Thu 17 Jun 2004
This last weekend, I went on a trip to the Kern River with some church folk, and one of them happened to be a young woman in her early 20s who was Jewish (and who had recently become a Christian).
We began talking about the desolate inter-cultural no-man’s-land that that Jewish Christians occupy, and she related to me a story which I thought was worth repeating:
It was a surprise to her that she had actually become a Christian, because many Christians had frightened her and treated her very poorly. I replied that I hadn’t really experienced that as much, other than the odd comment here and there by dispensational pre-millenialists about being part of the “chosen” or being a “completed Jew” (which, I find terribly offensive. To me it is the equivalent of calling a well-spoken African-American male “an articulate black man”. It seems like a compliment, but it’s not at all.)
But, she told me a story that truly shocked me. She had liked a boy in school, who happened to be a Christian, and had gone to his house for dinner. When his parents asked about her church attendance, she replied that she was Jewish. The parents looked askance at each other, and left the table. A minute later they came back and said “Would you please leave. We don’t allow Jews in our house.” She left in a hurry and was so distraught that she forgot her backpack. Going back to the house to retrieve it, she said that her backpack had been left hanging on a hook on the porch, with a note on it saying “No Kikes allowed. Don’t ever come back.”
According to this young woman, the father was a pastor of a non-denominational church in Los Angeles.
Now, as a Christian, I find blanket hatred of a class or group of people completely indefensible. I realize that many people have had bad experiences with certain people from a particular people group, and so I understand that stereotypes are inevitable, and I don’t unnecessarily criticize a person for having stereotypes, profitless though they may be, and a slippery slope towards bigotry thought it may be. But outright hatred of a group of people is simply un-Christian.
And, this level of bigotry by someone who is a pastor is without justification completely. Although I am ethnically Jewish, I am not one to look for or care about antisemitism in every dark corner, but I am noticing more and more how many non-Jewish Christians sometimes have subtle and not-so-subtle antisemitic attitudes, and this I find to be very troubling.
This is something I am going to be blogging about more as the weeks go on. If any of you have any stories like this one, good links to other blogs, or other websites in general about this issue please post them in the comments.
June 23rd, 2004 at 5:29 pm
The Jewish nation has been the open door God has used throughout history to make his purposes, character, and sovereignty fully visible to the entire world for all times. It was out of the Jewish nation that we received Gods law, His Word, and our Savior…that’s worth mentioning to creeps like that Interdenominational Pastor.
June 24th, 2004 at 8:23 am
This is indeed deplorable. But in my experience, there is no sin for which a Christian, pastor or lay, is exempt. This doesn’t paint all of Christianity so why bother capturing more stories like this? One is enough. God doesn’t have any pet sins. They’re all bad enough for him to send his Son to die for. It sure sounds like this guy doesn’t measure up to 1 John’s measure of a Christian though. God only knows.
June 27th, 2004 at 12:52 pm
I find that story very difficult to believe. Sounds like the tens of thousands of women back in the late 80’s and early 90’s with their Satanin Ritual Abuse Stories. The story might have been a tad bit more believable had the woman telling it been in her 60’s, not early 20’s. And instead of calling our brothers “creeps”, maybe we should give them the benefit of the doubt. Possibly the pastor was a bit overzealous, and/or tactless, in obeying the biblical admonition to refuse to even bid Godspeed to those who deny Christ. And a little newsflash for Michael Gallagher-for 2000 years the Christian church, the ones who love and worship Jesus Christ, has been the open door God uses to reveal himself to the world. Not Jews, who deny Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ is God Eternal, not part of an options package when choosing a worldview.
April 12th, 2006 at 11:45 pm
I am a catolic,and I consider myself a christia. I want to say that I am sorry about what happen,but there are many christians that do not hate the Jews. One of the reasons the God that I worship is a jew,so rejecting the jews is like rejecting him.
July 22nd, 2007 at 5:10 pm
I am Jewish, and, through numerous Christian friends, have visited several denominations of church and listened to many a recorded sermon, on CD and the radio. Just today, a Sunday, I listened to two sermons on a popular AM radio program, and both of them spoke in insulting (and I have to say, ignorant from a bible standpoint) way about the Jews. Why can’t some christians just concentrate on being a christian without harming Jews with their language, let alone their actions?
One thing I have always found interesting is that, in a synagogue, we never speak badly about Christians, or even mention other religious teachings at all. We just focus on being Jewish, on the message that God gave us as a people. On the other hand, 7 out of 10 times I have gone to a church or listened to a radio sermon, there have always been references to the Jews.
Why can’t these particular christians simply focus upon the unique message that God gave to them, just as God gave a unique message to the Jews. Why must there be calumny and also why must there be reference to Judaism, putting down the Jews of a certain time. It only serves to separate people rather than allowing each person to focus upon their own religious life, their own message from God, and respect those others that have another dispensation.
October 30th, 2007 at 8:40 pm
That story is a terrible situation but it does not show what a true Christtian is. Christians are to show great respect for all even when they disagree with their views or lifestyles, many Christian do a great job of that. I personnally have great respect for the Jewish people because the Bible tells us not to turn our back on them, they are Gods chosen people. I’m sorry this had to happen but you should remember not to put that family’s face on the Christian religion.
We all also need to remember that anti-semetism is a growing problem. It is getting particulary strong in Iran, where their leader doesn’t even believe the Holocaust happened. This is a very serious and threatening situation that we all need to be very aware of.
I would also like to respond to Daniel in saying that we talk about other religion and peoples because we believe it is very important not to be ignorant about the world. Even though those two men may have been wrong, they believe education is very important, and thy were trying, I would imagine, to educate the people. However, there are some anti-semetic people in the Christian church, but they are not all that way and I hope you will remember that and find forgivness for the others.