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From this thread: viewtopic.php?f=4&t=110&start=20#p2110

What is Zionism or a Zionist?

Wade wrote:From this thread: viewtopic.php?f=4&t=110&start=20#p2110

What is Zionism or a Zionist?

I was curious too. Probably someone who believes in the restoration of Israel and in the thousand year reign.

Jim mentions Christian Zionism in Ernie's Christian Fads thread. I assumed both he and Martin were both referring to Premillennialism and the restoration of Israel belief.

lesterb wrote:

Wade wrote:From this thread: viewtopic.php?f=4&t=110&start=20#p2110

What is Zionism or a Zionist?

I was curious too. Probably someone who believes in the restoration of Israel and in the thousand year reign.

Not necessarily. All premillinialists believe in a thousand year reign and the restoration of Israel, yet not all are Zionists.

It is a belief that the CURRENT state of Israel is indeed a fulfillment of prophecy, and thus must be regarded as the Lord's anointed in the land of Israel. They generally recognize even the most extreme land claims of the current state of Israel. They believe the CURRENT state will be God's instrument for bring about the end times.

I would be called a premillinialist, but surely not a Zionist.

J.M.

I thought Zionism was just the position that there should be a Jewish nation. These other things mentioned are often, but not always, connected to Zionism. The position seems contrary to the idea of religious liberty.

Here is the Googled definition that popped up:

• Zionism - a movement for (originally) the re-establishment and (now) the development and protection of a Jewish nation in what is now Israel.

It seems the definition has extended beyond the re-establishment of Israel only, and now includes its development (expansion?) and protection.

We define it as a political concept that supports the establishment and development of Israel as a Jewish nation.

There's only two contexts in which I've heard the use of the term "Christian Zionism":
1. The financial, political and moral support of Israel by Christian groups.

2. The other is when "Christian Zionist" is used derogatorily by supporters of Islamic Palestine.

MaxPC wrote:We define it as a political concept that supports the establishment and development of Israel as a Jewish nation.

There's only two contexts in which I've heard the use of the term "Christian Zionism":
1. The financial, political and moral support of Israel by Christian groups.

2. The other is when "Christian Zionist" is used derogatorily by supporters of Islamic Palestine.

Who is "we"?

Josh wrote:

MaxPC wrote:We define it as a political concept that supports the establishment and development of Israel as a Jewish nation.

There's only two contexts in which I've heard the use of the term "Christian Zionism":
1. The financial, political and moral support of Israel by Christian groups.

2. The other is when "Christian Zionist" is used derogatorily by supporters of Islamic Palestine.

Who is "we"?

Max and I, for a start.

Dan Z wrote:Here is the Googled definition that popped up:

• Zionism - a movement for (originally) the re-establishment and (now) the development and protection of a Jewish nation in what is now Israel.

It seems the definition has extended beyond the re-establishment of Israel only, and now includes its development (expansion?) and protection.

I would have thought that only the first definition above is correct. In other words, there is no such thing as a "Christian Zionist". Only a certain subgroup of Jews were Zionists - those who believed that by re-establishing the nation of Israel, they could help bring about the coming of the Messiah. Many other Jews, the most conservative among them, strongly opposed the establishment of the nation of Israel by political means. They believed that only the Messiah himself would do that.