I was shocked and may have been a bit rude

[stopdiggin]

71. I probably dropped the ball

in articulating my main point - in that that I think the "Jews killed Jesus" twaddle is (and always has been) a cover - for a political and power struggle engineered by the Church. I.e. - the animus has always been about group dynamic struggles, legitimacy, power and access -and yes, oftentimes wealth, and the ability to seize something belonging to the unworthy, and unsanctioned. It's classic 'us and them' stuff.

And, frankly, I doubt very much that Church leaders (who are the only ones that counted in the animus/propaganda department, being as the vast majority of the population was totally illiterate and had no inkling what was in the 'good book' beyond what they were told)- spent a whole lot of time wringing their hands over what the Jews did to 'poor Jesus.' They were far too busy fattening their own purse, and building an empire.

So, to put it in a nutshell - I think the "Jews killed Jesus" palaver stands very much in the place of a modern day meme - being spoon fed to the gullible and ignorant - to serve an always underlying, and mostly dishonest, purpose. Always and ever a tool - and never a legitimate core belief.

And - all of this with a measure of respect for you, and your chosen beliefs. Yes, our social constructs do say much about us. And my faith (and on a lot of days it is a tested one) is that we continue to improve and advance on these.
------- ---- ------------