Upon contemplating Antisemitism and hatred

This IS long but as I always say READ it all, stop and think and above ALL else please remember what I always say;

"Words and their meanings DO matter"

And as I always ask IF you like what I say PLEASE share to enlighten others! 

Upon contemplating Antisemitism and hatred. 

Last night as I tried to sleep the two old guys in my brain were in melt down mold regarding the multitude of comments regarding the death of Charlie Kirk and comments on Jesus Christ -Christianity and Judaism that may have reinforced historical antisemitic tropes raised in speeches by several speakers -specifically Tucker Carlson on those aspects of Christianity based on the historical narrative to blame "the Jews" for the death of Jesus. 

Allow me to reiterate as I have written many times before. That as a very proud and REAL Jew, albeit a very secular raised reform "Heart of Dixie" Southern Jew. I have absolutely no qualms regarding MY Jewish faith, nor am I "envious" nor hate filled in my view of those who cannot fathom the fact that as is written, HaShem- YHWH (the LORD), the self-existent, true God choose “US”.

Talking, as I frequently do at night to the darkness, to a non-physical, transcendent God the “Invisible God” is a distinctive feature of the Jewish concept of God and prayer.  (As to why? I refer you to Sigmund Freud (1856–1939) who was arguably the most famous name in psychology and considered the father of Psychoanalysis.)

There is one central fact that all believers in one God -as Charlie Kirk noted from the “Talnach” -the Old Testament Scriptures there is but one "He WHO IS, WAS and forever BE" YHWH (the LORD), the self-existent, true God who created us all. 

Allow me to mention that as someone who has been on the edge of death many times in combat and on the operating table for cancer (before surgery the doctor gave me 10% chance of survival) and chemotherapy- which I would not wish anyone to experience. I have come close to OUR maker. 

Add to this my profound PTSD from the IEDs in Lebanon I experienced with the horrific experience as a combat medic of holding dying "kids" in my arms to comfort them in their last moments because my medical supplies were exhausted and help was "on the way"..... 

We who have experienced death, who see the faces of those brothers who died, almost every other night and we ask the Lord WHY?  Why do I continue to live, and they died? 

And as these two old guys argued about the blind hatred in this world, I was reminded of the play "Jesus Christ Superstar" music written by: Andrew Lloyd Webber with lyrics by Tim Rice.

Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice at first chose to release it as a concept album in 1970 first because no producers were initially willing to fund a stage production of a rock opera based on the final days of Jesus Christ. The massive success of the album led to its eventual move to the stage on Broadway in 1971.

 Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice provided clear explanations for why they wrote Jesus Christ Superstar, focusing on a line from the Bob Dylan song, "With God on Our Side," which asked:  “Did Judas Iscariot have God on his side?” 

Tim Rice was fascinated by Judas, who he felt was often portrayed in the Bible as a simple "cardboard cut-out figure of evil." He wanted to explore the character's psychology and motivations. Andrew Lloyd Webber has said the show is an attempt to "examine why it was that Judas betrayed somebody that he clearly loved." 

The entire rock opera tells the story of Jesus's final days primarily through Judas's eyes, portraying him as a close friend and former follower who becomes concerned about the direction and growing fame ("superstar" status) of Jesus's movement, fearing it will provoke a violent and disastrous reaction from the Roman authorities. 

Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice wanted to explore the human side of the biblical figures and create a contemporary work that would be acceptable to today’s audiences.

They were young, ambitious, and eager to tell a dramatic story through the language of modern rock music (incorporating rock, gospel, funk, and folk). As this style of music was the "language of that generation," they felt it was the right vehicle to make the ancient story resonate with a contemporary, often agnostic or secular, audience. 

Rice wanted to Humanize Christ by depicting Jesus not just as God, but as a man grappling with his mission, his growing celebrity, and the burden of his fate.

In the play Judas Iscariot, is portrayed not as a greedy villain, but as a tragic, politically minded friend who is trying to save Jesus and the Jewish nation from what he views as Jesus's self-destructive path ("getting too big"). His motivations are political and misguided, not born of intrinsic evil or religious hatred. 

The Play:

The character of Judas Iscariot in Jesus Christ Superstar has some of the most complex and pivotal songs in the musical. His lyrics are marked by fear for his people, distrust of the growing cult-like following around Jesus, and profound regret over his actions. 

Here are the words for some of Judas's key songs and lyrical moments: 

"Heaven On Their Minds"

Was Judas's opening song, where he expresses his concerns about Jesus's growing popularity and how it will inevitably lead to a Roman crackdown.

"My mind is clearer now, at last, all too well, I can see where we all soon will be."

"If you strip away the myth from the man, you will see where we all soon will be. Jesus! You've started to believe the things they say of you, you really do believe this talk of God is true."

"And all the good you've done will soon get swept away. You've begun to matter more than the things you say."

"We are occupied! Have you forgotten how put down we are? I am frightened by the crowd, for we are getting much too loud, and they'll crush us if we go too far."

"All your followers are blind”…"too much heaven on their minds."

 In the play Judas often critiques Jesus's actions from a political and practical standpoint, especially regarding money and resources. Like in this snippet of his reaction to Mary Magdalene anointing Jesus with expensive oil.

"Woman, your fine ointment—brand new and expensive—could have been saved for the poor! Why has it been wasted? We could have raised maybe three hundred silver pieces or more."

and

"People who are hungry, people who are starving, they matter more than your feet and hair!"

Regarding the "Death of Judas" we see that he is consumed by guilt and horror after betraying Jesus and seeing his subsequent suffering, Judas then sings this anguished song before taking his own life.

• "Christ! I know you can't hear me, but I only did what you wanted me to!"
• "Christ! I'd sell out the nation for I have been saddled with the murder of you!"
• "I have been spattered with innocent blood! I should be dragged through the slime and the mud!"
• "My mind is in darkness now, my God, I am sick! I've been used, and you knew all, all the time!"
• "God, I'll never ever know why you choose me for your crime... your foul, bloody crime!"
• "You have murdered me!"

 Judas then appears one final time after his death as a spectral figure in the song "Superstar," where he questions Jesus's plan and legacy from a modern perspective.

• "Don't you get me wrong. I only want to know: Jesus Christ, Superstar, who are you?
• What have you sacrificed?"
• "Every time I look at you, I don't understand why you let the things you did get so out of hand."
• "Now why'd you choose such a backward time and such a strange land?"

These lyrics highlight Judas's central role as the skeptical, rational, and ultimately tragic figure who acts, in his mind, for the greater good of his people, only to be overwhelmed by the terrible consequences.

As to whether the play "Jesus Christ Superstar" was antisemitic is a subject of historical and ongoing controversy.

The consensus is that while the creators did not intend to be antisemitic, the show's dramatic choices and reliance on traditional gospel narratives can unfortunately reinforce historical antisemitic tropes for some viewers.

The controversy stems from the musical's portrayal of the events leading to the crucifixion, which mirrors the narrative that has historically been used to promote the deicide charge—blaming the Jewish people for the death of Jesus.

Specifically, in the portrayal of the High Priest Caiaphas and his fellow priests as villains dark, sinister, and purely evil figures, whose sole motivation is a cynical desire to eliminate Jesus to preserve their own power and avoid a Roman crackdown.

Their song, "This Jesus Must Die," is presented without a sympathetic counterpoint, making them appear as the unquestionable antagonists driven by malice. This theatrical demonization reinforces a long-standing negative stereotype of Jewish religious authority. 

In the trial scene ("Trial Before Pilate") reflective of the infamous “Passion plays”, the Jewish crowd is shown screaming "Crucify him!" to Roman Governor Pontius Pilate.

To many this spectacle emphasizes the demand for Jesus's death coming from the Jewish people. The true fact in the end it was Pontius Pilate, and the Roman colonial power who were responsible for the ultimate crucifixion.  

 Many of the productions of the play were criticized for their costuming and direction, which sometimes depicted the Jewish leaders in an overtly villainous or cartoonishly evil manner (e.g., hooded black robes, sinister makeup), further separating them from the sympathetic characters.

Some people have such an abyss of deep dark hatred in their souls that they cannot see the light… 

So, now I ask that everyone cease and desist the hatred and arguing and try to listen to "He who is" YHWH (the LORD), the self-existent, true God as was embodied in the "Burning Bush" (the voice of God) speaking to Moses from epic 1956 film "The Ten Commandments" made by the legendary Hollywood filmmaker Cecil B. DeMille. 

"I will teach thee what thou shalt say... Tell them: I AM THAT I AM hath sent thee."

Exodus 20:2-3 “I am the Lord thy God” and “"You shall have NO other gods before me."”