Jews Are Not Missing Out on a Kinder, More Loving G-d
The way christian teachings paint the “old testament G-d” as a cold, cruel, unloving entity, as opposed to their “G-d now” who is apparently much warmer, and more forgiving, etc., is antisemitic.
I spent years in a Christian youth group that operated in a very cult-like way. They interrogated me about my jewish background, told me I can’t even entertain other religions, and said my dad would go to Hell unless he accepted Jesus on his death bed. I was 15.
The marked contrast, the motivating force behind the evangelical expectation of this group, was that this G-d, “our G-d,” the new-testament-dad-of-Jesus version of G-d, he sent his son down as a sacrifice because he loved us. It was a clear message that before that, he didn’t love us at all.
And since leaving that Christian group, and moving through a few years of staunch atheism, then finding G-d in a new way, I’ve realized just how common it was to hear these generalizations about “the old, archaic mean G-d,” which also seemed to be about Jews as a whole. It’s important to understand that these statements, the notion that my G-d is a cruel being that couldn’t possibly love me unless they did what the Bible states, the idea that religion for Jews is not just as warm and safe and love-filled, are all rooted in antisemitism.
Trying to convert Jews to Christianity with this added insinuation that we, Jews, are rejecting G-d’s love by not becoming Christians, that we aren’t “saved,” that we are “betraying” something, is really vile and is the common thread through so much of the violence we’ve faced. That’s why targeting Jewish people for conversion to Christianity is also inherently violent. You misunderstand our entire religion and culture if you think we worship a G-d who doesn’t actually love and protect us, if you think our religion is just Christianity minus Jesus.
If a Jew wants to explore other religions, great. I did that too, but do not seek out Jews as if you are some sort of savior.
We aren’t lost.
We aren’t missing anything.
We aren’t traitors.
We are not following some old, cruel version of your new and perfect G-d.
Our G-d is just as loving, just as kind, and trying to drive us away from our faith is an attack on our people and our culture.
Leave us alone.
