Catholic Praise for Anti-Semitic Book

America_(Jesuit_magazine)Among critics of Israel today, there emerges a handful whose opposition to the existence of the Jewish State is so pernicious that their criticism can accurately be described as Jew-hatred. Max Blumenthal, a marginal character who is desperately trying to make inroads into the mainstream, stands at the lead of this fringe group of miscreants. Even those on the far left, who are often critical of Israel, find Blumenthal to be a repugnant malcontent. So outrageous is his conduct that his mischief earned him a lifetime ban from the German parliament.

Blumenthal, the author of “Goliath: Life and Loathing in Greater Israel,” a book widely viewed as an anti-Semitic screed that one prominent leftist critic noted could easily make it to the top of the “Hamas book of the month club,” has largely been ignored by the mainstream and rightfully so. It represents the modern day equivalent of the notorious Protocols of the Elders of Zion and is filled with invective, conspiracy, distortion, conflation, and outright fabrication designed to malign and disparage the Mideast’s only democracy.

Though most within the mainstream recognize Goliath for what it is, an unscholarly, error-ridden, heap of rubbish, there are still some who flirt with its premise that an “undemocratic,” “racist,” “war-like” Israel is the cause of the Mideast’s ills and the angelic Muslim world remains blameless. Elements within the Catholic Church have unfortunately subscribed to this narrative.

In December, America magazine, a national weekly magazine with Roman Catholic affiliation and published by the Jesuits of the United States, featured an extremely positive review of Blumenthal’s version of Mein Kampf that lacked any form of critical analysis. The reviewer swallows Blumenthal’s racist calumny lock, stock and barrel and accepts its vitriolic premise without reservation or equivocation.

Goliath engages is some of the most pernicious forms of anti-Semitism. Comparisons of Israel with Nazi Germany – a common tactic of Jew haters – are peppered throughout the book with chapters entitled, “The Concentration Camp” and “The Night of Broken Glass,” the latter, a reference to Kristallnacht when Nazi hooligans went on a rampage executing a pogrom against the Jews of Germany. There’s also a near infantile but equally malevolent chapter entitled “How to Kill Goyim and Influence People,” evoking medieval imagery of scheming Jewish plotting to murder non-Jews.

By subscribing to the odious views espoused by Blumenthal, America magazine now finds itself in the unenviable position of being in the same company of various hate groups.  Extreme neo-Nazi forums have also taken up Blumenthal’s cause, whose opinions have been cited with approval on Nazi Internet forums like Stormfront as well as by serial murderer, Frazier Glenn Miller, the KKK man who slaughtered three people at two separate Jewish community centers in Overland Park, Kansas.

I considered the possibility that the publication of this review by a prominent Catholic magazine was perhaps a mere oversight and simply reflected a lack of proper editorial review, but a recent editorial by the magazine trashes that possibility.  The one-sided editorial blasts Prime Minister Netanyahu and other “Zionist radicals” for obstructing a “two-state solution” and imposing “collective punishment.”

As is customary with Israel bashers, facts harmful to the pro-Palestinian narrative are routinely overlooked making a mockery of any claim to impartiality and insightful analysis. The editors of America fail to note the endless flow of anti-Semitic vitriol and violently hateful rhetoric spewed forth daily from the Palestinian Authority’s propaganda apparatus. It’s an inconvenient truth they prefer to ignore.

They also tend to ignore the heinous acts of murder and butchery leading up to Israel’s imposition of so-called “collective punishment” and shamefully only note these murders within the context of Israeli retaliation. In other words, it takes an act of house demolition to highlight the more egregious act of murder that preceded it. Jewish blood is cheap, but heaven forbid, take down a few cinder blocks, and the self-proclaimed humanitarians of the world scream from the rooftops.

Another salient point brings America magazine’s hypocrisy into sharper focus. While they are indignant over the destruction of less than a half-dozen homes belonging to terrorist-murderers responsible for killing women and children, not a single word is uttered over Egypt’s recent decision to destroy some eight-hundred homes bordering Gaza to pave the way for the construction of an anti-tunnel barrier. And while those slated for house demolition in Israel have the right to appeal (and often win), no such appellate process is offered for Egyptians whose recourse is either to comply or face the business end of an AK-47.

Jewish-Catholic rapprochement has come a long way since the Holocaust. Pope Benedict XVI and his predecessor Pope John Paul II did much to advance relations between Israel and the Vatican. Sadly, however, old habits die hard and there remain vestiges of those within the Catholic Church who harbor anti-Semitic views and hostile attitudes toward Israel and wish to see the Church regress to positions of darker times past. Judging by its recent editorials blasting Israel exclusively and book reviews extolling the works of a rabid anti-Semite, the publishers of America magazine can include themselves among this ignominious group.

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  • http://gerardjackson.com/ gerard jackson

    One must bear in mind that the Jesuits have been deeply corrupted by leftist thinking. It is so bad that I sometimes wonder if the order can still be called Catholic.

    • wildjew

      Has the church has come full circle? Wasn’t there a time prior to and during the second world war, the church saw Communism (Bolshevism) as a great world threat, so much so there was a rapprochement of sorts with Italian fascism and perhaps to a lessor extent (depending on the German Bishop or Cardinal) with German Naz ism?

      • pupsncats

        The Catholic Church has always seen as a threat all forms of “ism” that do not comport with God’s revelations as she understands them. That is until the leadership capitulated to the whims and wills of the world during the 1960′s in their Vatican II Council and transformed the theology and practices handed down from the Apostles into a Progressive political institution. That is why JPII was buddies with Castro, never severing diplomatic ties with Cuba as the U.S. and other governments did. (You have to wonder how Polish JPII who lived under Communism could embrace Castro, a murderous tyrant until you realize he represented the invented church of Vatican II. )After Vatican II, the leadership and the governing and financial institutions of this newly invented political institution corrupted everything because they now operated outside of the truth of Christ. The priesthood was turned into a haven for sodomites and pedophiles; the feminists and homosexuals took over running the parishes; the Vatican bank was used to funnel money for corruption; the embezzler’s stole millions of dollars out of the parishes collection plates, and people like the Kennedy’s, Nancy Pelosi and Joe Biden could rise to be stars of the Democratic (sic) Party while endorsing the intentional murder of millions of unborn human beings, because the Democratic (sic) Party and the Vatican II Church are joined together to destroy truth, decency, morality, and the soul.

        • wildjew

          Do you think were the church socially and politically conservative as it was in the past, pre-Vatican II – albeit it continued to teach the “perfidious” Jews were collectively responsible for the death of Jesus in Good Friday prayers – it would earn favor in the eyes of God?

          • billobillo54

            First, I think that the Christian Church in general and especially Catholics and including many Protestants are GUILTY of severe abuse and evil against Jews. The idea that the Jews were responsible for the death of Jesus and somehow deserve scorn and punishment is downright evil. I do not blame any and all Jews for hating Christianity. I also believe, as Paul quoted from the Tenach in Romans, which was directed at Jews who profess faith yet live immorally, “the Name of God is blasphemed by the gentiles because of you” applies strongly to and against the Church for the evil WE have perpetrated over the years. Many believe that when Jesus said: “What you do to the least of these My brethren you do to Me” that He was referring to Israel in general. I believe He was referring to Jews who believe in Him, especially during the Tribulation and thereby to the nation as a whole. Everyone, Jew and gentile, has a bad record in terms of sin. The Jews, since they have been subjected to many conquering nations and have lived as a tiny minority among others are in my mind, the least guilty of all. And, as Israelis, they are in the large scheme of things, INNOCENT. I can only apologize for the evil perpetrated against the Jews in Jesus’ Name and do everything I can to honor Him and His Chosen People, the Jews.

          • Taylor Osborne

            He did chase the money lenders from the temple and recognize them as a brood of vipers, so there you go

          • pupsncats

            God doesn’t favor anything that is a lie. Was the Church wrong to want Jews and all people to believe the only way to eternal life is through the church instituted by Christ who said: “I am the way, the truth, and the life and no one sees the Father but through me.”
            The post-Vatican II church claims that one need not enter the Catholic Church to obtain salvation but that all religions somehow “consist” within her, making all religions equal to Christianity and Christ a liar.

          • wildjew

            What are you saying?

            Exo 33:16 “For how then can it be known that I (Moses) have found favor in Your sight, I and Your people (Israel)? Is it not by Your going with us, so that we, I and Your people, may be distinguished from all the other people who are upon the face of the earth?”

            Psa 124:1
            A Song of Ascents, of David.

            “Had it not been the LORD who was on our side,”
            Let Israel now say,

            “Had it not been the LORD who was on our side
            When men rose up against us,

            Then they would have swallowed us alive,
            When their anger was kindled against us;

            Then the waters would have engulfed us,
            The stream would have swept over our soul;

            Then the raging waters would have swept over our soul.”

            Blessed be the LORD,
            Who has not given us to be torn by their teeth. (Psalm 124)

            Deu 4:7 “For what great nation is there that has a god so near to it as is the LORD our God whenever we call on Him?

            “Or what great nation is there that has statutes and judgments as righteous as this whole law which I am setting before you today?

          • pupsncats

            I am Catholic. I believe Jesus Christ is the Messiah; the Son of God. He came not to destroy the law, but to fulfill it. I believe Christ instituted the Catholic Church to spread the Word of God, and bring all peoples of all nations for all time into eternal life with him. It is through Christ’s Church that man is given the knowledge, graces, and armour to defeat sin and live and act the way God designed man to live and act so that he may live to the fullness of his humanity while on this earth and live in eternity in the presence of God.

          • Captlee

            Amen. Thank you for stating these truths.

          • Guest

            “The Jews,” one of scores of such denunciations in the journal (La Civiltà cattolica) warned, “eternal insolent children, obstinate, dirty, thieves, liars, ignoramuses, pests and the scourge of those near and far … managed to lay their hands on … all public wealth … and virtually alone they took control not only of all the money … but of the law itself in those countries where they have been allowed to hold public offices.” The Church had long taught, the Vatican-supervised journal insisted, that Jews should be kept separate from Christians, or they would reduce Christians to their slaves: “Oh how wrong and deluded are those who think that Judaism is just a religion … and not in fact a race, a people, and a nation!”

            “The Pope and Mussolini: The Secret History of Pius XI and the Rise of Fascism in Europe, by David I. Kertzer

          • pupsncats

            Is the journal you referenced a part of the magisterium of the Catholic Church? Of course not. Have the opinions of whomever wrote this article been codified in any Church Council? Of course not. All men are sinners. Even some popes of the Church were truly evil men. Yet the

    • RAM500

      Notre Dame is pretty PC.

      • pupsncats

        As are 99% of all colleges and universities still pretending they are Catholic.

      • Taylor Osborne

        E Michael Jones had something to say for that

    • pupsncats

      Their order was rightly disbanded for their corruption once and should be disbanded again because they are still corrupt. Francis, a Jesuit, is proof.

    • Taylor Osborne

      was it ever?

  • http://tinatrent.com/ Tina Trent

    I take issue with the characterization of these Jesuits with Catholics in general, specifically through conflating the current politics of this group with a narrative about World War II “old habits die hard,” etc. This accusation is both historically inaccurate and too broad.

    The writers of American magazine are leftists first and in this they are no different from the anti-Zionists of Jewish faith: in both cases their anti-Zionism emerges from a specific radical politics of the Sixties. Both groups have numbers and power within their respective faiths. Tikkun magazine and America magazine, for example, have the same positive view of Blumenthal. They are political magazines that cannot in any way be said to speak for Catholics or Jews generally.

    • wildjew

      You would agree, the Vatican has historically been and still is today anti-Israel, would you not?

      • billobillo54

        The Vatican is definitely anti-Israeli if you interpret being in favor of the irrational, destructive, and apocalyptic “Two State Solution” as anti Israel. Also, when the Roman Catholic Patriarch of Jerusalem can refer to the existence of Israel as “the occupation” without even the slightest correction or rebuke from the Vatican, I guess you can accurately say that the Vatican is anti-Israel. When Popes visit the PA and attend church services with the likes of Arafat and Abbas and sit and listen to the vile and deceptive religious and political speeches that compare the “plight” of the Palestinians to the “crufixition” of Jesus without one world of support FOR THE COMPLETELY INNOCENT ISRAELIS, I agree that this is VATICAN ANTI-ISRAEL POLITICS.

        • wildjew

          Is there any question where or whose side Jesus – contrary to what the Palestinians and the Muslim world say, he was a Jew – would be on today?

          • billobillo54

            As a Christian, I have learned to love and support the Jews and the fact that The Land belongs to the Jews FROM JESUS.

          • wildjew

            I don’t know exactly how things are going to come down in the last days — I believe we are within or near these difficult times because Israel is a nation in the land again according to God’s plan. We do see the nations turning against Israel just as the prophets warned would happen in the final days. I would not be surprised to see the United States turn decidedly against Israel like Europe has in the years to come. Obama has led us a long way in that direction. You read your Bible literally. You can see it in God’s word; the eternal covenant God made with Abraham that He swore He would never break. I do not understand why millions of other Christians can’t see what you see. Vatican and other Christian denominations teach they are the “new” Israel – “the sons of Jacob have been rejected” – and they say the Jews are “blind?”

          • billobillo54

            Being an Protestant Evangelical Christian, you must realize that I do read the Bible in its plain, literal sense. We believe that Jesus is the Messiah “…for the Jew first and also for the gentile”(Romans 1:16). As He said: “I have come for the lost sheep of the House of Israel” and again, “salvation is from the Jews.” Also: “I am the way, the truth and the life, no one comes to the Father except through Me.” So, all of the Protestants who love and support Israel to the death believe in the universality of the need of faith in Jesus. Paul teaches that we as gentile believers are to be humble and charitable toward Israel even in their general unbelief in Jesus due to God’s favorable perception of Israel due to God’s choice of them God’s promises and the patriarchs. We will therefore love Israel and the Jews no matter what the Jews or the Israelis think about Jesus. We also read the Law and the Prophets. We see that God will deliver Israel at the end of the age and that Israel will suffer, be invaded and be delivered (e.g. Micah 5; Zechariah 12; Zechariah 14; Numbers 23; Obadiah; Isaiah 9-11; Zechariah 9; Psalm 2; Psalm 83; etc., etc. etc. etc.) I honestly do not fully understand why so many do not get this. How about this text in Zechariah 8: “Thus says the Lord of hosts, ‘In those days ten men from all the nations will grasp the garment of a Jew, saying, “Let us go with you, for we have heard that God is with you.”’” I look forward to the days when the Messiah and the Jews RULE.

          • Softly Bob

            The only reason that the Jews rejected Jesus the first time around is because God knew that they would. He timed it that way. It was a plan to fool Satan. If the Jews hadn’t rejected him he wouldn’t have died on the cross. God used his chosen people to fulfill prophecy.
            All anti-Semitism is an attempt by Satan to slander the Jews and force evil men to exterminate them. That way prophecy cannot be fulfilled because God has made a promise through the Jewish bloodline. If the bloodline is wiped out Satan wins.
            The Jews will be the priest leaders of the World after the second coming.

          • billobillo54

            SB: PRECISELY! Also, the Jews must be in the Land for the prophecies to take place. Also, Romans 9-11-we must show the Jews Christian charity.

        • Lowell Blackman

          The RC Patriarch of J’lem is a “Palestinian” with a long history of anti-Israel provocation and incitement, in addition to his repeated blood libels and his close association with Yasser Arafat.

          • billobillo54

            Yes, read “The Vatican Against Israel” by Giulio Meotti.

    • Michael Garfinkel

      An interesting and insightful point.

      Is the writer concerned about this Pope’s turn to the Left?

      • wildjew

        Of course political conservatives are concerned about his turn to the left – if you listen to conservative talk radio, if you read conservative sites, much has been said and written about it.

        But the Vatican’s disposition toward Israel and Jerusalem – the seat of God’s future throne – is fundamental. It is of primary importance.

        To quote the Christian world’s savior: “…for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”

  • Gettingby

    Many Christian organizations and their adherents are not content to be the branch grafted onto the Jewish tree and share in the blessings and promises God made to Abraham and the Jewish people, they want to invalidate and supplant the Jews and be the tree. Likewise many Jews resent having the Christian branch grafted onto them and believe the promises made to Abraham and his descendants are proprietarily Jewish.
    Arrogant supremistic selfish behaviour and the hatred it spawns has been abundantly manifest throughout history will only intensify until “the great and terrible day of the Lord” comes.

    • http://vernerable.wordpress.com/ Vern Crisler

      “Arrogant supremistic selfish behavior” –
      Are you referring to jihadist supremacism?

      • Gettingby

        I struggle from the moment I awake to the moment I go to sleep interacting with others. If others are like me they often find other people annoying. If I were to try to enforce my ways on others conflict is inevitable. The very moment I think I have the right to do so I become part of the problem. That is the behaviour I was referring to. Unfortunately for mankind jihadis think they have both the right and an obligation to force their beliefs and ways on others.

    • pupsncats

      Many organizations that call themselves Christian not only are not “content to be the branch grafted onto the Jewish tree” but are not even followers of Christ but idolators of men.

    • Yehuda Levi

      Actually, temple worship and sacrifices was the original Judaism and no one practices that anymore (nor do they want to).

      Rabbinic Judaism, after the destruction of the temple in 70 CE (AD), was created about the same time as Christianity. In my mind, they are two different religions that both share a common ancestor in ancient Judaism and also have similar length of history.

    • John Pallyswine

      The history of the ruthless European Catholic/WASP/Anglican “Christians” is a lot of Christianity but no Jesus.

      American Christians have reversed their hate of anything not white since the late 1940s. It is only recent that Christians are actually following Christianity since everything is known in the modern era.

    • Crazycatkid

      “Likewise, many Jews…” No, no, that is not the Jewish perspective about people of other religions, such as Chrsitianity. You are misinformed sir. Please do some valid research before casting such aspersions.

    • Cristinascar

      I was looking for the protests and rock singers and UN obsessed with the 100 times longer border fence Saudi Arabia built to steal land from Yemen, no article on earth about it huh ? They use more American technology and funding and no boycotte, though they kill minoritites with impunity in both thoise countries. No artoicle in the New York Times about, that fence? Not one? No AP article? Not One? Not one about the women killed for flirting, not one? Not one about how they use American weapons and aid to kill Athiests (Athiesm is the worst type of terrorism, in the law books of every Gulf country, America has spent 10 trillion protecting) What about the anti-Shia “apartheid” in all Sunni countries in the Gulf where Shia make one third the salary of Sunnis on average. The onely 2 news sources on earth which even discuss Saudi dealings in Yemen is Putin’s RT and PressTV which rightly call it a proxy war against Iran, but obviously dont tell you the bad things Iran had done.

    • Surak1

      We Jews do not owe ANYONE a share in the birthright that God promised to Israel alone. It is arrogant in the extreme for you to muscle your way in and pretend that you’re some new form of quasi-Jew. Your task is the Noahide (Noachide) covenant.

  • Sheik Yerbouti

    It should be pretty obvious to all that the Catholic church is imploding. The faithful are criticized or driven out. Only the ones who accept homosexuality as normal will be allowed to remain. And homosexuality has been creeping into the church for many decades. Anyone can see the Vatican has been hijacked.

    I hate to see all of this happening because it all banks on the goodness of people. At some point they will take too much advantage of this goodness and push too many the other way. There will be a lot of blood in the Vatican. It’s the only way they have ever solved the problem when it spirals this far out of control.

  • james connolly

    For those who are not Catholic, know that America magazine is a leftist rag that touts all kinds of wacko causes in opposition to the teaching authority of the Roman Catholic Church. Take ANYTHING it writes with a grain of salt. It is only marginally “Catholic” at best. I wouldn’t read or believe anything it publishes.

    • Janet Ann

      The entire article is a must read.

      Pope Francis gives Palestinians boost of support
      May 25, 2014
      http://www.cbc.ca/news/world/pope-francis-gives-palestinians-boost-of-support-1.2653528

      • pupsncats

        Francis is not the pope of the true Catholic Church. He represents the Progressive/Marxist Vatican II Church invented during the Vatican II Council in the 1960′s which does not believe in nor practice the theology of the Catholic Church.

        • Janet Ann

          Theology of the Catholic Church? Do Catholics not take personal responsibility by reading the Scriptures?

          Janet Ann

          ++++++

          2 Timothy 2:13
          Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

          1 John 4:1
          Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.

          Matthew 7:21
          Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.

  • Mongo66

    Any student of history should be aware that the beast of anti-Semitism was spawned in the Vatican. It is the source of dam near every common anti-Semitic talking point we have ever seen. The sad thing is that every lie, slander and libel about Jews that the Catholic Church created were in fact things they themselves were guilty of. Please keep in mind this has little to do with the Catholic people, only the corrupt institution of the Vatican. The Vatican is a very powerful sovereign city-state. They operate in many cases with full immunity. They have their own economic system, and even have their own military. And their military is not just those guys in the funny looking uniforms, they also have many mercenaries from around the world working for them. The corruption of their economic sector is well documented. So it is no surprise that there are some still in this institution that abhor the continued existence of Jews. They have been attempting to wipe us out from day one, and they continue to hold the treasures of our ancestors that they stole from us in their Vatican.

  • pupsncats

    The writers at America magazine are as Catholic as Obama is conservative.

    • Cristinascar

      One comparisaon describes this whole thing better than any other:

      There are 400 resolutions about “palestinian” refugees at the UN, and a UN organization with 100 billion budget dedicated to this libel. There has never been a mention or resolution, not one, about the double the number Jewish refugees from the exact same Ottoman Empire, not one resolution, definitely no sub-organization let alone whole organization, in fact other than 3 countries other than Israel no country would let any of them in, and those 3 (America, Britain and France) had stricter quottas on them than for Muslims. Or recognition that the Jews from the Ottoman Empire all 700,000 of them that moved to Israel had to live in tents in Israel for 15 years because Israel couldn’t afford them, will a history book remember that (probably because that one tiny element can be spun as Israel is so terrible for being the only one to take them in). The “palestinians” of Ottoman Syria were Muslim and part and parcel of the war obsessed Ottoman Empire, the Jews of that same Ottoman (at times Sultanate, but mostly a Caliphate) had just went through 1400 years of being required to bow their head when a Muslim walked by, and not allowed to build new houses of worship, and not allowed to be a witness in any court, the majority of the time had to wear special clothing (read the laws of Omar the successor of Mohamed don’t trust me, in their original text in his Arabic words), not allowed to carry a knife or weapon even a kitchen knofe in public, every Muslim was they were in poverty. Yes the UN is a righteous godlike organization with noi similarities to Nazis and Communist dark ages. Today in Israel Mizrahi Jews average salary is about 2-3 thousand less than the Ashkenazi average, without ever receiving any aid from anyone anytime anywhere ever, least the UN.Can that be said about the terrorist racists?

      • Taylor Osborne

        I’ve read of Zevi’s conversion

        • Cristinascar

          There were millions who did not convert, bet that’s spillt milk. Christians in for example Lebanon and Egypt are the final ones to have their extinctions censored, but Christians are hard to mess with, on the fomrer Ottoman areas.

          • Taylor Osborne

            I’m glad you’ve shared that, Merry Christmas

    • Taylor Osborne

      The catholic church, at least the jesuit order, seems to me left

  • joe kulak

    The Jesuits went off the rails long ago. For an update just look at the recent goings on on Marquette University in Milwaukee.

  • bigjulie

    All religions are con games from the beginning! A “God” is going to create beings in It’s own likeness and image and then favor one group of them over another?? Say WHAAAAT?? I spent the first 30 years of my life as a Christian, through six different denominations, the last being the Catholic Church. It is still difficult for me to think of all I was charged with believing, especially by the Catholics! My last mis-adventure was going to a “Novena”, which was a special service aimed at the “Blessed Virgin Mary” in which people prayed for her intervention with her “Son” for some of the most ridiculous “favors” I have ever heard. Sales of property, sales of vehicles, better grades! The last one I went to before I became an Atheist, I started snickering uncontrollably as the “petitions” were read from the pulpit, walked out of the church and never went back again. I am in my 80th year on the planet as an Atheist, and I’ve never been happier and more at peace. Meanwhile, back at the religious “ranch” we now have a Christian organization creating hate for the very human stock their “savior” came from! Sorry, but I still burst out laughing at the preposterousness of the entire scene!

    • ahad_ha_amoratsim

      No wonder you became an atheist; you were never exposed to monotheistic religion or the 7 laws that G*d gave to all mankind. The Jewish nation was later given a more complex set of laws and told to observe those, but the basic 7 remain in effect for the rest of mankind.
      One of those 7 laws is not to worship anyone or anything except G*d. That leaves out praying to a human being.

      • Yehuda Levi

        The seven Noahide laws were given to all human beings, including Jews, before Jews even existed. Therefore, they apply to everyone as you said.

        Many of the later laws for Jews, such as temple sacrifice, are no longer practiced nor desired. Other halacha were created by rabbis after the temple’s destruction.

        Regardless of the differences in ideology that we all have, it is most important to be respectful of the deeply held beliefs by individuals. Insulting such beliefs, or telling people they are wrong to believe them, does not improve human relations – it harms them.

  • Janet Ann

    FOOD FOR THOUGHT

    Considering there are no revealed human rights concessions by the Castro brothers in negotiations with the Pope and Barack Obama … no revealed human rights concessions in exchange for the normalization of relations with the United States … logic dictates that the Marxist dictators were afforded a green light in the continuing oppression of the Cuban people while the brutal regime which controls the purse profits financially from the lifting of sanctions.

    Pope Francis played crucial role in historic thawing of relations between U.S. and Cuba
    Published December 17, 2014
    http://latino.foxnews.com/latino/news/2014/12/17/pope-francis-played-crucial-role-in-historic-thawing-relations-between-us-and/

  • Janet Ann

    It is not only the Pope … there are Christian denomination worldwide that are one with Islam when it comes to The Promised Land … when it comes to the Jews. Hey … there are liberal Jews who are one with Islam regarding Israel’s right to exist in “Palestine”. There is an Anglican and a United Church in my community who has a pro-Palestinian position.

    At the September, 2014 Middle East Christian Conference Ted Cruz stood up to persecuted mideast Christians who do not stand with Israel … stood up to their double standard.

    Ted Cruz Booed Off Stage At Middle East Christian Conference [VIDEO]
    09/10/2014
    http://dailycaller.com/2014/09/10/ted-cruz-booed-off-stage-at-middle-east-christian-conference-video/

    ASSYRIAN CHRISTIANS SUPPORT CRUZ AFTER WALKOUT
    11 Sep 2014
    http://www.breitbart.com/national-security/2014/09/11/assyrian-christians-support-cruz-after-walkout/

  • ahad_ha_amoratsim

    As the saying goes, it’s always peaceful until Israel fights back.

  • Janet Ann

    Radegunda: ” … shows a deep level of moral sickness.”

    … or ignorance. Many Christians sincerely believe what is heard from the pulpit WITHOUT QUESTION.

    1 Timothy 2:5
    For there is one God, and ONE MEDIATOR between God and men, THE MAN CHRIST JESUS.

    2 Timothy 2:13
    Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

    1 John 4:1
    Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.

    Matthew 7:21
    Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.

  • Michael DiCola

    Ari, I love your work. But I must join the five or six others commentators who point out that the Magazine “America”, a Jesuit publication, does not speak for or represent the Catholic Church. And it probably is considered a prominent Catholic Magazine because the secular Media and many academic Catholics, not known for the orthodoxy, like the articles etc America offers much like the media and many academic type Catholic likes nuns and priests who are only Catholic in name

    However according to one orthodox Catholic Website, CatholicCulture.Org which reviews and rates Cathodic Websites and Magazine, often prints articles etc contrary to canonical Catholic teaching. Its ratings for Fidelity to canoncial Catholic teachings are GREEN, Excellent; YELLOW Caution and RED Danger.

    America Magazine is rated RED – Danger!

    The link is here please take a moment to go to it:

    http://www.catholicculture.org/culture/reviews/view.cfm?recnum=1008&repos=2&subrepos=0&searchid=146788

    Now this may not mean that every Article in this magazine is against canonical Catholic teaching but with a RED Danger rating it does mean much of what it publishes is contrary to Catholic teaching. And I doubt too many Catholics, other than perhaps left wing Catholics, want to praise Blumenthal’s book.

    I also believe Max Blumenthal was born Jewish and if so, still is Jewish, if only in name. But this does not mean he speaks for the majority of Jews, even secular Jews in the US. I believe many secular Jews in the US. even those who do not even both to keep the High Holidays ayn more nonetheless still have a soft spot in their hearts for State Of Israel, and rightly so. But many today do not. Many see Israel as a pariah State. Hopefully these folks will soon be heavily outnumbered by the more prolific Orthodox Jews.

  • Michael DiCola

    Ari, I love your work but I must join with 5 or 6 other commentators
    who point out the magazine America, a Jesuit publication, does not speak for
    the Catholic Church. If it is considered
    a prominent Catholic magazine, it is because the media and the Catholic left in
    the academy approve of it much like they approve and focus attention on nuns
    and priests who speak out against the Church’s teachings and are Catholic in
    name only.

    CatholicCulture.Org, an orthodox Catholic website rates website
    and blogs etc that assert they are Catholic. It has three ratings, GREEN
    Excellent, YELLOW Caution and RED Danger.

    This website rates America Magazine. RED Danger. This does
    not mean that every article is contrary to Church teaching but that America
    frequently and regularly publishes articles etc that are inconsistent with
    Church teachings or contrary to them. So my conclusion is you cannot trust
    anything in America unless you are positive it is canonical Catholic teaching.
    And an anti-Semtic screed is not Catholic teaching.

    Please click on this
    link and see for yourself: It is brief.

    http://www.catholicculture.org/culture/reviews/view.cfm?recnum=1008&repos=2&subrepos=0&searchid=1467886

    Thank you.

    • Ari Lieberman

      Hi Michael,

      Thank you for your feedback. Please see my response to Dan below. I believe it addresses your concerns.

      Happy Holidays,

      Ari

  • Ken Kelso

    Max Blumenthal who tried to say a Thai worker massacred the Fogel family in Itamar 3 years ago.
    http://mondoweiss.net/2011/03/after-itamar-exploring-the-cynical-logic-that-makes-everyone-a-target.html
    After Itamar: Exploring the cynical logic that makes everyone a target
    Max Blumenthal on March 15, 2011
    ———————————
    My comments.
    Even after it became known that a Palestinian committed the massacre, Blumenthal made excuses for this Arab terrorist.
    The NY Times is totally sick for having a racist Arab terrorist apologist like Max write an article for them.

  • Ken Kelso

    Max supported the Palestinian terrorist massacring the 3 month old Jewish baby in October by running her over with a car.
    Here’s what Max wrote and a great post by a poster in response.

    https://twitter.com/MaxBlumenthal/status/526452068589252609
    Some facts on deadly Jsalem car incident: Driver was jailed 4 stone throwing & tortured endlessly while settlers took over his neighborhood.
    Oct 26, 2014

    Sam Hakosem ‏@SamHakosem Oct 26
    @MaxBlumenthal Excellent justification for a mass murder: a 3 month old baby, another women, and an attempt to kill 10 more…

  • Michael DiCola

    Ari, I love your work but I must join with 5 or 6 other commentators who point out the magazine America, a Jesuit publication, does not
    speak for the Catholic Church. If it is considered a prominent Catholic magazine, it is because the media and the Catholic left in the academy approve of it much like they approve and focus attention on nuns and priests who speak out against the Church’s teachings and are Catholic in name only.

    CatholicCulture.Org, an orthodox Catholic website rates website
    and blogs etc that assert they are Catholic. It has three ratings, GREEN
    Excellent, YELLOW Caution and RED Danger.

    This website rates America Magazine. RED Danger.

    This does not mean that every article is contrary to Church teachingS but that America frequently and regularly publishes articles etc that are inconsistent with Church teachings or contrary to them. So my conclusion is you cannot trust anything in America unless you are positive it is canonical Catholic teaching. And an anti-Semtic screed is not canonical Catholic teaching, .

    Please click on this
    link and see for yourself: It is brief.

    http://www.catholicculture.org/culture/reviews/view.cfm?recnum=1008&repos=2&subrepos=0&searchid=1467886

    Thank you.

  • PaulD

    Give up on the Catholic community. Those of redeemable Divine consciousness have long ago left the Catholic Church. The only salvation the Church will offer is the salvation of any repressive expressions of raging Jew-Hatred. Anything evil about the Jew is to believed, and anything positive about a Jew is compromised infiltration of evil Jew-Zionist propaganda. We are about to see the extremist anti-Semitic foundations of the Catholic Church reemerge. It is the rot coming to the surface, that will make the majority who truly want a relationship with God go into hiding from the persecution.

  • Dan Knight

    Wow … As an Irish-Catholic, conservative who regularly posts here on FPM, I have to say I’m disappointed by Ari’s column. While I generally agree, the way it’s presented offers ugly implications, as can be seen in the comments.

    Let’s note:

    1. Max Blumenthal does not speak for the Church.

    2. True, many Catholics follow him, but so what?

    America voted for Bam Bam twice. Many Catholics voted for Bam Bam too, but many did not. There are 75 million Catholics in this country, and tens of thousands of priests and clergy. Blaming everyone and the Church for Max Blumenthal and those who listen to him is a Grand Smear.

    It’s exactly like blaming all Americans, conservative, liberal, and everyone else alike for the views of John Boehner or Nancy Pelosi and their followers. Worse: Because it’s like blaming liberals for Boehner, and conservatives for Pelosi at the same time!

    If ‘Con’ self-servatives stand up for the special privileges of the Big Banks, which almost uniformly stand with the Dem’s, how is that the fault of any Liberal guy in San Francisco – much less my fault for doing exactly the opposite of their mandate.

    So too, I have no more power to shut up Blumenthal or America magazine than I can shut up Pelosi or Boehner.

    3. America magazine? That magazine has no more ‘authority’ to speak for the Catholic Church than I have.

    True, it’s a Jesuit publication, but that doesn’t say much: The Nation is an American publication, too. So is Mother Jones, and the NY Times, etc. And don’t forget MSNBC, CNN, Salon, and The Daily Beast also speak for ‘America.’ But they don’t speak for me, nor my country. Nor does ‘America’ magazine speak for the Church or for Catholics.

    I spend almost no time on Catholic media. The mainstream Catholic media is as Libtard as MSNBC, and it’s as racist, and as bigoted as CNN. Which is also to say that it doesn’t represent the Church well at all, any more than the MSM represents America.

    4. Yes, it’s true, Catholics have a long and sordid, anti-Semitic history. But so too does every Christian group, nation, and denomination. Many non-Christians are also anti-Semitic.

    So? For that matter: What do you call George Soros, Chuckie Schumer, or any of the 90% of Jews who vote with the Hate-Israel Mafia? Aren’t they anti-Semitic? If the NY Times comes out with an anti-Israeli screed, doesn’t that prove Jews are anti-Semitic? If the 90% of Jews voting Democrat have their way, and Tel Aviv goes up in a mushroom cloud, how is that the fault of America? Conservatives? Or me? Much less Catholics?

    Using this type of analysis of history or media to advance an anti-Catholic agenda is like using ‘racism’ to advance an anti-American agenda. It’s unbecoming, and no Jew would appreciate it if the shoe was on the other foot.

    When Church officials, and those with some indicia of authority, such as the Jesuits, advance anti-Semitic views, they are no more representing Catholicism than the KKK represents America. It’s unfortunate that Catholics hold, or held, such views, but it’s also unfortunate that Americans once held the views of the KKK. And it’s unfortunate that Americans now hold the views of Bam Bam, which amounts to very much the same Blood Libels: Only the roles of the skin colors have changed.

    5. Speaking of the KKK: They too were anti-Catholic, as well as being anti-Semitic and anti-Black. But were they Christian? They claimed to be, or has everyone forgotten that? Those who claim to be Christian and have joined the little Catholic-bashing campaign here on FPM should be advised of the company they ‘keep’ too.

    None of us could hold up our heads in public if/when some cherry-picking troll shows up.

    Almost every denomination, including non-denom’s, have their heroes and villains in the mud-slinging competition. Be a hero, and keep the calm. Jesus wouldn’t appreciate the mud-slinging.

    One reason why the Catholics have such a long, negative history is that so many Catholics have fought the good fight against it. When ancient American, Indian, Asian, and African tribes, nations, and cultures clashed, no one sat down and wrote a screed defending the victims. The whole idea that we should be apologizing and wring our hands for the crimes and misdeeds of those who claimed to be one of us – while doing the absolute opposite of what is mandated by our ideology – is an invention of the Christian west: Taken from the example of the Jewish prophets. That’s why we call it a Judeo-Christian civilization.

    6. Now, seriously. If the shoe doesn’t fit don’t wear it.

    If one tests America (the nation, not the magazine) against say, ‘racism,’ it passes the test.

    America is not a racist country – in the sense that Americanism and racism are diametrically opposed ideologies. The very definition of America includes ‘anti-racism.’

    That doesn’t mean racism doesn’t exist. When the Klan lynched young black men in the 1890′s, they were racist. The whole nation conflated the American Way into the Great White Way, to the shame of both the nation and of white people. But it didn’t change the ideology, and that’s why America flipped back in the 60′s. The appeal to America’s intrinsic ideology and the good nature of her people put an end to the Klan, and pushed the nut jobs into the fringes. We all know the Left took advantage of the opportunity, but they always do.

    We had a pretty good example of the New Racism just a few weeks ago: And it bore a striking resemblance to the Old Version despite the skin-deep changes.

    Likewise, anyone who knows anything about the New Testament, the Church, or Jesus (who was a Jew in case anyone was wondering about that), would not libel the Church as an anti-Semitic organ.

    Anyone can be anything. It’s called ‘Free Will.’ And in history, the Church has taken many wrong turns. So who hasn’t? Everyone has feet of clay.

    Jewish and Christian disagreements have long been a source of profit for the devil, but neither side has any right or justification in their collective body of teaching to spew false accusations or hatred at the other side.

    Right minded thinkers have always moved closer, not farther apart. And for good reason: God’s prophets and heroes always point in the same direction.

    That Christians, including Catholics and Orthodox have done wrong (and sometimes still do) is, of course, shameful. But to imply that it’s a fundamental component is simply wrong.

    Would any Jew on this thread rather see all of us Christians convert to Islam? How are the Jews doing in Iran? I know it’s a straw man question, but the point is that the more Christian one becomes the more charitable and decent one becomes. The farther one gets from Christ, the more likely one will be raping and killing babies in the name of one’s ideology. That’s a big clue.

    A man should cherish his friends, and have kind words for his allies – especially when death is on the line.

    7. Now, I’m sure Ari meant only to criticize those who needed to be criticized, and I’m really not offended at all by his explicit remarks. Blumenthal is flipping bigot – true, and I agree. I’ve read enough of Ari Lieberman to know what he meant. And I understand.

    What disappoints me is the lack of any framing of the issue to control unintended implications: This is an immediate invitation to Catholic-bashing, and anti-Catholic (and frankly anti-Christian) libel.

    It’s also fuel to the anti-Semites. This column could easily be thrown back the faces of Pro-Jewish people by anti-Semites.

    And I was not surprised to see quite a bit of mud-slinging in the comments.

    8. In the future, I hope Ari won’t imply that all Catholics or the Church is anti-Semitic. Popes have been anti-Semitic, but then again not. There’s over 260 to pick from for those who are cherry-picking.

    9. A personal viewpoint: My own priest is in exile thanks to the Liberal mafia in Dallas. He’s spent quite a bit of time at the pulpit defending Jews, the Jewish people, and Israel – using Scripture by the way – and it’s not only unfair to cast a pall over him with these ‘America’ magazine people – but it poisons the well and interferes with the essential messages that unite all of us.

    Our disagreements are of matters to be discussed in a conference over coffee – not blown over the internet with calumnies and exaggerations.

    If a racist, liberal, Hispanic, Catholic challenges me to defend Ari’s column, what will I say?

    I’d use the same logic I just used. I know I’d be faced with spew from the liberal well, but I’d would give the same explanation from an angle the challenger might understand. Probably I’d get retorts from Spanish publications with which I am not familiar, though we know they’re already bigoted (anti-white and anti-American) from the feedback we’re getting now.

    10. No one should get too uppity: I’ve met my share of bigoted ‘non-Catholics’ and bigoted atheists, and bigoted Jews. I’ve heard the ‘G’ Word used in an impolite manner, and I know what it means.

    But no group of people should be judged on the behavior of those people. Most of them don’t follow any decent ideology, and it’s no surprise they hold hateful feelings, promote hateful politics, and make hateful remarks smearing broad groups.

    with apologies for the topic … this is so not what I would wish to write about today.

    Peace to all!

    Happy Hanukkah, or Merry Christmas as the case may be.

    • Ari Lieberman

      Dan,

      Thank you for your feedback. I certainly did not mean to disparage Catholics. As I noted, Catholic-Jewish relations have come a long way since WWII. And I also noted that those who maintain anti-Semitic views within the Catholic Church represent mere vestiges of the old guard.

      The purpose of the article was to highlight America magazine’s troubling anti-Israel stance. Criticism of Israel to the exclusion of all others coupled with incessant demonization of the Jewish State represents a pernicious form of anti-Semitism, one that must be vigorously confronted and combatted in all forums and venues.

      Merry Christmas & Happy Hanukkah

      • Dan Knight

        Ari,

        Yes, thank you. Clearly you understood the point.

        As I meant, I just expected others to miss the point. I’ve been reading you for a long time, and I understand the frustration with bad Catholics: As one of the apples in the barrel, I’m often one of the first to see the worms.

        There’s a lot of bad apples claiming to be Catholic, and some of them – unfortunately – actually are Catholic. And there are so many of us – that’s a lot of bad Catholics. I wish it were otherwise, but such is the nature of man.

        Happy Hanukkah to you and your family. I hope you all had a great Seder together, and I hope it ends just as well Wednesday. And may Christmas be a bright – and safe – Thursday for you!

  • Cristinascar

    Thank you for writing this, people are not telling the truth about Israel. There is never a mainstream press or any press story when Saudi Arabia uses f-15s to kill terrorists almost every day. An athiest is technically a terrorist in Saudi Arabia. But notable this happens with their border wars. No one discusses any use of weaponry, or lack of Democracy like they do Israel. we are in fact dealing with the greatest evil in human history. If you mention on murder among the thousands Iran does, they will al go crazy yelliong you cant shutuo about Iran. It’s as if the Jews colonized the world and Muslims were abused by them. In Islamic law Jews were dogs, to Muslims, and in poverty with a couple of symbolic rich ones.

    • UCSPanther

      Israel has also provided safe haven to another group that is treated with disdain: The Bahai.

      They are treated with even worse contempt than “pagans” because they are more or less regarded as “heretics” by most Islamic nations…

  • http://raycaruso.com/ Ray Caruso

    Modern-day Jesuits are hardly Catholic. As devout apostles of something that can fairly be called Fashionable Leftism, it would be inconsistent for them not to side with the “Palestinian” savages over Israel.

  • CarnactheMagnificent

    Not a Catholic but seems to me this new Pope from a socialist country might be a little like a foolish republic hiring a community organizer to run the most powerful, richest country in the world. YEA, LIKE THAT WOULD EVER HAPPEN!

  • Wm Layer

    Don’t confuse Jesuit with Catholic. “America” and its ilk disparage traditional Catholicism and take umbrage at Catholic doctrine and teaching at every opportunity. The damage wrought by the Jesuits and the current bishops exceeds that of the French Revolution. If they had a most admired person Kim Philby would exceed Loyola himself.

  • Taylor Osborne

    It wasn’t really the ‘Nazi’s’ but the brownshirts, not the National Socialists, the night of the broken glass. War is war, Israel has a right to do what it wishes to do. Does Germany owe Israel anything, in this case? Perhaps, you conservative jews stand between the communist jews and the talmudic jews. Should you not distinguish yourselves, now more than ever? Does Russia owe the church then anything, for the sixty million? Crazy world, I would say.

    • Taylor Osborne

      Seedy ‘Sponsored from around the Web’ for a sught of some esteem

  • https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100008177942791 Mike

    Ok, dear author, don’t assume all Catholics are like this. You mentioned the mag is published by the Jesuits, and that, right there, is the problem. The Jesuits are the left wing radicals of the Catholic Church. If they were secular, they’d be right at home on any American college campus. I have problems with our current pope precisely because he is a Jesuit. Go to Catholic dogma, the primary text, and you’ll find that we are not anti Jew. I believe having sects in Catholicism is a mistake anyway, just as I don’t believe in the political apparatus of the Church. It causes major problems.