Why do so many seem to hate the Jews?

[gizmo980]

Originally Posted by jlawson34

Do the US Jews tend to fall into any particular political catagory?

According to the statistics, approximately 75% of Jewish Americans vote Democrat... so you could say we lean to the left. There are many reasons for that, in my opinion at least, but I don't really want to go into it (at the risk of offending/debating both my non-Jewish & non-liberal friends here).

Here are stats from the most recent election, where 74% of Jewish voters voted for Kerry - myself included, even though I didn't really like the guy (he was better than the alternative by a mile, LOL):
CNN.com Election 2004 (scroll way down for religious stats)

[LoneWolf2421]

Originally Posted by arguy1973

I dont think id listen much to what Iran says, and according to the Bible, the Jews ARE GOds chosen people.

This is incorrect, nevver in the Bible does it say the jews are GODS chosen people. It always said the ISRAELITES. The jews the bible says is of there father the devil John 8:44 Everytime God talked about the dwellings of a city in the bible he made the distinction between The Israelites, the jews and the beast of the field.

[BlueWillowPlate]

Originally Posted by gizmo980

Of course it's not technically a "nationality", since we originate from just about every part of the world... but we identify as a "people", and are definitely more than a religion. .

Yes.
There are the Twelve Tribes...the lost Ten, etc...
For me, I find it a bit difficult to determine what is fact and what is legend.

[paullicker]

Too bad there wasn't AN Israel BEFORE the Nazis came around & there should have been 1 in the 1920's according to the Balfour compact/ act but the brit's sold out for, take a guess, OIL. Israel would HAVE sent mossad agents to wack Hilter, man history sucks!

[BlueWillowPlate]

I read some really interesting stories about Hispanic families in Colorado.
Raised Catholic, they didn't know why this practice was handed down, but for some reason they lit candles every Friday night. Later they figured out that their ancestors were Jews from Spain.
My husband's family is Ashkenazic; both sides of his family came over from Odessa (Russia) some time after WWI. My husband and much of his family have big blue eyes and high cheekbones.

[proud to be American]

I actually argued with a Southern baptist preacher about a year ago.
During what seemed to be a good conversation about the bible he stated "all jews will go to hell". Needless to say he received the full brunt of my verbal force.I have also heard Methodist say this along with other religions
The only religion i have not heard say this openly are Catholics.

I'am not Jewish but have a Step Mother who is and countless friends who are and i don't have any problems with them i wish everyone else would leave them alone.

[goldengrain]

Yes, from what I hear Catholics have changed their talk, from exclusive to some attempt at finding a middle ground. They need all the help they can get, since so many of their 'hard-liners' are now having reservations due to the recent scandals.

I think any Protestant group that preaches things like 'you must be born again' or 'saved' will exclude others - some exclude Catholics and other fellow Christians, so don't feel very offended when they condemn Jews, too. They are, in some respects, like the Christian version of fundie Moslems, and if they had political power in this country, I fear some of them would ruin most of what the rest of us hold sacred.

I doubt if the Episcopalians feel that way, and there are other liberal church groups.

I was born into a 'born-again' household and this was one of my main arguments with them, since they condemned many of my little friends to hell.

I think, in some parts of the country, if a person does have a religious or spiritual bent, the only avenue available is that of the fundies. Even the schools are run by these people.

Many people identify with a religion because all of their neighbors do. They never question and in some areas if you break free you are treated as a pariah.

I think these people see Jewish unity as a conspiracy of sorts, but so many Jews are intermarrying with other people now, that it is becoming harder and harder to sell that story.

[John23]

Part of it I think comes from envy, jealously.

Especially with so many people working long hours, "doing everything right", everything they were told to do in school or growing up. They go to work, pay their bills, pay their taxes. But alot of people have been treading water for a long time now.

Then they see a super successful jewish guy, or group of guys. And it's like they went to a different school of success vs everyone else. I think thats part of it.

Look at the tv line up.

Last night on Larry King, he had Jerry Seinfeld on promoting his new movie.

Seinfeld isn't just "kind of successful", he made $500 million from Seinfeld, or whatever the number is. Had the number one finale ever. Out of this world success. And King is super successful. And the other guy they had on the show was Jeffrey Kazenberg. Three super rich jewish guys.

On a typical night on CNBC, look at the line up....its Cramer, Howie Mandel on Deal or No Deal, Donnie Deutsch.

There's successful Japanese, Chinese, Indian people. But with jewish success, I think its seen more as....they're outsiders, they group together. And the old stereotypes about running the media and wall street (banking).

If the country continues to split, rich/poor, with the wealthy controlling even more of the country, then I wouldnt be suprised at all to see more open anti-semtism, the return of old stereotypes.

If this housing crisis turns into a bloodbath, and homeowners start dropping like flies, is it a stretch to think the blame might shift from the "greedy mortgage companies" to the "jewish bankers" and "it was all a conspiracy", and those "crafty bankers" swindled us out of everything.

I dont think it'll get that bad, but its conceivable.