Dear Friend,
The Associated Press recently quoted a Homeland Security official in Texas as saying, “terrorists with ties to Hezbollah, Hamas, and al-Qaeda have been arrested crossing the Texas border with Mexico.” This observation concurs with those made by National Intelligence Director Mike McConnell, who recently told the El Paso Times that a “small number of people with known links to terrorist organizations have been caught crossing the border.”
I share the concern expressed by Director McConnell and the HS official. But why do we bother securing our borders when American academics are willing to open those very borders to one of the world’s most dangerous men: Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad? For the past three years we’ve afforded this global sponsor of terrorism opportunities to visit New York City—the site of America’s worst terrorist tragedy. And if that’s not bad enough, one of our most prestigious universities, Columbia, extended an invitation for him to speak on campus. What ensued was a completely avoidable debacle.
Driven, presumably, by a groundswell of objections to both the invitation itself and his refusal to rescind it, Columbia University’s president, Dr. Lee Bollinger—who had invited Ahmadinejad under the guise of gentlemanly, academic freedom and exchange—violated his own guiding principle by denouncing the Iranian president to his face as a “petty and cruel dictator” and describing his denial of the Holocaust as designed to “fool the illiterate and the ignorant.” Bollinger may have appeased his domestic critics with his insulting introduction. However, to the international audience—and especially to Iranians who prize hospitality—Bollinger looked ill mannered, while Ahmadinejad appeared dignified and restrained. It doesn’t matter that Ahmadinejad took the podium and proceeded to make a fool of himself; Bollinger’s inappropriate breach of decorum “only strengthened” Ahmadinejad at home and “made his radical supporters more determined,” according to an Iranian reformer and Ahmadinejad opponent in Tehran.
There were no conclusive winners in the exchange. And the only truth that seemed to emerge was that one of our nation’s finest institutions was both unwilling to uphold its own standards and unable to perceive the nature and personification of evil. That the school’s dean, Dr. John Coatsworth, responded to the escalating pre-debate controversy by saying that he’d even invite Adolf Hitler to speak at Columbia, further demonstrates the problem.
Dwight D. Eisenhower—the general credited with orchestrating the defeat of Hitler—served as president of Columbia from 1948 until 1953, when he became president of the United States. Would a post-war Eisenhower have approved an invitation to Hitler? Regardless, the present-day extension of an invitation beneath the banner of free speech and open dialogue comes as an extension of a doctrine that believes that the world’s problems could be solved were the major players only to talk to each other. The extent to which global angst has been moderated by an open-speech doctrine—say, through the United Nations—is open to question. The doctrine assumes that people are good; that folk military and political leaders truly mean well, want the best for all, are willing to labor to understand opposing positions, and are willing to compromise for the sake of a greater good and for peace. This sounds wonderful; I, however—and perhaps it’s the veteran policeman in me—am afraid that the lofty idealism does not really reflect the world we live in.
Recently, three other ministers and I spent some private time with Fox News’s Sean Hannity in San Diego, California. During the visit, he opined that the problem with those who think the answer lies in talking it out was that—and here’s the point—“they have trouble coming to terms with the nature of evil.” I am inclined to agree.
Tim Rutten of the Los Angeles Times pointed out, “If the blood-drenched history of the century just past had taught American academics one thing, it should have been that the totalitarian impulse knows no accommodation with reason. You cannot change the totalitarian mind through dialogue or conversation because totalitarianism is a creature of the will and not the mind.”
Driven more by biblically-generated impulses, Sean Hannity realizes—as do you and I—that evil actually exists in the world, that it looms large every now and again, and sometimes needs to be dealt with through means other than dialogue. Thus minded, we are not inclined to believe that chatting with evil will change its nature, despite the best attempts of the world’s greatest minds.
So, along with Hannity, well-informed Christians identify evil; and along with sensible men like Rutten, we know what will not work against it. But, what will work?
Two of my most recent books deal with evil and the resources available to Christians in dealing with it. In The Iranian Menace in Jewish History and Prophecy, I draw attention to the nature of an evil that is manifesting itself, now personified in an Iranian president pursuing nuclear capabilities and applications. In Guns & Moses, I note the Bible’s acceptance of offering more forceful approaches in dealing with manifest evil in its various forms.
In the same vein, Zola Levitt Ministries recently produced an eight-part television series entitled Bad Moon Rising in which—contrary to the Columbia academics who give evil people platforms to promote their insanity—we note the correlation between Hitler’s and Ahmadinejad’s policies. Our ministry sees wisdom in responding boldly to the evil they represent, even when those bold responses may be unpleasant.
Christians need to stand up and fight for biblical principles. This includes speaking up for justice, standing up for Jesus, and waking up to the reality that an anti-Semitic evil is surfacing today. Today’s anti-Semitism is being fueled by a fervent religious Islamic agenda rather than by a secular social agenda, as was the case with National Socialism in Hitler’s day. I believe that with the Holy Spirit resident within us, we Christians have a unique power to be world changers. I contend that guided by the Holy Spirit we can, should, and must confront the prevailing darkness in the interest of securing a more-positive outcome for ourselves, for our children, and for our Lord.
With thirty years of television experience, Zola Levitt Presents is one of the longest-running television programs in broadcast history. Our bold and prophetic program is distributed through a wide range of TV networks, cable outlets, and independent stations and, through these we reach into millions of homes, heads, and hearts—like yours.
Most viewers never contact us, and they never make it onto our mailing list. We do have some contact, however, when they make us a regular part of their television-viewing list. Because we rarely ask on the air for funds to assist us, we are forced to gently make our needs known to those who invite us into their mailboxes, and not just their TV sets.
That said, would you please prayerfully seek the Lord’s will and inquire whether He would have you send a generous year-end gift our way? If He leads you to our aid, your gift will enable us to tackle the day’s challenges and publicly give voice to God’s will and ways in this sin-soaked world.
On a closing note, please consider coming with us to Israel to intercede for the Jewish people from there. Our experienced tour department is planning a particularly interesting tour for spring 2008 that will follow in the footsteps of the Apostle Paul through Greece and the Greek Isles, touching on places he visited in Turkey. We will be traveling to Israel around the same time, and pilgrims can join either tour or combine them for an extended trip of a lifetime. The portion during which we follow in the Footsteps of Paul (March 14–25) tours Greece, the Greek Isles, and touches Asia Minor only. Our Deluxe Tour (March 23–April 2) tours Israel only. Our Grand Tour (March 14–April 2) includes both the Footsteps and Deluxe tours.
Please contact Tony in our office at (214) 696-9760 during business hours (Central Time) or call (800) 966-3399 (1-800-WONDERS) anytime.
Thanks and God bless.
Your messenger,
Jeff
P.S. Believing that the day’s problems are spiritual—and not just material or political—and mindful that the “weapons of our warfare are not of this world” (2 Cor. 10:4)—I put great stock in your upholding this ministry spiritually at this time. So, irrespective of whether you are led to support us materially, please note that I am soliciting your prayers.
Dear Jeff,
You cannot change the totalitarian mind through dialogue or conversation because totalitarianism is a creature of the will and not the mind.
“Here is my gift for November. Please continue fighting the prevailing darkness. Use your books and TV programs to enlighten the darkened world.”
The Gospel of Isaiah, written 700 years before Christ, reveals the Jewish nature of our Messiah and the fulfillment of His coming as the Lamb of God. See why New Testament authors have quoted Isaiah more than any other Old Testament source and why this Old Testament narrative is often called the 5th Gospel.
Iran is central in End Times prophecy. After a glimpse of Iran in ancient Roman and Jewish histories, you will learn the significance of prophecy in the Jewish Scriptures and apocalyptic literature. Jeff’s analysis is based on sound scriptural understanding as well as his conclusions from two decades of academic contemplation.
Jeff draws on his experience as both a police officer and theologian to walk readers through the Law of Moses, the biblical foundation of our Judeo-Christian culture. He describes God’s specific instructions on how to use power to secure justice for all and protection for the weak.
This authoritative 275-page book gives the inside story on fanatic Islam and proves that it is currently the major force in worldwide destabilization. Explore thirteen explosive topics such as Islamic Holy War: A Short History of Jihad, Islamic Persecution of Christians, Afghanistan — Another Islamic Hell and Was the Koran Written by Man? A wake-up call to the realities of America’s brewing fight for survival.
