Politics, Culture, and Faith

Why Did God Permit The Holocaust? Rabbi Sacks Answers

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As I’ve said before, question everything. Faith requires a healthy dose of skepticism about everything we think we know.

One of the most often asked about and pondered upon questions is a simple one: why does God allow evil to thrive?

And to narrow it down to a more concrete example: why did God permit the unspeakable horror of the Holocaust to occur?

I recently came across some of Rabbi Jonathan Sacks videos and writings. Rabbi Sacks, who has passed away, articulated the answer very well. Here are four of his quotes.

“The Holocaust was not God’s will. It was the result of human beings choosing evil and refusing to see the divine image in others.”

“God did not permit the Holocaust. God does not will evil. What happened was what happens when humanity walks away from God.”

“The question is not ‘Where was God?’ but ‘Where was man?’ God calls us to be His partners in defending life, dignity, and justice.”

“The Holocaust teaches not that God abandoned humanity, but that humanity abandoned God’s command to honor every life as sacred.”

Tuesday Watchdog Alert: When Politics Tries to Play Prophet

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Iran’s ruling clerics don’t just talk politics — some openly talk apocalypse.

Recent reporting highlighted how hardline Iranian leaders and Revolutionary Guard figures continue using “Mahdist” language — the belief that chaos, war, and resistance against global powers can help prepare the way for the return of the Hidden Imam, or Mahdi. Analysts warn this ideology is becoming more central inside Iran’s leadership culture.

“Clerical figures aligned with the Guard have made their views explicit. As Hojatoleslam Ali Saeedi, formerly the Supreme Leader’s representative to the IRGC, said in a 2012 speech: ‘The IRGC is one of the tools for paving the way for the emergence of the Imam of the Age [Mahdi] in the field of a regional and international awakening.’ “- From the Hungarian Conservative

In plain English? Some leaders believe global conflict is not a problem to avoid — it’s a stage to set. That should wake people up.

The Bible warned long ago that rulers and nations would chase power through deception, fear, and spiritual blindness. Christians aren’t called to panic over every headline, but we are called to recognize when political movements start sounding like counterfeit salvation stories.

Our Lord already told us who wins history.

“See that no one leads you astray.” — Matthew 24:4

The world keeps looking for a warrior-politician, a system, or an ideology to save humanity. But broken people cannot build heaven on earth with missiles, propaganda, or “holy” revolutions. That usually just creates more graves.

And honestly, if your end-times plan requires nukes and chaos to “help God out,” maybe rethink the strategy.

The real Kingdom of God will come with great power and glory when Jesus Christ returns, but that won’t be according to man’s timetable — and it won’t be by any manufactured apocalypse.

So what?
Today, spend 10 minutes reading Matthew 24 and praying for discernment. Don’t let headlines shape your worldview more than Scripture does.

Saturday Watchdog Alert: When You Are Your Own God

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The modern world promised freedom without God.
How’s that working out?

A recent report from the University of Southern California Center for Religion and Civic Culture says America continues to wrestle with the rise of the “nones” — people with no religious affiliation — even while many are desperately searching for spirituality again. Meanwhile, a Washington Post report on “nihilistic violent extremism” described a growing trend of young people embracing meaninglessness, rage, and destruction as identity itself.

That’s the problem with a culture that worships self.
When “you are your own god” becomes the national religion, eventually people realize their god is anxious, lonely, angry, addicted, and scrolling TikTok at 2:00 a.m.

So people drift into New Age spirituality, aesthetic Satanism, crystals, chaos, online occultism, or just plain numbness — because the human soul was built to worship something.

The Bible already diagnosed this centuries ago:

“They exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator.” — Romans 1:25

Here’s the good news: Jesus didn’t come to make you more religious. He came to rescue you from emptiness.

Turn off the noise for 15 minutes. No phone. No music. No doomscrolling. Think about your purpose in life and ask this:
“Are You really there?”

Thursday Watchdog Alert: Rumors Of Peace, Rumors Of War

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The Middle East is on fire again. Iran tensions are escalating, missile threats are growing, and global powers are scrambling to avoid a wider war. Meanwhile, Islamic extremism keeps dragging entire populations into cycles of fear and violence.

Rumors of a peace deal, then back to rumors of war the very next day.

So… is this biblical prophecy?

Maybe. Maybe not exactly the way YouTube prophecy gurus with blurry thumbnails claim every Tuesday night.

But Jesus did say: “You will hear of wars and rumors of wars… nation will rise against nation.” — Matthew 24:6-7

The point of prophecy was never “guess the date.” The point was: wake up. This world is fragile. Human governments cannot save us. And every missile launch reminds us we desperately need a King greater than Caesar, presidents, ayatollahs, or influencers with ring lights.

Here’s what should concern Christians most: global conflict always squeezes ordinary believers caught in the middle. Churches shrink underground. Fear rises. Hope fades. Yet historically, Christianity often grows strongest where comfort dies.

Funny how humans keep trying to build heaven without God… and accidentally create another dumpster fire instead.

Pray for Christians trapped in conflict zones. Read Matthew 24 slowly. Then do one bold thing this week that brings light instead of outrage—encourage someone, help someone, or share your faith without apology. The world has enough heat. Be light.

And remember this: There will be no peace absent the Prince of Peace.

Watchdog Alert: Faith That Doesn’t Bow

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Leaders of a prominent underground church have been detained in south-west China, according to a church statement, the latest blow in what appears to be a sweeping crackdown on unregistered Christian groups in the country.
From The Guardian

“The Chinese government has ushered in the new year with new arrests of underground Protestant church members,” said Yalkun Uluyol, China researcher at Human Rights Watch. “The government should immediately free those detained and let them freely practice their religion.”
From Human Rights Watch

Two headlines. Same message.

In China, authorities have detained pastors and church leaders from underground congregations, part of a sweeping crackdown on independent Christianity.
At the same time, reports confirm dozens of Zion Church leaders arrested and facing prison, simply for preaching outside state control.

That’s not ancient persecution. That’s right now.

Different cities. Same demand: Submit—or suffer.

“Indeed, all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.” — 2 Timothy 3:12

This is where the gap becomes obvious. In parts of the world, following Jesus costs your freedom. In others, we’re still debating how to make Christianity more comfortable.

But the gospel was never designed for comfort—it was built for conviction. Those pastors didn’t get arrested for being extreme. They got arrested for being faithful.

They refused to let the government define their message. They refused to dilute truth to stay safe. And that’s the dividing line coming into focus globally.

Not Catholic vs Protestant.
Not denominational labels.

Faithful… or flexible. Because pressure doesn’t destroy real faith. It reveals it.

The underground church in China is growing, not shrinking—because when everything is stripped away, what’s left is real. No branding. No performance. Just belief.

And that raises the question for us: What happens to our faith when it actually costs something? If our faith depends on comfort, it won’t survive conviction—but real faith stands when everything else is taken away.

What Is Bible Rebel?

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The Bible Rebel blog is a resource for those seeking original and curated content, including news and commentary, covering faith, biblical studies and interpretation, and the intersection of politics, culture, and the Bible.

Our Mission

  1. To monitor current news and events related to faith and culture.
  2. To provide an alternative viewpoint to the world’s pervasive climate of darkness, nihilism, and hopelessness for those seeking truth, light, and purpose.
  3. To examine and question the assumptions of religious tradition and provide a resource for information and inspiration for people of faith who have become dissatisfied with an increasingly lifeless and empty ‘churchianity’.
  4. To present the Biblical truths which reveal God’s nature and purposes and proclaim the lifechanging, world-altering, radical message of Yeshua the Messiah – Jesus Christ, our risen Lord and Savior. and to help regular, everyday folks understand the Bible and apply it in their lives.

Contact us at in**@********el.com

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Same Ground, Same Pressure, Same Plan

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The headlines out of the Middle East keep tightening—escalation, retaliation, alliances shifting, pressure building from every side. It feels unstable.

But that region has always been a pressure point—not just politically, but spiritually. Nations rise, fall, negotiate, and fight over the same land because it was never just about land. It’s about God’s plan for His creation.

Let’s go back to the beginning, where God tells Abraham in Genesis 17:7–8, “I will establish my covenant as an everlasting covenant between me and you and your descendants after you for the generations to come, to be your God and the God of your descendants after you. The whole land of Canaan, where you now reside as a foreigner, I will give as an everlasting possession to you and your descendants after you.”

Where? Not Ireland or Rome. Not America or France. It’s the land of Canaan—the place where both the modern and ancient state of Israel is and was located. The general area of what we now call the Middle East.

It’s called the Holy Land for a reason.

For how long? God established it by a holy covenant and gave it to Abraham and his seed forever—not just until the Church was born, not paused for a few thousand years, not waiting to restart when Jesus returns.

Forever means forever.

Who? Abraham and his, “…descendants after you for the generations to come, to be your God and the God of your descendants after you.”

The world keeps trying to solve something God already defined. Peace deals come and go. Ceasefires break. Tensions reset.

Everlasting peace doesn’t come from negotiation—it comes from the return of the King. Until then, pressure builds, and the Holy Land still matters. Israel still matters. A lot.

Let’s be vigilant and watch—but not through the eyes of fear. Through the lens God gave us.

Churchianity And Politics

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The folks who hated Jesus most, and the ones he leveled his most scathing rebukes at, were the religious leaders of his time and culture.

Followers of Yeshua the Messiah shouldn’t be surprised or discouraged by the ridicule and snarky attacks on us because of our faith, or by the tiresome and faithless virtue‑signaling and false preaching and teaching coming from the poohbahs and “leaders” of organized churchianity.

Just remember what the religious and political leaders of that time and that culture did to our Lord over 2,000 years ago, and to the faithful in subsequent generations.

There’s nothing new under the sun.

This present age is not our friend, but there is a day certain when this present age ends and the suffering Servant becomes a reigning King.

Watchdog Alert: Pope Leo XIV Wrong Again

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Photo via Julius Silvers, pexels.com

In a recent post, I pointed out that the current Pope was wrong about God not answering prayers from those engaged in war. Today we have another example of the Pontiff making erroneous claims.

On April 16, 2026, during his peace meeting at Saint Joseph’s Cathedral in Bamenda, Cameroon, Pope Leo XIV said the following:

“Jesus told us, ‘Blessed are the peacemakers, but woe to those who manipulate religion in the very name of God for their own military, economic, or political gain, dragging that which is sacred into darkness and filth.’”

Jesus didn’t say that.

The only part of what the Pope claimed — “Jesus told us…” — that Jesus actually told us is “Blessed are the peacemakers.” The other stuff about “political gain, dragging that which is sacred into darkness and filth”, was not something Jesus said.

In other words, the Pope is either lying about what our Lord said, intentionally trying to deceive people in order to make a political point, or he simply doesn’t know what Jesus actually said according to the Bible.

It may be a combination of all three.

The Twelfth Imam Is A Counterfeit Jesus Christ

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Shia Islam has a doctrine known as Twelver Shi‘ism.

According to this doctrine, the Twelfth Imam entered ghaybah (occultation) — a state of divine concealment — in the 9th century. He is considered to be still alive and will one day return as the Mahdi, a messianic figure who will establish global justice.

There is only one man who has died and been resurrected to live forevermore — Jesus Christ.

There is only one man who will one day return as King of kings and Lord of lords to “establish global justice” — Jesus Christ.

Those making similar claims about any other person who has ever lived are dealing in counterfeit spiritual currency.