Friday, March 14, 2008
Stereotypical Jewish reaction: You say you like me, but do you really like me? how much do you like me? in what way? why? I'm not so great, there must be something wrong with you... what do you mean by like...?
James Q. Wilson discusses the phenomenon of Jewish distrust of the Evangelicals who love them: Why Don't Jews Like the Christians Who Like Them?
In the United States, the two groups that most ardently support Israel are Jews and evangelical and fundamentalist Christians. Jewish support is easy to explain, but why should certain Christians, most of them politically quite conservative, be so devoted to Israel? There is a second puzzle: despite their support for a Jewish state, evangelical and fundamentalist Christians are disliked by many Jews. And a third: a large fraction of African-Americans are hostile to Israel and critical of Jews, yet Jewish voters regard blacks as their natural allies.
The evidence about evangelical attitudes is clear. In 2006, a Pew survey found that evangelical Christians were more favorable toward Israel than the average American was--and much more sympathetic than either mainline Protestants or secularists. In another survey, evangelical Christians proved much likelier than Catholics, Protestants, or secular types to back Israeli control of Jerusalem, endorse Israeli settlements on the West Bank, and take Israel's side in a Middle Eastern dispute. (Among every religious group, those who are most traditional are most supportive of Israel. The most orthodox Catholics and Protestants, for instance, support Israel more than their modernist colleagues do.)
Evangelical Christians have a high opinion not just of the Jewish state but of Jews as people. That Jewish voters are overwhelmingly liberal doesn't seem to bother evangelicals, despite their own conservative politics. Yet Jews don't return the favor: in one Pew survey, 42 percent of Jewish respondents expressed hostility to evangelicals and fundamentalists. As two scholars from Baruch College have shown, a much smaller fraction--about 16 percent--of the American public has similarly antagonistic feelings toward Christian fundamentalists.
The reason that conservative Christians--opposed to abortion and gay marriage and critical of political liberalism--can feel kindly toward Jewish liberals and support Israel so fervently is rooted in theology...
He goes on to discuss the important concept of dispensationalism, as well as the way political liberalism figures in and the relationship of Jews to the Black Community. Worth reading in full.
I say it's a good thing so many Christians have a theological basis for loving Jews or they might have started to notice how many of us spend our off hours kicking them in the groin. I'm sometimes asked about the biblical basis for understanding this phenomenon. I usually advise keeping two biblical quotes in mind as a sort of short-hand. Fundamentally, Genesis 12:3:
The You is the Jews, which the Evangelical believer understands to still apply to the Jews of today.
Second, Matthew 24:36:
That's Jesus, speaking of the End Times, which I mean to use to put aside the fear that somehow Evangelical Christians hope to force the Jews back to Israel or take other steps, proactively, to bring about Jesus' return. Such a concept is not only wrong, it is blasphemous. See PREmillenial (as opposed to post-) Dispensationalism.
Then read David Brog's book, Standing With Israel
I think part of the problem, probably a big part, is simple fear. Christians over the past 1500 years or so haven't been good to Jews. It's hard to believe that there are Christians now who might actually care about, support and defend us.
So, I would implore the Christian community to give us a chance to get to know you better. It might take a little time to build trust.
I for one am deeply grateful for Christian support and friendship and hope other Jews will take the time to get to know the Christians who want to help us.
As far as the African-American community is concerned, I wish there was a way to rebuild the bridges. I don't know what happened frankly.
I think that for a lot of Jews it is difficult to distinguish among Christians those who support them and those who harbor malicious thoughts.
Just take what is going on with groups like Sabeel (Anglican/Episcopalian), Methodist et al in the US as they vilify and demonise Israel.
For a lot of Jews not versed in the ideology of the different communities and at the mercy of the MSM what can they do but distrust what they hear.
As Sophia says, this distrust has been built up over nearly 2 thousand years and the media has not helped by demonizing anyone professing faith in God.
Irene Lancaster
http://irenelancaster.typepad.com/
has been involved in interfaith dialogue between Jew and Anglican from the British point of view and from what I've read the current situation is not all that rosy.
I think Evangelists should try and understand this and distinguish themselves from the others. It would help if Jews who are so keen to try talking to the thugs in Iran and Hamas would be as accommodating with American Evangelists.
The MSM are responsible for a lot sorrow in this world as, apart from the outright lies, they misinform (disinformation) and distort facts.
Just thinking back more than 30 years to what I read in the press or saw on TV concerning Evangelicals, whether I was in Brazil or elsewhere, they were always portrayed as nuts. Of course in Brazil one could attribute part of the blame to Catholicism, the religion of the country.
It is not just dialogue between groups that is needed but the social interaction between Jewish and Evangelical communities in the towns and cities that will eventually clear the air. Two groups whose approach to charity seems so similar should be able to bridge the gap.
Sophia,
As to your last paragraph I think you should realise that it has everything to do with political agenda of their leaders and nothing to do with the goodwill of a past generation.
South Africa, of which I've been reading a lot about recently portrays a similar picture with a big difference in that the Jewish community while doing something to help the African community was being hounded by the Government in power. Many Jews had to flee the country but one would never know it given the current ruling party's behaviour and their high priest Desmond Tutu.
I appreciate the support, but it is hard not to look for a hidden agenda.
I despise witnessing. I understand why they do it, but I still find it highly offensive. I have had too many experiences in which well meaning Christians tell me that if I don't do as they say I am going to hell.
I don't buy it, don't believe it at all, but unfortunately some people do. I find these actions to be reprehensible.
It is sometimes hard to look at the support and not ask myself if they see it as a means to an end, a chance to bring the rapture sooner.
That being said there is no better time than the present to see that our relations have improved tremendously and that they have been good friends to us.
Contradictory, but so much of life is such. In the end I have to have faith that the majority are good people and that our friendship is based upon friendship.
Hope that makes sense, working on too little sleep.
About Jews leaving South Africa: Apparently, a lot of South African Jews have settled in Australia, especially in the Sydney area. The St. Yves suburb has a big colony of them. This is just FYI.