‘Hath not a Jew eyes… ?’

Merlyn

Thank you Susan. During Cast lead, I aged visibly as the daubing of Gas all the Jews appeared on pavements and bus shelters all around.

It has become fashionable to denigrate Israel even amongst Jews, so as to distance themselves, but as Martin Luther King said;

". . . You declare, my friend, that you do not hate the Jews, you are merely 'anti-Zionist.' And I say, let the truth ring forth from the high mountain tops, let it echo through the valleys of God's green earth: When people criticize Zionism, they mean Jews--this is God's own truth.

"Antisemitism, the hatred of the Jewish people, has been and remains a blot on the soul of mankind. In this we are in full agreement. So know also this: anti-Zionist is inherently antisemitic, and ever will be so.

Josa

The other branch of the tree of course is Islam. Sadly, human nature dictates that the closer two groups are, the more they don't get on. Look at the Wee Frees and the Wee Wee Frees. There is very little anti-animism for instance in the UK I should think.

clive sinclair-poulton

An odd article.

Anti-Semitism is a scourge and a stain and should be extinct but I had trouble with the article.

Glad to see that your studies have allowed you to spot the "fundamental" difference between Judaism and Christianity.

Who, apart from academics calls the Old Testament the Hebrew Bible?

You will be using BCE and CE next!

Where have you read that Paul "appointed" Prisca into a "position of authority"?

I cannot find any justification for her claim but it does fit into her theme.

Aquila was a man by the way.

Finally why needlessly attack the Archbishop of Canterbury and the clergy save to highlight the fact that, seemingly, it is only you who understands the wrongs of anti-Semitism, although a Christian and the non-ordination of women?

Noa Zrk

Absolutely right Susan. The CofE long since lost the plot due to its lack of an absolute belief in God and the consequent need to find an alternative reason for its existence; whether that was ingratiating itself with Islam, homosexual right or the new religion of Climate Change Belief.

As a result it has rather missed the point that Christian beliefs are under threats that last occurred with the Arab and Turkish invasions of Europe up to the mid 17th century. Judaism is the Christian Wests spiritual and physical ally against the Islamic resurgence in the far and middle East and in Europe. The Christian churches fail to recognise and challenge this at their peril.

Mad Jock MacMadd

Ye worship ye know not what: we know what we worship: for salvation is of the Jews. (John 4:22)

hadrian

Substantially, on anti-Semitism, I agree with you, Susan. However it is entirely disingenuous and unhelpful to overlook the hard fact that present day Judaism is NOT friendly towards Christ but directly rejects Him as Messiah. In the same mould is Islam- a direct rejection of the Triune God. Our attitude towards the Jews must ever be one of respectful deep disagreement and the need to persuade that Jesus was indeed the divine Deliverer. Paul makes very clear that the Ancient Covenant People occupy a central position in the Lord's unfolding of providence. As for the apostate Moslems they too must be graciously but firmly witnessed to and warned their false religion of self righteous works will destroy them, falling far far short of the perfection that God requires and only His Christ can supply.
On the woman ordination front, I can only remind you it was the very apostle Paul who forbid in no uncertain terms women taking a lead spiritual role in the Church: he would not suffer them to teach or exercise authority over a man. Our humanistically drenched culture recoils from this but Scripture is inflexibly clear on it, however uncomfortable we may feel. Of course the examples you give quite rightly indicate this does not mean women are mere chattels to be subjugated as worthless nor that they cannot contribute greatly to the wisdom of the Church- but formal ordination- never.

EastCoastCommentator

Christianity is a continuation of the Old Testament. We are to recognize the Jews as the chosen people of God in the Old Testament and not think too highly of ourselves.
Romans 11:18-21 (New American Standard Bible)

do not be arrogant toward the branches; but if you are arrogant, remember that it is not you who supports the root, but the root supports you.
You will say then, "Branches were broken off so that I might be grafted in."
Quite right, they were broken off for their unbelief, but you stand by your faith Do not be conceited, but fear; for if God did not spare the natural branches, He will not spare you, either.

Jesus also affirmed His life and sacrifice for the sins of mankind as a continuation of the Old Testament.

Matthew 5:17
"Do not think that I came to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I did not come to abolish but to fulfill.

egh

Like Hadrian, Susan, I agree with you on anti-Semitism. I grew up respecting Jews for the same reasons, so I'm glad to see someone take the stand and express those views. I think, too, that our present-day problem is surely exacerbated by the influx of islamists, who are incompatible with Judaeo-Christianity.

I also am grateful for Scripture on the induction of women as priests; especially because, as a woman who is non-humanist and non-feminist, I take a lot of flak! However, I recoil from women as priests: and I don't think it has anything to do with St. Paul. It's a natural, built-in, reaction; and it's like the one I had to the female Korean professor of postmodernism who announced "God is a woman." Maybe there's something pagan and primitive about worship of the Female Principle and its priestesses! Men don't seem quite so aggressive and punitive about the Male Principle. Certainly, I treat gender as an irrelevance in other fields, tending to seek out the best and most trustworthy professional for the job - though that tends to rule out feminists, who are unprofessional in their bias.

Victor Southern

An article with which I have much sympathy but I am afraid the author does not really know much about Judaism at all. "Orthodox Jews" do not necessarily dress very differently at all and do not have complex rituals - certainly not more so than many Christian sects. Hassidic Jews are fundamentalist and do have very strict dress codes and certainly pay more attention to the rituals of their religion than most Christians. They work to introduce spirituality into their every day lives. It may this sect that the author confuses with Orthodox.

Bunnykins

Susan - interesting article, but are you talking about Jews or about Judaism. There are many people who are Jewish who have no knowledge and no interest in their faith. Orthodox Jews have very defined perameters of how to live their lives. Laws of Kashrus and Modesty as defined by the Torah, obviously result in the need for the religious to separate themselves from secular society - a move usually seen by the non-observant or non-Jewish as elitism or worse. This and the fact that Jews can never reconcile monotheism with a belief in the trinity of Christianity has always been a stick with which to beat them. However, as English society becomes more and more atheistic, so the religious argument has become less relevant. The new stick is Israel. Same words - different tune. I'm afraid anti-Semitism here to stay - there are Kabalistic reasons for this which I will not go into, for fear of being vilified by the more supercilious bloggers on this site.

Internet Idler

Susan,

A few points you may wish to investigate further during your current theological voyage of learning:

The term 'Judaeo-Christian' is an Americanism that, I believe, came about because of the desire amongst Christian fundamentalists to self-identify themselves as God's chosen people, rather than their making a statement of solidarity with modern Jewry. It was also popularised by the American Jewish media at a time of rising international anti-semitism, when it was feared that this could spread to their own country (remember Henry Ford et al).

When Jesus preached, he did so mainly in the parts of Palestine that were least doctrinally Jewish. Galilee, for instance, was a place that the traditional Jews of the day would have avoided. I believe it had a stronger Greek influence and was popular with free-thinkers.

Jesus also would have known of a Jewish presence throughout the Roman Empire and not the modern-day Israeli-centric vision that seems to predominate today. Hence the outward looking, international nature of his beliefs.

Of course, all these points could be argued and I am no authority. But I think it is safe to say that looking back to ancient times through the prisms of the Arab-Israel situation and (European) anti-semitism will not be very enlightening.

Patricia Shaw

Good on you Susan!

Your 'not being informed sufficiently on the subject' has not hindered you one little bit from supporting Israel, though why else would you be here!

I do hope your profound Christianity will not stop you from writing in support of Israel at every opportuniy!

Pot Head

Hath not a Muslim eyes? Not on the increasingly Islamaphobic Spectator blogs he doesn't.

Patricia Shaw

Funny that Susan Hill should have attracted the 'REPORT THIS COMMENT' facility, yet Melanie Phillips steadfastly refuses to allow it on her blog.

Funny that Melanie Phillips exercises similar editorial control at Moral Maze where she steadfastly opposes any mention of her religious leanings or writings on this site or in the JC on that programme's risible biography of hers.

Dave B

I don't see that Mr Williams lecturing Christians would have any effect. As I understand it, European anti-Semitism comes from the Muslim community.

Bunnykins

So what is your point exactly, Patricia? There are plenty of people who make offensive statements on Melanie Phillips's blog.

mostly harmless

Pot Head
November 6th, 2009 10:55am
'Hath not a Muslim eyes? Not on the increasingly Islamaphobic Spectator blogs he doesn't.'

Maybe we should start a new website 'spectatorwatch'?

SUSAN HILL

I thought everyone had a 'Report this Comment' switched on, as it were ? Perfectly happy to have it there but didn`t realise it was an option for bloggers.

Patricia Shaw

Precisely.

And there is no facility to REPORT their comments there, whereas there is here.

Phillips' blog is the UK mainstream media's most repugnant example of incitement to religious and racial hatred.

And yet, while The Spectator has been forced to introduce the Report this Comment facility as an alternative to any serious form of moderation, the blog that merits it most does not have it.

Patricia Shaw

Mostly Harmless

Yes we should.

John Edwards

It's become so fashionable to knock the Archbishop of Canterbury I feel rather sorry for him. His irenic style is in the best tradition of the CofE but gets drowned out in the modern media age.

There are of course three religions which are inextricably linked but people tend to forget about the third - Islam

I'm afraid Melanie Phillips is not a good guide to the Israel/Palestine conflict to put it mildly. It is a myth that settling it would be hideously complex. The two state settlement based on UN Resolution 242 is actually very straightforward.

Incidently, describing the Israel/Palestine conflict as the "Arab/Israel" question is itself an example of the bias used by Melanie who denies the existence of the Palestinian nation

hadrian

I think, John Edwards, that far from being in 'the best traditions of the CofE' the latitudianrianism of this Archbishop of Waffle is in its very worst manisfestation.
For its best one needs to go back to the likes of Bishop J.C.Ryle of Liverpool, Augustus Toplady, William Romaine and John Hervey, to name but a few who honestly and unreservedly took their vows to the Reformed faith. Unlike so many who take the pay of the Reformed CofE but then do everything in their power to undermine and discredit it. These men are a disgrace to their calling. Is Williams Reformed? Not in the least.

Patricia Shaw

It is so the shame of The Spectator that it supports illegality in the occupied territories by giving ultra propagandists like Phillips - and others - the forum to spout their race hate.

Bunnykins

Patricia Shaw. Your tunnel vision contempt for Melanie Phillips seems to be getting in the way of your sanity. That much is obvious. If you could clear a path through all the hatred just for one moment, you'd actually notice that Rod Liddle's blog eschews the 'report this comment' option too. Perhaps you'd like to share a few merry lines with us about your feelings for him too. Or should we just assume the obvious.....

Patricia Shaw

Bunnykins - An accusation of tunnel vision from a rabbit....

If anyone has mixamatosis, dear Bunny, it ain't moi.

REPORT THIS COMMENT was "suggested" to D Ancona by those Conservatives concerned at the level of race hate apparent in Phillips' blog.

But Fluffy Phillips had a fit and said not on my blog you don't.

Whether Lidl's does or doesn't is irrelevant, as he does not provoke the same reactions from the Ultras that Phillips does.

Is that clear? Dear?

Bunnykins

Dear Me, I think I crapped in Pat's midden. Poor old Pat. Single and angry.

Diversity

The Koran describes Jews, Christians and Muslims as all People of the Book. Have we not all eyes to read?

Unfortunately there is more doubt about our having brains and hearts to understand.

mostly harmless

Patricia Shaw
November 6th, 2009 3:02pm
'Mostly Harmless
Yes we should.'

I think you would need a full timer, I wonder where we could get the money from? I wonder where Cifwatch get their money from?