tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7291232.post4359584559459822104..comments2024-03-24T05:54:23.612-05:00Comments on Weedon's Blog: Upon the Holy Innocents, MartyrsWilliam Weedonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01383850332591975790noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7291232.post-17644111299090593712010-12-30T12:37:40.881-06:002010-12-30T12:37:40.881-06:00“A cry of joy went up across the Jewish ghetto.”
...“A cry of joy went up across the Jewish ghetto.”<br /><br />Dear Rev. Weedon: This is really a fine sermon. It must be because I have actually seen Jews wearing the yellow Star of David, and because I have seen a ghetto, and because I am all too familiar with the history of Christian societies’ and churches’ persecution, murder, and torture of the Jews that the use of the word compels me to respond. “China Town” and “Little Italy”, even Harlem are not ghettos. I realize that over the past 50 years or so the meaning of this word has changed because of public usage and the thoughtlessness of journalists. But its original meaning is “an involuntary place of confinement for Jews.” Their purpose, initially, was to isolate Jews from Christians; later ghettos were designed to serve as holding areas for Jews destined for extermination. The active participation of Roman Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, and yes, even Lutheran churches in the horrors committed against the Jews is a blot on our history, and prima facie disobedience of our Lord’s words, “teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you.” The organized persecution of Jews by Christians predates the emergence of the word “ghetto” by about one thousand years. Certainly ghettos did not exist when our Lord was a baby and there were no Christians.<br /><br />Peace and Joy, nonetheless!<br />George A. MarquartAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7291232.post-46483176330179018642010-12-29T19:20:06.994-06:002010-12-29T19:20:06.994-06:00you can repeat this same sermon on Sunday.you can repeat this same sermon on Sunday.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com