June 16, 2002

Selected Scriptures vs. Eyewitness Account

[Bethlehem, Palestine] I get mail. I usually get about 50 email messages a day -- a bunch from Middle East mailing lists, a handful from friends back home, maybe one from my mom or my brother, some from my friends here, a few from students, two advertising great software deals, an encouraging word from a stranger (much appreciated!), and usually one from a well-intentioned Christian brother or sister who questions my service in the West Bank.

(First, let me say that I am happy to receive your letters. I read them all, although I am sometimes a bit late in replying to some of them. I welcome the opportunity to hear all perspectives on the Middle East issue. It helps keep me objective.)

The messages from this last group are varied. These letters tend to be longer and explain in depth why I am misguided in my work here. The authors go to great lengths to quote scripture and attempt to construct convincing arguments that indicate why the Israeli occupation is good and justified. It appears that these helpful brothers and sisters have spent a lot of time and effort crafting their ideas, researching scripture to prove this or that.

I love reading and learning from the Bible. It's a great and beautiful collection of books. I consider it the "word of God." However, I'll admit that I haven't spent five minutes searching scripture to suggest that the occupation is wrong. I'm not a great Biblical scholar. I'm not incredibly smart. I don't analyze much, and I can't persuade anyone of anything. But what I can offer to you is my observations of what I see here daily in the West Bank with my own eyes. And from my observer role, my witness is clearly that here in the West Bank, the occupation is not such a blessing from God.

When you think of the nature of Jesus Christ, what comes to mind? Certainly love, forgiveness, compassion, freedom. Well, I don't see any of that in the Israeli occupation. I cannot believe that God would be happy by what he sees here. Could God possibly be pleased when people dominate and humiliate other people? Could Jesus be smiling when people are brutalized? When they are held captive? You can point me to a dozen scriptures that say this or that, but there's no way I can see Christ delighted by this oppression or insisting that it is necessary.

There are 200,000 Palestinian Christians in the West Bank and Gaza. I haven't heard a single one of them say that the Israeli occupation is good and justified on Christian principles. You would think that if it the occupation is Biblically supported and sound, that at least one of them would approve of it. Yet I have not heard of a single Palestinian anywhere who approves -- Christian, Muslim or other. However, I have heard of many Israelis who claim it is wrong, including around 500 Israeli soldier reservists who refuse to serve in the Occupied Territories. There are strong and vocal peace movements within Israel that believe the Israeli occupation is improper. Lesser humanitarian documents than the Bible say it is wrong. The United Nations says it is wrong. The Geneva Convention says it is wrong. Yet I receive dozens of letters from people who claim that it is supported by certain Biblical scriptures. Alex Awad in "Through the Eyes of the Victims" says, "How long must the Bible be used as a manual to promote and enforce military occupation? How often must the Palestinians be subjected to the cruelties and brutalities of military conquests sanctioned by theories of divine involvement?"

So now we have a problem that I need help in understanding. Good Christian brothers write to convince me that the Bible says the occupation is justified. And I say that I can see with my own two eyes that the occupation comes up a bit short from the caring teachings of Jesus. So what do we do when these particular scriptures don't match with my personal experience? Either (1) my eyewitness account of what I share daily is irrational (definitely possible) or (2) these particular Biblical scriptures are not intended to serve as a justification for military occupation.

So go ahead, and email me. I'll read them. I may not be smart enough to answer them, but I guarantee you I will read what you have to say.