Not to hijack this thread, but after seeing “The Passion of the Christ” and having heard the protests of anti-Semitism, I was surprised that Italian-Americans (or Italian nationals, for that matter) didn’t complain. The Roman torturers were portrayed as obviously relishing their work.
Actually, some Italian-American did complain, but not enough, IMO.
LOL. Gibson crafted the scourging scenes to resemble nothing so much as a KKK attack. Even the dialogue: “Faciam musicam!” (Let’s make music) was reminiscent of the scene in The Cardinal when the priest was beaten and left for dead – because he was BOTH Black AND Catholic.
I am offended by that film on TWO accounts: as a Jew, and as an Italian-American (my mom was an Italian-American of Spanish descent who converted to Orthodox Judaism, and my dad was an American Jew of Russian descent.)
I’m not Italian, but my husband is, on both sides. After I saw the film with him and his cousin, I remarked that I was surprised Italians weren’t protesting even more than the Jewish people were. They didn’t disagree with me, but they weren’t vociferous in their assent, either.
Oh, Pshaw! There was no anti-semitism in Gibson’s film whatsoever. You have a creative habit of exaggeration.
Because baby Jesus was cold, and the cat brought her kittens to Him in the manger, and they all slept with Him & kept Him warm.
Another reason Christ was executed is that both the Romans and Jews, but especially the Jewish hierarchy in the temple, saw him as a threat to societal order. ie. His saying all are equal, man, woman and child, rich and poor alike. They were afraid if too many people listened to Him the priests would start losing thieir temple profits and of course their power with the people.
I would certainly agree with you on the first paragraph…secular and nonreligious Jews who advocate for abortion are not only committing a grave aveira (sin) for advocating the destruction of unborn life, they are also creating a tremendous Chillul Hashem (desecration of God’s Name.) Because not only does it bring about the deaths of unborn babies, it causes nonJews to think poorly of the Torah and the Jewish faith, when they see people with Jewish names doing such things.
That is true of European cemeteries too. But it used to be the belief of the Catholic Church with regard to the altar - always facing East. The same with the Orthodox churches.
That is actually a traditional Christian custom, related to the practice of facing Ad Orientem in both private prayers and public liturgies (the Orthodox still bury their dead in this way; in fact, when a cross is placed at the grave, it is not normally placed at the head of the grave, but at the foot, so that as the faithful stand at the grave and pray facing the cross, they will be facing East).