What is a Jew

[Kitsune]

You hear various racist groups talk about the Jews being the evil menace. What does being a Jew mean, does it mean something physical to these hate groups like being of African decent or does it mean just being of the Jewish religion. I even know a 'Jew' hater who is an Athiest. Then again, he also claims to be a doctor in Psycology yet nothing I ever heard from him agrees with the basic Psycology classes I have taken .

[Lord of the Farce]

Scapegoat mentality. Basically, there's this conspiracy theory about Jewish people controlling the world though some secret bank network or some crap, and it's convenient to put the blame of finacial and social problems on the Jews.

[Kitsune]

Scapegoat mentality. Basically, there's this conspiracy theory about Jewish people controlling the world though some secret bank network or some crap, and it's convenient to put the blame of finacial and social problems on the Jews.

You are probably right and that is pretty much my thoughts.
I guess it is even understanding the thought, it is like saying that hairdressers are going to take over the world.

[SyntaxVorlon]

Jews held the roles of bankers in Europe because a few hundred years earlier christians wanted to be closer to jesus or some such nonsense and shunned bank work and jews so the two got together and had been together for a while, when christians wanted their all their money back and many of the top bankers in nothern europe, where jewish.
NeoNazis and Klansmen are anti jews because they are considered to be a nonwhite ethnic group, the children of noah thing(japthth[whitey], shem[semite] and ham[canaanite/black]). The jews did nothing to dispell this notion, and many embraced it. If you've ever seen "The Jazz Singer" Jolson's character is torn between his love of making fun of black people on stage and his "race."
The Nation of Islam, at least in black america, mostly Farakahn, dislike jews because they claim that many jews ran the slave trade, which is true, but misleading as the trade was mostly run by anglos in Liverpool, IIRC.

Some jews still claim an ethnic difference between themselves and anglos, and to an extent there is, however they have been integrated into European society for so long that they are mostly a European ethnicity as much as a palestinian one.

[Raptor 597]

In the words of an older Jewish man talking to a blackman:
"I don't why you're bitching we were the white man's nigger for over a thousand years."

And I suppose that could sum it up. These racists follow traditional hate rather than hating black people.

[InnerBrat]

You hear various racist groups talk about the Jews being the evil menace. What does being a Jew mean, does it mean something physical to these hate groups like being of African decent or does it mean just being of the Jewish religion.

to answer the original question, at least with my very limtied undersatnding, - it's both a religion (Judaism) and a (at least perceived) race (Israelites). A large part of the Jewish religion seems to be based on that race being God's Chosen People.

Now, someone who knows a lot more about it (like coyote) will come along and tell me I'm wrong...

[The Duchess of Zeon]

to answer the original question, at least with my very limtied undersatnding, - it's both a religion (Judaism) and a (at least perceived) race (Israelites). A large part of the Jewish religion seems to be based on that race being God's Chosen People.

Now, someone who knows a lot more about it (like coyote) will come along and tell me I'm wrong...

It's both an ethnic group--or a common name for several distinct ethnic groups, actually--and a religion, but not necessarily both at the same time. My best answer would be that "someone is a Jew if they say they're a Jew, or if someone else calls them a Jew" -- the first because they think they're one, and the second because it gives you the problems of one even if you're not.

[kojikun]

It's both an ethnic group--or a common name for several distinct ethnic groups, actually--and a religion, but not necessarily both at the same time. My best answer would be that "someone is a Jew if they say they're a Jew, or if someone else calls them a Jew" -- the first because they think they're one, and the second because it gives you the problems of one even if you're not.

Kind of being inducted into the ranks of the Jews by being one with them and in their plight, I supposed. It's true too.

[h0rus]

I even know a 'Jew' hater who is an Athiest.

So what? Athiesm is nothing but a lack of belief in make believe 'supermen'.

You can be a hateful bastard just as well as any religious 'freethinker'.

I for instance tend to dislike religion in general. My lack of belief doesn't imply that I have to be 'thoughtful' and 'kind' to these types either.

[Gil Hamilton]

It's both an ethnic group--or a common name for several distinct ethnic groups, actually--and a religion, but not necessarily both at the same time. My best answer would be that "someone is a Jew if they say they're a Jew, or if someone else calls them a Jew" -- the first because they think they're one, and the second because it gives you the problems of one even if you're not.

I thought the ethnic group itself was Semites, of which Jews were a subsection.

[Majin Gojira]

I even know a 'Jew' hater who is an Athiest.

I am now frightened...That's...wrong...

[Pablo Sanchez]

I thought the ethnic group itself was Semites, of which Jews were a subsection.

There isn't really a semite ethnic group anymore because it was submerged in the wake of the Islamic conquests.

[Durandal]

The Jews were originally put in charge of banking because Christians believed that it was a sin to charge interest, while the Jews did not. So basically, no good Christian could be a good banker.

[Xenophobe3691]

Speaking as a Jew, I can tell you this:

Inside the Jewish Community, you are a Jew if you've converted, or if your mother was a Jew.

As to whether they're a race, the answer is "Fuck No." My mother is a black convert, and my dad is a white Jew from birth.

[Durandal]

Jews are often treated as a race because of the way they've been persecuted historically. Clamoring for a "Jewish Homeland" also lends credence to the idea that they consider themselves to be a race of people.

[kojikun]

technically a jew is a christless christian. thats the only true difference: jews are still looking for their saviour.

[Rye]

technically a jew is a christless christian. thats the only true difference: jews are still looking for their saviour.

What're the muslims then? A jewish cult?

[SyntaxVorlon]

An arab cult that absorbed semitism and reconciled it with their beliefs.

[Durandal]

technically a jew is a christless christian. thats the only true difference: jews are still looking for their saviour.

What're the muslims then? A jewish cult?

Muslims believe that their holy book is the final revelation from God/Allah/Yahweh/Whatever. They think that the Bible is corrupted except for the books dealing with Moses and David and that Jesus was only a prophet.

And the differences between Judaism and Christianity may have been as simple as kojikun puts them when Christianity first started out, but as it gained power and influence, it shed a lot of older, Jewish-inspired traditions in order to assimilate those of other religions because it was becoming obvious that the remaining Jews weren't going to convert.

[SyntaxVorlon]

Yeah, christianity can be called basically a Pan-European religion.

[Ace Pace]

Jews held the roles of bankers in Europe because a few hundred years earlier christians wanted to be closer to jesus or some such nonsense and shunned bank work and jews so the two got together and had been together for a while, when christians wanted their all their money back and many of the top bankers in nothern europe, where jewish.

they wanted their money back, cause jew's would take items from the loaners, and when they didn't pay back, the Jewish bankers would sell them.

[SyntaxVorlon]

IIRC banks still do that.

[Xenophobe3691]

IIRC banks still do that.

But it's easier to blame the Jews than your own laziness.

[Pablo Sanchez]

IIRC banks still do that.

It's called collatoral, it's insurance for the bank.

[kojikun]

technical differences, as far as pur books are concerned, are these:

Jews: No messiah, still waiting
Christians: Messiah
Muslims: Jews with two more prophets

Technically. Cultural institution of the religions are different, tho.