In recent months, a new consensus has emerged: For the first time in millennia, Judaism has lost its title as the world’s most persecuted religion; today, that dubious honor goes to Christianity. “Christians are targeted more than any other body of believers,” wrote Rupert Shortt in a 54-page report for the London-based Civitas institute in December, which meticulously documented their persecution on a country-by-country basis. Even politicians have begun grasping this fact: German Chancellor Angela Merkel publicly deemed Christianity “the most persecuted religion in the world” in November. In short, as one commentator put it last week, Christians have become the new Jews.
There are two reasons why Christianity has displaced Judaism as the world’s most persecuted religion. One, obviously, is increased persecution of Christians, which stems largely from the rise of radical Islam: Though non-Islamic countries like China also repress Christians, only radical Islamists kill them wholesale. The other is that today, Jews face less persecution than ever before in history. And that is entirely due to the existence of the State of Israel.
Were hundreds of thousands of Jews still scattered throughout the Islamic world, as was true a century ago, they would assuredly face persecution no less severe than Christians do. But they aren’t, because most have relocated to Israel. In fact, for the last 64 years, any Jew anywhere who felt sufficiently threatened to want to leave his country has been able to find sanctuary in Israel, and Israel has repeatedly gone to great lengths to try to rescue those who want to leave but can’t.
Many Christians, too, might like to leave places like Egypt or Iraq. But unlike the Jews, they have nowhere to go: No country on earth will automatically open its doors for them–with no questions asked and no numerical limitations–the way Israel does for Jews. And still less would any country do so for Jews if Israel didn’t exist.
A decade ago, at the height of the intifada, a fellow Israeli complained to me that Israel had failed in its mission to be a safe haven for Jews. On the contrary, she charged, Israel today is the most dangerous place on earth for Jews to live.
Technically, she’s correct: A Jew in Israel is far more likely to be killed just because he is Jewish than a Jew in Europe or North America. What she failed to grasp is that this is precisely the measure of Israel’s success: Israel today is the most dangerous place to be a Jew because any Jew living someplace more dangerous can relocate to Israel instead–and almost all of them have. In short, the fact that almost no Jews today live someplace more dangerous than Israel is proof positive of Israel’s success as a haven.
Though there are many reasons why Israel, for all its flaws, deserves support from all decent people, and especially all Jews, this is the most basic of all: If Israel didn’t exist, Judaism would still top the list of the world’s most persecuted religions, and Jews would be slaughtered throughout the Islamic world just as their Christian brethren are today. And nobody who cares about the Jewish people–or about saving human lives in general–could truly think that alternative is preferable.
"Though there are many reasons why Israel, for all its flaws, deserves support from all decent people, and especially all Jews, this is the most basic of all: If Israel didn’t exist, Judaism would still top the list of the world’s most persecuted religions, and Jews would be slaughtered throughout the Islamic world just as their Christian brethren are today." n nAnd that, in a nutshell, is exactly why the majority of the world, as constituted in the UN, persecute Israel and want to see it gone. n
Christians are the most persecuted only if you define Jewish persecution to exclude efforts to exterminate the 7 million Jews living in Israel as not being persecution.
Good point. n nOnly if you exclude attempts at genocide, in other words. n n
regarding: n nJews face less persecution than ever before in history. And that is entirely due to the existence of the State of Israel n nThe countries which are slaughtering Christians are more or less Judenfrei…the Jews have already been eliminated
Another good point. n nFirst the Saturday People, then the Sunday People, is how it goes, right? n nThe more I think about it, the sillier the premise of this piece becomes. n nWhat is the point, to tell the Christian West that their people are at risk, even more than ours are? n nIt's not even true.
To say the west is Christian is a bald-faced lie. All you have to do is see the encroaching Islamic influence, the laws that bend to their favor, and the pop culture that dismisses anything conservative and Christian. n nLook, I think because of their population, Jews are very much threatened. But to get into an argument about who is more persecuted is silly- Islam hates Jews and Christians equally, and it is Islam and its sympathetic Left in the west that is going to exterminate us both.
Going by religious observance I would say that here in Britain at least, Islam is the dominant religion.
Again the Armenian genocide does not count?
do you really think, that jews are the only people that muslems wish to exterminate?
" On the contrary, she charged, Israel today is the most dangerous place on earth for Jews to live." nAnother reason is that more Jews today live in Israel than in any other single location. Does anyone really think that a Jew is safer in Yemen or Iran than in Israel? n nAnd there will always be a 'most dangerous place' just as there will always be a leading cause of accidents or a leading cause of death.
I don't know why you need to state "… for all its flaws …". I don't think Israel is any more flawed a State than any other. In fact, in many ways it is not as flawed. Would this have been interjected if speaking of another country? I take this as an example that with the constant stream of dings towards Israel from most quarters of the World, even a Commentary blog poster has been subconsciously coaxed into adding some negativity. If a valid example, perhaps a mild one, but shows how mass group think can be affected in all to various degrees.
Jews are persecuted and have taken measures available previously to almost every other group to protect themselves by creating a place of refuge and using all their talents to defend that refuge. This has made them hated even more by their enemies who feel thwarted.
Christians being rather new to persecution and bedevilled by enemies who only recently emerged in what they thought was their place of refuge have not yet come to grips with their predicament, this leaves the most physically vulnerable christians, the one’s living in illiberal states as long time minorities vulnerable. Combine this with a surge among the least pluralist and most eliminationist group of Muslims yet encountered and you can say thattoday more christians are at risk than are Jews. Though this of course is affected by the fact that Christians outnumber Jews by a large multiple.
The question is are you suggesting a Christian Israel, or are you saying in an awkward way the old truth that without Israel the Jews are far more vulnerable to the plots of their enemies?
I take a more sanguine view. 1,800 years of Christians trying to wipe us out has left me…shall we say, academic on the point. And whenever they're not being persecuted they're usually the ones leading the mob against us.
Most of the non-western christian denominations are or have been rabidly anti-Semitic, the Armenian Church and the Coptic Church the exceptions that prove the rule. Arab Christian 'palestinians' have been especially vile.
The Egyptian Coptic church is no exception.
Of course the dhimmi Christians hate the Jews: psychology calls the phenomenon "transference". They can do nothing about the Muslims who treat them as second-class at best, so pour their resentments upon Israel. Moreover the existence of the Jewish state must be especially galling to people who once ruled the countries they now live in as minorities: the Jews don't have to kiss Muslim @$$ every day of their lives. That's called envy. As for the Empress: I have nothing to say to her, but will fight anti-Semitism because it is the right thing for Christians to do.
In the past Jews have lead the charge to protect the persecuted. Apparently thoses days are over, too bad.
Joeo23, Christians are safer in Israel than anywhere else east of Europe. But Christian churches pressured Israel to put Arab Christians at the mercy of terrorists. When Israel saved a group of monks from terrorists holding them hostage in the Church of the Nativity, Christian churches and at least one Christian Congressman (Bob Ney, later imprisoned for corruption) vilified Israel for it. And if Jews were to lead the charge to save Christians from Islamist oppression, the Christian churches, "peace fellows", and professional bleeding hearts who are willing to let their co-religionists be slaughtered would be the first to scream "RACISM! ISLAMAPHOBIA! JEWS ARE DOING TO MUSLIMS WHAT THEY DID TO GSUS." n nSo please spare us your sanctimony. We are already doing more to help Christian victims of Islamist oppression than anyone else I know of.
Arabs who live in Isralel have the same rights as Jewish citizens? Their deeds and property rights are respected? They have the same rights, opportunities as any Jewish citizen of Israel which was founded as a secular state? Please spare us your hypocrisy.
Please spare us your lies. Courts have allowed Arab squatters to stay in posession for decades. Entire Jewish neighborhoods and towns have been demolished when Arab litigants have presented forged deeds. When Arab land has been taken for roads or other public purpose, the owners have been paid compensation just as when land is taken for public purpose in the US. Arabs serve in the Knesset, practice medicine side by side with Jews, own businesses, practice law in the nations courts, serve as judges including on Israel's supreme court, play on professional sports teams and represent Israel in international competitions. Israel was the first country in the middle east to allow Arab women to vote and to institute free compulsory education for girls, including Arabs. Arabs living in Israel have more freedom, more rights and more legal protection than Arabs living in any Arab country.
joeo23 – yes they do – in fact they actually have more rights than 20% of Americans. They can run for the highest office in the country. n nYes their property rights are respected, though they are 20% of the population – they own 40% of the privately held lands. n nThey do have the same rights – and if they join the military they same opportunities as Jewish citizens – imagine that. The truth is they have more rights than the Jewish citizens so spare us your ignorance and lies
Read my comment below, on the persecution of Baha'is in Iran and the Muslim world generally, and the way Israel has, from the start, protected and defended them and helped them flourish in Israel. Then please take back your wholly unfounded slur.
"they're usually the ones leading the mob against us. " n nWhich the Anglicans, the Episcopalians, the Methodists, PC USA and ELCA are doing to this very day, falsley vilifying Israel and urging Congress to punish Israel, and to leave Israel to the mercy of the genocidists with their guns, knives, bombs and missiles. And our community relations councils and federations reward them for it, but disdain the churches that lobby Congress to support Israel.
Muslim nations forced out nearly all their Jews following their defeat by Israel, in 1948. With no Jews available to persecute today, they are turning on Christians, the group they hate almost, as much as the Jews. How ironic, then, that the OIC is pressuring the U.S., and other Western nations, to pass U.N. Resolution 16/18, which they claim is intended to stop defamation of all religions! And how sickening to see the U.S. angling to pass this sham resolution, just so we can pretend we're friends with Saudi Arabia, et al.
Christianity at war with Islam, China and the atheists. They spread over the centuries messages of hate, domination arrogance. It looks like "it is pay back time". Many have not yet learn despite the millions leaving the faith. Many are better Christians. Their position towards the Jews can be used in some ways as a barometer of their honesty and humanity (i.e., Evangelicals VS Lutherans).
I am not sure what you mean by messages if hate. Toward the German Barbarians, toward the barbarous Vikings, toward the barbarous Muslims? Those people who were badly treated by Christians, some were decent folk like those on Santo Domingo. But then there were the Caribs, who were cannibals, and of course the Aztecs, whose civilized cruelty amazed even the hardened men who served Cortez. As for the Jews, well, they were unlike in war. Probably among the best guerilla fighters in history, but no match for Rome. Still, they might have been the persecutors instead of the persecuted if Constantine had picked them–and he considered it–instead of the Christians to buttress his rule. Unlucky, too, the the Emperor Julian got himself killed Persia, because he had promised them the right to rebuild the Temple. With a little bit of luck, it would stand there instead of the Dome of the Rock.
So basically Christians need a Christian country that would offer those who are persecuted elsewhere a sanctuary… Hmm, I hear all the territory around Rome will be available pretty soon and cheap too. Maybe Vatican (Holy See) could buy it up and expand.
Success leading to spritual indifference a problem that Nathan, Samuel, Elijah and Elisha had to deal with.
You miss an important example of severe religious persecution: the treatment of Iran's largest religious minority, the Baha'is. All Baha'i holy places in Iran have been demolished beyond hope of repair. All Baha'i cemeteries in Iran have been dug up and the bodies thrown out. Over 200 Baha'i leaders have been hanged. Baha'is have been forced to leave the country, are refused work in a wide range of professions, denied pensions. Young Baha'is are not permitted to go to university. When the Baha'is set up their own, internal, university, teachers were arrested and the whole thing shut down. A few years ago, 10 Baha'i women, including a 17-year-old girl, were hanged for teaching Sunday School classes (Dars-e akhlaq). Things have never been easy for the Baha'is, but under this regime they are much worse. It's worth adding that the two holiest places for Baha'is are located in Haifa and outside Acco in Israel. They form part of an extraordinary range of terraces, gardens, and white marble buildings that are now a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The Israeli government protects them, helps them and is proud of them.