Report Date:
September 6, 2006
==================
September 6, 2006
Shalom from Jerusalem,
The DVD that I recently produced here in Jerusalem titled “FOR ZION’S
SAKE: REPORTING FROM THE LAND OF THE BIBLE” will be airing across America
in October, November and December, on Angel Two/Channel 9702, via the Sky
Angel® Home Satellite Television System: America’s Family-Friendly
Television Service.
I take my viewers of on a stirring journey through modern Israel—located at the geographic and spiritual center of the world. The television program will debut on the second day of the Feast of Tabernacles, Saturday evening, October 7 at 9:00 PM EST, 6:00 PM PST. It will be rebroadcast on Wednesday evening, November 8th at 6:30 PM EST, or 3:30 PST, and again on the first day of Hanukkah, Saturday, December 16th at 10:00 AM EST, 7:00 AM PST. Further program details are below.
NOTE: Apart from mentioning my own books, DVD and music CD, I do not
normally send out any ads to my large e mail list, although many
advertisers have
requested over the years that I do so. However, I am including the following
pertinent information on the Sky Angel service as per my broadcast agreement
with the network.
Sky Angel® delivers more than 30 TV and radio channels of the best in
Christian-inspirational, family entertainment and 24-hour news programming
to homes, churches, colleges and more across the contiguous 48 United States,
Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The Sky Angel® multi-channel
television service is received through a small, affordable 20-inch satellite
dish. A residential subscription (including churches) is just $14.99 monthly
or $149.90 annually (a savings of $30 off the monthly price).
Most other cable and satellite services require its subscribers to pay
for a bunch of channels that may be in conflict with their values in
order to
get the ones that they want. On the contrary, Sky Angel® was created
for families looking for high-quality faith-based and family-friendly television
and radio programming without having to compromise their values or their
pocketbook.
Sky Angel® offers something for everyone seeking a wide variety of faith
and family programming, including family movies and dramas, clean comedy,
classic sitcoms, home life programs, sports shows, ministry programming and
24-hour news. Some of America’s most popular news and family entertainment
channels are carried on Sky Angel: Hallmark Channel, Hallmark Movie Channel,
HGTV (Home & Garden Television) and FOX News Channel. Plus, Sky Angel® delivers
a diverse lineup of Christ-centered channels like KTV-Kids & Teens Television,
SPIRIT Christian music videos, The Worship Network, Faith TV and many more.
ABOUT “FOR ZION’S SAKE: REPORTING FROM THE LAND OF THE BIBLE.”
Portions of the program were filmed from David Dolan’s apartment just
south of Jerusalem’s walled Old City, with magnificent views of the
Temple Mount, the nearby Mount of Olives and many other biblical sites. The
unique journey begins with a look at several ancient prophecies foretelling
a worldwide Jewish ingathering to the Holy Land in the “last days” of
history. Pointing out that modern science generally scoffs at the proposition
that a divine Creator formed the universe; Dolan testifies that the literal
fulfillment of the many ingathering oracles is a powerful testimony to the
authenticity of the Hebrew Scriptures. He weaves in personal experiences
from his youth, plus 25 years working as a journalist in Israel, to make
his thought-provoking case that Israel’s powerful God does indeed exist
and was active in history, as He is today. The program illustrates this point
with actual footage of Jews immigrating to Israel from the former Soviet
Union, Ethiopia and several other lands.
FOR ZION’S SAKE also presents an overview of Israel’s short modern
history utilizing actual news footage from the latter half of the 20th century.
As with the immigration waves mentioned above, many of the stories were personally
covered by Dolan while working for the American CBS Radio Network and other
media outlets. Finally, the program presents viewers with a spiritual challenge
to stand as “watchmen on the walls” of Jerusalem until the Messiah
comes to rule the entire earth from the holy city.
In between the thought-provoking verbal presentation, FOR ZION’S SAKE
includes portions of seven Hebrew songs that Dolan has recorded with other
singers in Jerusalem. The first song comes from his own cassette, titled
Baruch Adonai (Bless the Lord), which has recently been digitally re-mastered
and released as a CD. The remaining songs are also from a newly re-mastered
CD titled Gili Meod (Greatly Rejoice), produced by Jerusalem artists Barry
and Batya Segal. Dolan sings along with the talented couple and with many
others including opera performers David Loden, Shirley Wolford, and Jerusalem
worship leader Ann Hilsden. As with the entire DVD production, the delightful
songs are all beautifully illustrated by colorful video footage shot by veteran
cameraman and producer Jan Karnis.
More about Sky Angel®
Sky Angel® is a nationwide multi-channel, direct-to-home satellite television
provider committed to delivering a complete system of family-friendly television
and radio channels – at an affordable price. Owned and operated by
Dominion Video Satellite Inc., a Direct Broadcast Satellite (DBS) licensee
and pioneer with corporate headquarters in Naples, Fla., Sky Angel® delivers
more than 30 channels of the best in Christian-inspirational programming,
family entertainment and news nationwide to homes, churches, colleges and
businesses equipped with a small 20-inch satellite dish. Dominion was one
of the first nine companies to apply to the Federal Communications Commission
(FCC) for a high-power DBS license in 1981 and is the sole surviving DBS
pioneer from that first round of forward-thinking applicants. A free DVD
about how to receive the Sky Angel® service is available upon request
at www.skyangel.com or 1-800-SKY-ANGEL (1-800-759-2643).
PERSONAL NOTE: For the next ten days I am filling for a journalist
colleague friend writing daily reports for the CNS News service.
Today’s story
is about a strong statement put out by several Jerusalem church leaders against
Christian Zionism, and a response to that by the International Christian
Embassy, Christian Friends of Israel and Bridges for Peace. To read the article,
go to their web site. www.cnsnews.com
DAVID DOLAN is a Jerusalem-based author and journalist who has
lived and worked in Israel since 1980.
==================
September 18, 2006
Shalom,
I am soon departing hot Jerusalem for cooler climes in England. I will
be speaking there from this Thursday evening, finishing ten days later
by delivering
two talks at the annual Christian Friends of Israel celebration on 30 September
in Eastbourne, on the beautiful English Channel. The next day I will be a
guest on a Sunday morning radio talk program in London, and after Yom Kippur
on the Revelation television network’s main evening program. The tour
details are below, and also posted on my web site. I will return in time
to share at Barry and Batya Segal’s annual Succot conference, speaking
on Tuesday morning, October 10, at 9:00 AM at Ramat Rachel. Other speakers
include Lance Lambert and Dwight Pryor. Further details are available at
www.succotcelebration.com
Unfortunately, I had to cancel my planned participation in another Feast
of Tabernacles celebration in the United States the previous week. That was
due to my visa situation, which I wrote about in August. I have now applied
for permanent residency here in Israel, and hope to receive that status within
the next year. Thanks for your prayers concerning that issue.
Do to the fact that I am currently only on a tourist visa, it was deemed
too risky to fly to the USA at this time, since I was traveling directly
from the UK, and therefore would have needed to fly on a non-Israeli airline.
Such airlines are required by law to see either a valid visa or Israeli passport,
or a return ticket out of Israel, before a traveler is allowed on board.
Israeli airlines must do the same, but they would be able to read and understand
my visa extension application, which is naturally in Hebrew. So I will instead
return directly to Israel following my UK tour. I still plan to travel to
the States (on El Al) in December for some conferences and meetings in Florida
and other locations throughout the country. Details will be posted on my
web site next month.
I wish to sincerely thank the many of you who have said you are praying about
my visa situation. I can only report with humble thanksgiving that several
well-placed Israelis have offered me their assistance in this matter, along
with a London attorney who has offered financial help if needed. I am extremely
grateful for all of that.
[Tour information deleted due to being out of date]
Arab Church Leaders Reject Christian Zionism As 'False Teaching'
By David Dolan
CNSNews.com Correspondent
September 06, 2006
Jerusalem (CNSNews.com) - Following the recent Israeli-Hizballah war
in Lebanon, four Arab church leaders based in Jerusalem have issued
a scathing attack
on Christians who actively support the Jewish state, indirectly including
President George W. Bush.
In a statement published just one week after a United Nations ceasefire
went into effect on August 14, Nazareth-born Roman Catholic Patriarch
Michel Sabbah
was joined by two Arab Protestant bishops and one Arab Orthodox archbishop,
in charging that "the Christian Zionist program provides a worldview
where the Gospel is identified with the ideology of empire, colonialism and
militarism."
"
We categorically reject Christian Zionist doctrines as false teaching that
corrupts the biblical message of love, justice and reconciliation," the
statement said.
Signed by Syrian Orthodox Archbishop Swerios Malki Mourad, along
with Sabah and the Episcopal and Evangelical Lutheran bishops of
Jerusalem,
the joint
statement indirectly denounced President Bush for declaring his
support last May for Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert's plan
to hold onto
some Jewish
settlements in the disputed West Bank after unilaterally withdrawing
from many others.
" We further reject the contemporary alliance of Christian Zionist leaders
and organizations with elements in the governments of Israel and the United
States that are presently imposing their unilateral pre-emptive borders and
domination over Palestine."
The clerical statement, titled "The Jerusalem Declaration on Christian
Zionism," alleged that "Christian Zionism advances racial exclusivity
and perpetual war rather than the Gospel of universal love, redemption and
reconciliation taught by Jesus Christ."
The church leaders' statement also mentioned the Arab-Christian
contention that international Chrisour and tians who actively
support Israel
desire to bring on the Apocalypse and the Second Coming of
Jesus.
" Rather than condemn the world to the doom of Armageddon, we call upon
everyone to liberate themselves from the ideologies of militarism and occupation."
Three Jerusalem-based Christian Zionist leaders -- two Americans
and one South African -- picked up the gauntlet by issuing their
own joint
rebuttal one week later. They said that "certain church clerics" had used "inflammatory
language to express views that are far from the truth."
"
Christian Zionism is not heretical. In fact, Christians from all traditional
backgrounds have held such a view for two thousand years," said the
statement.
It was signed by Malcolm Heading, who leads the 26-year-old
International Christian Embassy in Jerusalem, along with
Ray Sanders, who has
headed the Christian Friends of Israel group since 1985,
and Rebecca Brimmer
of Bridges
for Peace.
Together, the three Jerusalem-based Christian Zionist organizations
maintain staffs of several hundred permanent and volunteer
workers, and branches
in dozens of countries around the globe.
The three prominent Christian leaders, who have each lived
in Israel for many years, issued a six-point rebuttal of
the Arab
bishops'
central charge
that Christian Zionism is heretical.
Stating that such Christians believe in a literal interpretation
of the Bible, they pointed out that "replacement theology" (which teaches that
the church has totally supplanted the Jewish people in God's plans and purposes)
has played "a pivotal role in the persecution of Jews through the centuries."
Addressing the bishop's "apocalypse" contention, the three leaders
wrote that "Christian Zionists do not base their theological positions
on end-time prophecy, but on the faithful covenant promises of God given
to Abraham some four thousand years ago."
The counter-statement ended by noting that the four Jerusalem
church officials had "totally ignored the jihadist goals of the Hamas government, and
turned a blind eye to terrorism perpetrated by this regime." It added
that such a "one-sided unbalanced view of the conflict is in fact unhelpful
to the peace process, and contributing to its failure."
Christian Embassy spokesman David Parsons told Cybercast News
Service that it was not the first time that the four Arab
church leaders
had joined
together to attack Christians who support Israel.
He pointed out that the bishops lead flocks "that are actually fairly
small" in the Holy Land, even if they are "part of much larger
international bodies, especially the Roman Catholic Church."
"
There are far more Greek Orthodox, Greek Catholic and Armenian Orthodox Christians
living in the land, but their leaders did not endorse the acerbic statement," Parsons
pointed out.
" These four Arab bishops also don't represent the millions of Catholics,
Episcopalians and Lutherans, including the Vatican itself, who recognize that
the biblical
covenants made between God and the Jewish people remain in effect."
The American-born Parsons, who also edits the Jerusalem Post
International Christian Edition and has written extensively
about Christian Zionism,
noted that the bishop's August 22nd statement borrowed heavily
from a similar one
issued at the end of a 2004 anti-Zionist church conference
held in Jerusalem, attended and addressed by the same four
clerics,
among
others.
Parsons said one of the four Arab church leaders, Nazareth-born
Anglican Bishop Riah Abu El-Assal, is widely known for his
outspoken Palestinian
nationalism.
He added that the local Episcopal leader "has publicly stated several
times that Palestinian martyrs, including Muslim suicide terrorists, receive
eternal life."
NEW BRIDGE, LIGHT RAIL CARS TO TRANSFORM HOLY CITY
By David Dolan
CNSNews.com Correspondent
September 15, 2006
Jerusalem (CNSNews.com) - By the end of next year, visitors to Jerusalem
may think they are driving into San Francisco instead of the ancient holy
city sacred to three world religions.
This is because of a sleek new Golden Gate like-suspension bridge being
constructed near the western entrance to Jerusalem.
Rising above the main highway into the city from Ben Gurion airport and
the rest of the country, the angled bridge will feature 68 steel cables
attached
to a single towering pylon. The cables and central mastiff, soaring 387
feet above the ground below, will be lit up at night, making the new landmark
visible from several miles west of Jerusalem’s city limits.
The 2,600 ton curving bridge will not carry any vehicular traffic. Instead,
46 state of the art French-built streetcars, designed to revolutionize
passenger travel inside Israel’s congested capital city, will flow back and forth
over it.
Private automobile traffic will also be completely banned along nearby
Jaffa Road, the city’s main east-west thoroughfare. Driving will likewise
be severely restricted in many other downtown areas.
Instead of the current mix of gas guzzling, exhaust emitting buses, taxis
and cars—and the incessant sound of honking horns—the central
business district will feature quiet electric streetcars stopping at four
minute intervals amidst bustling pedestrian traffic.
The streetcars and suspension bridge are part of a new $1.4 billion transportation
network being built by a consortium of Israeli, French and Italian companies.
Its main component is a nearly nine mile long light railway system currently
under construction.
Modern streetcars will run from the northern Jerusalem neighborhood of
Pisgat Zeev, with more than 40,000 residents, to Mount Herzl in the southwest
of
the city, where the Yad Va Shem Holocaust museum is located.
Dubbed the Red Line, the 24 station rail system will be augmented by newly
constructed city bus lanes—the Blue Line—linking heavily populated
southeastern Jerusalem neighborhoods to the light rail system. The two lines
will meet up at a new central transit station to be built in Army Square,
located next to the Jerusalem municipality complex just outside of the Christian
Quarter of the nearby walled Old City.
The mass transit project is being partially funded by taxpayer money (about
$550,000,000). But the bulk of the financing is coming from the international
construction consortium that won a 30 year tender to operate the light
rail system.
The suspension bridge alone is estimated to cost nearly $50 million. The
price tag has spurred objections from many city taxpayers, especially since
the bridge, which will also carry pedestrian traffic, is only 1,115 feet
long.
Experts say a simpler bridge could have been constructed for around one-third
of that expenditure. However engineers pointed out it would need at least
eight intrusive support pylons instead of the lone mast that will hold
the more expensive bridge aloft. This fact drove former mayor Ehud Olmert
to
advocate the costlier model, which was eventually approved by the Jerusalem
city council and other governmental bodies.
The slender curvaceous bridge was designed by renowned Spanish architect
and sculptor Santiago Calatrava, who also planned the Milwaukee Art Museum
and the new PATH transit terminal building going up at Ground Zero in Manhattan.
After winning the prestigious suspension bridge job, Calatrava vowed to
produce an object of stupendous beauty that would become Jerusalem’s second
icon, only surpassed by the world-famous Dome of the Rock gold-plated Muslim
shrine on the biblical Temple Mount.
“
The new bridge will resemble a grand Davidic harp,” promised light
rail project manager Shmuel Tsabari when the Spaniard’s design was
unveiled several years ago. This did not impress residents of several nearby
apartment buildings who complained that constant elevated streetcar and pedestrian
traffic would obstruct their views and interfere with their privacy.
City planners replied that it was impossible to build a tunnel under the
normally congested major intersection that the suspension bridge will circumnavigate,
since one already exits there as part of the Menachem Begin north-south
urban freeway. Planners all agreed that there was no conceivable way that
rail
tracks could cross the bustling intersection without further snarling heavy
traffic in the Jerusalem gateway area.
Government officials do warn that major transport headaches lie ahead as
the light rail system is completed, hopefully by the target date of January
2009. Already, portions of Israel’s capital city resemble bombed out
south Beirut, with large holes and dirt piles competing to disrupt foot and
motor vehicle traffic with noisy construction trucks laboring next to spools
of electricity cables and concrete water pipes.
But the real headaches will begin when the main Tel Aviv-Jerusalem highway
becomes the transit route for Calatrava’s bridge. In December, 24 metal
construction pilings weighing 40 tons each will be transported to Jerusalem
from Italy. In January, the central pylon will be shipped in three 130 foot
sections from the Mediterranean country, and then slowly trucked up through
the Judean Hills from the port city of Ashdod, south of Tel Aviv.
All of this will entail closing portions of Israel’s busiest highway
for several hours at a time. Officials promise that they will only allow
this to take place in the middle of the night—admitting however that
several nights will be needed to finish the job.
When the towering suspension bridge is finished, the holy city will possess
a fresh symbol that some say will gracefully point heavenwards toward the
New Jerusalem above.
**************************************************
DAVID DOLAN is a Jerusalem-based author and journalist who has lived and
worked in Israel since 1980.
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For a general listing of books, visit the WindowView Book Page for: Science and Scripture.
How does one really see the deeper informational side to Scripture? We recommend “footsteps” as the source for seeing the the truly functional details in Scripture.
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A Study of the Sequence of Prophetic Events
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