re: #236 Nimed

Quixote, Speaking as an atheist with a Catholic upbringing, I can’t agree with this. It seems to me that many of the evils for which Catholicism is responsible throughout history stem from a baseless over-identification with people perceived as belonging to one’s group. A philosophy of maximalist response invariably ends with the annihilation of the ones with the smaller army.

Take the “Jewish people” group, for instance. If I were to judge them as a group (and I don’t think this is morally acceptable), well… They are more secular, scientifically-oriented, liberal and cosmopolitan than Catholics. These are all pluses for me. Why should my “brotherly love” go to Catholics?

There are several ways to take the commandment to love your neighbor as yourself. Judaism teaches all three. The psychology is simple. If you were in pain and needed help, you would pray for someone to help you.

1. It means everyone needs to be loved. Everyone. When bad things happen to anyone, you have a duty to help. This applies to you no matter what you look like or how you talk (or don’t talk) to G-d.

2. It means that as a Jew, you should wake up to history and notice how many times no one came to help you. Learn from that and be good to others.

3. It means that as a Jew, you should wake up to history and notice how many times no one came to help you. Learn from that and take care of your fellow Jews. Few others will.