Imagine the United States Supreme Court attempting to rule on which denomination's conversions the government will recognize as a true evangelical Christian. According to this report, that appears to be what Israel's High Court of Justice has actually been busy doing  Read about it here. On top of this bizarre mixture of religion and state politics, the heart of the issue is over what is being called, "leaping conversions." 

But, before we evangelicals laugh too hard over the idea of leaping Jewish conversions, we've got our own image to think about. Have you ever wondered what the world's wider religious community thinks about our rapture doctrine? Talk about leaping Jews. Here we have flying Christians.

Now, before anyone gets upset, I believe in the rapture. True, I don't claim to know when it will occur. But, I believe it will happen. Why? Because, the Bible tells me so. And, I've learned over the years that I can trust in what the Bible says.

This brings us back to the leaping Jewish conversions. Where do we read in Scripture where a secular court has the authority to decide a religious issue? Of course, a secular government doesn't require the sanction of any religious book. Nevertheless, conversion is a religious question. And, here we find a secular court in Israel attempting to make a religious ruling. In my American way of thinking, there is something terribly, terribly wrong here. 

The fact is, Israel is not like America. In America, we have true separation of Church and State. This isn't the case in Israel. As I've been pointing out above, the Israeli state is deeply involved in religious affairs. And, according to this report about leaping conversions, the bottom line issue is over the so-called "Law of Return."

You see, when we cut to the chase, the real issue is the same as it was in the First Century. The Jewish religious leaders of today are using their unholy alliance with secular government to prevent Jewish Christians from returning home from their Diaspora. In other words, as it was two thousand years ago, the real issue with these religious leaders is a man called Jesus. 

Yet, Israel's secular leaders have their own concern. The rapidly increasing Arab population threatens Israel's future political existence. So, in order to survive, the government of Israel must find a way in to extend the right of return to more Jews, without allowing the return of Jewish Christians. As a result, we find the Israeli High Court acting like a legal gymnast and announcing this sweeping new ruling. Israel is now allowing what it calls, "leaping conversions." 

It's too bad Israel still has no room for us flying Christians.