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Recognizing Christian Identity
This is a book about a theological belief that has been around for centuries, It has manifested itself in several forms over the years--sometimes in a cultic fashion, and sometimes in what has been termed "a guarded orthodoxy at least in the areas of the Nature of God, personal redemption, and the Person and work of Jesus Christ." 1
Other adherents of the Christian Identity movement may be more easily dismissed as fake prophets; for accompanying their pronouncements and conclusions on the racial heritage of white Caucasians are prophecies that have obviously been proven to be false.
A Salt Lake City writer dubbed The Parowan Prophet is a good example of this. (couched behind his British-Israelite doctrine is also a series of prophecies that America would he attacked with nuclear weapons during the Christmas season of ~()()5, 2. This pa
rticular individual also cites Mormon leader Br
igham Young and the non-canonical book of Esdras, so most Identity adherents would probably disavow him as one of their own; however, as a somewhat visible figure espousing the Christian Identity (CI) message, he continues to prophecy and embarrass Christian Identity proponents.
A few definitions would seem to be in order. The doctrinal system examined iii this book is called by a variety of names. Because the central tenet is the belief that thc British people (and subsequently the American Colonies) are actually the "lost tribes" of Israel, the system has historically been called British-Israel ism. Sometimes called Anglo-Israel ism, the terms Christian Identity, Kingdom Identity, Israel Identity, and simply Identity tend to be more descriptive of the modern manifestation of this theology.
Present day adherents usually use the term Christian Identity, so for our purposes we will return to that phrase or the initials CI.
In the cou
rse of this writer's exposure to this unique phenomenon, I determi
ned that the Christian Identity movement may be broadly broken down into 8 basic identifying characteristics. Accordingly, I have structured this work with a chapter for each characteristic. Each of these eight commonalties are commonly found in the ideological behavior patterns of groups espousing the Christian Identity stream of thought.
1. EMOTIONAL VOLATILITY. Christian Identity proponents consistently act as though they are offended whenever a critic links the group (or the individual's) thinking with more obviously unsavory groups--i.e. Nazi's, Klan, etc.
This is something of a paradox, for one of the primary tenets of Identity is a vehement criticism of the J*ws for doing the same thing. CI states (and accurately so) that J*ws are hyper-sensitive to the degree that it is politically in-expedient to even question their history--particularly Talmudic Judaistic practices.
Somewhat hypocritically, CI proponen
ts are commonly outraged when critics note how their own theology closely links them w
ith racially oriented radical movements such as National Socialism (the Nazis). The idea of white supremacy, evil J*ws behind the world's problems, God is with them on a racial basis, etc, are consistent with the Nazi movement and CI; yet British-Israelites deny such a connection and frequently become indignant when such an obvious comparison is made.
2. CONDESCENSION TOWARDS OPPONENTS. Christian Identity proponents and organizations consistently assume that anyone that disagrees with their view has never researched the issues. Every criticism seems to be laced with the perspective that if anyone will simply do the research, they will come to the "obvious" conclusion that CI is an accurate perspective of world history. CI activists are frequently smug and arrogant as they attack their theological opponents.
The second aspect of this is the fact that Christian Identity advocates views are commonly
inconsistent with themselves. This makes the arrogance all the more insufferable, for critics may address
the obvious falsity of one perspective even as other CI adherents are propagating a variation on that particular aspect of their belief. In short, this lack of a centralized source for doctrine makes it easy for CI teachers to simply deny that any particular criticism applies to their ministry.
3. SCRIPTURAL INERRANCY. Christian Identity adherents are almost always willing to attack the inerrancy of the scriptures when various sections of the Word of God fail to support their theology. In other words, they try to make the Bible conform to their interpretation of it.
Alleged mistranslations of key words, bias on the part of the King James Version translation team, Jewish influence in the publication of the scriptures, and other imaginative attacks are the order of the day. This is a characteristic that is extremely common in virtually all 'Christian' oriented cults.
4. THE J*w
AS WORLD SCAPEGOAT. Christian Identity writers and followers almost ALWAYS focus the blame for the world's ills on the J*w
s. In their view, virtually all evil in the world is related to the J*ws.
In some eases, certain CI writers even deny a personal Devil (Satan), instead supplanting his role as Adversary with the collective group known as The J*ws. They are demonized and dc-humanized--a chilling aspect of the system as this demonization is usually a requisite precedent for any "final solution."
5. ADMIXTURE OF TRUTH & FICTION. The Christian Identity view almost always has some basis in truth. Rarely is a full blown falsehood allowed to stand by itself. Instead, the larger lies are wrapped in strands of biblical truth--usually with scripture to support it. The entire movement is a potpourri of legalism, discredited archaeological views, and racial theories.
This is interesting, for the various groups have so many differences among themselves; yet CI people ignore their
own groups differences as long as the central tenets of the theology come through--i.e. white Anglo identification with Israel and the "problem of the
J*ws" (a familiar phrase to students of the German experiment in the 1940's).
6. PATRIOTICALLY APPEALING. The concept that one's family heritage qualifies them for a future greatness is an intoxicatingly attractive view. Disenfranchised white America, particularly men that have experienced the enormous inequities in the form of multi-cultural and racial formulas imposed on them by an ungodly government, find this theology very compelling.
The basic concept of birthright is not foreign to scripture (i.e. a chosen people, joint-heirs with Christ, etc); but the view that we as Americans are genetically inclined to be saved because we are allegedly physically descended from a lost chosen race is extremely powerful. Nationalists, patriots, anti-New World Order individualists, and white youth (i.e. punks, skinheads, and others alarmed
at the rapidly growing power of non-white minorities) are particularly susceptible to the emerging theology of Christian Identity.
7. THE J*ws ARE NOT MEMBERS OF ISRAEL. C
hristian Identity ALWAYS states that the J*ws are not Semitic or Judacan at all. They usually identify Jewish men and women as either of the 'serpent seed' (descended from an unscriptural union of Eve and the serpent), or as Edomites that were not descended from Shem (i.e. "shemitic" or Semitic), but from Japheth (another son of Noah). This is in spite of the fact that Japhetic peoples have been routinely traced to the white European races.
In line with seeking to show the J*ws as usurpers of the promised line of descendants from Abraham, CI writers have produced numerous historical variations that inevitably separate the Jewish or Judacan line from the larger body of Israel--the other 11 tribes, and particularly the so-called "Ten Lost Tribes Of Israel."
8. WHITE AMERICA IS ISRAEL. Invariably
, the Christian Identity view arrives at white Americans being the actual physical descendants of the tribes of Israel. These are usually linked to the Caucasian tribal groups traced to the southern steppes of
the former Soviet Union.
The genealogy is commonly traced through the two sons of Joseph-Ephraim and Manassah--with the latter representing America while the former is Great Britain. The alleged migration pattern of these lost tribes is widely seen in the proliferation of migratory maps, spurious genealogical histories, and other graphical renditions that are subject to a considerable amount of conjecture and opinion.
GENERAL OBSERVATIONS AND RELEVANT SCRIPTURES
The idea that the British name is taken from two Hebrew words originates with one of the most significant writers in the field: Herbert W Armstrong. Indeed, for many years, Armstrong so personified the doctrine that it was sometimes known as Armstrongism.
Herbert W, in his seminal work The United States and Gr
eat Britain In Prophecy, put forth the idea that the Hebrew term BERITH, meaning Covenant, is the source of the anglicized term BRIT. Further, he wrote that one of the Hebrew words for man, ISH, was combined to form the word BRI
TISH. In Herbert's bizarre etymological gymnastics, the H in Berith would be dropped (which does occur in Hebrew transliteration--witness Shem & Semitic) even as the E disappears in a proto Anglic pronunciation. The problems here are manifold. First, why not the term BRITAIN (as in land ol) rather than the so-called "Covenant Man?" Second, while there is a widespread cross linguistic occurrence between the various Indo-European and other Aryan dialects, there are virtually no linguistic cross-pollinations from that era between the 'Kings Own English' and Hebrew. Hebrew or iginated terms that have worked their way into the language are, by and large, Yiddish from a much later era. It's a big jump from Berith (pronounced BER-ITH) to BRIT that is unsupported
by any evidence other than Mr. Armstrong's assertions.
Armstrong goes through some similar linguistic machinations with the term SAXONS. Here we are told that because the promise of a special blessing from God was to go through Abraham's son Isaac
(as opposed to the Arab's ancestor Ishmael), the Israelites that settled in the British Isles soon became known as Isaac's Sons, or the Saxons. Like the term Berith-Ish, this truncated version of Isaacs-Sons sounds plausible, but there is no evidence in any historical account to support this theory. Once again, there is no literary evidence, no likely linguistic commonality, and absolutely not a shred of scripture to support this fallacious guesswork.
Another alleged connection between the tribes of Israel and the British throne is attempted through the Stone Of Scone, also known as the Stone of Destiny, a relic that figures prominently in the system. CI adherents, particularly the spiritual descendants of Mr. Armstrong in the form of t
he sect known as The Philadelphia Church, 3. propose that the Stone Of Scone is actually Jacob's Pillow spoken of in the book of Genesis.
This icon, which was supposedly brought to Scotland by the prophet Jeremiah himself, was eventually lodged in Westminster Abbey a
nd is used to connect the throne of England with the throne of David. The Stone of Scone was just recently returned to Scotland by the British government.
Back in 1953, Mr. Armstrong asserted that Queen Elizabeth II of Britain was connected to the throne of David, and he used the Stone Of Scone as a form of documentation to pronounce her The Queen Of Israel. This theoretical connection is dubious as best, and completely contrived at worst.
Regarding the actual Stone of Scone, one authority cited by Dr. Walter Martin in his monumental Kingdom of the Cults stated that the stone was analyzed and it was determined that it is a "...a sandstone of a reddish or purplish color, with heterogeneous pebbles and of Scottish origi
n." 4.
In short, the rock is indigenous to Scotland, which militates against it being of Middle Eastern origin as vehemently asserted by the British-Israelites. Before he passed on, Mr. Armstrong was unable to explain how Jacob's pillow stone, indigenous to Scotland, could have been f
ound in Canaan by Jacob so it could be conveniently returned to the British Isles by Jeremiah--a theoretical journey that has absolutely no historical attestation whatsoever.
A key component of the Identity system is related to the blessing that Jacob, later named Israel, bestowed on the two sons of Joseph after the Israelites came to Egypt. The Old Testament records how these two sons, Ephraim and Manasseh, became prominent among the Northern tribes when Israel was divided as a nation between North and South.
The Identity theology routinely associates Ephraim as Great Britahi and Manassah as The United States. In 1967 Herbert W Armstrong wrote that "...our white, English-speaking peoples today-
-Britain and America--are actually and truly the birthright tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh of the 'lost' house of Israel..." 5.
In spite of the fact that there are many scriptural difficulties with this identifi cation, the Identity movement continues to assert these two tribes of Israel are now found in t
he modern states of England and the USA.
In Genesis 48, we see that Ephraim is actually the younger brother of Manasseh. This is incongruent with the CI association for the identity folks see Ephr aim as the UK--which as every student of American history knows was here long before the establishment of the American Colonies. in other words, the elder brother is proposed as the younger country, while the younger brother is identified with the elder country! Indeed, a CIoser simile would be that of the mother country and her son instead of brothers where the lineage is reversed.
Furthermore, at the time of Israel's death, he blessed Ephraim in a superior fashion to Mana
sseh. When Joseph protested,
"...he held up his father's hand, to remove it from Ephraim's head unto Manasseh's head. And Joseph said unto his father, Not so, myfather: for tids is the firstborn; put thy right hand upon his head. And his father refused, and said, I know it, my son, I know ik he also shall become a people, and he
also shall be great: but truly his younger brother shall be greater than lie. .." 6.
This poses a great difficulty for the British-Israelite interpretation for America has clearly superceded virtually every achievement of England. The USA is now the world's only military Superpower and the chief architect of The New World Order. While it may be said that the English financial cabal is actually the ruling order behind the scenes, even the Identity adherents themselves assign that role to "the international Jewish bankers." 7,
One of the earliest flaws in the system was the obvious fact that the white Caucasian tribes that
ultimately became the Anglo-Saxons were also involved in the foundational stages of other European nations. Presumably in response to this theoretical weakness, many modern advocates of the system now say the 'Lost Tribes' are actually ALL the white peoples--or in the words of one writer, "...the Anglo-Saxon, Scandinavian, Germanic, and kindred peoples of Europe descended from
scattered Israel." 8.
It is very important that we see that the Christian Identity theorem is actually a subset of the overall scriptural theology known as Replacement Theology. For the benefit of those whose education has been limited to dispensational thought, i.e. "Rapture" teaching, Replacement Theology, sometimes called Reformed Theology, is simply the view that the Christian church has 'replaced' Israel in all of the various covenants and promises originally made to the Israelites.
Originally articulated by the Roman Catholic theologian Augustine, Replacement Theology proponents d
isavow any connection to British-Israelism for they see their identification as Israel in a strictly spiritaal sense.
This writer believes it is significant that one of the earliest political manifestations of the concept of a white chosen race was fostered in a political environment that was dominated by Replacement Theology--i.e. The Weimar Republic of Germany in the 1920's and 30's.
In this instance, the P
rotestant church was largely Lutheran, and just as accommodating as the Catholic church that made their peace with the leader of the white supremacist government that ultimately plunged the planet into World War II.
Replacement Theology leaders become positively livid when it is pointed out that the idea that God is completely finished with the J*ws is concomitant with white supremacist thinking; but the fact is, citizen members of the church in Germany were predisposed to believe the Nazi message for they had already been conditioned by their Christian leadership to assign th
e J*w to a role of political suppression, theological inferiority, and finally---eradication.
So it is with the Christian Identity system, as we shall soon see.
Link: RECOGNIZING CHRISTIAN IDENTITY
Recognizing Christian Identity
This is a book about a theological belief that has been around for centuries, It has manifested itself in several forms over the years--sometimes in a cultic fashion, and sometimes in what has been termed "a guarded orthodoxy at least in the areas of the Nature of God, personal redemption, and the Person and work of Jesus Christ." 1
Other adherents of the Christian Identity movement may be more easily dismissed as fake prophets; for accompanying their pronouncements and conclusions on the racial heritage of white Caucasians are prophecies that have obviously been proven to be false.
A Salt Lake City writer dubbed The Parowan Prophet is a good example of this. (couched behind his British-Israelite doctrine is also a series of prophecies that America would he attacked with nuclear weapons during the Christmas season of ~()()5, 2. This pa
rticular individual also cites Mormon leader Br
igham Young and the non-canonical book of Esdras, so most Identity adherents would probably disavow him as one of their own; however, as a somewhat visible figure espousing the Christian Identity (CI) message, he continues to prophecy and embarrass Christian Identity proponents.
A few definitions would seem to be in order. The doctrinal system examined iii this book is called by a variety of names. Because the central tenet is the belief that thc British people (and subsequently the American Colonies) are actually the "lost tribes" of Israel, the system has historically been called British-Israel ism. Sometimes called Anglo-Israel ism, the terms Christian Identity, Kingdom Identity, Israel Identity, and simply Identity tend to be more descriptive of the modern manifestation of this theology.
Present day adherents usually use the term Christian Identity, so for our purposes we will return to that phrase or the initials CI.
In the cou
rse of this writer's exposure to this unique phenomenon, I determi
ned that the Christian Identity movement may be broadly broken down into 8 basic identifying characteristics. Accordingly, I have structured this work with a chapter for each characteristic. Each of these eight commonalties are commonly found in the ideological behavior patterns of groups espousing the Christian Identity stream of thought.
1. EMOTIONAL VOLATILITY. Christian Identity proponents consistently act as though they are offended whenever a critic links the group (or the individual's) thinking with more obviously unsavory groups--i.e. Nazi's, Klan, etc.
This is something of a paradox, for one of the primary tenets of Identity is a vehement criticism of the J*ws for doing the same thing. CI states (and accurately so) that J*ws are hyper-sensitive to the degree that it is politically in-expedient to even question their history--particularly Talmudic Judaistic practices.
Somewhat hypocritically, CI proponen
ts are commonly outraged when critics note how their own theology closely links them w
ith racially oriented radical movements such as National Socialism (the Nazis). The idea of white supremacy, evil J*ws behind the world's problems, God is with them on a racial basis, etc, are consistent with the Nazi movement and CI; yet British-Israelites deny such a connection and frequently become indignant when such an obvious comparison is made.
2. CONDESCENSION TOWARDS OPPONENTS. Christian Identity proponents and organizations consistently assume that anyone that disagrees with their view has never researched the issues. Every criticism seems to be laced with the perspective that if anyone will simply do the research, they will come to the "obvious" conclusion that CI is an accurate perspective of world history. CI activists are frequently smug and arrogant as they attack their theological opponents.
The second aspect of this is the fact that Christian Identity advocates views are commonly
inconsistent with themselves. This makes the arrogance all the more insufferable, for critics may address
the obvious falsity of one perspective even as other CI adherents are propagating a variation on that particular aspect of their belief. In short, this lack of a centralized source for doctrine makes it easy for CI teachers to simply deny that any particular criticism applies to their ministry.
3. SCRIPTURAL INERRANCY. Christian Identity adherents are almost always willing to attack the inerrancy of the scriptures when various sections of the Word of God fail to support their theology. In other words, they try to make the Bible conform to their interpretation of it.
Alleged mistranslations of key words, bias on the part of the King James Version translation team, Jewish influence in the publication of the scriptures, and other imaginative attacks are the order of the day. This is a characteristic that is extremely common in virtually all 'Christian' oriented cults.
4. THE J*w
AS WORLD SCAPEGOAT. Christian Identity writers and followers almost ALWAYS focus the blame for the world's ills on the J*w
s. In their view, virtually all evil in the world is related to the J*ws.
In some eases, certain CI writers even deny a personal Devil (Satan), instead supplanting his role as Adversary with the collective group known as The J*ws. They are demonized and dc-humanized--a chilling aspect of the system as this demonization is usually a requisite precedent for any "final solution."
5. ADMIXTURE OF TRUTH & FICTION. The Christian Identity view almost always has some basis in truth. Rarely is a full blown falsehood allowed to stand by itself. Instead, the larger lies are wrapped in strands of biblical truth--usually with scripture to support it. The entire movement is a potpourri of legalism, discredited archaeological views, and racial theories.
This is interesting, for the various groups have so many differences among themselves; yet CI people ignore their
own groups differences as long as the central tenets of the theology come through--i.e. white Anglo identification with Israel and the "problem of the
J*ws" (a familiar phrase to students of the German experiment in the 1940's).
6. PATRIOTICALLY APPEALING. The concept that one's family heritage qualifies them for a future greatness is an intoxicatingly attractive view. Disenfranchised white America, particularly men that have experienced the enormous inequities in the form of multi-cultural and racial formulas imposed on them by an ungodly government, find this theology very compelling.
The basic concept of birthright is not foreign to scripture (i.e. a chosen people, joint-heirs with Christ, etc); but the view that we as Americans are genetically inclined to be saved because we are allegedly physically descended from a lost chosen race is extremely powerful. Nationalists, patriots, anti-New World Order individualists, and white youth (i.e. punks, skinheads, and others alarmed
at the rapidly growing power of non-white minorities) are particularly susceptible to the emerging theology of Christian Identity.
7. THE J*ws ARE NOT MEMBERS OF ISRAEL. C
hristian Identity ALWAYS states that the J*ws are not Semitic or Judacan at all. They usually identify Jewish men and women as either of the 'serpent seed' (descended from an unscriptural union of Eve and the serpent), or as Edomites that were not descended from Shem (i.e. "shemitic" or Semitic), but from Japheth (another son of Noah). This is in spite of the fact that Japhetic peoples have been routinely traced to the white European races.
In line with seeking to show the J*ws as usurpers of the promised line of descendants from Abraham, CI writers have produced numerous historical variations that inevitably separate the Jewish or Judacan line from the larger body of Israel--the other 11 tribes, and particularly the so-called "Ten Lost Tribes Of Israel."
8. WHITE AMERICA IS ISRAEL. Invariably
, the Christian Identity view arrives at white Americans being the actual physical descendants of the tribes of Israel. These are usually linked to the Caucasian tribal groups traced to the southern steppes of
the former Soviet Union.
The genealogy is commonly traced through the two sons of Joseph-Ephraim and Manassah--with the latter representing America while the former is Great Britain. The alleged migration pattern of these lost tribes is widely seen in the proliferation of migratory maps, spurious genealogical histories, and other graphical renditions that are subject to a considerable amount of conjecture and opinion.
GENERAL OBSERVATIONS AND RELEVANT SCRIPTURES
The idea that the British name is taken from two Hebrew words originates with one of the most significant writers in the field: Herbert W Armstrong. Indeed, for many years, Armstrong so personified the doctrine that it was sometimes known as Armstrongism.
Herbert W, in his seminal work The United States and Gr
eat Britain In Prophecy, put forth the idea that the Hebrew term BERITH, meaning Covenant, is the source of the anglicized term BRIT. Further, he wrote that one of the Hebrew words for man, ISH, was combined to form the word BRI
TISH. In Herbert's bizarre etymological gymnastics, the H in Berith would be dropped (which does occur in Hebrew transliteration--witness Shem & Semitic) even as the E disappears in a proto Anglic pronunciation. The problems here are manifold. First, why not the term BRITAIN (as in land ol) rather than the so-called "Covenant Man?" Second, while there is a widespread cross linguistic occurrence between the various Indo-European and other Aryan dialects, there are virtually no linguistic cross-pollinations from that era between the 'Kings Own English' and Hebrew. Hebrew or iginated terms that have worked their way into the language are, by and large, Yiddish from a much later era. It's a big jump from Berith (pronounced BER-ITH) to BRIT that is unsupported
by any evidence other than Mr. Armstrong's assertions.
Armstrong goes through some similar linguistic machinations with the term SAXONS. Here we are told that because the promise of a special blessing from God was to go through Abraham's son Isaac
(as opposed to the Arab's ancestor Ishmael), the Israelites that settled in the British Isles soon became known as Isaac's Sons, or the Saxons. Like the term Berith-Ish, this truncated version of Isaacs-Sons sounds plausible, but there is no evidence in any historical account to support this theory. Once again, there is no literary evidence, no likely linguistic commonality, and absolutely not a shred of scripture to support this fallacious guesswork.
Another alleged connection between the tribes of Israel and the British throne is attempted through the Stone Of Scone, also known as the Stone of Destiny, a relic that figures prominently in the system. CI adherents, particularly the spiritual descendants of Mr. Armstrong in the form of t
he sect known as The Philadelphia Church, 3. propose that the Stone Of Scone is actually Jacob's Pillow spoken of in the book of Genesis.
This icon, which was supposedly brought to Scotland by the prophet Jeremiah himself, was eventually lodged in Westminster Abbey a
nd is used to connect the throne of England with the throne of David. The Stone of Scone was just recently returned to Scotland by the British government.
Back in 1953, Mr. Armstrong asserted that Queen Elizabeth II of Britain was connected to the throne of David, and he used the Stone Of Scone as a form of documentation to pronounce her The Queen Of Israel. This theoretical connection is dubious as best, and completely contrived at worst.
Regarding the actual Stone of Scone, one authority cited by Dr. Walter Martin in his monumental Kingdom of the Cults stated that the stone was analyzed and it was determined that it is a "...a sandstone of a reddish or purplish color, with heterogeneous pebbles and of Scottish origi
n." 4.
In short, the rock is indigenous to Scotland, which militates against it being of Middle Eastern origin as vehemently asserted by the British-Israelites. Before he passed on, Mr. Armstrong was unable to explain how Jacob's pillow stone, indigenous to Scotland, could have been f
ound in Canaan by Jacob so it could be conveniently returned to the British Isles by Jeremiah--a theoretical journey that has absolutely no historical attestation whatsoever.
A key component of the Identity system is related to the blessing that Jacob, later named Israel, bestowed on the two sons of Joseph after the Israelites came to Egypt. The Old Testament records how these two sons, Ephraim and Manasseh, became prominent among the Northern tribes when Israel was divided as a nation between North and South.
The Identity theology routinely associates Ephraim as Great Britahi and Manassah as The United States. In 1967 Herbert W Armstrong wrote that "...our white, English-speaking peoples today-
-Britain and America--are actually and truly the birthright tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh of the 'lost' house of Israel..." 5.
In spite of the fact that there are many scriptural difficulties with this identifi cation, the Identity movement continues to assert these two tribes of Israel are now found in t
he modern states of England and the USA.
In Genesis 48, we see that Ephraim is actually the younger brother of Manasseh. This is incongruent with the CI association for the identity folks see Ephr aim as the UK--which as every student of American history knows was here long before the establishment of the American Colonies. in other words, the elder brother is proposed as the younger country, while the younger brother is identified with the elder country! Indeed, a CIoser simile would be that of the mother country and her son instead of brothers where the lineage is reversed.
Furthermore, at the time of Israel's death, he blessed Ephraim in a superior fashion to Mana
sseh. When Joseph protested,
"...he held up his father's hand, to remove it from Ephraim's head unto Manasseh's head. And Joseph said unto his father, Not so, myfather: for tids is the firstborn; put thy right hand upon his head. And his father refused, and said, I know it, my son, I know ik he also shall become a people, and he
also shall be great: but truly his younger brother shall be greater than lie. .." 6.
This poses a great difficulty for the British-Israelite interpretation for America has clearly superceded virtually every achievement of England. The USA is now the world's only military Superpower and the chief architect of The New World Order. While it may be said that the English financial cabal is actually the ruling order behind the scenes, even the Identity adherents themselves assign that role to "the international Jewish bankers." 7,
One of the earliest flaws in the system was the obvious fact that the white Caucasian tribes that
ultimately became the Anglo-Saxons were also involved in the foundational stages of other European nations. Presumably in response to this theoretical weakness, many modern advocates of the system now say the 'Lost Tribes' are actually ALL the white peoples--or in the words of one writer, "...the Anglo-Saxon, Scandinavian, Germanic, and kindred peoples of Europe descended from
scattered Israel." 8.
It is very important that we see that the Christian Identity theorem is actually a subset of the overall scriptural theology known as Replacement Theology. For the benefit of those whose education has been limited to dispensational thought, i.e. "Rapture" teaching, Replacement Theology, sometimes called Reformed Theology, is simply the view that the Christian church has 'replaced' Israel in all of the various covenants and promises originally made to the Israelites.
Originally articulated by the Roman Catholic theologian Augustine, Replacement Theology proponents d
isavow any connection to British-Israelism for they see their identification as Israel in a strictly spiritaal sense.
This writer believes it is significant that one of the earliest political manifestations of the concept of a white chosen race was fostered in a political environment that was dominated by Replacement Theology--i.e. The Weimar Republic of Germany in the 1920's and 30's.
In this instance, the P
rotestant church was largely Lutheran, and just as accommodating as the Catholic church that made their peace with the leader of the white supremacist government that ultimately plunged the planet into World War II.
Replacement Theology leaders become positively livid when it is pointed out that the idea that God is completely finished with the J*ws is concomitant with white supremacist thinking; but the fact is, citizen members of the church in Germany were predisposed to believe the Nazi message for they had already been conditioned by their Christian leadership to assign th
e J*w to a role of political suppression, theological inferiority, and finally---eradication.
So it is with the Christian Identity system, as we shall soon see.
Link: RECOGNIZING CHRISTIAN IDENTITY