'Everybody in Britain can see what a nasty, unpleasant type of people Jewish people are in English [sic; i.e., England?]... [Jewish people] like parasites... you are not part of my country... you are cruel and unpleasant people... Jewish people, when you look through the history, are vindictive, probably evil... very unpleasant... if you're Jewish... adjust to the British way of life, which is basically Christian, trusting and charitable.'
A few words in response are necssary. I am writing as both a British national and a Christian.
There are 'nasty, unpleasant' people among all races, nationalities, and religions. To generalise and condemn any one people as such is outrageous. Certainly among the Jewish people one will find more decent, hard-working, and loyal people than among many other people groups. To use the word 'parasites' made me feel like being in the Middle Ages with its stereotype anti-Semitism that condemned Jews simply for being Jews, blamed and persecuted them for things they didn't do, and demonised them unlike any other people group in history. Mr Sullivan mentioned history, which really reveals his terrible ignorance - it's embarrassing really - and how it apparently shows how 'vindictive, 'evil' and 'unpleasent' Jewish people are. If anyone was vindictive and evil in history it was the Christian 'church' towards the Jews: they persecuted and killed Jews for allegedly killing Jesus; they tormented and tortured Jews in the most brutal and evil ways, the Holocaust being its climax. What kind of history books Mr Sullivan reads is a mystery to me... Demanding for Jews to adjust to the British way of life is an insult to a people who had to, were forced to, assimilate more than any other people. Jews adapted to forgein environments in an exemplary manner. Mr Sullivan should make the same remark to Musilms today who want Sharia law, don't want to teach their children English, German or Dutch (depending on the country they live in), and hardly dress the way a country's nationals do. Mr Sullivan's 'descriptions' (i.e., caricatures) of Jewish religion and philosophy is absurd (and shows again his ignorance): 'Love thy neighbour' is from the Jewish Bible (Leviticus 19:18), promoted by Jewish rabbis as the most important commandment (e.g., Hillel, Yeshua), and today seen as the foundation of Judaism and Jewish life. Christianity has adpoted Jewish values because its Messiah and Lord was a Jewish rabbi who simply taught what the Torah teaches. Mr Sullivan also misinterprets 'an eye for an eye,' which is not a vindictive law, but one of justice, which sought to restrain damage inflicted on others. Leviticus 19:18 makes clear beyond a doubt that Jewish religion does not want revenge, again a core value adopted by Christianity. Finally, not accepting Jewish people as part of Britain is not only anti-Semtic, but also racist - and therefore unacceptable!
On behalf of philo-Semite Christians and Britons, I would wish to extend by deepest apologies to all Jewish people in Britain and elsewhere for these remarks, which clearly do not represent the general British or Christian view of Jewish people or Israelis.
Shalom,
Gordon
2 comments:
I agree with your article totally. I am a Christian, Swiss born. I know the plight of the Jewish people during Nazi time. Everybody in Europe still shudders at this Name!
I may not agree with everything the Jews stand for, but I acknowledge their rights to have their religion and culture. I really thought people are more humane then this! After all it is not the Jewish people that threaten the world with world domination and terrorism's!
Great video, I think the west can learn a lot from that, I will share.
It is Islam we have to fair, here in the West. Concentrate on outlawing Sharia Law and Sharia Banking, it will ruin our financial system
Thanks for the comment. I like your assessment, it is fair and objective. We may or may not fully agree with everything modern-day Israel or different groups within Judaism stand for, but calling any people group, race or religion by the what has been said here is unacceptable by any standard. No other people has suffered, have been humiliated, and executed like the Jews; it is therefore even more important that we defend them against what is motivated by hate and historically distorted. You are also rightfully aware of one of the real threats to our democratic, openminded and tolerant society - radical Islam. I am not Islamophobic, but an objective (as far as this is possible) and thinking person, and as such I see things that should be more obvious to many more. Unfortunately, many liberally minded people, notably polticians and the leftish groups, appear to be blind to this real danger and growing domination. Will we end up saying, 'too late now!'? I am also Swiss born and a Christian, by the way =;-)
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