Wednesday, August 10, 2005
Denying the Undeniable
Via IMRA:
The Palestinian denial of the undeniable, Jerusalem's ancient Jewish history, doesn't miss a beat. What amazes is how little uproar this triggers from the Christian world. It is, after all, just as much a denial of Christianity as of Judaism. The Palestinian argument that seeks to nullify Judaism and bury it's history applies just as strongly to Christianity. Despite claims to the contrary, I suspect most Christians would agree that Jesus was born Jewish, and that the critical final chapters of his life played out in Jewish Jerusalem.
Take, for instance, the Presbyterians, leaders in the divestment derby and believers in Jesus. I assume they'd be a tad troubled if they had the slightest inkling of the Palestinian denials of the specifics of Jesus' story. It could really shake them up to learn the whole business of Passover and Temple visits in Jerusalem and Jewish disciples is nothing more than a colonialist crock. I guess they haven't had a chance to consider what the Palestinians are actually saying, too busy helping tear down the Jewish presence in the Holy Land to bother listening.
Then again, maybe they'd just rather not know. I wonder if anybody should tell them.
[Clarification: I do not mean to imply by the use of the term "Presbyterians" or more generally "Christians" that individuals fitting those labels are the problem. It is individuals who can be the solution to the larger institutional problems. My concern is regarding the organizations and leaders primarily. As lejnd points out in the comments, there are a lot of individuals who recognize idiocy when they see it.]
If you really, really liked this -- or even really, really hated it -- there's lots more:
What they are really saying here is: there was no so-called King David, no ancient Jewish presence in Jerusalem, it's all a colonialist conspiracy (and besides, the so-called King David was probably a Palestinian anyway). Hey, why not? This story seems to work for the Jesus problem, so why not run with it?
[Palestinian] Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities affirmed Saturday that what an Israeli daily publish regarding the uncover of the so-called King David's Palace in Jerusalem is worthless and groundless.
It asserted in a press release that any uncover must be based on realties, not baseless clandestine excavations.
It added that what raises doubt is that these diggings are being carried out discreetly.
The press release asserted the excavations in Jerusalem, since 1967, are being carried out to serve colonizing ambitions, adding that the timing of the news aims at concentrating the attention of the world in the withdrawal from Gaza to perpetuate colonization in Jerusalem.
The Palestinian denial of the undeniable, Jerusalem's ancient Jewish history, doesn't miss a beat. What amazes is how little uproar this triggers from the Christian world. It is, after all, just as much a denial of Christianity as of Judaism. The Palestinian argument that seeks to nullify Judaism and bury it's history applies just as strongly to Christianity. Despite claims to the contrary, I suspect most Christians would agree that Jesus was born Jewish, and that the critical final chapters of his life played out in Jewish Jerusalem.
Take, for instance, the Presbyterians, leaders in the divestment derby and believers in Jesus. I assume they'd be a tad troubled if they had the slightest inkling of the Palestinian denials of the specifics of Jesus' story. It could really shake them up to learn the whole business of Passover and Temple visits in Jerusalem and Jewish disciples is nothing more than a colonialist crock. I guess they haven't had a chance to consider what the Palestinians are actually saying, too busy helping tear down the Jewish presence in the Holy Land to bother listening.
Then again, maybe they'd just rather not know. I wonder if anybody should tell them.
[Clarification: I do not mean to imply by the use of the term "Presbyterians" or more generally "Christians" that individuals fitting those labels are the problem. It is individuals who can be the solution to the larger institutional problems. My concern is regarding the organizations and leaders primarily. As lejnd points out in the comments, there are a lot of individuals who recognize idiocy when they see it.]
