On the nose again, Pat! I have been thinking for a while that Israel epitomizes “Original Sin” to its haters - specifically the Christian version, the sin of existing as a consequence of its (modern) creation, for which it can never atone except by its destruction. (The Jewish interpretation of Adam & Eve is less about the “sin” of nakedness or existence and more about the responsibility we assume when we take from the tree of knowledge - ie, lose our childish naïveté and have to grow up). The “young” struggling state of Israel (1948-1967) was the darling of progressives of the time, which was easy because it was pitiable - the weak, Holocaust-survivor nation. Now that Israel is a grown up country with power, agency and a thriving economy, it’s the Jew among nations, which disrupts the comfortable image of the weak Jew. So projecting that irredeemable vice of original sin onto it helps anti-Zionists (even the self-hating Jews who don’t know or don’t care that it’s not a Jewish concept) feel superior again. My 2 cents. Keep up the great analysis, Pat!
Truly brilliant, Pat. Progressivism, leftism, whatever, has all the attributes of a religion. Notice how most on the Left shirk Christianity and Judaism (but of course not Islam) but then embrace the false worship and scapegoating you describe. Very sad, really.
Such an informed take. It really opens my eyes to ideas. I had not considered. This is why I so appreciated reading you, Pat. Happy Easter to all who celebrate!
Happy Easter, Pat! I think it can be both educational and fun to engage in a historico-socio-theological debate. However, to me it has no right to exist until the over-privileged numb-nuts mindlessly chanting hate speech on the streets of our cities, goaded by terrorist-funded activists and abetted by our governments and police are held to account for their actions. As a reader below interprets the Adam and Eve story, grow up and take responsibility for your actions.
Until terrorism is condemned, law is upheld, and hate is expunged from our society as a matter of public policy (I fully realise that individual hate will remain with some individuals), none of those constituents deserve any rationalisation based on their location on the religious or political spectrum.
Makes sense to me. For one dead Jew, substitute one Jewish State. Christianity had to demonize Judaism to justify itself. I also think it's easier for people in the U.S. and Canada to project the colonial oppressor onto Israel because we in these countries haven't been colonized in so long we've forgotten what that's like, nor have we have been subject to a fascist takeover, until the one under way now in the U.S., which also helps to maintain a dangerous innocence.
so meeeeehhhhny novel-good idears! I 'specially liked the concept of those that abandoned their faiths literally "transfigure" Israel an' us joos-- we're all retrofitted inta the useful "rituals" they once had in the fabric of their faith ta expiate their own sins, guilt, mistakes... Instead of confessin', they chuck personal responsibility an' call out joos fer collective responsibilities fer all sins. Dang. This IS really sumthin' Pat! holds warter!
See us chews don't do dat... we have transfer nuttin'--there is no "other" on which we kin expiate! Sure, the most faithful may ask g-d fer forgiveness (all bood), but even at the most orthodox levels of jewish orthodoxy ONLY YOU (the regular human bean/schmoe) kin make somethin' right. No rabbi kin do it for ya. No dance, sacrifice, set of words, bead/bean countin'....kin fix it. YOU gotta be the one ta apologize, do a mitzvah, change....there is no symbolic xfer onta some inanimate object (bread is bread, wine is wine ... except Manischewitz which is sweetened cough syrup an' deserves no other name than "really gross" lol)--but seriously, when it comes to our mistakes, there's no "get outta jail free card" fer joos. Other faiths (Christianity fer sure) served such a purpose an' them that chucked it converted their get outta jail free card from bein' church- based ta bein' "noble free-dumb fighters" in the global arena.
Interestin'ly too, that tho we chews are KNOWN for guilt! (we tend to only "guilt" our own tho--usually parents do this to children most comfortin'ly ha ha), the trooth is that jooish guilt is not Christian guilt--it's not felt thatta way. We do not self-flagellate. We must FIX IT (whatever IT may be). So we do not scapegoat like others do b/c even secular joos know the onus is on them ta make sumthin' right.
Also I was listenin' ta Naomi Wolf's readin' of Leviticus from the Geneva Bible (fassy-natin' stuff I never heard) an' she said that SIN was mis-translated. Sin is a Christian thing... the original Hebrew word means sumthin' far less horrible--it means messin' up--takin' the wrong path (yep, even Adam & Eve)... "Sin" is not the word used when the joos really did something baaaaad (golden calf tho' even that was forgivable)... from all I gather, in the original Hebrew, we chews strivin' ta live up ta settin' an example (picked/chosen to set an example) mucked up a lot but did not SIN (covenant not revoked either). The original word used starts with an H (sumbuddy here'll likely know). The sufferin' of irredeemable sin (that other faiths seem ta have) is not like the fleetin' guilt of joos messing up. The Christian whirled won't fergive the joos, WE are the original sinners an' Jesus, the most noble deux ex machina fer erasin' sin... an' I say this with zero insult ta Jesus or his legacy but this makes me further opine that the three Abrahamic religious are not so alike in more ways than we thunk!
An' too--givin' up religion doesn't erase the need fer a handy substy-toot ta take its place, oft unthinkin'ly.
On the nose again, Pat! I have been thinking for a while that Israel epitomizes “Original Sin” to its haters - specifically the Christian version, the sin of existing as a consequence of its (modern) creation, for which it can never atone except by its destruction. (The Jewish interpretation of Adam & Eve is less about the “sin” of nakedness or existence and more about the responsibility we assume when we take from the tree of knowledge - ie, lose our childish naïveté and have to grow up). The “young” struggling state of Israel (1948-1967) was the darling of progressives of the time, which was easy because it was pitiable - the weak, Holocaust-survivor nation. Now that Israel is a grown up country with power, agency and a thriving economy, it’s the Jew among nations, which disrupts the comfortable image of the weak Jew. So projecting that irredeemable vice of original sin onto it helps anti-Zionists (even the self-hating Jews who don’t know or don’t care that it’s not a Jewish concept) feel superior again. My 2 cents. Keep up the great analysis, Pat!
Thanks Suzy. You nailed it.
Truly brilliant, Pat. Progressivism, leftism, whatever, has all the attributes of a religion. Notice how most on the Left shirk Christianity and Judaism (but of course not Islam) but then embrace the false worship and scapegoating you describe. Very sad, really.
A different yet realistic, sad, truthful perspective. Thank you Pat.
Amazing. Brilliant. My brain tingles. Thank you.
I love this and especially when you talk about how the Spanish Inquisition is the model for admission of Jews to progressive political activism today.
Such an informed take. It really opens my eyes to ideas. I had not considered. This is why I so appreciated reading you, Pat. Happy Easter to all who celebrate!
Thanks Kathy!
Truly, I thank you!
my elder sister, a Catholic nun, has just sent me a card with an Easter bunny…
The "pro-pals" or Hamas Rouge as i call them definitely have a Spanish Inquisition mindset. Excellent piece, Pat.
Happy Easter, Pat! I think it can be both educational and fun to engage in a historico-socio-theological debate. However, to me it has no right to exist until the over-privileged numb-nuts mindlessly chanting hate speech on the streets of our cities, goaded by terrorist-funded activists and abetted by our governments and police are held to account for their actions. As a reader below interprets the Adam and Eve story, grow up and take responsibility for your actions.
Until terrorism is condemned, law is upheld, and hate is expunged from our society as a matter of public policy (I fully realise that individual hate will remain with some individuals), none of those constituents deserve any rationalisation based on their location on the religious or political spectrum.
Makes sense to me. For one dead Jew, substitute one Jewish State. Christianity had to demonize Judaism to justify itself. I also think it's easier for people in the U.S. and Canada to project the colonial oppressor onto Israel because we in these countries haven't been colonized in so long we've forgotten what that's like, nor have we have been subject to a fascist takeover, until the one under way now in the U.S., which also helps to maintain a dangerous innocence.
so meeeeehhhhny novel-good idears! I 'specially liked the concept of those that abandoned their faiths literally "transfigure" Israel an' us joos-- we're all retrofitted inta the useful "rituals" they once had in the fabric of their faith ta expiate their own sins, guilt, mistakes... Instead of confessin', they chuck personal responsibility an' call out joos fer collective responsibilities fer all sins. Dang. This IS really sumthin' Pat! holds warter!
See us chews don't do dat... we have transfer nuttin'--there is no "other" on which we kin expiate! Sure, the most faithful may ask g-d fer forgiveness (all bood), but even at the most orthodox levels of jewish orthodoxy ONLY YOU (the regular human bean/schmoe) kin make somethin' right. No rabbi kin do it for ya. No dance, sacrifice, set of words, bead/bean countin'....kin fix it. YOU gotta be the one ta apologize, do a mitzvah, change....there is no symbolic xfer onta some inanimate object (bread is bread, wine is wine ... except Manischewitz which is sweetened cough syrup an' deserves no other name than "really gross" lol)--but seriously, when it comes to our mistakes, there's no "get outta jail free card" fer joos. Other faiths (Christianity fer sure) served such a purpose an' them that chucked it converted their get outta jail free card from bein' church- based ta bein' "noble free-dumb fighters" in the global arena.
Interestin'ly too, that tho we chews are KNOWN for guilt! (we tend to only "guilt" our own tho--usually parents do this to children most comfortin'ly ha ha), the trooth is that jooish guilt is not Christian guilt--it's not felt thatta way. We do not self-flagellate. We must FIX IT (whatever IT may be). So we do not scapegoat like others do b/c even secular joos know the onus is on them ta make sumthin' right.
Also I was listenin' ta Naomi Wolf's readin' of Leviticus from the Geneva Bible (fassy-natin' stuff I never heard) an' she said that SIN was mis-translated. Sin is a Christian thing... the original Hebrew word means sumthin' far less horrible--it means messin' up--takin' the wrong path (yep, even Adam & Eve)... "Sin" is not the word used when the joos really did something baaaaad (golden calf tho' even that was forgivable)... from all I gather, in the original Hebrew, we chews strivin' ta live up ta settin' an example (picked/chosen to set an example) mucked up a lot but did not SIN (covenant not revoked either). The original word used starts with an H (sumbuddy here'll likely know). The sufferin' of irredeemable sin (that other faiths seem ta have) is not like the fleetin' guilt of joos messing up. The Christian whirled won't fergive the joos, WE are the original sinners an' Jesus, the most noble deux ex machina fer erasin' sin... an' I say this with zero insult ta Jesus or his legacy but this makes me further opine that the three Abrahamic religious are not so alike in more ways than we thunk!
An' too--givin' up religion doesn't erase the need fer a handy substy-toot ta take its place, oft unthinkin'ly.