The Taproot of Antisemitism

[Guno צְבִי]

Although Christians are ready to scour patristic texts for the slightest trace of anti-Judaism, there is a reluctance to subject the New Testament to the same critique. While the works of the fathers may justly be regarded as the source of much of the persecution suffered by Jews at the hands of Gentiles, such a charge cannot be levelled at the Scriptures. Many biblical scholars are adamant that there is no connection between the prejudicial statements about Jews and Judaism found in the New Testament and the barbarian of Hitler. They refuse to believe that what has been termed the 'theological antisemitism' of the Christian era has any basis in the Bible and deny any possible link between biblical teaching and Nazi anti-Jewish policy.

They refuse to believe, for instance, that the hard sayings about the Pharisees attributed to Jesus in Matthew 23, the pointed remarks of Paul about the inferiority of Judaism, and the phrase 'His blood be upon us and upon our children', which, according to Matthew 27:26, was on the lips of the crowd of onlookers at Calvary, could in any way have augmented the sufferings of the Jews over the past two thousand years. They do not concede that one of the most belligerent references to Jews in all Christian Scripture, found in 1 Thessalonians 12:16 where the author states that they are the deserved recipients of God's wrath, may have been taken by countless generations of Christians as licence to harass and even murder their Jewish neighbours. They dismiss the antisemitic potential in Jesus' scathing description of his Jewish audience in John 8:44 as the children of the devil, and in John the Divine's reference to the 'synagogue of Satan' in Revelation 2:9.


But this standpoint has not gone unchallenged. Jewish theologians in particular have been vocal in their disagreement. Eliezer Berkovitz, for example, claims that 'Christianity's New Testament has been the most dangerous antisemitic tract in history. Its hatred-charged diatribes against the Pharisees and the Jews have poisoned the hearts and minds of millions and millions of Christians for almost two millennia. Without it Hitler's Mein Kampf could never have been written'.


https://www.yadvashem.org/articles/academic/encountering-the-new-testament.html

 

[Guno צְבִי]

In her controversial study of the theological roots of antisemitism, ‘Faith and Fratricide’ (1974), the Roman theologian Rosemary Ruether argues that parts of the New Testament were intended by their authors to turn Christians against Jews. She asks pointedly, 'Is it possible to say, "Jesus is the Messiah" without, implicitly or explicitly, saying at the same time "and the Jews be damned"?' (p. 246) James Parkes, the Anglican clergyman who ranks as a doyen in the field of Christian-Jewish relations, stated categorically that after more than fifty years studying the topic he was convinced that it is dishonest to refuse to face the fact that the basic root of modern antisemitism lies squarely in the New Testament.

 

[PostmodernProphet]

your anger against Christianity has had no legs since the Middle Ages......

 

[IBDaMann]

Jewish theologians in particular have been vocal in their disagreement. Eliezer Berkovitz, for example, claims that 'Christianity's New Testament has been the most dangerous antisemitic tract in history.

Obviously this is a cast of frauds. They don't even know what the word "antisemitic" means. Jesus was a Semite, and yet these obvious morons are referring to Christians as being "antisemitic"! They don't write comedy this good. Palestinians are Semites, and yet Jews all over the world call them "antisemitic". Jews refer to Arabs, who are Semites themselves, as being antisemitic. Are Jews, as a whole, totally uneducated? How is it that they all get it so very wrong? Do they pull each other aside and share secrets of how to unlearn whatever they have learned? Is Judaism just a bunch of misinformation? Why do so many Israelis feel justified in committing genocide? Is there something about Judaism that says atrocities are only wrong if committed by Germans?

So Jesus was antisemitic, you say? Too funny.

 

[Tranquillus in Exile]

Obviously this is a cast of frauds. They don't even know what the word "antisemitic" means.

The term Antisemitismus was invented in 19th century Germany as a polite alternative to Judenhass = Jew hate.

The claim that Arabs cannot be antisemitic because they are "Semites" is BS.

 

[IBDaMann]

The term Antisemitismus was invented in 19th century Germany as a polite alternative to Judenhass = Jew hate.

Nope. Your disinformation is absurd, yet you fell for it anyway. The Greek prefix "anti" has been in use since around 900 BC. I hope you are aware of some of the countless words that begin with "anti." This prefix means "against." The word "antisemitic" means "against the Semitic" and "anti-Semite." The word would have to be "anti-Jew" in order to mean "anti-Jew." The fact that you need this explained to you puts you in with the other morons who customarily throw words around without knowing what they mean.

Palestinians are Arabs. Arabs are Semites. Deal with it.

The claim that Arabs cannot be antisemitic because they are "Semites" is BS.

Then Jews can be antisemitic as well, and Israelis should be properly labeled as "antisemitic" in their genocide of the Palestinian Semite noncombatants.

I will note this as your position.

 

[Tranquillus in Exile]

Nope. Your disinformation is absurd, yet you fell for it anyway ... The word "antisemitic" means "against the Semitic" and "anti-Semite." The word would have to be "anti-Jew" in order to mean "anti-Jew."

The word Antisemitismus was first used in print in Germany in 1879 as a "scientific" term for Judenhass = Jew hate. It refers correctly to anti-Jewish sentiment ALONE, except for smartasses who think they know better.

 

[NiftyNiblick]

The word Antisemitismus was first used in print in Germany in 1879 as a "scientific" term for Judenhass = Jew hate. It refers correctly to anti-Jewish sentiment ALONE, except for smartasses who think they know better.

How it appeared in a journal does not determine its literal meaning.

A Semite is a Semite and is not necessarily a Jew.
People are not only inclined to be lazy with their vocab,
but when confronted with that fact,
they don't think that it's a big deal.

That's almost proof that they don't think understandable discourse is important.
The fact is that it's a fucking huge deal.

It's a particularly American flaw that's done,
in my opinion,
substantial damage to what passes for American culture.

 

[Tranquillus in Exile]

I don’t want to harp on this, but ‘antisemitism’ has only one correct meaning in modern usage. It means fear or hatred of JEWS. No scholar would suggest otherwise.

The term antisemitism was popularized by Wilhelm Marr, a German agitator, in his 1879 pamphlet “The Way to Victory of Germanism over Judaism”. The same year Marr founded the League of Antisemites.
https://njop.org/the-origin-of-word-anti-semitism/

Marr wasn’t campaigning against ARABS.


ADDED
A common trick of antisemites is to try to confuse the issue by "redefining" antisemitism to cover all Semites. I've had a lot of dealings on discussion groups with Holocaust deniers and the like. I've seen them do it.

 

[IBDaMann]

The word Antisemitismus was first used in print in Germany in 1879 as a "scientific" term for Judenhass = Jew hate. It refers correctly to anti-Jewish sentiment ALONE, except for smartasses who think they know better.

You are chanting your disinformation. I'll presume that you don't fully grasp how the English language works and that you are too busy coloring at the children's table to really have anything intelligent to add to the conversation at the adults' table.

 

[IBDaMann]

I don’t want to harp on this,

Harping on your disinformation is your only intention.

but ‘antisemitism’ has only one correct meaning in modern usage.

It means "anti-Semite. No scholar would suggest otherwise and no eight-year-old would be confused over this point.

It means fear or hatred of JEWS.

Nope. Only a moron, or someone younger than eight years of age would be this confused over something so obvious.

 

[Tranquillus in Exile]

Harping on your disinformation is your only intention.

Here's an idea, Mr Mann. Look up antisemitism in any dictionary and tell us what it says.

They'll all be wrong, of course, because you have to be right.

 

[IBDaMann]

Here's an idea, Mr Mann. Look up antisemitism in any dictionary and tell us what it says.

Here's an idea, understand how language works and realize that no dictionary owns any language and somehow gets to bastardize it.

They'll all be wrong, of course,

Absolutely. To whatever extent any one agrees with you and disagrees with me on this matter, it is incorrect. Try thinking independently for a change.

 

[Tranquillus in Exile]

no dictionary owns any language

Dictionaries tell us what words mean in general usage, not what some opinionated ignoramus thinks they should mean.

NO dictionary says anything about Arabs or “Semites” in the context of antisemitism. The word means dislike or hatred of Jews - nothing else.

 

[IBDaMann]

NO dictionary says anything about Arabs or “Semites” in the context of antisemitism.

You make a good point that apparently all dictionaries get the word "antisemitic" wrong.

The word means dislike or hatred of Jews - nothing else.

Everybody, look who's terrified that his world will come crashing down if he were to lose his perceived monopoly on "victim" status.

No surprise here:

Antisemitic = Anti-Semite
Anti-Jewish = Anti-Jew

Forgive me for stating the obvious.

 

[saltydancin]

You make a good point that apparently all dictionaries get the word "antisemitic" wrong.


Everybody, look who's terrified that his world will come crashing down if he were to lose his perceived monopoly on "victim" status.

No surprise here:

Antisemitic = Anti-Semite
Anti-Jewish = Anti-Jew

Forgive me for stating the obvious.

While Christian Nation SCOTUS Fourth Reich July 9/11 has GI Joe biding his "serve the Pope or die" Christiananality pedophilia time & those Trumpanzees Mohammed Valhalla pedophilia Islam "death to the infidels" martyrdom feelings thinking of knowing & believing as "one nation under God with equal justice under law" for Thanksgiving.....

 

[Guno צְבִי]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1334541425397075969

 

[NiftyNiblick]

I don’t want to harp on this, but ‘antisemitism’ has only one correct meaning in modern usage. It means fear or hatred of JEWS. No scholar would suggest otherwise.

The term antisemitism was popularized by Wilhelm Marr, a German agitator, in his 1879 pamphlet “The Way to Victory of Germanism over Judaism”. The same year Marr founded the League of Antisemites.
https://njop.org/the-origin-of-word-anti-semitism/

Marr wasn’t campaigning against ARABS.


ADDED
A common trick of antisemites is to try to confuse the issue by "redefining" antisemitism to cover all Semites. I've had a lot of dealings on discussion groups with Holocaust deniers and the like. I've seen them do it.

Again, popular incorrect usage doesn't make the usage correct.

"Literally" means "literally," no matter how often people use it incorrectly.

"They" is a plural word no matter how much annoying wokesters try to change it.

"Feeling badly" means that you're not doing a good job of feeling; otherwise, you're feeling bad.

And "Semite" means "Semite," not "Jew."

Among English speaking people, most Americans in particular
speak as if they were raised in a fucking barn.

I doubt if King Charles will anoint us as guardians of the language.

People with a modicum of class still care, however.

 

[Tranquillus in Exile]

popular incorrect usage doesn't make the usage correct

You are mistaken if you think that antisemitism means "against all Semites" simply because of the pseudo construction that people like Mann put on it. It means "against Jews", nothing else. That's what it meant when the word Antisemitismus was coined in 19th century Germany and that's what it has meant ever since.

Look it up in any dictionary and see if you can find one mention of Arabs or "Semites" in this context. You won't find one.

People with a modicum of class still care, however.

You're right there. I am neither Jewish nor American, and I care about the correct use of words. I DON'T MISUSE THEM (except occasionally as a joke, and I'm not joking now).

 

[NiftyNiblick]

You are mistaken if you think that antisemitism means "against all Semites" simply because of the pseudo construction that people like Mann put on it. It means "against Jews", nothing else. That's what it meant when the word Antisemitismus was coined in 19th century Germany and that's what it has meant ever since.

Look it up in any dictionary and see if you can find one mention of Arabs or "Semites" in this context. You won't find one.



You're right there. I am neither Jewish nor American, and I care about the correct use of words. I DON'T MISUSE THEM (except occasionally as a joke, and I'm not joking now).

OK, I'll accept your theory that the word was coined to specifically mean "anti-Jew,"
but if it was, it should have been challenged at the outset.

My experience is that those who are careless in the delivery of a thought
are equally careless with the content of the thought as well.