Indeed, I wish that distinction could be made.
But it would appear that -- with the use of "anti-semitism" -- that the line has been forever muddied where religious and "ethnic" Jew are concerned even as the line between Jewish Semites and Arab Semites has become somehow bright.
Because the "ethnicity" of the Jew is predominantly a religious one -- after all, was not the father of the Arabs Abraham as well? -- I'd like to know how the label of anti-semitism can be applied to atheist Jews.
Frankly, I'd like to know how one deems oneself an atheist Jew in the first place.
I found a feature by Pat Robertson most interesting in this respect a couple years ago. He was live in the Holy Land to garner response to the walling off of the Holy Sites as some would-be Solomon set about splitting the city.
The first man he spoke to said "Well, thankfully I'm not religious..." then corrected himself to, "I'm not religious, so thankfully it doesn't affect me at all. They are not places I go to see."
Next, he spoke to two young students who likewise were not "religious." Pat probed further: "Well, how can you claim a right to Israel if you do not believe in the God upon whose promises that claim is based?"
"We believe it is a matter of who is here Now." they said.
Third time was a charm. Pat found an orthodox Jew whose eyes welled with tears at the concern of others for their plight. Mutual blessings ended the piece.
I think that's the problem here. I, for one, am sick to the death of secularist and atheist Jews claiming cover from any and all criticism under the umbrella that is "anti-semitism." It would be just as offensive to me as pro-choice Catholics claiming to be victims of the anti-papists.
Makes no sense. But Big Lies need not, I suppose.
Askel, I'm assuming that you're making a rhetorical statement here so this is for the rest of the folks: According to Orthodox Jews, generally speaking, you are a Jew if your mother was a Jew even if you now declare yourself to be an atheist.
I, for one, am sick to the death of secularist and atheist Jews claiming cover from any and all criticism under the umbrella that is "anti-semitism."
From what I've noticed, most of these wolf-criers you speak of are on the left.
Makes no sense. But Big Lies need not, I suppose.
From that statement, I would infer that you think that this wolf-crying is widespread. Do you?