Vanity Question: American Evangelical attitudes towards Israel & Palestinian Question

Pew Forum on Religion and Family Life ^ | 6/21/05 | self

[walden]

I am on a debate on another forum-- my question is, to what extent are attitudes of American Christians and/or American Evangelicals towards the Israeli/Palestine issue fueled by religious beliefs? The other guy presented this Pew Forum on Religion survey indicating that religious beliefs are a large influence. Is the Pew group (related to Pew Charitable Trusts) fairly balanced, or does it lean fairly left? Can anyone provide me with information to contest or to supplement this conclusion? Thanks.

Here is the Pew information:

American Evangelicals and Israel

Recent surveys by the Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life demonstrate that American evangelical Protestants have distinctive — and highly positive — attitudes towards the state of Israel. This group is important both because it constitutes a large share of the American population — about 26% — and because it provided President George W. Bush with 40% of his total votes in the 2004 presidential election.

In June-July 2003, the Forum and the Pew Research Center for The People & The Press conducted a joint nationwide survey of Americans' views on religion, politics, and public policy. Concerning Israel, people were asked...

whether they sympathized more with Israel or the Palestinians in their longstanding dispute;

whether religious beliefs or other factors had the biggest influence on their thinking on this issue;

whether they believed God gave the land that is now Israel to the Jewish people;

whether they believed the state of Israel fulfills the biblical prophecy about Jesus' second coming. Compared to other Americans, the survey found that white evangelical Protestants were significantly more sympathetic to Israel than to the Palestinians — 55% sympathized more with Israel, only 6% with the Palestinians (versus 41% and 13%, respectively, of all those surveyed).

significantly more likely to say that religious beliefs were the single biggest influence in leading them to sympathize more with Israel — 46% versus 26% of all those surveyed.

significantly more likely to believe that God gave the land of Israel to the Jews — 72% versus 44% of all those surveyed.

significantly more likely to believe that Israel fulfills the biblical prophecy about Jesus' second coming — 63% versus 36% of all those surveyed. More recently, in March-May 2004, the Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life sponsored a nationwide survey in which people were asked: "Should the U.S. support Israel over the Palestinians?" Unlike the questions in the 2003 survey, this one specifically asked Americans what they think about U.S. policy towards Israel and the Palestinians. The complete results are provided in the table below.

As the table indicates, Americans overall were fairly evenly divided as to whether the U.S. should support Israel over the Palestinians: 35% agreed, while 38% disagreed, with 27% expressing no opinion. If anything, slightly more Americans believe that the U.S. should not support Israel over the Palestinians than believe that it should.

As one would expect from the 2003 survey results, the picture is dramatically different for white evangelical Protestants. Overall, more than twice as many white evangelicals agreed that the U.S. should support Israel over the Palestinians than disagreed: 52% agreed, while 25% disagreed, with 23% expressing no opinion.

The survey also found that "traditionalist" evangelicals — who are characterized by a high level of orthodox belief and a high level of church attendance, and who are the largest subgroup of evangelicals — are even more likely to agree that U.S. policy should tilt towards Israel: 64% agreed, while 18% disagreed, with 18% expressing no opinion. (According to a post-election analysis sponsored by the Pew Forum, "traditionalist" evangelicals provided Bush with 27% of his vote total in 2004.)

Pew Forum-sponsored surveys show that, between 2000 and 2004, evangelicals showed the greatest increase in support for Israel of any religious group: up 14% since 2000, to 52%.

The survey found that white evangelicals are virtually the mirror opposite of "secular" Americans in their attitudes towards Israel: only 23% of seculars agree that the U.S. should support Israel over the Palestinians, while 51% disagree, with 26% expressing no opinion.

[walden]

Thanks for any help

[CondorFlight]

The biggest factor in American support for Israel is that Israel is a democracy, while the Palestinians act
like a bunch of terrorists, blowing up school buses,
hospitals, etc.--no act of terror seems too base for them
to adopt it.
They are their own PR nightmare.

[Michael Goldsberry]

There is no "Palestine" and there are no "Palestinians."

[evad]

>>The survey found that white evangelicals are virtually the mirror opposite of "secular" Americans in their attitudes towards Israel: only 23% of seculars agree that the U.S. should support Israel over the Palestinians, while 51% disagree, with 26% expressing no opinion.<<

My best advice is to beware of surveys and studies. They are opinion and bias driven and rarely accurate.

I personally prefer to rely more on common sense, facts and logic in these matters.

[QwertyKPH]

The survey also found that "traditionalist" evangelicals — who are characterized by a high level of orthodox belief and a high level of church attendance, and who are the largest subgroup of evangelicals — are even more likely to agree that U.S. policy should tilt towards Israel: 64% agreed, while 18% disagreed, with 18% expressing no opinion.

I'd say 64% is low. Depending on how "support" is defined, if monetary, then OK 64% seems right. If support means to defend Isreal if they are attacked, then 64% is low.

I believe we should support Isreal both ways until we have more democracies in the region who can also support and defend human liberty.

[rightwingcrazy]

"When I use a word," Humpty Dumpty said, in rather a scornful tone, "it means just what I choose it to mean—neither more nor less."

[roylene]

First, there appears to be no terrorist or terrorist regime that the left does not love.
Secondly, of course religious views are going to shape how one feels about Israel. Religious views shape how one feels about everything. It is part of their world view.
Having said that: the land belongs to Israel as given to them by God.
The palistianes are a modern invention.

[Zathras]

After 3 months in Israel, I saw Israeli Jews and American Christians working and socializing
together all the time.
Anything you read in the USA press is understating how well they get along.

[Lord Nelson]

The idea that evangelicals support Israel simply because Israel’s presence fulfills biblical prophecy is a load of crap sold to the public by the media. Most evangelicals have enough confidence in our faith that we are not running around scared out of our wits that maybe our faith will be destroyed because some nut case Palestinians are hell bent on driving the Jews into the sea. We know biblical prophecy will be fulfilled. God is helluva lot bigger than the simple minded journalists that are on side with the PLO.

Personally my support for Israel is ultimately moral and logical. They are the only real democracy there and we have a duty to support a democracy over a tyrannical regime. Keep in mind that after Old Jerusalem was taken back by the Israel’s access was allowed for ALL religious people to ALL religious sites.

Secondly, Israel is fighting a moral war against immoral animals that target innocent civilians – animals too cowardly to fight real armed targets. Israel has every right to self defense. Just as any other nation would under the same circumstances.

[liberallarry]

Religion Shapes Mideast Sympathies Sympathize more with... Palest- (Vol.) (Vol.) Israel inains Both Neither DK % % % % % Total 41 13 8 18 20=100 White 41 12 7 19 21=100 Evang. 55 6 6 12 21=100 Mainline 34 17 10 19 20=100 Catholic 39 13 6 22 20=100 Black 40 17 8 16 22=100 Hispanic 40 13 7 20 20=100 Secular 24 20 11 26 19=100 American Views on Religion, Politics, and Public Policy 2003

Look closely at the table (which, unfortunately, I had to copy in this awkward form). Of the American electorate 41% support Israel while 13% support the Palestinians. When the electorate is broken down into groups only two significantly diverge - evangelicals and seculars. The Pew forum agrees

The survey found that white evangelicals are virtually the mirror opposite of "secular" Americans in their attitudes towards Israel: only 23% of seculars agree that the U.S. should support Israel over the Palestinians, while 51% disagree, with 26% expressing no opinion.

Ask yourself; who are these seculars, how many have their own "religion" of political correctness, why doesn't the Pew forum focus on them in the same negative way it focuses on evangelicals...and you have the answers to all your questions.

[k2blader]

Well, I used to be more pro-Israel before I saw certain posts on FR.

[NYer]

Ping!

[RaceBannon]

Ever since I was a Child, I knew the Jews were God's chosen peole, so, I cannot say it is all about politics or common sense.

I can only refer to Genesis chapter 12. :)

[SJackson]

If you'd like to be on this middle east/political ping list, please FR mail me.

[America's Resolve]

I guess I'd be considered secular and I support Israel. More from a historical viewpoint than anything. 2,000 years later, I just want the poor Jews to have a place where they won't be persecuted like everywhere else they've moved since the Romans smashed them and the arabs swooped down on their land like a bunch of buzzards (sorry buzzards).

And if it's a choice between Israel and the "palistinians" it's no contest. I'll ALWAYS choose the civilized over the uncivilized. No question.

And there's the democracy facter as well.

[Convert from ECUSA]

I've personally been pro-Israel since the Six-Day War, which happened when I was 11, and I've remained that way from my days as Evangelical Protestant, through Anglicanism, and now as a Catholic.

From my days as an Evangelical, the vast majority of Evangelicals are strongly supportive of Israel for both religious and secular reasons, and that has continued to this day. Reasons: 1) Biblical beliefs by Evangelicals regarding Scriptures on Israel; 2) Israel is the only democracy in the Middle East; 3) Israel is the only reliable ally of the USA in the Middle East, both during the Cold War and now in the war against terrorism; 4) Israelis don't hijack airplanes and fly them into buildings and kill 3000 innocent American civilians; 5) Israelis weren't the ones that trashed and desecrated the Church of the Navity a couple of years ago; 6) Israelis aren't the ones that destroy other religions' holy places to try and make it look like they've always been there.

Salem; Ester Ruth, and Bombardier, anything you want to add?

[Esther Ruth]

The B - I - B - L - E

Yes that the Book for Me!

I stand ALONE on the WORD OF GOD!

The B - I - B - L - E !!!!

[Salem]

"Salem; Ester Ruth, and Bombardier, anything you want to add?"

You pretty much cover it. Christianity purports to model the heart, the very character of the Living G-d. Even a cursory study of the Bible reveals the mind of G-d concerning His people Israel, thus, Biblical Christianity should support His revealed plans and purposes for Israel in these times.

That's my very lofty spiritual position.

My position as an American is that any individual, institution, or culture that cultivates the ideas which compel any individual to board a loaded bus or packed nightclub or deli filled with innocent people—Jews or not—bearing 20-30 pounds of explosives laden with nails, bolts, and poison, and detonate it, needs to be pounded right into the pavement.

And that is radical Islam.

---

If you'd like to be on or off this
Christian Supporters of Israel ping list,
please FR mail me. ~
    
MikeFromFR ~
There failed not ought of any good thing which the LORD had
spoken unto the house of Israel; all came to pass. (Joshua 21:45)
Letter To The President In Support Of Israel ~
'Final Solution,' Phase 2 ~
Warnings ~

A Stab In The Heart [Video]
IsraelNationalNews - A Video on Gush Katif [Video]
The Nature Of Bruce ~

[backhoe]

To put it bluntly?

Non-religious answer-- Israel has a government where the people have a voice- even citizens who are Arabs, or of other faiths. Most other Middle-East countries are tin-pot dictatorships. Under which type of governance would you like to live?

Religious answer?-- Jews are God's people- the Covenant still stands, as God does not go back on His word. Defy this at your peril.

And I say this as a lifelong Episcopalian, who is also an Honorary Jew.

[judicial meanz]

I'm not afraid to admit my views are based on my religious beliefs, but I don't think religious beliefs cover all the reasons I support Israel.

I support Israel because it is the RIGHT thing to do, and Israel is suffering at the hands of a lot of politically and religious driven persecution. I refuse to be a part of it.

I will never support any person/group/political organization who indiscriminately murder the innocent to achieve their political goals. The Palestinians are such an organization.