On the other hand, there have been Jewish states before modern Israel, and it always ended in tears. Maybe believing that you're God's chosen people inevitably causes you to act with an arrogance and belief in your own invincibilty that eventually causes your country to be destroyed. If you believe God literally wants you to have a piece of dirt, why practice good diplomacy and have good relations with your neighbors? Your only concern is keeping God happy. In the Old Testament, the Israelites suffered invasion only when they somehow let God down. With that as your cultural foundation, what does that do to your nation's foreign policy?

Part of me really is starting to wonder if giving folks who think they're God's special chosen people was a terrible mistake.