In India cows wander where ever they wish doing whatever they want and are not to be disturbed. Instead, they are to be revered and catered to.
The difference?
Sacred cows in India don't carry an abuse button around with them!!
Posted on 03/21/2003 6:11:06 PM PST by restornu
Those of us who thought the world had finally stamped out anti-Semitism are getting rude awakenings lately.
The most publicized case of anti-Jewish comments involves Jim Moran, a Democratic congressman from Virginia who said American Jews are behind the moves to make Saddam Hussein live up to United Nations commitments. "If it were not for the strong support of the Jewish community for this war with Iraq," he argued, "we would not be doing this."
Moran moved to apologize, but many pointed out he has a history of shooting from the lip and has taken political contributions from Muslim organizations that federal authorities at one time suspected of having ties to terrorist groups. He later returned the contributions.
But while the Moran issue continues, there are all other kinds of signs that anti-Semitism is leaking its way back into public discourse, more so than at any time perhaps than the 1930s. Back then, anti-Jewish groups urged the United States to avoid involvement in World War II, saying that America was being dragged into the war by a Jewish cabal. The anti-war movement in the late 1930s was so strong that many historians believe the United States would never have joined the war if not for the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor.
And what do you know; a prominent Republican is again talking about a cabal. Pat Buchanan, a former presidential candidate, writes that "a cabal of polemicists and public officials" are "colluding with Israel" to "ensnare our country in a series of wars that are not in America's interests." From the far left, pro-Palestinian writer and Columbia Literature Prof. Edward Said writes, "An immensely wealthy and powerful republic has been hijacked by a small cabal of individuals."
These comments are not accidental. The nativist right wing and the “anti-war” extreme left are on the same side of this issue. They are deliberately using code words, such as “cabal,” that are meant to call up images of wealthy men in yarmulkes and prayer shawls sitting around dividing up the world between them.
This trick has been played on the public for centuries. The disaffected are often quick to look for scapegoats for war and economic malaise. Rulers are happy to give them scapegoats, and for centuries the scapegoats have always been the Jewish people. I’m fearful it may be happening again.
Skeptical? Let’s look at the evidence.
*Most Europeans and many extremists in the United States continue to blame the Jewish state exclusively for the current violence in the Holy Land. Wild stories about Israeli massacres of Palestinians – completely without factual basis – are still bandied about as if they were truth. Critics of Israel love to complain about checkpoints and other Israeli self-defense measures but are completely silent about Palestinian homicide bombers.
*A large percentage – perhaps a majority – of Muslims continues to believe that Sept. 11 was carried out by Jews trying to make Muslims look bad. This conspiracy theory is readily accepted by extremists throughout the world, despite that fact that al Qaeda terrorists have repeatedly and proudly taken credit for the terrorist attack.
*Some ”anti-war” protesters in the United States have recently begun shunning Jewish sympathizers of their cause in an attempt to disassociate themselves from Jews. The “anti-war” movement is increasingly becoming an anti-Israel movement, with anti-Zionist placards as prominent as nonsensical “No Blood for Oil” claims.
*Last year, Jewish peace demonstrators at San Francisco State University were surrounded by Arab and other anti-Jewish demonstrators who said Hitler should have finished the job and killed all Jews.
*The new Palestinian candidate for Prime Minister is a prominent anti-Semite who has published claims that the Holocaust never took place.
These and many other events are part of an alarming pattern. Islamists and extremists worldwide are increasingly buying into a fantasy ideology that is quick to reject reality and instead look for easy answers based on supposedly easy solutions. In this world view, Jews are causing most of the world’s problems. The easy solution, of course, would be to get rid of the Jews, which would be relatively simple because most of them are in Israel and the United States.
U.S. intelligence officials are convinced that Iraq and Iran are intent on getting nuclear weapons so they can strike first at Israel. The thinking, expressed publicly by Iranian mullahs, is that the Muslim world is a clear winner in any nuclear exchange. There are 1 billion Muslims and only about 6 million Jews in Israel. If Iran or Iraq could strike first and wipe out the Jews, they could lose tens of millions of Muslims and still be on the “winning” end of the battle.
I believe Latter-day Saints have a special responsibility to recognize these alarming trends and do our best to combat them. The primary reason, of course, is that Jesus commanded us to love one another, and anti-Semitism is hate speech. But beyond that, the Book of Mormon reminds us that the Jewish people are God’s chosen.
“Oh ye Gentiles, have ye remember the Jews, mine ancient covenant people? Nay; but ye have cursed them, and have hated them, and have not sought to recover them. But behold, I will return all these things upon your own heads; for I the Lord have not forgotten my people.” (2 Nephi 29:5)
I believe the gathering of Israel and the founding of the modern Jewish state started because of Joseph Smith, who was given the keys for this purpose. Remember D&C 109:61-62, which says: “But thou knowest that thou has great love for the children of Jacob, who have been scattered upon the mountains for a long time, in a cloudy and dark day. We therefore ask thee to have mercy upon the children of Jacob, that Jerusalem from this hour, may begin to be redeemed.”
It is interesting to note that the political machinations in the Ottoman Empire and Britain which eventually ended with the foundation of the Jewish state in 1948 began in the late 1830s and 1840s, soon after Joseph Smith gave the prayer that is D&C 109. Coincidence?
Must we be reminded that the Book of Mormon was specifically written to help Jews accept their Messiah? We should not forget that our entire eschatology is based on the joining of two promised lands – Israel and America.
Anti-Semitism has alarming parallels to anti-Mormonism. The same arguments that have been used against the Jews throughout the modern era were employed against the Latter-day Saints in the 19th century. We were not Christians; we were clubby and didn’t mix with others; we had strange customs; we used different scriptures than the rest of society; we were led by a “cabal” of plotting leaders, and on and on. These rumors helped justify the actions of the mobs that forced the Saints from Ohio, then Missouri and then Illinois.
Latter-day Saints are enjoying a moment of relative peace and prosperity today, as are many of the world’s Jews. Will it last?
I wonder when I walk through the religion sections of large book store chains and see that the only books available on our church are prominent anti-Mormon tomes. I wonder when I receive e-mails saying that Elizabeth Smart’s kidnapping was the result of the Church’s “un-Christian” beliefs. I wonder when I talk to investigators who tell me they have been repeatedly warned not to join the Church because it is a “cult.”
Any Latter-day Saints unsympathetic to Jews should re-read the book of Esther chapter 3 and look at the machinations of Haman, the king’s advisor. Haman whispers cruel things about the Jews -- that they are disloyal to the king and have their own separatist laws -- and tries to have them destroyed in Persia. Purim – which took place on March 18 – celebrates the victory of the Jews over Haman.
The anti-Semitic whispers taking place today have the same character as those of Haman 2500 years ago. Some things never change, and anti-Semitism is one of them.
That bears repeating.
It appears that we are fighting extremist religious cultists on more than one front...
really - thats an odd way of looking at it - but hey Im not surprised
How about we try something Christ-like, love the sinner - hate the sin
Look - heres the actual Bible quote
Romans 12:9 Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good.
- english language reads left to right
I will point out that any love you profess for anyone is now in question and ungenuine, until you heed those words
I wouldnt say Im being open atagonistic - rather Im not going to stand back and watch those two needlessly get some fine contributors to this forum banned. Drsteve and xzins are two fine examples - Both were very intelligent from two different perspectives - I learned loads from them - but now drsteve is an occasional poster and xzins outright quit rather than stick up for his right
all we ask is a level playing field - allowing that - there is nothing FRee about this forum
opus wafts in the air
You seem to recent the fact that I don't cast aspersion also toward you!
You asked me not to flag you!
Yet you continues harass me.
I have as much right to post here as you do even my silly gifs.
Now I have made it a point not post you!
I invited you and R7 because even those you disagree you didn't seem to be unreasonable!
Instead of saying thanks no thanks you invited many to practiced to be unkind!
The Lord commanded us not to engage in those practices, because it invites the spirit of opposition!
The Lord did not say you could not disagree, but there is a protocal in how this is done.
Actually you seem to have MORE right to post here than others.
The Lord did not say you could not disagree...
You are right, the Lord did not way we could not disagree, the forum management has.
...but there is a protocal in how this is done.
Would you mind posting that protocol? When posting {FR 5th Amendment] documents WITHOUT commentary gets a thread pulled, that says NO disagreement is allowed. No matter what you say.
That's probably a better way to describe it than being "antagonistic." I think I am the same way. I probably would never commented on a [FR 5th Amendment] thread or topic before all this happened.
Now, here I am.
In India cows wander where ever they wish doing whatever they want and are not to be disturbed. Instead, they are to be revered and catered to.
The difference?
Sacred cows in India don't carry an abuse button around with them!!
yes - and while on FR it will be the "ormonmay" way (thats pig latin)
Excuse me those techniques are going beyond sins!
For that behavior is intentionally and no one says sorry for their viciousness!
I choose to lighten the way with my silly gifs. my way of removing the acid out from all the maliciousness!
restornu - are you avoiding ksens question -
WHAT IS THE WRITTEN FR PROTOCOL?
I get that a lot. I should probably go buy some tic tacs.
You mean techniques like suppressing religious discourse?
Or get some skivvies...
Protocol - keep the spirit of the Lord Jesus Christ in all of your conversations!
When you move from the Lord's presents you no longer in under the Lord's influence!
You're right. It's gotten so bad that people can't even talk about the weather without the ol' ABUSE button being pushed.
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