Posted on 12/14/2005 4:16:59 PM PST by SJackson
The debate in the Jewish world over whether an alliance with conservative Christians is desirable or wise reveals a complete disregard for the nature of political alliances in any political system throughout history. The debate is conducted at a childish level that would cause embarrassment in any other context. As such, there is an air of unreality about it that belies the reputation of the Jewish people for being clever.
Political alliances are not and have never been about whether allies love each other; rather, the nature of such associations is expressed in the well known maxim of Lord Palmerston, a 19th century British prime minister: Britain does not have permanent friends or permanent enemies, Britain has permanent interests.
Alliances are groupings based on mutual interests and needs that can best be met, or perhaps only be met, by associating with parties whose help is sought to meet those interests. A pertinent example is the de facto alliance between the secular Left and extremist Islam today — ideologically the two are poles apart, and extremist Muslims would have no hesitation in physically eradicating such people from any society they controlled. But the two perceive each other as useful (which of course brings to mind Lenin’s description of Western liberals and socialists who often allied themselves with Communists as “useful idiots”).
It is perfectly true that conservative American Christians and Jews who care about the Torah of Moses share many interests, values and morals. But then, religious — even extremist — Muslims and Jews also have much in common. Indeed, as Jews we probably have even more in common with our Ishmaelite cousins. Yet both Muslims and Christians think that as “non-believers” we are headed to Hell, and both groups would like to convert us.
Conservative Christians, however, are our allies in the current struggle for the land of Israel and the Muslims are our adversaries who wish to see the Jewish presence there — if not the Jews themselves — terminated. Whether conservative Christians want to convert us is politically irrelevant.
When Israel was founded, the Soviet Union was one of its important allies in the political arena and through its Czech puppet supplied the newborn state with the weapons it needed for survival in the 1948 war. After Russia’s interest — the expulsion of the British from the area — was met, the Soviets turned against Israel.
The same thing happened with France, which at one time was one of Israel’s key allies, supplying its air force and helping in the construction of its nuclear facilities. But with the ascent of Charles de Gaulle and a changed perception of French interests, France became Israel’s main European enemy. This is the nature of politics, and always has been.
There is, of course, one partial exception to the above rule, and that is the alliance between the United States and Israel. While it too is based on mutual interests, there is something else present. Walter Laqueur, the widely respected historian of Israel and Zionism, once said in a talk to a Jewish university group in London that his conclusion, after studying the American-Israeli relationship, was that beneath the standard politics there was a genuine American commitment to Israel that went far beyond mere political self-interest and that was nearly a moral commitment in itself.
To anyone who rationally looks at the world and what is happening in it, there is no doubt that conservative Christians — mostly but not exclusively American — are just about the only non-Jewish group allied with Israel in the struggle against the Palestinians and Muslims in general. Their reasons and interests are up-front and well known. It is said that Jews fear these allies because they wish to Christianize America. This is peculiar: America was always a Christian country, and in its heartland very much still is. Indeed, America is the only Christian country left in the Western world. There is not a single truly Christian country in Europe. (The UK is so secular that Christian Africa has been trying to convert it back to Christianity.)
No matter how successful conservative Christians are in Christianizing contemporary America, the country will remain considerably more secular than was the case until well into the 1970`s. In any case, the strong Christian cultural influence on American life during the first 200 years of the nation’s existence hardly impeded the development of Jewish life in the U.S.
It is not at all strange that allies of the present could be adversaries in the future and vice versa. You meet each crisis as it comes, if it comes. What is it that many Jews really fear from the perceived power of the Christian Right? They fear for the secular leftist causes, beliefs, practices and values that they espouse and hold dear. But then, Torah Judaism is even stronger in its opposition to what these secular Jews believe and how they define themselves.
It is said that Jews fear conservative Christians because they wish to convert us. Indeed they do. But so what? Secularists, especially leftists and liberals, also seek to convert the Jews — to their ideology, world outlook, lifestyle, values, and morals. Many on the Left, going back to Karl Marx, see the very existence of the Jews, especially Torah-observant Jews, as a problem — and the cause of many if not all of the evils in the world.
Today it is leftists and liberals, not conservative Christians, who threaten the existence of the Jews as a people and who stand in opposition to various aspects of Judaism. Here in the UK, shechita and Jewish education are not under attack by fundamentalist Christians, but by secular leftists.
Furthermore, because we accept the help of conservative Christians in one sphere, it doesn’t mean we can’t oppose them when it comes to specific policies that threaten Jewish interests in other areas. You cannot do this with a good many leftists and liberals, whose opposition to Judaism, like that of fundamentalist Muslims, is existential and total.
As touched on above, the reason many Jews are reluctant to acknowledge or accept any alliance with conservative Christians — when clearly it is secular liberals who are the greater threat, both immediate and long term — is that such an alliance exposes a major fault line among those who call themselves Jews, a fault line many Jews prefer to pretend does not exist.
Namely, it makes salient the division between secular and Reform Jews on the one hand, and Torah-observant Jews on the other. It reveals to one and all that there is not one Jewish people, but at least two, and that these two peoples are often highly antagonistic to one another, each with a different conception of what “Jewish” means. Each has different interests, and these interests frequently clash.
Life would be so much easier for many Jews if conservative Christians were open, rabid anti-Semites. Unfortunately for such Jews, these are found largely on the Left.
Levi Sokolic is an anthropologist and IT consultant living in the UK. His doctoral thesis examined the adaptation of Orthodox Jewish society to the social and cultural changes of the 19th and 20th centuries.
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Let's not hide the truth about Liberal "Jews". They are communists through and through. They are the same communist bolshevik red army "Jews" Stalin employed to commit mass murder throughout the Soviet Union the Ukraine and Poland. They aren't really "Jews that kiss their mother types" at all.
I am sorry that Christians have not always been a strong supporter of Israel and Judaism.
Wouldn't it be cool if we had a conservative Jew as the Republican nominee for President in 2008? And he could have a black conservative evangelical as a running mate; that would be even more perfect. Down would fall all of the left's stereotypes.
Anybody who is afraid of being converted to Christianity needs Christianity, and they know it.
People of weak faith scream the loudest.
Good article. Thanks for posting.
A good article.
But the difference between wanting to convert you to Christianity or Islam is, Christians today understand that
It can never be by force.
and with Islam it is convert or go under the sword. how can any sane Jew equate these to conversion plans?
If Israel can get rid of the leftist liberals in their country, and the Liberal Jews in this country, we might
have a Future. ( Liberal Jews in this country vote for Democrats who will sell Israel into Slavery or worse.
In this one passage is the core of the fundamentalist Christian view Israel. God promised the land to Abraham...God does not go back on His promises. AND, God will bless those who bless Israel, and curse those who curse Israel...which is one reason why the muslims continue to lose wars and live in squalor.
As a conservative Christian of Jewish descent, I wholeheartedly agree with this editorial 110%.
Actually, the height of "Jewish" participation in the USSR was during Lenin's reign. Stalin actually purged most of the Jewish leadership in the Soviet Union and, despite being a Georgian, made the leadership more Slavic. Nevertheless, I see your point.
"Whether conservative Christians want to convert us is politically irrelevant."
The big difference is that a Christian will not kill a Jew if he refuses to convert.
Hallelujah, someone gets it!!!
As Christians we should hold dear a sense of justice and righteousness. It is really that sense of justice that causes us to defend the interests and rights of Israel and Jews. Those Christians that don’t see that have intellectually sold out to the one world order.
Scintilating.
1. Many fundamentalist Christians believe that the Jews are still the CHOSEN PEOPLE. That God added to his promise... but does not renege on his original promise. These fundamentalists believe the Jews will go to heaven.
2. As with other groups, much of the gap is a failure to communicate. Many pro-life Catholics and pro-life fundamentalists distrust each other for the same reason Jews distrust people not like them. Each subculture has different code words and buzz words with special connotations.
There is FAITH and then there is WORKS. When Black ministers met with Bush in 2001, they came out and said there is a communication gap. White Conservative leaders want to know what we ARE. Blacks want to know what we DO.
There are many ways to describe these mis-communications. They do not explain the entire gap. But they do explain a major part of the gap.
Warning! This is a high-volume ping list.
Life would be so much easier for many Jews if conservative Christians were open, rabid anti-Semites.
Indeed.
Unfortunately for such Jews, these are found largely on the Left.
I love it!
In fact doesn't Judaism hold the highest ground? As far as I know evangelism is not part of Judaism. I don't know of any historical accounts where Jews used force to confiscate the lands of another people - other than of course at the command of God when they entered Canaan. Even then, I believe the peoples of that land had a choice to live in peace with the Jewish people, but foolishly chose to make war against the people of God.
Very good analysis. Thanks for posting it.
Lieberman/Condi??
;)
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