Why Are Jews Persecuted By Christians If They Were The Instruments Of Humankind's Salvation?

[Infomaniac]

I do not understand why the Jews have been, and are still being in some quarters, persecuted by Christians.

Jesus was a Jew, as were his entire family, the people to whom he preached, and all of his followers and supporters. He probably would not recognize the Gentile religion created in his name by Paul of Tarsus, another Jew. Christian tradition blames the Jews for not recognizing Jesus’ divinity, and also blames them for his ignominious death by crucifixion. However, according to Christian theology, Jesus’ death was pre-ordained by God as the means through which the sins of the world were removed and humankind was saved. So why persecute those who were alleged to have brought about this wonderful salvation? Should they not instead be applauded for carrying out God’s intentions and helping save humankind? Similarly Judas Iscariot: if he really did betray Jesus, was he not simply carrying out God's wishes?

[douglas9401]

Pork and genitals, the birth of the doner kebab.

[naomi24]

Haaa! Sounds about right! :o)

[Spoonboy]

In pre-Christian Britain, the Jews were persecuted here. And not only by the Romans, but the Celts also.

[modeller]

spoonboy Yes but it was for the same reason , the Jews objected to the Celts putting wild boar into the haggis and the Celts proved they were not Jewish by not wearing anything under their kilts. :o)

[naomi24]

Spoonboy, as far as I'm aware, no records exist of Jews living in Britain before about 1000AD. I'd be very interested in learning about their presence here in pre-Christian times. Do you have a link?

[venator]

Choice for Romans wishing to adopt an Abrahamic religion -

1 Jewish - Slightly odd strict dietary laws, and painful adult circumcision (ouch!)

2 Christianity - none of the above ......

[naomi24]

^^St Paul wasn't daft. ;o)

[idiosyncrasy]

It was the Romans who actually put Jesus to death. However, it was the Jewish religious leaders who instigated it. They told Pontius Pilate that Jesus was causing sedition amongst the populous and so was rebelling against the Roman authorities. Although Pilate could find nothing against Jesus he wanted popularity and so caved in under pressure to have Jesus executed.

Because the Jewish religious leaders were primarily responsible for the Nation of Israel rejecting Jesus as the expected Messiah, God turned away from them.

If you look at Jeremiah 31 v 31 it tells us that God is making a new covenant with a people who will truly worship him and that this covenant is not written on paper(stone or whatever they used) but in the heart.

And it was Jesus not Paul who started Christianity. If you look in Acts 9 v 2.At that time it was called the "Way". And in Acts 11 v 26, it is then they became called Christians.

[Khandro]

The real reason is because throughout history Jews have always remained a society within a society, would only buy from one another - but would happily sell to anyone. You will always find resentment when those perceived to be 'outsiders' fail to integrate with the larger community. It is happening now with the Turks in Germany and the more tight-knit groupings of Pakistanis and Bangladeshis in the UK, and why the British failed so miserably on the Indian subcontinent and elsewhere.

[FredPuli43]

modeller, now that's what I call exegesis!

[goodlife]

Is it wrong to ask why God allows thing? No, Some worry that asking such a question means that they do not have enough faith? Well when reading the Bible, however, you will find that faithful, God-fearing people had similar questions.

For example, the prophet Habakkuk asked Jehovah: “Why is it that you make me see what is hurtful, and you keep looking upon mere trouble? And why are despoiling and violence in front of me, and why does quarreling occur, and why is strife carried?”—Habakkuk 1:3.

God helped him to get a clearer understanding of matters and to gain greater faith.

[naomi24]

idiosyncrasy, we can either talk about this from a biblical perspective or from an historically rational perspective. Personally I prefer the latter. Jesus was a Jew who told his followers to keep the law – the Jewish law – and he was executed by the Romans as an insurgent. Those were politically troubled times and it makes absolutely no sense that he was welcomed into Jerusalem by cheering masses, and a few days later condemned to death by those same people. It’s patent nonsense. Paul, the founder of Christianity, never met Jesus – nevertheless that is who you follow. I don’t believe Jesus had any intention of founding a new religion, and I actually believe that no man in the course of history has been so appallingly misrepresented as he.

[jomifl]

Khandro, I find myself agreeing with you, when usuary was forbidden by the catholic church, it was left to the Jews to make(a lot of) money out of lending. This led to a bad reputation that was really the result of christian dogma but people who were in hock to Jewish moneylenders didn't see it like that.
I have a friend who was married to a Jewess and through her he had an insight into the closed Jewish society because many Jews assumed that he was a Jew and let their guard down. It seems that Jews are little different to anyone else when it comes to bigotry and xenophobia.

[jomifl]

GL, You would have no idea what god would allow even if he existed. There has never been any kind of unambiguous communication from any kind of god, so don't pretend there has. If you are going to have 10 commandments then I suggest you obey them yourself before you preach to others. Mote, plank and eye are words that come to mind.

[naomi24]

//It seems that Jews are little different to anyone else when it comes to bigotry and xenophobia.//

Due to their fervent belief that they are God’s chosen, they regard themselves as very different from other people and that is why they have depended upon self-sufficiency, separating themselves from others throughout history. Therefore their bigotry and xenophobia is often more pronounced.

Jom, Goodlife works under new rules.

[keyplus90]

http://quranmalayalam.com/crucifiction/

[naomi24]

Keyplus, there's rather a lot in that link and really I don't think it's reasonable to expect people here to trawl through it all in an effort to try to ascertain the point you're trying to make. What is it you want to say?

[Khandro]

As a general point: I think it would be better if everyone on AB were, when possible, to either paraphrase, or copy and paste what it is they want to draw attention to , instead of simply sticking up a link. Does anyone agree?

[jomifl]

Khandro, I find myself agreeing with you again. I rarely look at any links to religious websites as they are almost invariably written with a subtext that is lost on me so I don't get their point. Either that or I am bored even more witless. I'm afraid that when I get to the 'pbuh' bit I switch off.

[jomifl]

I had a look at Keyplus's link and ran aground in the first paragraph...
I think keyplus's point is that his guy is better than the christian's guy. I think we were already aware of his views on that topic. I don't think a lot of biblical quotes substantiates anything other than the fact that people could write a long time ago.