Subject: Re: Jews
Date: Thu, 14 Jan 1999 01:03:55 +0900
From: Michael Smith <>
Newsgroups: aus.religion.christian,aus.religion

Nigel B. Mitchell wrote:
> 
> In the light of my recent discussion with Greg, the following may
> shed some light on my position in regard to the question of
> Christian attitudes to Jews and Judaism.
> 
> I will be using this as the basis of my sermon this coming Sunday
> at the 8:00 am and 5:00 pm services at St George's Cathedral,
> Perth. Critics/supporters/interested onlookers are welcome.

Hi Nigel

As I will be unable to make it to Perth this Sunday, I thought I'd make
a couple of points by news/email.  My first point is made with some
trepidation, as it's in an area where my knowledge is extremely
incomplete.  The second is in an are where I'm only moderately
incompetene, so I speak with much more confidence there :-)

In the Pharisees Web page which I pointed out a little while ago, there
is a discussion on the Hillel and Shammai Pharisees.  The suggestion
there is that many of the very negative comments about Jews in the NT
were directed specifically at the Shammai Pharisees, and that they were
in fact deserved.  At the time you seemed to agree with the general
thrust, however your recent comments seem to contradict that -
attributing the NT writers' negative attitude to less noble motives. 
Have I misunderstood you here?  

Secondly, let me challenge your emphasis on the NT as a reason for
anti-semitism.  Let me suggest that, while it is often an excuse, it is
less often a reason (though I wouldn't say "never").

Wherever you see well defined sub-groups within a society, those
sub-groups are often perceived as "outsiders" and become convenient
scapegoats.  The Chinese suffered greatly from this early in Australia's
history, and to a lesser extent throughout our history.  They are also
suffering from it to a great extent in modern Indonesia.  Latin
Americans have seen some of this in the US.  Examples of greater and
lesser degrees of sub-group persecution have always abounded in history.

The Jews are particularly vulnerable to this.  For most of the last two
millenia they have not had a homeland - thus they have been scattered
through many parts of the world.  Their culture and religion tend to
discourage intermarriage, and so they are very slow to "blend in".  The
Jews are often seen to have an excellent work ethic, and to take care of
their own - frequently leading to prosperity.  This leads others to view
them not only as "outsiders" but as "prosperous outsiders".  Just as the
poverty stricken Indonesians have been reacting with violence against
the more prosperous Chinese, so many people have become jealous of the
Jews over the years.

Lets there be any misunderstanding, let me emphasise that I am not
criticizing the Jews here.  Hard work, and looking after your kin, can
hardly be seen as a crime.  Rather the fault is with human nature, where
anybody different is a target for persecution, and anybody prosperous is
a target for jealosy.

If you listen to the average southern American paranoid, they are not
(generally) crying out about the Jews treatment of Jesus - they are
worried that the Jews are infiltrating high places and bidding to take
over the world.  It's not usually religious fanaticism, but Garden
variety paranoia.  Sure, they will add "Christ killer" to the list of
insults, but it's an excuse rather than a reason.  The reason is human
prejudice.

Do you really believe that Hitler was concerned with the New Testament? 
He was an opportunistic, power-hungry, maniac.  He needed a scapegoat
and the Jews provided a convenient one.  He also persecuted blacks,
gypsies, the handicapped and many other groups - but they were less
numerous in Germany at the time.  The Jews were there, and they gave him
a rallying point.  

I agree with you that anti-semitism is evil and indefensible.

I agree that misunderstanding the NT certainly fuels the evil that is
anti-semitism.

However I think that above all, it is (gender non-specific)mankind's
foolishness and sinfulness which is at the root of the problem.

Regards

Michael

-- 
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Michael Smith                                        
Emmenjay Consulting Pty Ltd             http://www.zip.com.au/~emmenjay/

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