This is utterly fascinating: "Luther was right about many things. He accurately diagnosed the corruption in the Catholic Church and sparked the Reformation. But when it came to Jews, he would have fit comfortably into the Ku Klux Klan. His later writings—On the Jews and Their Lies—advocated synagogue burning, confiscation of Jewish texts, expulsion, and stripping Jews of legal protection. His priestly cassock was already doing a bit of 'white sheeting' of its own."
The cherished icons or figures of any old religion does not translate well to our more enlightened age.
I’ve always wondered if the concept of hellfire made it easy for many believing Christians through the centuries to be cruel to Jews. If the person before you is headed for an eternity of suffering, what difference does it make if you treat him badly? Whatever you do, it’s no comparison to hellfire
Interesting (and rather ironic) parallel between Christian treatment of Jews and Muslim treatment of Jews (and Christians), namely degradation/humiliation of the latter by the former via discriminatory religious edicts and laws as a daily reminder of the supremacy of the former’s religion and culture. And just as Christian antisemitism was informed by its theological giants, so too has Muslim antisemitism for 1400 years, from the 7th century right through the 21st. The only question is whether Muslim antisemitism would have arisen and metastasized the way it has without Christian antisemitism providing a theological roadmap/template for centuries before and since its inception.
I have no idea, but I think that anti-Semitism is baked into the Koran in a way that it is not baked into the New Testament. The problem is that "Christianity" is not a faith for most, but they treat it as a heritage or ethnicity. But the blood libels? Those seem to have come from the French to the Germans to the Russians, to the Christian world, and then to the Muslims. (who right now are fully into them)
So interesting! It answers so many questions! I’m sure these facts are largely unknown in the Christian world. How can we ever have lasting peace among religions if historical truths and injustices are never exposed, grappled with and reconciled.
I learn more from writing these than from anything else, and that is why I write and read. I don't say that Jews are saints or perfect, but hey there, let's not lie about the past, and let's not get full of our selves so called Christians. Did Jews ever persecute Christians? I can't find an example, but to see so many theologians, titans of the faith, having such unChristian attitudes. Why is everyone kicking Jews? What did a Jew ever do to me?
"Legal disabilities, economic restrictions, enforced marginality—all justified as divine pedagogy." - These were the Mark of the Beast - upon Christians. No one could buy or sell without a Baptismal certificate. Our crucified and risen Jesus, whose mortal wound was healed, became a license for hatred, slaughter, slander, and cruelty against Jews. I write extensively about this - mostly in the archives now. Maybe its time to dust it off and expand on it.
That is a great question. I do not believe I am responsible for my father's sins. It says that in Eskial; I looked it up in chapter 18. My grandfather said horrible things about Jews; he had a grade 8 education, and my father thought he was just repeating Father Coglain's (radio) vulgarities because he never treated a Jew unjustly, to my knowledge. My father would have no truck with anti-Semitism; he was very clear in his example to me, Jews were just kids I played with at school, some were nice, some not, they had different holidays. I don’t see myself as part of Team Christian. I think that most Christians or self-declared ones are not, and I think that anyone who calls themselves a Christian and persecutes Jews in any way is living in complete contravention of the scripture. I have Jewish friends who say that they know Jewish businessmen who go to synagogue and give a lot of money, but they cheat in business, and he says why does the rabbi not come down on them? I think that if a Jew violates the Torah, they are not being a proper religious Jew, and if a Christian does the same and does not change or attempt it, they are not a Christian. It’s shocking that official persecution of Jews by the Catholic church (I am not Catholic) was renounced in 1965, not that long ago. Because of the abuse of Jews by so-called Christians (the real Nazis were pagans, I believe, but many catholics and religious people were Nazis), anyone who calls themselves a Christian should educate themselves and show kindness and respect. My example of a good Christian is Dietrich BonHoffer who was executed by Hitler, not the rest of them. I’m not sure my answer is enough. I went to a Lutheran school, was never a Lutheran, but Luther was horrible. I would not pay for my children's tuition if they went to a Lutheran college. I do my best to practise what I preach. My question is, why am I not normal in my attitude toward Jews? Today, it is the Muslims who are leading the hate toward Jews, but we need Israel. I have read too much about neighbours betraying Jewish friends in Germany; there must be a place to flee. I do my best to act in accordance with my faith and conscience, of course I fail, but I am shocked at the anti semitism and hatred not of the protesters on the street, they are crude, but worse are the often white, and utterly false bureaucrats who don’t say outwardly negative things to Jews, they just protect those who attack them, and it’s usually Muslims. My fear is that my entire university has been silenced, put into a state of fear because of what has happened to me, and that there are many anti-Semites at the top who hide it magnificently. But my final chapter is not written, I hope that the Board at the U of Guelph and Humber has some shame and gets rid of the VP and AVP and absolutely the head of ‘human rights’ - someone who is the most anti-Semitic on campus.
A sad but accurate commentary about how Jews were treated in Christian societies over the centuries. Mary Holley, a staunchly Christian writing a substack called "Esau's Kiss," writes extensively about the interplay between Judaism and Christianity, with depth of knowledge and respect for Judaism. The Yiddish writer Sholem Ash wrote a classic novel about Jesus called "The Nazarene," which caused many of his Yiddish publishers to mistakenly believe he had converted to Christianity. I recently read a book by Christian historian Elaine Pagels called "Miracles and Wonders," about Jesus. While accepting much of what is reported in the New Testament as true, she took exception as historically inaccurate that Jews were in any way responsible for the Roman crucifixion of Jesus. Jesus was one among thousands of Jews crucified by gentiles (Romans). Josephus and other historrians report Pontius Pilate was cruel and enjoyed crucifying Jews. The notion Jews in the limited form of the Sanhedrin had any sway over Pilate is historically inaccurate. When one examines the teachings of Jesus and his large and growing following, one can see how Rome could have viewed this influential Rabbi as a threat to Rome and a potential leader of a rebellion.
Excellent post. We were discussing this just yesterday. You illuminate it even more clearly.
This is utterly fascinating: "Luther was right about many things. He accurately diagnosed the corruption in the Catholic Church and sparked the Reformation. But when it came to Jews, he would have fit comfortably into the Ku Klux Klan. His later writings—On the Jews and Their Lies—advocated synagogue burning, confiscation of Jewish texts, expulsion, and stripping Jews of legal protection. His priestly cassock was already doing a bit of 'white sheeting' of its own."
The cherished icons or figures of any old religion does not translate well to our more enlightened age.
I went to a Lutheran College. But I was too hungover on Sundays to ever make it to church.
I’ve always wondered if the concept of hellfire made it easy for many believing Christians through the centuries to be cruel to Jews. If the person before you is headed for an eternity of suffering, what difference does it make if you treat him badly? Whatever you do, it’s no comparison to hellfire
Interesting (and rather ironic) parallel between Christian treatment of Jews and Muslim treatment of Jews (and Christians), namely degradation/humiliation of the latter by the former via discriminatory religious edicts and laws as a daily reminder of the supremacy of the former’s religion and culture. And just as Christian antisemitism was informed by its theological giants, so too has Muslim antisemitism for 1400 years, from the 7th century right through the 21st. The only question is whether Muslim antisemitism would have arisen and metastasized the way it has without Christian antisemitism providing a theological roadmap/template for centuries before and since its inception.
I have no idea, but I think that anti-Semitism is baked into the Koran in a way that it is not baked into the New Testament. The problem is that "Christianity" is not a faith for most, but they treat it as a heritage or ethnicity. But the blood libels? Those seem to have come from the French to the Germans to the Russians, to the Christian world, and then to the Muslims. (who right now are fully into them)
So interesting! It answers so many questions! I’m sure these facts are largely unknown in the Christian world. How can we ever have lasting peace among religions if historical truths and injustices are never exposed, grappled with and reconciled.
I learn more from writing these than from anything else, and that is why I write and read. I don't say that Jews are saints or perfect, but hey there, let's not lie about the past, and let's not get full of our selves so called Christians. Did Jews ever persecute Christians? I can't find an example, but to see so many theologians, titans of the faith, having such unChristian attitudes. Why is everyone kicking Jews? What did a Jew ever do to me?
"Legal disabilities, economic restrictions, enforced marginality—all justified as divine pedagogy." - These were the Mark of the Beast - upon Christians. No one could buy or sell without a Baptismal certificate. Our crucified and risen Jesus, whose mortal wound was healed, became a license for hatred, slaughter, slander, and cruelty against Jews. I write extensively about this - mostly in the archives now. Maybe its time to dust it off and expand on it.
Paul—I believe you are a Christian. How do you reconcile your faith with its historical record of extreme subjugation of Jews?
That is a great question. I do not believe I am responsible for my father's sins. It says that in Eskial; I looked it up in chapter 18. My grandfather said horrible things about Jews; he had a grade 8 education, and my father thought he was just repeating Father Coglain's (radio) vulgarities because he never treated a Jew unjustly, to my knowledge. My father would have no truck with anti-Semitism; he was very clear in his example to me, Jews were just kids I played with at school, some were nice, some not, they had different holidays. I don’t see myself as part of Team Christian. I think that most Christians or self-declared ones are not, and I think that anyone who calls themselves a Christian and persecutes Jews in any way is living in complete contravention of the scripture. I have Jewish friends who say that they know Jewish businessmen who go to synagogue and give a lot of money, but they cheat in business, and he says why does the rabbi not come down on them? I think that if a Jew violates the Torah, they are not being a proper religious Jew, and if a Christian does the same and does not change or attempt it, they are not a Christian. It’s shocking that official persecution of Jews by the Catholic church (I am not Catholic) was renounced in 1965, not that long ago. Because of the abuse of Jews by so-called Christians (the real Nazis were pagans, I believe, but many catholics and religious people were Nazis), anyone who calls themselves a Christian should educate themselves and show kindness and respect. My example of a good Christian is Dietrich BonHoffer who was executed by Hitler, not the rest of them. I’m not sure my answer is enough. I went to a Lutheran school, was never a Lutheran, but Luther was horrible. I would not pay for my children's tuition if they went to a Lutheran college. I do my best to practise what I preach. My question is, why am I not normal in my attitude toward Jews? Today, it is the Muslims who are leading the hate toward Jews, but we need Israel. I have read too much about neighbours betraying Jewish friends in Germany; there must be a place to flee. I do my best to act in accordance with my faith and conscience, of course I fail, but I am shocked at the anti semitism and hatred not of the protesters on the street, they are crude, but worse are the often white, and utterly false bureaucrats who don’t say outwardly negative things to Jews, they just protect those who attack them, and it’s usually Muslims. My fear is that my entire university has been silenced, put into a state of fear because of what has happened to me, and that there are many anti-Semites at the top who hide it magnificently. But my final chapter is not written, I hope that the Board at the U of Guelph and Humber has some shame and gets rid of the VP and AVP and absolutely the head of ‘human rights’ - someone who is the most anti-Semitic on campus.
A sad but accurate commentary about how Jews were treated in Christian societies over the centuries. Mary Holley, a staunchly Christian writing a substack called "Esau's Kiss," writes extensively about the interplay between Judaism and Christianity, with depth of knowledge and respect for Judaism. The Yiddish writer Sholem Ash wrote a classic novel about Jesus called "The Nazarene," which caused many of his Yiddish publishers to mistakenly believe he had converted to Christianity. I recently read a book by Christian historian Elaine Pagels called "Miracles and Wonders," about Jesus. While accepting much of what is reported in the New Testament as true, she took exception as historically inaccurate that Jews were in any way responsible for the Roman crucifixion of Jesus. Jesus was one among thousands of Jews crucified by gentiles (Romans). Josephus and other historrians report Pontius Pilate was cruel and enjoyed crucifying Jews. The notion Jews in the limited form of the Sanhedrin had any sway over Pilate is historically inaccurate. When one examines the teachings of Jesus and his large and growing following, one can see how Rome could have viewed this influential Rabbi as a threat to Rome and a potential leader of a rebellion.
I had no idea how bad it was.