What is antisemitism?

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Use your psychic powers to win the lottery, that’s a better use than going on an Internet Forum and telling someone else what they think and feel.
 
It is not I who am telling you what you think and feel; it is you who are telling all of us by means of what you write.
 
So I told you that I “dislike” or have “hatred” for non-Catholics? My parents are both Protestants and I hate Protestantism. Are you going to tell me that I dislike and hate my Daddy and Mama now?
 
And yes, it is you who are telling me what I think or feel. Actually, you just did it. Scroll up a couple of comments.
 
I said that hating what you consider a false religion implicitly means that one shows disrespect, if not dislike or even hatred, toward the people who believe in that religion. If I hate Christianity (which I do not), would that be acceptable to you, or would you think it disrespectful to you who believe in the truth of your religion?
 
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Nice dodge of the question. I’m just going to ask it again. Are you telling me that I hate my daddy and mama as well as my grandparents since they’re not Catholics and they’re followers of a false religion? Answer my question then I’ll answer yours.
 
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It is no dodge. You referred to my previous post, so I pointed out exactly what I said. What is your response to my question?
 
Alright, you don’t have to answer me. But the answer to you is no, I fail to see how that’s disrespectful. But I am a Man and I’m not hurt or disrespected by words or opinions, so that’s probably why.
 
I am also a man and I do find words that speak badly about another’s religion hurtful. And to answer your question, yes, I do find it disrespectful of you to hate your parents’ religion. Of course you may disagree with their religion and not believe in it, but that doesn’t mean you have to hate it. If you want to hate other people’s religions, that is your business, but don’t expect me to think you are being respectful to the people who practice and believe in that religion.
 
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DeoVindice1863 said:
Indians didn’t have a country
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Do you have evidence of this? I know you are fond of truth, but are you saying that native Americans did not have their own territories and power structure?
DeoVindice1863 said:
Yes, let us shift to the modern context. Do you feel insecure/uncomfortable if there is a country, company, or club that is “too white” and think there needs to be less white people?
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Not at all.
How about you, though? It is not a question meant to condemn, only to explore a little where you are coming from: Do you feel more secure around white people? Do you have a preference for an American culture that does not include, for example, some aspects of Mexican culture? I’m not going to condemn your answer.
DeoVindice1863 said:
By the way, why do you assume I’m white? Is it impossible for non-whites to believe that whites deserve their own homelands and countries? Do people have to be the same race as another to believe they have certain rights that should be protected?
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Okay, you nailed me on that one. I assumed you were white because I think you said you were American, and you want America to be dominated by white people, that it should be a place for white people. If you are not a white person, then such a position would be rare indeed, and calls for more clarification.

Well, come to find out, you aren’t going to be able to answer for a couple weeks. Come back and discuss, we’ll probably still be around.

I want you to know that I don’t resent your position. I don’t share your position, but I understand it and respect that it comes from a series of experiences that I don’t know and I could only know if I could somehow walk in your shoes and hear your story.

I would like to hear your story.

And I would hope, too, that you might be open to hearing the stories of Native Americans, Jewish people, people of other religions too, people who value their religions and find comfort in their beliefs.

No religion is perfect, all of them have room to grow and evolve, and all of them do. And what I am seeing is that all of them are evolving to something closer to knowing the unconditional love and forgiveness of God.
 
@OneSheep, DeoVindice1863 has been suspended, so he won’t be replying to your questions.
 
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Grace, that’s a good article, but unfortunately it only tells one side of the story. For example, it says
“where anti-Israel sentiment has morphed into anti-Semitism”
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Do they really have proof of this happening? I am curious about that. Did they take a survey? Did they actually talk to some people who were really resentful of what the Israeli government did last summer, and see that their protest of the government’s new pronouncements, for example, led protestors to eventually resent Jewish people?

Sometimes it’s little comments like this, “hidden” in some genuine reports, that end up crossing the lines into falsehood, and in effect promote the very same type of stereotyping and negative affect that the efforts at stopping antisemitism are trying to mitigate.

Where does the mind of the reader go? “Oh, being anti-Israeli policies makes you eventually morph into/side with antisemitic people.”?

Now, here’s something I liked in the article (among other things):
Confronting anti-Semitic claims with evidence, showing their absurdity, is crucial, Lipstadt told me—even if it’s also prudent to keep some distance and avoid validating those acting in bad faith.
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Yeah, instead of doing like people did in America against Ilhan Omar, pointing and condemning her, they could simply give a counterpoint, give the evidence that disproves something she claims.

But then, the article (and Lipstadt) sort of self-contradicts:
“If they believe these irrational things about Jews, they’ll believe irrational things about their government. They’ll believe irrational things about the economy. They’ll believe irrational things about their neighbors. Conspiracy theories within a society are very dangerous.”
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This is a slippery slope, and people who buy into some particular conspiracy theory are likely offended by this statement. The fact is that conspiracies do happen. If and when there is evidence against a conspiracy theory, what needs to be done is to present the evidence, not point at the theory and condemn it. The truth does not need to condemn the position of falsehood, and it is a disservice to truth to condemn or incite resentment against people who are misled! To uphold truth, present the evidence, and leave it at that.

And here is one truth that can enable us to present the facts addressing conspiracy theories that accuse Jewish people:

Jewish people are people: loving, compassionate, well-meaning people who care about other people, care about the planet, care about freedom, care about poverty, bigotry, violence, environmental destruction, care about forgiveness and reconciliation just as much as any of the rest of us. Yes, since they are people, they also share our nature, share our capacity to do some awful things, but this capacity only has to do with their being human, just like the rest of us.
 
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If you as a reader find reason to accuse a Jewish person of some kind of negative motive, take a look at yourself, and first remove the post from your own eye! Admit your own capacity to make grave errors and be blind to the needs of other people. Understand and forgive the person you are accusing; see that they are well-meaning and doing what they think is best. Only then may you address the sliver in your neighbor’s eye.
 
OneSheep said:
Donald Trump always intends well.
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That’s so reassuring. Perhaps you could explain why he said his father was born in “a wonderful place” in Germany last week? (His father was born in the Bronx in 1905.)
 
Erikaspirit16 said:
That’s so reassuring.
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😊

Since anything I say about Donald’s intent is a matter of projection, I’ll go ahead and project that he was trying to assert a connection to Europe, as something closer to a “native son”. With this connection, he is hoping that it will soften European rejection of his message and mission.

So, do you see his good intent? He is blind, of course, but well-meaning.
 
OneSheep said:
So, do you see his good intent? He is blind, of course, but well-meaning.
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A few months ago when he was at a rally in Wisconsin he said “I am the first Republican presidential candidate to win Wisconsin since Eisenhower’s first term!!!” (He conveniently ignored Eisenhower’s 2nd term, Nixon in 1960, 1968, 1972, Reagan in 1982 and 1986…)

So when he gives totally false information about things that are common knowledge or easily checked, he means well, right? And when he gives totally false information about NATO, trade, Russia, Israel, immigration, and whatever other topic you care to name, we should believe him because he was so truthful in the other, easily checkable subjects, and we should just assume “he means well”? Sounds like a recipe for authoritarian dictatorship to me. I prefer people who tell the truth.
 
@Erikaspirit16, @onesheep, this topic is not about Trump, please stay on topic.
 
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I assume you sent the same message to OneSheep, since I was only responding to his comment?
 
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