Re: Fwd: Re: Passion Plays and Jewish Music

[Eliott Kahn <Elkahn...>]

>
>
>The centrality of the crucifixion itself  in Christian theology, while not 
>"anti-semitic", is opposed at its core to the Jewish way of being and relating 
>to divinity. By focusing on that part of the story, Christianity became a cult 
>of death, violence, and innate depravity, and Judaism became the perfect foil, 
>the "negative other" that served murderers in the name of God very well for 
>two thousand years, and counting.
>
>Allen
>adavis (at) softwarejobs(dot)com
>

Don't you think this really a bit much? You're basically saying that one of the 
great religions of the world, responsible for atrocities against Jews but 
nevertheless also for the civilization of countless people, is "a cult of 
death, violence, and innate depravity..."

I couldn't help but wonder what the Jewish reaction would be if someone said 
that about our religion. 

Christians focus on the crucifixion usually as a prelude to resurrection. 
That's why there is a Good Friday (crucifixion) and Easter Sunday  
(resurrection). Just because we Jews appear to have little interest in the 
afterlife, it gives us no reason to criticize another religion that does.

And just to set the record straight: the Nazis were not Christians. They 
successfully eliminated any Lutheran opposition ca. 1937-38. I am aware that 
the Catholic Church and Pope Pius' toleration of the Nazis was despicable and 
cost many Jewish lives. But, perhaps, we can build on the recent overtures to 
us made by Pope John Paul. Sure, it's still very late in the game, but why not 
try to establish peace and dialogue if we can?

We should never forget the injustices of the past, but it's utter foolishness 
to try and sabotage a potential for peace and good will in the future.

Eliott Kahn 


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