Comments on: American Jews and “Christophobia”

By: J.J.

J.J. — Fri, 31 May 2024 00:09:57 +0000

Molly Brown, thanks for the correction. I’ make no claim to be a Biblical scholar, and now recognize how much harder it is.

By: Molly+Brown

Molly+Brown — Thu, 30 May 2024 18:15:37 +0000

J.J.
Not to nitpick, but you make a common assumptive error. In John 13:34 Jesus says; ‘A new commandment I give unto you, that ye love one another; even as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.’
This is NOT the same as ‘treat one another as we would like to be treated’*. Not even close. It is much more profound and demanding. We are commanded to reach beyond our human limitations and extend to each other the grace and mercy God has given us.
LOL. I often think that Jews have their greatest struggle with the 1st commandment and Christians with the 11th.
And Kate is right, despite our differences, we have to stick together, because there is a force in this world that wants to wipe out ALL the commandments. ‘First the Saturday people, then the Sunday people.’
*What if you hate yourself and think you deserve punishment?!

By: om

om — Thu, 30 May 2024 17:40:02 +0000

Richard Aubrey:

As huxley has often said, people aren’t entirely rational.

By: Richard+Aubrey

Richard+Aubrey — Thu, 30 May 2024 12:52:01 +0000

Kate.
Agree as to nervousness. But. A certain portion of that nervousness should be general. Always be looking over your shoulder. No matter who you are.
And over your neighbor’s shoulder.
To which it is legitimate to add fear of Jew-hate.
But what is the connection with what seem to be counter productive political views and voting patterns?

By: om

om — Thu, 30 May 2024 11:59:04 +0000

Amen, sister Kate! Amen.

By: Kate

Kate — Thu, 30 May 2024 11:40:14 +0000

A quarter century before my birth there was a Democrat national convention which was dubbed “the Klanbake” because a large plurality of the delegates were members of the KKK. A huge hooded KKK gathering was held nearby, and a resolution to condemn it was defeated at the convention. The KKK targeted blacks, but also Catholics and Jews. In 1913 a Jewish man in Atlanta, Leo Frank, was dragged out of jail and lynched by a mob for a crime he probably didn’t commit. On a milder note, Jews were excluded from many universities, and from many social clubs.

What worries me is that the undercurrent of Jew-hating now bubbling up mostly on the left will become massively violent. There have already been some synagogue shootings by some sick people. At this point the hatred and violence are not coming from good Christian people like those who haunt this blog, and I am sure we won’t become like that, those of us here. But in Germany, in recent history, good people did acquiesce in atrocities. Jewish nervousness is not irrational, even in America.

By: FOAF

FOAF — Thu, 30 May 2024 07:35:13 +0000

“But in my experience they fall into two kinds: foreign-born and American-born.

What they all have in common is that they hate Jews.

By: Brian E

Brian E — Thu, 30 May 2024 06:03:08 +0000

Proselytizing has been going on for a long time.

Here is what Paul said in his letter to the church at Rome:

Brothers, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for them [his fellow Jews] is that they may be saved.
For I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge.
For, being ignorant of the righteousness of God, and seeking to establish their own, they did not submit to God’s righteousness.
For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes. Romans 10:1-4

Paul’s ministry was to the Gentiles– but his heart ached for his fellow Jews.

By: Brian E

Brian E — Thu, 30 May 2024 05:46:04 +0000

What a different United States we live in. My wife was watching an old Tonight Show episode where Johnny was interviewing Billy Graham. Billy talked about a crusade he had just completed in Korea– where the message of salvation through faith in Jesus was resonating.
Billy shared the message of salvation, and the prospect of punishment for those who reject Jesus.
The interview was probably close to 1/2 hour.

By: John+Guilfoyle

John+Guilfoyle — Thu, 30 May 2024 05:29:59 +0000

“Jews and Christians are aware that they share roots.”

No. It is more than that. And you know it. Jews & Christians share a sacred story and sacred texts.
And I assume by “bifurcation” you mean “Jesus.”

Absolutely…and a whole stack of 1st century Jews (and plenty since) saw that “bifurcation” as something grander: the absolute universal fulfilment of every hope & promise they’d received since Abraham…the heart of their sacred story and sacred texts. Every sermon those 1st century Jews preached drew on the sacred story & sacred texts that connected them to the dawn of Creation & linked them to God’s ultimate fulfilment in ages to come. Paul would say that the “wall of hostility” separating Jew & Gentile is demolished…that we have no reason to be a threat to one another any longer. (Have we always lived that out to full effect? Sadly…no)

Of course people of every stripe of faith reject that…but that does not diminish its grandeur nor its veracity nor its invitation and accessibility to all.

My point…to simply allay this fear: “But the idea that some Jews might still see the goal of conversion as a potential threat is neither crazy nor completely unjustified, and it is up to Christians to show otherwise.”

“Threat”? If you or anyone else (Jew or otherwise) finds the same hope as the original followers of Jesus…discovers the same life-transforming joy as Paul (a good Benjaminite Pharisee no less) the same strength, peace, contentment…as generations since…Good Lord how is that a threat?!?

This isn’t about adding scalps to one’s belt or even butt’s to one’s pews…but what I quoted from that wild-eyed Pharisee earlier…Acts 26:29 “Short time or long—I pray to God that not only you but all who are listening to me today may become what I am…” To find a wholeness available nowhere else & a fulfilment that can’t be ripped from your heart. If that scares you…then forgive me…but I can’t do other than offer.