Islam, fascism and the New Age

[Maria]

Josia,

you wrote:

But, I disagree with your comment that "there are people calling themselves Jews who do practice what was Judaism in Christ's time".

I disagree with me too, because that was a typo, I meant to write:

That's why the NT mentions those who call themselves Jews but are not Jews. It would seem that if we believe in the Gospel, we have to assume there are people calling themselves Jews who do not practice what was Judaism in Christs time.

I agree with the rest of what you said..

Thank you, arcmode, for pointing out that typo in your previous post. It did indeed cause concern.
Thank you, Joasia, for your patience.

[arcmode]

Lydia and Symeon,

I didn't start a thread about a Jewish conspiracy in order to strike fear into the hearts of innocent girls on my way to creating a master race of phobic Goy.

I should have resisted the temptation to reply to Symeon's ad hominem remark, for that I'm sorry. I should have been more careful with what I said and how.

I posted a link to an article about the origins and development of Islamic fascism and somehow that makes me blind to it?

Just read it.

Everyone's favorite 'anti-semite,' St Nikolai, saved a Jewish family from the Nazis and also spoke the truth about the Jew's role in the war. That's the Christian responsibility, to struggle with evil in all it's forms. I would lay my life down for a Jew, a Muslim, a non-hostile extraterrestrial and possibly even my cat. God knows that and everything else is just tears in the rain.

[Matthew]

First, I want to say that I believe that you are sincere brother or sister Arcmode and that I do not doubt or criticise you personally. We must be careful, though, for very often on Orthodox forums, when someone says something one doesn't like, people respond all too quickly by unjustly saying that what that person said in criticism was "an ad hominem" attack. And hence, the claim that what our oppponent said was merely ad hominem in nature is, in fact, -- as in this case -- ITSELF an ad hominem attack!

Second, it also says in today's epistle (2Tim.2:4), "Thou therefore suffer hardship as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. 4No one serving as a soldier is entangled with the affairs of life, in order that he might please the one who enlisted him." Getting involved in political debates and taking sides over historical events in the world, between political or ideological entities is "getting entangled in the affairs of this life." However, and this is my third point, I will note on balance that one of the saints, Saint Cyril Archbishop of Alexandria of old time (5th C.) did petition Emperor Theodosios the Younger to drive out the Jews from Alexandria. In the Prologue from Ochrid it says,

The struggle with the Jews was more difficult and bloodier. Since Alexander the Great founded that city, the Jews from the beginning, became strong in Alexandria. Their hatred toward Christians was vicious and insane. They killed Christians by treachery, by poisoning and by crucifying them on a cross. After a long and difficult struggle, Cyril succeeded with Emperor Theodosius the Younger to drive the Jews out of Alexandria.

-----http://www.stnicholasredbank.org/june9-16.htm

So, of course, there were times in history when the Church and the people of Israel were in opposition to one another. However, that is all changed now. Now we live in a time of a new peace initiative, where both sides are much more amenable to finding diplomatic solutions than ever before, and we have hope of ending this age old battle, with all its blood, agony, grief, revenge, and hatred. We must be careful to nurture the spirit of reconcilliation and not dig up the records of ancient debts, but seek peace with all men (as it says in Hebrews 12:14, "Pursue peace with all men, and the sanctification without which no one will see the Lord."). .

Philippians says we ought to mind only good things: "Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things. 9The things you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you." Phil. 4:8

We must sometimes overlook the past mistakes of others to attain peace with their descendants. When they see we love them, forgive them, and choose to be as harmless as sheep and innocent as doves with them, they will also become of like docile and kind nature, and that will stop the endless killing and hatred. Obviously, commemorating their ancestors wrongs interminably hasn't worked in achieving peace and reconcilliation, has it.

And lastly, as for reading that article, dear Arcmode, I will not. I do not fill my head with gunpowder writings to have my passions spark and ignite all the destructive thoughts that such writings naturally engender. Hence, I recommend that you do away with all such things and focus on meditating upon gospel passages that teach us to LOVE our ENEMIES, and overcome our passions of fear and anger and revenge, and to draw close to the God of all Peace. Then, whether we live or die, find peace with all men or are abused and even killed by their unrighteous and sneaky deeds, we are the Lord's and gain a heavenly home, eternal beyond the skies, wherein dwelleth righteousness. We gain nothing by such meditations upon the supposed faults of others committed long ago by people who are long since departed.

[jgress]

An ad hominem occurs when one makes accusations about another person's character in order to discredit their argument, rather than addressing the content of the argument itself. This has not (yet) occurred here.

[arcmode]

Symeon's implication that I could not be serious about fake Muslims, or that I would have to be joking to suggest it, was an accusation concerning my character, to discredit the idea, rather than an attempt to counter the content of my claim by providing evidence or an argument to counter it. Is this not ad hominem?

[Matthew]

I understand that, Jonathan, but thanks. He was saying, if I understand his inference correctly, that I was dismissing what he said by my asserting that anyone who exposes zionist agendas and foul-play as being an "Anti-semite" or "Jew-hater" or "fear-monger", etc., was an ad hominem attack--which it would have been except that A) I was only noting that those names correspond to what is a product of faulty, unspiritual thinking; and B) it is true that such names denote inner conditions that are by-products of such faulty and unspiritual and unenlightened thinking. So, it is not ad hominem to say someone is a fear-monger or being influenced by antisemitism, if it is actually the case, as it is in the case of many of the detractors of the Jewish people; not all, but certainly some. Then, in those persons, such names are applicable because they actually apply. I however, was not accusing Arcmode herself of being any of those, but only pleaded with her as a sister who is being swayed or, to put it more accurately--seduced by the spiritual darkness behind such enticements of the mind and emotions, not to give herself over to such ideas lest they lead to such aforementioned conditions, and I felt that those dangers and spiritual poisons needed to be pointed out as something to be avoided.

[Matthew]

Symeon's implication that I could not be serious about [Zionist-supremacist Jews posing as] fake Muslims, or that I would have to be joking to suggest it, was an accusation concerning my character, to discredit the idea, rather than an attempt to counter the content of my claim by providing evidence or an argument to counter it. Is this not ad hominem?

Actually Arcmode I did not say that as an attack on your character, dear friend, I was only expressing disbelief as I have never heard of such a thing any more than I have heard of a Jew who was a member of the Ku Klutz Klan. Such an assertion seemed as something coming out of left field. However, if it is actually true, fine. I don't contest it. It is possible I suppose. I only went on to point out that regardless of the facts being one way or the other, we are for the sake of higher spiritual goals and pure desire for Christ to avoid entangling our hearts and emotions in worldly, political, or ideological issues that are concerned about material gain, power, or humanist notions and definitions of justice, rather than the "Lord have mercy on me a sinner" that the Holy Fathers confessed constantly in their prayer of the heart. We cannot serve God and Mammon, or we cannot attain the freedom from the passions through constant remembrance of God and also mind the troubles of this world.