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Anti-Semitism
Anti-Semitism is prejudice towards, hatred of, or discrimination against Jews as a national, ethnic, religious or racial group. The term was coined in Germany in 1860 as a scientific-sounding term for Judenhass ("Jew-hatred") and does not refer to Non-Jewish Semites. Anti-Semitism takes many forms, ranging from hateful words uttered to individual Jews to organized violent attacks by mobs, state police, or even military attacks on entire Jewish communities.
462 Questions
Did all gentiles hate the Jews?
No. Some went to a lot of trouble to help Jews. Think of Mies Giep, for example. (Please note the spelling of gentiles. Some mis-spellings could be rather embarrassing).
Did antisemitism begin in War World 2?
No. Antisemitism as a political ideology (claiming to explain all the world's problems) dates from the 1870s, and the notion that Jews are evil goes back to the First Crusade at least.
When did anti-semitism in Europe begin in 1930's?
Anti-semitism is very, very much older than that.... it goes back many centuries.
Although the history of Christianity has been an antisemitic one, in recent years there have been great efforts to reconcile the harm that has been perpetuated by its predecessors. While these efforts are indeed necessary, they lack an essential foundation. True repentance is measured by a change of behavior, and Christendom can best display it by readdressing the age-old Easter controversy. Many lay-Christians are unaware of the fundamental rule that was given for the determining of the Easter festival, and yet this is where vindication would be, not only courageous, but productive.
The Easter controversy began during the time of Pope Victor, about C.E. 190 and the debate continued through the Council of Nicaea of 325 CE, eventually dwindling around the ninth century. Presently, an agreement for a universal Easter date has not been reached. The original controversy arose between the Christian Roman sect, that wanted to separate themselves from the Jewish calendar, and the Quartodeciman sect who vehemently adhered to the 14 day of the moon [Passover]. It seems that Bishop Polycarp, who traced his tradition for the reckoning of the Jewish date from St. John the apostle of Jesus, pleaded with Rome to align their ruling with the Quartodeciman date. However, Rome ultimately rejected the consideration, and ruled to observe Easter on Sunday. The decision lacked Biblical or astronomical reasoning, and the verdict for the Easter date was based solely on antisemitism
"It appeared an unworthy thing that in the celebration of this most holy feast [Passover] we should follow the practice of the Jews... Let us then have nothing in common with the detestable Jewish crowd" (Constantine's Nicene Letter 325 C.E) It is from this ruling that the majority of Christendom receives its date for Easter. Therefore, the question that has remained unanswered for over 2000 years is: Should Christians observe their most holy day based on hatred for the Jewish nation? Rhetorical as the question may sound, the point is valid when one considers the atrocities that were perpetuated against Jews throughout history during the Easter season. That the 325 CE verdict and the hostility toward the Jews throughout history are directly linked is indisputable. Therefore, it is imperative that modern Christendom disassociate itself from this date and either return to the original Passover observance as Polycarp and other early Bishops favored, or decide on a new reckoning for the Easter date that would topple the original antisemitic doctrine. ---- The change from Saturday Sabbath to a Sunday Sabbath was also changed because of antisemitism see: www.messiahtruth.com
Some were against Jews (Which isn't good). Popes are supposed to be model Catholics and so they are expected to love everyone from Jew to Protestant to Buddhists.
Some popes were in very close ties and friendships with the Jewish people; St. Peter, the first pope was a Jew.
We had a very holy pope recently (Pope John Paul II) who had many Jewish friends. In his childhood he would voluntarily go on the Jewish soccer team (There was a Jewish and Catholic team at his school) if they were short any people. When he was pope, he visited Jewish leaders many times (He also visited the Dalai Lama eight times and kissed the Koran). He was a model pope who might be canonized a saint some day.
Did Henry Ford ever repent from anti-semitism?
As best can be figured out from a man who is dead and buried he never thought of himself as being part of antisemitism. This despite the fact that many, many publications from his paper the Dearborn 'Independent' were VERY anti-Semitic. He later issued an apology in which he was 'asking their ( the Jewish communities ) forgiveness for the harm that I unintentionally committed' However there is anecdotal evidence that this may have been only lip service and that Ford continued to harbor great disdain and resentment for the Jewish community as a whole. In 1938 he went to Germany and received "The Order of the Grand Cross of the German Eagle" by Hitler... This gives little credence to the idea that he was very repentant. However I suppose you could at least give him props for hiring woman at nigh unto equal pay and blacks in a time where race and gender were a great divide, or perhaps not... People are funny things.
What is Zionism and how was it related to Anti-Semitism in Europe?
Zionism was (and is) the movement to establish and preserve a Jewish homeland. It's first and primary champion, Theodor Herzl, explained quite well that the European concept of a nation-state was dependent on the idea that all of the people in any particular nation were of the same ethnic stock and heritage. Jews were branded by this system to be "the Other" and were regarded at best as possible equals and at worse as traitors, spies, thieves, and fifth columns. When the Dreyfus Affair turned out marches in Paris that said "Death to the Jews" on account of a kangaroo court against a particular guiltless Jew, it became clear that the Jew could not be integrated into Europe because of the presence of clear Anti-Semitism. The Holocaust served as the strongest proof that the Jew and the European Nation-State were irreconcilable. As a result, the Jews would need a place where they could live in freedom and without fear of Anti-Semitism. Since Israel has come into existence it has accepted Jewish political refugees from over 50 nations and flown missions at its own expense to rescue Jews from at least 10 nations.
Where did Japanese American Anti-Semitism originate?
There is no such thing. Japanese-Americans as a community never expressed Anti-Semitism.
Anti-Semitism has not ended; it still continues and is very much alive. Although, certainly, things have improved. Jews are emancipated in every country (except those like Saudi Arabia where they are forbidden from going). This was not always the case. Additionally, Jews in Israel and the United States (over 80% of World Jewry) do not feel that they will be targeted with physical violence near to their homes. However, there are fears in much of Europe and in the Islamic World of what may happen to Jews whenever Israeli politics become a little more bloody.
Why did Hitler and the Nazis hate the Jews way?
Before and during World War II, Hitler and his Nazi associates hated the "way" of the Jews as well as the Jews themselves for, as they claimed, many reasons: political intrigue, financial deceptions and manipulations, inferior "blood," innate diseases and deficiencies, and so on. At root, however, it is clear that the Nazis' hatred came from a very basic, and very hateful, prejudice.
How has anti-Semitism caused conflict in the Middle East?
Answer 1
Believe it or not, many organized programs and propaganda about Jews from the Catholic Church and other denominations of the Christianity can cause hatred. While they focus so much on improving the world and trying to make it better, leaders can deceive people so they turn to "improving" the world not only THEIR own way, but not following their desires since they are being ruled in a way by a spiritual leader.
Many Christians think they are doing the right thing, so they try to bring conversions wherever they go, and they think that since they are doing such things that they consider great, they are entitled to say the Jews are "less" and have a "less" understanding of morals of life. This applies to belief, which causes much hate. Unlike synagogues, for the most part churches spread their beliefs a lot more.
They spread them to Muslims too since they are there, which causes violence among Muslims. Then out of their frustration they both have someone to "blame" in a way for not having Israel as their state, and Jewish people and Christian people are attacked alike.
The main reason Christians will spread their religion is because they are taught, but they are taught things that are opposite of what many Jews believe in, such as, "spreading Christ in the world." Muslims will experience this in the Middle East, and it is a vicious cycle of conflict and bloodshed.
Answer 2
The reason, primarily, that Anti-Semitism causes conflict in the Middle East is because it prevents Jewish reconciliation and equality with Arab Muslims. If the Jews are barbarians, animals, or otherwise inhuman, then a long-term peace cannot be reached and the only way to deal with them is through the use of blunt force. Unfortunately, Anti-Semitism is quite common in Arab Muslim circles.
This came through the development of Arab Nationalism. The politicial ideology, which united Arabs resisting colonial rule, made a link between Arab Identity and Muslim Practice. This alienated Jews, Christians, and other minority religions from really participating. This started developing in the early 20th century, especially after World War I (1914-1919). The anti-Semitic nature of Arab Nationalism was only increased when Nazism became prominent in Europe (1933-1945). Arab Nationalists opposed British and French Imperialism and saw the Nazis (who also opposed British and French interests) as an ally and ideological equivalent. As a result of the increasing Anti-Semitism, many Jews in the Arab World felt uncomfortable and a small wealthy minority of them were bullied, stolen from, and executed. This, naturally provoked Jewish reciprocal hatred of the Arabs who were treating them so barbarically.
Far from apologizing for these acts of brutality, Arab regimes and people still try to justify them. Anti-Semitic documents like the Protocols of the Elders of Zion and Mein Kampf are still circulated. Textbooks in Arab schools carefully explain that the Jews are descendants of apes and pigs and therefore not "really" human. Less educated and populist religious leaders advocate that the world will not saved until every Jew is murdered. These Anti-Semitic views have powerful weight in Arab discourse and actively prevent serious reconciliation with Israel, now that Israel is a Jewish State.
As for Answer 1, while it does give an interesting view on the problems of Christian evangelism, and while Christianity has its fair share of Anti-Semitism, the Anti-Semitism in the Middle East has absolutely nothing to do with Christianity. Christians in the Arab World, like Jews, are maligned by Arab Muslims (just not as extensively because the Anti-Semitic literature focuses on Jews).
