The Bible is the world’s best selling book, with over 5 billion copies printed and being the book of the law for over 32% of the world’s population [1].Many modern day Christians can agree that some of the laws found in the Bible are a bit outdated, however its core beliefs have carried on for over 2000 years. Although the Bible exudes brotherly love and pure social conventions, there are many controversies regarding some of the texts it holds. Since these texts were composed over time and written in a variety of contexts, there is a lot of room for different interpretations of the Bible. Although Christians can argue that using these texts for hate is a misinterpretation of the Bible, there are many instances in history where certain passages have been used for antisemitism propaganda in the modern world.
Timeline: ______________________________________________________________________ Jews held asNeo-Babylon 1st century AD………...Holocaust Slaves in Egypt 586-539Jewish Diaspora1933-1945 Captivity/exileTemple destroyed-70 CE
The Holocaust was a gruesome destruction of the Jewish people that can absolutely not be blamed by the Bible or the people who follow it. However, there are some troubling passages from the Bible that do attack the Jewish people and can, in effect, causepeople to interpret it as anti-Semitic propaganda. A few examples of Scriptural texts that can be used for anti-Semitic propaganda can be found in the New Testament. In Acts 7.51-53, Jews are referred to as “stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears,”[2] and are asked “which of the prophets have not your fathers persecuted?”[2] The quote goes on to refer to the Jewish people as “the betrayers and murderers”[2]. Matthew 8.12 states, “the children of the kingdom shall be cast out into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth”[2]. These passages attacking Jews played a role in influencing Hitler and allowing him to wrongfully convince others that God is on his side. Richard Steigmann Gall takes this statement even further in his work Christianity and the Nazi Movement: A Response, where he states “Christian Nazis did not just 'distort' or 'infect' Christian ideas to suit their party; such ideas had existed in varieties of Christianity which - and this is vital - were articulated by acknowledged theologians and Christian intellectuals before Nazism ever came into existence”[3]. This interpretation is evident in many of Hitler’s speeches, where he has stated that he was “acting in the sense of the Almighty Creator. By warding off the Jews [he was] fighting for the Lord’s work”[4]. While Hitler had his own reprehensiblemotives, it is frightening and shocking that he could persuade others to do such horrific acts in “the Lord’s name.” This anti-Semitic interpretation has also been shown in less severe, more recent cases such as when a Catholic high school started a “You killed Jesus” chant during a basketball game against a predominantly Jewish school [5] .
One who has read the Bible can see that Christ pushes for people to love one another, and this is why it is essential that we explore the hard, violent texts in order to see what we can do to understand the connection and push the true, good message of Christ in the modern world.
[1] Chappell, Bill. "World's Muslim Population Will Surpass Christians This Century, Pew Says." NPR. [2]Golding, Shmuel. "ANTI-SEMITISM IN THE NEW TESTAMENT." ANTI-SEMITISM IN THE NEW TESTAMENT. [3]Steigmann-Gall, Richard. 2007. “Christianity and the Nazi Movement: A Response”. Journal of Contemporary History 42 (2). Sage Publications, Ltd.: 185–211. http://0-www.jstor.org.helin.uri.edu/stable/30036441. [4]Cline, Austin. "Adolf Hitler on God: Quotes from Adolf Hitler Expressing Belief & Faith in God." About.com Religion & Spirituality. [5]Allen, Evan. "Catholic Memorial Students Chant Anti-Semitic Taunts at Newton Basketball Game - The Boston Globe." BostonGlobe.com. https://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/2016/03/12/catholic-memorial-students-chant-anti-semitic-taunts-newton-basketball-game/SYNt0ozzZm84DiRoSmMRMM/story.html