Greetings Brethren:
Is Anti-Semitism the fore-runner of
racism? For the kidnapped Black Souls of Africa racism came into existence to
justify economic exploitation. Meanwhile did anti-Semitism come into existence to
justify religious hatred? Also did economics have an impact on the creation of
Anti-Semitism?
Peace,
Carl A. Patton, FreedomJournal
THE ENIGMATIC HEBREWS
Part 10: Anti-Semitism: Race,
Religion or Economics
In
the name of God, Master of the universe, Ruler of the earth.
We are forever grateful for the peace
that comes with the knowledge of Truth. The journey of life is an on-going
mission of acquiring Truth and knowledge of the Creator. We also hear the
prayers of Solomon as he prayed for wisdom and knowledge. As we continue to
unfold the mysteries and enigma of the Hebrew people we bring Anti-Semitism up
for review.
What is Anti-Semitism? When did it
first occur? Why are there Anti-Semites? Anti-Semites are people that have a
prejudice toward Hebrew people based on race, religion, politics, economics and
various other reasons. However, what are the historical origins of Semitic
people?
In the Old Testament (Genesis
9:18-19: 10:21-31) and the Torah the term Semite is derived from Noah's son
Shem. Thus Semite is used to refer to a diverse group of ancient people whose
languages are related. The record is not clear on the blood relation of these
people; however they did speak related languages. The ancient world of the
Semites was the Fertile Crescent. (There are also arguments for the Semitic
people further to the south in Africa especially regarding Ethiopia.)The area
of the Fertile Crescent began in southern Babylonia in the east, and included
Mesopotamia, Syria and Palestine, ending at the border of Egypt in the west.
Mountains, seas and deserts surround the land. It is also argued that the great
Arabian Desert appears to have been the original homeland of the Semites.
Many historians argue that there were
five principle Semitic people during ancient times. However, the description of
the various Semitic people often will vary according to the religion and ethnic
origins of the historian. Thus, Arab or Muslim historians, African historians
and Jewish historians may not be consistent on the exclusive nature of the
Semitic people to the following list:
1. The Akkadians were Babylonians and
Assyrians who lived in Mesopotamia and spoke a common language. They lived from
2350 B.C. to 538 B.C.
2. The Arameans were traders. They
lived in Syria from 1700 B.C. to the time of Christ. Their language
supplanted Akkadian and was adopted by the Hebrews after their return from
exile. It also became the language of the Talmud and half the Book of Daniel
was written in Aramaic.
3. The Canaanites describes most of
the people that lived in southern Syria (including Palestine) during ancient
times. The Hebrews are often considered a Canaanite group. It is also argued
that the Hebrews borrowed the Canaanite language and culture, and made it their
own.
4. The Arabs are also considered
Semitic people. With the coming of Mohammad and Islam the people of Arabia
became widely known.
5. The Ethiopians lived across the
Red Sea from southern Arabia. The Ethiopians had a flourishing Semitic
civilization from 500 B.C. to the time of Mohammad.
A further note on the Hebrew people
as Semites is noted in Genesis 10:21:
"Unto Shem also, the father of
all the children of Eber, the brother of Japheth the elder, even to him were
children born."
Eber according to the Hebrew
historian Josephus was the origin of the word Hebrews, which from our
understanding best describes the ethnic origins of the Hebrew people. However,
as we turn to the Bible and look further at the descendants of Noah's sons we
see a contradiction in regard to the Canaanites and the Ethiopians as Semitic
people.
Shem's descendants were called
Semites. Abraham, David and Jesus descended from Shem. Thus the Bible Nations
that descended from Shem are: Hebrews, Chaldeans, Assyrians, Persians and
Syrians.
Hams descendants settled in Canaan,
Egypt, and the rest of Africa. Thus the Bible nations that descended from Ham
are: Canaanites, Egyptians, Philistines, Hittites, and Amorites.
Japheth's descendants settled for the
most part in Europe and Asia Minor. Thus, the Bible Nations that descended from
Japheth were the Greeks, Thracians, and Scythians.
From the preceding accounts Semites
then refer to various people in the Middle East and Africa. However when Anti
is fixed to Semites, we see a different meaning. The Sanskrit term meaning
noble was applied to Indo-Germans who related the Aryans as noble people. They
also considered themselves a superior race. They also felt they had a duty to
keep the Aryan race pure by not inter-mingling with inferior races. Thus they
believed that the Jews were not a distinct race. This belief was held because
they concluded that the Jews had originated by inter-mingling between
Indo-Germanic people and other races.
Soon the term Anti-Semitism came to
apply exclusively to Jews. William Nicholls, "Christian Anti-Semitism, A
History of Hate" argues:
"The actual term, anti-Semitism
was coined, according to most scholars, by the German journalist Wilhelm Marr,
as late as 1879, to characterize various existing forms of political opposition
to Jews." (Nicholls p. 325).
Nicholls argues that originally
Anti-Semitism did not involve opposition to culture or an intellectual movement
called Semitism. It simply meant those that opposed a society influenced by
Jews. Thus, the Anti-Semites were not opposed to all Semites but only to Jews.
Meanwhile, the opposition to Jews was
not born in race. Race came later. However, the religious opposition had
existed from Medieval times. So had the economic implications for a developing
doctrine of hate and Anti-Semitism.
Cont. Part
11: Anti-Semitism: The Evolution From Religion To Ethno/Economics
Return to Enigmatic Hebrews Page
carl@freedomjournalpress.comcastbiz.net