Some of the top conservative Christian leaders in the country have come together desperately demanding President Obama, members of Congress, and other foreign dignitaries step up to the plate and take IMMEDIATE ACTION against Iran and to forcefully oppose any end-around attempt by the Iranian-backed Palestinians to get the United Nations to recognize Palestinian statehood.
The letter was put together by the organization Christian Leaders for a Nuclear-Free Iran. Part of the letter is below. You can read the full letter here.
While continuing to develop nuclear weapons, support terrorism and repress its own people, the Iranians are also backing the brutal suppression of pro-democracy forces in Syria and backing a unilateral declaration of independence of Palestine at the United Nations as a way to sabotage real negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians. Indeed, without the threat of active nuclear weapons Iran has already expanded its hegemony through its active support of Hamas.
The recent agreement between Iran-backed Hamas and Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas means that Israel no longer has a true partner for peace and that Iranian influence threatens to extend into the West Bank. Iran already has immense power in Lebanon through its Hezbollah allies which now dominate the government. The Muslim Brotherhood may soon take a share of power in Egypt. Control of the West Bank by Islamic extremist fundamentalists would complete the encirclement of Israel and put major sites of importance to Christians and Christianity at risk.
The Iranian-backed Palestinians aim to do an end-run around direct negotiations with Israel by calling on the United Nations to preemptively declare Palestinian statehood will only embolden extremists and make lasting peace less likely. Their resolution may also call for an immediate right of return for Palestinian refugees and their descendents into Israel – which would swamp Israel demographically and destroy Israel’s very nature as being the one and only homeland for the Jewish people. Indeed, under Israel’s control Christians have open, free and safe access to the Holy Places which was not the case before 1967.
We ask you to act now, for the sake of security, regional stability and hopes of an eventual Middle East peace, by using all the diplomatic means at your disposal to pursue security and peace.
The signers include:
- Dr. Richard Land, President of Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission, Southern Baptist Convention
- Dr. Richard G. Lee, President, There’s Hope America
- John C. Hagee, Senior Pastor, Cornerstone Church, San Antonio, Texas
- Dr. James Merritt, Senior Pastor, Cross Pointe Church
- Dr. Mark A. Smith, President, Ohio Christian University?
- Elmer F. Hansen, Jr., Director, Catholic Leadership Conference?
- Dr. Jim Garlow, Chairman, Renewing American Leadership
- Jordan Sekulow, Director of International Operations at American Center for Law and Justice?
- Paul F. Crouch, Jr., Chief of Staff, TBN
- Deal Hudson, President, Catholic Advocate, Washington, DC?
- Mathew Staver, Founder and Chairman, Liberty Counsel?
- C. Preston Noell, III, President of Tradition, Family, Property, Inc.
- Gary J. Palmer, President, Alabama Policy Institute?
- Benny Tate, Senior Pastor, Rock Springs Church?
- William Donohue, PhD., President and CEO, Catholic League for Religious and Civil Rights?
- Jerry Newcombe, D. Min., Christian author/TV producer?
- James Robison, President and Founder, Life Outreach International?
- Jim Martin, Chairman, 60 Plus Association
- Barrett Duke, PhD., Vice President for Public Policy and Research, Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission of the Southern Baptist - Convention?
- Dr. Jack Graham, Pastor, Prestonwood Baptist Church
- Troy A. Miller, President, COO, National Religious Broadcast Network, Inc.
- Colin Hanna, President, Let Freedom Ring
- Dr. Robert E. Reccord, President, Total Life Impact Ministries
- Tony Perkins, President, Family Research Council?
- Dr. Rusty Hayes, Pastor, First Free Church, Rockford, Illinois
- Anthony Verdugo, Founder and Executive Director of Christian Family Coalition
- Gary Bauer, President, American Values
- Garry Poole, Author and Minister, Willow Creek Community Church?
- Micah Clark, Executive Director, American Family Association of Indiana?
- Rev. Louis Sheldon, Chairman, Traditional Values Coalition
- Michael D. Little, President and Chief Operating Officer, Christian Broadcasting Network?
- Penny Nance, CEO, Concerned Women for America?
- Jay Dennis, Author and Senior Pastor of Church at the Mall
The intellectually lazy story is that conservative evangelicals only care about the big social issues of abortion and marriage.
Understand that within the evangelical community, supporting Israel and fighting Muslim terrorists is part of that Tier A list of issues that evangelicals care deeply about.