ANTISEMITISM

Is any cause so utterly stupid and evil, so absolutely without any redeeming value, as antisemitism? (I spell it this way, without a hyphen, because that is how reputable Jewish scholars have decided in recent years it should be spelled.)

Antisemitism is just plain evil.

There seem to be several kinds. Christian antisemitism is arguably the most virulent.

Christian Antisemitism

Early Christians seem to have had a real grudge against Judaism. In the Christian collection the New Testament we encounter Jesus of Nazareth's many, many remarks directed against the Pharisees. Jesus and his followers can't seem to find enough bad things to say about them -- about their hypocrisy and self-righteousness -- or about the Saducees, the priests, and the scribes.

Is it possible that Jesus was looking for recognition from the Jewish religious authorities, and became royally angry with them for refusing it? Perhaps. We may never know.

But the New Testament blames the Jewish authorities for refusing to heed Jesus' message, and for causing his death. Perhaps this is all the touchiness of a new religion, trying to establish its own identity against those already established.

Again, we cannot be sure. But the picture of the Pharisees and the other Jewish groups in authority is entirely unflattering, and in some ways seems to go against historical fact.

For example:

[To Be Continued and Revised]

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Last modified: 9:25 PM 12/12/2001