April 3, 2004
THE LAST JEWS:
What does 'Judeo-Christian' mean? (Dennis Prager, March 30, 2004, Townhall)
The United States of America is the only country in history to have defined itself as Judeo-Christian. While the Western world has consisted of many Christian countries and consists today of many secular countries, only America has called itself Judeo-Christian. America is also unique in that it has always combined secular government with a society based on religious values.But what does "Judeo-Christian" mean? We need to know. Along with the belief in liberty -- as opposed to, for example, the European belief in equality, the Muslim belief in theocracy, and the Eastern belief in social conformity -- Judeo-Christian values are what distinguish America from all other countries. [...]
First, Judeo-Christian America has differed from Christian countries in Europe in at least two important ways. One is that the Christians who founded America saw themselves as heirs to the Old Testament, the Hebrew Bible, as much as to the New. And even more importantly, they strongly identified with the Jews. [...]
The second meaning of Judeo-Christian is a belief in the biblical God of Israel, in His Ten Commandments and His biblical moral laws. It is a belief in universal, not relative, morality. It is a belief that America must answer morally to this God, not to the mortal, usually venal, governments of the world. [...]
The battle over whether America remains Judeo-Christian or becomes secular like Europe is what this, the Second American Civil War, is about.
An apt answer to Jonathan Tobin.
Posted by Orrin Judd at April 3, 2004 7:39 AM
The term "Judeo-Christian" only came into broad use after WWII. Before that, Americans referred to the US as a Christian country.
The pre-WWII semantics were used to hide the truth, however. The colonists, revolutionaries, founders and Americans were fascinated by the Torah and ancient Hebrews. The founders saw themselves as the spiritual heirs of the Judaic tribes and that metaphor has continued to be important in America. Slaves and abolitionists, for example, used the story of Passover effectively in antebellum American politics. Most notably, what we tend to call "American exceptionalism" is code for the belief that Americans are the heirs of the ancient Hebrews and are now G-d's chosen people -- and his instrument on earth.
Posted by: David Cohen at April 3, 2004 9:48 AMWell, it's understandable why Europeans would not call themselves JUDEO-Christians.
Posted by: Harry Eagar at April 3, 2004 1:35 PMDavid, if you can suggest any further readings on this theme, I'd be grateful.
Posted by: Peter B at April 3, 2004 3:05 PMLet me think about that, Peter. While I'm thinking, one of the best is Orrin's favorite, The Gift Of The Jews.
Posted by: David Cohen at April 3, 2004 5:14 PMPeter,
I seem to recall Franklin proposing a Seal that compared Americans & America to Hebrews seeking Cannan.
Noel --
I swear I posted this before I saw your comment.
Great minds think alike.
Posted by: David Cohen at April 5, 2004 10:46 PM