Sarah Posner at American Prospect notes a very interesting comment that appeared recently in the Jerusalem Post:
Several top US political figures, including Sen. John McCain (R) Arizona, and former House Speaker Newt Gingrich (Rep.) called the current Middle East crisis the beginning of “World War III” and said they were “gravely concerned” in an interview on CNN’s Larry King Live.
…”They said this because they think it will lead to Iran getting involved, which they believe will set off World War III,” said MK Benny Elon (National Union-National Religious Party)…Elon said that the comments originated with American evangelist John Hagee, who published a book in 2006 called Jerusalem Countdown, which predicted that World War III would begin in Jerusalem and spread to Western states.
But from where did Hagee’s comments themselves originate? Back in February, I noted the initial publicity for this book in Christian Retailer magazine. The quote I took from the magazine bears repeating:
With an initial printing of 250,000 for its Jan. 17 release, Jerusalem Countdown provides detailed information that Hagee has received from top Israeli government officials concerning a nuclear showdown between Iran and Israel.
…The world is “standing on the brink of a nuclear Armageddon,” Hagee wrote. “We are on a countdown to crisis. The coming nuclear showdown with Iran is a certainty…That war will affect every nation on earth, including America, and will affect every person on planet earth.”
The most recent issue of the same magazine contains a two-page ad for the book that extorts us to
STAND WITH ISRAEL As prophecy and current events collide!
It goes on:
More than 650,000 copies sold in 4 months!
#1 Christian Retailing Top 100
#1 Publishers Weekly religion best-sellers’ list
#2 CBA Stats list (Christian market best sellers)
#7 Overall books at Wal Mart
#32 USA Today’s Top 150 best sellers
The book is published by Front Line, an imprint of Charisma House, which is owned by Strang Communications. One of its other titles is David Brog’s Standing with Israel, which I discussed here. Strang’s CEO, Stephen Strang, is himself an ardent Christian Zionist.
(Hat Tips: Christianity Today Weblog and Joshua Holland)
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