Joseph Lieberman has just reconfirmed his attendance at the Christians United for Israel 2008 “Washington-Israel Summit” following the repudiation of CUFI founder John Hagee by John McCain. He will address the main banquet shortly after a presentation by self-proclaimed “ex-terrorist” Walid Shoebat. Shoebat has been the subject of controversy for several months, and his narrative has been challenged by investigative pro-Palestinian blogger Eileen Fleming, by the Village Voice, and by the conservative Jerusalem Post. As I noted in February, Shoebat has threatened to sue Fleming, which is perhaps the first instance of someone claiming that being accused of not having been a terrorist amounts to defamation.
Shoebat describes his conversion from Islam to Christianity as a conversion “from hate to love”. However, this seems a bit of a stretch when we come to consider a video on his website produced by his son Theodore Shoebat. The video expresses Theodore’s virulent hatred of Islam and science, and his belief that militarized Christian fundamentalism is the answer to both. I usually avoid the word “Orwellian” as an overwrought cliché, but in this instance one is instantly reminded of the “Hour of Hate” from Nineteen Eighty-Four – there’s even an image of Charles Darwin, Emmanuel Goldstein-like, for the viewer to revile. There is no reason to think that Walid dissents from this approach, or that anything here would be out-of-place at CUFI.
The video is advertisement for Theodore’s 2007 book In Satan’s Footsteps: What Every Christian Needs to Know. According to the book’s blurb:
Ted Shoebat is the 16 year old son of former PLO terrorist Walid Shoebat. Ted was was persecuted for his faith and conservative views by his teachers and fellow students. He witnessed anti Semitism, anti Israel propaganda, holocaust denial, anti Christian and anti Americanism in the public schools he attended. He even was sent to Special Ed and “diagnosed” with Asbergers Syndrome [sic] because teachers could not deal with his well thought out retorts to the lies he identified that he was being taught…
As Ted says. “My Father may be hated by Islamists but I will be hated by Islamists, Neo Nazis, Communists Mormans [sic], Evolutionists, and many liberals. Dad you think you are a marked man, that will be nothing compared to me.”
Apparently the book advances the thesis that Islam, Darwinism and Mormonism are part of a grand conspiracy against Christianity.
As with his father’s books, In Satan’s Footsteps is published by Top Executive Media, which – as “Dogemperor” at Talk to Action has shown – is run by Shoebat’s handler Keith Davies from a very plush-looking private property.
The two Shoebats have also visited churches together to give presentations; a typical advert for one such event can be seen here:
River of Life will be hosting a Prophesy Dinner with former terrorist Walid Shoebat THIS Saturday, October 27, 2007 at River of Life’s campus near Springfield, MO.
All are invited to dine with Walid and his son, Theodore Shoebat, to hear more of Walid’s message concerning the Islamic agenda for Christians and the United States of America.
And what actually is a “prophesy dinner”?
… Admission is $35.00 per person including a dinner of carved roast beef plus dessert.
All served up in a corrosive sauce of irrationalism and hate.
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[…] naturally), and his belief that militarized Christianity is the answer to both (I blogged this here). The Jerusalem Post, among others, has also raised questions about Shoebat’s supposed […]
[…] Muslims is now the Shoebat family business: I’ve blogged before on Walid’s son Theodore Shoebat, who makes anti-Muslim (and anti-science) hate videos. I […]
[…] of anti-Muslim hate (particularly as expressed in his son’s homemade videos, as I blogged here). There are also a couple of other odd discrepancies: his wife is Roman Catholic, yet Shoebat used […]
Eileen Fleming is no investigative journalist. She only publishes on her own blog and has said that 9/11 was committed by the Israelis—a whackjob of the highest order.
Your attempts to paint Walid SHoebat as anti-Muslim or a Christian zealot are also not true. Shoebat is an intelligent man. That is why the FBI and US military use him as a consultant on terrorism.
What are you so afraid of? Walid will be speaing at UC Berkeley on October 29th at Wheeler Hall. 7:15 pm. Admission is free. A full house is expected.
Well, if a man who teaches that the Bible predicts a Muslim Anti-Christ is not an anti-Muslim Christian Zealot, I don’t know who would be.
The truth about Shoebat’s supposed terrorist past will probably never be definitively settled, but the reality of his strange religious views is there for all to see.
And I’m already aware that he’ll be speaking at Berkeley.
[…] a video that’s embedded on the “peace activist’s” website (made by his son), which calls for a militarised Christian fundamentalism to oppose Muslims and scientists (Charles […]
[…] on Youtube devoted to this kind of thing, and he’d probably get on well with Theodore Shoebat. However, Ray’s Christianity is not well-informed – he thinks the phrase “turn the […]
[…] all Christian theology. Meanwhile, one aspect of Christian history which becomes foregrounded is the Crusades, whitewashed of their anti-Jewish elements and earthly motives (there’s also some of that in […]
[…] “researcher” is none other than Walid Shoebat’s son, who has long embraced the family business. Theodore Shoebat has noted a couple of references in Mesopotamian mythology to a god called […]