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Something sinister is happening before our eyes. An alarming number of Americans blame Israel for the murder of civilians by Hamas terrorists October 7, and violence against Jews is rising precipitously. It began before the dead were buried, when a group of Harvard students issued a statement proclaiming they “hold the Israeli regime entirely responsible for all unfolding violence.”
Days later, UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres cribbed a line from that statement, saying the killing of Israeli civilians “did not occur in a vacuum.” In cities across the nation, Americans chant for Palestine to seize the land “from the river to the sea,” promoting the annihilation of Israel and the Jews living there.
Today, American Jews are forced to hide behind locked doors in fear of attack by pro-Hamas activists. Jewish middle school students are threatened with taunts of “kill the Jews.” In Brooklyn, Jews are being warned to stay in their homes this weekend because militants supporting the Gaza charter calling for “the destruction of Israel” massed in their neighborhood.
The Anti-Defamation League reports that anti-semitic threats and violence have risen nearly 400% in just two weeks, and a recent Harvard Caps Harris poll revealed that more than half of 18-24 year old Americans think the murder of 1,200 Israeli civilians by Hamas was justified. They blame the victims; the Jews had it coming.
Some people are simply bigots who hate Jews. But others who are not dogmatically opposed to Israel or Jewish people are persuadable toward this pro-Hamas position. They can be misled into victim blaming, believing Israel could have avoided the massacre if only Jews were better people.
There’s a body of research on why people blame victims, much of it reflecting secular beliefs about the nature of man and society. One reason was postulated by psychologist Melvin Lerner, who pioneered the “just world” theory. It’s described as “a psychological concept proposing that individuals possess a strong belief in the inherent fairness of the world, where people get what they deserve, and deserve what they get.”
An essay by the Young Leaders for Legal Literacy Foundation explores Lerner’s theory observing: “One’s need to maintain a belief in a just world may be at fault for our tendency to blame victims. When bad things happen to someone who seems a lot like us, this threatens our belief that the world is a just place.”
The theory is intriguing but in order to have a fair and just world, the world must be filled with fair and just people. The belief in the natural goodness of man – widely promoted through the works of Genevan philosopher Jean-Jacque Rousseau and others – is often accompanied by the theory that man’s goodness is corrupted by society. Taken as a whole, it’s a false utopian philosophy that invites anarchy by rationalizing bad behavior.
This view of man’s nature is diametrically opposed to the biblical view. Ask any Bible-believing Christian about the nature of man and they’ll say it is sinful and corrupt. The notion of man as naturally sinful isn’t universal but it’s foundational to Judeo-Christian thought. It might explain why so few Christians blame Israel for the Hamas attacks. Christians can debate Israel’s response to Hamas, but I don’t know any claiming that Jewish civilians deserved to be killed. If there are any, they’re in a minuscule fringe seeking 15 minutes of fame.
These differing perspectives matter when talking about Israel and Hamas. Those subscribing to Rousseauean and similar philosophies see Hamas as an organization of fundamentally good people who were corrupted by society and the state of Israel. It gives terrorists a pass, as do many pro-Hamas agitators marching in the streets today. But for those adhering to biblical precepts, Hamas is an organization of sinful people who demonstrated their sinfulness in an orgy of murder and rape, and who are solely responsible for their actions.
The larger issue, however, is what kinds of societies these conflicting worldviews foster. While the biblical view promotes order, the secular view foments chaos, gratifying American Leftists and other authoritarians. It is another reason the Left is so keen on denigrating Judeo-Christian ideals, paving the way for new violence.
America is slouching toward Kristallnacht, the seminal pogrom against innocent Jews across Germany on the evening of November 9-10, 1938. Thousands of Jewish homes, businesses and synagogues were looted and burned. Men were arrested by the tens of thousands for the crime of being Jewish. Others were simply murdered.
We need to wake up before a tipping point arrives. A staggering 51% of college age Americans think the barbaric Hamas murders of Israeli civilians were justifiable, an attitude likely to metastasize. This is why defending the biblical view of man’s nature is so critical. We cannot confront evil without first understanding the inherent sinfulness of man.
“ the theory that man’s goodness is corrupted by society.”
Academic theories are so often wrong and lack wisdom. But academics “discover” what they are paid to discover by the government these days.
The theory goes that children are born innocent and therefore basically good, that is true, but the theory stops there. As the child grows to aged two they can be little horrors.
Then as they grow, nature is secondary to nurture and the pedophiles come and abuse them and convince them that they are better dying young than old, that way they reach paradise earlier.
That’s what is antithetical to Christianity and Judaism, but not Islam.
A theory is just that, a theory. It is not a reality. But most people don’t know the difference and are so quick to proclaim a theory a reality.
Time to bring back the JDL and quickly.
Behold the colossal wreck of the United States and then do something about it.
If “American Jews are forced to hide behind locked doors” that too “does not happen in a vacuum”. The context, if you will, is a world-wide explosion of anti-semitism, “Judeophobia” and just plain Jew hate. The other half of the equation, is that the incident referred to was at Copper Union (where they were literally told to “hide in the attic) in New York. New York, despite having lost before the U.S.Supreme Court is still defying the Court and still makes it difficult or impossible for residents to arm themselves, Elsewhere, Jews and others are training and arming themselves to the teeth. Once armed, nobody has to hide from Hamas.
In addition to being the explosion of anti-semitism, we’ve just seen the greatest explosion of neo-Nazi sentiments since World War II.
That’s the context.
It does seem like history repeating itself. In Germany, 1926, the Hitler Youth was formally established. At that time violence against Jews was prevalent, though sporadic, scattered, and loosely organized. But we know where that story ends. I honestly wonder how far down that road our country will tolerate to go. Sure, your average citizen eventually wakes up one day amidst the chaos and decay, looks around, and asks in bewilderment, “Wha hoppin?” Of course by that time, it’s usually too late to do anything about it.
America has imported millions who’s religion states that Jews must be killed. Now just what will we do about that?
I don’t much care why people hate Jews. I suppose every antisemite has his reason. What I care about is seeing these people rendered harmless. Dead preferably—unless something more awful can be found.
The only understanding of mankind that works is that of authentic Catholic kind. Unless Darwin’s notion that we are just well dressed monkeys..is reality.
2000 years of human struggles to grasp that a true”GOD ” exists and that we are all equal in dignity because of “HIM” and so civilization requires that the fundamental purpose of education is to bring that realization to every person, starting with the young who have not been corrupted and so hold the best hope for the future of mankind..
If there is rejection of the true “GOD” in existence, than we should forget that a civalised society can exist anywhere other than a primatave one ruled by a Dictator or Communist committee , what about a secret inner circle of the “ALL Knowing” , like the current World Economic Form type.. Make up your own and force what ever it is on everyone else “IF YOU CAN”. Then we will all be “HAPPY”. ???
>> “UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres cribbed a line from that statement, saying the killing of Israeli civilians `did not occur in a vacuum.'” <<
Paul Berman criticizes this attitude—that he calls "rationalist naiveté"—in his excellent book TERROR AND LIBERALISM.
I am a Jew, son of a Holocaust survivor, lover of Israel and staunch Zionist. I have many fire arms and ample ammunition and am trained to use them . I will do so if forced. Many from my Orthodox synagogue are similarly armed and trained. We will not go easily, if at all, but will fight like lions.
“Every Jew a 7.62” as a wise man once said.
The world isn’t slouching towards Kristallnacht, it’s sprinting towards it.
They might not get away with cattle cars and death camps this time, but the annihilation of Jews is still the main goal.
And now there are armies of moslems in every country in the world.
Jesus is coming soon!! Satan won’t steal our joy right now. We love, live and laugh since the fight belongs to the Lord. Be with family, encourage others and tell them of Jesus Christ. Plant seeds. We were created for this time. Read Psalm 91 every day as He protects those who love Him. Stand our ground!!