It has occurred to me, that a thesis in which Jews are used a front men for odious policies, here and here, may be criticized as suggesting some sort of lack on the part of Jews. Why can Jews not be truly part of the powers that be in an original sense?
To which I would answer, “I do not know. Why not? Why have they not yet in history?”
Or at least not since, when, David? Solomon?
But to ask the question I see misses a point. I picked “blame the Jews” for this series because they are the ones who get blamed for the really big problems. And it is clear from history they play a role in which the policies of the powers that be get blamed on the Jews who front them.
I imagine myself a Christian, and for reasons of aesthetics Roman Catholic (the Roman part is not the faith part, and so many Roman Catholics get that backwards, loving the Roman part and ignoring the Catholic (universal Christian) part). I know from experience from meetings with the powers that be, or their representatives, if I attend the meeting as a christian the meeting is pointless. The goals of the powers that be are at variance from the good the true and the beautiful, and with them it is all or nothing. If my presence is to be tolerated, then I must serve the beast.
So why bother?
On the other hand, we have countless examples of people who have nothing to do with the beast at all, and do quite well. I also have noted how Obama is getting blamed for being in essence George Bush’s 3rd term. He will rank as USA’s worst president when he moves on. Economy tanked, and no big wars. What a disaster, from the court historians point of view. But mark this, none of the Geo Bush policies continued under Obama will change when Hillary is president. To become president, Obama had to repudiate his minister, an authentic person.
James Brown, as a black man, did more for USA than all black politicians have done, inasmuch at anytime said politicians identified themselves as “black.”
The Amish have nothing to do with the state and thrive quite well.
Orthodox Jews thrive without a connection to the state, as do Sikhs, Muslims, black or otherwise, Seventh Day Adventists, J’Witnesses and so on. All such groups may have no share in the lot of the powers that be, but more to the point, they contribute nothing to the agenda of the powers that be. But that is not to say they contribute nothing to society, nor is it to say they do not lead a better, fuller life. They do, on both accounts, refulgently. Note how they all have their own government but no state. Self-government.
I was a guest at a dinner once, hosted by a husband and wife, who we will call K and R, circa 1980. K, the husband, was a tall fine Berlin Jew connected to the finest families, R was a shtetl Jew, rubenesque and brilliant. They were very much in love.
I knew this couple fairly well, and one time at the mention of her mother in law, a R went off on a soliloquy, in which she recounted how her people had warned and pleaded with the “Jews of Berlin” not to work with Hitler, etc. And the Jews of Berlin replied “We can handle Dolphie...” (Dolphie!!??) It was a mesmerizing performance, and the upshot was how dare K’s mother look down on R when K’s family escaped and R’s family burned. And R had the resources and intelligence to restart the festivities after such a stunning performance.
At times Jews presume I am Jewish and speak frankly, and the conversations are fascinating (I designate kosher meals on trans-oceanic flights, which may mislead aisle mates). There is an active strain in conversations between too much and too little engagement with the powers that be. That could be just me prompting the conversation, but the point is the tension is not far from the surface.
There are the powers that be, and we have a story about how they got their power. The powers that be said yes, instead of no. As Orthodox mothers say to their children about bacon burgers, “That’s not for Jews.” All we of religious pretension should look at the state and say “that’s not for us.”
There is the power of saying, no thank you, I’ll do my own thing.
Feel free to forward this by email to three of your friends.
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