Obviously I'm oversimplifying with the title, the entire world does not hate the Jews, but a significant portion does, and a much larger portion has historically.

I watched the movie "Defiance" the other night, and it brought this question back up to me.

I do not understand.

I grew up in rural America. I only knew four or five Jewish people, and I was friend with them. My current MIL is Jewish, and I adore her. My family did not teach me to look down on anyone, and had no cross words with any group save for evil people. I've never known a Jewish person who wasn't nice.

I've read on this, trying to understand. But I can't wrap my head around why so many have hated them for so long.

Can someone with a better grip on this explain it better than "They killed Jesus and made for easy scapegoats for a couple of thousand years"?

The "Jews" did NOT kill Jesus. The Romans did.

More specifically, I killed Jesus, as it was my sin that made His sacrifice necesary.

To answer the question, the world hates Jews because they are, and always have been, God's chosen people.

Although there are a number of specific reasons excuses, fundamentally it’s suspicion morphing into fear and then hatred of the “other”—something that is a universal human trait for sound evolutionary reasons. And there is probably nothing so fearsome as the idea of a different religious belief because when someone believes something different about such a basic and important issue, it is a de facto attack on one’s own beliefs.

Keep in mind that throughout history people whose beliefs differed by such small degrees that they’re literally incomprehensible to outsiders were some of the most enthusiastic killers of each other. The fear arises from insecurity, and the thought in our heart of hearts—however we might reject it—that they are right and we are wrong.

People who are most secure in their own beliefs are usually the least troubled by the beliefs of others (unless, of course, fanatical intolerance is a fundamental tenet of a religious system, such as one I won’t bother mentioning). But that’s more of a modern thing. One of the most disturbing beliefs among people with more primitive views of the world is that if they tolerate someone who doesn’t believe as they do, then their own god(s) will be pissed and take it out on them.

Ok...I'm gonna say a lot of things that on the surface may seem flippant or stereotypical responses, but stereotypes exist for a reason. It will seem flippant because I don't have time for a dissertation.

From the beginning of Jewish History the belief has been that God not only exists but exists within everything in creation including thought, language, and idea. This has led to several developments:

1) Historically Jewish learning starts early and is very logic based. Over the years this has led to a statistical fact that on average Jewish persons have a higher IQ. Smart people tend to be looked down on by the slower of the species.

2) From early on, Jews learned to live in communities. At first and still often a necessity of keeping with those of like ideas concerning faith and belief, but also later as a defense mechanism. Business is always better done with other Jews and while commerce with gentiles is not as unfair as is often depicted, better deals are often given to fellow Jews. This keeps wealth within the community so to speak and allows the community to become stronger. This often causes a good bit of consternation with non-Jews. Pay attention to historical issues, attacks on Jews have ALWAYS begun with removing their wealth first, usually through taxes in the beginning and later through laws limiting business.

3) There is a widely held belief within Jewish thought that responsibility to later generations is of utmost importance. There is an illustrative saying regarding a man planting olive trees. They take so long to grow and start producing that one is planting them for their grandchildren. This is a biblical ideal that unfortunately has fallen by the wayside for many "Christians". I've heard many non-Jews say "I had to work for mine, they can work for theirs" when talking about their children.


All the above are simply rough generalizations but if you do some digging you'll find them fairly accurate. Historically each time the Jews were dispersed, they were forced to live in strict communities by necessity. They then by custom built wealth and educated their children and soon surpassed those around them, often being vilified for being successful.

quote:

Originally posted by Hound Dog:
The "Jews" did NOT kill Jesus. The Romans did.

So you're saying the Romans would've crucified Jesus without the Jews' involvement?

This is one of those things where “it’s always been that way.”

Some claim the Jews are to blame for the Crucifixion. That may be true in some Christian denominations, although I don’t know of one specifically.

Last spring I read “The Complete Story of Civilization” by Will and Ariel Durant. It covers recorded history through Napoleanic times, iow 19th Century., each civilization in turn, 11 volumes, ~12000 pages. It certainly seems true that the Jews have been treated very poorly by other cultures almost without exception, especially since the beginning of the Christian Era. Forced to live in restricted areas of a city, wear certain clothes only, prohibited from many occupations, forbidden to travel among other onerous conditions.

Part of it might be an inflexible, unwavering clinging to their laws and faith, unwillingness to interact with others around them, marry, etc. Being different than those around you has been a difficult business for centuries, less so as time has gone on. Thems vs. Uses, you know.

If Christians are justified in blaming the remote descendants of a small number of Jews for supposedly killing Jesus nearly 2000 years ago, then the blacks in this country are justified in blaming the descendants of the much larger group of people who owned slaves much more recently.

The idea is ludicrous.

Because they collect interest.

chongosuerte, I have NEVER understood that either. I have worked and socialized with people of the Jewish faith, and never had an issue of any kind. And they never spoke ill of other faiths,tried to impose their opinions on me, or convert me. Can't say the same for some others.

More and more, I wonder if this hatred is related to the fact that so many in the Western World are so fearful of radical Islam, that they cannot even admit their fear? So many, argue that Israel, Western Europe, and America are the reason radical followers of the "Religion of Peace" commit these terrorist atrocities. And if only America and the West would be nicer, and Israel removed from the equation, then Radical Islam would cease to commit these terrible acts. IMHO, Infidels of any kind will never be tolerated by radical Islam. And what is Israel to do, what do they have to negotiate, when their foes deny they even have the right to exist? I believe that as long as there is one "infidel" left on this planet, there will be no peace with Islam. I recall reading an article by Salman Rushdie, in which he attempted to explain Islam's attitude toward infidels. I can't quote him, but it was words to the effect that ,while all Muslims may not want to kill non-Muslims, they simply see no reason for infidels to exist. Couple other possibly related things I've never understood. Why the American Jewish Community is traditionally so supportive of the Left, when the Left is so supportive of a religion that would kill all Jews if they had the opportunity, and all the Liberals to boot???

Very few people in the world "hate" anyone. However, it's easy to convince others that some other or different kind of people are responsible for all their problems.

So when some people - who really do hate others - need an army of idiots to support them, they find a group - like the Jews - and convince their idiots that that group is the source of all their problems.

Truly hateful people are few and far between. Lemmings, hating by association, are unfortunately plentiful.

The simple answer to your question - aside from religious reference - people hate the Jews because there is something to be gained from it.

Hound Dog got it right, the Jews didn't kill Christ, I did, and you did.

But factually and Biblically speaking, the Jews were the instigators who prodded the Romans into the decisions they made. If they hadn't done so, I imagine someone would have come along to do the job.

quote:

Originally posted by thunderson:
Ok...I'm gonna say a lot of things that on the surface may seem flippant or stereotypical responses, but stereotypes exist for a reason. It will seem flippant because I don't have time for a dissertation....

You did fine, friend.
If one is "offended" at your post, it is due to thin skin.

It’s all in the Bible.

Never understood indiscriminate hatred.

It's so easy. When you hate, the facts and truth are irrelevant.

Slaughter people, steal everything, justify it emotionally.

Envy. I believe they are God's chosen people. I don't know why, but they are. My observation is that the closer an individual is to God in his heart, the more fond he is of God's ways and His people. The farther away from God an individual is in his heart the more he seems to hate the Jews. This seems to go for Jew and Gentile alike.

I love the idea of being accepted by God as His. I love the idea of God's people being gathered to live peacefully together. I believe that is in store for all who near themselves to God, Jew and Gentile alike. So there is no need to envy their status. No need to criticize nor condemn collectively. There is only a need to emulate their faithfulness and devotion.

In this country, at least, I think resentment of the Jews from other demographics became easy because they were "outsiders" who were successful in their ventures, while others may not have the track record. The old stereotypes of the "stingy jew", or the "filthy rich jew" grew out of pure jealousy, becoming the scapegoats for other's failures.

The hatred now for Jews in the U.S. stem from overall support conservatives give to Israel instead of Palestine, and hateful leftists will oppose ANYTHING that conservatives support.

quote:

Originally posted by Hound Dog:
The "Jews" did NOT kill Jesus. The Romans did.

A little more to it than that.

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quote:

Originally posted by sigmonkey:
You did fine, friend.
If one is "offended" at your post, it is due to thin skin.

Thanks for that.

quote:

Originally posted by Balzé Halzé:

quote:

Originally posted by Hound Dog:
The "Jews" did NOT kill Jesus. The Romans did.

So you're saying the Romans would've crucified Jesus without the Jews' involvement?

I'm saying I'm REALLY tired of all the "Christ-killer" talk that has been thrown around by anti-semites for the past several centuries.

Technically, the Jews did NOT kill Jesus. Even more technically, if we wish to assess blame, it is the fault of every human who ever lived and ever will live (and I start that list with myself).

Now, of course, the Jewish religious leaders (NOT "The Jews," just SOME of them) provoked the Romans to carry out His execution. But that really isn't the point.

If the Christians are mad about the Jews alleged involvement in the death of Christ, why don’t they accept that it was “God’s plan”, since that is their answer for everything else under the sun....?