LTRJ Note: Between the years 2014 and 2019, while Lighthouse Trails was located in NW Montana, a number of different Lighthouse Trails readers from across North America came to visit us. Three of those visits took us completely by surprise and more so shock because the visitors in those three cases spoke vehemently against Jewish people. Two of them we would classify as antisemitic. One of them was a very misinformed and misled Christian widow whom we are happy to say no longer adheres to those views.
In the following letter to the editor from Lighthouse Trails author Maria Kneas (who herself is Jewish), she shares a public letter that was written recently by Dennis Prager (of PragerU – a respected conservative think tank) to Candace Owens (a popular conservative figure). We are compelled to share Maria’s letter as well as Prager’s letter to Ms. Owens because some of the issues Prager addresses in his letter are the same as ones spoken to us by our three visitors at our former Montana location. It is our hope that Prager’s document will bring to light some of the lies that have been told about the Jews and Israel, lies which, unfortunately, many believe and thus leads to antisemitism. And sadly, Candace Owens, a once-revered figure among countless conservative evangelicals has become a conduit for these lies and as Dennis Prager puts it is “harming Jews and Israel.”
By Maria Kneas
Dear Lighthouse Trails Editors:
I felt it was important to let you and your readers have this information. Candace Owens has become viciously antisemitic, promoting some of the worst blood libels imaginable.
Below is a link to a letter written by Dennis Prager to Candace. This gives background information, history, and a 15-page letter he wrote to Candace about what she has been saying.
Candace used to be a valuable conservative voice. But now she is spouting deadly nonsense. And she should know better because for years she has been friends with Dennis Prager, who is Jewish.
We are living in troubling times, especially when you consider that some American universities (including Columbia University) have had anti-Israel demonstrations. I’ve seen videos of American students chanting “Gas the Jews!” and carrying signs that said the same.
I’ve also read reports of Jewish students at American universities staying in their rooms because they were afraid to go to their classes due to the violent antisemitism on campus. And of rabbis urging Jewish students to leave the universities until things calmed down.
My mother was Jewish, and I was raised on stories of the Holocaust. I became the first Christian in my family.
The following is the beginning of Dennis Prager’s letter (link to full letter at end):
Dennis Prager’s Letter to Candace Owens
On September 4, 2024, I sent [a] letter to Candace Owens regarding many comments she has made about Jews, Zionism and Israel. I have known Candace for about as long as she has been in public life. She began her podcasting at PragerU in 2019 and left in 2021. She left on very good terms. To this day, she often speaks of her respect and love for Marissa Streit, CEO of PragerU, and me.
Within hours of receiving my letter, Candace replied:
“I deeply appreciate this e-mail and I will respond to it thoroughly. Please know that I respect you tremendously and it is difficult for me to reconcile how I feel about you and Marissa and the amazing way in which I was treated by you both, and my new feelings and understanding about Zionism. Please give me a bit of time to respond to all of your points. You can always reach out to me and no matter which side of this or any political debate we wind up on, my love and respect for you and Marissa and your treatment of me will never be swayed.”
As it happens, more than two weeks later, Candace had not responded to the letter. Given the number of subjects covered, the letter’s length, and Candace’s busy family life and career, I did not expect her to. I sent it to Candace to give her the chance to respond and because I did not want her to first see it when it went public.
Last week, after not hearing from her, I emailed Candace that I would be publishing the letter. We then spoke on the phone, she briefly explained why she hadn’t been able to respond in writing, and she in no way objected to my making the letter public.
I wish I did not have to write this letter. But Candace has said many things that need to be answered. The primary reasons I have not spoken out sooner are that I needed to become fully acquainted with all or nearly all the things she has said about Jews, Zionism, and Israel, make sure I quoted her accurately, and that I never did so out of context. That was time-consuming work.
I ask anyone who has been influenced by Candace with regard to Jews, Israel, and Zionism to make the effort to read this entire letter. If you care about truth, I believe you have a moral obligation to do so.
Dennis Prager
Dennis Prager’s public letter to Candace Owens, dated 9/3/24: To download the 15-page letter, click here.
Related Articles:
“How Dangerous Are the Anti-Israel Conservatives?”
“Social Media’s Antisemitic Underbelly” by Chris Katulka
(photo of candle and Israel flag from istockphoto.com; used with permission)
Ag,
Yes, it is indeed a shame along with his antisemitic views.
I’ve followed Tucker and Candace and was heartbroken when I heard Tucker interviewing John Rich. When he explained the gospel to Tucker and it was from a reformed/Calvinist perspective and Mr. Carlson was listening so intently, I cried. I’ve prayed for Tucker for years because of his love for truth and I was so excited when I could see him shifting to more of an understanding of God. It’s such a shame when our hunt for truth leads us into the arms of reformed theology and replacement theology.
Praying for Candace and Tucker
I thought it had a lot to do with her becoming a catholic because I think catholics blame the Jews for the death of Jesus.
Thanks for this info. I was concerned when Mrs. Owens added a video of John Piper to one of her shows. I have also heard some of her antisemitism. Piper is a Calvinist and anti-Semitic and the two flush together. I overheard a Calvinist lady state that the Nazis had their reasons for the holocaust. One day, all the Jews will follow Christ and He will rule the world from Jerusalem. They are not to be despised though most reject their Messiah at this time.
A very good letter, worth the time.
Thank you for publishing Dennis Prager’s letter to Candace Owens! I just finished reading it. Excellent response to Candace Owens.