin Nation State Adoption 2:19:41 - Who is Satoshi Nakamoto? (Meyer Lansky, David Chaum, and Len Sassaman) 3:12:01 - Bitcoin and the Control of Money 3:28:06 - Blue Light, Flouride, and LSD 3:41:07 - What is Leptin? 3:53:46 - Technology, Nature, and Globalism 4:07:29 - How can We Protect Ourselves? 4:18:32 - How to Connect with Dr. Jack Kruse // PODCAST //Podcast Website: https://whatismoneypodcast.com/Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-what-is-money-show/id1541404400Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/25LPvm8EewBGyfQQ1abIsERSS Feed: https://feeds.simplecast.com/MLdpYXYI // SUPPORT THIS CHANNEL //Bitcoin: 3D1gfxKZKMtfWaD1bkwiR6JsDzu6e9bZQ7Sats via Strike: https://strike.me/breedlove22Dollars via Paypal: https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/RBreedloveDollars via Venmo: https://account.venmo.com/u/Robert-Breedlove-2 // SOCIAL //Breedlove X: https://x.com/Breedlove22WiM? X: https://x.com/WhatisMoneyShowLinkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/breedlove22/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/breedlove_22/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@breedlove22Substack: https://breedlove22.substack.com/All My Current Work: https://linktr.ee/robertbreedlove

Donald Trump's return to the White House coincides with a war raging on multiple fronts in the Middle East, with Israel battling Hezbollah in Lebanon and Hamas in Gaza, not to mention ongoing tensions with Iran. Will his new administration be able to bring both conflicts to an end? Host Steve Paikin asks: Einat Wilf (Former member of the Israeli parliament); Khaled Elgindy (Senior Fellow, Middle East Institute); Ahmed Alkhatib (Senior Fellow, Atlantic Council), and Jon Allen (Former Canadian Ambassador to Israel). See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Yahrtzeit Yomi #1256!! יד חשון The Balfour Declaration (October 30, 1917) Ah Gutten Erev Shabbos Rabboisai!! For today's (יד חשון) edition of Yahrtzeit Yomi (#1256), we have the zechus to host our beloved friend and YY follower; our honored Guest Presenter, renowned historian Reb Eliyahu Nadoff, of Monsey NY fame!! We express our sincerest thanks to Reb Eli for presenting today's YY feature; and we wish him continued good health and success in his avodas hakodesh, עד מאה ועשרים שנה!! גוט שבת רבותי!! ---------------------------------------------------- Share the Yahrtzeit Yomi link with your contacts!! https://chat.whatsapp.com/JimbwNtBaX31vmRDdnO3yk --------------------------------------------------- To dedicate or sponsor, please contact 917-841-5059, or email yahrtzeityomidaily@gmail.com. Sponsorships can be paid by Zelle to the same number. First come, first served. Monthly sponsorships are $540. Weekly sponsorships are $180. Daily sponsorships are as follows: Dedications (l'Zecher Nishmas, Zechus shidduch/refuah/yeshuah, etc.) are $50. Sponsorships (fliers, advertising, promotions, additional links, etc.) are $100.

Robert tells Margaret Killjoy the whole story of Lawrence of Arabia, a British imperialist, hopeless romantic and asexual icon who invented the concept of modern insurgent war. Through it all we ask: was he a bastard? (4 Part Series) https://www.cliohistory.org/thomas-lawrence/lawrence/youth https://www.investigativeproject.org/4256/guest-column-the-final-death-of-lawrence-of-arabia https://www.theguardian.com/books/2014/nov/02/young-lawrence-a-portrait-of-the-legend-as-a-young-man-review https://www.salon.com/2015/03/01/i%C2%A0realize_now_that_he_was_sexless/ https://www.thehistoryreader.com/military-history/t-e-lawrence-art-war-twenty-first-century/ https://www.aljazeera.com/amp/opinions/2016/2/16/what-would-t-e-lawrence-do https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/true-story-lawrence-arabia-180951857/ https://www.tracesofevil.com/p/blog-page_24.html https://www.firstworldwar.com/features/telawrence.htm https://baklol.com/baks/Misc/Great-people-who-were-also-per-_1492/T--E--Lawrence-_18491 https://interactive.aljazeera.com/aje/2016/sykes-picot-100-years-middle-east-map/index.html https://stljewishlight.org/top-story/lawrence-of-arabia-or-lawrence-of-zion/ https://theintercept.com/2023/03/23/peter-thiel-jeff-thomas/ https://israelforever.org/programs/balfourinitiative/Implementing_Balfour_Declaration/ https://www.jpost.com/Magazine/Opinion/Implementing-the-Balfour-Declaration https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/books/news/manuscript-reveals-dark-side-of-lawrence-of-arabia-s-sex-life-76363.html https://www.amazon.com/Setting-Desert-Fire-T-Lawrence-ebook/dp/B006072QSG  https://www.nytimes.com/1970/03/22/archives/the-naked-truth-nothing-withheld-revealed-at-last-the-secret-lives.html https://www.pbs.org/lawrenceofarabia/players/dahoum.html Schneider, James. Guerrilla Leader: T. E. Lawrence and the Arab Revolt (p. 52). Random House Publishing Group. Kindle Edition. Sattin, Anthony. The Young T. E. Lawrence (pp. 34-35). W. W. Norton & Company. Kindle Edition.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A @Christadelphians Video: Description: Political, scientific and environmental events and moral attitudes heralding the return of Christ to the earth are considered in the light of Bible prophecy. The need for Bible Christians to be alert and spiritually watchful, in anticipation of Jesus' imminent return to the earth is highlighted. # Summary The presentation by Mike Steele explores the questions of when, how, and where Christ will return. It addresses the uncertainties surrounding the exact timing of this event, while emphasising the signs and prophecies that suggest we are living in the final period before His return. The speaker highlights key historical events and biblical references that indicate the proximity of Christ's return and discusses different interpretations of how this event might unfold, including the concept of the Rapture. Ultimately, the presentation aims to prepare the audience for the imminent return of Christ and the importance of being spiritually ready. # Highlights - ⏳ **The Timing of Christ's Return**: The exact day or hour of Christ's return is unknown, but we are in a specific time period that is rapidly narrowing, suggesting His return is imminent. -

Zion is the name of a hill in ancient Jerusalem. The Jewish nationalist movement coined the term Zionism in the 1890s. Zionism got the big power backing it was looking for when Britain issued the Balfour Declaration on November 2, 1917. Arthur James Balfour, the British foreign secretary stated: “His Majesty's Government view with favor the establishment in Palestine of a national home for the Jewish people.” This declaration became the major legal cornerstone for Zionist claims to Palestine. Two issues complicated things. At the time, 90% of Palestine's population was Arab Muslim and Christian, and only 10% Jewish. And the British were signing away land that was not theirs. Recorded at NYU.

Listen to the Sat. Nov. 2, 2024 edition of the Pan-African Journal: Worldwide Radio Broadcast hosted by Abayomi Azikiwe, editor of the Pan-African News Wire. The program features our PANW report with many of the most pressing and burning issues of the day. In the second hour we look back on the 107th anniversary of the Balfour Declaration which created the crisis today in West Asia. We also review events in Yemen over the last several weeks.

Mini-podcast about the Balfour declaration by the UK government which eventually led to the creation of Israel.Learn about class struggle in Palestine under the British mandate in episodes 86-7 of the Working Class History podcast here: https://workingclasshistory.com/podcast/e86-87-class-struggle-in-palestine/Learn more about the Balfour declaration in this book: https://shop.workingclasshistory.com/collections/books/products/the-balfour-declaration-empire-the-mandate-and-resistance-in-palestine-bernard-reganSee all of our anniversaries each day, alongside sources and maps on the On This Day section of our Stories app: stories.workingclasshistory.com/date/todayAnd browse all Stories by Date here on the Date index: https://stories.workingclasshistory.com/dateCheck out books, posters, clothing and more in our online store, here: https://shop.workingclasshistory.comOur work is only possible because of support from you, our listeners on patreon. If you appreciate our work, please join us and access exclusive content and benefits at patreon.com/workingclasshistory.If you enjoy this podcast, make sure to check out our flagship longform podcast, Working Class History. AcknowledgementsWritten and edited by Working Class History.Theme music by Ricardo Araya. Check out his YouTube channel at youtube.com/@peptoattack

Send us a textWhat really caused World War I — and how were false flags used by the world's wealthiest families to orchestrate it? Host Faust Checho uncovers the secret truth behind the Great War on episode 177 of the Far Out with Faust podcast.In this episode, Faust reveals how the war wasn't just the result of political tensions, but a carefully orchestrated plot by elite families like the Rothschilds and JP Morgan to profit from global chaos. By the end, you'll understand why this is the war they don't want you to think about. Topics include:•Was the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand really a false flag?•How did secret alliances fuel the war, pushed by elite interests?•What role did the Rothschilds and JP Morgan play in financing both sides of the conflict?•Was the U.S. manipulated into joining the war to protect the profits of American bankers?•Why was the sinking of the Lusitania covered up as a pretext for U.S. involvement?•How did the Zionist movement and the Balfour Declaration tie into the elites' war strategy?•What was the Black Tom explosion?•How did the Zimmerman telegram convince Americans to support entering the Great War?•How did corporate and deep-state actors profit from the war's destruction?•What were the hidden political motives that reshaped the world after the war?...and so much more!

Stuart Wachowicz - TVCA1308 During the height of World War 1, a remarkable announcement was made in London, which changed the course of history for the Jewish people. This Balfour Declaration served as an instrument of God, helping to ensure that there would be a Jewish state in the Middle East as the times of the end approach.

“I never thought there's antisemitism. It's something from the past, for my grandparents, for my mom a little, but it's not something in my generation, or my kids' generation. It's done . . . apparently, not.” Einat Admony is a chef, cookbook author, comedian, and social media star who grew up in Bnei Brak, Israel. With parents from Iran and Yemen, Einat spent her childhood in the kitchens of Mizrahi, Sephardi, and Ashkenazi neighbors. Learn about her family's deep-rooted Jewish heritage in Iran and the broader Middle East. Along with her mother Ziona's journey from Iran to Israel in 1948, Einat discusses the antisemitism she's dealt with online and on the streets in the past year. Hear her stories of Jewish-Muslim coexistence in Iran and memories of spices and perfumes that inspire Einat's dishes. Her cookbooks Balaboosta and Shuk, along with her Manhattan restaurant Balaboosta, reflect a blend of tradition and innovation. “You could not have Judaism today, if it were not for the Jews of Iran,” says Houman Sarshar, an independent scholar and director of publications at the Center for Iranian Jewish Oral History in Los Angeles. Sarshar highlights the historical relationship between Iran and Israel, noting that Iran was the second Muslim-majority country to recognize Israel post-1948.  The conversation also touches on the challenges faced by Jews in Iran, their cultural integration, and the impact of the 1979 Islamic Revolution.  —- Show notes: How much do you know about Jewish history in the Middle East? Take our quiz. Sign up to receive podcast updates. Learn more about the series. Song credits:  Pond5:  “Desert Caravans”: Publisher: Pond5 Publishing Beta (BMI), Composer: Tiemur Zarobov (BMI), IPI#1098108837 “Suspense Middle East” Publisher: Victor Romanov, Composer: Victor Romanov; Item ID: 196056047 ___ Episode Transcript: EINAT ADMONY: I've been in Israel a few months ago. It's like you always feel loved, you always feel supported. It's still home. It's always going to be my home. MANYA BRACHEAR PASHMAN: The world has overlooked an important episode in modern history: the 800,000 Jews who left or were driven from their homes in the Middle East and North Africa in the mid-20th century. Welcome to the second season of The Forgotten Exodus, brought to you by American Jewish Committee. This series explores that pivotal moment in history and the little-known Jewish heritage of Iran and Arab nations. As Jews around the world confront violent antisemitism and Israelis face daily attacks by terrorists on multiple fronts, our second season explores how Jews have lived throughout the region for generations despite hardship, hostility, and hatred, then sought safety and new possibilities in their ancestral homeland. I'm your host, Manya Brachear Pashman. Join us as we explore untold family histories and personal stories of courage, perseverance, and resilience from this transformative and tumultuous period of history for the Jewish people and the Middle East.  The world has ignored these voices. We will not.  This is The Forgotten Exodus. Today's episode: Leaving Iran. MANYA: Whether she's deviling eggs soaked in beet juice, simmering Oxtail in shawarma spices, or sprinkling za'atar on pastry dough, chef Einat Admony is honoring her family's Middle Eastern heritage. Both the places where they have lived for generations, as well as the place they have and will always call home: Israel.   EINAT/Clip: Start with brushing the puff pastry with olive oil and za'atar. Have some feta all around and shredded mozzarella. Take the other sheet and just cut it to one inch strips. Now we're going to twist. Need to be careful. Now we're just gonna brush the top with the mix of oil and za'atar. Get it some shiny and glazy. This is ready for the oven. Bake at 400 until it's golden. That's it super easy, just sprinkle some za'atar and eat. MANYA: For the chef, author, reality TV star, and comedian, food reflects the Zionist roots that have been a constant for Einat, the self-made balaboosta, who is largely credited with introducing Israeli cuisine to the U.S. That love for Israel goes back generations, long before the modern state existed, when her maternal ancestors lived in the land, that until 1935 was known as Persia, but is now known as Iran. Her own mother Ziona, the third of seven siblings, was even named for the destination where Einat's grandparents aspired to one day raise their family. Returning home to the land of Zion from which Jews had been exiled centuries earlier was always the goal. When you ask her why, Einat laughs in disbelief.  EINAT: Why? Why? That's homeland. I think a lot of Jewish people for hundreds of years was, that's in every prayer, it's in every Shabbat dinner evening. MANYA: The hatred directed toward Israel by Iran's regime in the form of the deadly attacks on Israel by Iran-backed terrorist groups and the Islamic Republic of Iran itself make it hard to believe that Iran was once a place where Jews and the Zionist movement thrived. But in fact, Iran's history includes periods when the wide-open roads between Iran and Israel ran two ways and the countries not only lived in harmony but worked in close partnership.  Iran was the second Muslim-majority country after Turkey to recognize the modern state of Israel after its formation in 1948, and the two established diplomatic ties. Regular flights ran between Tehran's Mehrabad International Airport and Tel Aviv's Ben Gurion airport.  SARSHAR: We cannot overlook the fact that since October 29, 539 BCE the Jewish community of Iran remains to this day the largest community of Jews anywhere in the Middle East outside the state of Israel. To this day. You could not have Judaism today, if it were not for the Jews of Iran.  MANYA: Houman Sarshar is an independent scholar and director of publications at the Center for Iranian Jewish Oral History in Los Angeles. He has edited a number of books, including Esther's Children: A Portrait of Iranian Jews.  SARSHAR: The history of the Jews in Iran begins about 2,700 years ago, when the first community of known Jews was taken to Iran. They are commonly believed to be one of the 10 Lost Tribes. And then when we fast forward to when Nebuchadnezzar came and destroyed the temple in Jerusalem and took Jews into captivity. Some years after that at 539 BCE on October 29, 539 BCE, to be exact, Cyrus the Great, the founder of the Achaemenid dynasty, liberated Babylon and gave Jews the permission to go back to Israel and rebuild the Second Temple. MANYA: Cyrus the Great – a Persian emperor particularly renowned among contemporary scholars for the respect he showed toward peoples' customs and religions in the lands that he conquered. According to the Book of Ezra in the Hebrew Bible, Cyrus even paid for the restoration of the Jewish temple in Jerusalem. SARSHAR: This is known as the Second Temple period in Jewish history, and under the Achaemenid dynasty, Jews participated in every level of society. And a few centuries forward, around the 5th Century, we know the Jews continue to live with many freedoms, because that is the era when the Babylonian Talmud was originally produced in Iran by Rav Ashi. So, you know, there was a thriving rabbanut (rabbanite) in Iran who had the freedom and the luxury and the time to be able to produce such an important document as the Talmud, which has become the cornerstone of all jurisprudence that we know, Western law, and everything. MANYA: The advent and arrival of Islam in Iran in the 7th Century CE changed circumstances somewhat. As was the case across the Middle East, all non-Muslims became dhimmis – residents who paid a special tax and lived under certain restrictions. The situation for Jews worsened in the 16th Century when the Safavid dynasty made the Shiite creed the dominant form of Islam in Iran. Fatwas made life for all non-Shiites quite difficult. SARSHAR: And for reasons that are still open to discussion, all of these restrictions were most vehemently imposed on the Jews of Iran. And because of these restrictions, all non-Shiites were considered religiously impure. And this religious impurity, kind of like the concept of the untouchable sect in India, they were considered pollutive. MANYA: Jews could not look Muslims in the eye. They were placed in ghettos called mahaleh where they could not leave on rainy days for fear the water that splattered on them could contaminate the water supply. They wore yellow stars and special shoes to distinguish them from the rest of the population. They were not allowed to purchase property from Muslims or build homes with walls that were higher than those of their Muslim neighbors. SARSHAR: They could not, for example, participate in the trade of edible goods because, you know, fruits and vegetables and meats carried this pollution. So Muslims could no longer consume the foods that were touched by Jews. And as a result, this created a certain path forward in history for the Jews of Iran.  They went into antique trades. They went into carpet trades. They went into work of textiles. They became musicians. And for the following 500 years, these restrictions kind of guided the way the Jews of Iran lived in that country, even though they had been there for thousands of years previously. MANYA: Houman said the 1895 arrival of the Alliance Israélite Universelle, a Paris-based network of schools for Jewish children throughout the Middle East and North Africa, including within the mahalehs in Persia, was the first step in a series of improvements for Jews there. SARSHAR: Previous to that, Jews were not allowed to get any kind of an education whatsoever. The only teachers were the Muslim clergy, and they refused to teach anything to Jewish students. So this allowed for the Jewish community to finally start to get a Western-style education, which was very important at that time, given all of the dynamics that were going on in society with modernity. MANYA: As educational opportunities increased in the middle of the 19th Century, so did opportunities for the courtiers and elite to travel and see the Western world as it industrialized and modernized, expanding international trade and sharing wealth more widely. SARSHAR: Often they would be sent by their families to go and try to see if they can, you know, find a way to expand the family's businesses and lives as merchants, and they would come back shocked. I mean, Iran was a place where you know of mostly mud brick homes and dirt roads and people riding around on donkeys. And imagine this is all you've known. You never see women walking around the street. The only women you have ever seen with your own eyes in your life are your mom, your sister, your daughter or your wife, and occasionally, sex workers. And that's it. So all of a sudden, you know, you travel a couple of months by boat and train, and you get to Paris, and it's impossible to try to even conceive of the experience. It must have been something like the Hegelian experience of the sublime. What can the world look like? And where is it that I live in, and why isn't my country the same as this? MANYA: By the early 20th Century, the Persian people concluded the answer to that question was in the rule of law. The reason the European nations provided such opportunity for the community at-large had to do with the fact that the law of the land was not arbitrary or enforced by religion or royalty. It was embedded in a constitution – a set of laws that define the structure of a government and the rights of its citizens – a Western tenet that reduced the power of the clergy and created a parliament called the Majles. SARSHAR: They were starting to read travel journals. They were starting to understand the perspective that Westerners had on Iranians, and those perspectives were often awful. You know, the Western world believed, for example –the country was corrupt to the bone in every respect.  So all of these things gradually led to a call for a constitution, the major pivot of which was the establishment of a legislature of law that would start to create a community where everyone can feel like they're equal in the eyes of the law and have something to gain by trying to improve the country as a whole. Iran became the first constitutional monarchy in the Middle East in 1906 when that revolution happened, it was a momentous event. And really, things really, really did, in fact, start to change. MANYA: In 1925, Reza Shah Pahlavi – an arch nationalist who wanted to propel Iran forward into the industrial age – took over the crown of Iran. He welcomed any Iranian citizen to participate in that agenda. SARSHAR: By now, we had a good two generations of Jews who had been French-educated by the Allianz Society.  They had all gone to France at some point in their lives, so they were able to participate in this industrialization of the country, given the language skills that they had and some of the connections they had built in the Western world. MANYA: Both World Wars in Europe took a massive toll on Iran. Despite declaring neutrality, Iran was occupied by European nations that took over the nation's agriculture, treating Iran as a pantry to feed the armies. Droughts and disease worsened the toll. SARSHAR: One of the lesser-known factoids about history is that during World War I, the nation that lost the most individuals as a result of the war was Iran. Above and beyond all European nations who were at war, because of a famine that had started in Iran. The same dynamic started to happen in World War II. MANYA: With nationalist fever sweeping Europe and Iran, the Allies feared the arch-nationalist Shah would go the way of Franco in Spain, Mussolini in Italy, and Hitler in Germany. They also feared the Shah would collaborate with Hitler's Germany to provide oil for the German oil machine and cease being the pantry the Allies needed it to be. In 1941, the Western powers convinced him to abdicate the throne to his son Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi. And when the war ended, Iran was able to enjoy the same economic benefits as the rest of the world at peace time. Most importantly, it was able to profit from its own oil reserves, significantly boosting Iran's national income. SARSHAR: In 1941, it was really the beginning of what is commonly referred to by the scholars of Jewish Iranian history as the Golden Age of Iranian Jewry. From 1941 until the revolution in 1978, the Jewish community of Iran saw a meteoric rise to power and social wealth. Industries such as pharmaceuticals, banking, insurance, real estate development, and other major industries, the aluminum plastics industries in Iran, all were either directly owned by the Jews of Iran or managed under their management.  And during this period, really, we can say that for the first time, after 2,500 years, the Jews of Iran really started to experience the kinds of freedoms that they had not seen since the Achaemenid dynasty. And it is during this time that, you know, we see, really, that life started to change for the Jews of Iran, even though some of the age-old social dynamics were still there.  The institutionalized antisemitism had not been completely wiped out. But for the most part, things had changed because Iranian society in general was also being Westernized, light speed. And many educated people had realized that antisemitism was really looked down upon, you know, that kind of prejudice was really no longer acceptable in the world at large. So many, many sections of the community really had shifted, genuinely shifted. And some, even though maybe their feelings had not changed, knew that their antisemitism was something that they needed to keep private. MANYA: At that time, Iran also became a refuge for Jews fleeing Europe and other parts of the Middle East. On June 1, 1941, a brutal pogrom in Iraq known as the Farhud, incited by Nazi propaganda, targeted Jews celebrating the holiday of Shavuot. Nearly 200 Jews were murdered in the streets. The violence became a turning point for Iraqi Jews. Thousands fled, many stopping in Iran, which became a way station for those headed to Palestine.  In 1942, thousands of Jewish refugees from Poland who had fled across the border into the Soviet Union during the German invasion traveled on trains and ships to Iran. Among the refugees – 1,000 orphaned children.  As Zionist leaders worked to negotiate the young Jews' immigration to Palestine, the Jewish Agency established the “Tehran Home for Jewish Children” – a complex of tents on the grounds of a former Iranian Air Force barracks outside Tehran. More than 800 orphans, escorted by adults, most of them also refugees, moved from Tehran to kibbutzim in Palestine the following year. Later, in 1948, when most Arab League states forbade the emigration of their Jews after the creation of Israel, the Zionist underground continued to smuggle Jews to Iran at about a rate of 1,000 a month, before they were flown to Israel. SARSHAR: The Zionist movement was fairly strong in Iran. It was a very lively movement. The Balfour Declaration was celebrated in all of the Allianz schools in Iran, and very soon thereafter, the first Zionist organization of Iran was established. And truly many of its founding fathers were some of the leading industrialists and intellectuals in Iranian society, in the Jewish Iranian community for the years to come. It was not unlike the kind of Zionism we see today in the United States, for example. You know, the wealthy families of the Jewish communities in New York and Los Angeles, all are very passionate about Israel, but you don't see very many of them selling their homes and packing up and moving to Israel because they just don't want to do it. They feel like they're very comfortable here. And what matters is that a state of Israel should exist, and they are political advocates of that state and of that policy and of its continued existence, but not necessarily diehard participants in the experiment itself. Iranians, after the establishment of the State of Israel, were being encouraged to move to Israel, and the Israeli government was having a lot of difficulty with that, because a lot of Iranians were seeing that life had become better for them, and they weren't as willing to leave, despite the fact that the Kourosh Project provided airplanes to get Jews out of Iran. My own great-grandmother was one of those passengers. She is buried in Mount of Olives in Jerusalem. She was one of the early citizens of Israel who went to live out the Zionist dream. MANYA: Both sides of Einat's family – her mother and father's ancestors – were among those early Israeli citizens. Einat's father was born in Tel Aviv. His parents and grandparents had come from Yemen in the late 19th Century. Einat's mother Ziona was 10 years old when in 1948, the family left Kerman, a city in southeastern Iran known for its carpet weaving and woolen shawls. They arrived in Israel with their suitcases ready to fulfill their dream. But living the dream in the new Jewish nation was not easy. After all, the day after Israel declared its independence, Arab nations attacked the Jewish state, launching the first of a series of Arab-Israeli Wars. EINAT: The story of my mom, it's a very interesting story. The family didn't have much money. There wasn't like, rich family that left, very different story. No, both of my parents come from very, I would say, very poor family. My grandpa was, like, dealing with textile. He was like, traveling from town to town with fabric. And that's what they did. They put them in what's called ma'aborot, which was like a very kind of small villages, tin houses. My mom always said there were seven kids, so all of them in one room. In the winter it's freezing; in the summer, it's super hot. But it was also close to the border, so the one window they have, they always had to cover it so at night, the enemy cannot see the light inside that room and shoot there. Also in the ma'aabarot, nobody speaks the same language. So, it was Moroccan and Iraqi and nobody speak the same dialect or the same language. So, they cannot even communicate quite yet. MANYA: Most of Ziona's six siblings did not go to school. To make it possible for Ziona, her parents placed her in a foster home with an Iraqi family in Ramat Gan, east of Tel Aviv. EINAT: My mom's family decided that for her, she should get education, because most of the siblings didn't went to school or anything, So they put her in a foster home. In an Iraqi home, and she didn't speak a word there. So my mom, as a 10 years old, became a kid for foster parents that live in a center in Ramat Gan, where I basically grew up. And she got education, which was great. She learned also Iraqi, which is Arabic. So she speaks fluent Arabic, but she had not an easy life in coming to Israel from a different country. MANYA: Ziona has shared many of these stories with her daughter in the kitchen and dining room as they prepare and enjoy dishes that remind them of home. When she visited her daughter at her home in upstate New York at the end of the summer, Einat collected as many stories as she could over cutting boards, steaming pots, and sizzling pans. EINAT: There's a lot of story coming up, some old story that I know, some new stories. And it's really nice, because my mom is 84, 85. So, it's really nice to capture all of it, all of it. There is a lot of interesting stuff that happened during the first 10 years when she came to Israel.  That's the main, I think, I always talk about, like, how I grew up and how much food was a very substantial part of our life, if not the biggest part. You know, it's like, family can fight and this, but when it's come to the dinner, it's just change everything, the dynamic. For us, it was a big, significant part of everything. So obviously, most of these stories and memories come in while we're cooking or eating. A lot of time she used to talk about, and still talking about the smells, the smells of the flowers, the smells of the zafar (perfume). She still have the nostalgia from that time and talking very highly about what Iran used to be, and how great, and the relationship between the Muslims and the Jews back then. My grandpa's best friend was crying when he left, and he said: ‘Please don't go. Stay with us.' And he said: ‘I want to go to homeland.' So, they have a really great relationship. She's always talking, actually, about how they come for Shabbat dinner, the friends if they put the cigarettes outside of the door in Shabbat because they were observant. So cigarettes, lighter, everything, they keep it outside, in the garden, not coming inside the house. So a lot of mutual respect for the religion to each other. And I love that stories. It just showed what's happened when people take it extreme. MANYA: Einat's cookbooks and restaurant menus are filled with recipes from her own childhood and her parents' upbringing. To satisfy the appetite of her father, a former Israeli athlete, her house always had hummus and every weekend, the family made a hilbeh sauce --  a traditional Yemenite fenugreek dip made with cardamom, caraway seeds and chili flakes. Other recipes reflect her mother's Persian roots. And then there are recipes that, at first blush, seem to come out of left field, but are inspired by the Iraqi Jewish foster family that raised her mother, and the Mizrahi, Sephardi, and Ashkenazi neighbors that passed through the dining room and kitchen where Einat was raised in Bnei Brak.  Now a Haredi town east of Tel Aviv, it was then a diverse population of Jews from, well, everywhere. Einat still remembers standing on a stool next to the Moroccan neighbor in her building learning how to roll couscous. EINAT: One neighbor that was my second mom, her name was Tova, and she was Moroccan, so it was like, I have another Moroccan mom. But all the building was all Holocaust survivors. None of them had kids, and they were all speaking in Yiddish, mostly. So I grew up with a lot of mix. I wouldn't say, you know, in my time, it's not like our neighborhood. I grew up in Bnei Brak, and our neighborhood was very, it was before Bnei Brak became so religious like today. It was still religious, if you go really in, but we're close to Ramat Gan, and I have to say that it's, I would say, I didn't grow up with, it's very mixed, very mixed.  Wouldn't say I grew up just with Moroccan or Mizrahi, I say that it's very, very mixed. And my mom same. I think a lot of her friend is like, It's my mom would speak some Yiddish. She would do Kugel on Shabbat next to the jachnun and all the Mizrahi food. You know, this is the multi-pot and one things I love in Israel. You can see in one table so many different cultures. And that's something that would have happened in my house a lot. MANYA: That amalgam of Jewish cultures is reflected in her cookbooks Balaboosta and Shuk. It also shows up in her menu at the brick-and-mortar Balaboosta, a quaint Middle Eastern trattoria on Mulberry Street in Manhattan.  The name Balaboosta is borrowed from Yiddish meaning “a perfect housewife” – a twist on ba'al habayit, Hebrew for master of the house, or boss. But Einat insists that the term is no longer exclusively Ashkenazi, nor does it refer exclusively to a woman's domestic role. EINAT: An old friend, chef, asked me when I went to open Balaboosta, and I said, ‘I don't have a name.' She said: ‘What do you call a badass woman in Hebrew?' I'm like, ‘balaboosta.' She said, ‘It's a perfect name. We done.' Took five minutes to find this name, and I love it. It's really connected because for me it's so so much different things. You know, I always talk about the 20th century balaboosta. The balaboosta that outside going to work, the balaboosta that asking a man for a date. The balaboosta that it's not just like she's the housewife and the homekeeper. It's much more than that. Today, she's a multitask badass.  It's much more spiritual than what it is. I think it's the one that can bond the people together and bring them together and make peace between two parties clashing. So for me, it's much more than somebody that can cook and clean. So, much, much more than that. MANYA: Einat's parents became more religious when she was 12, which of course had the opposite effect on their daughter: she rebelled. When her time came to do her mandatory service in the Israel Defense Force, she was determined not to serve in a role typically assigned to women. She requested a post as a firing instructor. But after reviewing the high school transcript shaped by her rebellious adolescence, the IDF assigned her to the Nevatim Air Base where she served as a chauffeur for fighter pilots. EINAT: Back then most women would be secretaries giving coffee to some assholes. I was trying not to do that, and somehow I got very lucky, and I was in the same division, I was in the Air Force. I had amazing time for two years. I start the military a very different person, and left a very different person. I used to hang with a lot of bad people before, really bad people. And when I get to the military, I was a driver of pilots, it's the top of the top of the top in the hierarchy in the military in all IDF. So now I'm hanging with people that have the biggest ambition ever, and I'm learning new stuff, and everything opened up, even my language changed completely. Everything. I was want to travel more than I ever want before, and I have like, crazy dreams. MANYA: To make sure the elite pilots were well-fed, the IDF bused in a group of Yemenite grandmothers to provide ochel bayit, or home-cooked meals. Einat befriended the kitchen staff and helped out from time to time. Then in January 1991, she was tapped to cook a meal that probably launched her career. The IDF chiefs of staff had convened at Nevatim base to discuss the U.S. plan to bomb Iraq during the Gulf War and what Israel would do if Saddam Hussein retaliated with an attack on the Jewish state. But they needed to plot that strategy on full stomachs. A couple of pilots served as her sous chefs. That night, the Israeli generals dined on Chinese chicken with garlic, honey, and soy. And a rice salad. EINAT: It was definitely the turning point, the military.  I would say there is some values of relationship and working ethics that I wouldn't see anywhere else, and that's coming, I think because the military. They're waking up in the morning, the friendship, they're no snitching or none of this. It's to stand up for each other. There is so many other values that I grabbed from that. So when I start my culinary career, and I was in a fine dining kitchen, it was very helpful, very helpful. MANYA: After spending five years in a van driving around Germany – an extended celebration of freedom after IDF service --  it was time to get serious about a career. A culinary career made as good a sense as any. Einat worked as a waitress in Eilat and enrolled in culinary school. At the end, she marched into the kitchen of Keren, one of the first restaurants in Israel to offer haute cuisine. She got an internship, then a job. The former restaurant, run by Israeli Chef and television host Haim Cohen, is credited for reinventing Israeli cuisine. Now, as a restaurant owner and TV personality herself, Einat is largely credited for introducing Israeli cuisine to the U.S. But before she became the self-made Balaboosta of fine Israeli dining, Einat was America's Falafel Queen, made famous by two victories on the Food Network's show Chopped and her first restaurant – now a fast food chain called Ta'im Falafel. But her fame and influence when it comes to Israeli cooking has exposed her to a fair bit of criticism. She has become a target on social media by those who accuse Israelis of appropriating Palestinian foods – an argument she calls petty and ridiculous. So ridiculous, she has found the best platform to address it is on the stage of her new hobby: stand-up comedy. Cooking has always been her Zen. But so is dark humor. EINAT: I like comedy more than anything, not more than food, but close enough. EINAT/Clip: Yeah, this year was great here on Instagram, lot of hate comments, though. A lot about food appropriation, me making Arabic dishes. So let me clarify something here. I check my DNA through ancestry.com and I am 97% Middle Eastern, so I fucking bleed hummus. EINAT: It's very petty. Food, supposed always to share. Food supposed to moving forward.  It's tiring and life is much more complex than to even argue and have a debate about stupid things. I'm done. OK, yes, we're indigenous.I have connection to the land. My parents, my grandparents and great grandparents have connection to that land. Okay, I get it. Now we need to solve what's going on, because there was Palestinian that lived there before, and how we can, for me, how we change the ideology, which I don't see how we can, but how we can change the ideology, convince them that they want peace. And they want…I don't know. MANYA: Needless to say, in the year that has followed the attacks of October 7, stand-up comedy has not been the balm it once was. The attacks that unfolded that day by Iran-backed terrorists that killed more than 1,200 Israelis and kidnapped more than 250 more was simply too devastating. EINAT: I was broken there, my husband was with me, I was every day on a bed crying, and then going to work, and it was like I couldn't hear music, because every music thinking about Nova and my friends and then I couldn't see babies with a mom. Everything was a trigger. It was bad. We had a disaster of October 7 and then October 8 to see the world reaction was another. It's not just enough that we going through so much grief and need to kind of contain all that emotion and crazy and anger and rage and now we need to see the world's. Like, ok. I never thought there is antisemitism. It's something from the past, for my grandparents, for my mom a little, but it's not something in my generation, or my kids' generation. It's done, apparently, not. MANYA: The lack of sympathy around the world and among her culinary peers only amplified Einat's grief. As a way to push for a cease-fire and end U.S. support for Israel, nearly 900 chefs, farmers and others in the food industry signed a pledge to boycott Israel-based food businesses and culinary events that promote Israel. EINAT: I felt very, very alone, very alone. The first few months, I felt like, wow, not one call from anyone to check on me. It was pretty sad. At the same time, I'm in the best company ever Jewish community. There is nothing like that, nothing. MANYA: Her team at Balaboosta also checked in on their Israeli boss. But they too were scared. Soon after she posted pictures of the hostages on the window of her restaurant, she confronted a group of teenagers who tried to tear them down. EINAT: I stand in front of them and I said, ‘You better move fast'. MANYA: It's no secret that Iran helped plan Oct. 7. What is not as well known is how many Jews still live and thrive in Iran. Before the 1979 Islamic Revolution, there were nearly 100,000 Jews in Iran. Today, Israeli sources say the population numbers less than 10,000, while the regime and Iran's Jewish leaders say it's closer to 20,000. Regardless, Iran's Jewish community remains the largest in the Middle East outside Israel.  To be sure, the constitution adopted in 1906 is still in place nominally, and it still includes Jews as a protected religious minority. Jews in Iran have synagogues, access to kosher meat, and permission to consume wine for Shabbat, despite a national ban on alcohol. There's also a Jewish representative in Iran's parliament or Majlis. But all women and girls regardless of religion are required to wear a veil, according to the Islamist dress code, and Jews are pressured to vote in elections at Jewish-specific ballot stations so the regime can monitor their participation. Zionism is punishable by death and after Oct. 7, the regime warned its Jewish citizens to sever contact with family and friends in Israel or risk arrest. They also can't leave. Iranian law forbids an entire Jewish nuclear family from traveling abroad at the same time. At least one family member, usually the father, must remain behind to prevent emigration. But Houman points out that many Iranian Jews, including himself, are deeply attached to Iranian culture. As a resident of Los Angeles, he reads Persian literature, cooks Persian herb stew for his children and speaks in Persian to his pets. He would return to Iran in an instant if given the opportunity to do so safely. For Jews living in Iran it may be no different. They've become accustomed to living under Islamist laws. They may not want to leave, even if they could. SARSHAR: The concept of living and thriving in Iran, for anyone who is not related to the ruling clergy and the Revolutionary Guard, is a dream that feels unattainable by anyone in Iran, let alone the Jews. In a world where there is really no fairness for anyone, the fact that you're treated even less fairly almost fades. MANYA: Scholars say since the Islamic Revolution, most Jews who have left Iran have landed in Los Angeles or Long Island, New York. Still, more Jews of Iranian descent live in Israel – possibly more than all other countries combined. The reason why? Because so many like Einat's family made aliyah–up until the mid-20th Century.  It's hard to say where another exodus might lead Iranian Jews to call home. Einat will be forever grateful that her family left when they still could and landed in a beautiful and beloved place. Though she lives in the U.S. now, she travels back to Israel at least twice a year. EINAT: It's a dream for every Jew, it's not just me. It's the safe zone for every Jew. It's the one place that, even if we have, it's not safe because there is people around us that want to kill us. It's still emotionally. You know, I've been in Israel a few months ago, it's like, you always feel loved, you always feel supported. It's incredible. And it's still home. It's always going to be my home. MANYA: Persian Jews are just one of the many Jewish communities who, in the last century, left Middle Eastern and North African countries to forge new lives for themselves and future generations.  Many thanks to Einat for sharing her family's story. You can enjoy some of her family's favorite recipes in her cookbooks Balaboosta and Shuk. Her memoir Taste of Love was recently released in  an audio and digital format.  Too many times during my reporting, I encountered children and grandchildren who didn't have the answers to my questions because they'd never asked. That's why one of the goals of this project is to encourage you to ask those questions. Find your stories. Atara Lakritz is our producer. T.K. Broderick is our sound engineer. Special thanks to Jon Schweitzer, Nicole Mazur, Sean Savage, and Madeleine Stern, and so many of our colleagues, too many to name really, for making this series possible. You can subscribe to The Forgotten Exodus on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts, and you can learn more at AJC.org/theforgottenexodus.  The views and opinions of our guests don't necessarily reflect the positions of AJC. You can reach us at theforgottenexodus@ajc.org. If you've enjoyed this episode, please be sure to spread the word, and hop onto Apple Podcasts or Spotify to rate us and write a review to help more listeners find us.

Today, we talk with theologian and activist Jesse Wheeler about the rotten fruit of the West's theology in Palestine and the broader region. We get into:-        How everyday Christians can tell the difference between good and bad theology-        Examples of the fruit of bad Western theology in Palestine and the region of the Middle East/North Africa-        How we must acknowledge the horrible effects of the Zionism on both sides of the political aisle, even while rejecting Trump-        What the political witness of Christians should be with respect to how we handle power-        And after the interview, Sy and Jonathan discuss the Christian nationalism and bigotry in faith leaders' response to controversies at the OlympicsMentioned in the Episode-            Our anthology, Keeping the Faith-            Jesse's essay from the anthology, “Bad Theology Kills”-            Jesse's book, Serving a Crucified King-            Jesse's organization, Friends of Sabeel North America-            The new Institute for the Study of Christian ZionismCredits-            Follow KTF Press on Facebook, Instagram, and Threads. Subscribe to get our bonus episodes and other benefits at KTFPress.com.-        Follow host Jonathan Walton on Facebook Instagram, and Threads.-        Follow host Sy Hoekstra on Mastodon.-        Our theme song is “Citizens” by Jon Guerra – listen to the whole song on Spotify.-        Our podcast art is by Robyn Burgess – follow her and see her other work on Instagram.-        Editing by Multitude Productions-        Transcripts by Joyce Ambale and Sy Hoekstra.-        Production by Sy Hoekstra and our incredible subscribersTranscriptIntroduction[An acoustic guitar softly plays six notes in a major scale, the first three ascending and the last three descending, with a keyboard pad playing the tonic in the background. Both fade out as Jonathan Walton says “This is a KTF Press podcast.”]Jesse Wheeler: The Kingdom of God, or Christians, or those who would seek to be citizens of the kingdom, cannot live in such a way that emulates the kingdoms of this world. What that entails is, I call it the proper use of power. It's not like physical versus spiritual as sometimes we try to kind of get. It's like, no, it's actually how we understand power and why Jesus through going to the cross, he was basically saying, “Okay, empire, the forces of violence and hatred and exploitation, give me your all.” And he took it to the cross and took it on the cross, and he rejected the violent option.[The song “Citizens” by Jon Guerra fades in. Lyrics: “I need to know there is justice/ That it will roll in abundance/ And that you're building a city/ Where we arrive as immigrants/ And you call us citizens/ And you welcome us as children home.” The song fades out.]Sy Hoekstra: Welcome to Shake the Dust, seeking Jesus, confronting Injustice. I'm Sy Hoekstra.Jonathan Walton: And I'm Jonathan Walton. We have a great show for you today, including an interview with another one of our authors from our anthology on Christianity and politics in the era of Trump. This one's on how regular Christians can discern between good and bad theology, and how we can see bad theology playing out in the Middle East. Plus afterwards, hear our thoughts on the interview, and we'll be doing our segment, Which Tab is Still Open, diving deeper into one of the recommendations from our newsletter. This week it's all about the Olympic opening ceremony controversy, trans athletes at the games and the White Christian persecution complex.Sy Hoekstra: [laughs]. We should probably say non-trans athletes at the Olympic Games.Jonathan Walton: I was literally about to be like, “and not?” [laughs] but…Sy Hoekstra: Yeah, that's part of the persecution complex. But we will get to that folks, don't worry. You will hear the whole story on how ridiculous it is. Before we get there, a quick reminder, please, everybody consider going to KTFPress.com and becoming a paid subscriber. We will not be able to continue doing this work beyond this election season if we do not get a lot more paid subscribers. So if you want to see this work continue, please go there and sign up. That gets you all the bonus episodes of this show. It gets you access to our monthly Zoom subscriber chats and more community features. So please KTFPress.com, become a paid subscriber.If you already are a paid subscriber, consider upgrading to a founding member level and please share widely with your friends and family to anyone who you think might be interested in joining our community here. Thank you so much all. All right Jonathan, tell everybody about our guest this week.Jonathan Walton: Yes, we have the amazing Jesse Wheeler. For almost three years, Jesse has served as executive administrator and development director for Friends of Sabeel North America, an interdenominational Christian organization seeking justice and peace in the holy land through education, advocacy, and nonviolent action. Prior to that, he served just shy of seven years in Beirut, Lebanon as a project's manager for the Institute of Middle East Studies at the Arab Baptist Theological Seminary. He also ran the Master of Religion in the Middle East and North African studies program, working also as support instructor for MENA history, politics and economics.He has served in Nazarene, evangelical free and Presbyterian churches, and he holds a PG certificate in baptistic histories and theologies from the University of Manchester, a master of divinity with an emphasis in Islamic studies from Fuller Theological Seminary and a BA in diplomatic in Middle Eastern history with a minor in political economics from the University of California Berkeley. Jesse's wife Heidi is Palestinian-American, and they have three amazing boys. Now, Jesse's essay in our anthology was called Bad Theology Kills: How We Justify Killing Arabs. We actually published that at one point on KTFPress.com, so we'll have the link in our show notes to that. And you can get the entire anthology with all 36 essays at Keepingthefaithbook.com. That link will also be in the show notes.Sy Hoekstra: So we did this interview like we did a lot of our interviews a few months ago, at this point [laughs]. We've been releasing these slowly. This one we did in April, which is relevant. I only say that now because we talk about Biden a decent amount, and when it comes to Palestine, which is what we're talking about when we mention Biden, there's not a lot of distance between Joe Biden and Kamala Harris.Jonathan Walton: Nope.Sy Hoekstra: So [laughs], I just wanted to note that up top so that you know that effectively all the content, all the things that we actually say on the subject don't really change given the candidate switch. But that disclaimer behind us, here we go with the interview with Jesse Wheeler.[the intro piano music from “Citizens” by Jon Guerra plays briefly and then fades out.]Jonathan Walton: Jesse Wheeler, thank you so much for being with us today on Shake the Dust. We really, really appreciate it.Jesse Wheeler: Yeah, no, thank you so much for having me. I'm really happy to be with you guys.How Everyday Christians Can Tell Good Theology from Bad TheologyJonathan Walton: Yeah. We were privileged to publish your essay in our anthology, and you gave us a relatively simple and accessible test for judging the value of the theology that we hear from leaders. Could you talk a little bit about the fruit test?Jesse Wheeler: Yeah. The fruit test, basically, it's taken straight from the Sermon on the Mount. It's no secret that there are different theological systems that exist in the world, different schools of thought, different ways of thinking, and it can be overwhelming, actually. And I'm even thinking of either my own context back when I was in seminary and sort of some of the destabilizing aspects of it, or when I was working at a seminary and working with students who are introduced to new ideas. And it can be overwhelming even epistemologically overwhelming when they're getting ideas that sort of might butt up against core ideas that maybe they were grown up with that are core parts of their identity. It can be very destabilizing.And this question of is there a way to distinguish good theology quote, from bad theology quote- unquote, if, I mean, those are very reductionist [laughs] the terminology itself, of course. But I think it comes straight from the Sermon on the Mount actually. And Jesus in the concluding sections of Sermon on the Mount, Matthew 7, Jesus gives this, “By your fruit you will recognize them.” How to tell true prophets from false prophets on the basis of their fruit. He doesn't necessarily say, go get a doctorate in systematic, [laughs] in dogmatics to determine whether they are… He's like, look at the fruit of what is happening.Jonathan Walton: Right.Jesse Wheeler: And it's for normal people too. This is like normal people without massive theology to say, “Hey, look at this. I see that the fruit of this is leading to hurt and harm and destruction, or the fruit of this is leading to healing and health and flourishing.” It's not to denigrate or dismiss theology. I mean, the title of my chapter is Bad Theology Kills. I think Theology is important.Jonathan Walton: ExactlyJesse Wheeler: [laughs] It's a litmus test for assessing theology. And right there, Jesus chapters five, six, and the first part of seven, he gives a whole list of instructions of teachings in the Sermon on the Mount, and then concludes with, “Therefore do to others what you would want others to do for you. This summarizes the law and the prophets,” which is of course, the scriptures. Basically saying, if you wanna know what the scriptures teach, what God is expecting of you, do for others. And even in other parts of the gospels, when people ask, “Oh, what's the greatest commandment?” And he comes back to, “Love the Lord your God,” it's the Shema.And then right on adds it, and your neighbor as yourself taking that from the Leviticus. And he's like, there you go. Basically says that and then immediately goes into this section on two roads, easy road and narrow road. And then right after that talks about the false prophets who will come, who might speak eloquently, lovely, and yet the fruit is rotten.Sy Hoekstra: Yeah.Jesse Wheeler: The fruit is rotten.Sy Hoekstra: Absolutely.Jonathan Walton: Yeah.Sy Hoekstra: Out of the three of us, I feel like I am the one in the position to most appreciate your point, that you don't need a big theological education to apply this test [laughs]. Because for me and for a lot of the people listening, if you don't have a master's in divinity like Jesse, you haven't been doing ministry and Bible studies and everything for years and years like Jonathan, the more you learn about how little as kind of lay people we know about the whole wide world of theological academics and whatever, the more you realize, I don't feel equipped [laughs]. And so this is, I think, like Jonathan said, it's accessible. It's something that the average person can apply and have some success [laughs] according to Jesus, trying to figure out what's good and bad.Theologies that Have Born Rotten Fruit in the Middle East and North AfricaSy Hoekstra: And then I would like to hear from you, in your work doing work with advocacy in churches in the MENA, in the Middle East and North Africa, sometimes abbreviated MENA region, what have you seen bearing bad fruit? What kinds of theologies have you seen bearing bad fruit?Jesse Wheeler: So, I mean, I could start with the three I listed in my chapter, but I think I kind of want to say like, there is so, so much misunderstanding and prejudice and straight up bigotry that's filtered through a theological system that attempts to justify it.Colonialist PaternalismJesse Wheeler: But I'm going to start with the three I listed in my chapter, and the first one, colonialist paternalism.Jonathan Walton: Yeah.Jesse Wheeler: It's a theology of colonial supremacy. Why one person gets to make the decisions for another person, gets to invade another country, gets to conquer, but it's couched in a paternalistic language, often. In a this is for your own good language.Jonathan Walton: Right.Jesse Wheeler: It's the, I'm not going to attempt to do the French, but the civilizing mission [laughs], hand in hand with the White man's burden from back in the 19th century of bringing our civilization, our Christianity, on one hand… I mean, sometimes it was the church and sometimes it was full on those modern secularists springing [laughs] their enlightened, was just, it was hand in hand with the colonial project too. And that's actually what muddies up the water sometimes in our discourses, especially on more left side of the aisle discourses [laughs].Sy Hoekstra: Yeah, absolutely.Jesse Wheeler: Because you go from there and you go into speaking right in the Middle East, right after World War I, when you had the three competing promises, you had deals, you had The Balfour Declaration on the one hand, you had Hussein McMahon promising the Arabs of the Hajj, the like the Hussein family, a state, an Arab state, if they would help fight against the Ottoman Turks. And then you had the Sykes-Picot which was basically France and Britain getting together and saying, “Okay, here's how we're going to divide up the spoils.” [laughs]Sy Hoekstra: And the Balfour Declaration was Britain's intent to make a Zionist state.Jonathan Walton: Right.Jesse Wheeler: Yeah. Basically a Zionist state in historic Palestine. And so, but you get into afterwards and you had the 14 points, and Wilson came in with, “Oh, we're gonna create a whole new world of peace and…”Sy Hoekstra: The League of Nations.Jesse Wheeler: The League of Nations, yeah. And the mandate system, like the fruit of 2that, where basically it's like Sykes-Picot. It's like Britain takes control, France takes control of Lebanon, Syria, Britain, Palestine, Jordan, Iraq, and they had Egypt too. So it's just, but it's couched in this language of, it's for your own benefit. We are here to provide guidance to these native populations who need to be trained in the ways of democracy.Jonathan Walton: It's framed as benevolence. Like this is a good thing.Jesse Wheeler: Yeah, yeah. Yeah, it's a good thing. It's like we are colonizing you for your good thing. Of course, land extraction, resource extraction [laughs], all of these marks of colonialism are part of this, right, but this is how it's justified, how it's sold, how it's…Sy Hoekstra: But the theology, like basically you're saying there were always churches and people propping up those colonialist ideas in the Middle East with basically the stamp of approval of the Bible or the church.Jesse Wheeler: Absolutely. Yeah, yeah. Absolutely. And it's not a total. I do need to make the point that sometimes the missionaries were very much… actually in the Middle East and in, or very much part of the colonial project, sometimes they actually would actually fight and counter the colonial project in certain ways, even though they were also facilitated by it. But yeah, these theologies, the colonialist paternalism. But to continue on, you have a theology of the Cold War developed almost of democracy and we'll bomb your entire country, but we will protect you from communism [laughs], you know.Jonathan Walton: Right.Jesse Wheeler: To very much part of my life, the war on terror. We're bringing democracy to the Middle East.Sy Hoekstra: Right. I was going to say that just sounds like George W. Bush, like everything that they were saying post World War I. It hasn't changed a lot.Jesse Wheeler: It has not. It has not. And so that's the first one.Henotheism: My Good God Will Defeat Your Bad GodJesse Wheeler: The second one in my book I describe as, I take this term from a scholar Joseph Cumming, he's a comparative theologian of Christianity and Islam, but he calls, he speaks of Henotheism.Sy Hoekstra: Yeah.Jesse Wheeler: Which is sort of your tribal deity. I don't want… people push back on using tribal as a negative, but sort of the sense of like God is our God and we are the holy ones, and their God is a demon, and we will defeat them and destroy them. And so I even take this quote again from this, the war and terror era where a general speaking about fighting this warlord, whatever, in North Africa, talking about, “We have God on our side, and their god's a demon, and that's why we're gonna win and be victorious.” And this is so much in situations of conflict and situations, you very much have this sense of, “we are the good, our God is the good, they're the evil. And so because they're so evil, any violence is justified against them.”Sy Hoekstra: And that dates like straight back to the crusades.Jonathan Walton: Yep.Jesse Wheeler: Oh, yeah. This is crusades [laughs]. Exactly. Exactly. It's a crusader theology, but it's also when you really dig into it and you ask, well, these are supposed monotheists. And isn't the whole point of monotheism that there's actually one God for everybody, and thus it's to turn the God of the cosmos, the monotheistic God into a territorial idol.Settler Colonialism/ZionismJesse Wheeler: I'll move on to the third one, which I think is very relevant in that what I listed as manifest destiny. But it's the settler colonial theology, where it's different from the colonialist paternalism, because this is really, it's a theology that justifies why I deserve to go into a land, remove the indigenous people and take it for my own, basically.Sy Hoekstra: Which is the difference between settler colonialism and like metropolis, distant ruler colonialism.Jesse Wheeler: Exactly. Exactly. Exactly. And Jim Wallace, once he wrote, the most controversial statement I ever wrote talking about something he previously wrote was how America was founded on the genocide of one people and the enslavement of another. There was a time in my life where hearing words like that would be so deeply, deeply disorienting for me. My identity, my understanding of who I am. I think part of that discomfort, which is very real, because that's part of my background, and is I think what drives people to someone like Trump. Less the logic behind it, but the emotional, the emotions of feeling safe to have this champion on my side. But that's the simple truth. I mean [laughs], there's this belief that we are god's, we have this divine mandate to come into this new territory. And so I'm talking here about America, but of course this happened all over the world, actually. France and Algeria.Jonathan Walton: Right.Jesse Wheeler: That was so utterly destructive of traditional Algerian society. And France would even talk about, “Algeria is fully France. We are one.” And so I don't understand why these people are rebelling because we've given them democracy and freedom, when it's like, no, you've completely disrupted their entire civilization and ruled, but how it affects the news, you have the whole Charlie Hebdo incidents and these attacks in France. And this was violent murderous acts, yes. And morally they should be condemned, but you have to see them in their historical context [laughs] of this, the Algerian conflict. But South Africa, this was a deeply theological Dutch Calvinist movement. Even Argentina was a settler colonial context as well.Sy Hoekstra: I mean, most things in the Western hemisphere are [laughter].Jonathan Walton: Yeah.Jesse Wheeler: Yeah. No, you're absolutely right. But in a way of the natives were cleared out more.Sy Hoekstra: Oh, yes. I see what you're saying. Right. In Argentina, yes.Jesse Wheeler: Compared to like Brazil, just to the north. And then of course, Zionism is right in there with that. I think it's a theology that justifies why one group gets to come in and displace another group. And those three are three big ones.The Rotten Fruit of Colonialism and Zionism is on Both Sides of the Political AisleJonathan Walton: Yeah. I think those three, if we could hold them together as we press into the conversation, all of them are relevant. As we kind of move from the anthology into the present day. So in 2020 you wrote, “If our task is to examine the fruit and avoid falling prey to seductive rhetoric, it is crucial to note that from the vantage point of the Middle East, Republican drones don't look or act much differently than Democrat drones. Biden's record on the Iraq War or Israel-Palestine, while not as appalling or destructive as that of the Republicans is nevertheless quite bad. He's the only viable choice put before us on election day, yet we must remain vigilant in holding a potential Biden administration to account in the weeks, months, years that follow.”Now, I don't think any of us knew when you wrote that [laughs], how relevant, prophetic and important that last sentence would be. Especially when we talk about the settler colonial ideas that you just talked about, and the deep enmeshment and entanglement with Christian Zionism and the colonial state that is Israel. So, can you… I don't know how to say this just in a simple way. Can you tell us a little bit about what you've been up to with the Friends of Sabeel over the past several months, since October 7th? And what are your thoughts about the two candidates? Because they're the same [laughter], as we look towards the election in the Middle East now. And I will also say our thoughts and prayers are with your friends and family in Palestine.Jesse Wheeler: Thank you.Jonathan Walton: And we've been praying that they would be safe in Jesus' name.Jesse Wheeler: Yeah. No, thank you. I'm trying to think of where do I start digging in? First, my wife is Palestinian. Her family, still a lot of family in Bethlehem. My kids therefore are Palestinian. So I have a deep personal connection. And so to your listeners, knowing that [laughs] who is this guy? I definitely have a deep and emotional pull and connection to what's happening right now. But to go back to what you were first saying is, as you were reading that quote, that passage, and you had wrote, Biden is the only viable [laughs] candidate, my heart sank [laughs]. I'm like, “Ugh.” I understand why I said it at the time, but the listeners need to understand the depth of feeling of the pain, the sense of betrayal, especially amongst the Arab and Palestinian-American community and even wider Muslim community. The utter hurt that they felt in these last six months by everything that has happened.And so, it's so hard because Trump, just to get into the politics of, it's like I don't even need to say it. From my perspective, from where I stand, Trump is bad [laughs]. I mean, it's like he's out there saying, re-implement the Muslim ban and all completely bigoted and horrible. His son-in-law's talking about, “Oh, yeah, and there will be prime real estate in Gaza,” and [laughs].Sy Hoekstra: Yes. Right.Jesse Wheeler: You know, back to settler colonialism. And yeah, it's terrifying. But the thing about Biden, and here's where I just have to say, he will in one breath talk about the importance of combating anti-Arab bigotry and Islamophobia, and in the next breath give billion more dollars of armed shipments to a country that the International Criminal Court is saying in their legal language, is very plausibly in the midst of an active genocide [laughs]. I'm not a lawyer. Sy, you're the lawyer [Sy laughs]. And it's just the duplicity is what hurts. So KTF shaped, you talk of Christian nationalism a lot and the dangers of Trump, and that largely the anthology was digging into that. And I remember writing the idolatrous fruit is rotten. I mean, that is like, the man thinks he's Jesus, I mean, or… [laughs] It's just horrifying.Sy Hoekstra: But it's still there with Biden.Jesse Wheeler: It's still there.Sy Hoekstra: Right.Jesse Wheeler: It's like when you are connected to the Middle East, either via family or study, or I lived in Lebanon for seven years, when you're paying attention, it's very hard to cheerlead one political party versus another when it comes to the American presence in the Middle East, which has been incredibly destructive.Sy Hoekstra: And we have come back to that point that you made in your essay. If you listen to a lot of episodes of this show, you will have heard Jesse's name and this point brought up before [laughs].What Should the Political Witness of Christians Be?Jonathan Walton: Mm-hmm. You explained in the essay and just now, drones do not own political parties. The bombs that are dropping are the same. The impact they have is the same, devastation is the same. So the idea of the cross to so many people around the world, particularly in the Middle East, North Africa, the MENA region is a symbol of hatred and violence when it's supposed to be like the ultimate expression of God's holy love. We are recording this just after Easter, contemplating the death and resurrection of Jesus. To you, what should the political witness be of people who carry the cross of Jesus?Self-Sacrifice and a Rejection of Imperial ViolenceJesse Wheeler: Self-Sacrificial love. Quite simply what the cross represents. But at the same time, to dig into it a little more, the cross is what? It's a instrument of imperial violence, that's what it is. There's a reason Jesus died on the cross. It is ultimately a rejection of the Imperial way. Theologically, we need to talk a lot of the kingdom of God and how the kingdom of God exists as a direct challenge to the kingdoms of Pharaoh, of Babylon, of Caesar. And one of the brilliant things of the Hebrew scriptures of the Old Testament is the fact that it's also the kings of Israel and Judah [laughs], who become the Babylonian leaders. So you have the prophets who rail against the injustices of the Assyrians, but also look back at their own kings.And when Jesus comes proclaiming the kingdom of God, and when he comes before Pilate and he's brought before Pilate, what does this show right now? And I'm just pulling straight from N. T. Wright, so don't [laughs] pretend I'm like some great Bible scholar here. No. But you have Jesus, who is the representative of the kingdom of God standing before Pilate, who is the full legal representative of Caesar, son of God as they were known and called. And it's just a straight back and forth. And what does Jesus say? He says, my kingdom, there's the quote that always gets misinterpreted. So if you're talking politics and faith, my people say, my kingdom is not of this world. Well, people tend to say, oh, well, Jesus is, it's a spiritual kingdom.So all we do is sit and pray, and then you just let the world live as what empire, as injustice, like do we have nothing to say? No, he says it's more like, my kingdom is not from this world. It's not in kind to those kingdoms of this world, but it's very much in and for this world. Why?Jonathan Walton: Amen.Jesse Wheeler: Otherwise, Jesus says, going back to the garden, we just came through holy week, otherwise what? My disciples would've fought. They would've picked up arms, they would've become revolutionaries, they would've fought my arrest. They would've holed up in the mountains. They would have… So you have the kingdom, but going full back to the cross, kingdom by way of cross. So the kingdom of God cannot, or Christians, or those who would seek to be citizens of the kingdom, cannot live in such a way that emulates the kingdoms of this world. What that entails is, I call it the proper use of power. It's not like physical versus spiritual as sometimes we try to kind of get… It's like, no, it's actually how we understand power and why Jesus, through non-violence, through going to the cross, he was basically saying, okay, empire, the forces of violence and hatred and exploitation, give me your all.And he took it to the cross and took it on the cross, and he rejected the violent option. He did not take up the swords and the arms. He just said, just previously, those who live by the sword will die by the sword. And so that is the witness of the cross. It's self-sacrificial love. It's not this assertion of like, “Hey, this is mine. This is my space, this is my territory.” This is why, back to America, this is why the Christian nationalism is so idolatrous.Sy Hoekstra: We just had a, our March bonus episode, you're like hitting a bunch of our points, actually [laughs].Jonathan Walton: Yes. Keep going.Jesse Wheeler: Oh, no. Yeah. Thanks [laughs]. It's why it's so idolatrous, is because it's complete rejection of the way of Jesus. It's a complete rejection of what the cross is and what it's supposed to represent. I mean, scrolling through social media, I came across what this is like giant muscle Jesus breaking free from the cross. I'm like, no, that's the complete… no, the cross is the… Like Jesus says, you don't think… back in the garden, he says, you don't think I could call down angels? Call down [laughs] fire from heaven, and just like in an instant, make this all go away? He's like, “No, I'm going to the cross.” It's an example for us to follow.It Takes Faith in the Resurrection to Use Power Like JesusJesse Wheeler: And it's an article of faith. This is where people will come back and say, this is why it is hard for people, because it is a belief in the resurrection.Jonathan Walton: Yes.Jesse Wheeler: All the forces of death and all the things we do to avoid death. All the killing we do of others, the things we… all the hoarding of resources. All the things we do that we try to preserve ourselves and in the process hurt other people. And we build walls and we break them down. He's like, let it go. Let it go. Let it go. Go to the cross because the resurrection is happening. And it's hard for people because if you don't believe in resurrection, in a sense it's very difficult. But it is very much a faith stance and a faith position.The Roots of Sabeel in the Political Witness of Palestinian Liberation TheologyAnd going back to, you asked about Sabeel, you asked about where I work. So Sabeel is an organization founded by Palestinian-Christians out of the time of the first Intifada, the Palestinians uprising. Very much a movement, a spontaneous movement that didn't involve the PLO, which was largely external at the time, or the Palestine political leaders, and was a complete shock to many of the global leaders.And largely involved a lot of nonviolent direct-action, sort of creative actions, creative resistance and great violence actually was to try to throw it down in response. And yet, Naim Ateek, he was the founder of Sabeel, he wrote a book, published it 1989. It's called Justice and Only Justice, A Palestinian Theology of Liberation, basically started asking the question, how does our faith, our Christian faith, does it have anything to say to the situation, to us being under this violent, brutal occupation? And sort of the traditional, across the board, Orthodox Catholic, Protestant theologies weren't really saying much.So they started just, would preach there in St. George's Episcopal Church right in Jerusalem. And after the service, they'd kind of get together and start discussing. Like let's read a passage and let's think and just look. It's very much like you, if you think of the classic liberation theology in Latin America. The base communities just getting together. It's basically kind of got together and started thinking, but it grew from there to, so Naim Ateek sort of was the founder, but then it was really this core group that formed and they started inviting… because even back then, they're like, “We know the narrative imbalance that people are not hearing the Palestinian side of the story. Let's bring people and show them.”And they bring people, they show them, and immediately people are converted once they see the reality. People go on tours with the holy land all the time, they're highly curated and they don't go to those scary Palestinian areas. But the moment you enter Palestinian areas and are greeted with wonderful Arab hospitality and like [laughs]… But then here's what the reality of being under their military occupation is. And it is like, oh, I see it now. So people would go back and they founded, I work for Friends of Sabeel North America, but there's groups all over and it's been still going on. And then there's subsequent groups that have formed and other great partners too that we work with.Sy Hoekstra: Yeah.Jonathan Walton: Mm-hmm, mm-hmm.Sy Hoekstra: Thank you so much for being here. I mean, you didn't just write for the book. You were an enormous help in actually getting it published. You did a ton of work for us, source checking and all kinds of other things. You were… and were not running around looking for credit for any of that. So you definitely had your head down and you were doing [laughs] what you needed to do to get the word out. And thank you so much for being here today to talk to us.Jesse Wheeler: Thank you for doing it. I mean, I was really proud to be.Jonathan Walton: Thank you so much, man.Jesse Wheeler: Thank you for having me. And thank you for your witness. I mean, Palestine is a wheat and chaff issue, and I feel like those who've really stood for the truth and stood for justice and stood for what's right in the face of so much that's wrong. And it's just been amazing to see the witness of you guys, and I just want to thank you for that. It's very, it means so much.Sy Hoekstra: No, thank you for everything you do as well. We so appreciate it, man.Jonathan Walton: Amen. Blessings on you and Friends of Sabeel. Amen.Jesse Wheeler: Thank you so much. Blessings to you guys.Jonathan Walton: Amen. Thanks.[the intro piano music from “Citizens” by Jon Guerra plays briefly and then fades out.]Jesse's Social Media and RecommendationsSy Hoekstra: You can find Jesse @intothenoisejsw on Instagram and Twitter. His organization, the Friends of Sabeel North America is at FOSNA.org, and those will both be in the show notes. And also, Jesse wanted us to mention another organization that just kind of had its grand opening over the summer after we recorded this interview. It's called the Institute for the Study of Christian Zionism. It's a really cool new organization with a lot of people involved who you may recognize if you're familiar with kind of the field of that particular branch of theology [laughs]. And basically, they want to be a one-stop shop, a hub, a go-to resource for everything related to fighting the heresy, as they call it, of Christian Zionism.And so, that you can find that organization at Studychristianzionism.org. We'll also put that in the show notes, obviously.Jonathan's and Sy's Reactions to the InterviewSy Hoekstra: Okay, Jonathan. After that interview, what are your thoughts?Jonathan Walton: Bad theology kills people.Sy Hoekstra: Yes. Uh-huh. It's not a joke.How We Resist Institutions Built to Protect and Reinforce LiesJonathan Walton: [Laughs] I think we need to lean into that and say it over and over and over again. We cannot divorce what we believe from what we do. Can't. They are intertwined with each other. And it's baffling to me that particularly American Christians, and this like runs a gamut like Black, White, Asian, Hispanic, native, all the things, how strongly we cling to, I believe this, I believe this, I believe this, how deeply committed we are, how there are institutions, there are studies and conversations, there are all these different things that are built up around things that are just not true. Like just the level of intricacy of every apparatus to hold together a lie is mind-boggling to me.And it is so effective that we can get caught up in all the details and never think about the impact, which is what I feel has happened. Like, oh, all I do is read these books. All I do is write these articles. All I do is do these podcasts. All I do is give money to this organization. All I do is pray. All I do is watch these documentaries. All I do is host these little dinners at my house. Not knowing at all that it is undergirding the bombing of Palestinians and the rampant Islamophobia and the destruction of Palestinian Christian life. Don't even know it because it's just an encased system. So I think for me, I'm reminded of the power of the gospel transformation because the gospel and liberation is also a complete process, just like colonization is and settler colonialism is.So I'm challenged because the next time I think to myself, I'm going to change the world. I'll remember this conversation and realize only Jesus can [laughs] do that. And I need to have just as robust of a theology and apparatus built around me and participating as a follower of Jesus as the forces that are hell bent on destroying people's lives. That was just a thing I've been holding onto, particularly as we were talking about Easter, as we are reflecting on the reality of the resurrection, we need a theology of life, abundance and liberation that is just as robust, just as supported, just as active and engaged as the theology of destruction that we have now.Sy Hoekstra: Yeah. The theology, specifically what he was talking about kind of toward the end about the use of power.Jonathan Walton: Right.Sy Hoekstra: I had that same thought basically that you just said. Like the way that we use power via sacrifice as opposed to using power via dominance. Like that needs to be as emphasized as anything else in our Christian discipleship.Jonathan Walton: Yeah.Sy Hoekstra: Because it is just, it's so absent. You cannot insist to so many Western Christians that that aspect of our faith is as important as the stuff that we'll get into a minute about arguing about like sexuality or whatever [laughs].Jonathan Walton: Right.Sy Hoekstra: We have just so deprioritized these things that were so central to Jesus when he said things like, my kingdom was not of this world. So there's that.We Emphasize the Importance of Theology for the Wrong ReasonsSy Hoekstra: The other thing that I was thinking about was also related to what you just said, which is, you say bad theology kills, and we need to understand how important our theology is in that sense. But we also need to understand the way that our theology is important because we actually do think theology is really important just in the wrong way.Jonathan Walton: Yeah. Right.We think theology is really important for defining who is in and out of Christianity or just for having proper orthodoxy and that sort of thing, just to tick all the boxes to make sure that your beliefs are correct.Jonathan Walton: Right.Sy Hoekstra: Which absolutely pales in comparison to the real reason that theology is important, which is it shapes our behavior, or it can shape our behavior [laughs]. Or it interacts with our behavior and they reinforce and shape each other in ways that create policies and government actions and whole social transformations and systems across the world [laughs].Jonathan Walton: Right.Sy Hoekstra: So yeah. That's what I am coming out of this thinking. We need to stay focused on. And I'm just so happy that there are people like Sabeel and others fighting in that way. And by the way, back on the point of how we exercise power and how important it is to exercise power in the way that Jesus did. Jesse actually wrote to us after the interview and said kind of, “Oh, shoot, there's a point that I forgot to make,” [laughs] that I wanted to bring up here, which is something that, so the founder of Sabeel, his name is Naim Ateek often raises, which is that, like Jesse said, Sabeel was founded after the first Intifada in 1987. But he says, there are two organizations that were founded out of that Intifada.One of them was Sabeel and the other was Hamas. And he said, basically just look at the two approaches [laughs]. There's armed insurrection and then there's non-violent direct action and education and advocacy and whatever. Like it is small what Sabeel is doing. It is certainly smaller than what Hamas is doing. And it is one of those things that probably to the rest of the world looks like it's less powerful, it's less effective. And like Jesse said, it is an article of faith to believe that that is actually the stronger way to go. You know what I mean? That is the more powerful road to take, even though it is the much more difficult one to take. And I just really wish that we could all have a faith like that.Jonathan Walton: Yes. Yes, and amen.Sy Hoekstra: Shall we get into Which Tab Is Still Open, Jonathan?Jonathan Walton: [laughs], all the tabs Sy. Let's go.Which Tab Is Still Open?: Christian Reactions to the OlympicsSy Hoekstra: All the tabs are still open. We're gonna talk about two stories that have to do with the Olympics, that also have to do with Western Christians [laughter], and how persecuted we feel.Jonathan Walton: Yeah.Sy Hoekstra: I'm just, let me quickly summarize what happened here. The details are very silly on the first one. You probably heard about this one, this is probably the more popular story. During the opening ceremonies of the Olympics, well, here's some background. The opening ceremonies to the Olympics are weird. They're always weird. They've always been weird [laughs]. I always come away from them thinking, “Wow, that was weird,” [laughter]. They usually include some kind of tribute to ancient Greece where the Olympics came from. And in this case, one of the things they did was a little tribute to the Festival of the Goddess Dionysus. Wait, goddess? Was Dionysus supposed to be a man or a woman?Jonathan Walton: A man. Dionysus is a man.Sy Hoekstra: [laughs] Okay.Jonathan Walton: No. Diana is a woman, but yeah.Sy Hoekstra: All right, fine [laughs]. So anyways, they had this staging of a feast, and the way it was staged with all of the people sitting at the table facing the audience and the cameras reminded a lot of Christians of the way that Leonardo da Vinci's Last Supper is staged with Jesus and all the disciples facing the painter [laughs]. But all of the, or not all, but the most of the people sitting at the table were drag queens. And so Christians took this as a massive insult, that people must be mocking the Last Supper and our religion and our beliefs about conservative traditional sexuality and et cetera. The Olympic organizers came out and said, “This had nothing to do with Christianity, we apologize for the offense. This was about Dionysus, and that was kind of it. We weren't talking about Christianity, but we're sorry if we offended you.”And that was the end of it. But basically Christians said, “We're being mocked, we're being persecuted, they hate us,” et cetera. Second story, a female boxer by the name of Imane Khelif was in a fight with an Italian female boxer and hit her pretty hard a couple of times. And then the Italian boxer quit and said that Khelif is a man who is a trans woman fighting in the women's competition in the Olympics. The only reason that this was a viable thing for the Italian woman to say was because in the year before that, at the 2023 World Championships, the International Boxing Association disqualified Khelif from the competition saying that she had elevated testosterone levels and that she had XY chromosomes and was in fact a man. So she failed the gender eligibility test.The reason this is a ridiculous thing for them to have said [laughs], is that Khelif was born assigned female at birth. Her birth certificate says she's a woman. She has lived her entire life as a woman, she has never claimed to be trans in any way. And they never published the results of the test. And they only came out and said that she had failed these gender eligibility tests after she defeated a previously undefeated Russian boxer. Why does that matter? Well, the president of the International Boxing Association is Russian, has moved most of the IBA's operations to Russia, has made the state-run oil company the main sponsor of these boxing events, has close ties to Putin, et cetera [laughs].Jonathan Walton: Yep.Sy Hoekstra: It has become a Russian propaganda machine. The International Boxing Association, the International Olympic Committee has actually cut ties with them, is no longer letting them run the World Championships or the Olympic games boxing tournaments. They have suffered from corruption, from match fixing by referees, lack of transparency in finances, et cetera. It is a big old mess, and they never published the results of these gender eligibility tests. And it is pretty clear that they were made up in order to preserve the undefeated title of a Russian favorite boxer [laughter]. So it's absolute nonsense is what I'm saying.Jonathan Walton: Right.Sy Hoekstra: But that has not stopped anyone, including people like Elon Musk and JK Rowling from saying, “what we clearly saw here in the Olympics was a man punching a woman. And this is where you get when you follow the transgender agenda,” and blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. Obviously I just named, well, Rowling is a Christian, but lots of Christian leaders jumping on this same train. Jonathan, these were yours.Jonathan Walton: [exasperated exhale] These are mine.Sy Hoekstra: Why did you include these? You have been, I'll say you have been very focused on these, the Christian reaction to things going on in the Olympics has been on the brain for you. Why [laughs]?Fusing Faith with American PowerJonathan Walton: Because I think there's a couple things because bad theology kills people. Sy, we talked about this and like…Sy Hoekstra: Well, no, wait. How is this, explain the relation there, please.Jonathan Walton: Gladly. Gladly. So I think [laughs], I'm gonna read this quote by Andy Stanley who posted this after the Dionysus thing and then took it down because I think he realized the err of his ways. But I am grateful for the interwebs because somebody screenshot it. Here we go [Sy laughs]. “Dear France, the Normandy American Cemetery is the resting place of 9,238 Americans whose graves are marked by 9,238 crosses. American soldiers, who in most cases volunteered to come to your shores in your time of need. Their final prayers were to the God whose son you mocked in front of the entire world. It was during the very meal you went to such creative pains to denigrate, that Jesus instructed his followers to love one another and then define what he meant. Quote, greater love has no one than this, that one laid down his life for his friends, end quote. While you host the Olympic Games, remember your nation hosts 172.5 acre reminder of what love looks like. You don't just owe Christians an apology. You owe the West an apology.” End quote.Sy Hoekstra: It's so much Jonathan [laughs].Jonathan Walton: It is. That's a book. That is a book. It's called 12 Lies.Sy Hoekstra: That's your book, yeah [laughs].Jonathan Walton: And then it's an anthology that like [laughs] called Keeping the Faith, right? So that to me, and what's happened in this season of the Olympics has crystallized something for me that I think about. But these are such concrete, clear, succinct, edited examples of like, here is what happens when geopolitical power of the American apparatus is just completely inseparable, completely fused, completely joined together with the Jesus of empire.Sy Hoekstra: Yeah.Jonathan Walton: So much so that minutes after this ceremony was completed and broadcast, you have people with the language, you have people with the vocabulary, you have people with statistics. He's like, this is the number of crosses. That means he Googled something, he don't just know that.Sy Hoekstra: Yeah [laughs].Jonathan Walton: We are primed as… not me, because I'm not. But the White American church and folks affiliated and committed to White American folk religion, like this race-based, class-based, gender-based environmental hierarchy that dominates this false gospel of the merchant, the military and the missionary all coming together. Like that is just so frustrating to me. And it's not going to stop because the apparatus is in like, I feel like a full maturation right now because it is under threat and constantly being exposed. So what tab is still open for me is the reality that the people who are armed with a false gospel are finally being met online and in real life by people who are willing to challenge them.And so what was amazing to me was watching a Fox News segment where someone came on and said, “Hey, Imane Khelif was born a woman, is a woman. This is not a trans issue.” There are people willing to go on and say the things. There's an online presence of people willing to go online and say the things. And I think we have an articulation of faithful followers of Jesus who are willing not just to say this is wrong, but name the connection that when we have conversations about Christians being persecuted, boom, here's a picture of Christians actually being persecuted, Palestine. Right?Sy Hoekstra: Yeah.Jonathan Walton: When we have conversations, oh, we are being persecuted and violence is being committed against us. No, no, no. Violence is actually happening to trans people at a staggering level. And it correlates with when we have these nonsensical conversations that actually create environments that are more dangerous for them in the bathroom, in schools and wherever they go. And so, I can have a conversation with someone and say—this was a real conversation—we have the luxury of having this conversation as people who are not involved directly, but we do not have the luxury of as followers of Jesus is not then following up and saying, “I was wrong.”So I had conversations about Imane Khelif with Christians who said, “You know what? Oh, I didn't know that. Let me go back and post something different. Let me post an apology. You know what, I see what you're saying. I clicked on the links. Yeah, we shouldn't be doing that. I'm gonna go and have a conversation with these people.” That to me is hopeful, and at the same time, I know that this will not stop because my mama would say, “When the lights come on, the roaches run everywhere.” I fully suspect that there will be more examples like this leading up to and beyond the election.Sy Hoekstra: Oh, for sure.Jonathan Walton: …as there is more light on the sheer nonsense that Andy Stanley and these other people are propagating on a regular basis.Christians Demonstrated How Christian Nationalism is Common and Acceptable in White ChurchesSy Hoekstra: And people who jumped on this by the way, were like, Ed Stetzer and people who are kind of like in the middle politically in America and in American politics at least. They're not Trumpers. These are regular Christians [laughs].Jonathan Walton: Right. And that's the thing that we talked about a few episodes ago. This is the soft Christian nationalism, socially acceptable American exceptionalism. All these things are totally normal, totally fine in quote- unquote. that normal Christianity.Sy Hoekstra: Yeah. And actually, so one of the things I want to emphasize about that thing you, that someone screenshotted from Andy Stanley, was that his idea of love in that post is like, I'm gonna sacrifice myself for you and then in exchange I get control over your culture so that you will not insult me.Jonathan Walton: Yes.Sy Hoekstra: Which is not the love of Jesus. The love of Jesus is laying down your life for your friends, period, end of story. Jesus laid down his life for people who have nothing to do with him. You know what I mean? Who can't stand him, who don't like him, whatever.Jonathan Walton: Who desired to kill him [laughs]. Right.Sy Hoekstra: Yeah, exactly. And did not demand then that they conform to his way. He let them go on their way.Jonathan Walton: Yes.Sy Hoekstra: The quote unquote love that says, all these soldiers at Normandy sacrificed, therefore you cannot insult us, is not Christian. Has nothing whatsoever to do with Jesus. And it does have everything to do with tying your faith to an empire that uses military might to demand conformity. That is colonizing faith, period.Jonathan Walton: Yes.Why White Christians Invent Enemies Where None ExistSy Hoekstra: That aspect of it then kind of plays into some of the stuff that I was thinking about it, which is that like if you are someone who has so fused your faith with dominance like that, then you are constantly looking for enemies who don't exist to come and defeat you because that's your way of living. You live by the sword. So it's almost like a subconscious, like you live by the sword, you expect to die by the sword. You live by cultural dominance, you expect people to culturally dominate you. So you're going to find insults against one European artist's rendering of a scene from the Bible where none exist. Just because they had drag queens you don't like.You are going to find trans women who don't exist [laughs] and argue that they are a sign of the things that are destroying the culture that you built in the West. And I just think that is so much more revealing of the people who say it than it is of anything that they were trying to reveal through what they said.Jonathan Walton: Absolutely. I wonder if there were followers of Jesus who when da Vinci painted what he painted, said, “This is not my savior.”Sy Hoekstra: I can think of one reason, but why would they have said that Jonathan?Jonathan Walton: [laughs] Because the Last Supper is a parody of an event in the scriptures. The reality is Jesus is not a Eurocentric figure sitting with flowing robes with people surrounding him. That's not how it happened. That's not how Passover looks[laughs]. So I mean, the reality of them being these American insurrectionist pastors who say, “You know what, we are going to get angry about a parody that isn't a parody, about a parody that we believe is actually sacred.”Sy Hoekstra: [laughs]. Well, okay. Calling the Last Supper parody I think is a little bit confusing.Jonathan Walton: No, the…Sy Hoekstra: Because I think da Vinci meant it the way that he… [laughs].Jonathan Walton: No, I'm sure da Vinci reflected his cultural reality on the scripture, which is something we all do.Sy Hoekstra: Right.Jonathan Walton: But to then baptize that image to be something that can be defiled and then demand capitulation because of our quote- unquote military might, those lines are bonkers to me. So I can be frustrated that I feel mocked, because that's a feeling, I feel mocked. But what should happen is we say, I feel mocked because I don't actually have cultural understanding and acuity to be able to differentiate my own emotional realities from the theology of the Bible when we don't have those skills. And actually we don't have that desire because we desire for them to be one and the same, like you said. I desire to feel affirmed and good and empowered all the time.And if that comes under any threat, then it's either the merchant, let's take money from you. Let's sanction you, let's get you out of the economic system so you cannot flourish in the way that we've defined flourishing to look. We will bring missionaries and people and set up institutions to devalue and debunk your own cultural narratives and spiritual things that you hold dear. And if that doesn't work, we'll just shoot you and make sure it does. Anyway, that's was more forceful than I expected it to be.Sy Hoekstra: [laughs] It wasn't for me because you keep putting these Olympics things in the newsletter and you keep telling me how frustrated you are about them, but it goes to stuff that is extremely important and I appreciate you bringing up and bringing us into this conversation.Outro and OuttakeSy Hoekstra: We have to go. You specifically have to leave in a couple minutes, so we're going to wrap things up here. Even though you and I could talk about this subject forever [Jonathan laughs]. Maybe Jonathan, maybe we'll talk about it more at the next monthly Zoom conversation.Jonathan Walton: Yes.Sy Hoekstra: …on August 27th that people can register for if they become paid subscribers at Ktfpress.com, which you all should please go do if you want to see this work continue beyond this election season, get access to all the bonus episodes of this show, the ability to comment, other community features like that. The anthology, again, is at Keepingthefaithbook.com, that's what Jesse wrote for and what 35 other authors wrote for trying to give us a faithful path forward as so much of the church idolizes Donald Trump and the power that he brings them in this particular political era. Our theme song is Citizens by Jon Guerra. Our podcast Art is by Robyn Burgess, transcripts by Joyce Ambale, editing by Multitude Productions. Thank you all so much for listening and we will see you in two weeks.Jonathan Walton: Bye.[The song “Citizens” by Jon Guerra fades in. Lyrics: “I need to know there is justice/ That it will roll in abundance/ And that you're building a city/ Where we arrive as immigrants/ And you call us citizens/ And you welcome us as children home.” The song fades out.]Jonathan Walton: The White Christian persecution complex. [Jonathan lets out a deep, croaky “Maaaaaaaah”].Sy Hoekstra: I really should have… what was that noise [laughter]?Jonathan Walton: I think it's appropriate [Sy laughs]. It was the exasperation of my soul. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.ktfpress.com/subscribe

First of a double podcast about workers' struggles in Palestine during the British Mandate (1920-48). In this episode we cover the Balfour Declaration and establishment of the British Mandate, the campaign for 'Hebrew Labour', a number of workers' organisations like the Palestinian Arab Workers' Society (PAWS) and the Palestine Labour League (PLL), as well as the 1936-39 Great Palestinian Revolt.Our podcast is brought to you by our patreon supporters. Our supporters fund our work, and in return get exclusive early access to podcast episodes, ad-free episodes, bonus episodes, free and discounted merchandise and other content. Join us or find out more at patreon.com/workingclasshistoryIn this episode, we spoke to Palestinian scholar and activist, Leena Dallasheh. Her research focuses on the history of Palestine/Israel, with a particular interest in Palestinians who became citizens of Israel in 1948. For more info on Leena and her research, you can check her website.Be sure to also check out 'Falastin: A Digital Monument' by Collecteurs, of which these episodes are a part.More information, photos, suggested reading, sources, and eventually a transcript are on the webpage for this episode: https://workingclasshistory.com/podcast/e86-87-class-struggle-in-palestine/AcknowledgementsThanks to our patreon supporters for making this podcast possible. Special thanks to Jazz Hands, Jamison D. Saltsman, Fernando López Ojeda and Jeremy Cusimano.Edited by Tyler HillEpisode graphic: public domain/Library of Congress.Our theme tune is Bella Ciao, thanks for permission to use it from Dischi del Sole. You can purchase it here or stream it here.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/working-class-history--5711490/support.

Toby Leary of Cape Gun Works fills in for Howie, but no matter who's in the chair, the Chump Line arrives at the same time each weekday. Then, Toby and the listeners debate the 1917 Balfour Declaration and how it set the tone for Israeli-Palestinian unrest today.