"Common Cause" Issue
Reader comment on item: John Hagee, the Holocaust, and Me: Thinking about Allies

Submitted by sammish (United States), Jun 3, 2008 at 11:49

Mr. Pipes,

Although I understand that Israel as a democratic state needs all its proponents it can bring to the fold or its "cause", there are however fundamental questions that any person needs to ponder upon when it comes to defining this "cause". I agree that you do not need to explain to others the reasons for this ideological symbiosis with Hagee, you nonetheless gave a reason: "working on the common cause". My question is: what is this "cause"? One is drawn to believe that this cause is ultimalely the unconditional support to Israel. I find this claim tautological.

I believe that there are two "causes" that need to be entangled from each other to see perhaps why they should, if ever need be, to enter into a "marriage of convience". There is a Jewish/ Israeli cause, which is that of survival, strength and the unimmutable fundamental right to exist. And there is the religiously charged redemption "cause" of humanity proposed by Hagee.

This is hardly a simple theological argument, it has its political ramifications. His cause only happens to be contingent on the support of Israel as a state. In a sense, Hagee's cause is not ultimaletly the same cause of Israel. In other words, I see the cause of Hagee (support for Israel) as mean to an end not an end unto itself. His views of the end, is without a doubt problematic to the Jewish civilization and humanity itself. And I believe that is what many poeple are trying to convey about the issues associated with the televangelist.

However, in truth and given the global and regional political situation, it is foolish if not short-sighted to criticize and then alienate Hagee and his large followers. This is the dilemma, but should not deter us from looking at the complex issue from the other side. How many times in history were the Jewish people in this kind of predicament?

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Daniel Pipes replies:

I don't think Hagee and certainly I do not offer unconditional support for Israel.

When one works on a political cause, as I wrote in my original blog, it is not necessary to analyse one's allies motives and goals to work together. Hagee is a valued ally; I would be surprised if he rejected my support due to our differences in outlook. I know I do not reject his.