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Allies for Armageddon: The Rise of Christian Zionism

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This fascinating book exposes the unpleasant ideology of Christian Zionism. Christian Zionists believe that the road to heaven on earth lies through a final battle of Armageddon in which all non-born-again Christians, and two-thirds of all Jews, will be killed. No wonder then that the Anglican clergyman Naim Ateek called Christian Zionism `the worst anti-Semitism one can imagine'.

We are all familiar with the tired old Zionist claim that all anti-Zionism is really anti-Semitism in disguise. The existence of Christian Zionism proves that there are anti-Semites who are pro-Zionist. There are of course also anti-Zionists who are anti-Semites. There are anti-Semites on both sides of the argument about Zionism.

Victoria Clark spent time with leading Christian Zionists and heard, with incredulity, what they say to their followers. They want war; they want the USA to "obliterate Syria" and they want Israel to "nuke Iran". They believe that these wars will hasten the desired day of the `rapture', the end-times when the tiny minority of true believers will be taken up to heaven and Christ will establish heaven on earth.

Excellent book. Informative and reads well. Victoria Clark writes flowingly as a journalist and her investigative reporting is eye-opening.
Her well-researched thesis gave me powerful new insights into the role Christian Zionism, particularly the mainstream, non-fundamentalist variety, has played in the shaping of modern, Israeli and American Jewish Zionism.

If you seek an explanation for why the world is in the mess it's in -- especially referring to U.S. foreign policy and our endless wars -- seek no further! This book traces Christian Zionism way back to its centuries-old roots and shows how its history is profoundly entangled with that of the U.S. and England -- and continues to be so today. This is a profoundly important book for anyone not yet crushed under the heel of political correctness. Yes, you can be opposed to the policies that grow out of Christian Zionism without being anti-Semitic, despite propaganda to the contrary.

So do you think the religious right in the U.S. and elsewhere are just a bunch of harmless nuts who spend their time yelling about the right to life and how clusters of a few cells in the womb have a soul? Well, if you haven't been reading the newspapers or watching TV for the last few years at least read this book. It describes in detail how the Christian fundamentalist movement has hijacked U.S. foreign policy in order to further their literal interpretation of the bible. These people believe that the second coming of Christ is dependant on Jewish possession of the Holy Land and that the Jews will eventually rebuild the Temple of Solomon, paving the way for the ultimate battle between good and evil, Armageddon.

Hence, the state of Israel must be supported regardless of the cost to the U.S. God has said he will bless those who support the Jews and curse those who do not, and if the Jewish people cooperate the advent of the "end times" will be hastened.

The author takes the first half of the book to lay out the history of Christian fundamentalism and the specific subtype of Christian Zionism from its roots in 17th century Britain and elsewhere to its current incarnation in the United States. She also documents the role of British Christian Zionists and adherents of fundemantalist sects in the creation of the state of Israel.

The second half of the book details the intricacies of modern day Christian Zionism and its influence on U.S. foreign policy and describes how this movement has reached something of a climax in the Bush administration. The book reveals how a series of clever Israeli politicians have exploited the Christian Zionist movement for their own ends, despite the fact the bible calls for the death over two-thirds of the Jewish race as part of the events that lead to the ultimate showdown between Christ and the anti-christ.

If this book does not alert you to the dangers of religious fundamentalism in the modern world, then I'm not sure what will. In the end there is no difference between Christian fundamentalists and Islamic ones. They are all driven by a belief that that we live in a corrupted world which must be cleansed by violence and that they, as true believers are exempt from any supernatural punishment. If you believe the world must end and you are to be saved, then what is the harm in doing whatever is necessary to achieve this end?

I am a Christian who believes that Christian Zionism is completely unbiblical. Understand that there is a large group of Christians who do not agree with the Christian Zionist movement. Thanks much....

This is really an amazing book--full of history and current relevancy of the origins of the fundamentalist Christian interpretations of the Bible, and their effects on political events from the 18th to the 21st centuries. The drive to "bless Israel" in order to receive the blessings of God, then to create the conditions for the the final battle of Armageddon and the Second Coming has brought about a number of contradictory and dangerous policies which may be monetarily helpful to the "State" of Israel, but longer term lay the foundation for its destruction. Clark hopefully is exaggerating to a degree how pervasive this eagerness for the Second Coming is among fundamentalist Christian sects (Christian Zionists) since she puts huge numbers to the believers in this course of events--not the least of these George W. Bush. This may be just another way to bash Bush and this partiality somewhat undercuts her credibility. The historical first half of the book, though, is well worth reading and understanding.