Why have Jews been hated so much throughout history?

[Me-Ike]

Before I explain what this thread is about, I would like to ask everyone to keep this civil. No bashing of religions of any kind, no superiority - inferiority bullshit, etc.

I am currently preparing a presentation on Judeo Spanish for my Medieval Spanish class. A very interesting topic, chock-full of fascinating linguistic aspects. One incident in history all of the literature pays very much attention to is the expulsion of the Jews from Spain. There have been pogroms, blackmail, you know ... the usual.

And that's where I get fuzzy. Why is it the usual? Why has there been such antagony between the Jews and pretty much everyone else in Europe and America? (Although, as far as I understand, this was rather one-sided?) Why was it so easy for Hitler to persuade an entire people of the alleged evil character of people adhering to a certain faith? Why have they been made the scapegoate time and again?

I get where the problems between Christianity and the Islam started. They invaded and settled in Spain, we send a couple of our guys over to set things right there, war-mongering here, war-mongering there (you may also add details here, if you can and like)... As far as I am aware, this has not happened between people of the Jewish faith and Christians. How could it, Jews didn't have their own land, right?

So why? And how? Is there a reason? Is it nothing more basic than "well, they are of a different faith"?

I know that hate usually doesn't need a good reason, any odd one will do. But this just is such a permanent thing, I'd like to know if it has any root at all.

 

[Deckerd]

Scotland is one of the few countries where they have historically been welcomed and not discriminated against. Why, I don't know.

 

[Roger Wilco]

It's not just the faith - I think their "exclusiveness" and simply being somewhat "different" in clothing, behaviour, etc. also pissed people off, but I think that was a very important part of the answer especially during the time you mentioned with all that "the Jews killed Jesus" stuff.

 

[Me-Ike]

It's not just the faith - I think their "exclusiveness" and simply being somewhat "different" in clothing, behaviour, etc. also pissed people off, but I think that was a very important part of the answer especially during the time you mentioned with all that "the Jews killed Jesus" stuff.

That argument has always appeared to me as a weak excuse. You know, what with all the "Jesus King of Jews" stuff.
But you're right, it's certainly a possibility, as is the certain exclusiveness.

 

[Marc]

For along time they were blamed for the crucifixion by Christians (Christ killers for a long time was a smear used again Jews).

The ironic thing being that with the event Christianity wouldn't of become the religion it is and b) Jesus was Jewish.

Probably also a jealousy factor (not all managed to accumulate wealth but enough that everyone got tarred the same way).

Also being in money lending and banking was a factor - people get into financial trouble and can't pay their debts so they'd blame the lenders or look for ways to get out of paying the money back.

 

[wew]

Well one thesis which has been offered revolves around the issue of the killing of Jesus. Over time, arguments arose that the Jews were responsible for his death (somehow people ignore the role of the Romans). It was an unusual argument for Christians to use since that is the focal point for the development of Christianity. If you want to go more in depth then you can find in the Bible.

Other possibilities focus on the role of Jewish wealth (at least some of the wealthier) who often served as bankers for the state and others.

But arguably, I'd say the biggest possibility focused on the nature of Jewish society and non-Jewish societies. In theory Jew's were to be a separate people from others, according to the Old Testament, they were not supposed to intermingle with non-Jews in various aspects of their lives. As a result Jewish population often self-segregated themselves from others; eventually this became mandated by law in many European countries with the establishment of Ghettos and the various rules and requirements placed on Jews.

When individuals are looking to blame someone for problems, they usually don't look at themselves, but rather anyone else, and the more different the better. In this particular case, Europeans could point to Jews as being different, which they were culturally, and thus they became an easy group to target. With the role of Christianity in Europe during most of this era, it became very easy to blame Jews.

A whole host of other reasons exist, but those are some possibilities.

 

[Roger Wilco]

That argument has always appeared to me as a weak excuse. You know, what with all the "Jesus King of Jews" stuff.
But you're right, it's certainly a possibility, as is the certain exclusiveness.

Maybe it was just an excuse, I don't know, but it was one of the reasons people had for doing these things, at least until the religious anti-judaism transformed into nationalist/racist anti-semitism.
There were also almost folklore-like anti-jewish legends, people believed in (one example, that's very well known where I'm from: Anderl von Rinn) about Jews killing Christian babies and drinking their blood and things like that...

Btw. there's mountains of books about this topic if you want to know about it more in-depth than this thread can provide.

 

[DBR]

There was a thread on this a few months or years ago with some interesting thoughts. I searched for it with no luck, maybe it is too old.

edit: and of course, I found right after posting that: here

 

[An Officer]

The claim to being "god's chosen people" got a few backs up, I think.

No more a bizarre claim than any other religion though.

 

[Marc]

There were also almost folklore-like anti-jewish legends, people believed in (one example, that's very well known where I'm from: Anderl von Rinn) about Jews killing Christian babies and drinking their blood and things like that...

There's an English folk song called "Little Sir Hugh" which is very much in that vein (no pun intended) where the evil Jews take and kill a little boy.

Hence when modern acts like Steeleye Span performed the song it needed a re-write

 

[Me-Ike]

There was a thread on this a few months or years ago with some interesting thoughts. I searched for it with no luck, maybe it is too old.

edit: and of course, I found right after posting that: here

Huh, look at that. And here I thought I was such a splendid lurker, seeing everything and all.
Thanks for the link, though!

Also being in money lending and banking was a factor - people get into financial trouble and can't pay their debts so they'd blame the lenders or look for ways to get out of paying the money back.

This is something a professor of mine once mentioned on an unrelated topic. That because of laws having to do with their faith Christians were not allowed to loan money, at least not with interest. Since Jews didn't have the same problem, they made money on this. Christians became envious, and so on and so forth.
I think this is at least a good reason how the hate had been kept in style.

That argument has always appeared to me as a weak excuse. You know, what with all the "Jesus King of Jews" stuff.
But you're right, it's certainly a possibility, as is the certain exclusiveness.

Maybe it was just an excuse, I don't know, but it was one of the reasons people had for doing these things, at least until the religious anti-judaism transformed into nationalist/racist anti-semitism.
There were also almost folklore-like anti-jewish legends, people believed in (one example, that's very well known where I'm from: Anderl von Rinn) about Jews killing Christian babies and drinking their blood and things like that...

Btw. there's mountains of books about this topic if you want to know about it more in-depth than this thread can provide.

Your example is exactly the kind of hate I am thinking about. I mean, if it transforms into Jews becoming vampires and eating babies, then this is some serious dislike going on. I find it mind-boggling that the blame for the death of Jesus mutates into monster stories and ends in the holocaust.
But then I'm maybe just not into hate enough.

I know that there are better sources than the BBS on this, but I got enough to do with my papers and presentations as it is. I'll just take the internet wisdom, run it through a filter, and then display it as my own.

 

[Goliath]

Your example is exactly the kind of hate I am thinking about. I mean, if it transforms into Jews becoming vampires and eating babies, then this is some serious dislike going on. I find it mind-boggling that the blame for the death of Jesus mutates into monster stories and ends in the holocaust.

It should be noted that Jews have not been the sole victims of these types of blood libels.

Very similar legends arose in China concerning Chinese converts to Christianity in the late 19th century.

And of course, there was the Great Satanic Panic here in North America in the 1980s, in which people became convinced that there were monstrous regiments of Satanic cultists abusing children, and even breeding them specifically for the purposes of ritual sacrifice.

The similar nature of such stories across cultures suggests to me that, under the right circumstances, people are likely to react in similar ways to any religious minority.

That is to say: intolerance is normal, and innate; tolerance, by contrast, must be learned, and for that reason is unusual.

 

[Deckerd]

Bigotry must be learned. Children are not born with it.

 

[Me-Ike]

It should be noted that Jews have not been the sole victims of these types of blood libels.

Very similar legends arose in China concerning Chinese converts to Christianity in the late 19th century.

And of course, there was the Great Satanic Panic here in North America in the 1980s, in which people became convinced that there were monstrous regiments of Satanic cultists abusing children, and even breeding them specifically for the purposes of ritual sacrifice.

The similar nature of such stories across cultures suggests to me that, under the right circumstances, people are likely to react in similar ways to any religious minority.

That is to say: intolerance is normal, and innate; tolerance, by contrast, must be learned, and for that reason is unusual.

I hadn't heard of that but am frighteningly unsurprised by it.

It seems to boil down to: A little bit of difference between them and us, some minor prejudices and rumors, one or two advantages for our side, shake it, stir it, put a couple of centuries on it, and you got one fine Hate-o-Milkshake.
Oh, humanity.

 

[Guartho]

Well one thesis which has been offered revolves around the issue of the killing of Jesus. Over time, arguments arose that the Jews were responsible for his death (somehow people ignore the role of the Romans).

Yeah, I never got the 'blame the Jews' thing either. To me the back and forth between the Jewish crowds and the Romans was to demonstrate the responsibility of all mankind, Jew and Gentile alike.

The Jews said "give us Barabas," but it's not like Pilate couldn't say "fuck it, this Jesus guy hasn't done anything. I'm letting him go to."

Most importantly, Christ's death and resurrection is the linchpin of God's divine plan. It's supposed to happen. The Jews that shouted "Barabas" and the Romans that drove the nails into Him were all performing the will of God.

 

[iguana_tonante]

And of course, there was the Great Satanic Panic here in North America in the 1980s, in which people became convinced that there were monstrous regiments of Satanic cultists abusing children, and even breeding them specifically for the purposes of ritual sacrifice.

With an avatar like yours, your recollection of the event might be biased.

 

[Goliath]

Bigotry must be learned. Children are not born with it.

That is a misleading half-truth.

Prejudice may be learned--but it's much easier to learn than tolerance.

Tolerance is a virtue--and like any other virtue, it's difficult to acquire, and easy to lose.

 

[Goliath]

And of course, there was the Great Satanic Panic here in North America in the 1980s, in which people became convinced that there were monstrous regiments of Satanic cultists abusing children, and even breeding them specifically for the purposes of ritual sacrifice.

With an avatar like yours, your recollection of the event might be biased.

I don't know what you mean.

 

[An Officer]

Prejudice may be learned--but it's much easier to learn than tolerance.

That's quite a pessimistic view of humanity. It may be true for an adult, but certainly not for a child.

 

[Goliath]

Prejudice may be learned--but it's much easier to learn than tolerance.

That's quite a pessimistic view of humanity.

I would call it realistic.

It may be true for an adult, but certainly not for a child.

That's not my experience.

Some of the worst bigots I've ever encountered, and continue to encounter, are quite young.