According2Sam Podcast

'Imminent Threat'

Joe Kent, former Counterintelligence Director, recently resigned from his post, citing the military operation in Iran as his reason. In his resignation, he stated that he could not support “war in Iran,” arguing that Iran posed no imminent threat to the United States and suggesting that the conflict was driven by pressure from Israel. However, at the time of his statement, Iran had already been responsible for the deaths of seven Americans through missile and drone attacks, which raises questions about his assessment of the threat. His position also appears inconsistent with his previous social media posts and public statements, in which he acknowledged the dangers posed by Iran and its proxies. What level of threat—imminent or otherwise—did Iran pose to Americans that ultimately influenced President Trump’s decision to take action? Join the conversation and get answers to these questions and more on According2Sam episode #394. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.according2sam.com [https://www.according2sam.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]

'Bull's-Eye'

When Iranian missile fragments recently landed on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem, many interpreted it as a prophetic sign. The Christian publication ‘Charisma’ ran an article titled, “Iranian Missile Fragments Hit Temple Mount as Biblical Prophecy Accelerates: It’s Coming.” Other commentators also pontificated about the significance of missile debris falling in a region that has been under sustained attack for weeks. Some of these voices go further, expressing the belief that a future strike—potentially one that destroys the Al-Aqsa Mosque—could pave the way for the construction of a new Jewish Temple. They have been explicit in framing such a scenario. Who are the people promoting the idea of a missile strike on the Temple Mount, and is it a fringe idea or more widespread? Join the conversation and get answers to these questions and more on According2Sam episode #393. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.according2sam.com [https://www.according2sam.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]

'The Ushering'

Greg Locke is an evangelical preacher and pastor of Global Vision Bible Church in Tennessee. He is a strong supporter of the nation of Israel and a self-proclaimed Christian Zionist. Recently, a video of Pastor Locke went viral showing him preaching a sermon at his church while wearing a tallit—a Jewish prayer shawl—with children behind him waving Israeli flags. In the sermon, he says that the nation of Israel should clear out the Temple Mount and “fire a big missile” to blow the Dome of the Rock off the mount “so we can get that Third Temple rebuilt and usher in the coming of Jesus.” Many people are sharing the video as an example of the extremism of Christian Zionism. Is this extreme, or is the idea of ushering in the coming of Jesus part of traditional Christian theology? Join the conversation and get answers to these questions and more on According2Sam episode #392. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.according2sam.com [https://www.according2sam.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]

'Ishmael'

The story of Hagar and Ishmael is told differently in Islam than it is in the Book of Genesis. Muslims believe that Hagar was Abraham’s wife and that, at God’s command, Abraham took Hagar and Ishmael to Mecca when Ishmael was a child. They believe that it was Ishmael, not Isaac, whom God commanded Abraham to take to Mount Moriah to be sacrificed, a location associated with the present-day Temple Mount in Jerusalem. Islamic tradition also teaches that Abraham later returned to Mecca and that he and his son Ishmael built the Kaaba, the holiest site in Islam to this day. Millions of Muslims make pilgrimages to Mecca each year based on this narrative of Hagar and Ishmael, which forms an important foundation of their faith. How do competing narratives about Abraham and his sons contribute to current unrest in the Middle East? Join the conversation and get answers to these questions and more on According2Sam episode #391. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.according2sam.com [https://www.according2sam.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]

'Religious War'

Reports have surfaced claiming that U.S. military commanders have been invoking religious rhetoric when discussing objectives in the current conflict with Iran. A watchdog group called the Military Religious Freedom Foundation says it has received more than 200 complaints from service members across all branches of the armed forces, alleging that their commanders used Christian end-times prophecy and other biblical language when discussing missions in Iran. In one complaint, a senior officer allegedly told a commander to inform his troops that it was “all part of God’s divine plan,” specifically referencing passages from the Book of Revelation about “Armageddon.” Is this conflict being described in religious terms only by Americans, or are there other forces that also see it as a religious war? Join the conversation and get answers to these questions and more on According2Sam episode #390. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.according2sam.com [https://www.according2sam.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]