What’s the connection between anti-Semitism, the Jews and criticism of Israel? Read the following words very slowly and repeat as often as necessary: It’s the Jews!
The world hates Jews. It will concoct any excuse and any conspiracy theory to hate them. History is full of such examples. They hate Israel because it is a “Jewish State.” We all know that, really – even those who deny it for whatever reasons they feel comfortable in kidding themselves with.
Heck, even the much-maligned president of the United States got it right on this point. Yet one example of the irrational treatment of President Trump came out in an interview with Rachel Held Evans when discussing her book. Evans compared Trump’s “misogynistic, fragile, pathetic racist presidency” to the reign of Xerxes in the story of Esther.
Here’s a clue for ya – the book wasn’t centered on Xerxes’ foibles – it was about staving off Jewish genocide. Speaking of Donald Trump, following the recent Pittsburgh Synagogue tragedy the alleged “racist” president stated:
“…anti-Semitism and the widespread persecution of Jews represents one of the ugliest and darkest features in human history. Anti-Semitism must be condemned and confronted everywhere and anywhere it appears.” ~ Donald Trump
There’s at least one irony here: some Jewish commentators jumped on social media and lumped the blame on the current president. David Wolpe has warned that, “Calls to excommunicate pro-Trump Jews are not simply wrong. They’re poison.”
This article isn’t about Donald Trump. But there’s a connection. Ideological narratives blind critics to the truth that the world has hated the Jews for centuries. Sometimes acts of anti-Semitism are appropriated to further ideological agendas.
One “woke” evangelical jumped onto social media. He alleged that opponents of the “woke” social justice movement were silent regarding the Pittsburgh tragedy. The inference being that this was because they didn’t really care and because the shooter was a “white racist.”
Wake up and smell the sulfur. The shooting was anti-Semitism to the core. The man hated Jews. That he was white isn’t relevant. Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad isn’t white and neither is Louis Farrakhan. But they’re both virulent anti-Semites. Wherever you see Jews, you’ll see anti-Semitism. That’s the way it has always been.
A lot of people like to play games of pretend. They pretend their obsessive criticism of modern Israel is founded on justice for oppressed Palestinians. Listen, I have a really cheap bridge to sell you if you’re interested. While I’m not surprised to hear this narrative from a secular world; it grieves me that we also see this poison from professing Christians.
Why does one ex-priest suggest that Jews would have been better served remaining in Europe, or sent to any other place except Palestine; and that the creation of the Israeli state led to unrest in the Middle East? Why did he visit countries not known for their love of Jews (Iran and Malaysia) to preach against the dangers of Christian Zionism?
Why do he and his friends seek to excoriate the word “Jew” from Palestine, even to the point of referring to Jesus as a refugee Palestinian? Why do they consistently lie about the causes of Palestinian suffering, and obsess about Israel’s faults to the exclusion of the suffering of other peoples around the world (Nigeria, Myanmar, China, Iran etc)? These aren’t novel questions.
It’s the Jewish-Israel connection, Silly.
Just before the Pittsburgh massacre, Dr Michael Rydelnik (They Called Me Christ Killer) delivered a talk for the Museum of the Bible. It was called Anti-Semitism Unmasked. You can watch it on Facebook if you have an account. You can also read a short summary on his website.
Regarding what I discussed above, Dr. Rydelnik mentioned Natan Sharansky’s important 3D Test of Anti-Semitism. Sharansky refers to the “New Anti-Semitism cloaked behind unreasonable criticism of Israel. He noted:
Whereas classical anti-Semitism is aimed at the Jewish people or the Jewish religion, “new anti-Semitism” is aimed at the Jewish state. Since this anti-Semitism can hide behind the veneer of legitimate criticism of Israel, it is more difficult to expose.
What’s the true cause of anti-Semitism? In a previous article I wrote – Racism in general is a product of our fallen nature. Anti-Semitism can be similarly explained. However, there’s something far more sinister operating in this case. Charles Lee Feinberg had this to say:
What, then, is the true and only cause? In a word, it is Satan. The solution is to be found in Revelation 12. Satan hates the nation through whom has come so much blessing to the world, especially the Savior. First, the dragon is incensed against the child of the woman (Jesus Christ), then he goes to make war with the remnant of her seed, Israel. Moreover, when Satan is angry against Israel, it always culminates in defiance against the Lord Jesus Christ. The two are inseparable. ~ The Cause of Anti-Semitism
For all this, anti-Semitism is ultimately doomed. It won’t always be this way. The prophet Zechariah spoke of a future time when Jews would be honored.
Thus says the LORD of hosts, ‘In those days ten men from all the nations will grasp the garment of a Jew, saying, “Let us go with you, for we have heard that God is with you.'” Zech 8:23
Lord, come quickly!
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