Lies… Distortions… Myths…
These three words describe the false narratives and deception that are targeting Christians about the Jews, Israel, and the Bible.
So, it’s not a total shock that Catholic father Edward Beck, a CNN religion commentator, described Jesus as a “Palestinian” who lived in “occupied” Judea. This deception does not represent the view of most priests or the Catholic Church.
This is a false narrative many are falling for.
Fr. Beck told CNN anchor Poppy Harlow, “I think the message of Christmas is that God enters into it with us, and we’re not alone in it,” he said.
But then he picked up the socialist/Marxist rhetoric, trying to convince Christians and the rest of CNN’s audience that support for the “plight of the Palestinians” in the current Israel/Palestinian conflict is justified.
Fr. Beck went on to say:
“What I’m so struck by is that the story of Christmas is about a Palestinian Jew. Now, how often do you find those words put together? A Palestinian Jew born into a time when his country was occupied, right? They can’t find a place for her to even give birth. They’re homeless. They eventually have to flee as refugees, into Egypt no less,” Beck continued. “I mean, you can’t make up the parallels to our current world situation. And so, in some way, that is who we believe God becomes, born into that situation.”
Remember Jesus, Mary, and Joeseph had a home, but vacated it to escape a blood thirsty tyrant– They were not fleeing a war.
This is a clear attempt for the Fr. to rewrite history and garner support that will only help the Palestinian terrorist group, Hamas.
Let’s be clear:
The term Palestinian is a regional term, much like referring to residents of the southern United States as “Southerners.”
Before the word “Palestinian” or “Palestine” was used, the area was part of Egypt and called “Philistine” and the people “Philistines.”
The terms “Palestinian” and “Palestine” first appeared in ancient Greek text during the 5th century BC.
By the 2nd century, the Romans called the region Palaestina Syria or Palestine. Some scholars believe that Roman Emperor Hadrian changed the name from Judaea to Palestine to erase the Jewish presence in the land because he thought it would ease tensions between militant Jews and Romans.
Before 1948 Jews in the Holy land often called themselves “Palestinians” like everyone else.
The locals, of course, called the area Judea (from Judah) or the Holy Land.
In 1948, when the country of Israel was “re-established,” Palestine was still being used for the territory between the Mediterranean Sea and the Jordan River.
The people who now call themselves “Palestinians” are a mixture of local inhabitants and many other groups of Muslims brought from Bosnia, the Balkans, and the Caucasus by the Turks from the 16th to 19th centuries and from Sudan, Egypt, Syria, and Lebanon by the British in the early 20th century. The term Palestinian was applied to non-Jewish, Arabic-speaking residents in the region.
Many radical socialist scholars, historians, and the biased media like to rewrite history and claim that the people who call themselves “Palestinians” today have a historical claim to Israel—They do not.
The truth is the concept of Palestine as a nation-state in opposition to Israel or as a racial group predating the presence of Jewish inhabitants is historically false.
Even modern DNA tests show that there is no evidence suggesting that the people who call themselves “Palestinians” are direct descendants of either the Canaanites or the Philistines of the Old Testament.
According to the Bible, since Arabs are descendants of Ishmael, but since the land of Canaan was promised to the sons of Jacob, Arabs have no biblical claim to the “land of Palestine.”
As for Israel being oppressors and racists, this is another fallacy.
Israel is the only country in the Middle East that welcomes Arabs and Muslims—In fact, millions of Muslims live and work in Israel—they are even elected officials. Yet, in Muslim-dominated countries, Jews and Christians have been pushed out, harassed, and murdered.
Israel has not been perfect, but compared to Muslim countries?
Fr. Beck has been a far-left shill for years. For example, two years ago, during the height of the COVID pandemic, Beck said on CNN and other venues that Christians who did not receive the COVID-19 shot should not attend Christmas church services.
Watch Fr. Beck’s CNN comments HERE.