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Revision as of 20:16, 31 December 2001 by RK (talk | contribs) (Different types of anti-Semitism)(diff) ← Previous revision | Latest revision (diff) | Newer revision → (diff)Anti-Semitism is hostility or violence toward people of Jewish ancestry. The word "anti-Semitism" was coined in Germany in 1879 by Wilhelm Marr as a more euphonious way of saying "Judenhass" (Jew-hatred). At the time, one might have mistakenly applied this term to Arabs, though it was not the case. According to a (now discredited) nineteenth century theory that held that racial groups and linguistic groups coincide, Semites were defined as natives of a group of Middle Eastern nations closely related in ethnicity, culture and language. Under this theory, the modern day Semites would be the Jews and Arabs. Ancient nationalities such as the Assyrians, Canaanites, Carthaginians, Aramaeans and Akkadians (one of the ancestors of the ancient Babylonians) were also counted among the Semitic nations. Given that the theory of "semites" and non-"semites" is now discredited, the preferred term to use is "Anti-semitism", which has a general connotation of "anti-Jewish".
There are a number of forms of anti-Semitism.
Theological anti-Semitism
Theological anti-Semitism blames the entire Jewish people for the death of Jesus Christ, and for willfully and deliberately refusing to believe in the New Testament, despite the fact that all Jews "know" that Christianity is the one true faith. Theological anti-Semitism was created by the New Testament's replacement theology, which taught that with the coming of Jesus the religion of Judaism was no longer necessary. Paul taught that the Jews were no longer in a special relationship with God, and that in God's eyes only Christians were the true offspring of Abraham.
Mystical/Demonological anti-Semitism
From the medieval era to the 1900s many Christians believed that some (or all) Jews possessed magical powers; depening on the culture, people believed that the Jews gained these magical powers from making a deal with the devil.
- "The Satanizing of the Jews: Origin and Development of Mystical Anti-Semitism" Joel Carmichael, fromm, 1992
Economic Anti-Semitism
From the medieval era to today, many people believed that Jewish people unfairly took away jobs and money from Christians.
More commonly, there is prejudice against Jews largely on account of the fact that Jews are often, in spite of what ethnic and religious differences they have with the population at large, in positions of power and prestige. Hence, anti-Jewish prejudice is very often, by the defenders of Jews and Jewishness, ascribed to envy more than to any sort of religious concern.
Racial Anti-Semitism
Racial anti-Semitism is the most modern form of anti-Semitism; it is based on the erroneous notion that the Jewish people are a distinct race. Racially motivated anti-Semitism often stems from the belief that Jews are inherently inferior to people of other ancestry; it is a type of racism mixed with religious persecution.
Jews are not actually a race; they are an evolving religious civilization that started out as a nationality in exile. Historians, as well as Jewish people themselves, see Judaism as a type of ethnic group. It is unlike many other ethnic groups, as it allows outsiders to join, so it is an ethnic group with people of all races and ethnicities in it.
= Anti-Semitism in the 20th and 21st century Middle-East
In the Middle east, Jewish people are widely resented both for their religious differences, and for the fact that they now live in what was once the predominantly Muslim territory of Palestine. According to Islamic law, all lands fall into one of only two possible legal categories (A) Land currently under Islamic control, and (B) Land once controlled by Muslims, that all Muslims worldwide are bound to re-conquer; such lands, including the State of Israel and Spain, are termed "lands under the sword."
From a sociological point of view, the origin of much modern day anti-Semitism in these nations is due to indoctrination of young children to hate Jewish people from an early age.
- Palestinian television programs for kindergarten age children feature songs about becoming suicide-bombers, and drenching shopping malls with Jewish blood
- Syrian and Palestinian school textbooks deny the existence of the State of Israel.
Children who have grown up in this atmosphere don't see themselves as anti-Semitic. In the last few years American and European politicians and human rights groups have begun criticising the Palestinian Authority and other middle-eastern Arab nations for such television shows and textbooks; they are held to be violations of the Oslo accords.
Occurance of anti-Semitism
Anti-Semitic beliefs are often held by people of many different ethnicities. Anti-Semitism has a long history, including persecution of Jews in Europe, the Middle East and the Western World at large. (Can someone expand on this?) Relations between Christians and Jews have at times been horrible, other times bad, yet at other times peaceful. In recent years there has been much reconciliation between Jews and Christians. In many nations there has been a remarkable decline in anti-semitism.
http://www.us-israel.org/jsource/anti-semitism/Christian.html
http://communities.msn.com/JudaismFAQs&naventryid=251
One of the most damaging anti-semitic tractates published is the infamous Russian hoax, the Protocols_of_the_Elders_of_Zion.
Anti-Semitic beliefs are often held by people of many different ethnicities. Anti-Semitism has a long history, including persecution of Jews in Europe, the Middle East and the world at large. Can someone expand on this?
See also: Israel, Middle-East, nazism, White supremacy, holocaust, conspiracy theory, Zionism
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