What is Bishop Hanson's Motivation?

ELCA Presiding Bishop Mark Hanson continually calls on Israel to divide its land.  He wants Israel to give the “Palestinians” large amounts of Israeli territory and half of Jerusalem, the capital of Israel.  One of the reasons Bishop Hanson gives for constantly belaboring this position is the ELCA’s “commitment to our companions in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan and the Holy Land." (read here)   Bishop Hanson must feel that the Lutherans living in the “Holy Land” would be better off if that land was controlled by followers of Islam rather than a democratic Jewish society. 

Now I’m sure Bishop Hanson cares about Lutheran Christians in Israel and Jordan, but Hanson’s demands are not in the best interest of any Christian living in Israel.  Does the bishop not know that Israel is the only Middle Eastern country where the Christian population has grown in the last half-century?  Doesn’t he know how Christians are treated under Muslim law? If he knew this, why would he want these Lutheran Christians to leave the safety of Israel and become part of a new “Palestinian” country which will be controlled by followers of Islam? 

When you look at the ideology and theology of the Arabs, who are in leadership of Gaza and the West Bank, it is inconceivable to think that the leader of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America would push this plan, a plan that would put Christians in grave danger.  But that is what he is doing. 

Look at what has happened to the Christian population living in the Palestinian Authority (PA) controlled city of Bethlehem.  “According to a report by the Jerusalem Institute for Global Jewish Affairs, the Muslim Fatah-controlled PA is encouraging a ‘sharp demographic shift’ in Bethlehem, where the Christian population went from a 60 percent majority in 1990 to a 40 percent minority in 2000, to about 15 percent of the city's total population in 2008.  (read here  - the article also talks about the persecution Christians have experienced in this city)

Presiding Bishop Hanson certainly knows it is dangerous for Christians to live in Islamic countries, and he knows that Christians are leaving these Middle Eastern countries in droves.  So why in the world would this be the position of Bishop Hanson?  What is the real reason?

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On November 8, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America's presiding bishop went to The White House to discuss his opinions on the state of Israel.

Bishop Hanson and his likeminded faith leader friends blamed Israel's construction of homes, many of them in the capital of Israel, for the lack of discussions on peace between the Jewish state and "Palestinians."

A statement released by the faith leaders said, "‘The position of the Palestinian Christian community is precarious . . . There are constant problems of obtaining visas for clergy who must travel outside Jerusalem and the West Bank. Restriction on movement between Bethlehem and Jerusalem is a problem that undermines Christian life. Church leaders are humiliated at check points.’"(read here)

Issues at check points?  Seriously?  This is a reason they want Christians to reside in a newly created, Muslim-dominated “Palestine”? 

There would be no need for check points if people in the Middle East would treat the Jewish people as children of God and if the "Palestinians" would stop blowing themselves up next to innocent Jewish men, women and children.  Oh, but the poor church leaders don’t like security check points.  It all makes sense to me now, Bishop Hanson.

I wish Bishop Hanson took the Great Commission seriously and put half the effort into leading people to Christ as he does trying to lead people against the Jewish nation.