Dear Mr. POTUS,
By declaring Jerusalem to be Israel’s capital with the intent to move our embassy there you’ve made the world a more, rather than less, dangerous place to live. No doubt you gained the political capital that you aimed for from your white evangelical base. But not everyone who identifies as such is either part of that base or applauds your senseless move. Here is one white evangelical male who doesn’t consider your decision the least bit heroic. It was self-serving and more of your posturing to which we’re becoming habituated––as in a frog in a warming kettle.
Given what you said after Charlottesville, a champion for the Jewish people you’re not. That became clear when the protestors screamed, “Jews will not replace us!” and all you could say that day was there were “very fine people” on both sides. No, Mr. President, this was purely political fodder on the same lines as your supposed support of religious freedom and rights of the unborn.
I love the Jews and their land with all my heart. As a Christian I respect the people, their history, and their place in the grand scheme of birthing our Messiah. From my study of eschatology they may even have a place in the last days leading up to the return of Jesus, but the idea that some of my brethren hold that everything they do is righteous is inane. I do pray for the “peace of Jerusalem,” but you’ve just pushed peace further away and swelled the violent tendencies of both sides of the conflict.
I have to say that this was a reckless deal from someone who considers himself a “Deal Maker.” If you were going to make this outrageous move, at the absolute minimum you could have gotten something back from the Jewish state like getting them to stop building and maintaining settlements in the West Bank.
The Jesus you claim to know said, “Blessed are the peacemakers for they shall be called the children of God.” Just like you’ve done with North Korea, you have managed to antagonize an already incendiary situation and stalled any chance for peace between Israel and the Palestinians.
I’m sorry, Mr. President, I can’t join any chorus of praise to you for keeping a campaign promise, when your promise was just so much grandstanding to begin with. I don’t believe that you actually care about the Jewish people or what they call their capital. The argument that since the status quo approach hasn’t worked to bring peace, so let’s shake it up and see what happens, is not only a bad strategy, but an inhumane one. I wonder if you had loved ones living in Jerusalem, would you have gone ahead and poured gas on this tinderbox?
Your swagger, Mr. President, in such situations, at the very least makes our country look ridiculous to the rest of the world, and at worst is getting people killed.
I pray for you everyday to be a better person and a better president.
“Peace on earth and good will toward men.”
Barney Wiget
White Evangelical Patriot
barney wiget 