It’s Getting Worse

Those of us who know Bible prophecy know that the level of antisemitism will skyrocket just before Jesus returns for the second time and even those who call themselves Christians will fall for the devil’s lies about Israel as we see in an article from Harbingers Daily:

In a recent podcast, Owens began by telling her audience about an “interesting tip” her team received about “an old man talking to a bush” during the Turning Point USA campus event where Charlie Kirk was killed.

Owens, who I respect and like, is suddenly an antisemite and is making outlandish statements:

“Bush did 9/11, but did Bush [shrubbery] do 9/10?” she jokingly asked, implying that this man could somehow be involved in the murder of Kirk.

Well, the 9/11 part can be debated, but the assassination of Charlie Kirk one is hard to swallow. But now she’s turning her attention to the other Christians and leaders:

Owens claimed that she initially disregarded the tip until she uncovered that the identity of this individual was Burton ‘Butch’ Hibbs, the brother of Calvary Chapel Pastor, Jack Hibbs. Suddenly, the man allegedly “talking to a bush” became much more interesting to Owens—who recently began a smear campaign targeting Calvary Chapels.

And what is this all about? Owen’s weaves an interesting web on this:

“Now, what’s compelling is really that, just like every other one of these new age Turning Point pastors, the Hibbs are from a military family,” she stated. “Butch Senior was in the Navy. What he did in the Navy is unclear, but I’m interested. I’m just really interested.”

She tries to connect more dots to make her assertions:

Owens didn’t shy away from implying that Jack Hibbs and other Calvary Chapel pastors were “involved in this Utah story”—meaning Charlie Kirk’s assassination. Jack Hibbs was a close friend and advisor to Charlie Kirk. But apparently, his brother’s attendance at the event and his father’s military background are evidence enough that he played a role in Kirk’s death. This is truly the height of absurdity.

“There’s just a lot happening here, is all I want to say,” she added. “And I find it to be odd. There’s a picture emerging here.”

Being complicit with the Kirk killing is only the start:

A Zionist Military Operation? What is Candace Owens’ real problem with Calvary Chapels? They stand with Israel, whom Owens hopelessly attempts to link to the murder of Charlie Kirk.

Yep, she’s blaming Israel and Hibbs and others are guilty by association:

After his death, Owens sought to cast doubt on the Turning Point USA Founder’s love for the Jewish State—a claim quickly refuted by the mountains of online content and statements where Kirk vocally declared himself to be a Zionist (an individual who believes the Jews have a historic and God-given right to the land of Israel). Kirk surrounded himself with like-minded individuals who shared his Biblically founded love for Israel, many of whom were present at the event on the day of his death. Wow, Candace! You really did unearth something shocking, didn’t you?

You Can’t Make This Up

As if the Israel killed Kirk narrative isn’t ludicrous enough, Owens went even further:

Common sense clearly is not Owens’ preferred narrative. According to Owens, it was Israel and the Jew-loving Calvary Chapel preachers whodunit! The preposterous allegations didn’t stop there. Owens went on to call Calvary Chapels an invention of the military, created to carry out a “psychological operation” to garner support for Israel.

So Chuck Smith was in cahoots with the military all along? Owens thinks so and she backs it up with conspiratorial rhetoric that she’s not alone in espousing:

“I am wondering about these new age pastors. Like, is that what everybody does when they leave the military, they start a church?… Or are we looking at an operation? That’s the question that I have,” she alleged to the audience. “If you are a part of Calvary Chapel anywhere, I would just wonder if your pastor just came from the military, and if he’s from a high-ranking military family.”

“Did the military execute an operation, a psychological operation on the American people to get us to support Christian Zionism after World War II?” Owens stated. “Kind of the question that I think is hanging in the air right now.”

The author clearly thinks Owens doesn’t know the Bible:

For the sake of time, I am going to move on from the statement branding Jack Hibbs and other Calvary Chapel Pastors as “new age.” Either she is attempting to redefine the term, or more likely, her lack of theological understanding has rendered her ignorant of what it means.

While I can’t speak to Owen’s understanding of Scripture I can say her interpretation of what Israel’s place in prophecy is and in God’s heart is way off. Owens and others like her aren’t using truth or facts, at least not in my estimation. Opinions, yes. Facts, no:

Owens treated the podcast episode as a citizen-journalism type investigation, where the viewers are “in it together,” sending in tips to uncover the truth. Of course, this isn’t journalism by any stretch of the imagination—and the goal was not to pursue the truth. The podcast desperately strung together unverified theories from across the internet, outlandish exaggerations, and reckless speculation. As the late Dr. Chuck Missler—who was also a Zionist closely affiliated with Calvary Chapel—often stated: “torture the data long enough, and it will confess to anything.”

I would say Missler got this one right.

It Wasn’t Unintentional

Owens has a lot of followers and her dot connecting appears to be a sincere effort. But sincerity doesn’t equal truth:

Candace, you tortured the data in front of millions of viewers, trying to make it confess to your delusional anti-Israel ideology—and you certainly did not come across as hard-hitting or remotely respectable. Watching the podcast, a person could easily picture you with a cluttered wall in your basement, covered with images of your “Zionist enemies” and a vast, confusing web of strings pinned in every which direction. Owens calls it journalism; others might call it gross negligence and defamation. The manipulation of data was intentional, aimed at tarnishing others’ reputations with little regard for facts. To be fair, even the most well-known news media organizations have done away with journalistic standards when it comes to Israel and its supporters—similarly weaving conspiracies and blood libels.

But why I’m reporting on this is that she thinks she’s going God’s work here:

What makes Owens’ so-called “investigation” all the more shameful is her insistence that she is a Christian defending the truth. Unfortunately, just as she tortures the data surrounding Israel and the assassination of Charlie Kirk, she applies the same method to the Bible, striving to make it also confess to her madness.

Lawsuits could be coming, but I doubt it. For these churches and these men of God legal action would be a waste of time and money. However there is another judge who is watching her misguided machinations closely:

While intentionally misrepresenting the actions of individuals could place her in court one day, intentionally misrepresenting God’s Word—without repentance—will land her before a very different judgment seat.

Owens isn’t alone in her views on Israel. More and more Christians are trashing Israel and even going so far as to believe that the Church has replaced the Jews as the apple of His eye. Replacement theology is chic and all the rage now. I encourage you to not follow suit and do the same. Will it keep you from getting to Heaven? Probably not, but I wouldn’t want to be on the cursing side of this verse in this life:

I will bring good to those who are good to you. And I will curse those who curse you. Good will come to all the families of the earth because of you.” (Genesis 12:3)

I like God’s blessings.