Israel for dummies

[Guest guest]

Israel for dummies

By Irwin N. Graulich October 12, 2003

 

 

Why is the world so preoccupied with Israel? Why has there been a

3,000 year obsession with one of the tiniest groups around - Jews?

Why is there an uproar against this one group, amongst all others,

who also call themselves "The Chosen People?" Why has the UN spent

almost half its time on issues concerning Israel, even before 1967,

when the entire West Bank, Gaza, the Golan Heights and all of old

Jerusalem already belonged to Arab populations?

 

Imagine the time, energy and money that has been spent throughout the

Arab and Muslim world fighting, hating and propagandizing against

Israel. What would these countries look like today had their focus

been on technology, planting and building instead?

 

The mystery begins to unravel when we understand the word "Israel."

Most people, including most Jews, think of Israel as a country. The

actual meaning of Israel derives from the Bible where Jews are

referred to as "Am Yisrael" - the people called Israel.

 

The state of Israel only exists under the umbrella of Judaism, also

referred to as Israel/The Jewish People. When Israel (the state)

becomes a Jew's only vehicle to Judaism, his/her religion will fail,

and ultimately the nation will collapse. That is why secular Jews

like Shimon Peres, Yossi Beilin and Yossi Sarid are in an abyss, a

bottomless pit destined for failure. Only when the state of Israel is

part of a Jew's identity, can that individual be successful with both

Israel the state and Israel the people.

 

Israel, the country, will be meaningless to the next generation of

Jews, unless Judaism becomes meaningful for them. If Israel and the

Middle East are not just "a part" of their Jewish experience, then

Tel Aviv, Haifa and Netanya will merely be Miami Beach, where

everyone happens to speak Hebrew.

 

Thank God Israel's enemies do not understand or recognize the true

disaster in Israel. For the vast majority of secular Jews, the only

thing that has kept them passionate about the "Holy Land" are the

current threats against it. Ironically, it is the Arab/Muslim world,

through their own stupidity and hatred, that has kept Israel together

and strong!

 

Without question, Yasser Arafat has done more to keep many Jews

Jewish and fighting on behalf of Israel, than any rabbi on the

planet. What Yasser and his cohorts fail to recognize is that if

peace eventually comes to the Middle East, Jews throughout the world

will have much less to be passionate about with regard to

fundraising, lobbying and protesting for Israel. So what will keep

those Jews Jewish and what will keep the non-religious Jews in

Israel "occupied?" When Israel becomes a common fact of life and not

a dream, most Jews will move on to other quasi-religious interests

such as secularism, feminism, environmentalism, liberalism and real

estate.

 

The UN and the world's obsession with Jews emanates from one idea.

The fact that this little group has the audacity to say that God

chose them to carry His message to the world. Most people, including

Jews, should not interpret this to mean that Jews are any better than

anyone else. In fact, God purposely "chose" the biggest failures of

that time to bring His moral laws to human beings.

 

This shows everyone, by example, how a failing group can indeed

become successful. Had God chosen a strong group like the Egyptians

to receive His laws, people would point to the fact that a strong

messenger forced it upon the world; a concept which simply proves

that it is the message and not the messenger that is truly great!

 

Obviously, most of humanity's religions and cultures believe in the

Jews as God's "Chosen Messenger Service," since Judaism has formed

the basis of modern Christianity and Islam, and it is Judaism's moral

laws that have become the foundation of modern Western society.

 

The real WMD focused on the state of Israel today are the lack of

Jewish religious approaches available, a concept which has made

religions thrive in America. While Christianity has managed to

maintain diversity even in Israel, Judaism has failed in this effort.

Both Judaism and Christianity in the United States offer a wide range

of choices in terms of practices and experiences.

 

Judaism includes Orthodox, Conservative and Reform, while

Christianity offers a variety of Christian/Protestant denominations.

All of these options fall within established guidelines for each

religion. Only together, do these wonderfully competing religious

components represent a true religion. Unless there is intra-religious

competition, the religion will become fanatical and destined for

failure.

 

Religion needs competition just like business needs competition. If

there is only one brand of ketchup on the supermarket shelves, most

people will tire of that one taste and abandon it. The variety of

ketchups and dips available is what makes eating so appealing. Each

religion needs "religious capitalism" in order to thrive.

 

The real problem in Israel is that one is either Orthodox or nothing.

When given that choice, most people will choose nothing. When

religion does not offer choices, many adherents become fanatical.

This manifests itself differently in each religion. Fanatics in

Judaism become obsessed with kosher seltzer and kosher toothpaste.

Fanatics in old Christianity became Crusaders and anti-Semites, among

other things. Fanatics in modern day Christianity blow up abortion

clinics. Fanatics in modern Islam hijack commercial jetliners and run

them into the World Trade Center and the Pentagon.

 

Although fanatics in Judaism and Christianity represent a very small

minority, in Islam they represent a serious minority or possibly

majority. The vast majority of moderate Jews and Christians respect

other religions and support Israel. Unfortunately, a majority of

Muslims want Islam to dominate the world and do not support Israel.

Perhaps God is a little angry with that attitude and thus we have the

miracle of Israel's survival.

 

However, this can change because only when Israel, the country, is

part of the larger equation of a serious religious Reform,

Conservative or Orthodox Jew, will the state of Israel's survival be

guaranteed.

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