[How is it that only the Israelis know that World War III started on September 11, 2001?]
The phrase "term of art" means any descriptive phrase or word commonly used within a specific industry but which may not be widely understood outside that industry. Here are two Biblical terms of art, the words "Philistines" and "Canaanites", that, effective today, I'll be using to refer to "Palestinians". Uh, well, come to think of it, that word is also a term of art; of doublespeak art...
On the Origins of the Term "Palestine"
The ancient Romans were masters of doublespeak. They renamed Israel, calling the region Palestinia, and made that term popular in the years following the destruction of the Jerusalem Temple by Titus Vespasian in 70 A.D.
Rome then erected a pagan temple complex on the site of what they called Aeolia Capitolina, building an octagonal structure modeled after a temple they had built at Baalbek. This structure was heavily damaged in later centuries. The Roman pagan temple complex was rebuilt by the Muslims in later centuries to become what we know today as the Dome of the Rock and the Al-Aqsa Mosque complex on the Temple Mount.
The Bible and the Philistines
The Bible calls the native non-Jewish inhabitants of Israel by a number of names. Here are the two most common:
* The term "Philistines" refers specifically to idolaters who lived along the Mediterranean coast. Most modern historians call them by the name that the Greeks used to identify them ? the Phoenicians.
* The term "Canaanites" is a generic term for indigenous pagans who were present in the land during the days of Joshua.
As best as I can tell, the Bible makes a subtle, but significant, distinction between Philistines and Canaanites. That distinction is this: Philistines were known to fight Israel by active, belligerent, military opposition to its divinely given right to exist and thrive in the land. By fighting Israel militarily, the Philistines were trying to defeat Israel from without by violent means. Think of David and Goliath, who was a Philistine, as an example of Philistinian opposition to Israel.
Canaanites, on the other hand, were known to fight Israel by attempting to seduce the faithful away from God's standards. By helping Israel become idolatrous, the Canaanites were trying to defeat Israel from within by inciting God in His wrath to destroy Israel. Think of the Moabites, the Edomites and Balaam's being bribed to curse Israel, as examples of Canaanite opposition to Israel.
To sum up, Israel had two ancient enemies: those who fought against her by military means from without (the Philistines), and those who fought her by undermining her people from within (the Canaanites).
Modern Philistines and Canaanites
It's pretty obvious who the modern Philistines are. Think of Yasser Arafat, the PLO, the Palestinian Authority, Hamas, Hezbullah, every non-Jew in the so-called "Gaza Strip", the World Court, and every conservative, Wahabbi-type, radical Muslim in Israel today, and you'll be right on the mark.
It's a bit more subtle who the Canaanites are. That's because the modern Canaanites can include Jews. Think of anybody who is attempting to seduce Israel away from its God-given mandate to take dominion over Israel by persuading its leaders to settle for something less than full hegemony over Ha'aretz (the Land of Israel) and you'll be right on the mark for identifying the modern Canaanites.
Think of Canaanites like President "Dubya", whose unworkable "Road Map" contains a road map to Armageddon, and Ariel Sharon, whose commitment to evacuate Gaza has already provoked the Philistines to attack Jewish towns in Judea, Samaria and Gaza. Think of pro-Palestinian "Orthodox" church leaders.
Starting today, I'm going to start referring to "Palestinians" as Philistines. I'm going to start using the term Canaanite to refer to anybody who isn't defending Israel's right to the land, but who ought to be.
And if I have to call a Jew by the term "Canaanite", so be it.
Concluding Thoughts
May the living God bless those who bless Abraham and his rightful heirs to HaAretz. We are Dar Al-Harb* - and proud of it.
* Dar Al-Harb: The Domain at War: "Territory under the hegemony of unbelievers, which is on terms of active or potential belligerency with the Domain of Islam...." (Glossary of Islamic Terms by Muhammad Ishaq Zahid; Copyright © 1998-1999 by the Sabr Foundation)
The phrase "term of art" means any descriptive phrase or word commonly used within a specific industry but which may not be widely understood outside that industry. Here are two Biblical terms of art, the words "Philistines" and "Canaanites", that, effective today, I'll be using to refer to "Palestinians". Uh, well, come to think of it, that word is also a term of art; of doublespeak art...
On the Origins of the Term "Palestine"
The ancient Romans were masters of doublespeak. They renamed Israel, calling the region Palestinia, and made that term popular in the years following the destruction of the Jerusalem Temple by Titus Vespasian in 70 A.D.
Rome then erected a pagan temple complex on the site of what they called Aeolia Capitolina, building an octagonal structure modeled after a temple they had built at Baalbek. This structure was heavily damaged in later centuries. The Roman pagan temple complex was rebuilt by the Muslims in later centuries to become what we know today as the Dome of the Rock and the Al-Aqsa Mosque complex on the Temple Mount.
The Bible and the Philistines
The Bible calls the native non-Jewish inhabitants of Israel by a number of names. Here are the two most common:
* The term "Philistines" refers specifically to idolaters who lived along the Mediterranean coast. Most modern historians call them by the name that the Greeks used to identify them ? the Phoenicians.
* The term "Canaanites" is a generic term for indigenous pagans who were present in the land during the days of Joshua.
As best as I can tell, the Bible makes a subtle, but significant, distinction between Philistines and Canaanites. That distinction is this: Philistines were known to fight Israel by active, belligerent, military opposition to its divinely given right to exist and thrive in the land. By fighting Israel militarily, the Philistines were trying to defeat Israel from without by violent means. Think of David and Goliath, who was a Philistine, as an example of Philistinian opposition to Israel.
Canaanites, on the other hand, were known to fight Israel by attempting to seduce the faithful away from God's standards. By helping Israel become idolatrous, the Canaanites were trying to defeat Israel from within by inciting God in His wrath to destroy Israel. Think of the Moabites, the Edomites and Balaam's being bribed to curse Israel, as examples of Canaanite opposition to Israel.
To sum up, Israel had two ancient enemies: those who fought against her by military means from without (the Philistines), and those who fought her by undermining her people from within (the Canaanites).
Modern Philistines and Canaanites
It's pretty obvious who the modern Philistines are. Think of Yasser Arafat, the PLO, the Palestinian Authority, Hamas, Hezbullah, every non-Jew in the so-called "Gaza Strip", the World Court, and every conservative, Wahabbi-type, radical Muslim in Israel today, and you'll be right on the mark.
It's a bit more subtle who the Canaanites are. That's because the modern Canaanites can include Jews. Think of anybody who is attempting to seduce Israel away from its God-given mandate to take dominion over Israel by persuading its leaders to settle for something less than full hegemony over Ha'aretz (the Land of Israel) and you'll be right on the mark for identifying the modern Canaanites.
Think of Canaanites like President "Dubya", whose unworkable "Road Map" contains a road map to Armageddon, and Ariel Sharon, whose commitment to evacuate Gaza has already provoked the Philistines to attack Jewish towns in Judea, Samaria and Gaza. Think of pro-Palestinian "Orthodox" church leaders.
Starting today, I'm going to start referring to "Palestinians" as Philistines. I'm going to start using the term Canaanite to refer to anybody who isn't defending Israel's right to the land, but who ought to be.
And if I have to call a Jew by the term "Canaanite", so be it.
Concluding Thoughts
May the living God bless those who bless Abraham and his rightful heirs to HaAretz. We are Dar Al-Harb* - and proud of it.
* Dar Al-Harb: The Domain at War: "Territory under the hegemony of unbelievers, which is on terms of active or potential belligerency with the Domain of Islam...." (Glossary of Islamic Terms by Muhammad Ishaq Zahid; Copyright © 1998-1999 by the Sabr Foundation)