192 Comments
User's avatar
Sera's avatar

This is the third mention I’ve heard in two days about the Mosque, (From Tucker Carlson and Miko Peled, both learned and compassionate accounts).

I know the Mosque, I’ve been in it, and my atheist heart breaks at the thought of harm coming to it.

The one possibility that adds a further dimension of evil to this story is the possibility that it could be framed as a false flag operation by Iran, or an errant American missile.

My dream would be that a diplomatic group, including world and religious leaders, led by the Pope perhaps, link arms encircle the Mosque around the clock.

This is a time for extraordinary acts and it calls for extraordinary people.

Joy in HK fiFP's avatar

What an excellent idea! Let me update my petition right now to ask the Pope to do that. I am sending out an update but, it's after midnight here, so, it might be in need of better wording. Please feel free to give feedback in reply here.

Call on Pope Leo XIV to do whatever it takes to save Gaza and stop the bombing, and end

https://chng.it/gkvBfY44rq

Please sign the petition and share widely.

Feral Finster's avatar

That would get the Rapture cultists in the US really hot and bothered.

Rose C.'s avatar

These Churches are dying. It is the Catholic and Orthodox Churches that are growing in America.

Avigail Abarbanel's avatar

That’s good news but can you provide sources to back this claim up?

Rose C.'s avatar

Yes. The Pew Forum, among others tracking the decline of Protestantism in America. This trend has been going on for about a decade or so, at least.

Avigail Abarbanel's avatar

Here is what I’ve been able to find on this topic:

The sharp decline has slowed or stabilised since around 2019. Between 2019-2024, Christian identification has remained relatively stable at 60-64%. Researchers call this significant - decades of decline appear to have plateaued, at least temporarily.

But here's the important bit:

1. The "bedrock" remains solid: Among conservatives, Christian identification only dropped from 89% to 82% since 2007. Among liberals, it plummeted from 62% to 37%. This means the politically active evangelical base is largely intact.

2. The decline hit the "casual" adherents first: Political scientist Ryan Burge notes the "nones" have "run through the easy parts of the market" - people who weren't deeply committed. What's left is a core of committed evangelicals who are actually more politically engaged than the broader Christian population used to be.

3. Young evangelicals are less religious but still exist: While 46% of 18-24 year-olds identify as Christian (vs 80% of those 74+), those who do remain evangelical tend to be more theologically conservative.

The decline is real but it won't weaken US support for Israel in the short term (~10 years).

The committed evangelical base remains large, politically active, and increasingly concentrated in the Republican Party, which has significant power. The real shift would come if/when generational replacement makes Christian Zionism a minority position within political elites, not just the general population. That’s a longer term projection if it even happens. The decline in the general population doesn’t match the representation of evangelical Christians in power.

The pause in decline actually suggests evangelical political power may persist longer than people think.

Rose C.'s avatar

Doubtful, because evangelism is not providing meaningful spirituality to young people in particular. Younger generations are seeking the High Liturgy Churches.

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Rose C.'s avatar

The younger generation of Americans, both liberal and conservative, are not listening to Mike Huckabee's version of premillenarian dispensationalism. The young men, in particular, are leaving the "Rapture Ready" evangelism of the Boomers and are walking into Orthodox Churches.

Kevin's avatar

i can’t wait for them to be raptured

HL's avatar

Unfortunately, I believe this is going to happen. Everything is in place including 5 unblemished red heifers in Haifa, required for purification before the third temple can be built. One heifer was sacrificed and burnt last year in a practice run! Beyond disturbing. And most people have no awareness of any of this. It all sounds absurd. That is the danger. Few are pointing it out. Thank you for doing so.

Valence's avatar

And 500 priests descended from Levi tribe. Brainwashed.

For the water.

Baz's avatar

Dear God, please unite all the peoples who say they believe in you into one big happy group who lay down all weapons and together get on with the job of living in peace.

Thanks.

Avigail Abarbanel's avatar

Thanks and Amen.

Baz's avatar

This is the madness you’ve been telling us about https://savageminds.substack.com/p/everyone-in-this-country-has-gone

Avigail Abarbanel's avatar

Thank you! I didn’t know Gideon was publishing on Substack. His life is in danger in Israel and if I were him I’d leave while he still has a chance.

David Thorp's avatar

I fear Israel could destroy the Al-Aqsa mosque not just to achieve an extreme religious goal, but also as a deliberate act of escalation — to provoke Iran into responding with such rage and extreme destruction on Israel that Israel then thinks it has the excuse to defend its existence by using nuclear weapons.

Huw Spanner's avatar

This is what I think (tho I'd always defer to Avigail's insight). I'd also always assumed that they'd destroy it more sneakily than Avigail expects – blow it one night and then blame it on an Iranian missiles. All the Western media woukd then parrot the same story, and it would drive the ummah absolutely nuts.

Avigail Abarbanel's avatar

You know, you could be right Huw. But given the psychology of Netanyahu and the growing Messianic orgy over there, they see the destruction of the mosque as a triumphant act, not as something to hide. They know they can’t blame the Iranians who have enough intel to avoid hitting any of the Muslim holy places in Palestine. But either way, this will be an event they’ll relish (heaven forbid of course — I really want to be wrong about everything).

Howard's avatar

Yes, they've been less and less hiding things in recent years.

David Thorp's avatar
StillUponTheVine's avatar

They're (as I've pointed out in another note) using the Torah (“Out of Talmud by Qabalah”) as a Bronze Age Spell book - sacrifice the Heffers, build the Temple (or whichever way round you do it) & the Meshhhiakkkhhhhh will appear and grant your Heart's Desire.

Their thinking/mindset is not religious, it's Magical .

I'm not sure though how it will be viewed by the rest of the world. Animal sacrifice to God looks ‘ barbarous’. It looks like cult shit, & most of the world (even some who call themselves “Zionists” will call it out as weird.

Obviously, the ones pushing for it will hope the ritual works, & the Messiah appears, but when nothing happens, no Jewish Messiah, no Jesus, Israel will have alienated the Muslim world, the secular world, & the Evangelicals, who will blame them for “putting God to the test”.

Avigail Abarbanel's avatar

You’re absolutely right and I did think to include the idea of ‘magical thinking’ in the essay, but for the sake of structure and coherence decided against it. But absolutely right! This is limbic-driven magical thinking, which is another indication of how primitive and poorly developed these people’s psychology is.

One of the discoveries about cult psychology from Leon Festinger’s classic study, published in When Prophecy Fails (https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1835405.When_Prophecy_Fails?from_search=true&from_srp=true&qid=BomOYrhFJA&rank=1), is that when prophecies do not materialise, cult change the goal posts. They don’t give up on their belief system and disband. They can’t because there are fundamentally driven by their psychology. Being fundamentally fear-driven, cults have a survival instinct and continue to exist as a close-knit, psychological enmeshed group. Members of the cults are not fit to face the world on their own. Too frightened of actual reality. It’s actually quite sad. If Israel wasn’t so dangerous I’d feel much more pity and sadness for them than the wariness and alarm I actually feel. Israel is a cult that isn’t just dangerous to the Palestinians but to the entire world.

StillUponTheVine's avatar

Yes! The problem is that it's as easy to adopt a Magickal worldview as it is a religious, or secular one (or a capitalist or communist one), & once you've committed to it, & locked yourself into your little echo chamber, it will seem entirely logical & rational. A Zionist/3rd Temple mindset will seem entirely logical, & will have an incredibly ‘reasoned’ rationale (only known & understood by ‘initiates’, obvs). Yes, there are lots of secular Zionists, who see Israel as a future financial & surveillance hub, & oligarchs playground, but the very existence of Israel will forever reinforce the Messiah fantasy & eventually lead (however shiny, hi-tech, & AI it becomes) to the building of the Temple, even at the risk of burning the world

Avigail Abarbanel's avatar

I think mindless, unexamined religion that elicits wild emotionality and trance-like fervour is built on magical thinking. Everything you say is, sadly, accurate and it’s one of the variations of what’s possible in human psychology. If this stuff takes over the world we’ll see if not human extinction, then human regression. Around half a million Jews left Israel after October 2023. No one knows how many more because Israel’s office of statistics is hiding the data (only available in Hebrew) — it’s not good for morale.

It’s very clear that the big exodus is of people who are secular and don’t want to live in a religious state. They’re not anti-Zionist and have no sympathy for the Palestinians. They just don’t want to let go of their precious comforts and hard earned right (women, LGBTQ+, etc.), which are compromised already but will all evaporate as soon as a Halacha state is established. Those who have been leaving have dual or multiple citizenships, so they have somewhere to go, and because they are the educated elite, they either have money or can secure jobs in other countries.

This is fundamentally a brain drain similar to what we see in the US where the Kingdom of Gilead is being established right before our eyes, largely unopposed, with Trump as its unchallenged king. In a religious kingdom there is no room for reason, science, universal values or real education other than the cult’s doctrine.

But religious loonies in both countries cannot actually run countries. They’re incoherent, emotionally driven, ill educated mob and they will collapse. Think a dark age in both countries.

Those secular Jews left behind in Israel who can’t leave or don’t want to, will fall into line and fit in with the new religious order. I know my brother and his wife are ready to do this. My sister in-law’s (brought up in a secular, educated family) brother became ultra religious decades ago and my brother who like me was brought up completely secular, has been singing the praises of the ‘wonderful' religious lifestyle for years now. He and many like him will fall into line. Never mind women’s rights or anyone’s rights. my brother never cared about anyone else but himself. Typical Israeli.

Feral Finster's avatar

Nope. When the prophecy doesn't pan out, cult members double down.

Humans are something else.

Feral Finster's avatar

"I explained the premillennial dispensationalist theology that underpins much evangelical support for Israel to Consul Agranov. He responded “These people give me the fucking creeps. What happens when they go back to thinking their God doesn’t like us again?” "

https://x.com/scotthortonshow/status/1968348764269167033

The entire link is most edifying.

StillUponTheVine's avatar

Found the: "if we lose Jerusalem, we will delay the coming of the Messiah" comment fascinating. Pure Magickal thinking, because it sets humans in a position *above* God - God is *subject* to human actions - God effectively can be manipulated to serve the intentions & timelines of human beings, & can be prevented from acting, as well as *compelled* to act by humans. In that sense, their whole mentality is *satanic* because they are seeking to usurp the power, will, & intentions of God & force his hand through ritual magick. Even if you believe the biblical prophecies (I'm more an Apatheist, tbh), they obviously could refer to something which could happen in five weeks, five millennia, or five aeons from now. Attempting to compel God to do them *NOW* is Satanic/Magickal.

Rosalind Dalefield's avatar

The Muslim world would never forgive Israel if Al Aqsa was destroyed, and Israel would likely be obliterated by the consequences. I don't happen to consider that a bad thing. Outraging around a quarter of the world's population is not a good idea.

My perspective is that I know it is a beautiful building and I understand that it is sacred to Islam, but the reality is that buildings can be rebuilt. The Cathedral of Notre Dame was seriously damaged by fire and is being repaired. Every human being is unique and irreplaceable. The deaths of people killed by Israel are worse.

Natalie O.'s avatar

Sadly the repairs of Notre-Dame have turned it into a Masonic temple from what I understand- the devilish Macron made sure that the catholic spirit wouldn’t be maintained.

Avigail Abarbanel's avatar

I doubt it. I haven’t visited since it’s been restored after the fire, but when I do, I’ll let you know. Close friends of mine visited and it’s the same Catholic Church it’s always been, not a Masonic lodge.

Catherine O'Neill Thorn's avatar

I’ve been anticipating this. You’re the first person who’s said it out loud 😣 what an insult we are to the God of Love…

PerraVerde's avatar

...except I don't believe the Yahweh of the Jews is based on love: everywhere I only see revenge, hatred, intolerance, and savage acts of bloody barbarism in the name of a bearded hulk whose name can't be mentioned.

Zed I.'s avatar

As always, thank you for the insightful article, Avigail. While the humanitarian part of me would wish that your prediction about this is wrong, the realist in me can pessimistically see the possibility of this happening. When you realise the world is ruled by religious fanatics, who don't possess the logical, pragmatic and rational mindset of a sane person, you have a recipe for something disastrous and catastrophic.

Maria Fuencisla de Felipe's avatar

I really wish that you’re wrong, Abigail. I’m afraid you may be correct.

Avigail Abarbanel's avatar

I really want to be wrong. Sorry Maria. 🙏🏼

Gina Klein's avatar

The insanity of this diabolical regime goes way beyond the comprehension of any thinking reasonable person. It’s terrifying, psychotic and just so fucking stupid. If Israel did go so far as to destroy Al Aqsa, you can only hope it would be the impetus for the Arab world to come together and really bring about end of days for Israel as we know it.

Avigail Abarbanel's avatar

The so-called ‘Arab world’ has thrown the Palestinians under the bus from the early days of Zionism. Of course I don’t want the Al Aqsa mosque to be destroyed. This will be horrible but if Israel commits this unthinkable act, you’d hope that this will wake up those self-serving rulers of the Arab world and align their actions with the true wishes of their people. For decades they have been consistent in looking after themselves and manoeuvring in the world to amass wealth and power for themselves.

Gina Klein's avatar

It would be devastating. It is tragic how these gulf nations abandoned the people of Palestine and perhaps being hit by drones and missiles from Iran right now is waking them up to the fact that their ties to the US has made them a target. This morning I am reading about the destruction to the palaces of mirrors in Tehran and the bombing of beautiful ancient buildings there and it has left me heartbroken. All Israel does is kill, maim, poison and destroy. And the hubris of the US would be laughable if it weren’t so tragic in its consequences.

Linda R's avatar

You’ve got to remember, most of the Gulf states as they stand today are new nations, with the Monarchy installed by the USA and or U.K. They don’t care about their own people, never mind Palestinians.

Avigail Abarbanel's avatar

Of course you’re absolutely right. This is why I suggest that if they go too far or continue to support Israel whilst it destroys Al Aqsa, they might have to face a massive reckoning with their own people. So far they’ve been very successful at enforcing their control over their societies and stomping out any dissent. But nothing last forever and the people in those societies do support the Palestinians.

Max Gross's avatar

"Our society is run by insane people for insane objectives. I think we're being run by maniacs for maniacal ends..." - John Lennon (1940–1980)

Jane Baker's avatar

He'd had glimpses! He slept with one of em.

Max Gross's avatar

Lennon slept with Nixon? Do tell!!!

teri Gray's avatar

Bibi, you are not the boss of God.

Carlé Costa's avatar

I am affraid that you hit the nail here. And it is absolutely consequent with the outrageous assasination of the supreme religious leader of Iran, the second religious leader for millions of shia muslims worldwide.

It is clear that for the brainless or brainwashed christian zionists this war of agression is a crusade, as the adolescent drunk-clown secretary of war and sexual abuse is promoting, even within the military ranks as a kind of protocol now.

Nospheratunyahu of course will use it, the perfect keg to ignite the rage of billions of muslims around the world, solidifying the alliance of US and Israel (even when now we are seeing how extremely simbiotic and interdependents this 2 political bodys are, closer to be one as never before).

Erasure of memory of course is a priority for every colonizer country, then the historical assasination (as Gazas monuments and mosques and churches and museums) would not be a red line: all the opposite, impunity is addictive between psychopaths.

I red in some substack note that it was suspected that the zionazis begun to place explosive in the Al Aqsa Mosque for demolition, something I can't verified, but seems coherent with your guess.

Williplantsman's avatar

If the mosque is destroyed, the whole Muslim global population would be laser-focused on revenge. And the US would be an accomplice to Netanyahu's blasphemic act. Religion may not always make sense but it always inspires, for good or evil. This could be a global catastrophe.

Lloyd's avatar

Another religious war. Yet another example of why religion should either be heavily restricted or eliminated. At a minimum, it should be taxed at the highest marginal rate