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From: morse@leadsv.UUCP (Terry Morse)
Newsgroups: net.religion.christian,net.religion.jewish
Subject: Historical Persecution of Jews
Message-ID: <852@leadsv.UUCP>
Date: Tue, 11-Mar-86 19:44:09 EST
Article-I.D.: leadsv.852
Posted: Tue Mar 11 19:44:09 1986
Date-Received: Sat, 15-Mar-86 23:09:14 EST
Organization: Lockheed, Sunnyvale CA
Lines: 27
Keywords: isolation,holocaust
Xref: lsuc net.religion.christian:378 net.religion.jewish:1896

It seems to me that Jews have historically been easy marks for
persecution.  I don't think that the primary reason for this persecution
is that Judaism runs counter to Christianity.  That is a secondary reason at
best.

I beleive, rather, that practicing the Jewish faith necessarily separated
the Jewish community from the rest of society.  Maintaining a kosher diet
keeps Jews from eating with Gentiles, thus erecting a fairly large
social barrier.  Prohibition against interreligious marriage was another
such barrier.

Because of their social isolation, Jews living in foreign countries were
viewed with curiosity by the natives.  This curiosity was easily
turned to contempt and hatred in times of stress by ambitious leaders.

What I'm trying to assert is that Jews have not been persecuted historically
for their religion per se, but because of their social customs that are
a result of their religious beliefs.  It was easy to learn to hate those
"funny people" in the community that kept to themselves all the time.

I've come to this conclusion by speaking to a Jewish friend and reading some
Russian and German history.  Does anyone have any comments either way?  I
welcome other opinions.
-- 

Terry Morse  (408)743-1487
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