Freedom Writer - May 1994 [ref001] Anti-Semitism:Its prevalence within the Christian Right

Freedom Writer - May 1994

[ref001]

Anti-Semitism:Its prevalence within the Christian Right

By Skipp Porteous

A study by the Institute for First Amendment Studies found a prevalence 
of anti-Semitism within the Christian Right. While some of the prejudice 
and hostility toward Jews is concealed, much is blatant. Stereotyping 
of Jews is widespread; and anti-Semitism in the form of aggressive 
missionary activity threatens the very existence of Judaism. 

Several disturbing trends indicate that -- unless sweeping changes 
are made -- anti-Semitism within conservative Christianity will not 
only continue as a long-term problem, but will escalate sharply. Thousands 
of private Christian schools and Christian home schools utilize anti-Semitic 
textbooks. These textbooks include the "original" McGuffey's Readers, 
which have enjoyed a tremendous resurgence in recent years, and books 
published by Bob Jones University Press for use in Christian schools.

Additionally, the Christian Right's anti-abortion movement has anti-Semitic 
overtones. Anti-abortion groups such as Operation Rescue and Life 
Dynamics list "Jewish doctors" as the leading performers of abortion.

So-called "humanism" is under attack by the Religious Right in schools 
and other institutions across the country. Condemnation of humanism 
has anti-Semitic roots. Though seldom mentioned, Christian Right leaders 
link humanism with Judaism, saying "Judaism grew out of the rejection 
of Jesus Christ and steadily became humanism."1

Other disturbing observations involve a melding of extreme right-wing 
anti-Semites and their mainstream counterparts. Pastor Pete Peters, 
a nationally known anti-Semitic Christian Identity preacher, has found 
a home on the Keystone Inspiration Network. This Christian "family" 
network is available on cable TV in approximately 120 cities across 
the country.

The Rev. Donald Wildmon, the Methodist minister who heads the American 
Family Association (AFA), is no stranger to accusations of anti-Semitism. 
Though he denies being anti-Semitic, he has emerged as the darling 
of the anti-Semitic Liberty Lobby. In fact, his AFA has a special 
spot on Liberty Lobby's LogoPlex, an extreme-rightist computer bulletin 
board service.

Ofttimes, only the most blatant anti-Semitic incidents are reported. 
Much of the anti-Semitism within conservative Christianity goes unnoticed 
and unreported. Some forms are so subtle that only those familiar 
with the code words and innuendo can spot it. 

Stereotyping

Stereotyping is among the most common form of anti-Semitism. This 
is evidenced by the words of many well-known Christian leaders, among 
them the Rev. Bailey Smith. "I don't know why God chose the Jew," 
Smith said. "They have such funny noses."2

Outward appearance, though, is not the only way some leaders characterize 
Jews. The Rev. Dan C. Fore, former head of the Moral Majority in New 
York, said, "I love the Jewish people deeply. God has given them talents 
He has not given others. They are His chosen people. Jews have a God-given 
ability to make money...They control the media, they control this 
city."3

"A few of you don't like the Jews and I know why," said the Rev. Jerry 
Falwell. "He [sic] can make more money accidently than you can make 
on purpose."4

Missionary Activity

A second form of anti-Semitism involves missionary activity directed 
at Jews. Many conservative Christian leaders hold the view that Judaism 
is an invalid religion, that Jews who don't believe in Jesus are "unsaved" 
or "incomplete." The offensiveness of this type of anti-Semitism should 
be obvious, but often goes unnoticed.

"It's interesting at great political rallies," preached the Rev. Bailey 
Smith, "how you have a Protestant to pray, a Catholic to pray, and 
then you have a Jew to pray. With all due respect to those dear people, 
my friends, God Almighty does not hear the prayer of a Jew. For how 
in the world can God hear the prayer of a man who says that Jesus 
Christ is not the true Messiah? That is blasphemy."5

The Rev. Jerry Falwell sanctioned this viewpoint in his book, _Listen,_
America!_ "The Jews are returning to their land of unbelief. They 
are spiritually blind and desperately in need of their Messiah and 
Savior. Yet they are God's people, and in the world today Bible-believing 
Christians are the best friends the nation Israel has."6

Falwell correctly points out that he and other American fundamentalist 
Christians support the nation of Israel. It should be noted, however, 
that this support is for a piece of real estate, the land of Israel, 
and not necessarily for the Jewish people.

Pat Robertson, too, thinks of Jews as "spiritually deaf" and "spiritually 
blind." In the end times, Robertson believes, Jews will be brought 
in as "offerings to the Lord."7 He predicts mass conversions of Jews 
to Christianity, and toward this end, Robertson built a Christian 
radio station in Lebanon to beam the Gospel into the Jewish state, 
which Fundamentalists believe will eventually be inherited by Christians. 
For the present, Jews occupy the land as caretakers.

Many Christian organizations presume an obligation to convert Jews 
to Christianity. While Jews for Jesus may be the most well-known of 
these groups, according to Mark Powers, national director of Jews 
for Judaism, more than 450 missionary organizations specifically target 
Jews in the United States, Canada, and Israel. More than 350,000 American 
Christians now identify themselves as former Jews; 140,000 of that 
total call themselves "Hebrew Christians."

One group, the Christian Jew Foundation (CJF), publishes a newsletter 
called _The_Message_of_the_Christian_Jew_. An ugly article by Charles 
Halff, the group's executive director, titled "The Blindness of the 
Jew"8 stated: 

"Gentile Christians sometimes wonder why Jewish evangelism is such 
difficult and discouraging work. Our missionaries are spat on, ridiculed, 
threatened, maligned, and sometimes physically abused.

"David Zauber, our CJF missionary in Georgia, is a Jewish Christian--and 
weighs probably 150 pounds, soaking wet! He was passing out Gospel 
tracts near the subway a few years ago, when a Jewish man knocked 
him down with his fist. By the time David caught his breath and got 
back to his feet, the man had disappeared into the crowd. This is 
just one example of the difficulties our missionaries face.

"We wonder, why are the sons of Israel so belligerent and hard-hearted?"

Halff answered his rhetorical question. "As we look at Jews today, 
we see that they are blinded by tradition; they are blinded by prejudice; 
and they are blinded by self-righteousness." He adds, "The majority 
of them live by the Talmud, rather than by the Old Testament. Judaism 
is a religion of works and tradition. One such tradition is the practice 
of waving a chicken overhead and chanting, 'This is my sacrifice!' 
We know this is absolutely contrary to the teaching of the New Testament, 
since the blood of Messiah (Jesus) had been shed for the sins of many, 
and 'there is no more offering for sin' (Hebrews 10:18.)"

One entire issue of _The_Message_of_the_Christian_Jew_9 dealt with 
anti-Semitism. While acknowledging the most overt types of anti-Semitism, 
the writers failed to see how Christian missionary activity is a threat 
to the very existence of Judaism. In fact, an article by Gary Hedrick, 
the group's president, utilized a strange approach.

"Let us not forget, however," Hedrick wrote, "that a more subtle form 
of anti-Semitism is now sweeping our land. It's known by a variety 
of names, but most notably as the 'Two-Covenant,' or 'Dual-Covenant' 
movement. Its proponents claim that the Jewish people have their own 
Sinai Covenant and therefore have no need of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

"Can you think of a more diabolical form of anti-Semitism than the 
view that the Gospel of Jesus Christ is for Gentiles, but not for 
Jews?"

Anti-Semitism and Christian schools

[ref002]

Ads in Don Wildmon's _AFA_Journal_ tout the
original McGuffey's Readers, which were not only Christian but
anti-Semitic, racist, and sexist.

With an estimated 500,000 children being taught at home, the home 
school movement is a rapidly growing phenomena. _Newsweek_'s Sam Allis 
called Christian Fundamentalism "the backbone of the home-school movement." 
One series of books, McGuffey's Eclectic Readers, popular with both 
Christian schools and home schools, influence the minds of tens-of-thousands 
of impressionable youngsters.

These are the same books originally published in 1836 by the Rev. 
William H. McGuffey. With 19th century sales of 125 million copies, 
McGuffey is considered "the author of the most popular schoolbook 
ever written." McGuffey's original Readers were, according to the 
current publishers, "Christ-centered." In time, though, most of the 
religious references were removed.

McGuffey's original Readers, now reborn for use in Christian homes 
and schools, are sexist, racist, and anti-Semitic. While the Readers 
reflect the time in which they were written, their use today indicates 
a giant step backward in human relations. The sexist aspects of the 
Readers promote "proper" roles for men and women. Among the racism 
portrayed is the constant referral to Native Americans as "savages." 
The anti-Semitism found in the McGuffey's Readers takes several forms. 


A line from the Eclectic Third Reader warns students about the perils 
of rejecting Christianity. "It will cost something to be a Christian: 
it will cost more not to be so."10

In the same Reader, Christianity is championed as the only dependable 
religion. "There are no principles but those of CHRISTIANITY, to be 
depended upon in cases of REAL DISTRESS." (Emphasis in original)11

Jewish veneration of the Scriptures is denigrated. "The Old Testament 
has been preserved by the Jews in every age, with a scrupulous jealousy, 
and with a veneration for its words and letters, bordering on superstition..."12

McGuffey suggests that the rise of Christianity was not only predicted 
in the Old Testament, but was a result of Jewish infidelity toward 
God -- a common anti-Semitic theme. The Reader mentions "...the Jews 
as the keepers of the Old Testament." Then, "It was their own sacred 
volume, which contained the most extraordinary predictions concerning 
the infidelity of their nation, and the rise, progress, and extensive 
prevalence of Christianity."13

In one fell swoop, McGuffey obliterates Jewish moral law, and all 
other moral teachings before Jesus. "The morality taught by Jesus 
Christ was purer, sounder, sublimer, and more perfect than had ever 
before entered into the imagination, or proceeded from the lips of 
man."14

In Lesson XVIII, dealing with Divine inspiration of the Gospel, the 
Eclectic Fourth Reader asks, "Why is it inconceivable that the book 
is fiction?" The answer, "The Jewish authors were incapable of the 
diction, and strangers to the morality, contained in the gospel..."15

A short story called "The Blind Preacher," recounts a blind minister's 
sermon about the trial and crucifixion of Jesus. The story reinforces 
the notion that Jews are responsible for the death of Jesus. "We saw 
the very faces of the Jews, the staring, frightful distortions of 
malice and rage."16

In fact, every single reference to Jews in McGuffey's Readers is negative. 
No effort is made to explain Judaism, or to teach what Jews believe.

The McGuffey Readers series is frequently advertised by the Conservative 
Book Club on the back of the Rev. Donald Wildmon's magazine, the _AFA_
Journal_, and in Pat Robertson's _Christian_American_. The ads proclaim: 
"The ORIGINAL McGuffey's Readers were different. They were Christian." 
Copy in the ad says, "...give them some of the memorable poetry and 
prose of our Anglo-American inheritance..." 

Two companies, Mott Media, of Milford, Michigan, and Thoburn Press, 
of Tyler, Texas, publish the "original" McGuffey's Eclectic Readers. 
The seven-volume set has been reprinted from the originals.	

Several organizations that provide textbooks to Christian home schoolers 
promote the use of McGuffey's Readers. One, Christian Liberty Academy 
Satellite Schools (CLASS), now publishes its own Eclectic Reader. 
Michael McHugh, curriculum administrator for CLASS, reported that 
his organization sold between 5,000 and 6,000 of the Thoburn McGuffey's 
Readers to home schools.

Since 1982, Mott Media has sold a whopping 100,000 sets of the Readers. 
"Last year [1993] we started our Home School Book Club," Joyce Bowen, 
Mott Media's general manager, said. "In less than a year we sold between 
4,000 and 5,000 sets to home schools."

The widespread use of McGuffey's Readers is a good indication of what 
children are being taught about Jews in many Christian schools and 
home schools. With the rapid growth of these schools, this should 
be of concern to caring Christian parents and responsible Christian 
leaders.

In other Christian textbooks, anti-Semitism exists by omission. The 
curriculum used by many Christian schools neglects Jewish accomplishments 
and positive contributions to history. This is documented by Albert 
J. Menendez in _Visions_of_Reality:_What_Fundamentalist_Schools_Teach_, 
a report on the textbooks used in Christian Fundamentalist schools:

"Surprisingly, Jews and Judaism are almost invisible in these volumes. 
No mention is made of any Jewish contribution to U.S. history nor 
are any Jewish personalities in literature, sports or the arts mentioned. 
There is no reference to justices Frankfurter, Brandeis or Cardozo. 
The only Jews mentioned are Karl Marx, who is called 'an atheistic 
German Jew,'17 and Sigmund Freud. It is noted that Jews were persecuted 
in Catholic countries but nothing is said about anti-Jewish discrimination 
in Protestant countries. Jewish supporters of Columbus are mentioned, 
as is the suggestion that Columbus may have been seeking a refuge 
for Jews.

"One passage in a world history text, however, blames Jews for the 
crucifixion of Jesus. 'The Jewish religious leaders, whose blindness 
and hypocrisy Jesus had denounced, sought to put Him to death. They 
brought Christ before the Roman governor Pontius Pilate, charging 
that Christ had disrupted the state...Although Pilate found no fault 
in Jesus, he desired to maintain the peace. Giving in to the Jewish 
demands, he sentenced Jesus to death by crucifixion.'18 In addition, 
we are informed, 'God used the destruction of Jerusalem to separate 
the early church from its Jewish environment and to scatter Christians 
throughout the Roman Empire.'19

"And one strange passage in a biology text says, 'The Jews were pruned 
for the Gentiles' sake, but they were also pruned for their disbelief.'"20 

Anti-Semitism and anti-abortion

[ref003]

These Jewish stereotypes of doctors are featured in Bottom Feeder, 
a crass anti-abortion comic published by Life Dynamics.

There are indications that the Christian Right's anti-abortion crusade 
has anti-Semitic components. In 1989, _Newsweek_ magazine reported 
that Randall Terry, founder of the anti-abortion group Operation Rescue, 
said, "We have tried to do some outreach to the black and Jewish communities," 
but admitted that those efforts have failed, "...and that he is critical 
of the Jewish doctors, who he believes perform a large number of abortions."21

In doing research for this report, Operation Rescue National referred 
us to Life Dynamics Incorporated, a Christian anti-abortion organization 
based in Dallas, for specific information on abortion. Life Dynamics 
is an important research arm of the Christian Right's anti-abortion 
crusade. According to Life Dynamics, 26% of all doctors who perform 
abortions are Jewish (A spokesperson for Planned Parenthood called 
this figure "ludicrous.") Considering that Jews comprise only 2% of 
the population, this figure is disproportionately high. 

The thought is not lost in Life Dynamics' popular _Bottom_Feeder_ 
"joke book." _Bottom_Feeder_ is an assortment of hackneyed jokes aimed 
at doctors who perform abortions. The jokes and cartoons are crude, 
scatological, and suggest that abortionists have sex with animals. 
Significantly, _Bottom_Feeder_ contains a number of references to 
Jews, and consistently portrays in cartoon form doctors who perform 
abortions as having exceptionally large noses, an age-old anti-Semitic 
allusion to Jews.

Examples of _Bottom_Feeder_'s references to Jews include a list of 
the "four shortest books in the world." One is entitled "Famous Jewish 
Astronauts." One joke favors Adolf Hitler over an abortionist. It 
goes, "Q. What would you do if you found yourself in a room with Hitler, 
Mussolini and an abortionist, and you had a gun with only two bullets? 
A. Shoot the abortionist twice."  

Aware that a high percentage of Jews are liberal and pro-choice, the 
anti-abortion movement targets Jews as "baby killers."

Additionally, a considerable number of the people involved in groups 
such as Operation Rescue, Lambs of Christ, and Missionaries to the 
Preborn, teach their children at home, using McGuffey's Readers and 
other materials mentioned in the section on Christian schools and 
home schools.

The Christian Right anti-abortion movement often refers to abortion 
as "the Holocaust in America." [Newsweek, May 1, 1989] This phrase 
is notable only for its shock value. To even remotely equate the two, 
especially in such a cavalier manner, offends not only Jews, but everyone 
who is aware of the horrors of the Nazis. Rabbi Balfour Brickner, 
Rabbi Emeritus of the Stephen Wise Free Synagogue in New York, said, 
"The Holocaust stands alone...There are no legitimate or acceptable 
analogies."

Bait and switch

For years, anti-Semitic innuendo has cleverly passed as simply an 
attack on humanism. By employing a sort of "bait and switch" tactic, 
the conservative Christian right has shifted all the blame for the 
world's ills from the Jews to "humanists" -- whom conservatives suspect 
are mostly Jews anyway. The theory here is that humanism is a "secular 
religion" that evolved out of modern Judaism. Instead of saying that 
Jews control the financial institutions, the media, the entertainment 
industry, and education, it is now the humanists who are in control.

This is borne out in the teachings of Rousas John (R.J.) Rushdoony, 
a former Presbyterian minister who is known as the "father of Christian 
Reconstruction." While Rushdoony is not well-known outside the circle 
of conservative Christian leadership, his influence within the movement 
is substantial. Rushdoony is a prolific author and his books approach 
best-seller status, shaping contemporary Christian thought since the 
1960s. Rushdoony, a profound Christian thinker, is never afraid to 
say what some other Christian leaders are merely thinking.

According to Gary North, Rushdoony's son-in-law, "Rushdoony identified 
the underlying problem a generation ago: 'JUDAISM grew out of the 
rejection of Jesus Christ and STEADILY BECAME HUMANISM [emphasis added], 
and the Talmud is essentially the exposition of humanism under the 
facade of Scripture.'"22

Judaism became humanism! To grasp this concept is to understand why 
some notable Christian leaders exhibit hostility toward humanists. 
Leaders of the radical Christian Right know that many influential 
Jewish leaders are wholly secular. That is, they embrace Jewish culture, 
without observing the rituals of Judaism.

Another Christian writer is the Rev. Tim LaHaye, former leader of 
the Moral Majority. LaHaye is married to Beverly LaHaye, head of the 
600,000-member Concerned Women for America organization.

In his 1980 book, _The_Battle_for_the_Mind_, LaHaye unleashed a vicious 
attack against humanism. Jews have traditionally been accused of everything 
for which LaHaye blames humanists. Our country is "...controlled by 
a small but very influential cadre of committed humanists..."23 Pornography 
is the fault of "the humanist controllers of the American Civil Liberties 
Union and their humanist partners in moral crime--the judges who were 
appointed by the humanist politicians."24

"When the humanists came to America, their obstacles seemed overwhelming. 
But rather than waste their resources, they concentrated on using 
four vehicles to penetrate the minds and lives of our people: education, 
the media, organizations, and government."25

"We have already seen how John Dewey and his fellow humanists took 
over education..."26 While Dewey wasn't Jewish, many of his colleagues 
were.

"Space does not permit a detailed account of how newspapers from coast 
to coast were gradually purchased by powerful, monied interests. As 
radio came into view, it was bought up by some of these same interests. 
Later, when TV licenses became available, the humanists flooded the 
field. Today, it is all humanistically controlled."27

"This news is carefully edited before being sent out to the daily 
papers. Who does the editing? Who hired the editors, and what are 
their beliefs? Anyone really familiar with humanism can recognize 
its influence in the way the news is managed."28

"It is obvious, by the degenerate programming that has appeared in 
recent years, that the three major networks (ABC, NBC, and CBS) are 
predominantly controlled by amoral humanists."29

"Not all the fifty or so people who control network news are committed 
humanists, but most of them are."30

"The humanists see TV as a vehicle, first, to indoctrinate and second, 
to make money. Shortly after learning that Norman Lear was the producer 
of the most amoral 'comedy' series on TV (such as the infamous Mary 
Hartman, Mary Hartman), I had lunch with a Christian businessman who 
told me how relieved he was to have sold his cable TV stations. Guess 
who bought them? Norman Lear."31

"There is one easy way to illustrate whose team Hollywood has really 
been on during the last fifty years. They rarely make a film that 
shows Communism as a world aggressor or murderer of the people -- 
particularly of their own. Anti-German and anti-Japanese films abound..."32

"Sixty years of Communist crime against humanity provide ample material 
to draw on, but not if you're afraid to show humanistic socialism 
in a bad light."33

Why, in LaHaye's opinion, are humanists "soft" on Communism? It is 
entirely possible, if not probable, that the Rev. LaHaye equates Socialist/Communist 
Jews with Humanists. In many instances, the words are interchangeable.

In "A Special Jewish History Issue" of _The_Truth_At_Last_34, a tabloid 
published by Dr. E.R. Fields in Marietta, Georgia, the assertion is 
made that "the original founders of Communism were all Jews." The 
author names Lenin as "a secret Jew." Furthermore, the article states 
that these Communist Jews came to America and established "the U.S. 
Communist Party and other socialist groups." This echoes LaHaye's 
theories on "humanists" coming to America to establish socialist groups, 
armed with a plan to penetrate and control the minds of the American 
people.

Oftentimes, conservative's use of "humanism," "socialism," "communism," 
and "Jews" are interchangeable. Of course, "humanism" is a more palatable 
word when speaking to the general public.

Ethical Culture

"The American Ethical Union, founded in 1889 in New York City, was 
a federation of over thirty ethical societies that had been initiated 
by Felix Adler (Jewish) more than a decade earlier. New York became 
the capital of the humanist movement, which then spread across the 
United States."35

It is common knowledge that there are more Jews in New York than in 
any other city in the United States. (On extremist computer bulletin 
 boards, New York is often referred to as "Jew York City.") It is 
well-known that many Jews who wanted to retain Jewish ethics, without 
the religious observances, led the Ethical Culture movement.

LaHaye considers the American Civil Liberties Union, headed by Ira 
Glasser and Nadine Strossen (both Jewish), "The most effective humanist 
organization for destroying the laws, morals, and traditional rights 
of Americans." LaHaye adds, "The anti-Christian attitude of the ACLU 
is not only evident in its persistent attack on moral legislation 
but also in its efforts to compel our country to become totally secular."36

LaHaye refers to "humanist attorney" William Kuntsler (Jewish) as 
"Communist oriented." He then attacks the Humanist Manifesto II, which 
like the original Humanist Manifesto, "criticizes religious dogmatism 
and denies the existence of a Creator." 

Dr. Tim Madigan is the editor of the humanist magazine _Free_Inquiry_. 
His publisher, Dr. Paul Kurtz, drafted the Humanist Manifesto II, 
which LaHaye so despises. Madigan said that he thinks about a third 
of the signers of Humanist Manifesto II were Jewish.

The Rev. Tim LaHaye's crusade against humanism parallels almost every 
anti-Semitic movement in recent history. In fact, Jews do have considerable 
influence in some of the arenas LaHaye writes about. Are these similarities 
coincidental, or is the campaign against humanism -- attributing society's 
every evil to supposed humanists -- really a covert attack on Jews?

LaHaye is not the only conservative Christian minister whose assault 
on humanism raises serious questions about anti-Semitism.

The alleged anti-Semitism of the Rev. Donald Wildmon

The Rev. Donald Wildmon, founder and head of the American Family Association 
(formerly the National Federation for Decency) has, by design or chance, 
espoused Rushdoony's idea that modern Judaism is really humanism. 
With Wildmon, it is sometimes difficult to tell what group he's attacking 
-- humanists or Jews. It appears that in his mind they are one and 
the same.

In Wildmon's view, television network executives (a majority of whom 
are Jewish, according to a Lichter-Rothman survey he often quotes) 
are in a deliberate conspiracy to promote "anti-Christian" television 
programming to undermine Christianity.

Wildmon made his first anti-Semitic innuendo before a convention of 
the National Religious Broadcasters (NRB) in 1985. And as early as 
1981, Wildmon said, "Most television producers are of the Jewish perspective."37

The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) of B'nai B'rith wrote to Wildmon 
after a number of NRB attenders expressed concern about his presentation. 
"Your remarks imply that Jews create and condone anti-Christian programming," 
the ADL wrote on June 18, 1985. "You seem to be saying that the fact 
that there are so many Jews involved with commercial television programming 
is an explanation for the anti-Christian nature, as you see it, of 
that programming." Wildmon ignored the ADL's letter.

In 1985, Wildmon wrote a book called _The_Home_Invaders_, published 
by Victor Books, of Wheaten, Illinois. Anti-Semitic aspersion is carefully 
woven into the book.

In one section, Wildmon states, "Only a relatively small handful of 
people determine what Americans can and will see on network television. 
These people are overtly hostile to the Christian faith."38

He doesn't say who "these people" are until the next chapter. Wildmon's 
modus operandi is to quote someone else and then add his interpretation. 
In this case, he made use of a remark by columnist Pat Buchanan: "If 
he [playwright Christopher Durang] were as anti-Semitic as he is anti-Christian, 
he would neither be collecting awards nor staging any more plays."

Wildmon's interpretation of Buchanan's statement: "Buchanan is no 
doubt referring to the fact that Hollywood and the theater world is 
heavily influenced by Jewish people."39

In his _NFD_Journal_40, Wildmon again raised the specter of a conspiracy 
among network executives (stating that 59% of them are Jewish) to 
create prime time "anti-Christian" programming. Wildmon concluded, 
"What we are witnessing by the networks and advertisers is a genuine 
hostility towards Christians and the Christian faith. This anti-Christian 
programming is intentional and by design. It took me years to believe 
that, and to be willing to say so publicly, but it is true."41

Time and time again, in his _AFA_Journal_ (formerly known as the _NFD_
Journal_), Wildmon has used the same inflammatory rhetoric.

On October 27, 1987, Wildmon wrote a letter to major television advertisers 
demanding that they stop advertising on shows that had an "anti-Christian" 
bias. Using the Lichter-Rothman study, he again blamed Jews for this 
objectionable programming.

ADL concurs

Stuart Lewengrub, director of the ADL's southeast regional office, 
in a letter42 to Robert L. Brannon, then vice president of the Holiday 
Corporation, wrote: "ADL initially sought to communicate with him 
[Wildmon] in a low key, non-accusatory, manner. I've enclosed a copy 
of a letter ADL sent Wildmon when he first began to employ the anti-Semitic 
innuendo. We were trying to give him the benefit of the doubt, at 
least insofar as his singling out the Jewish background of those 'anti-Christian' 
media folks was concerned. It is evident that he has little desire 
to alter that approach..."

He continues, "Based on what I understand about Wildmon, he tries 
to evade the 'anti-Semitism' issue by noting that the study on which 
he based his statistics was conducted by Jews (the Lichters and Rothman), 
which is true, but irrelevant to Wildmon's use of those statistics."

Lewengrub concluded, "One final thought--I am reminded of one of the 
most poignant comments to emerge from the Nazi Holocaust. You recall 
the scenes in pre-war Germany of thousands of people hurling 'unwanted' 
books into huge bonfires. It was said that 'A NATION THAT BURNS ITS 
BOOKS WILL SOON BURN ITS PEOPLE.' Prophetic, but I doubt Wildmon would 
understand or care."

S. Robert Lichter, a co-author of the Lichter-Rothman report, in a 
letter43 to Brannon, said that his survey "...drew no conclusions 
about the nature of [TV] programming or the precise motivations of 
program directors." He also said, "...we naturally abhor any imputation 
of anti-Semitic inferences from our survey of television producers 
and executives."

Stanley Rothman, the other co-author of the Lichter-Rothman report, 
wrote44 directly to Rev. Wildmon. Rothman strongly repudiated Wildmon's 
use of the Lichter-Rothman study to prove that Jewish producers are 
anti-Christian. Rothman stated: "The inferences you draw from our 
data are not justified." Rothman told Wildmon that their findings 
presented 'NO EVIDENCE' to support any of Wildmon's accusations, and 
that a new study actually proved the contrary. Wildmon ignored Rothman's 
letter and continued perpetrating this misinformation.

Harry E. Moore, Jr., regional director (Memphis), of the National 
Conference of Christians and Jews, in a letter45 to Brannon, referred 
to Wildmon's alleged anti-Semitism. Moore said, "I agree that whether 
he [Wildmon] intends it or not, there is a not so subtle strain of 
anti-Semitism in his madness." He concluded, "I shall keep a wary 
eye on Mr. Wildmon. There is no telling which way his anti-Semitic 
bias will lead him."

In the fall of 1988, Robert K. Lifton, president of the American Jewish 
Congress, in a letter to prospective members, wrote, "...when Right 
Wing Christians launched their unsuccessful campaign to block release 
by Universal Studios of "The Last Temptation of Christ," they picked 
a very special target. THEY WENT AFTER THE JEWS."

"The Reverend Donald Wildmon, Executive Director of the American Family 
Association of Tupelo, Mississippi, mailed 500,000 letters [according 
to Wildmon, the final total was about 4 million letters] urging recipients 
to bring pressure upon "THE NON-CHRISTIANS OFFICIALS WHO RUN UNIVERSAL." 
Lifton added, "To be sure, films on such sensitive issues are bound 
to upset some people, and the right to criticize them is a constitutional 
right that we at the AJ Congress will defend. But, as we pointed out 
forcefully to these fundamentalists leaders, the exercise of this 
constitutional right 'DOES NOT CREATE LICENSE TO ENGAGE IN BIGOTRY 
AND ANTI-SEMITISM."

Jewish support for Wildmon

In the _AFA_Journal_46, Rev. Wildmon quoted a Jewish colleague, Judith 
Reisman, who had come to his defense against charges of anti-Semitism. 
Reisman's words amplify Rev. Wildmon's alleged bigotry. She said, 
"The statements Rev. Wildmon has made which have been misconstrued 
as anti-Semitic, refer instead to the role of secular humanists and 
their control of mass media. Reverend Wildmon has no quarrel with 
Judaism. Quite the contrary, he has a quarrel with secular humanists 
and other non-Christians." Reisman adds, "Orthodox Jewry has similar 
quarrels with Jewish secular humanists and other non-Christians."47

Wildmon later acknowledged that his organization has given generous 
financial support to Reisman's research on pornography. 

The question remains: Why does Wildmon note that 59% of Hollywood's 
elite come from Jewish backgrounds? He not only mentions it, he repeats 
it ad nauseam.

In his book _The_Home_Invaders_, Wildmon states, "When the Jewish 
organization B'nai B'rith honored [Hugh] Hefner as their man of the 
year, it reflected the shallowness and sickness of those who made 
the decision, not the religion which gave us the Ten Commandments 
and, for most of us, our Lord Jesus Christ."48 Like many anti-Semites, 
Wildmon has no quarrel with the religion of Judaism, just with the 
Jewish people.

In a January 1989 _AFA_Journal_ article, "What Hollywood Believes 
and Wants," Wildmon stated, "The television elite are highly secular. 
Ninety-six percent had a religious upbringing, the majority (59 percent) 
in the Jewish faith."49 Again, an example of his continuing attacks 
on secular Jews.

In the same issue, Wildmon published an article titled "Anti-Semitism 
Called A Serious Problem." The headline leads one to believe that 
the article is sympathetic toward Jews. In actuality, it creates a 
diversion and plays upon the prejudices of Wildmon's audience. The 
gist of the article is that anti-Semitism arises out of the black 
community!

The article highlights that "Jews continue to be more liberal than 
other Americans..." and specifically points out that "Jews favor homosexual 
rights more than other Americans." The article stresses that "only 
18 percent of the Jews" support a constitutional amendment to allow 
prayer in public schools.50

Wildmon is aware of his conservative audience's homophobia and approval 
of prayer in public schools. And, typically, Wildmon quotes from the 
words and findings of others to justify his own conclusions.

Finally, Rev. Wildmon regularly reprints articles by Don Feder, the 
ultra-conservative syndicated columnist. Although Feder is Jewish, 
he and Wildmon see eye-to-eye on social issues. Wildmon is quick to 
point out that Feder "is a Jew." This is another device people employ 
to mask anti-Semitism, much as racists say, "Some of my best friends 
are black."

Some Christian leaders denounce Wildmon

Presented with these insights about Rev. Wildmon, several Christian 
leaders expressed their concern to the Institute for First Amendment 
Studies. James Lapp, executive secretary of the Mennonite Church, 
wrote: "We support Mr. Wildmon in his concern for decency and positive 
values. We do not support some of his tactics, attitudes or biases 
against Jewish people."

John L. May, Archbishop of St. Louis, and former president of the 
National Conference of Catholic Bishops, wrote, "I certainly do not 
agree with the obvious anti-Semitic bias of Reverend Donald E. Wildmon."

Stuart Lewengrub of the ADL said his group has corresponded with Wildmon 
about anti-Semitism since 1985. He said the ADL has tried in a constructive 
way "to lean over backward to give him the benefit of the doubt."

"He's encouraging his followers," Lewengrub said, "to believe that 
Jews are responsible for the kind of programming they dislike." If 
Wildmon's point is that Hollywood leaders are secular or atheists, 
Lewengrub added, he can say so without alluding to their religious 
background. Nor does Wildmon need to note, as he does, that the Jewish 
background of television executives "contrasts with society as a whole, 
which is 2 1/2 percent Jewish."

"There is no doubt in my mind that Wildmon has engaged in anti-Semitism," 
Lewengrub said. "He didn't stop. He continued doing it."

In response to these accusations, Wildmon wrote, "As far as being 
anti-Semitic, I am not. I have a Jewish brother-in-law. Also, AFA 
has supported researcher Dr. Judith Reisman, who is Jewish, generously 
for over two years. And my Lord was a Jew."

Wildmon and the anti-Semitic Liberty Lobby

Interestingly enough, Wildmon and his ministry are in favor with the 
_The_Spotlight_, a virulently anti-Semitic newspaper. On March 7, 
1994, Wildmon's smiling mug appeared in the back-page feature "Spotlight 
on People." The caption lauded Wildmon's opposition to gay rights, 
which mirror those of _The_Spotlight_.

_The_Spotlight_, published weekly by the Washington, DC-based Liberty 
Lobby, operates a computer bulletin board service (BBS) called LogoPlex. 
The anti-Semitism in _The_Spotlight_ is mild compared to the material 
appearing on LogoPlex.

LogoPlex is the electronic meeting place of Christian Identity, Aryan 
Nations, White Supremacists, gun owners, and Christian Patriots. LogoPlex 
maintains several libraries of articles relating to these themes. 
Anyone desiring a copy of the infamous and fraudulent anti-Semitic 
booklet _The_Protocols_of_the_Learned_Elders_of_Zion_ can download 
the entire volume to their computer. A popular article available on 
LogoPlex, "The Synagogue of Satan," claims to expose the Jewish people 
as being "false" Jews and members of the Synagogue of Satan.

On LogoPlex members can "talk" to one-another via computer, advertise 
goods for sale, or simply exchange information. LogoPlex also lists 
over 125 other radical right-wing bulletin boards.

LogoPlex's family forum includes the complete text of Wildmon's latest 
_AFA_Journal_, a list of the AFA's other publications, and the names 
and addresses of every state AFA director. This enables White Supremacists 
and other racists to network with the American Family Association.

If people are known by the company they keep, the surfacing of Rev. 
Wildmon and his American Family Association on LogoPlex says a lot.

Anti-Semitism and Christian Identity

[ref004]

In Pete Peters' _The_Real_Hate_Group_, Jews are depicted as rabble-rousers 
who manipulate the government into punishing Christians.

Christians who embrace "Christian Identity" believe that there is 
a difference between "true Israel" and those who call themselves Jews. 
They think that the true Israelites are today's white Christians, 
descendants of white Europeans. The blessings promised Israel in the 
Bible, according to Christian Identity thought, are really for the 
Christian church. On the other hand, Jews descend from the tribe of 
Judah, and most who today claim to be Jews are not really Jews, but 
are Russian descendants of converts to Judaism about 1,000 years ago.

Christian Identity loosely includes Aryan Nations, White Supremacists, 
the Ku Klux Klan, Christian Patriots, and other related groups. Almost 
without exception, these groups are heavily involved with gun ownership 
and "self-defense," and harbor an assortment of bizarre conspiracy 
theories. This same faction was responsible for the 1984 machine gun 
murder of Jewish talk show host Alan Berg in Denver.

The rising star of the Christian Identity movement is Pastor Pete 
Peters of the LaPorte (Colorado) Church of Christ. Peters distributes 
_The_Protocols_of_the_Learned_Elders_of_Zion_ and is the author of 
the booklets _The_Real_Hate_Group_ and _Death_Penalty_for_Homosexuals_
Is_Prescribed_in_the_Bible_. Peters -- along with Ted Pike (producer 
of an anti-Semitic video called "The Other Israel"), other Christian 
Identity ministers, and the Rev. Donald Wildmon -- is a popular personality 
on LogoPlex.

Peters' _The_Real_Hate_Group_ depicts Jews as controlling television, 
the film industry, and the news media. It describes the Anti-Defamation 
League (ADL) as "the most dangerous hate group in America." Like the 
_Bottom_Feeder_ joke book published by Life Dynamics, _The_Real_Hate_
Group_ characterizes Jews as having large noses.

Peters is significant because he has crossed the line between Christian 
Identity and more mainstream conservative Christian groups. Besides 
broadcasting nationally on short-wave radio, he can be seen on the 
fast-growing Keystone Inspiration Network, of Red Lion, Pennsylvania. 
This cable TV network is picked up in about 120 cities. Described 
as a "family" network, it carries Pat Robertson's "700 Club," Jerry 
Falwell's "Old Time Gospel Hour," Morris Cerullo, James Robison, Benny 
Hinn, and other popular evangelical Christian programming.

Some have questioned the presence of a rabid anti-Semite on a mainstream 
Christian cable network. The Rev. Clyde Campbell, Keystone's comptroller, 
said, "Some people have questioned Peters' presence on Keystone," 
but said the station previews his programs for anything distasteful.

"Peters is a minister of the Gospel and he does a good job," Campbell 
said. "Pete says he loves the Jews," Campbell claimed. "The only thing 
I have against Pete Peters," Campbell said, "is the continual harping 
on the Old Testament. I think his attitude on killing homosexuals 
and lesbians is unloving. Jesus provides a better way."

Conclusion

It is important to note that on the few occasions conservative Christian 
leaders praise Jews, the praise is usually limited to certain ultra-conservative 
Jews such as Judith Reisman and Don Feder. 

In September 1993, the Christian Coalition held a "Road to Victory" 
conference in Washington, DC. One of the featured speakers was Daniel 
Lapin, an Orthodox Rabbi. Lapin, reared in South Africa, is a lively 
and entertaining speaker. As an ultra-conservative, his association 
with Pat Robertson's Christian Coalition is convenient for both parties.

On a shuttle bus from the conference to the airport, two members of 
the North Florida Christian Coalition discussed Rabbi Lapin's presentation, 
and a telling remark was overheard. "He speaks better English than 
any Jew I ever heard," the speaker said. 

At the "Road to Victory" conference, Max Karrer, M.D., who heads the 
North Florida Christian Coalition, led a workshop called "Using Computers 
at the Grass Roots." He referred to a particular political race to 
illustrate Christian Coalition tactics. "As an example of how this 
works," he said, "we had a legislative race where we had a female 
Jewish lawyer -- liberal, feminist -- endorsed by NOW, who had knocked 
out three years ago a pro-life Christian."

Dr. Karrer's description of a "pro-life Christian" against a "liberal 
female Jewish lawyer," while brief, smacked of bigotry. This is typical 
of the kind of anti-Semitism often found in conservative Christian 
circles.

Anti-Semitism will always exist, but it can do so without popular 
support. Mainline Christian denominations have a moral duty to speak 
out against anti-Semitism. When Christian leaders decide to put their 
foot down, popular support will end.

_
Sidebar: [ref005]Christian leaders can help diminish anti-Semitism
_

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Copyright 1995 IFAS
The Freedom Writer / ifas@crocker.com

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