Since the founding of the Jewish nation in the history of biblical life and in the contemporary state of Israel, where they adhere to specific practices and beliefs attributing to a religion, the Jewish culture, one of the oldest cultures, has a lengthy history of abuse and persecution. Jews have been murdered, taken as slaves, and dispersed throughout history. Even their faith was outlawed in their rejection. The Jews have experienced more exiles and genocides throughout history than any other religious community. But there is no specific perpetrator associated with their abuse. The hatred and discrimination against the Jews can be viewed as a characteristic of racial divisions. No group can be blamed for their suffering and can be attributed to an international campaign for murder. The whole world holds a grudge with them. The exploitation can be ascribed to religious, racial, economic, internal factors, political and attribution to unpopular ideologies. Jews have been unfairly treated in almost all the countries where they have been minorities including Germany where they bore the greatest mistreatment in history.
During the Christian era, the Christians persecuted the Jews by faith and religious beliefs (Shoham 73). The Christians underestimated the Jewish faith as termed it as a minority religion. Christian anti-Semitism is rooted in the beliefs that: Jews are further away from salvation, they participated in the murder of Jesus Christ (The Deicide Theory) and that they are reluctant in accepting the true way of Christianity. Christians also seem to have some inclinations against the Jewish heritage leading to more rebels. Christian groups are up to evangelizing to convert the Jews who often view this as deceptions. The Christian Bible argues that the Romans killed Christ and that the Jews were only cooperators (Brown 60). However, Jews are not entitled to any persecution since they were not the real accomplishers of the act. Furthermore, Jesus himself said that they should be forgiven for they did not know what they did. The hatred of the Jews on this basis is therefore not qualified. By Christian ethics, all people should be handled with fairness regardless of their backgrounds. Primarily, Christians engaging in this persecution should be highly condemned.
A theory concerning racism has been developed to justify the negative attitude towards Jews. The theory states that the Jews are hated because they are of an inferior race. The Jews were accused of being an impurity to the pure white race. The Jews would immigrate to a country that would be tolerant enough to accommodate them. They would then amass wealth on themselves and stabilize their growth in such a country. They would later be kicked out of the country and their wealth taken grabbed. In the ancient time, Jews adopted a different way of life. They were distinguished from others by a different dressing code, a different ruling system, and different linguistic mannerisms. This might have prompted their vulnerability. This is, however, self-contradictory. The idea of racial theory can be opposed by the fact that Jewish is not a race but rather a way of life. Any individual can transform to Jewish as it is not restricted to any stated color. After all, color is just a minor distinction in the human nature. The prejudice of Jews being an inferior group should be done away with. Jewish just like any other adopted lifestyle should be given a place in the world and the practitioners allowed to exercise full rights.
The economic status of the Jews has also formed a basis for the Jewish persecution. The Jews are often disliked due to their wealthy status. They possess a lot of valuables which keeps other groups away from associating with them. Jealousy arose among their counterparts leading to enmity. The Jews were indirectly restricted to participating in certain businesses. For example, Jews in money lending business were not paid their money back. This was to ensure that the Jews were undermined financially and deprive them off the chances of dominating the economy. This, however, has limited grounds for justification for the history contradicts it. Research has stated that in the recent past, Jews were very poor and thus had little to offer regarding economic possessions. Financial stability would be better attributed to the personal effort for the chances of community facilitation are minimal. Whether the differences are built on economic foundations or not, this cannot be a reason for human torture.
The hatred of the Jews is also linked to issues emanating amongst themselves. The Jews have had claims that they are the chosen people of God (Chosen People Theory) (Brown 102). This declaration has caused clashes with other religions. At some point, the Jews are said to have rejected their closeness and assimilated the Germanic way of life. However, this did not save them from hostility. Currently, some Muslims and Christians claim to be the chosen but face no opposition at all (Shoham 62). The Jews still continue to suffer in the hands of the ‘righteous’ while the other groups are spared. Why would the world tolerate the Christians and the Muslims at the expense of the Jews? Do they hold the same rights? The Jews are however making any efforts to be liked. They are reluctant to please their oppressors and still continue to live within their cultural beliefs. If they have seen this annihilation for centuries, why are they still Jews? What is the point of surviving in relentless disgrace and torment? This holds the Jews responsible for their plight. The subjection to the suffering of the Jews to suffering denies them even the right to freely subscribe to their religious beliefs. The Jews owe the World nothing more that equality and fairness.
The hatred against the Jews can equally be attributed to the fact that they are considered as outcasts. There is the general notion that Jewish people are different from the rest. The failure by people to accommodate each other has resulted in them hating on others. For example, just like is the case where racial discrimination is eminent, people of a different creed are treated in a rather unfair manner because of their origin. The persecution against the Jews can be linked to the fact that they are outsiders. Notably, there is the fear of the unknown such that them being different endows them with an advantage. Because of the same, they continue to face persecution. Further, the fact that they are seen as the chosen group of individuals makes them look differently from the rest. The situation was aggravated by the fact that the acceptance of the Jews as different saw them try to assimilate and become like other “ordinary” people, during the Nazi movement.
It is critical for people to understand that treating others with contempt is outright unjustified and ought to be shunned. Despite the Jews being considered as outcasts, it is wrong to hate on them because of whom they are. Ideally, nobody has the power to choose from where they can be born. The Jews are no different. The persecution that is directed against them only serves to confirm the fact that humans are pretentious and cannot accommodate each other. The Jews need to be treated as ordinary humans who need affection just like any other group of individuals. They should not be viewed as outcasts but a group of individuals in need of affection just like everyone else in the world regardless of their religious affiliations.
The political prominence of the Jews displays a threat to the countries they live in. The Jews are highly represented in the government chambers of the countries they inhabit heightening their supremacy. Statistics estimate the current number of Jewish representatives in the Senate to be nine percent. The Jews are also known to fund the US presidential and local elections without expecting anything in return. This poses a great threat to the country’s political independence. Political leaders are just chosen to represent the views of their people. They should not misuse these positions as sources of pride but rather to drive the citizens towards success. Leadership is God-given and should be held with the highest order of discipline. This, however, a prejudice for representation in the government should not be taken for personal or tribal gains.
Jews have been attributed to unpopular ideologies such as communism. They are known to have played a big role in championing communism. Many people dislike the ideology translating to hatred to the Jews. Jewish women are currently tied to the heightened pressure towards feminism. The freedom of speech has no place in the Jewish community. The response towards such ideologies has nothing positive but brings about more divisions. A better approach towards such should have been assessing the applicability and usefulness of such. If no worth could be found in them, they would rather be done away with rather than victimizing the proponents.
The solution to this problem lies amidst the Jews and the whole world. The Jews being the subjects of the suffering should engage in ensuring that their suffering comes to an end. They would possibly ignore their way of life and adopt other popular and acceptable beliefs. They would as well reunite to set an example to the world. Once they do this, the world will recognize them, and the anti-Semitism will come to an end. The oppressors should also gain some sense of humanness towards the minority. No discrimination against human nature should be allowed whatsoever. The authorities should set laws to condemn the human killing and dire consequences pronounced to those who break them. The misconceptions about the minority should be cursed. Beliefs should be based on logic and reasoning. The minority should be protected from torture and equity applied. Religion is a Godly and none should be regarded more superior than the other. It should be viewed as a basis of moral uprightness and not a source of differences. Religious leaders and those believing in the existence of God are expected to be neutral and make the religion a unifying factor o rebels. There is no justifiable reason as to why the Jews should be massacred and discriminated against. Both Christianity and Jewish emanate from the same origin, and this should be renewed. The human race should consider using the appropriate means to earn wealth and abstain from using selfish means which oppress the less fortunate. Rivals on political divides are misleading ideas. A successful nation is built on unity, fairness, and justice to all inhabitants regardless of race, religion, and ideologies.
Work Cited
Brown, Michael L. 60 Questions Christians Ask About Jewish Beliefs and Practices. Grand Rapids: Grand Publishers, 2011.
Brown, Michael L. What do Jewish people think about Jesus? Grand Rapids, MI: Chosen Books, 2008.
Shoham, Reuven. "Haim Gouri and “The Jewish People Who Have Been Severely Injured." AJS Review, vol. 24, no. 1., 2011, pp. 70-73.
