I’m With Ann Coulter on This One

By Daniel Miessler on October 11th, 2007: Tagged as Politics | Religion

coulter

Ann Coulter is getting a ton of attention (again) for saying something stupid (again). But this time I think it’s being made into something it isn’t. She basically said that from a Christian point of view, Jews are imperfect. Here’s the relevant part from the transcript:

COULTER: Do you know what Christianity is? We believe your religion, but you have to obey.

DEUTSCH: No, no, no, but I mean –

COULTER: We have the fast-track program.

DEUTSCH: Why don’t I put you with the head of Iran? I mean, come on. You can’t believe that.

COULTER: The head of Iran is not a Christian.

DEUTSCH: No, but in fact, “Let’s wipe Israel” –

COULTER: I don’t know if you’ve been paying attention.

DEUTSCH: “Let’s wipe Israel off the earth.” I mean, what, no Jews?

COULTER: No, we think — we just want Jews to be perfected, as they say.

DEUTSCH: Wow, you didn’t really say that, did you?

COULTER: Yes. That is what Christianity is. We believe the Old Testament, but ours is more like Federal Express. You have to obey laws. We know we’re all sinners —

DEUTSCH: In my old days, I would have argued — when you say something absurd like that, there’s no –

COULTER: What’s absurd?

DEUTSCH: Jews are going to be perfected. I’m going to go off and try to perfect myself –

COULTER: Well, that’s what the New Testament says.

Is it surprising or disturbing or in any way news to anyone that Christ said that people who don’t accept him as the son of God go to hell? Does anyone not get the fact that according to Christians the second book is an update on the first, and that it supersedes it?

So when Coulter says, Christians want Jews to be “perfected” all she’s saying is that they need to embrace the new Testament and therefore, Christ.

The problem here isn’t actually Ann Coulter; it’s the fact that so many are ignorant about the true nature of these religious narratives. Would the interviewer have been wrong to say that Jews feel Christians are wrong about believing Jesus is the son of God? And that to be good Jews they need to realize that the Messiah has not yet arrived?

All he would be doing is identifying a general tenet of his faith, and that’s precisely what Coulter did. The fact is that Jews believe Jesus was a false Messiah. This should neither come as a surprise or be offensive to anyone with their own show, and nor should the notion that Christians think the Jews are wrong for denying Christ.

The Christian and Jewish narratives are deeply conflicting at a core level; that’s just reality. People who are offended when the nature of that conflict is highlighted are either 1) shockingly ignorant, or 2) so eager to be offended that they shouldn’t be talked to.:

  • Anonymous

    Yes, Christians believe that Christianity is an update to Judaism. The problem is that they believe everyone should convert to their religion. You don’t see door-to-door Jews or Pagans.

  • Anonymous

    Yes, Christians believe that Christianity is an update to Judaism. The problem is that they believe everyone should convert to their religion. You don’t see door-to-door Jews or Pagans.

  • kP

    Ann: Nevermind that Jews who WROTE the Old Testament (aka the Torah) and that Christianity arises from the New Testament. You clearly have been perfected. Into what… I cannot say. I think bleach has something to do with it.

  • kP

    Ann: Nevermind that Jews who WROTE the Old Testament (aka the Torah) and that Christianity arises from the New Testament. You clearly have been perfected. Into what… I cannot say. I think bleach has something to do with it.

  • Tico

    Perfect Christians…you must mean like the Priests who have been buggering altar boys for the past few centuries. The current evangelical form of Christianity is a crock and Jesus would want nothing to do with modern so-called “Christians”. Leave the Jews alone, pry the boulder out of your own eye before you worry about the pebble in your neighbor’s.

  • Tico

    Perfect Christians…you must mean like the Priests who have been buggering altar boys for the past few centuries. The current evangelical form of Christianity is a crock and Jesus would want nothing to do with modern so-called “Christians”. Leave the Jews alone, pry the boulder out of your own eye before you worry about the pebble in your neighbor’s.

  • aGorilla

    “I’m With Ann Coulter” Reminds me of a t-shirt…

  • aGorilla

    “I’m With Ann Coulter” Reminds me of a t-shirt…

  • http://arik.baratz.org/ Arik

    I wonder why you even care.

    – Arik

  • http://arik.baratz.org Arik

    I wonder why you even care.

    – Arik

  • http://dmiessler.com/ Daniel Miessler

    @Arik

    If an idiot is going to be attacked, attack them for saying something stupid. There’s plenty to pick from with her. What she said was completely legit if you’re coming from the standpoint of a Christian.

  • http://dmiessler.com Daniel Miessler

    @Arik

    If an idiot is going to be attacked, attack them for saying something stupid. There’s plenty to pick from with her. What she said was completely legit if you’re coming from the standpoint of a Christian.

  • DavidG

    Putting aside the issue of what’s acceptable for her to say, it’s worth noting that Judaism is different from Christianity in that Judaism doesn’t really concern itself much with non-Jews (except to say they aren’t the “chosen people”). The same way Jews aren’t really interested in what happens after death. What kind of religion tells people to spend all their time bugging non-believers and worrying about the afterlife? (Maybe one meant to spread and control?) I’d rather concern myself with my own beliefs and this life.

  • DavidG

    Putting aside the issue of what’s acceptable for her to say, it’s worth noting that Judaism is different from Christianity in that Judaism doesn’t really concern itself much with non-Jews (except to say they aren’t the “chosen people”). The same way Jews aren’t really interested in what happens after death. What kind of religion tells people to spend all their time bugging non-believers and worrying about the afterlife? (Maybe one meant to spread and control?) I’d rather concern myself with my own beliefs and this life.

  • http://arik.baratz.org/ Arik

    @Daniel

    So what? Do YOU come from the standpoint of Christianity?

    If you accept the “right” statements as true, you can have any standpoint you want. People arguing are explaining their own inner, subjective, truth. Does it matter?

    I thought you can at least see that both sides are true; in their own way.

    @DavidG

    FYI there is a concept of heaven and hell in Judaism, and it is actively used to intimidate people into becoming more religious. Jews are interested in the afterlife, and it is definitely a driving force.

    The difference is that Judaism isn’t trying to convert non-Jews. But if you were born in the Jewish NATION, i.e. of Jewish lineage, you’re considered as a member of the Jewish religion by Jews, regardless of what you choose to believe, and they will try with all their might to “convert” you to more orthodox Judaism. Oh boy will they ever. Very annoying.

    – Arik

  • http://arik.baratz.org Arik

    @Daniel

    So what? Do YOU come from the standpoint of Christianity?

    If you accept the “right” statements as true, you can have any standpoint you want. People arguing are explaining their own inner, subjective, truth. Does it matter?

    I thought you can at least see that both sides are true; in their own way.

    @DavidG

    FYI there is a concept of heaven and hell in Judaism, and it is actively used to intimidate people into becoming more religious. Jews are interested in the afterlife, and it is definitely a driving force.

    The difference is that Judaism isn’t trying to convert non-Jews. But if you were born in the Jewish NATION, i.e. of Jewish lineage, you’re considered as a member of the Jewish religion by Jews, regardless of what you choose to believe, and they will try with all their might to “convert” you to more orthodox Judaism. Oh boy will they ever. Very annoying.

    – Arik

  • http://maxolasersquad.com/ Maxo

    I agree with you on this Daniel. Cat Stevens got himself in similar hot water by stating facts of Islam. People didn’t like those facts about the Islam religion, and in stead of people opening a conversation about Islam, attacked him for supporting violence. He rebuttled that he wasn’t asking anyone to like or dislike what the Koran says, he was stating as a matter of fact what it does say, just like many parts of the Old Testament aren’t exactly PC either, but nobody’s attacking the Jews over it.

  • http://maxolasersquad.com/ Maxo

    I agree with you on this Daniel. Cat Stevens got himself in similar hot water by stating facts of Islam. People didn’t like those facts about the Islam religion, and in stead of people opening a conversation about Islam, attacked him for supporting violence. He rebuttled that he wasn’t asking anyone to like or dislike what the Koran says, he was stating as a matter of fact what it does say, just like many parts of the Old Testament aren’t exactly PC either, but nobody’s attacking the Jews over it.


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