Mega-Heresy of Zionism Enshrined in Congressional Resolution One Year Ago Today

Christendom College theologian, Professor Matthew A. Tsakanikas, has penned a formidable article at his Substack, which LifeSiteNews reproduced with permission under the headline, “Congress has no right to force the heresy of Christian Zionism upon faithful Catholics.”

The article concerns a Congressional resolution on antisemitism — introduced by Rep. David Kustoff and supported by the Zionist Christian Speaker of the House, Mike Johnson — that was passed one year ago today, December 5, 2023. Prof. Tsakanikas argues that the resolution — which was non-binding and therefore does not criminalize any specific activity — is nonetheless a clear violation of the religious rights and rights to free speech of countless Catholics and others (including many highly vocal Jews), who oppose Zionism on religious or non-religious grounds. The 2023 resolution defined anti-Zionism as antisemitism, a false association which effectively — among many other things — makes Pope Saint Pius X an antisemite.

The article is an excellent summary of the issues at hand, and has numerous links to other informative sources, including an article explaining why Prof. Tsakanikas calls Zionism is a “heresy.” Of course he is right for saying that; I have referred to it as a “Mega-Heresy” in the title of this little column because I believe that it is exactly that.

The mega-heresy of Zionism is causing actual and grave errors in faith and morals among Catholics. Because of Zionism, many Catholics are confused about the continuity of religion from the Old to the New Testaments, some even holding a peculiar form of the indfferentist heresy by claiming that Jews can be saved in their own dispensation, which abides today as a parallel economy of salvation next to that of salvation in Jesus Christ and His Church. As an example from the domain of moral doctrine, many Catholics operating under the influence of Zionism have rejected the traditional Catholic social teaching concerning a just war, and enthusiastically follow their separated Evangelical Zionist brethren in justifying any and every atrocity committed by the Zionist regime against their Arab neighbors, from the Nakba in 1948 to the atrocities committed in Gaza this year of Our Lord 2024.

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At almost 4,000 words, Prof. Tsakanikas’ article might not be read by as many people as need to receive its message. For that reason, I have included below, a 500-word AI summary.¹ If you don’t have time to read the longer article, please do yourself a favor and read the summary.

Prof. Tsakanikas may also be seen in a YouTube video being interviewed by a priest on “Catholic Teaching on Israel & Zionism”:

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• Context of the Article:
  • The article critiques a U.S. Congressional resolution (H.Res. 894) passed on December 5, 2023, which equates anti-Zionism with antisemitism.
  • The author argues that this resolution undermines the First Amendment rights of Americans, particularly freedom of speech and religion, and imposes a religious-political ideology (Zionism) on the public.

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• Key Criticisms of the Resolution:
  • Violation of Free Speech:
    • The resolution redefines antisemitism to include anti-Zionism, silencing criticism of Israeli policies and Zionist ideology.
    • This redefinition is seen as a suppression of legitimate dissent, particularly against Israeli actions in Palestine.
  • Religious Imposition:
    • The resolution is framed as forcing Christian Zionist ideology, which is contrary to Catholic and Orthodox Christian doctrines, onto Americans.
    • The author highlights that Catholic teaching rejects religious Zionism and millenarian prophecy, as stated in the Catechism of the Catholic Church (#676).
  • Impact on Catholics:
    • The resolution is described as a direct assault on Catholic doctrine, with many Catholic politicians and pundits unknowingly supporting it despite its contradiction to their faith.

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• Historical and Religious Context:
  • Zionism is described as a secular political movement originating in the late 1800s, aimed at establishing a Jewish homeland in Palestine.
  • The author distinguishes between antisemitism (hatred of Jews) and anti-Zionism (opposition to Zionist beliefs), arguing that the two should not be conflated.
  • Catholic doctrine, as expressed by Pope Benedict XVI and others, opposes religious Zionism and views the land promises in the Bible as fulfilled in Jesus Christ, making modern Zionist claims irrelevant.

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• Criticism of U.S. Congress and Foreign Influence:
  • The resolution is seen as evidence of undue influence by Israeli lobbyists and foreign agents on U.S. policy.
  • The author accuses Congress of aligning with the Likud Party and religious Zionists in Israel, undermining American sovereignty and constitutional principles.
  • The resolution is described as a violation of the Establishment Clause of the U.S. Constitution, which prohibits Congress from establishing a religion.

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• Broader Implications:
  • The resolution allegedly enables Big Tech to suppress anti-Zionist speech under the guise of combating hate speech, further eroding free speech rights.
  • The author highlights concerns about Israeli intelligence agents working in Big Tech and using AI to monitor and suppress dissent globally.
  • The resolution is linked to broader issues of U.S. complicity in Israeli policies, including genocide, ethnic cleansing, and other human rights violations against Palestinians.

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• Call to Action:
  • The author urges Americans to recognize the dangers of conflating anti-Zionism with antisemitism and to defend their First Amendment rights.
  • The article warns against the growing influence of Christian Zionism in U.S. politics and its potential to erode religious freedom and constitutional protections.

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