The Causes of Anti-semitism

Using the Bible as primary evidence, with the finest modern scholarship as supporting evidence, Arthur Blech lucidly demonstrates that anti-Semitism is no accident of history, no tragic consequence of ignorance, or the influence of a few contemporary figures of unique evil. Blech argues that both Christianity and Judaism are responsible for anti-Semitism in claiming divine revelation as the source of their scriptures. By assuming divine authority, members of both religions felt justified in persecuting nonbelievers. In the case of Judaism, non-Jews were rejected as inferior to the "chosen people"; and in the case of Christianity, Jews in particular became the object of contempt because Christians believed that Jews had spurned divine revelation in the form of God's son. Blech carefully explores the foundations of both major faiths, surgically dismantling their claims to divinity. Since more than a century of scientific research shows beyond a shadow of a doubt that the Bible was not divinely inspired, but composed by all-too-human authors, Blech makes clear that the hatred and contempt these human authors preached have irreparably misled Christians and Jews alike. The Causes of Anti-Semitism shows that the curse of anti-Semitism has been kept alive by inventions and myths--artificial props to support the evil agenda of corrupt individuals throughout history. This new paperback edition of The Causes of Anti-Semitism contains substantial new additions to the original hardcover edition of the book.