Christian anti-Semitism is the base of the holocaust. Can we laugh, cry, or both?

 One day in the early 1950s, Sadie received a call in New York City that her sister Greta, who was in Miami Beach for winter, had a stroke and was in the hospital. Sadie took the first available flight to Miami and after landing went straight to the hospital. When visiting hours ended, she took a cab to the nearest hotel, which unbeknownst to her did not welcome Jewish guests. 

Sadie, who looked like an old Jewish lady and had a thick Yiddish accent, went up to the counter and asked for a “chroom fir denight.” 

The desk agent said, “I have no rooms available.” 

Sadie explained her emergency situation. Tomorrow she could find another hotel, but tonight she was exhausted and needed a room. The hotel employee responded, “I am sorry ma’am, this is a restricted hotel, and we don’t welcome Jews.” 

Sadie said, “Djews, Djews! I am not a Djew but a Catolic from de alt country.” He laughed skeptically. She said, “I am a Catolic. Why don’t you test me?” 

So the hotelier said, “Who was Jesus’ mother?” 

Sadie replied, “Of course, Mary the wife of Joseph.” 

“Even a Jew might know that answer,” he responded. “Let’s try something harder: Where was baby Jesus born?” 

Sadie replied, “In a manger, because some antisemite like you wouldn’t chrent a chroom to a Djew!”

Just a generation or two ago some US hotels, resorts, and country clubs excluded Jewish patrons. This joke explores what, from the Jewish viewpoint, is the inanity of Christian antisemitism. Christians worship Jesus, who was born, lived, and died a Jew. Yet many of these same Christians shun and maltreat Jesus’ own people. Of course there are explanations for this fact, most especially the way the church blamed the whole Jewish people for Jesus’ execution, an idea that reaches back to the Gospels. But Christian antisemitism remains enigmatic to many Jews.

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Editor's note:

I could never understand how the holocaust occurred in Christian countries in the cradle of Western Civilization until I read Daniel Goldhagen's book, Hitler's Willing Executioners. Reading this book was an epiphany when I learned about the endemic existence of Christian anti-Semitism. So when I read this joke I laughed, but then I cried.

What is your image of god?

The statement “Vengeance is mine, saith the Lord” is a misperception by which one assigns his own “evil” past to God. The “evil” past has nothing to do with God. He did not create it and He does not maintain it. God does not believe in retribution. His Mind does not create that way. He does not hold your “evil” deeds against you. Is it likely that He would hold them against me? Be very sure that you recognize how utterly impossible this assumption is, and how entirely it arises from projection. This kind of error is responsible for a host of related errors, including the belief that God rejected Adam and forced him out of the Garden of Eden. It is also why you may believe from time to time that I am misdirecting you. I have made every effort to use words that are almost impossible to distort, but it is always possible to twist symbols around if you wish. T-3.I.3: 1-11

A Course in Miracles . Foundation for Inner Peace. Kindle Edition. 

God did not make humans in His own image, but rather humans have made gods in their own image. So they have made a vengeful god who is full of wrath and condemnation, seeks to punish people for all eternity consigning them to a fiery pit of hell. What kind of god is this that humans have created and promoted and used to project their fears on and manipulated other people with?

In Alcoholics Anonymous it is suggested, in step eleven, that we improve our conscious contact with god as we understand him. What is the god of your understanding?

In Unitarian Universalism we join together to affirm and promote the inherent worth and dignity of every person. The emphasis here is on the word “inherent.” If human beings have inherent worth and dignity, how could their Creator banish them from the Garden of Eden and punish them in hell?

Today, it is suggested that we consider and reflect on the gods we have created in our fantasies. A person asked, “Do you believe in god?” Their friend answered, “It depends on what god you are talking about.” The person, an evangelical, was so offended the person broke off the relationship and never talked to their former friend again. What is your image of god?

Can UU clergy be promoted to higher levels of church authority?

A rabbi and a priest were talking about the perks of each job. The priest mentioned that he gets a rectory to live in that comes with a housekeeper and a cook, all paid for by the church. The rabbi responded by asking if the priest could ever be promoted.

The priest said, “Well, yes, I could be asked to become the archbishop of a larger metro area like Chicago or New York.”

“Is that as high as you can go?” asked the rabbi.

The priest replied, “Well, I could be invited to go to Rome to serve as a cardinal.”

“Is that the end of the line?” the rabbi queried.

The priest mused, “Well, it’s incredibly rare, but I, a humble parish priest, could become thepope, the head of the worldwide Catholic Church.”

The rabbi asked yet once more, “Is that as high as you can go?”

“What are you expecting, for me to become God?” the priest responded indignantly.

The rabbi replied, “Well, why not, one of our boys made it.”

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The truth needs no defense.

The best defense, as always, is not to attack another’s position, but rather to protect the truth.” T-3.1.2:1

When we object to a falsehood we only raise its visibility. When we object to a falsehood by mentioning it we not only raise its visibility we make it more real. When a lie is told repeatedly it takes on a life of its own. It is much better to simply state the truth over and over and over again.

In Alcoholics Anonymous it is suggested, in step eleven, that we improve our conscious contact with God, that is, with the Truth, and in step twelve to share the truth with others.

In Unitarian Universalism we join together in solidarity to affirm and promote a free and responsible search for the truth. The question is not what are we against, but what are we for?

Today, it is suggested that we drop our defenses for they are not needed when we uphold Truth.

Don’t play the victim.

 A further point must be perfectly clear before any residual fear still associated with miracles can disappear. The crucifixion did not establish the Atonement; the resurrection did. Many sincere Christians have misunderstood this. No one who is free of the belief in scarcity could possibly make this mistake. If the crucifixion is seen from an upside-down point of view, it does appear as if God permitted and even encouraged one of His Sons to suffer because he was good. This particularly unfortunate interpretation, which arose out of projection, has led many people to be bitterly afraid of God. Such anti-religious concepts enter into many religions. Yet the real Christian should pause and ask, “How could this be?” Is it likely that God Himself would be capable of the kind of thinking which His Own words have clearly stated is unworthy of His Son?T-3.I.1: 1-9

A Course in Miracles . Foundation for Inner Peace. Kindle Edition. 

What kind of a god wants his son killed to appease his wrath for his creations' mistakes? Is this a crazy idea or what? And yet it is in this insane belief that most of Christianity is built on. The Universalists changed this idea in the 18th century in the United States.

The Universalists started to teach a theology which was the opposite of this Calvanist belief in a god who loves conditionally and taught that God loves unconditionally. This is also what Jesus of Nazareth taught before the institutional church, created in his name, started calling him the Christ. (“Christ” is not Jesus’ last name as most Chrisitans think.)

In Unitarian Universalism we join together to affirm and promote the inherent worth and dignity of every person. Unconditional love is our natural inheritance.

In Alcoholic Anonymous it is suggested, in step eleven, that we improve our conscious contact with God which brings us under the umbrella of God’s unconditional love..

Today, it is suggested that we refocus from the crucifixion to the resurrection. Jesus rose above the actions of his killers when He said, “Father, forgive them for they know not what they do.” Today, we can emulate Jesus’ example and decide not to play the victim.

Where do we wish to abide?

The term “Last Judgment” is frightening not only because it has been projected onto God, but also because of the association of “last” with death. This is an outstanding example of upside-down perception. If the meaning of the Last Judgment is objectively examined, it is quite apparent that it is really the doorway to life. No one who lives in fear is really alive. Your own last judgment cannot be directed toward yourself, because you are not your own creation. You can, however, apply it meaningfully and at any time to everything you have made, and retain in your memory only what is creative and good. This is what your right-mindedness cannot but dictate. The purpose of time is solely to “give you time” to achieve this judgment. It is your own perfect judgment of your own perfect creations. When everything you retain is lovable, there is no reason for fear to remain with you. This is your part in the Atonement. T-2.VIII.5:1-11

A Course in Miracles . Foundation for Inner Peace. Kindle Edition. 

The term “Last Judgment” is best used to describe what we all must do eventually to our own thinking. Is our thinking in the realm of the Spiritual or in the realm of the ego? If it is in the realm of the ego it is fear based because of the ego’s belief in scarcity. If it is in the realm of the Spiritual it is Unconditionally Love based because of the Spirit’s knowledge of the Oneness from which we have separated ourselves and now wish to return.

In Alcoholics Anonymous it is suggested, in step four, that we do a fearless moral inventory of all our thinking, much of which is based on beliefs in the teachings of the ego. This is the beginning of becoming aware of the two realms, the realm of the ego and the realm of the spirit between which we can choose.

In Unitarian Universalism, we join together to affirm and promote the free and responsible search for truth and meaning. In this search we become aware that we have choices to make between the realm of the ego and the realm of the spirit. Which would be the responsible realm in which to search for the Truth we seek?

Today, we are asked to judge which realm we wish to use to evaluate the efficacy of our thinking: the realm of the ego or the realm of the spirit? We will continue to make these judgements until we have achieved the Atonement at which time they will no longer be necessary and our last judgment will have occurred..