Jews, Jesus and Republicans: Playing Ann Coulter's Game
To read Jon Wiener's most recent post, "[Expletive] the Jews. They didn't vote for us anyway": Republicans and Israel, click here.
The following piece was produced by the Huffington Post's OffTheBus.
When Ann Coulter remarked on CNBC that Jews should become Christians, it wasn't "a faux pas," and she wasn't being "an idiot," as many commentators suggested. Instead she was playing her game -- provoking her critics to get her into the media spotlight that helps sell her books. That raises the question: should the Republican candidates be asked whether they agree with Ann Coulter that America would be a better place if we were all Christians? Or is that simply playing Ann Coulter's game?
Many people are playing her game this time around: Rabbi Marvin Hier, founder and dean of the Simon Wiesenthal Center, denounced Coulter for speaking in "the classic language of anti-Semites throughout the millennia." The National Jewish Democratic Council asked broadcast news organizations not to give Coulter airtime. Then right wing talk radio got to yell at liberals for trying to deny Ann Coulter her right to free speech.
So it's happened again: Ann Coulter is controversial. Ann Coulter is important. We all need to take a stand for or against Ann Coulter's right to express her views, no matter how repugnant they may be.
But what if we ignored her latest publicity ploy? What if we didn't play Ann Coulter's game - again?
That would be a mistake, Tim Rutten argued recently in the LA Times. We need to press the issue on the candidates, and others, this time -- because, Rutten writes, "the implications of these latest remarks simply are too threatening to be allowed to stand."
Yes, it's worked for her many times before, propelling her books to the top of the best-seller list. Her readers buy her books precisely because they love the way she provokes liberals to screaming outrage. That's why in the past, when asked about our enemies in the Middle East, she said "We should invade their countries, kill their leaders and convert them to Christianity"; that's why she insulted the 9-11widows.
But this time, Rutten argues, it's different. That's because Coulter's argument - that Christianity "perfects" Judaism, and that Jews need "perfecting" -- is the major theological underpinning of anti-Semitism (along with the notion to that the Jews killed Jesus). The Catholic church, and most Protestant denominations, have explicitly broken with that claim. The Republican candidates ought to do the same thing.
"It's a scandal that in this pluralist nation it falls to the voices of organized Jewry to make this case," Rutten writes, "because it is a case whose outcome is of the greatest consequence to us all. For too long we've pretended that the brutal political rhetoric that now characterizes our partisan politics can be quarantined, that it won't inevitably leach over into every other aspect of our lives."
So it would be good to ask Rudy Giuliani, Mitt Romney and their rivals: Ann Coulter is a best-selling Republican pundit; do you agree with her that the ideal America is a Christian America?
Read more OffTheBus coverage here.
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I see that Ann, aka I’ll do or say anything for a buck,Coulter has once again made headlines. Her title of “Political Pundit” should be changed to “Political Panderer.” She plays well to the “Gimme that Ole Time Religion” Gang. She bombs big time with intelligent people of all faiths. She reminds of Triumph the Insult Dog. Sorry, Triumph, that was a low blow.
Ann Coulter is a human broken toilet that just keeps on overflowing with no control over what comes out. As they say, it takes two to tango. Simply refuse to dance with her in any format and the bluster will soon abort this weirdness.
Ask her to testify. If she's really a Borned-agin Christian like she implies, she'd be glad to. She bears little resemblance to what I would consider Christian, so I'll bet she starts whining about how she's there to promote her book, not her religious views (or lack thereof).
Ms. Coulter's remark requires response. Regardless of her motives for having made the remark, the remark, the concept that Jews need perfecting, is extremely dangerous.
In the 19th century, German culture decided that Jews were alien to German culture and could not be assimilated to it. Once the status of permanent outsider was given to the Jews of Germany, and then to all of humanity, the rest of the wretched story fell out with ineluctable logic, ending in the crematoria.
Ideas count. Our world is a conceptually structured organization of ideas. Bad ideas in, bad results out.
A Coulterian world is one of constant conflict, meaningless strife -- a world in which each individual is pitted one against the other in raw, brutal combat. Such an idea is beneath contempt.
John Hofer
GREAT! So well put! Unfortunately, you erudition is beyond the comprehension of those who really need to internalize your words, i.e., those who listen and buy in to AC's hate-filled screed,
Ann Coulter is like one of those fish that grows proportionally to the size of the fish tank which she inhabits. The media is the bowl in which she happily resides, for better or worse, protected by her Constitional Rights to say whatever she pleases while gaining remunerative rewards in the process. If we let her babble on, viewing her statements with a grain of salt, she will remain (like the fish) a talking-head that is limited to the attention the media throws her way. On another notes: Enough of Coulter's imitation of Sharon Stone's Basic Instinct, legs openings and closings sexual ploy-- see Donnie D. tape.
Jesus Saves! Coulter invests (in herself).
How is it when I was growing up Jewish, Jesus was never even considered an historical personage let alone the "Son of God"? Today, there is scant (none) evidence to indicate otherwise, and yet more and more Jews concede "he may have been the greatest Jew to have ever lived”? (As one Rabbi declared to me).
What changed? Joseph Campbell was one of the first to start unraveling the myth of Jesus Christ by proving that all, yes; all of the attributes and events of Jesus' life had been plagiarized from popular religions and myths around the world.
We know what Socrates looked like, but haven't a clue if the so-called 'son of heaven' was black or white?
We don't know, because the whole episode was manufactured out of cheesecloth as thinly meshed as the fraudulent Shroud of Turin.
Early Christians did not believe in the historical Jesus either. Even, Paul considered Christ a "spiritual" ideal, not a factual one.
There is even less evidence today, with much greater understanding about the nature of human storytelling as to conclude conclusively that not only is Christianity one of the 'greatest stories ever told', it is the greatest set of lies ever assimilated into the annals of human history.
But now, because of the necessary collusion implicit throughout all Judeo Christian belief systems we are witnessing a startling example of pseudo historic metamorphosis.
The Jews of the future will grow ever more assimilated into Christianity, because it is a politically feasible for them to do so.
Catholics, Protestants and Fundamentalists as a rule, are so fanatically supportive of Israel, Jews will be more and more persuaded to go along with their little hoax in exchange for the survival of Israel.
That's what has changed in the last fifty years.
Please leave out the bit about "Catholics, Protestants" because only the fundamentalist, rightwing of both traditions are supportive of Israel.
As for the claim that the myths around Jesus' life are plagiarized, I recently saw an exhibition of the Isis culture in Egypt during Greek and Roman times. The Egyptian mythology has Isis giving birth to a son (Horus) by having sex with her brother who then became the Lord of the Underworld. Her brother had been killed by some other god (whose name I forget) and then rose from the dead thanks to the efforts of Isis and her sister (resurrect
This cult was spread throughout the Mediterranean by the Ptolemies, Greeks who ruled Egypt postAlexander, and also adopted by the Romans. This was the time when Christianity got going and possibly explains some of the major theological differences between Judism and Christianity concerning such things as virgin birth, heaven and hell, resurrection, etc.
Judah was in fact an enabler? Since the Bible proclaims that God is omnipresent, omniscient, omnipotent (ultimately he lowered Himself to become a man made manifest through the person of Jesus Christ), then he knew at his last supper (Passover dinner) that Judas Iscariot (his closest friend) was going to betray him. He foretold this. John called Judas the devil in John 6:71. Though, Judas's act was not as betrayal, but rather as an act of obedience to the instructions of Jesus. This assumption is taken on the basis that Jesus required Judas to set in motion a events which he had preplanned in advance. In that sense Judas acted as a catalyst. The action of Judas, then, was a pivotal point which of pre-orchestrated events. Written in Against Heresies, in about 180 AD. For Jesus (Yeshua) to fore fill his destiny, then Judas had to complete his task. The other Disciples that betrayed him, were no less traitorous then Judas was. Also, when Jesus said `My God, my God, why have you forsaken me" John 8:28-29. Could he be referring to the fact that as a true believer in the Tanach and the 10 Commandments, he (Jesus) was upset with God that in his covenant with the Jews that before the Messiah would come, that Elijah the prophet would arrive? John the Baptist was not Elijah either. That was reason for the empty plate, at the table they were sitting at. Peter denied knowing Jesus three times, wasn't that a betrayal? We've got to get past this point of playing the blame game. Judaism and Christianity are 2 different faiths. Evangelicals are only pro-Israel because of 'The Book of Revelations'. Proclaiming that Israel must be restored to the Jews (e.g the 'End Times') and the coming of the Messiah.
Ann Coulter is the product of her environment. America has indoctrinated her into believing that this is a country which was "founded on Christianity" (if one ignores the fact that millions of Native Americans had their own Pagan religions, before the Europeans showed them the errors of their ways by converting them to the "true" religion of Christianity). These fanatics truly believe that anyone not of the Christian faith is "damned to hell." She therefore wants to carry on the good work of her Christian European ancestors by converting the Jews (and Muslims) to her faith, so that we can all be "saved" and avoid the misery of eternal damnation in hell: that netherworld of "lost souls," that mysterious region of fire and brimstone where there "shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth."
Ann Coulter represents the typical Republican of European extraction. She is arrogantly ethnocentric, possessing some warped belief that her way is the right way -- the ONLY way. She wants to spread "democracy" to the Middle Eastern Arabic countries -- even if we have to force it onto them by invading their countries -- so that they too can become greedy capitalists willing to insult anybody in any public forum, if it will help to sell books and make lots of money. After all, making lots of money is the goal of our society -- no matter what harm one does in the process...
I'm sure that Ann Coulter's behavior is doing wonders in our effort to convert Islamic countries to democracies. The message that they are receiving from her conduct is, "You, too, can be like this, if you become a democracy.
Freedom of speech is our right guarenteed in our constitution; but if one blatantly abuses that right, as she does, then one shouldn't expect to "win over" the hearts and minds of others whom one is trying to convert. Why would anyone want to convert to a system that produces the likes of Ann Coulter?
The American Indian believed in a "Great Spirit"
which reflects very closely the concept of God.
As much as I might dislike her, I respect Ann Coulter. No wait, hear me out.
The reason I respect her is that she has the gumption to speak out loud what conservatives really do think. Many conservatives will hide their true agenda until the last minute - not Ann Coulter. The truth is that Christians DO evangelize in Jewish communities in America and throughout the world. Does anyone really think Christian evangelists aren't desperately hoping to convert Jews? To be an evangelical Christian and to deny this fact is to turn your back on both secular pluralism and your own religious beliefs at the same time, and that is simply pathetic.
The thing I hate is those with a Neocon agenda like Bill Krystal, David Horowitz, Laura Ingraham or Crazy Ann get away with any kind of bigotry and are invited on network TV to spew it, while a regular guy
like Don Imus gets crucified for a joke.
And for a second coming to happen the Jews have to
accept Jesus as Savior. According to some fundamentalists.
What makes the second coming so damn important that the Jews of the world must GIVE UP their religion? You think this is an OK tradeoff?
Unfortunately those who can yak away in the media DO play into her game and corporate media facilitates it. Why don't those talking heads FOR ONCE say 'I will not comment on AC's rants, we all know her politics and this is her strategy to sell books and I am NOT going to buy into it.'
And frankly I dunno why the hosts of these talk shows allow her to be on plugging her 'new' book - it just contains the same old stuff - rantings about liberals, IT'S NOTHING NEW OR THE LEAST BIT INTERESTING.
One can only hope it flops.
Jon just devoted more than a few cyber-column-inches to Coulter and then solemnly instructs the rest of us to ignore her? I don't think so.
Asking the Repug candidates what they think of her remark could actually render this waste of skin and hair somewhat useful. If nothing else, there would be huge entertainment value in watching the likes of Brownback, Romney and Huckie squirm and duck and weave.
Yeah, Coulter aims to be an entertainer and to keep renewing her 15 minutes of fame. So what? Is there anybody left in the universe as we know it who doesn't know what a lethal weapon humor can be? And remember, no one forced or coaxed her into adopting an ignorant-bigot persona, she chose to do that. That says something about her basic lack of character.
Anyone who thinks this kind of talk is harmless is in dire need of a good history course.
Perhaps the thing to do is to push her farther. "If Jews need 'perfecting,' Ann, what should be done with those who don't submit to that?"
Here, Ann, have some more rope.
her answer would be what ALL good christians believe, that those who don't convert will burn in hell for eternity. i hater her, i hate people for being duped by her book-selling schtick, but in this case she is simply being honest about what christians believe, so i hope young people will see disgusting Ann and realize the disgusting truth she's telling that religion is a deceptive scam of hate-filled snake oil.
Ann Coulter is a media invention. What education or experience does she have that would make her opinion of anything valid. As far as I can tell the only expertise she has is to say outrageous things and then cash in on the fallout. She is just a ratings tool. That American's buy her books in such large numbers is only one more indication of what a troubled nation you are.
If Ann's comments had been directed at Arabs, Muslims, and or Islam (which by the way it happens every day in the Americam Media), this would not have been an issue.
If I've asked it once, I've asked it a thousand times... What religion doesn't think it's the best choice?
Do Christians think Judaism is better? No. Do Jews think Muslims have it right? No. Do Muslims want to convert to Christianity? Not unless they're trying a new ploy to avoid the death sentence.
I don't take it personally that a Jew or a Muslim thinks his/her religious beliefs are better than mine. And niether should they about me.
It's a mole hill being made into a mountain and there are bigger Kosher fish to fry here.
Re: "What religion doesn't think it's the best choice?" It's the old chicken and egg scenario. The Pentateuch or the Torah was written 600-800 BCE. The Hebrew Bible was codified in 450 BCE. They have covenants to live by, and Christians were freed of them. Plus, Jews don't have Hell. Muslims believe that the verses of the Qur'an were revealed to Muhammad by God in a vision, through the angel Gabriel about 610 AD. They believe that Abraham, Moses, Jesus, were prophets. Though, Islam believes that Judaism and Christianity distorted the messages of these prophets and other prophets over time. To the Moslems, both Christians and Jews are Infidels. I was brought up a Catholic, and obviously I knew from an early age what were the fundamental differences of Christianity and Judaism were. I also knew that Jesus and his 12 disciples were Jewish. There really is no best choice. To be a Jew you have to have a Jewish mother or bloodline, they don't go out proselytizing for conversions. If you want to go to heaven and you're a Christion, you must believe that Jesus died for your sins and in salvation. There are really no choices, just different faiths. The problem is, immoral followers of all faiths.
OK. Let's assume Jews don't think that Muslims "have it right" (not at all true). The difference is that Jews don't CARE. BE a Muslim. BE a Christian. It's all good.
Ironically, in some circles, that would be called the "Christian" way.
We should all take a deep breath and be thankful we live in a country where freedom of speech is valued over content.
Where else can one go and have such a field day at bashing public figures...
I agree with everyone, these leeches in the media are shallow and really contribute nothing of substance, but I would be the first to defend their right to speak; it's our shock valued culture that feeds the attention to the media monster.
Which media leech are you talking about--Coulter or Rutten?
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