08 December 2010

By Gilad Atzmon

Last week I posted a very well-made video featuring Dr Hajo Meyer. I allowed myself to offer a light criticism of Meyer who suggested that "Jews were pioneers of inter-human ethics"

I wrote:

"Though I agree and support Meyer's stand against Israel I also think that Meyer may be slightly wrong. The Old Testament certainly contains some isolated patches of ethical insights. However, the vast majority of Jewish teaching, the Jewish Bible and the Talmud are anti humanist, non ethical, racially supremacist and tribally orientated."

It didn't take long before some people out there found my criticism offensive and inappropriate. As we all know truth is 'offensive'. But then, pretty much out of the blue Dr Meyer appeared on my mail box. In the most respected and amicable manner he wrote:

Your criticism of my text is correct.

I now know that Rabbi Hillel's golden rule was actually formulated

500 years earlier by Confucius.

Besides, modern ethnology has shown that empathy is evolutionary determined.

This makes the Israeli crimes look worse.

Best regards

Hajo

(Dr Meyer gave his permission to publish this email)

It is indeed refreshing to come across a person like Meyer, a man who is driven by ethics and intellectual integrity. I salute the man and admire his courage.

Hajo Meyer on Jews and Palestine (must see)

Gilad Atzmon: I think that this film is very effective, the message is clear and transparent.

I salute Dr Hajo Meyer and the person behind this short video.

However, Dr Meyer whom I admire says, "Jews were pioneers of inter-human ethics"

Though I agree and support Meyer's stand against Israel I also think that Meyer may be slightly wrong here. The Old Testament certainly contains some isolated patches of ethical insights. However, the vast majority of Jewish teaching, the Jewish Bible and the Talmud are anti humanist, non ethical, racially supremacist and tribally orientated.

I could agree with Meyer that Jesus Christ can be seen as the last Jewish prophet, and yet Christ's attempt to universalize Judaism was rejected by the Jews of his time. The rabbinical authorities have also rejected Jesus and his teaching since then.

As devastating as it may be, Israeli brutality is consistent with a very unfortunate yet common interpretation of Judaism and the spirit of the Old Testament.

Meyer ends up saying that "Israel destroys the Jewish world and the Jewish heritage."

Again, unlike Meyer I think that Israel is actually consistent with Jewish heritage. Within this very heritage, the voices of reason and universal ethics are always silenced by a brutal call for conformity. We do not know whether Israel is going to succeed in "destroying the Jewish world", however, we certainly witness an Israeli attempt to destroy the Palestinian people (in particular) and the Muslim world (in general). I guess that it is the Palestinians we should care for rather than the Jews or their heritage. I am sure that Dr Meyer would agree with me about that.

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