Hello, i am new and have some problematic questions
Posted: Sat May 02, 2009 10:14 am
Greetings,
I've been thinking for a lot of time now of converting to the Catholic Faith.
Something that has always kept from taking the final step was what I learned on the Church's troubled history with Jews and other people's of the world.
I was raised in Palestine by Zionists (who today like to call themselves "Secular Jews") and technically I am Jewish, even though I don’t observe the Jewish Religion.
As a person who's considered a Jew I'd like to know –
a. why is the Church is so often associated with anti-Semitism. I know the term is troublesome, because some of the theologians and thinkers who are often accused of being anti-Semitic were Semitic themselves. (like Ephram the Syrian)
Attacking Judaism as a religion is understandable, after reading big portions of the Talmud I often find myself at unease, but why attacking the Jews as an ethnic group? (the question if they are indeed an ethinc group is another topic, but obviously this is a view that the Chuch accepts) When teaching about the crucifixion – why not say that the Pharisees (the Rabbinic precursors) were partly responsible, along with the Romans of course, instead of simply saying "The Jews" (the apostles were Jewish, were they also to blame?)
Some people say here that the Pope assisted the Nazis during WW2 (the more moderate people say that he simply chose to ignore in order to see the Jews perish) why do people say it?
b. If the church is guided by the Holy Ghost, then why through out history so many bad things were done by the Church and by its name (like persecuting Jews and the sack of Constantinople and establishing the Latin Empire on the territory)
c. As Someone who is considered Jewish, will I'll be welcome in the Church?
Sorry for being blunt by some of these statements, it by no means out of disrespect, but on the contrary - I honestly wish to understand better, I'll also understand If you are to chose not to post my questions.
Best regards,
P.S - I Think you are doing a magnificent job in maintaining this website, it is very important.
I've been thinking for a lot of time now of converting to the Catholic Faith.
Something that has always kept from taking the final step was what I learned on the Church's troubled history with Jews and other people's of the world.
I was raised in Palestine by Zionists (who today like to call themselves "Secular Jews") and technically I am Jewish, even though I don’t observe the Jewish Religion.
As a person who's considered a Jew I'd like to know –
a. why is the Church is so often associated with anti-Semitism. I know the term is troublesome, because some of the theologians and thinkers who are often accused of being anti-Semitic were Semitic themselves. (like Ephram the Syrian)
Attacking Judaism as a religion is understandable, after reading big portions of the Talmud I often find myself at unease, but why attacking the Jews as an ethnic group? (the question if they are indeed an ethinc group is another topic, but obviously this is a view that the Chuch accepts) When teaching about the crucifixion – why not say that the Pharisees (the Rabbinic precursors) were partly responsible, along with the Romans of course, instead of simply saying "The Jews" (the apostles were Jewish, were they also to blame?)
Some people say here that the Pope assisted the Nazis during WW2 (the more moderate people say that he simply chose to ignore in order to see the Jews perish) why do people say it?
b. If the church is guided by the Holy Ghost, then why through out history so many bad things were done by the Church and by its name (like persecuting Jews and the sack of Constantinople and establishing the Latin Empire on the territory)
c. As Someone who is considered Jewish, will I'll be welcome in the Church?
Sorry for being blunt by some of these statements, it by no means out of disrespect, but on the contrary - I honestly wish to understand better, I'll also understand If you are to chose not to post my questions.
Best regards,
P.S - I Think you are doing a magnificent job in maintaining this website, it is very important.