This reading group guide for Can America Survive? by John Hagee includes an introduction, discussion questions, and ideas for enhancing your book club. The suggested questions are intended to help your reading group find new and interesting angles and topics for your discussion. We hope that these ideas will enrich your conversation and increase your enjoyment of the book. 
 

INTRODUCTION

As an outspoken, conservative Christian leader, Pastor John Hagee heats up the debate about the intersection of American politics, Iran’s nuclear capabilities, Israel’s heritage, the Mayan Prophecy for 2012, and the end of the world as we know it. Using biblical prophecy as his inspiration, Hagee issues a wake-up call to his readers, urging them to pay attention to the warning signs around us that the end of days may soon be at hand.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

1. In the opening pages of Can America Survive, Pastor John Hagee compares our country’s complacency to that of travelers on the Titanic, who believed their ship “unsinkable,” despite its having struck an iceberg (p. 4). Given the impact of the terrorist attacks of 9/11 and a series of widely-publicized incidents that reveal our country is at risk, what accounts for our country’s false sense of security? Do you agree?

2. “The only thing that can prevent the imminent nuclear attack on America, Europe, and Israel is to prevent Iran from becoming a nuclear nation . . . America’s government does not presently have the will to face down Iran with the military option” (p. 20). What are the international implications of a nuclear-armed Iran?

3. Pastor Hagee blames a culture of “political correctness” for the murderous rampage against soldiers at Ft. Hood, Texas, which many believe was the work of a U.S. Army officer, Major Nadal M. Hasan, a radical Muslim (p. 52). How might political correctness have abetted this heinous crime?

4. “The Islamic terrorist cells that have the ability to make and set off nuclear bombs are not coming—they are already here. They are trained! They are ready! They are willing! YOU and your family are the targets!” (p. 87). How do you respond to Pastor Hagee’s warnings? What steps have you taken or will you take to protect yourself and your country? 

5. “The three major entitlement programs—Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid—will consume 100 percent of the federal budget within the next sixty years, crowding out all other budget categories, including interest payments and national security” (p. 118). If you were president of the United States, what steps would you take to prevent the economic and social crises our nation is faces? When the obligations of domestic programs threaten to overtake a nation’s ability to defend itself, how should it proceed?   

6. What does the dollar’s potential loss of dominance to other currencies mean to the country’s status as an economic and military superpower? How concerned are you about this possibility and why?

7. “There are many signs in the book of Esther that foreshadow the hanging of the Nazi war criminals at Nuremberg . . .” (p. 151). To what extent do you agree with Pastor Hagee’s interpretations of scripture? Which correlations made by Hagee between scripture and contemporary history seem especially persuasive? Which, if any, seem more tenuous to you?

8. “America has rejected the truth of God’s word. We have rejected God Himself, and all we have left is the secular humanist lie” (p. 235). In what ways has America as a nation departed from its Judeo-Christian foundations? Given that America was established by its  founders as a democracy and not a theocracy, to what extent is this evolution in keeping with its formation?



ENHANCE YOUR BOOK CLUB

1. You’ve already read Pastor John Hagee’s book. Now watch Pastor Hagee preach a sermon from the sanctuary of Cornerstone Church in San Antonio, Texas. Your book club can enjoy a sermon virtually, by visiting the website of Cornerstone Church and accessing a live webcast of a Sunday morning service. Live webcasts are available at 11AM and 6:30PM CST. Just visit: http://www.jhm.org/ME2/Default.asp and follow links to “Live Webcast.”

2. Throughout Can America Survive, Pastor John Hagee revisits the biblical prophets who anticipate future events. Have you ever experienced prophetic moments in your life, where something significant that occurred seemed to have been predicted days, months, or even years earlier? Who were they? Write down some of the experiences you’ve had and the people you’ve encountered and share with your book club.  
 
3. What do you already know about Iran that isn’t reported in the evening news? Would you like to learn more about a country that may soon possess nuclear weapons? The C.I.A. website offers a detailed compendium of information about the country’s history, geography, government, economy, communications, transportation, and military. Visit: https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/ir.html to read more.