A possible cause of Christian Anti-Semitism

[HashemEchad]

I was reading a book recently that first came out in 1964, entitled, “The Anguish of the Jews–23 Centuries of Anti-Semitism” by Father Edward Flannery, c Paulist Press

In the book, Fr Flannery (A Roman Catholic priest)discusses the history of Christian anti-semitism, and puts forth a theory which I’d never heard before, and which sounded ludicrous at first, until I thought about it.

He says that some Christians who hate Jews intensely, do so because of deep-seated hatred of Christianity. In other words, they resent the restrictions Christianity puts upon them, and they subconsciously blame the Jews because Christianity originated with Judaism, and they see it as “safer” for them to hate Jews rather than admit they hate their own religion. Its what Freud used to refer to as “projecting”.

What do you think of this?

 

[mozart-250]

I was reading a book recently that first came out in 1964, entitled, “The Anguish of the Jews–23 Centuries of Anti-Semitism” by Father Edward Flannery, c Paulist Press

In the book, Fr Flannery (A Roman Catholic priest)discusses the history of Christian anti-semitism, and puts forth a theory which I’d never heard before, and which sounded ludicrous at first, until I thought about it.

He says that some Christians who hate Jews intensely, do so because of deep-seated hatred of Christianity. In other words, they resent the restrictions Christianity puts upon them, and they subconsciously blame the Jews because Christianity originated with Judaism, and they see it as “safer” for them to hate Jews rather than admit they hate their own religion. Its what Freud used to refer to as “projecting”.

What do you think of this?

It is obvious that Father Flannery is a Catholic imposter for defending Judaism and attacking the Catholic Church.

 

[LaMar]

What do you think of this?

Have you ever read Walter Benjamin?

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Walter_Benjamin

He said something similar regarding the Dreyfus affair in France. He made a case that whenever the church has historically entered a period of conservatism or retro-culture, anti-semitism increases as a means of displacing a sublimated reaction to the believer’s own religious group.

 

[sandusky]

HashemEchad:

I was reading a book recently that first came out in 1964, entitled, “The Anguish of the Jews–23 Centuries of Anti-Semitism” by Father Edward Flannery, c Paulist Press

In the book, Fr Flannery (A Roman Catholic priest)discusses the history of Christian anti-semitism, and puts forth a theory which I’d never heard before, and which sounded ludicrous at first, until I thought about it.

He says that some Christians who hate Jews intensely, do so because of deep-seated hatred of Christianity. In other words, they resent the restrictions Christianity puts upon them, and they subconsciously blame the Jews because Christianity originated with Judaism, and they see it as “safer” for them to hate Jews rather than admit they hate their own religion. Its what Freud used to refer to as “projecting”.

What do you think of this?

I don’t buy the psychological approach.

Here’s an interesting book that deals with Replacement Theology in the early church. The author views the early roots of that theology as the cause for anti-Semitism in the church.

The book is called, Israel and the Church, by Ronald Diprose.

Here’s a review of the book.

 

[MelanieAnne]

We all owe the Jewish faith a lot, most especially Christians. The Jews are the ones that first recognized the individual as a being of worth. They began the concept, which was at variance with everyone else at the time, that their Creator was a caring figure and they were His chosen creations, and not slaves.

Some religions still perpetuate the concept of slavish devotion to their fearsome God. In my opinion, THAT is what is unhealthy and misguided, corrosive to the human spirit.

Yes, unfortunately anti-Semitism still exists. I’ve never truly understood why. I have never figured out what it is that Jews do that creates the animus. But I don’t believe anti-Semitism is the product of deep-seated Christian self-hatred. I believe it is the result of ignorance and a generalized distrust of something you do not understand and/or have no familiarity with.

For those who would like more information about the gifts the Jews have given to all of us, I recommend The Gifts of the Jews: How a Tribe of Desert Nomads Changed the Way Everyone Thinks and Feels by Thomas Cahill.

 

[strngrnrth]

No, I think people just hate whoever is most incomprehensible. Children hate their siblings until they get old enough to fathom how strange adults are. Then they like their siblings and hate their parents. Then they learn how hard to deal with their cousins are so they like their parents and hate their cousins. Then they learn how weird it is in the next college town’s region so they like their cousins and hate the rival team. Then if they’re pretty cosmopolitan they learn there is a similar religion in the world and they like their own co-religionists and hate the other religion. Then they learn there is an even stranger religion and they like the similar religion and hate the really different one – until they learn there is an even more different one, and so on until thy learn there is a civilization on a whole other planet (maybe) and then…

 

[nsper7]

I could see several reasons for the Anti-Judaism, but not Anti-Semitism (A-S is an ethno-racial issue while A-J is religious):

1. During the Apostolic and Post-Apostolic, many Jews (those who did not become Christians) persecuted Christians (incl. denouncing them to the Romans and performing their own executions *). Thus, when Christianity became dominant and Judaism was weakened, there was a chance to get payback.
2. Theological anger at Judaism’s unwillingness to accept its Messiah (this is seen in Martin Luther’s On the Jews and their Lies). To paraphrase ML’s argument, he basically says [For the past 1400 years, you Jews have been powerless while Christianity has become a dominant force. We have showed you where your theology is wrong and we have tolerated you in our lands, how dare you not realize that we are correct and that Jesus is your Savior.]
3. Judaism’s apparently superior position at some times. Basically, because royal leaders didn’t have to worry about Jews betraying or overthrowing them (i.e. in Spain prior to the 15th Century), they allowed Jews (at certain points) to serve in elevated positions and to have greater rights than their Christian subjects. Also, because, often, it was forbidden for Christians to lend money and it was forbidden for Jews to work in guilds and own estates, it left the door open for Jews to get involved in moneylending. This angered many Christians and led to many stereotypes.
4. The ‘easy’ target Jews made. Because they had no state backing them and they relied on the majority community, Jews made an easy target for anger and hatred when things went wrong (i.e. the Black Death). Compare it to say Muslims who had empires backing them.
5. The liminal position Jews occupied within Christendom (read St. Augustine’s City of God for this idea). On the one hand, Jews have rejected their Messiah, but on the other hand, they are the ‘elder brother’ to Christianity and, as St. Augustine put it, they act as a library of Scriptural information. The problems started with Talmud issues (which was viewed as made-up junk by Christian theologians and thus fed the idea that Jews of that time period are not truly the Jews of the Bible) and a fear that Jewish theology was attracting Christians and preventing Jews from accepting their Messiah.*

 

[angelusm]

I was reading a book recently that first came out in 1964, entitled, “The Anguish of the Jews–23 Centuries of Anti-Semitism” by Father Edward Flannery, c Paulist Press

In the book, Fr Flannery (A Roman Catholic priest)discusses the history of Christian anti-semitism, and puts forth a theory which I’d never heard before, and which sounded ludicrous at first, until I thought about it.

He says that some Christians who hate Jews intensely, do so because of deep-seated hatred of Christianity. In other words, they resent the restrictions Christianity puts upon them, and they subconsciously blame the Jews because Christianity originated with Judaism, and they see it as “safer” for them to hate Jews rather than admit they hate their own religion. Its what Freud used to refer to as “projecting”.

What do you think of this?

Hatred against Ashkenazis is not anitsemitism because they are descendants of Khazars who were a Turkic tribe, not a semitic one. Only Sephardics are Jews.

The author did not mean Christians only as Christianity is 20 centuries old and there are 23 centuries in the title of his book. The answer is simple: there’s something wrong with the Jews. What is it? You hate and despise gois, you feel better than others talmudunmasked.com/. This is the reason. Jews did (and do) so much to attack the Catholic Church - supporting anticatholic wars and revolutions, participation in masonry and communist parties, spreading pornography and all kinds of anticatholic ideologies. I don’t hate you because it’s against my religion but I cannot stop telling truth about Jews. It looks like Jews don’t care about the final judgement. It’s unbelievable how blind you became.

 

[Kaninchen]

Hatred against Ashkenazis is not anitsemitism because they are descendants of Khazars who were a Turkic tribe, not a semitic one. Only Sephardics are Jews.

The author did not mean Christians only as Christianity is 20 centuries old and there are 23 centuries in the title of his book. The answer is simple: there’s something wrong with the Jews. What is it? You hate and despise gois, you feel better than others talmudunmasked.com/. This is the reason. Jews did (and do) so much to attack the Catholic Church - supporting anticatholic wars and revolutions, participation in masonry and communist parties, spreading pornography and all kinds of anticatholic ideologies. I don’t hate you because it’s against my religion but I cannot stop telling truth about Jews. It looks like Jews don’t care about the final judgement. It’s unbelievable how blind you became.

Given your great knowledge of Judaism and Jews, perhaps you might enlighten us as to the sources of your knowledge?

 

[Valke2]

Telushkin and Prager have given the following reason as one source of anti-semitism:

The Jews introduced to the world a monotheistic, moral God, which put a much greater demand and emphasis on moral and ethical behavior than generally existed in other religions. In plain english, nobody likes being told what to do.

 

[ALLFORHIM]

A true born again christian would not hate the very people God chose and then allowed us to be grafted into the promise of salvation.

If someone truly studied the bible OT and NT together–they would love the Jews:thumbsup:

Ive been studying the OT and I just love studying Jewish history and culture. It fascinates me.

I never understood why people hate Jews so much–I guess it is because they were/are God’s chosen people.

There are things in scripture that do tell us that the jews will be persecuted until Christ comes back. So I guess biblical prophecy is being played out.

 

[ralphinal]

To me, it sounds like the psycho-babble junk that makes it hard to be a psych major. I can understand some of it, though. I am not so sure that it is projected resentment though.

I would say that it goes more like this. Both religions but restrictions on the people. Both have required rituals and prayers. But, at times, there is an idea out there that the requirements of Judaism are more like guidelines and not really required. For example, there are Jews today who do not beleive in the afterlife and some even in the existance of God. Even in Jesus time, some denied the afterlife. People who do not understand why they have the rules placed on them, and for many years the Church has done a bad job explaining why, sees the more “lax” rules and resent it.

I still think that the poster who listed the other options is more correct, though

 

[GraceDK]

I was reading a book recently that first came out in 1964, entitled, “The Anguish of the Jews–23 Centuries of Anti-Semitism” by Father Edward Flannery, c Paulist Press

In the book, Fr Flannery (A Roman Catholic priest)discusses the history of Christian anti-semitism, and puts forth a theory which I’d never heard before, and which sounded ludicrous at first, until I thought about it.

He says that some Christians who hate Jews intensely, do so because of deep-seated hatred of Christianity. In other words, they resent the restrictions Christianity puts upon them, and they subconsciously blame the Jews because Christianity originated with Judaism, and they see it as “safer” for them to hate Jews rather than admit they hate their own religion. Its what Freud used to refer to as “projecting”.

What do you think of this?

In order to assume any of this you first has to assume the problem… I personally know none such Christians that hate Jews… most of the Christians I have ever met support Israel and would eagerly wash the feet of the Jews to show them their love. (it even seems a bit too exaggerated sometimes).
I see hundreds of young people coming to Israel every year to show their graditude and respect to the Jewish people by working for and along side them and taking care of their sick and needy. At the same time I have heard a few Jews call the Christians ridiculous because they let them selves be used and turn the other cheek to insult… In other words they like us back but they think we are silly and a few have shown lack of respect and tendency to exploit these Christians because its easy to do so towards people that expose their love and willingness to help. But these are few… all in all I have experienced real good understanding between Jews and Christians…
So I dont see this intense hatred of which you speak. On the contrary. Oh yes… I remember one man who told me he had once been an antisemite because he said he had seen a lot of Jewish hypocrisy and harshness in the neighbourhood where he grew up … but he said God had healed him from this… Besides I have heard the claim from Jewish people themselves that there is a tendency among certain groups to look down on others and think one self better. One young Jewish man told me he had lost faith in G-d all together after having been subject to cruel behaviour by religious Jews.
But of course… every one is individual… we all have our own stories and our own scapegoats and failures in the area of charity.

But to address the theory … I dont believe in Freud and phychoanalysis… there have been some good things come out of it, but in some instances it has gone too far.
I believe that our motives for acting and thinking in certain ways are often far more evident than some hidden shame-feeling of helplessness directed at some far off target.

 

[MementoMori3283]

He says that some Christians who hate Jews intensely, do so because of deep-seated hatred of Christianity. In other words, they resent the restrictions Christianity puts upon them, and they subconsciously blame the Jews because Christianity originated with Judaism, and they see it as “safer” for them to hate Jews rather than admit they hate their own religion. Its what Freud used to refer to as “projecting”.

What do you think of this?

I would say that such people are unreasonable and in need of help. I would say that they are an anomaly. I would say that people who have deep-seated hatred have lost the ability to love. If one has lost the ability to love, then they have lost touch with their Creator who is Love. In other words, such people do not just hate Jews, they hate.

 

[Pier]

I haven’t read all the posts, so am only speaking for myself here…

I grew up in a predominently Jewish community. I love my Jewish friends, and over the years we have had the best discussions regarding religion that I’ve ever had. My Jewish friends are not remotely judgemental, and do understand what the Catholic religion teaches - and not only that, they have respect for it, as I do theirs.

And with only the deepest respect for my Jewish friends, they always understand and listen when I say that while they are waiting for their Messiah to come the first time, we are waiting for Him to come the second time, and that He is indeed the same Person.

And too, when I say that Christ came the first time, it was (so to speak) to champion us from the** inside first**, and rid us of original sin, making us worthy to be saved for all eternity, before He comes again. And although we can indeed make it to Heaven, we still have to prove ourselves worthy, and say no to that stinking serpent in the garden, many times a day sometimes…

Are you aware of what the NT teaches Christians about the olive tree, and not becoming puffed up with pride?

Also, as far as being responsible for Christ’s death, we all are - everytime we sin. I am of Roman descent, and am well aware that those who beat Him were the Roman guards, which sickens me - remembering too that He said, “Forgive them, Father.” He Who is alive at this very moment glorified Body and Soul, waiting for the right time to come back.

 

[GraceDK]

(…)
Also, as far as being responsible for Christ’s death, we all are - everytime we sin. I am of Roman descent, and am well aware that those who beat Him were the Roman guards, which sickens me - remembering too that He said, “Forgive them, Father.” He Who is alive at this very moment glorified Body and Soul, waiting for the right time to come back.

One heck of a post!
Baruch Hashem

 

[MementoMori3283]

Are you aware of what the NT teaches Christians about the olive tree, and not becoming **puffed up **with pride?

this is a concept in Tanach as well…

 

[Ted_in_Charlott]

I remember growing up in Atlanta in the 60s in a VERY Baptist only moderately educated area. I think we were lower middle class. Archie Bunker types were the norm. My Mom and Dad were just as bad as most.

If you were different you were picked on, hated. Very sad. All those people hating other people they didn’t even know. All the pain. I didn’t even know a Jew or a Catholic and I was taught to hate them, not only at home and school but at church also.

Lord God have mercy on me a sinner.

 

[HashemEchad]

It is obvious that Father Flannery is a Catholic imposter for defending Judaism and attacking the Catholic Church.

Actually, one complaint some Jewish leaders had when his book first came out was that he was too apologetic for some of the church’s actions in history.

 

[HashemEchad]

Given your great knowledge of Judaism and Jews, perhaps you might enlighten us as to the sources of your knowledge?

Let me save him the trouble.

The website linked to is a neoNazi site, and there are many online. Sadly, there are also some traditionalist Catholics hooked up with these white supremacist sites as well.