Iranians injured by airstrikes speak to CNN from hospital beds in Tehran
The Israeli military has repeatedly said it has 'only' targeted military installations yet the Iranian government insists that there have been more than 400 deaths, the majority of whom are civilians. CNN's Fred Pleitgen visited a hospital in the Iranian capital of Tehran to hear from residents injured in airstrikes.
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Are Christians Biblically Obliged To Support Israel? Cruz-Carlson Clash Fuels Debate
The viral interview between Tucker Carlson and Senator Ted Cruz has sparked a fierce theological debate among American Christians: Are Christians biblically commanded to support the modern state of Israel? The exchange occurred during an episode of Carlson's online show, The Tucker Carlson Encounter, which streamed on X and was released on June 18, 2025. In the interview, Cruz strongly defended his pro-Israel stance in light of the escalating Israel-Iran conflict. 'Growing up in Sunday school, I was taught from the Bible that those who bless Israel will be blessed and those who curse Israel will be cursed. And from my perspective, I want to be on the blessing side of things,' Cruz told Carlson. Carlson pressed further, asking, 'We are commanded as Christians to support the government of Israel?' 'We are commanded to support Israel,' Cruz replied. 'Define Israel,' Carlson pushed back. The exchange quickly spread online, prompting pastors, theologians, and conservative leaders across the country to weigh in. Carlson's question—delivered in his signature, low-toned cadence—was direct: 'Are we as Christians commanded to support the government of Israel?' At the core of the debate is Carlson's question—what exactly does 'Israel' mean in a biblical context? Is it a geopolitical state, an ethnic group, or a spiritual identity? This ambiguity has long divided Christians, particularly evangelicals, about whether the biblical covenant applies to the modern nation-state of Israel. In response, several pastors have weighed in on the debate. Pastor Lance Cashion of Kings Cross Fellowship in Fort Worth urged caution in applying Old Testament verses directly to modern political states. 'The exchange between Carlson and Cruz on such a huge public platform is a good thing. It brings a very important issue to the forefront. It reveals a deep theological divide among American Christians over the past 100 years. As Christians, we must be extremely cautious about how God's pronouncements in Scripture are applied to the spheres of government, countries, nations, and peoples.' 'As such, we must think in biblical categories using proper theology. As history has shown, taking Bible verses out of context can have devastating historical implications. Like the Men of Issachar, we must have understanding of the times. Like the Bereans, we must look to Scripture for wisdom,' Pastor Cashion told The Dallas Express. Cashion added that both Iran and Israel need repentance and to believe in Christ. 'The fastest-growing church in the world is in Iran. Therefore, the Christian prayer for the Ayatollah and Bibi is the same: that they would repent of their sin, believe the gospel, and lead their nations in righteousness and peace.' Pastor Landon Schott of Mercy Culture Church in Fort Worth called hatred of Israel demonic. 'Either you really care about justice or you are pretending to be a social warrior because you are not a biblical justice warrior. It is tolerated, it is permitted, it is celebrated—because it's demonic.' Pastor Bruce Mejia of First Works Baptist Church in Anaheim, CA, offered a strong rebuke of Cruz's theology. 'Ted Cruz, unfortunately, has embraced Zionist propaganda that has infiltrated many churches and led countless believers to think they must unconditionally support the modern state of Israel,' Pastor Mejia told The Dallas Express. Mejia continued. 'Contrary to the narrative promoted by mainstream Christianity, the Bible does not command believers to support Israel. Many Christians have been conditioned to believe that the promises made to Abraham in Genesis 12:1-3 should be applied to the modern nation-state of Israel. However, the New Testament, particularly Galatians 3:16, makes it clear that these promises ultimately refer to Jesus Christ and, by extension, to all believers.' (Genesis 12:3: 'I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse…')(Galatians 3:16: 'The promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed… meaning one person, who is Christ.') 'Moreover, Scripture warns against supporting individuals, organizations, or nations that openly reject and blaspheme Jesus Christ. By that standard, the modern state of Israel—which explicitly denies Jesus as the Messiah—falls into this category. Politicians like Ted Cruz should stop misusing Scripture to advance political agendas that are not grounded in the full counsel of God's Word.' Pastor Troy B. Jackson of New Beginnings Church in Bedford defended Cruz's position. 'Tucker raises fair questions every republic should ask before it swings a sword. But his isolationist instinct overshoots the runway. Christians who read their Bibles—and conservatives who revere the Founders' moral universe—cannot treat Israel like just another ZIP code on the foreign-policy map,' Pastor Jackson told The Dallas Express. Pastor Larry Huch, also with New Beginnings Church in Bedford, commented. 'God's covenant with Israel is forever, and Genesis 12:3 still rings: 'I will bless those who bless the nation of Israel.' That's not preacher-talk; it's a covenant clause older than the Constitution itself,' Pastor Huch remarked. 'Pray for the peace of Jerusalem (Psalm 122:6), lobby Congress to keep Iran's mullahs awake at night, and let's bless what God blesses,' Pastor Jackson added. Messianic Jewish leader Dr. Ron Cantor responded to the Carlson-Cruz exchange in an open letter. While he acknowledged Cruz's misquote, he argued that the question 'Is modern Israel biblical Israel?' has a theological answer grounded in Scripture. Cantor cited prophecies from Ezekiel 36, Amos 9, Jeremiah 16, and Romans 11 to argue that the 20th-century return of Jews to Israel is a literal fulfillment of biblical promises. He emphasized: 'The gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable.'— Romans 11:29 Cantor further contended that the reestablishment of Israel after 2,000 years is without historical precedent and cannot be explained apart from divine intervention. In a 2023 podcast from Desiring God, American theologian Pastor John Piper addressed this divide directly. 'A non-covenant-keeping people does not have a divine right to hold the land of promise.' 'A people in treason against her King cannot lay legitimate claim on the King's promises to a covenant-keeping people.' Piper argued that both Jews and Palestinians should be treated with justice — not theological favoritism — and that modern land disputes must be resolved on moral and civic grounds, not prophetic claims. The theological debate has real-world consequences: for many voters and policymakers, belief in Israel's biblical role directly shapes how the U.S. allocates aid, votes in the UN, and responds to Middle Eastern conflict. As debate over the Israel-Iran conflict deepens, Carlson and Cruz have touched off more than a foreign policy disagreement—they've exposed a foundational divide over how Scripture should inform politics, diplomacy, and the Christian conscience. The Dallas Express reached out to Senator Cruz's office but did not receive a response by the time of publication.
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