18 responses to “The Silence of the Jews and Christians”

1. 

   RL Crabb

   21 April 2011

   I’ve never seen Al Jazzercise, so I don’t know how biased they are. According to other news accounts, the Islamist extremists consider Jews to be related to apes. In that respect, they appear to be in agreement with the Orange County GOP’s assessment of the President’s ancestry.

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2. 

   George Rebane

   21 April 2011

   Bob, since, as a balanced observer, you use a long-established and stereotypical leftwing characterization of the ‘racist right’, is there a symmetrical barb you can cite that comes from the right about the left?
   BTW, in my wanderings through the byways of conservatives and conservative thought, I have never run into anyone making the assessment of ancestry that you cite (which includes spending last weekend in Orange County among conservatives).

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3. 

   RL Crabb

   21 April 2011

   Are you saying you haven’t seen the “ape family” email sent out by the woman on the OC central committee? To be sure, it was her own people that outed her, but her refusal to step down from her position and the recriminations from her peers about “keeping it in the family” doesn’t do a lot for the GOP’s image in the southland.
   Perhaps the worst thing about this affair is the woman’s ignorance about confidential mail on the internet. There ain’t no such thing anymore.
   My criticism of this affair should in no way lead anyone to believe that it is an endorsement of the libs, who seem determined to lose as many seats as possible in 2012. The only thing that might prevent such an outcome is the right’s penchant for shooting themselves in the foot.

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4. 

   John Galt

   21 April 2011

   Is it Christians and Jews that are silent, or is it the media that makes it appear they are silent?
   The attendance at my church appears to be growing, so my guess is that it’s the media’s misrepresntation.

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5. 

   George Rebane

   21 April 2011

   JohnG – like the conservatives being too little and late in the town square, so are the Christians and Jews. Gathering in private clutches away from the public eye, and mumbling their discontent among themselves doesn’t count.

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6. 

   Jack McClure:

   21 April 2011

   The Jewish religion is over 5,600 years old. During most of that time they have been persecuted by every other powerful group, including Christians, Muslims, Pagans, Egyptins and anyone else with a weapon. Because of this they usually take the side of the underdog or they just keep quiet.
   The media has portrayed the Muslims as a peace-loving religion, and many in the masses have bought into this lie. However, if you take the time to read the Quran, you will find for yourself that it is anything but that. Al Jazzera is no different than Goebbels Nazi propaganda machine. It’s as unbiased as the NY Times or Fox News.

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7. 

   wmartin

   21 April 2011

   I wonder just what animals a parody artist is allowed to use with the current President. It’s a touchy subject since he belongs to a protected class as far as language and image is concerned, or at least 50% belongs to one.
   That reminds me a bit of Goldwater’s story about not being allowed into a certain country club to play. He asked if he could just play the front nine.
   To tell you the truth, it seems to me that most of the emotional anti-Obama feelings come from the red-blue divide between city vs. rural+suburban. Professional people, especially in the paperwork generating industries, from major metropolitan areas (especially in the eastern US) probably shouldn’t discount the visceral dislike that people in the countryside tend to hold for them. Of course, it’s returned with the constant chatter about the ignorance of Southerners and anyone from a rural area.

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8. 

   RL Crabb

   21 April 2011

   While it’s true that if someone portrayed Geo. W. as an ape it wouldn’t get the kind of flak that this latest OC email is receiving, you do have to consider the history of blacks in America. They were considered to be sub-human up until the civil rights era, and they were from Africa. Cartoonists lampoon Obama every day, but it’s usually not done in a racist context.
   These portrayals do have consequences. I know that when George calls Islamists “Ragheads”, he’s speaking of the Islamo-facists. A less enlightened individual may see anyone in foreign dress as a threat. A sad example being the brutal slaying of two Sikh grandfathers in Elk Grove.

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9. 

   Dixon Cruickshank

   21 April 2011

   The lady said she just sent it a few friends, just because she is a republican party person makes it somewhat news – not. What if the Pres was polish?? there used to be lots of those around.
   What do you get when you have 2 blonde’s stand shoulder to shoulder = a wind tunnel
   But I love blondes always have, always will
   I sent one to george and russ that was worse – remember the flying monkey George – I get all kinds of joke emails, doesn’t make them news.
   Has nothing to do with the topic

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10. 

    RL Crabb

    21 April 2011

    As I said, I have not read or seen Al Jazeera so I don’t have any opinion on their bias. I do read much of the left/right press and find them all to be rather one-sided. George finds fault with Obama (and probably Geo. W. before him) for trying to convince Muslims that we are not their enemy. I have no doubt that his efforts will be for naught, but isn’t it the Christian’s duty to try?
    Maybe not. A common problem with Christians and Muslims is that they see their respective religions as absolute. (The Jews, after ridding the world of Baal and some other minor gods, decided to give up on converting others to their beliefs.) Tolerance for others is seen as blasphemy.
    As an example, I give you Rev. Pat Robertson. I often watch CBN, because they have news stories that often aren’t covered anywhere else. A week or so ago Pat commented on Terry Jones’ burning of the Koran, which led to the usual riots and killing in Afghanistan. Pat actually said that Jones was stupid for doing it. “Wow,” I thought. “Pat is actually making sense.” But later in the program, during a Q and A session from his followers, a woman told of her sister who bought a portrait of Buddha, not because she was a Buddhist, but because it went with the couch. Pat told her that the best thing she could do is burn the painting, as it would cause headaches and feelings of distress if allowed to stay in the home. Pat’s co-host said that she was dismayed by home and garden shows where Buddha statuary was used in the garden.
    It’s this kind of thinking that causes me to scratch my confused noggin. And by the way, we have a Buddha statue and one of St. Francis in our garden. So far they haven’t gotten into a fight or burst into flames.
    And Dixon, being of Irish blood, I always enjoy a good Irish joke. Did you know that it takes 100 Irishmen to screw in a lightbulb? One to hold the bulb and 999 to get drunk enough for the room to spin.

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11. 

    George Rebane

    21 April 2011

    “George finds fault with Obama (and probably Geo. W. before him) for trying to convince Muslims that we are not their enemy.”
    Actually,my criticism is about Obama’s manner and not his message. In the game of enemies, it takes but one to tango. It is the Muslims who have enshrined us in their scripture as eternal enemies.
    BTW Bob, in your remark that correctly ascribes my use of ‘ragheads’ as the pejorative for the violent “Islamo-fascists”, I would like to enter a slight clarification. My understanding of Islamic proselityzing is that they would accept one and all who renounce their own culture/religion and accept the way of Allah (along with sharia). In that sense they are not of the fascist brand of national socialism, but entirely of the communist brand of international socialism.
    The Nazi fascists conquered and killed for the purpose of obtaining Lebensraum for their own Aryan master race to populate. When conquered, you were enslaved or dead meat if they judged you to be racially inferior, no matter how much you may have heiled Hitler.
    But communism is now again on the rise in radical left circles, and it is politically incorrect to mention that form of collectivism in a pejorative context, such as identifying it as the existential ideology of the current horde of ragheads. A sad conundrum because it miscommunicates.

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12. 

    Michael Anderson

    21 April 2011

    I like that we’re getting closer to these various definitions. I think we might be making progress.
    George wrote: “But communism is now again on the rise in radical left circles, and it is politically incorrect to mention that form of collectivism in a pejorative context, such as identifying it as the existential ideology of the current horde of ragheads. A sad conundrum because it miscommunicates.”
    I sure would like a little more targeting of exactly which “radical left circles” you are talking about. APPLE or Sierra Commons in Nevada City? Nevada County Democrats? Seriously, I don’t personally know anyone who espouses a belief in Communism.
    I did read about a group recently that might fit the ticket: cab drivers in New York City. Good luck trying to herd those cats!
    http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2011/04/18/110418fa_fact_widdicombe

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13. 

    John Galt

    21 April 2011

    George, the American Thinker commentary you linked makes some good points. But I’m not exactly sure what it our your conclusion is.
    Our Nation has been so hand-tied by the fallacious interpretation of “separation of church and state”, that we all tend to keep our faith at home.
    However, the Muslim faith isn’t following this approach (Obviously they don’t share any notion of “separation of church and state”. And I see them making progress “normalizing” their faith in the USA.
    I’m curious to know your thoughts on how to avoid the “too little to late” situation you referred to above.

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14. 

    RL Crabb

    22 April 2011

    As we come to Good Friday, let me wish all my Christian friends a pleasant holiday. Even though I count myself as an agnostic, I stand in awe of the message that Jesus gave the world. I only wish more Christians practiced what He preached.
    And George, despite your pessimism about the message getting out, I’ve spent a lot of this week watching Bible-related stories on numerous channels and websites. I even finally got to see Mel Gibson’s “Passion” after missing it at the theatre. I don’t think you have as much to worry about as you may think. Faith is not going away any time soon.

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15. 

    George Rebane

    22 April 2011

    MichaelA – When I referred to the ‘communist circles’, I was primarily referring to the national and international ones that surround/support the Obama administration. Organizations such those headed by Van Jones, funded by George Soros, and fielded by the unions, and the blind eye turned on by the Justice Department. I suspect that the local left (due primarily to its lamestream information sources?) is mostly ignorant of what I am talking about. And if so, I should do a post on the specifics so we can perhaps focus a discussion of them and their influences.
    The local APPLES, etc don’t fit there because their ideologies are not well formed enough to qualify their membership in ‘communist circles’. But IMHO they are soft-headed enough to sign up for a totalitarian collective if one is presented to them as a solution to all of society’s ills. Such poorly informed peoples have done that time and again since the latter part of the 19th century. Today they are just looking to set up warm-fuzzies based on rule-set that require altruism to effect.
    JohnG – Christianity did not emerge out of its Mediterranean backwaters and Roman catacombs by keeping to itself and hiding from the light. Already by the second century they started militating in draconian surrounding (and paying the price). But by the end of the fourth century they became the state religion. Even Jesus took the time to go to the establishment’s temple and turn over a few tables. We were taught to turn the other cheek in order to communicate a point of social doctrine that had a chance of prevailing, and not as preparation for suicide.
    Bob – Thank you for the thoughtful wish and greeting. God bless you.

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16. 

    John Galt

    22 April 2011

    George we’re mostly in agreement I think…certainly on the points of fact.
    I agree that God didn’t send his son Jesus to show us how to commit suicide, but I’m not certain I understand your points.
    Are you saying that Christians and Jews are in effect following a suicidal path by not challenging Communism, Socialism, and/or Muslim extremism? I’m only trying to clarify.
    And I am curious to know some of your constructive thoughts actions that Christians and Jews should pursue.

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17. 

    George Rebane

    22 April 2011

    Yes, I do believe that the current response of Christians and Jews to Islamists, collectivists, and secular humanists is suicidal to the faith(s). The faiths are not taking advantage of the magnificent revelations (science) that their God has bestowed, nor are they countering the removal/proscription of their cultural symbols, observances, and teachings from the public forum; teachings that are substituted by tenets that are actively antagonistic toward the faith and those who declare their adherence.
    You’d think that in being insanely passive, Christians and Jews are putting all their eggs into the Second Coming and the First Coming respectively.
    JohnG, assuming your familiarity with those in the large currently attracted to the church, where would you place them in intellect and influence in our society?

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18. 

    John Galt

    23 April 2011

    I think I now see your point. I agree that Christians and Jews are too passive and timid in response to assaults received. There’s been a few exceptions (e.g. the 10 commandments issue at the Alabama courthouse.) “Turning the cheek” to these types of assaults is suicidal to the respective faiths–which is counter-productive to their focus and their good works (etc). (I believe suicide ia considered a sin for most faiths as well.)
    I can see that in a way, it’s like the cooking a frog–the frog doesn’t respond to the slowly rising temperature until it’s too late…he’s cooked. Likewise Christians and Jews are not responding to the slowly rising assaults on their faith.
    To answer your question:
    On intellect: Top 25%
    On influence: Above 40% and below 70% (In other words, the “humanists” and atheist have more public/media influence.)
    But if you mean influencing people’s lives globally as in improving people’s lives, then I’d place them in the top 20% for influence.
    Rectifying the situation will take some effort. Politicians and the media have learned long ago that in general people will not sustain their outrage for more than a week or so. (In general, the typical individual can’t sustain the outrage for that long.) But the massive Tea Party rally in Washington DC made a big difference. I think it will take increased human protests (as we’ve seen in the Mideast recently, and in the US during the ’60s) Massive human protests get results. With so many people out of work, that should be easier to do now.
    What’s needed is an effective leader to unify the faithful to respond with these assaults. The typical-traditional religious leaders aren’t equipped for organizing these types of responses. It requires some media and communication savvy.
    May this Easter be an inspiration to all.

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