WHY HATRED FOR JEWS?

WHY THE HATRED FOR JEWS?

What is the reason for anti-Semitism?

Besides the normal tensions that exist between different cultures and governments and discounting petty national jealousies, what causes long-running international hatred for Israel and Jews?

One can read current headlines and see what reasons are being given for the current day or even for this 21st century. But this problem of Jew-hating goes back for centuries.

Rabbi Benjamin Blech, professor of Talmud at Yeshiva University in New York, says, “It is the Jews’ acceptance of a higher law of morality and ethics that is responsible for the world’s enmity.

“Jews were the first to preach the message of the Ten Commandments, that worship of God includes the second tablet of respect for fellow mankind. As the mother religion of both Christianity and Islam, Judaism pioneered the ideal of the holy and the human need for acting in accord with divine law. But anti-Semitism stands in opposition to the very idea of civilization. It detests Jews because it acknowledges that Jews are the conscience of humanity and the lawgivers of ethical and moral behavior.

“Amazingly enough, Adolf Hitler dared to verbalize it as justification for his plan for genocide of the Jewish people: “Conscience is a Jewish invention like circumcision. My task is to free men from the dirty and degrading ideas of conscience and morality.

“As Jews prepare to celebrate the reception of the Ten Commandments, anti-Semitism ought to be viewed as a badge of honor. Jews are hated not because they are bad, but because they persist in reminding the world of what it means to be good. Anti-Semitism is nothing less than a visceral reaction to the cry of a guilty conscience.”

I believe there are two other and deeper reason for this type of genocidal pathology that infects so many minds around the world.

Reason #2. The Jews seem to be gifted with an above average ability to excel. I could cite examples, but you do the work. And, like anyone who lags behind, jealousy, resentment and hatred sets in toward those to seem to ‘scoop up all the good stuff’ and leave the rest of us ‘groveling in the dust’, or so the idea goes. This is the same kind of resentment shown toward America by so many other countries, nations and peoples. We are accused of taking from them and their nations for our benefit and wealth, without sharing that wealth with them, when in fact the generosity of America is legendary. However, American business or government makes a deal with a nation, create the desired profitable results and the other side cries foul! They become jealous and angry when they see fantastic results derived from materials that have been under the feet of a host nation for centuries, but had gone undiscovered or undeveloped. So, when the profits are made, they hate America.

(As a conservative and a Christian, I applaud achievement and success of others. But if I think you have stolen from me to gain your advantage or if I feel your success has unfairly cost me financially, socially or personally, I too could become resentful and jealous. I can understand that reasoning. But, not enough to kill or commit genocide on a national scale!)

Reason #3. Hypocrisy. Interestingly, the Bible tells of gross Jewish religious hypocrisy, which, according to the Bible, stems from sinful rebellion toward God. The Jews present the world with the Ten Commandments and a higher level of law and morality, and it is the Jews who defy, ignore and transgress these very Commandments.

 

Jewish religious leaders, Rabbis, and priesthood, at various times and epochs, have obediently and strictly followed the laws of their Talmud; only to fall away from that practice and incur the wrath of God on their nation and people. This might seem to be an internal issue. But with the Jew’s extensive influence and profound interactions with surrounding peoples and nations, it was made a public issue.

Combined with the example cited in Reason #2, this has created jealousy, resentment, animosity and even an intense hatred for the Jew, their laws and their practices.

Unfortunately – or should I say, tragically – a percentage of Jews are innocent of these hypocrisies and behaviors. But, like in so many instances, the entire group is painted with the broad brush of a majority.

The perception of this hypocrisy and greediness of the Jew had spread worldwide. And the resentment has become so intense, that many people will ignore (or privately applaud) the butchering of innocent Jewish men, women, children and babies but condemn a Jewish military response to stem the murderous atrocities aimed at Israel and Jews, (and tens of thousands more similar incidents), and call out even more loudly for the complete annihilation and total destruction of Israel.

This issue, this problem of hatred of Jews, is as old as recorded history, and for the same or similar misguided political, economic, religious and social reasons.

Admittedly, there have been, in the past, and are nowadays, some really ‘bad’ influential and powerful Jews in the world; but there are also some really ‘good’ Jews in the world. And, so it is with any race or nation. But this is no justification for the eradication of an entire race of people – to think that way is a pathological madness. A mental disease of uncontrolled hatred.

I would like to add that there is not one person or nation on this earth that haven’t done the things Israel is accused of, and much worse things. Yet, only Israel is perpetually demonized. (Frankly, it is written in scriptures. There is a purpose – a Purpose so grand and unimaginable, it could only be ordained, initiated and complete by God: The giving of a Savior through the Nation and bloodlines of Israel.)

In conclusion, similar resentments and hatreds have been and are being expressed toward Christians, and for some of the same reasons. And these resentments are also growing in numbers and in their intensities. This should serve as a wake-up call and a warning for Christians everywhere to firmly adhere to the teachings of love, peace and justice toward all peoples – and to prepare for what may be coming.

The Jews are bearing the brunt of genocidal racial and religious discrimination and hatred, but it may not stop at that point for people who resent a higher law of morality and ethics, the principles of the Ten Commandments, and the worship of God which includes respect for fellow humankind.

Jesus said, “If they persecuted Me, they will persecute you as well”. They killed Jesus for religious, social and political biases. Prepare yourself.

I am presenting a message by pastor Gary Hamrick of Cornerstone Chapel, Leesburg, Virginia titled “STOP LISTENING TO THE MAJORITY” taken from the book of Acts 27:1-25, which can help us all prepare ourselves.

Your Brother and Friend,

Mike Young