Hello George,

>LL>The whole idea of creating the modern state of Israel was based on
>LL>Zionism, which is a *political* concept, not a religious concept.

GP>It's actually a bit of both, as the political group encompassed are
GP>the Jews which are primarily defined by religion (it's not solely an
GP>ethnicity, as they accept converts)

Theodore Herzl, an Austrian Jew, was the foremost advocate of Zionism
in the nineteenth and early twentieth century.  Herzl sought to get the
powers of Europe to help establish a Jewish state in Palestine.  Not
everybody agreed with Herzl's view, believing the best solution to
create a Jewish state to be growth of the Jewish community in Palestine.
That is why followers of Herzl were known as "Political Zionists", and
those who advocated the other view as "Practical Zionists."

In any event, Zionism is a purely POLITICAL movement.  Not a religious
movement.  Even Albert Einstein understood this.  In fact, Einstein said
that once the Jews had acheived their goal of establishing a Jewish
state in Palestine that Zionism should be dismantled.  The problem that
exists today is that Zionism is still being practiced.  And until
Zionism is dismantled, there will never be peace in that area of the
world.

--Lee


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