The Denver Jewish news. [volume] (Denver, Colo.) 1915-1925, 1919-09-03
Jews Have a Mission on
But Are Not Missionaries
ZEALOUSNESS OF MISSIONARIES
CAUSED THE TERRIBLE RE
IIGIOUS PROSECUTIONS OF
THE PAST AND PRESENT.

The charge Is frequently made that
the Jews are selfish race, because
they have never tried to instruct or
convert other peoples to their own re-
ligion, hut. on the contrary, have uni
1ormly kept their religion. entirely t"
themselves.
Had the statement of Jewish selfish
Z ness been made thousands of years
ago, there might. perhaps, have been
some theoretical logic to sustain 1t.
When, however, we reflect upon the
worlds experience during the past two
thousand years, not only should any
scmblance of such objection vanish,
but, on the contrary, we should mar
vel at the almost divine foresight OF
The founders of the principles OF Ju-
Guism, in not advocating mission
AIRY policy.
Let us consider the worlds exper-
cnce in this connection, and note the
results of missionary activity in 9TH
cr religions. When we recall the
countless prosecutions due to mission
ary zeal. are We not almost tempted
10 say that it might perhaps have been
better for the world had :hcrc never
been any religion at all?
The world has just emerged from
war of less than five years duration,
and we can therefore appreciate all the
horrors of war. Now think of war
of thirty years duration, fought WITH
nil the bitterness of religious bigotry
Yet just such war was caused. sim
ply because one denomination deemed
it its sacred duty to impose its partic-
ular belief upon another. Think of
the cruelty of the victorious apostles of
Islam, with their awful slogan of kor-
an, Tribute or Sword, and its counter
part in the terrible wars of the CRU
sades which lasted for generations
Think next of the Spanish lnauisition
lasting for centuries, its autos da fe
--Ursl unspeakablc inhurhanity. due Ike :
wise. not to the ethics OF its religion,
hut solely to the missionary spirit OF
its zealots. Reflect for moment up
on the Massacre OF, st Bartholomew
and upon thousands of other outrages
rpon Justice and human liberty. eN-
Derienced by one sect or another
thruout the ages. and not ended even
today. Think of the massacre In our
cwn day of thousands of Jews in Rus
sin and in other countries. all. all
emana ting in the name of religion ana
born of the charitable idea OF saw
ing other peoples souls.
After we have thus surveyed the
pa-cs of history. is it not fair to con-
dude that it was almost divine lore
sight on the part of the founders OF
Judaism, to discourage ali attempts Oh
the part of its followers to force their
views or ideals upon any other nation,
no matter how exalted or sprituai
those ideals may be?
1t has been the constant experience
of mankind, that when one sect tries
TO convert or to impose its views up
on another. gentle suasion only Is use"
MT first Were this all. no fault eo'iid
he found. But unfortunately. in prac-
tically every instance. the missionary
never stops with gentle suasion. II
TINT means does not suffice. the zeaiot
deems it perfectly proper, nay more
be deems it his sacred duty to en-
rloy whatever means may be neces-
t.,
sary to attain his object. and 1t Is
This zeal which has brought into ths'
world so much of misery and crueit!
and torture. In fairness it must pe
said that not all of the terrible III
u,isitors of Spain We're fiends. Some
of them were doubtless very deVout
1,cn, who conscientiously believed thht
tbey were performing praiseworthy
act when they decreed or inflicted uh
speakable tortures in their endeavor
to convert the infidel. Many Cru
sader of the Middle Ages was likewise
;,hued with similar sense of duty
while spreading frightful misery IN
his path to the Holy Sepulchre.
Well. therefore. might lngersoll have
pointed the finger of scorn ut all re-
lipions while depicting the horrors
horn of religion. The fact is how
ever, that these terrible crimes were
not due to religion at all, but soieis
10 the missionary spirit OF It's oe
votees.
Coming now to the second chars'
preferred against Judaism. namely tl'"
of selfishness, this charge likewise ma
10 foundation in fact While II h"'
mover been the object of the Jew u