Posted: Apr 19, 2015 8:03 pm
I have on this forum run across a few members - not going to name any names - who have maintained that the reason Jews did not convert to the majority religions was basically ethnic exceptionalism and racism against non-Jews. This has been held up basically as a mitigating factor regarding the excesses to which anti-Semites have gone - basically, the Jews brought it on themselves by not giving in to the demands of the (equally mistaken) majority religion. (So basically, their argument also kind of assumes a weird fallacy where it's a moral failure not to convert to the majority religion!)
I here present a slight essay that demonstrates how western Christianity essentially put Jews in a situation where conversion could be quite problematic for the convert - in fact, in many cases a gambit that could lead to excessive personal loss at the hands of the very Christians which the convert joined through conversion.
I hope the members I am thinking of read this essay, though I doubt they will, and if they did, I doubt they'll care. Disliking the Jews is fun after all, especially if its possible to pretend they've brought it on themselves.
I here present a slight essay that demonstrates how western Christianity essentially put Jews in a situation where conversion could be quite problematic for the convert - in fact, in many cases a gambit that could lead to excessive personal loss at the hands of the very Christians which the convert joined through conversion.
I hope the members I am thinking of read this essay, though I doubt they will, and if they did, I doubt they'll care. Disliking the Jews is fun after all, especially if its possible to pretend they've brought it on themselves.