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The phrase anti-Semitism is a relatively recent word coined by a German, Wilhelm Marr in 1870. It refers to race and claims that Jews are hateful because of certain ineradicable biological characteristics. The word has now been re-defined to include anyone who does not like Jews. Christians should not be anti-Semitic but they may be anti-Jewish for theological and/or other reasons.

The phrase has expanded well beyond its original roots. For example the State Department's report on Global Anti-Semitism has defined it to mean: 1)Any assertion that Jews control gov't, media int'l business, and finances; 2)strong anti-Israel sentiment 3)virulent criticism of Israel's leaders 4)criticism of Jewish religion, leaders, literature 5)criticizing the US gov't for being under Zionist influence 6 )criticism of Zionism for promoting globalism 7) blaming Jewish leadership for inciting the Romans to crucify Jesus 8)diminishing the 6,000,000 figure re the Holocaust 9)calling Israel a racist state 10)claiming there is a Zionist conspiracy 11)claiming that Jews and their leaders created the Bolshevik revolution in Russia 12)making derogatory comments about Jewish persons.

Arabs are Semites. It would be well if you indicated the definition of anti-Semitism that you are using.

Fair enough. And, yes, Arabs are Semites as well. I specifically look at it as a strong or even subtle prejudice against Jews and Israelites (henceforth, "Jews" as a generic term - but recognizing that a Jew is mainly someone from the tribe of Judah and then there are other tribes recognized as Israelites) for some irrational, unhistorical reason. For example, "The Jews poisoned the wells" is blatantly anti-semitic. "The Jews cause all of the wars of the world" is another anti-semitic statement. "The Jews were responsible for the crucifixion of Jesus" may or may not be. If one is implying that they were SOLELY responsible, it is a lie and is anti-Jewish garbage. Jew and Gentile alike participated in the crucifixion and some Jews and Gentiles did not. It is much better to say the Sanhedrin of Jesus' day and those who the Sanhedrin stirred up were partially responsible and the Romans were as well. That is factually correct. Unfortunately, we've had a lot of Christians making idiotic statements blaming the Jews for everything. This is the kind of anti-semitism that we should guard against as the church. And, nobody's house is clean. Denominationally, pretty much all have transgressed in some respect.