Dear
Readers,
These columns began on my area of America Online, called: Judaism
Today: Where Do I Fit? People anonymously
sent me E-Mail, and I began to choose one for a public response
in my Jewish E-Mail of the Week column. The column has become
quite popular and is now syndicated internationally in many
Jewish papers and websites. I hope you find they help you
as you think about the Ethics, Spirituality and Peoplehood
components of the Jewish way of Life. I welcome your
comments... see the end of the column.
Gil
PS
Teachers and others, feel free to copy my columns and forward
them or use them as you see fit. Please see the friendly
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Why
Are Jews So Afraid of Evangelical
Christians?
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Dear
Gil:
Some
time ago, I read an article in our
local Jewish paper celebrating a
Supreme Court ruling that a township
of nearly 100 percent Christians could
not include a fish in their seal
because it could be interpreted as a
Christian symbol.
As
I read, I had to ask myself if we Jews
are too paranoid of fundamentalist
Christians. I realize that they are
out to proselytize us. But why are we
tolerant of Buddhists, Hindus and Hare
Khrishnas influencing our communities
but single out Evangelical Christians
to reject?
On
the issue of this township wanting to
use a fish in their symbol. One side
of me felt that Americans need to be
sensitive to minority religions
(including Judaism). But then I
thought about Israel. Don't we proudly
wave a flag with a Magen David on it?
There are over 20 percent non-Jews in
Israel. We have a Star of David on our
flag -- Why do we have a different
standard for a tiny township
consisting almost entirely of
Christians?
I
spent this past Erev Shabbat with a
small group of Evangelical Christians.
They did not try to force me to
convert. In fact, they showed a
genuine interest in my religion and
culture. They were full of questions
ranging from the meaning of Shabbat
candles to questions about the effects
of the Holocaust on modern Judaism. We
had a great time and they left with a
much better understanding of Judaism.
It struck me that these people were so
secure in their identity and
expression of worship that they had a
genuine interest in my different way.
I found myself wishing we Jews could
be so secure in our identity.
What
can we do to be more secure in who we
are so we can be comfortable around
Christians and understand them?
Shalom,
V
Dear
V:
I
am with you...I wish Jews were more
secure with (and knowledgeable about)
Judaism. That is the antidote to
proselytizing...more about that in a
moment.
Before
that though, I'd like to address your
other two points which really are two
different issues. Your question about
the city putting a Christian symbol of
a fish in their flag or emblem is not
a matter of Jewish paranoia.
Members
of other religions fight this sort of
thing too because it is a violation of
the US Constitution. Unlike Israel
"the Jewish State" where
Judaism is the official religion,
America is built on the concept of the
separation of church and state. No
religious symbol is appropriate on any
government institution, place or
symbol...as the Supreme Court
affirmed.
As
to your other point about Jews
singling out Evangelical Christians, I
don't think this is true. Jewish
community leadership in my view, is
opposed to any religion, including the
ones you cite, when they attempt to
convert Jews.
There
are two main reasons. There is a
theological argument that Judaism
brings something unique to the world.
There is also a practical argument: we
are not a billion strong! With just a
few million of us we cannot afford to
lose Jews.
Now,
if you are referring to just learning
and being influenced from other
religions, that is another matter,
that I endorse, regardless of the
religion. Your Shabbat dinner is good
example. I too enjoy this kind of
interaction with Christians (and
others) and recognize that not all
Christians want to convert me.
However,
there are many Christians who have a
goal of actively seeking converts. One
of the main objectives of these
Christians is to bring the Gospels of
Jesus to the world. If you'll pardon
the term, in their theology, this is a
great "mitzvah." They
believe they are saving the world and
the souls of those they convert.
Further,
some of these Christians specifically,
proactively and very publicly target
Jews for conversion. This is an
affront to many Jews and does raise
the ire of Jewish leadership. Not only
does this send a message that Judaism
is defective, but the effort brings up
traumatic memory of Jewish/Christian
history that continues to cause pain
and fear. The most obvious example is
the Inquisition and there are many
others. Further, many point to
Christian (i.e., church taught)
anti-Semitism as one of the
foundations on which the Holocaust was
built.
In
the West, perhaps we react more to
Christian fundamentalism because we
live in predominantly Christian
societies. I would imagine in Iran,
Jews do not think about Christian
fundamentalism...they worry instead
about Islamic fundamentalism for some
of the same reasons I listed above.
The
solution to any real or perceived
pressure from Christians, as I said
from the outset, is that Jews need to
feel more secure in their Judaism.
This requires knowledge and learning
about Judaism. Now I must say, that
some Christian proselytizers are true
pros who can refute anything, citing
scripture left and right. To assist
anyone who feels overwhelmed by such
arguments, I'll end with a website
loaded with helpful information: www.JewsForJudaism.org.
Thanks
for writing!
Gil
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© Copyright Gil Mann
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