On this first anniversary of the Hamas invasion of Israel on 10/7/23, I would like to share the remarks of Nils A. Haug. Nils is a scholar, Christian, and prominent international lawyer. His biography is below.
His insights in the essay entitled, “Zion: A Place Worth Defending” are extremely relevant today, given all the unfounded criticism and condemnation of the state of Israel, the Zionist “movement,” and the Jewish people as a whole. I have added my own comments to complement his points.
Here are some of the ones I find most pertinent (the link to his post is here:)
https://www.gatestoneinstitute.org/20964/zion-a-place-worth-defending
Nils:
In essence, Zionism is simply an attempt to re-establish their ancestral home, their place of refuge and sanctuary in an alien world which largely despises them. Zion (now Israel), is a place they can gather to practise their faith without persecution. The six ancient cities of refuge were located only within the Land of Israel, just as, in a microscopic sense, the family is a city of refuge.
Me:
Yes, the Jewish people are indigenous to that Land. It is both our ancestral home and spiritual center. Jerusalem is our spiritual focal point, and we pray that our Holy Temple will be rebuilt speedily. It is worth noting that when that takes place. ALL people will have a place in which they can connect with our Creator.
Nils:
America was founded on traditional biblical values, as clearly reflected in the underlying values of the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution. These values form the basis of Western social virtues, laws and justice — as in England’s Magna Carta of 1215. It was adherence to the spirit of the Ten Commandments, the Mosaic codes, that helped make America and the West great; it is a greatness that can be revitalized. Concerned citizens need the determination and courage to re-establish where they live the values set out in the constitutional documents of the West.
Me:
There is a reason why the global forces of tyranny are targeting America. This country is the only one founded on Biblical values and a covenant with God. The people who are promoting a New World Order and Great Reset know that as long as Americans stay true to God, family, and country, the Free World remains intact. And the job of the Jews is to help people stay devoted to those values.
Nils:
Jews have historically defended liberty against tyranny and moral confusion, with individual liberty such as the freedoms of speech and religion. The value of each person can again be revived.
The true calling of the Jews, with “the world’s most moral army,” as the IDF is referred to by military expert Col. Richard Kemp, as they now wage a war that was forced on them, is to bring eternal values such as those above, found in the Torah, to the world at large. The Jews remain, after all, a “kingdom of priests and a holy nation.” They are entitled to their land, a place historically theirs — Zion, Israel, their ancestral home. This land was promised to the Jewish nation forever. It is a place worth defending.
Me:
If you take a good look at the Jewish Bible — the Five Books of Moses, the Prophets, and the Writings — you see that the “freedom movement” started with the Jews. We partnered with God to free ourselves from the tyranny of Pharaoh in ancient Egypt. We learned from God, his “student” Moses, and our teachers that came after him how to create a society based on freedom and liberty. And for the past 3500+ years, we have strived to make ourselves worthy of living on the Land God gave us to make that dream a reality.
I would add this:
“Blaming the Jews” is a tactic that has been used by tyrants throughout the ages to deflect blame from their own evil. They attempt to deceive the masses into believing that eliminating the Jews will absolve them of their own sins. The current version of this blood libel is the attempt to delegitimize the Jewish State, and justify its destruction.
History shows they will fail. And, their civilization will crumble.
History also shows that nations who adopt the Jewish ethos of “one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all” will live long and prosper.
Nile bio:
Nils A. Haug is an author and columnist. A Lawyer by profession, he is member of the International Bar Association, the National Association of Scholars, the Academy of Philosophy and Letters. Retired from law, his particular field of interest is the intersection of Western culture with political theory, philosophy, theology, ethics and law. He holds various degrees including Ph.D. in Theology (Apologetics). Dr. Haug is author of ‘Politics, Law, and Disorder in the Garden of Eden – the Quest for Identity’; and’ Enemies of the Innocent – Life, Truth, and Meaning in a Dark Age.’ His work has been widely published by such as Quadrant, First Things Journal, The American Mind, Gatestone Institute, National Association of Scholars, Jewish Journal, Anglican Mainstream, Jewish News Syndicate, and others.