Blog post responding to conversations regarding the Israeli/Hamas conflict

Wow, the animosity (toward human beings created by God in the image of God) that I'm

reading about in these posts is chilling. The people of Israel (made by God in the image of

God) have the right to exist in that land where they can live secure without the constant

hatred and abuse they have suffered (for well over a thousand years) mostly in Christian

Europe (especially in Hitler's Germany). And the Palestinian people (descendants of Arabs

[and of Abraham who is father of both Arabs and Israelites] who have lived in that land with

Christians and Jews for a thousand years) are also made by God in the image of God...and

also ought to be able to live in that land in peace in the towns and villages they have built

and occupied for hundreds of years. I can tell that some of you posting here are

Christians...and I would remind you that the Jesus you claim to follow said we are to love

our neighbors as we love ourselves, and he also then noted that they are all our neighbors.

Jesus also said we are to love even our enemies. A whole lot of this doesn't sound like love.

Somehow, and it obviously isn't going to be simple because this Israeli/Palestinian conflict

has been going on for nearly 80 years, but somehow these two peoples and the rest of the

world need to find a way toward peace and a secure homeland for both peoples. I would

also point you to the reality that back in Genesis 12:1-3 God promised Abraham three

things: descendants, a land for those descendants, and that through those descendants all

the peoples of the earth would be blessed. The descendants promise and the land promise

were for the purpose of fulfilling the third promise--blessing for all the peoples of the earth.

Israel's purpose is to be an instrument of God's blessing for all peoples...and I would

contend that the Palestinian people are among those to whom Israel is to carry

blessing...and I am certain part of that blessing is a secure place to live. And, a side note,

carrying this blessing to all the peoples of the earth is the continuing work of those who

seek to follow Jesus. So, those of you posting on this long stream of comments who are

Christians, can I encourage you to seek to bless instead of demonize, either Palestinians or

Israelis/Jews, all of whom are made by God in the image of God.