Robertson not a 'fringe' personality

Plenty of people watch Robertson's show, buy his books. Even more are influenced by or share his religious and political views, even if they won't say it outright.

"Among the elites in the movement, they're getting impatient with him and probably are past the point of being able to take him anymore," said Mark J. Rozell, a professor of public policy at George Mason University who has followed Mr. Robertson for years. "But there is a real strong core of activists throughout the country who support and like Pat Robertson, might even agree with some of the things he says, though they might like him to express his views a little more delicately."

For instance, many conservative Christians agree in principle with his comments about the Middle East - the Scriptures, they agree, call for a unified Israel.

Mr. Robertson's daily program, "The 700 Club," is carried in most markets nationwide on ABC Family and the Trinity Broadcasting networks, and drew an average audience of 828,000 viewers in the last quarter of 2005, according to Nielsen Media Research. While he cannot compete with "American Idol," he had more viewers than CNBC or MSNBC in prime time.

As a host, Mr. Robertson regularly draws guests like Republican leaders Bill Frist, Rick Santorum, Tom DeLay and Sam Brownback. Last week, he bantered with Fred Barnes, a Fox commentator and executive editor of The Weekly Standard. The show is also a prime advertising vehicle for Christian books, music and other products.

How many Americans believe in the pre-tribulation 'rapture' theory of premillennialism espoused by Robertson? Millions and millions, including President George W. Bush and members of his cabinet.

So what does the pre-tribulation theory of future world history teach millions of Christian believers about the Jews and Israel? Among other things, that:

• Israel will occupy all the land of 'Greater Israel', by force if necessary;
• The Temple will be rebuilt on the Dome of the Rock and animal sacrifices resumed;
• A 'remnant' of Jews will convert to Christ during the Great Tribulation;
• The remaining refuseniks will all perish and burn forever in Hell;
• Israel will be annihilated in the Battle of Armageddon and then be transformed into a Christian kingdom ruled by Jesus Christ for a thousand years.

In politically influential conservative religious circles where these views are held in conjunction with reconstructionist and/or dominionist political philosophy, it is furthermore held that Christians must support the type of domestic and foreign policies that are compatible with such a course of events.

Conservative Jews, Zionists and Israel-boosters who see evangelical fundamentalists as their allies in building a safe future for Israel need to take their blinkers off and see who they've really jumped into bed with. While they think that it is love they see in their paramour's eyes, it is only blood lust. They shouldn't be lulled by pleasant sweet nothings if the ones whispering them are nuturing fundamentally anti-Semitic sentiments.

Here is the Christian right's 'pro-Israel' position: Israel and the Jews as an indispensable plot device in the grand apocalyptic narrative, a final solution envisaged for world Judaism that is second only in horror to Hitler's, crypto-Nazism masquerading in pseudo-Biblical guise as 'love for God's chosen people.'