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‘Genocide is not a Jewish value,’ say Jews and Rabbis as they storm AIPAC offices
(www.middleeastmonitor.com)
this post was submitted on 27 Sep 2024
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Okay, to be clear, in the discussion you're jumping into, one of the interlocutors has stated that Jews are inherently genocidal.
I'm an atheist and I don't particularly value religion but I do value people and there are many good people who do value their religion and I won't stand for them being painted as inherently genocidal and neither should you.
There's a time and place for nuance but I don't know that this is it.
I'm saying the entire structure of monotheism has created a system of colonial thought and destruction across much of the world. Even the good theists I have met (and I have met many) will think less of or sorry for someone in the out group.
It's not Judaism, it's not Islam, it's not Christianity: it is the colonial ideology embedded in these ideologies that I'm saying are a negative force on the planet.
I was replying directly to the comment above, not so much the context. You are right to point that out.
I will say though, this is a great Sam Harris impression. Antisemitic Sam Harris is actually an interesting bit
Help me understand, and I actually mean this, this isn't a framing device for a dumb point though it looks like one. I mean this, I would rather be taught.
If the religious texts say genocidal stuff, why is it wrong to say if an institution believes in it, it believes in genocidal stuff? I can understand if sects qualify or revise it and I wouldn't call them that, but why is saying, for instance, "Christianism is homophobic" wrong when that is what the bible teaches? Again, if one church recontextualizes it, or says it was just Paul who said it, God is Love, fine, but can that sect speak for all Christianity when even in context the book preaches homophobia?
The main problem i have with this entire train of thought is that it's completely untethered from anything material and is therefore fundamentally wrong no matter what conclusions you're trying to draw. Well actually my main problem is that you're using this thinking to make (whether intentional or not) an anti-semtic conclusion which makes it way worse. But I'm going to focus on the first thing, because that's where i think where you're making a common mistake and stumbling into antisemitism.
Religion is a part of culture. Culture is an outgrowth of the base of society/system. The system itself is driven by material reality. Culture can work to reinforce and strengthen the system, in fact that's the main point of it, but it doesn't dictate the actions of the system. Colonialism, imperialism, genocide aren't caused by religion, anymore than they could be caused by a movie or a song.
This relationship is also why religions are malleable. Religions change and peoples relationship to them changes because they are in a subservient relationship to material drivers. The easiest thing to look at is the period of religious upheaval in Christianity coinciding with the emergence of capitalism (Protestant Reformation, 30 years War, English Civil War, development of Calvanism, etc.) - and the need for theology to either adapt to be compatible or become discarded.
The kind logic you're using is predicated on idealism the belief that ideas are the primary driver behind reality and actions. That applied to religion is the MO of nu athiest pseudointellectuals like Golden Girls fortune heir Sam Harris. He's known for making your exact same arguement but in an Islamophobic way - the target being Muslims and not Jews.
It's hard to understand how you don't get that saying Judaism is genocidal is incredibly antisemitic. But a lot of people repeated Harris's bullshit and claimed they weren't Islamophobic by hiding behind one hadith or another as proof that Muslims are evil. Some may not have understood. Harris may not have even really understand how rascist he is because is exceptionally stupid. So you might not mean it. If you don't want people to call you antisemitic you need to do a little self-criticism and examine what you really think and want to say here.
Thank you for the response.
That's the problem I have with it, how good it is at reinforcing and justifying hate. Yes, a movie or song also reinforces hatred (which, mind you, those should be shat on appropriately), but I think having your spiritual life tied to it makes specially good convincing people. People use it to justify what they already believe, yes, but I know people who take the bible at face and believe in things just because that's what's in there, I don't think it's purely a one way street.
I wouldn't be putting any effort if I weren't. It upsets me. Is it objectionable if what I say is uncritical, unqualified belief of the texts that preach genocide is itself genocidal belief?
Its not that complicated. Saying Judaism is genocidal is just like saying Islam is a religion of war. Its rascist.