Therefore, Jew

[Rev. Green]

"The quality of mercy is not strained. It droppeth as the gentle rain from heaven upon the place beneath... Therefore, Jew, though justice be thy plea, consider this: that in the course of justice none of us should see salvation. We do pray for mercy, and that same prayer doth teach us all to render the deeds of mercy."

Have Jews learnt nothing since 1598?

[andy-hughes]

Since Shakespeare wrote to chime with the amti-Semic prejudices of his time, I doubt there was much intended as a 'lesson' for them in his attitude 

 

[Khandro]

Errrrrrr, that was a fictional character.

 

Have they learnt nothing?

Well they account for only 0.2% of the world population (only 14 million of them) & they have won nearly a quarter of all Nobel prizes.

Not very good at olympic gold medals though, but if chess was included they'd clean up, having produced so many grand masters. 😐

[sandyRoe]

You're not very far from the people who would claim that 'The Protocols of the Elders of Zion', is genuine, with your question.

[naomi24]

I think they've learnt quite a lot since Shakespeare's day - and they've learnt it the hard way.   A visit to Auschwitz may help you.

[Abstract1]

How very stupid.

[Rev. Green]

I agree that they've learnt to be cruel, Naomi, but I was hoping they'd learn Portia's lesson to Sherlock about mercy.

[andy-hughes]

Rev. Green, I don't think that's what Naomi meant, based on the fact that it's not what she said.

Naomi has her faults, as do we all, clarity of expression has never been one of them.

[naomi24]

Nonsense.  They didn't go on an utterly inhumane and disgustingly barbaric killing spree on 7 October.  If you want to preach compassion there are others in line way ahead of the Jews.  

[andy-hughes]

Told you...

[Rev. Green]

Sorry, Naomi, I don't follow you. Why does it matter that their "utterly inhumane and disgustingly barbaric killing spree" started on the 8th October, not the 7th?

[drmorgans]

I went to see The Merchant of Venice 1936 at Stratford which makes Shylock a female money-lender in the East End, set against the backdrop of the rise of Fascism and the Blackshirts. The production gives a more sympathetic rendering of Shylock (played by Tracy-Ann Oberman).

 

[naomi24]

Hamas are the aggressors here. 

[andy-hughes]

Rev Green, aside from nitpicking about the date, Hamas were the instigators and aggressors, not Israel.

[andy-hughes]

Cross-posted .

[naomi24]

He's not nit-picking.  He thinks he's being smart by applying my description of the barbarity of Hamas to Israel's retaliation the following day.  

[andy-hughes]

I stand corrected. 

[sandyRoe]

Was the entire region bathed in peace before 6th October?

This current outbreak of violence didn't come out of nowhere, it is a consequence of 70 years of oppression.  While the USA backs Israel nothing is going to change.  Israel won't look for peace.  Why should they?

Hamas  will be  crushed but the hatred of Israel won't disappear.  

[naomi24]

Hamas isnt interested in peace - at least not while Israel exists.  I can well understand Palestine's grievance - they have been treated abominably - but we are where we are and the works is where it is so I think the question Palestine's supporters must ask themselves is do they want Israel replaced by an Islamic state controlled by fundamentalists?  My personal answer to that is no I don't.  Does anyone here want that?

[naomi24]

*the world is where it is ...

[royfromaus]

Bloody hell, another one.