Race as Religion
wilkyjr printable version print page     Bookmark and Share
Wed Sep 17, 2014 at 02:06:16 PM EST
Reading Edith Beer's book, The Nazi Officer's Wife, I ran across an interesting account of her fake marriage license.  She married a Nazi officer during World War II in Germany.  She was hiding out in what she called the "U-Boat" scene.  That is, hiding out amidst the enemy and no one knew they were there.  She goes for the license and the Nazi official asks the author several questions about her heritage.  She was asked if any of her parents were Jews.  Next the clerk wanted to know if any grandparents were Jews.  The focus of the authorization of marriage became the background check to see if there was any Jewish blood in the family.
     Author Benjamin Jacobs claims race was the trump card, not religion in regards to Nazi regulation of Jews.  There appeared to be little interest in the religious preference, as much as a racial profile.  Jacobs worked as a dentist in Auschwitz.  He extracted gold from the corpses of murdered concentration camp residents.  He notes one particularly interesting story about a Jewish man who looked Aryan.  The man was tall with blond hair.  He volunteered to work alongside German guards in herding Jewish workers with a cruel ambition.  The Guard wanted to be a Nazi, acted like one, and held the pretense of a German officer in the Reich.  It was discovered he was Jewish and was forced to join the prisoners he had cruelly mistreated.  Thus the concept of race made a person Jewish, even though one had renounced being Jewish.
     Lucy Dawidowicz, author of the book, The War Against the Jews, notes some interesting definitions used by Germany to determine who was a Jew.  During the war Jews could not date Aryans, which could result in execution.  Jews were not allowed to shop and were given harsh rations.   There was, of course, the death camps and forced labor.  Determining who qualified as a Jew is explained on Page 91 of the book.  There were three categories.  There was l.  Jew. 2.   Mischling, first degree and 3. Mischling second degree.   Anyone with at least 2 Jewish grandparents was considered one.  Anyone with 1/8th or less Jewish blood was considered a true German.      
     Edith's husband had committed a capital offense in marrying a Jewish girl.  He would regret they had a Jewish child.  Even though he loved Edith, he could not tolerate the child he knew was half Jew.  It is interesting that both Edith and Lucy Dawidowicz were forbidden by their fathers from dating gentile lads.  In Lucy's case the gentile lad was willing to convert, even be circumcised, but the father did not believe he qualified because of his race.  Thus race was religion.  
     Race as religion became much of the conflict in the New Testament.  During this time meticulous records were kept in the Temple.  These records were to make sure Chief Priests and other leaders never had a parent remotely connected by blood to gentiles.  Great grandmothers held in captivity by Babylonians or Philistines were suspect.  There could have been some defiled blood in the lineage of the Priest, which was not acceptable.  Jesus had Ruth, the Moabite, in his bloodline and there was no doubt questions about his own claim to being a Messiah.
     During Biblical times pagans converted to Judaism were baptized by immersion.  Some outside the race of Abraham were welcomed into the faith.  This was controversial to many.  That is why we have the conflict in the book of Acts.  It is often the fact that gentile believers, not racially Jews, were coming into the church.  The early church almost forsook gentile members making them feel unwelcome.  
     Sects like Louis Farrakhan's, promote the concept of race as religion.  Others outside the race were not welcome.   The small group known as Christian Identity, attempts to make race the criteria for membership in the faith.  The idea is promoted that white peoples are descendants of the lost tribe of Israel and means they are the true heirs of the covenant.  Covenant is passed on through race in Identity.  David Duke flirts with admiration of Wesley Swift and other identity teachers.  To Duke, the grave sin is that of spreading the superior seed of the lost tribes of Israel with non -whites.....what he sees as a waste of good responsible breeding.  The group finds common ground among prison gangs and is openly promoted in the prisons around our community.  Christian Identity leader pastor Ted Weiland, writes, "...many people today who consider themselves gentiles are, in fact, Israelites, and that many people who consider themselves Jews, are in fact, gentiles."  In Mein Kamph,  the author stated,  "Hence today I believe that I am acting in accordance with the will of the Almighty Creator; by defending myself against  the Jew, I am fighting for the work of the Lord."
     Jefferson's yeoman concepts regarding the state come into play here.  It was not race, birthright, or heritage that granted one status or national office.  It was a choice.  Free choice is rooted in the First Amendment concept of freedom of religion.  Religion was a choice in America, not a race.  Proselytes  were acknowledged as free to decide.  



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The conflict between the racial/ethnic purists and those who emphasize faith over bloodlines runs through much of scripture. Our OT professor observed that the book of Ruth can be seen as a protest against the absolute purist thinking evident in Ezra and Nehemiah. It is saying, "Look, you regard David as the greatest king, but his grandmother was a Moabite woman."

The genealogy for Jesus given in Matthew includes the names of four women, all of them of questionable "purity" of one sort or another. Because the Messiah was supposed to be a "son of David," I don't think Ruth's parentage would have been an issue in questioning the claim that Jesus was the Messiah. Any person who was descended from David would of necessity also be descended from Ruth.

by MLouise on Sat Sep 20, 2014 at 11:25:35 AM EST


Interesting insight ML


by wilkyjr on Sun Sep 21, 2014 at 05:55:17 PM EST

The article "Race as Religion" presents a fascinating and thought-provoking exploration of historical and contemporary perspectives on race and religion. It delves into significant events during World War II,  rheumatology symptoms the New Testament, and modern-day sects. The connections drawn between race, religion, and societal implications are eye-opening. A well-researched and enlightening read!

by isabelladom on Sat Aug 05, 2023 at 12:32:46 AM EST


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