can't talk about this without that, part 1: money and anti-semitism
It's inevitable that when you discuss an issue you're probably leaving out some vastly important factor. Counting everything that really counts is so hard, you're bound to miss something. But sometimes it's glaring: no discussion of a piece of music can be complete without at least acknowledging the elements of rhythm, harmony, and melody. (I'm lookin' at you, Rolling Stone.) Sometimes you just have to say you can't talk about this without that.
Anti-Semitism, for instance. We all know the sordid history of anti-Semitism, and especially of European anti-Semitism, especially since the Middle Ages. But I'm always amazed that so many can speak of the issue without ever mentioning Deuteronomy 23:19-20, and our differing interpretations of it.
Here it is:
The Church interpreted the laws of Moses to mean that no Christian could charge anyone interest. Meanwhile, Jews had their own canon law, which stated that you could charge interest, just not to a fellow Jew.
You can see the giant gaping loophole here. Jews could charge Christians interest on capital, but not other Jews, and Christians couldn't charge it at all. Think about the financial and social implications of that set of circumstances, just as capitalism was emerging. (As an aside, think about the irony of many people today seemingly wishing to simply plug the laws of Moses into modern America, while simultaneously claiming to be great defenders of capitalism, an economic system that's explicitly curtailed by the laws of Moses.)
So, when you hear people saying Jews control the world economy, and caricaturing them as greedy, and at the same time stingy, and somehow profiting from the misery of others, and so on, this is where it all comes from — it's based in the actual situation of Jews becoming very powerful bankers in the period before and during the Reformation. Much modern anti-Semitism and distrust of Jews in Europe — into the 20th century and still today — is residue from that situation. Not something you hear talked about a lot. And yet no discussion of anti-Semitism is complete without it.
Anti-Semitism, for instance. We all know the sordid history of anti-Semitism, and especially of European anti-Semitism, especially since the Middle Ages. But I'm always amazed that so many can speak of the issue without ever mentioning Deuteronomy 23:19-20, and our differing interpretations of it.
Here it is:
Thou shalt not lend upon usury to thy brother; usury of money, usury of victuals, usury of any thing that is lent upon usury: Unto a stranger thou mayest lend upon usury; but unto thy brother thou shalt not lend upon usury: that the LORD thy God may bless thee in all that thou settest thine hand to in the land whither thou goest to possess it.Back in the old days, you not only had to follow the rules of the state (England, Prussia, Genoa), or be punished, but you also had to follow the laws of the church or face excommunication — and be barred from the sacraments, which included marriage and burial. So there was state law and also canon law. State law didn't forbid usury, but canon law did.
The Church interpreted the laws of Moses to mean that no Christian could charge anyone interest. Meanwhile, Jews had their own canon law, which stated that you could charge interest, just not to a fellow Jew.
You can see the giant gaping loophole here. Jews could charge Christians interest on capital, but not other Jews, and Christians couldn't charge it at all. Think about the financial and social implications of that set of circumstances, just as capitalism was emerging. (As an aside, think about the irony of many people today seemingly wishing to simply plug the laws of Moses into modern America, while simultaneously claiming to be great defenders of capitalism, an economic system that's explicitly curtailed by the laws of Moses.)
So, when you hear people saying Jews control the world economy, and caricaturing them as greedy, and at the same time stingy, and somehow profiting from the misery of others, and so on, this is where it all comes from — it's based in the actual situation of Jews becoming very powerful bankers in the period before and during the Reformation. Much modern anti-Semitism and distrust of Jews in Europe — into the 20th century and still today — is residue from that situation. Not something you hear talked about a lot. And yet no discussion of anti-Semitism is complete without it.
Comments