To start off with, I do not believe that I am an anti-Semite. I don’t like the Christian nor Muslim world views any more or any less. More on the real culprit later. This is a posting on a bulletin board that I came across. It had all of the elements of my own inner conflict over my acquaintance with “Jews” and connections to Israel. So, I’ve copied the posting here, changed the names to protect the innocent and responded to several statements made in defense to some admittedly derogatory and inflammatory “Anti-Semitic” statements. You see, I have been accused of being Anti-Semitic in the past, yet I do not see myself as being such. Though, I guess if one is sensitive to bald spots, any reference to a patch or a shiner could be construed as an insult. But then, I never really got the insult intended by being called a honky or a cracker, either. It just didn’t sting. I’m more apt to take offence to being called a christian, to which I was born and all I was taught until I left.So, the post is as follows with my comments numbered throughout.Poster 1 says: "I do not see Judaism as a religion at all. They do not really believe in an after life - it is more simply an ideology."
Hey watch that Anti-Semitic tone there Poster! As a Reformed Jew, I have no clue whether Judiasm as a whole has an afterlife or not. Perhaps you should speak to a Conservative or an Orthodox Jew to get their take. Whether Judiasm believes in an afterlife or not, it IS a religion! I call the comment Anti-Semitic because I saw no reference to any other religion being downgraded as not being one simply because an afterlife is believed in or not! I don't see any other religion referred to "as simply an ideology". Judiasm is always picked on because it doesn't conform to what others think a religion should be or because someone else writes something about Judiasm that's false which people believe.
(1) Buddhism is "as simply an ideology". But they get along with their neighbors. It is their neighbors that tend to treat Buddhists as door mats. Still, you don’t hear them crying or anyone else crying about them (nor especially for them). And ‘Jews”, “Judaism”, and Israel are three separate things. Admittedly, some are subsets of others in some cases. But they are essentially separate entities."There was no "Exodus" no Moses, no Solomon and IF there was a DAvid he was merely a petty chieftain of a band of cutthroats."
Pardon me again? There WAS an Exodus. Why do you think Passover exists? Or do you care! Obviously you've never deined yourself the honor of going to a Passover Cedar which exists to remind our people of how we fled Egypt and slavery whether it's mentioned in the Bible or other texts or not. Bother to to a Seder and every single item that we eat has a significant meaning that deals with our Exodus.Ya might even learn something! I haven't been to a Sedar since I was 20, but I well remember them. One of the first things read in the prayer books at a Seder is "Why is this night different than any other night?" It sure wasn't because it was wrestling night!The items on the Sedar plate are symbols of our Exodus. We believe there was a Moses despite what others have written in whatever text. I don't know if there was a Solomon, but if there was, he shouldn't be ignored, nor do not think there was ever a David. Calling him a "petty chieftan" is insulting. You might as well say Jesus was a "petty" person according to his position. If David was real, and he's considered a "petty chieftan of cutthroats" his being Jewish was probably a good justification for villainizing him.
(2) “Why do you think Passover exists? Or do you care!” So, you get together every year to commemorate a myth. Actually, who does care? One night long ago in Egypt people smeared blood on their doors to keep the “loving hand of God” from killing their children out of revenge? “We believe there was a Moses despite what others have written in whatever text.” And some people believe in the tooth fairy. You believe in the Passover just like another believes in the coming of a ‘Messiah’, like another believes in a Jewish Conspiracy. Fairy tales to explain the incomprehensible. To make sense of the nonsensical. And “ whatever text” can be used to label your own ‘religious’ recitations (i.e. Exodus, Torah). History will look back at Hitler and Bush as a "petty chieftan of cutthroats". So, David’s ‘Jewishness’ is not the only justification for villainizing him. He was fairly corrupt in action, if not remorseful at heart. But he was a human, not worse than that.Poster 1 the Anti-Semite also says:
"there is no way that the Jews CAN live in peace with their neighbors - never have and never will because they think they are different,"
(3) Please see numbers (1) and (6).We could live in peace with our neighbors if people didn't always try to take things from us,just like any other radicals of a religion, and when we do the same, we're villainized. Why do you think we're different? Do you expect us to be a submissive people? I don't consider myself different from you, nor superior. Another Anti-Semitic myth that you get from television news.Obviously you'd never 'lower' yourself to have any Jewish friends to find out we're not all the same.
(4) I am of German lineage. That doesn’t mean that I am the equivalent of Hitler. Nor does it indicate that I personally owe the Jews (let’s call them Israel) a thing in the world for what happened to them in WWII (or when they were taken into captivity the first 2 or 3 times and were subsequently scattered throughout the world, for that matter). Yet, my taxes go to subsidize Israel and all her out right acts of genocide committed against the Palestinians to date (as if Amerika doesn’t have enough of its own crimes to atone for). I really don’t feel that I am liable for that. And the Israeli Lobby does heavily influence U.S. Foreign Policy that doesn’t really help American Citizens at all! “And when we do the same, we're villainized.” Two wrongs are the beginnings of a tragedy. Incidentally, I’ve had a lot of ‘Jewish friends’. And most of them have converted to a more Buddhist tradition. A few of them were actually great ‘teachers’ of spirituality. Perhaps my experience with ‘Jews’ is unique, I don’t know. I have also had a very dear friend who was Lebanese. Not a nicer guy in the world! Yet Israel drops bombs on Lebanese civilian populations with impunity."it is imperative to their way of think that they keep themselves - they are conditioned from birth to believe that they are "chosen" by someone called Yahwweh" (tribal god NOT the God of All) Their leaders (Levitical priests and so forth) have kept them tightly controlled for two and ahalf thousand years by this totalatarian method."
Excuse me again, Anti-Semitic? It's no doubt written that we believe we're the "Chosen" people, but I was never "conditioned from birth" to think I'm any more "Chosen" than any other person from a religion. Those that do DON'T speak for all Jews, just like not all Jews are religious. I never went to Temple but my brother did. He hated it. He was confirmed so he would be looked upon as a "man" at 13. My brother is so obnoxious that he'd never be considered a "man" in my book. I was never confirmed, but I still consider myself a "woman" whether a Rabbi thinks of me as one or not. I can't read/write/speak Hebrew. But I'm no less of a Jew, nor am I less of one because I'm not religious.Although Jews started all the major movie studios, I don't personally own them, or any other business. I'm not a lawyer, banker, accountant, all the stereotyped jobs a Jew is 'supposed' to have. I save my money NOT because I'm a Jew, but because it helps me have enough for bills. We're a free people and controlled by no one. We think for ourselves, and do for ourselves. We're not all controlled by any leaders. I've had encounters with the practioners of Yahwweh and they're what I call Super Jews and they're as intolerant as the most radical Christians and I don't like 'em because they tried to force me to be as radical. I've dealt with a couple Orthodox Jews and they're not to my liking because they think they're 'better'. But we're not ALL alike and you're spreading nonsense about us to suit your hatred of us based on newscasts and stereotypes. Now there ARE some Orthodox who would be considered totalitarian, but they don't rule the Conservativs or the Reformed Jews. Times have changed in a couple thousand years.
(5) What you fail to mention here is the fact that the Jewish off shoot called Christianity are the ones that are bamboozled into believing that you, and by extension them too, are the “Chosen Ones”. And that’s a lot of people to have brainwashed into following Israel blindly. And most of them ARE ‘programmed from birth’ to believe “you better leave them Jews alone! They’re God’s Chosen People!” And, yes, I have actually heard people say that out loud, in public! (as they climb back into their pick up truck and spin out down the gravel road)."Jews like to believe that they are more intelligent than the rest of the Human Family - yet they have been so easily used and abused!"
Excuse me, Poster 1, but you're spreading Anti-Semitic lies again! Shame on you! Where in the world did you get the idea that we think we're more intelligent? Those Jews that DO think they're more intelligent are the ignorant among us! We don't all think the same, and I'm on the same intelligence level as you! We're easily "used" and "abused" by those who don't know us, and base their knowledge of us on lies and stereotypes. Would you be so adament about Christians or Baptists who are "used" and "abused" for others' amusement based on lies? The problem with many is that they'll believe your Anti-Semitic crap.
(6) Uh, what is a ‘goyim’? “Used and abused” or not, what is a ‘goyim’? By definition, I think it means something like ‘dog, animal, or less than human’. I could be wrong, but that is my understanding of the mind set of the Jew: non-Jews are less than human, ‘goyim’. And there is not a human alive who does not have direct ancestors who lived under brutal totalitarianism at some point in time. So, by the Israeli standard, we are all "used" and "abused" for others' amusement. Yet, we try to live among one another, not separate from others, while confiscating their personal and national wealth."In any event, one of the tribes called themselves jews and also declared that they were the Chosen People of their god.And from them, my friend, sprang the desperate situation in which the world finds itself today.”
Poster 2
While there are Jews who think that, Poster 2, not ALL of us do and it's Anti-Semitic to think that of all of us! And it looks like you're a graduate of Mel Gibson University who choose to blame Jews for every little thing. Why don't you start blaming Christians for the desperate situation in which the world finds itself today. Or why don't you target the Mormons, or the Baptists or the Catholics or the Christian Scientists or Scientologists. You won't because you have to blame us. Since people have grown tired of blaming ALL Islamics for the acts of a few, Jews are the usual targets to get to next. Oh. Hope I'm spaced right so you can read me better.
Hater of anti-Semites
(7) “It's Anti-Semitic to think that of all of us!” See item (4). “Why don't you start blaming Christians for the desperate situation in which the world finds itself today.” I think I did. See item (5). And really, as I implied before, they are all human. They ‘believe’ in what they are doing just like the Islamic Fascists do. Don’t you recognize the common root words: fundamentalist, conservative? However, the true villain, truth be told, in all of this is money. Greed is its embodiment. Hate and ignorance is its vehicle. And War is its tool.I attempt daily to shake off the shackles of fairy tales programmed into me and being lived out around me. I experience their bigotry and hypocrisy each and every day of my life. It’s all around me. And I recognize them for the blind sheep that they are. I struggle to feel compassion for them as I know that I should. And I don’t know that there is not enough blame to go around.I am convinced of this: if you follow the money, it will lead you to the slave master and tyrant. And that is usually whoever controls the on/off switch to the printing press.Every action causes an equal and opposite reaction: Karma.
Chris Hedges, reporter, 2002 Pulitzer Prize
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