[THREAD]
PART -1
Jewish supremacism in the Bible, both OT and NT:
The favoritism that Yahweh showed to the Israelites went way beyond him merely liking them better than the people of other nations. We have already seen how this deity told them that he would “utterly waste” any nation that would not serve them. But look what else this god (who “does not show favoritism”) said to them:
- “Unto a stranger [foreigner, i.e. Gentile] thou mayest lend upon usury; but unto thy brother [fellow Jew] thou shalt not lend upon usury.” - Deuteronomy 23:20. So Yahweh sanctioned the Israelites charging usury (or interest) to Gentiles, but not to fellow Israelites. Put more plainly, it was acceptable for Jews to financially enslave and / or bankrupt Gentiles, but Jews were not to do these things to other Jews.
- “Your male and female slaves are to come from the nations around you; from them you may buy slaves. You may also buy some of the temporary residents living among you and members of their clans born in your country, and they will become your property. You can will them to your children as inherited property and can make them slaves for life, but you must not rule over your fellow Israelites ruthlessly.” - Leviticus 25:44-46. It is not even necessary to comment on this, except to say that what we are dealing with here could rightly be called “Jewish supremacism.” Down through the ages, there have been a great many Jews who have embraced this concept, believing that Jewish people are superior to Gentiles. And now we see where this idea ultimately came from--Yahweh himself.
Do realize, in this last passage, that Yahweh was informing the Israelites that it was acceptable for them to have Gentile slaves for life, and to view them as their personal property. All the while, we are told that Yahweh freed the Israelites from their alleged slavery in Gentile Egypt. The message being sent by Yahweh here is that slavery was only forbidden when it was Gentiles enslaving Israelites. You might be interested to know that the only time the Bible ever speaks against slavery is in Exodus, pertaining only to the Israelites.
Do not eat anything you find already dead. You may give it to an alien [Gentile] living in any of your towns, and he may eat it, or you may sell it to a foreigner [again, Gentile]…” - Deuteronomy 14:21. Here Yahweh was saying that it was permissible for Jews to sell “road kill” to Gentiles, but not to fellow Jews. So, is this what Yahweh considers not playing favorites?
PART -1
Jewish supremacism in the Bible, both OT and NT:
The favoritism that Yahweh showed to the Israelites went way beyond him merely liking them better than the people of other nations. We have already seen how this deity told them that he would “utterly waste” any nation that would not serve them. But look what else this god (who “does not show favoritism”) said to them:
- “Unto a stranger [foreigner, i.e. Gentile] thou mayest lend upon usury; but unto thy brother [fellow Jew] thou shalt not lend upon usury.” - Deuteronomy 23:20. So Yahweh sanctioned the Israelites charging usury (or interest) to Gentiles, but not to fellow Israelites. Put more plainly, it was acceptable for Jews to financially enslave and / or bankrupt Gentiles, but Jews were not to do these things to other Jews.
- “Your male and female slaves are to come from the nations around you; from them you may buy slaves. You may also buy some of the temporary residents living among you and members of their clans born in your country, and they will become your property. You can will them to your children as inherited property and can make them slaves for life, but you must not rule over your fellow Israelites ruthlessly.” - Leviticus 25:44-46. It is not even necessary to comment on this, except to say that what we are dealing with here could rightly be called “Jewish supremacism.” Down through the ages, there have been a great many Jews who have embraced this concept, believing that Jewish people are superior to Gentiles. And now we see where this idea ultimately came from--Yahweh himself.
Do realize, in this last passage, that Yahweh was informing the Israelites that it was acceptable for them to have Gentile slaves for life, and to view them as their personal property. All the while, we are told that Yahweh freed the Israelites from their alleged slavery in Gentile Egypt. The message being sent by Yahweh here is that slavery was only forbidden when it was Gentiles enslaving Israelites. You might be interested to know that the only time the Bible ever speaks against slavery is in Exodus, pertaining only to the Israelites.
Do not eat anything you find already dead. You may give it to an alien [Gentile] living in any of your towns, and he may eat it, or you may sell it to a foreigner [again, Gentile]…” - Deuteronomy 14:21. Here Yahweh was saying that it was permissible for Jews to sell “road kill” to Gentiles, but not to fellow Jews. So, is this what Yahweh considers not playing favorites?
Write a comment...
Sort by