I just saw an article on another list serve, the Anti-Fascist Information Bulletin, criticizing the Republicans in the Schiavo case for what it called the "Islamization" of the GOP. I find it odd that people want to lay off the ills of Christian fascist fundamentalism on "the Hebrews" or the Muslims. My right "not to like" the Jesus dialogue is not what is in question -- it is the politics of the piece. I have plenty of readers, friends and relatives who are Christians, and I think "Who would Jesus bomb?" is a wonderful ironic slogan. But when I see a piece that purports to be about peace say "The ancient Hebrew scriptures say that God is an angry God, a vengeful God, a jealous God. But he is not" my hackles go up. It is not necessary to dismiss, diminish or distort Jewish religious beliefs to critique Bush's claims to be a good Christian, when he is in fact a hypocritical, power hungry war criminal and mass murderer. When Christians start saying things that sound suspiciously like "the Jewish god is not really god," that doesn't seem conducive to enlightenment, tolerance, or a willingness to live and let live. I am not making any case here in favor of either god or Judaism; I am saying believers of any religion need to "own" the crimes committed in the name of that religion. I'd be interested in hearing some Christians speak about this, or other people of faith (my politics are not faith-based). I'm not trying to be snippy or hostile or "cause divisions." I am an anti-Zionist, and often get accused of being a "self-hating Jew" or an anti-Semite myself, and I'm not trying to bait Ed or anyone else. But doesn't anybody else find putting such words in Jesus's mouth troubling?
At 03:46 PM 3/23/2005 -0800, Ed Pearl wrote: >My daily emailing goes to a wide variety of people, including Christians who >in turn, likely know people who would appreciate this or think about their >own values as a result. >These connections are part of my politics and I'm happy to pass them on. I >believe at least some who get LAAMN appreciated reading it. Novick has the >right not to like it. >Ed Pearl >----- Original Message ----- >From: "Michael Novick" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >To: <[email protected]> >Cc: "Ed Pearl" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >Sent: Wednesday, March 23, 2005 10:47 AM >Subject: Not again, Old testament Christians > > >I know it's Easter and all, but this is getting ridiculous. I thought >people might have seen my comments when Frank Dorrel circulated this >widely, but here it is again from Ed Pearl > > >Minister: But the President is a Christian. He has dedicated his life > >to serving you. > > > >Jesus: He has dedicated his life to serving himself. That is the > >opposite of what I teach. > > > >Minister: But he's a Christian. > > > >Jesus: He is an Old Testament Christian. The ancient Hebrew scriptures > >say that God is an angry God, a vengeful God, a jealous God. But he is > >not. Nor is he petty, nor vindictive, nor narrow minded, nor >self-righteous. > >It's nice to know that the ancient Hebrews are to blame for George W. Bush. >Here all along I think his vindictive, narrow-minded self-righteousness had >something to do with his being emperor of the greatest war machine in the >history of humanity, and might culturally have something to do with a >history >of Crusades, Christian soldiers, holy wars and the linkage of organized >Christianity to Empire since the third century. > >Look, Judaism has plenty to answer for in its own right. Maybe the god of >those ancient scriptures is a bit schizophrenic (because occasionally, they >do describe god as the all-merciful, a god of loving-kindness and >forgiveness, >as well as stern, angry and jealous). But Christianity has plenty to answer >for in its own right, too. There is no such thing as an "Old Testament >Christian." >Jews believe in the Torah and other scriptures; Christians believe that >Jesus >brought a new gospel that superceded what they then called the Old Testament >to indicate that it no longer held currency. Muslims believe Abraham, Moses, >Jesus, and Muhammad were all prophets of the same god. Practitioners of >all three monotheistic religions (as of many other polytheistic and other >religions) have committed both great crimes and great deeds in the name >of their faith and their god(s). The "Golden Rule" exists in all faiths and >moral >systems known. The "ancient Hebrew scriptures," long before Jesus, expressed >it as "ve-ahovta l'rai-akha ca-mokha" -- love your neighbor as yourself. >Believers >in Jesus will have to take responsibility for the totality of their >religion in its own >right, and for the crimes committed in its name, and not foist them off on >the >"ancient Hebrews," just as Jews must do the same. ------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor --------------------~--> Help save the life of a child. Support St. Jude Children's Research Hospital's 'Thanks & Giving.' http://us.click.yahoo.com/mGEjbB/5WnJAA/E2hLAA/7gSolB/TM --------------------------------------------------------------------~-> --------------------------------------------------------------------------- LAAMN: Los Angeles Alternative Media Network --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Unsubscribe: <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Subscribe: <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Digest: <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Help: <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Post: <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Archive1: <http://www.egroups.com/messages/laamn> --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Archive2: <http://www.mail-archive.com/[EMAIL PROTECTED]> --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/laamn/ <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
