The Insanity of Anti-Semitism

It was brought to my attention that my article “Do Christians Muslims and Jews Worship the Same God?” has been listed on the website anti-semitism.net. When I first heard about this I was concerned because there is certainly no intention for that article or anything else on the site to be anti-Semitic or against Jews as a people in any way. I was disturbed by the idea that anyone might interpret that article as being anti-Semitic. My purpose was simply to show that Christianity, Islam, and Judaism are distinct religions with different theologies and that acceptance of the divinity of Jesus is foundational to the Christian understanding of the identity of God.

I decided to check into why the article would be listed on their site and to contact them about it if possible. As it turns out, however, the link to the article on their site does NOT mean that they consider the content to be anti-Semitic. They link to all sorts of information that is related to Jewish identity. It is always important when dealing with information to carefully understand the context in which it is being shared. If you click on the “about” tab on their site you will see the following statement (emphasis is theirs):

“Anti-Semitism.net is the web site of the Anti-Semitism News Network, a global news resource and portal about a variety of topics and issues important to Jews (and Gentiles) in a global and political context. On Anti-Semitism.net we present news about Jewish-Gentile relations and controversies facing our world today, with the hope that bringing this information to the forefront, it will open up dialogue and communication for peaceful and non-violent solutions to combat Anti-Semitism.

Anti-Semitism.net tries to be fair and balanced, it does not only expose Anti-Semitic and Anti-Jewish news, it also present news which could be considered pro-Jewish, including philo-Semitic topics, subjects and positive news inspiring Jewish life.

Anti-Semitism.net is an uncensored RSS news site bringing together all kinds of views, some are very controversial, so viewer discretion is advised. Not everything on this site is Anti-Semitic, many published items offer a unique perspective on Jewish life or topics important to Jewish-Gentile relations. Do not assume because something is posted on our site it is Anti-Semitic. We make an effort to post news which is positive and informative for the global Jewish community. We present a variety of view points from many perspectives around the world on this web site and hope that people will work with us to expose and fight against real genuine Anti-Semitism where ever it might exist in the world today.

Please be open minded and not make the assumption because something is posted on this web site it should be interpreted as anti-Semitic.”

Although this should be sufficient for people to realize that the linking of our site on theirs is not any indication that they consider us anti-Semitic I thought it would be good to make a brief statement to be perfectly clear about this issue just in case other readers have a concern. Anti-Semitism (and any other kind of racism) is totally incompatible with Christianity. Sadly, there has been no shortage of this kind of destructive nonsense throughout the history of the church. Those cases are examples of people failing to understand and submit to the implications of the Gospel. From a Biblical standpoint anti-Semitism is foolish and insane.

Jesus was Jewish. The apostles were Jewish. The earliest Christian’s were Jewish. The promises that we have as Christians we only possess because we have been grafted into the promises that God first delivered to Jews. Paul, in his letter to the Romans, makes the following amazing statement. He says, “I could wish that I myself were accursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my brothers, my kinsmen according to the flesh. They are Israelites, and to them belong the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the worship, and the promises. To them belong the patriarchs, and from their race, according to the flesh, is the Christ, who is God over all, blessed forever.”     (Romans 9:3-5 ESV)

Can you imagine this? Paul’s desire that the Jews would understand that Christ was the focal point of their scriptures and was their messiah was so great that he said that if it were possible he would trade his salvation for theirs! How any Christian can read these words and yet harbor a hardness or hatred in their hearts for the Jewish people is incomprehensible to me. As Paul reminds us in his letter to the Ephesians:

“…remember that you were at that time separated from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility by abolishing the law of commandments expressed in ordinances, that he might create in himself one new man in place of the two, so making peace, and might reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross, thereby killing the hostility.” (Ephesians 2:12-16 ESV)

It is through the Jewish messiah that we are reconciled to God. We are made one people of faith through His blood and I believe the Bible teaches that there will be a day of great revival and conversion where the veil will be lifted and Israel will accept their King. Until that time we are to pray for them, share the Gospel of peace with them, and be thankful that because of Christ we have a share of an inheritance in the Kingdom of God which was promised to them through their forefathers. There is no basis whatsoever for racism of any kind to exist in the Church. Considering the redemptive history that we accept in Scripture it is particularly insane for any Christian to be anti-Semitic.