Ann Coulter Is Right: Christianity Is Judaism 2.0

I realize that Ann Coulter is a very disturbed person whose views are hateful and destructive. That said, her analysis of Christianity as a more perfect Judaism comes right out of New Testament scripture. I know that Donny Deutsch was shocked at her answer because he probably has not read the New Testament. Essentially the Christian scripture states quite clearly that Christianity is based upon what is called the "second covenant" with the god of Abraham. Obviously a "second covenant" would not have been necessary under Christian theology unless the "first covenant" was broken by the Jews.

Christianity is a supercessionist religion that blames the Jews for not fulfilling the "first covenant." The issue for Jewish scholars and theologists is "supercessionism," the traditional Christian teaching that the Old Israel was replaced with Christ's sacrifice by a New Israel--the Church--and by generations of Christians who often sought to get even with those they blamed for Christ's death. Accordingly, the Jews were selectively persecuted since Constantine converted to Christianity. The force of the Roman legions added to the vicious teachings of the New Testament viz-a-vis the Jews. The Romans had killed almost 2 million Jews during the Roman wars prior to the writing of the New Testament.

The Romans were at war with the rebellious Judeans for over 100 years at the beginning of the "common era (C.E)." Arius Calpernius Piso, was a Roman general who commanded the 7th Legion before the destruction of the "second temple." Piso wrote a propaganda piece against the Jews under the name of Flavius Josephus a supposed historian of that period. The Jesus story evolved from those writings which included three of the Gospel stories written between 70 and 90 C.E. The so-called historical Jesus is only recorded in the New Testament and in the writings of Josephus. But, Josephus was really a Roman general who wrote the story to condemn the Jews and justify the destruction of the Temple and the Jewish rebels. Accordingly, the initial Jesus story was written by a supposed historian who essentially wrote 3 of the Gospel stories.

The writings of Piso had a specific purpose militarily for Rome long before the conversion of Constantine in the 4th Century C.E. The early Christian movement was not at all hostile to the Jews and both religions peacefully coexisted. Unfortunately for the Jews, the conversion of Constantine put the force of the Roman legions behind the New Testament. Since that time, Christian soldiers for centuries have made their arguments with the sword of Constantine. That power has allowed Christianity to endorse slavery, violence, and the exploitation of non-Christians to this day. The problems of the Middle East evolved from Christian colonialism and European anti-Semitism that ultimately led to the Holocaust and the State of Israel. Many from the Christian right are now exploiting the "end of days" belief to support Israel yet for almost 2,000 years these Christian fundamentalists were anti-Semitic.

I personally believe that the Old and New Testament have led to dangerous belief systems for fundamentalists of the followers of the god of Abraham. Rigid belief systems are dangerous for our society because they prevent open discussion of new ideas and scientific advancement. Those who have knee-jerk reactions to the teachings of Christianity should read the New Testament to get some perspective. That is why Donny Deutsch was shocked when Ann Coulter suggested that Christianity was a more perfect form of Judaism. Unfortunately, many Jews have not read the New Testament and are bewildered about its teachings.

Comments

[BMBTHC]

I love reading all the internet historians out there arguing about Josephus citing chapter, verse, and URL. Whether or not he was Francis Bacon or Cicero or Jim Morrison or Elvis or whatever theory you buy into, he was hardly a prophet. Perhaps he had an agenda? Perhaps the zealots had an agenda?

I would venture to add that Islam is Judaism 3.0? Funny how the latest version accepts the previous versions' God but not the other way around. The software analogy is really quite good. It's a bit like MS Word.

Brief interlude....
"F#$k everybody but cave 59!"
The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want a Hummer H2 SUT with a V8 and the optional machine-gun mount in the flatbed. Fast cars, girls in bikinis... kill, kill, kill.

Sorry, I get these waves of the crazies. It must be from reading these comments.

By the by... read some Tacitus people.

[MeloMaloPaulino]

I am familiar with both Anne Coulter and Donny Deutsch's perspectives on this. there was a time when this rapper was a preacher. and I also believed that Judaism was "part one" of Christianity. It may or may not have to do with the fact that i was involved with a fundamentalist Christian cult that believes there is only one church that is saved(International Churches of Christ). I am now an agnostic that believes we as a global community need to view all of these ancient scriptures we hold so emphatically to be the word of god as philosophy and history, not law and doctrine. The Koran and the Bible speak the same messages; love one another, worship god, kill for religion, feed the church money.
It's time to bring the religion of science to the forefront and explore ways to better humanity and our only habitat instead of worrying about the folklore of the past.
Somehow after all these wars we are still tribe people that believe in fairy tales like reasons for war. If i was President I'd make friends with Russia and pursue heavy economic sanctions on Iran, get the troops out of Iraq, not put EXPERIMENTAL missiles in Europe, find Bin Laden and have people beat the crap out of him at least a little and then i'd outlaw torture again. Anyway, don't put too much importance on the mandates of religion. Stick to those prophets who knew that they knew nothing, like Socrates. I'll also contradict myself and recommend the book of Proverbs in the Bible by King Solomon himself at a bookstore near you. Lately i'm into Buddhism because it focuses on not believing the ego is the center of the world. There will be no Buddhist war any time soon.

[belikejeanvaljean]

I agree that Ann Coulter is hateful. She is a poor representative for any belief she espouses. Hatefulness and arrogance are antithetical to the teachings of Jesus.

Your "facts" about Josephus and the gospels are incorrect, however. Evidence indicates that they were written by the authors to whom they are attributed.

As an evangelical Christian, I have never heard anyone in any church speak against the Jews. The New Testament says that NO ONE is perfect and thus we are all in need of a Savior. Old Testament laws and prophecy point out these things.

As a Christian, I owe a debt to the Jews. They remain God's chosen people and God's plan for mankind was fulfulled through them. Jesus and his disciples were Jews. Much of the New Testament writings were addressed to Jews and are best understood in the context of Judaism of that day. Most of the early church were Jews who believed that Jesus was a fulfillment of their religion - the coming of the promised Messiah.

Paul says in Romans 1:16 that salvation through Jesus was given first to the Jews, then to the Gentiles. In Matthew 15:21-28, Jesus makes this clear (in one of many teachable moments with his disciples):

"A Canaanite woman from that vicinity came to him, crying out, 'Lord, Son of David, have mercy on me! My daughter is suffering terribly from demon-possession.'

"Jesus did not answer a word. So his disciples came to him and urged him, 'Send her away for she keeps crying out after us.'

"He answered, 'I was sent only to the lost sheep of Israel.'

"The woman came and knelt before him. 'Lord, help me!' she said.

"He replied, 'It is not right to take the children's (Israelites) bread and toss it to their dogs (Gentiles).'

"'Yes, Lord,' she said, 'but even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their master's table.'

"Then Jesus answered, 'Woman, you have great faith! Your request is granted.' And her daughter was healed from that very hour."

[JudyGee]

What a creepy deal this is. A banana republic with a state religion, and for most Americans, unsettling and bizarre. We no longer have a country without the vision and ideals of the founding fathers, chief among which was the separation of church and state. Since we have nothing any longer, we are nothing. I suppose being a theocracy is something, although not something worth having. Perhaps, we can model ourselves after Eurotrash and a medieval European class system, or install a Sheik to rule, while we become impoverished by the cost of his teacups.
What moronic crap this bloated pontificating about religion is. What a sad, terrible, unconscionable loss is our loss of honor and dignity and country.

[SpaceCommand]

Please watch the old Twilight Zone, "The Obsolete Atheist."

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KWEU13PMmQg

You are very right to say "Rigid belief systems are dangerous for our society because they prevent open discussion of new ideas and scientific advancement." Ahem, maybe "political correctness," fits the bill too?

Religion is not the problem, it is those who flock to the worst of it, and forget the best of it who are the problem. Existing in parallel dimensions, they envision the Orwellian and sanctify it. But that goes for any secular philosophy as well. Paradise on earth through Atheistic Communism? You can do the math, the body count. And look at the results? More monopoly and less freedom.

Will anyone get the issues straight for once? It is freedom versus tyranny, not "left versus right," and any other number of "isms," versus one another. Tyranny can be Wall Mart using Chinese labor at ridiculously low prices, or "political correctness," shutting off debate about it.

Treat Ann Coulter's word play alongside any other number of opinionated circles as the proverbial "Canary in the Coal Mine," regarding a free and open society, and you might get the drift of it. The only trouble is the canary although stuffed and on the mantle, is treated as if alive and well.

[jqcitizen]

Mr. Drobny-
Your personal observation that Ann Coulter is "a very disturbed person" may well be correct. You also opined that Danny Deutch has probably not read the New Testament.
Your article recited the history of Christianity with the exception of the protestations of Martin Luther to the Pope, hundreds of years ago. The Protestants have evolved into countless demoninations. Today, the "Evangelical" christians, are the only ones that are correct in all aspects of human life. -Unless you are a Marion Gordon "Pat" Robertson, who claims to be a Judeo-Christian and therefore seems to be saying he a Protestant and also of Jewish faith, but in no way a Catholic.
To me, there is only one God. I do not to pretend to understand the various religions of the world, but will not condemn any unless I understand it.
If Deutch has only read the Old Testament and therefore not perfect, according to Coulter, then it might be good for her to read the Book of Mormon, so she could become "Perfect".
Thanks for a good Post. Hopefully your message was that as voters, we should leave our religious beliefs aside when we cast our ballots.

[Dap]

Dear Mr. Drobny,

I always enjoy it when you share your extensive historical knowledge on subjects. This time is no exception, it's a fine essay.

We human beings spend far too much of our energy on inane pursuits, and our lust for the blood of one another is insane. Agape.

[christopherestep]

Wow. That was a very good post and ironically, it was pretty much what I was going to write on my own blog, but now I don't have to.

The problem we have here is the political correct society we live in almost requires people of faith to not say what they truly teach because it will offend someone. Nobody likes to be told that their religion is wrong or it needs improving, but the fact is that most religions do actually teach that.

What is the point of having any belief system if you don't believe that it is the one that is most correct? Most religions believe in a linear path to salvation as opposed to the "many paths to the same place" but the problem is that everyone's afraid to come right out and say it.

Shortyfuse: Christopher Hitchens would be better, to be honest.

[Kansas Evans]

Let me say up front, there's no justification for anti-Semitism. Including "getting even with those who killed Jesus." A concept I've never understood.

Now, I'm not going to take that back, I just disagree with your interpretation about the 2nd covenant. Or, at least, your implications that Christians believe that the Jews broke the first covenant. I've never heard that idea.

The need for a second covenant is mentioned in the Old Testament prophetic books. As well as the coming of a Mesiah. The difference between Jews and Christians is that we, Christians, beleive Jesus was the Mesiah. We believe Jews (as well as everyone else) should accept Jesus, but I don't know what Coulter was talking about with the whole perfection thing. But, I've never heard of the idea that Jews broke the first covenant. In fact, what I've been taught is that no human would've been able to keep the first covenant; that Jesus fulfilled the first covenant as the final sacrifice for all sins.

I could get into some details, but it'd require a rehashing one of three topics from a philosophy class I took.

Now, preemptively for those who will be offended by the fact that we believe everyone should accept Christ: don't worry. I don't believe in religious test for political positions. I don't believe religion should be forced on you. I'm for equality for everyone regardless of their beliefs or nonbelief. Other than that, there's not much I can say. I believe what I believe.

[jdevienne]

What is your evidence that Josephus was "really" A. Calpurnius Piso? This is hardly an established fact.

[kms34786]

I think you missed the point. Her response was to a hypothetical of what would a perfect world look like if Ann Coulter could design it. Of all of the vices, inequalities, and problems that she chose to solve; she chose ridding the world of Jews.

Amazing!!!!

There's much that I would change in the world, ridding the world of hunger and malnutrition. Getting rid of pollution. Stopping global warming. Ending political strife. Making the world fee and democratic. But of all the things I could select, abolishing any particular religion never comes to mind.

She is a shrill, huckster selling her particular brand of hatred to the masses. Quite frankly I find it terrifying that NBC continues to promote her.

[TimeToThink]

We have to just give up on all these well outdated thoughts. Organized religion and myths and twisted morals are ready for the dust bin of human thinking.

Hard to convince human sheep to give up warm comfort though I know! Sigh.

[ReasonIsMyReligion]

The sequels are never as good as the originals.

[johnhummel]

I think the issue is not "is Ann Coulter, from a Christian perspective, correct". From a Mormon perspective, Mormons are Christians 3.0. From the Muslim perspective, they are better followers of Christ than the Christians (first part of the Koran has some attacks against Christians for not following the things Jesus had taught).

The issue is with her statement of "Well, I want to see all Jews converted *to become perfected*." Just because something makes sense form your religious viewpoint doesn't mean you get to dictate to the rest of the world what to believe, and how to act. If the Coulters and their ilk had their way, then there would be separation of church and state.

That, I think, is what prompted the hosts abject horror. Look at her other statements that it would be best to kill Muslim leaders and force Christianity on them. Why? Well, because according to her religious views, that's the right thing to do, after all!

That is the true horror of her statement and those who agree with it: it removes personal choice of religion, and replaces it with forced State religion of whatever religion gets the most votes to ram their beliefs down everyone elses throats. It's the exact opposite of what the Founders had hoped for.

So I don't care if she's "right" from a religious perspective - her views are dangers, and I have no problem boycotting any show that decides they need to invite her on to peddle her ideas of hate and intolerance.

[johnhummel]

Whoops - meant "*no* separation of church and state". Fat fingers...

[ceu]

It's really too bad that so-called Christians like Coulter never took to heart the part of the Bible that says "Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself", "Blessed are the peacemakers", and "the meek shall inherit the earth".

As to this: "The so-called historical Jesus is only recorded in the New Testament and in the writings of Josephus", you should be aware that the historical Jesus also appears in the writings found at Nag Hammadi, known as the Gnostic Gospels.

[BMBTHC]

But these texts are not definitively dated and were likely written much later than Josephus (whoever that is)... I think the standard dates are from the 2nd to the 4th centuries...
Also the Gnostic texts, though interesting and probably good to check out for anyone interested in being Christian without being creepy, they are often rather strange and hardly a place I'd go looking for history.

Euhemerism, I think is the word...?