NB: The Bloods & Crips are two of the most notorious & violent street gangs in the U.S., originating in Los Angeles, California, in the late 1960s/early 1970s. Their rivalry resulted in tens of thousands of deaths & spread globally. It was driven by territorial control, drug trafficking & historical community tensions.
PS: Loved meeting you at the Mises historical revisionism conference!

The Lord, the Paul-line faith, is interested in everybody, for the church the body of Christ’s sake. “Who will have ALL men to be saved and come unto the knowledge of the truth.” 1 Tim 2:4.

“Myself, I came alive ideologically when I reached the New World, in the
mid-1990s. It was as though a new world of ideas heretofore unknown had
unfurled to quench the soul and the intellect. Alas, it did not come from
Judaism, to which I was born.”

The Lord through Paul on Israel:

Romans 10:2-4 “…they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge.”

“For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God.”

“For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth.”

“…the duty of the Jewish
individual to help, bit-by-bit, to bring about a better world in
unassuming, day-to-day righteous acts. In his community and beyond.”

The Lord through Paul definitely tells the believer to do good works:

Titus 3:8 “…be careful to maintain good works. These things are good and profitable unto men.”

“…bring about a better world…”

At the same time, the believer is to realize and understand this:

Galatians 1:4 “Who gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of God and our Father:”

“As you are likely aware, Judaism is an ancient religion based upon God’s
revelation of Himself to Hebrews at Mt. Sinai.”

God revealed Himself to the “Hebrew” (Gen. 14:13) in Gen. 12. Abraham was made a Hebrew by God. Judaism began in earnest in Exodus 19 when Israel unwisely opted for the Law contract.

“Zionism is a recent [19th
Century] political movement associated with Judaism but is not Judaism.”

That sounds like what people say about “dispensationalism,” that it began in the 19th century with Darby. A man at work asked me the question. “When did this (dispensationalism) begin?” This same “Christian” didn’t know that there are three heavens (2 Cor. 12). The Lord through Paul taught dispensationalism. We have, “time past,” and “but now,” and “ages to come.” That’s dispensationalism. Eph. 2:11, Eph. 2:13, and Eph. 2:7.

“Most Jewish people conflate and blur the distinction.”

Perhaps one should remove the use of the word “Zionism” from the discussion. What does God’s word say about all this? Israel was promised land. Did Judaism come from that promised land? No. BUT Judaism was given to the people who are going to get that land. And all that happened in Gen. 12 and EX. 19. That land and Judaism then, became intimately linked. Can Judaism be practiced outside that land? Yes. But that is an exception. All the Jews/Israel were meant to be in that land practicing Judaism. No, it didn’t happen, but it’s going to. God, on His time, is going to gather all the Jews from all over the world and is going to put them in their land Himself and they are going to practice Judaism, and, they’re going to teach it to the Gentiles. What is Judaism? It’s God’s law(s). It comes from Him. Obviously, it affects the Jews culture and ways.

Is “Zionism” from “the 19th century” to today, wrong? Maybe. If it’s “wrong,” it’s only because God did not Himself put Jews there in that land and make it their nation Himself. If “Zionism” is wrong, that’s why it’s wrong. Secularly, legally, does that land belong to Israel? I assume it does. So then, I don’t see why “Zionism” is wrong, if a Jew wants to live there and they think it belongs to Israel.

“The ‘Chosen People’ concept is misunderstood by most Jews. God ‘chose’
the Jewish people to receive, accept, keep and fulfill His Torah”

No, not exactly. God wanted Israel to believe He was their “I Am.” I Am what? Whatever Israel needed Him to be, He would be that for them. There were three occasions between EX 4 and 19 that God was trying to teach Israel this. They didn’t learn the lessons. It was a mistake Israel made in EX 19 to “accept” the Law. They told God:

Exodus 19:8 “And all the people answered together…All that the LORD hath spoken we will do. And Moses returned the words of the people unto the LORD.”

Big, big error. They signed on and made the claim that they’d please God based on their own “good” acceptable performance. That wasn’t going to happen. When they made their choice, as the late pastor Keith Blades put it, God’s demeanor towards Israel changed dramatically:

Exodus 19:12 “And thou shalt set bounds unto the people round about, saying, Take heed to yourselves, that ye go not up into the mount, or touch the border of it: whosoever toucheth the mount shall be surely put to death:”

Israel, no one on the planet, could “keep” or “fulfill” His Torah. God did it for them, the Redeemer.
“and teach
it to the world, to be a ‘light unto the nations.'”

Yes, that is true. That will be true. It awaits future fulfillment. Why does it wait? Because God Himself has not yet put the Jews in their land, He Himself has not made them the nation Israel, nor has He yet consecrated them to be that “royal priesthood.”

“That is all being
‘chosen’ ought to mean, not a Jewish ego trip.”

“As to Jewish entitlement to the land of Israel: fulfillment of their Godly
duties is required.”

We are in the dispensation of grace. God suspended what He was doing with Israel at the end of Acts 7. But, when He resumes the prophetic calendar, and “the time of Jacob’s trouble” begins, Israel is going to be entitled to that land, and they’re going to be entitled to it by believing the Lord Jesus Christ was their Messiah, the “I Am,” Jehovah. “Thou art the Christ.” He fulfills the essentials, the five mandates spelled out in Psalms: 1- Redeemer (done). The next four remain to be fulfilled: Deliverer, Avenger, King and Blesser. Israel, once they receive their kingdom, will then “fulfill” their “duties” as priests to the world.

“I think Zionists believe otherwise; that military
capture is sufficient.”

If, starting with the Balfour Declaration that Israel was eventually made a nation, “legally,” and yes, through military conquest, then I’m not sure, that since 1948, Israel is not in fact a nation.

“God twice banished Hebrews from the land for their
failures and sins.”

Yes, that is true. But, that is the point. God, since converting Saul in Acts 9, suspended what He was doing with Israel. God was not involved with Balfour, nor was He involved in 1948. But, He obviously didn’t stop what was going on, either. God is not involved with any nation today, and He hasn’t been since Acts 7. And men can’t force Him to do what He is just not doing. And He is not doing anything just because men say He’s doing it.

Again, though, if somehow, someway, some nations helped “Israel” become a nation, “legally,” and militarily, it seems to me, then, secularly speaking, Israel is a nation. Did God do it? No. But, He didn’t stop it. He’s been engaged in doing something else, building the church the body of Christ to govern the heavens.
“Many Orthodox Jews (myself included) believe that Jewish
entitlement to the land of Israel will require the appearance of
/Mashiach/, the Jewish messiah.”

To obtain that blessed kingdom, yes, they must wait for the Messiah, who has already come. There is a need to believe first, but if not, well then, it just has to be realized and understood that in early Acts, in the post resurrection ministry the kingdom could be seen on the horizon. The apostles, the “little flock” were able to see themselves on their land, unmolested by their enemies. They were correctly expecting it. But God unexpectedly paused the working of the fulfillment of that eventuality. It is really not hard to get this, though most of Christendom doesn’t get it. Again, though, believing is needed (would be very helpful). “Believing is seeing.”

“The Bible has suffered more from Christian exponents than from infidel assailants.” Sir Robert Anderson.

“I don’t know much about that. (May, 2026)”

“Although there is a certain degree of comic protest about my next question;
I ask it not to be a Smart Alec:”

“Does what our laudable reader say mean that, come /Mashiach/, real or
imagined, ultra-orthodox Jews could be given religious license to rob
Palestinian homesteaders?”

I suppose I would say, no. It is, though, in my view and understanding, the Israeli governments responsibility.
“That, you see, is unclear. With respect to the
ultra-Orthodox anti-Zionist Jewry; although the question of messiah’s
arrival is more than likely immaterial”

Well, the Messiah is not involved. So, it’s on the Israeli government (Romans 13). But, when the Messiah returns, the Jew then just better not think He’s arriving for the first time.

1 John 4:3 “And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world.”

If a Jew today doesn’t think the Lord Jesus Christ wasn’t the Messiah, they should consider the following:

“The First Gospel does not contain a single word that is inconsistent with its scope and purpose in the Divine scheme of revelation and ministry as Israel’s Messiah; AND IT WILL BE STUDIED BY BELIEVING ISRAELITES IN DAYS TO COME AS IF THE PRESENT CHRISTIAN DISPENSATION NEVER INTERVENED.” (Emphasis mine.)

“Although so plainly stated in Scripture, it is a forgotten truth that the full and final evangelisation of the world awaits the restoration of Israel. And ‘the receiving’ of Israel is necessarily deferred until after the coming of Christ (rapture) to bring the present dispensation to a close.” Sir Robert Anderson, “Forgotten Truths.”

The answer to these kinds of questions can only be in the Bible. Why? Because it claims to be His words, and He created Israel and Judaism. If we put the Bible aside, then the conversation is useless.

Zionism is not a Biblical teaching. Zion is taught in the Bible. Land was promised to Abraham and his seed, Isaac and on. Israel was to move in on what God gave them and take it. That’s not “Zionism.” There’s no “Zionism” in Genesis through Joshua. He gave them the land. That’s it. And it was to that nation only. And really, there should be no more questions.

And the big, big question is: WHY? Because everybody else chose to go their own way. Men did not want God, so He let them go, and they chose to follow the Adversary:

Romans 1:28 “…they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind…”

No one had any excuse. EVERYONE had known God:

Romans 1:21 “…when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful…”

That pertained to the world before Genesis 12.

So, the purpose of God in making Israel was to show the world and the Adversary what a nation under the Creator looks like.

“Biblical Chosenness is certainly a facet of Judaism.”

No, it’s not. Not in the Bible. God chose Abram, then made Israel, but it’s not because of Judaism.

Judaism came from being chosen.

Deuteronomy 7:7-8 “The LORD did not set his love upon you, nor choose you, because ye were more in number than any people; for ye were the fewest of all people: But because the LORD loved you, and because he would keep the oath which he had sworn unto your fathers…”

Again, their being chosen is the reason stated above, “to show the world.” Judaism came about for at least these two reasons:

For God to make them stand out to the world, different and peculiar:

Deuteronomy 14:2 “For thou art an holy people unto the LORD thy God, and the LORD hath chosen thee to be a peculiar people unto himself, above all the nations that are upon the earth.”

And, because Israel opted for the Law (EX. 19).

“…Chosenness…Does it relate not at all to the Jewish supremacy that animates Jewish-Israeli expression and express action?”

Perhaps so.

It’s not about their supremacy; they’re not superior. They’re not special, but God made them special, and that’s the key difference. He is going to make them the head and not the tail, and the Gentiles are going to be subject to the Jew. It was His call.

WHY? Because men chose to go their own way (Rom. 1). So God will show the world what a nation is like whose God is God, and also, and this is very important, God will use Israel to repossess the earth from the Adversary. No one wanted to be a part of that, so God made Himself a nation who will carry out that needful function.

“For what—pray tell?—are foundational, early teachings like Deuteronomy 14:2, if not a declaration of Jewish superiority for posterity?”

“For thou art an holy people unto the Lord thy God, and the Lord hath chosen thee to be a peculiar people unto himself, above all the nations that are upon the earth.”

Posterity may have made it that way, but that is not what is going on there in Deuteronomy 14. Israel then was not holy in and of themselves. God was/is going to make them holy. He is going to accomplish that for them. That was one of the mandates of their Redeemer.

I mean, take Balaam for example. Consider again what Balaam told Balak. It’s astounding:

Numbers 23:21 “He hath not beheld iniquity in Jacob, neither hath he seen perverseness in Israel: the LORD his God is with him, and the shout of a king is among them.”

Yet there was iniquity in Jacob! There was perverseness in Israel! But “I Am” Himself was going to make Israel right. The Redeemer. Perhaps no one, including Moses, understood how God could say such a thing, but He knew.

“Alongside all the commentators and broadcasters who insist on upholding the division between Judaism and Zionism…”

Bible wise, there is no such thing as Zionism. Judaism, yes, but again, that came a whole lot later, for the purposes of making them a peculiar people to stand out to the Adversary following world, and because Israel opted for the Law contract (EX 19).

“In speaking truth to power, Jesus followed in the footsteps of the classical prophets.”

No. This is why He came:

Romans 15:8 “Now I say that Jesus Christ was a minister of the circumcision for the truth of God, to confirm the promises made unto the fathers:”

“…a faith is more than a doctrine;”

A faith? Bible faith is not more than a doctrine. Faith is based on doctrine:

“Faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the word of God.”

“I want to believe in the strict bifurcation of Judaism and Zionism…”

Such a statement may have application in the secular among the political, but it’s nonsense as far as what’s going on in the Bible (God’s word).

God made a nation. He gave them land. They’re going to get it. Those are the facts. It’s not Zionism. Judaism doesn’t have anything to do with the land God gave to Israel. God instituted Judaism primarily because Israel opted for the Law contract.

“All the same, from Jews, liberals for the most, I’ve always heard the Chosen People storyline.”

I almost can’t believe the words I’ve been reading. Israel was chosen, but no, not because they were superior.

Joyce Carol Oats quip was good, but it’s the same with philosophers and the majority of Christendom. The president and whoever else was there crying out 2 Chronicles 7:14, don’t know what’s going on. The majority of Christendom doesn’t have a clue.

But, let me tell you, Ilana, who did know what’s going on in the Bible, and it was a New Testament Jesus rejecting Jewish rabbi of all people:

“We regard Jesus as one of the greatest of our Rabbis,…And he added, ‘It was not he that founded Christianity, but your PAUL.'” From, “Forgotten Truths,” by Sir Robert Anderson.

That man was pretty much spot on. I might tweak what the Rabbi said, and say it this way: the Lord Jesus Christ, Israel’s Messiah, began something new with Paul (Christianity).

Before that, Christ’s earthly ministry AND early Acts, was God’s program with Israel. The “middle wall of partition” was still up separating the Jews from the “dogs” (Gentiles).

So, the big question is why didn’t Israel, way back, get their land and the kingdom? Even the 11 apostles were expecting it. Read Acts 1:6. The problem, Ilana, as far as why Israel did not see all her promises get fulfilled, such as getting their land, is because the God of Israel unexpectedly interrupted His program with them. It was a temporary interruption. But He is going to resume His program with them, and they are going to get that land and then some. And they will be the head and not the tail, and the Gentiles are going to be compelled to get in line with that.

Since converting Saul of Tarsus in Acts 9, God has been doing something different. He’s accomplishing a different purpose. That simply has to be understood. And the answer is not Replacement Theology. As far as the current nation of Israel since 1948, that’s another matter. God is going to, after this dispensation of grace concludes, gather all the Jews Himself and put them Himself into the land He gave them. Whether He “uses” the current configuration, time will tell.

Sincerely.

https://www.unz.com/imercer/the-judaism-zionism-bifurcation-chosenness-part-1/

You can cross-post your comment at Unz Review for more interaction with readers.
I shall get a corresponding blog post up shortly.

“Is Zionism not, to some extent, an excrescence of Judaism?”

The answer to these kinds of questions can only be in the Bible. Why? Because it claims to be His words, and He created Israel and Judaism. If we put the Bible aside, then the conversation is useless. 

Zionism is not a Biblical teaching. Land was promised to Abraham and his seed, Isaac and on. Israel was to move in on what God gave them and take it. That’s not “Zionism.” There’s no “Zionism” in Genesis through Joshua. He gave them the land. That’s it. And it was to that nation only. And really, there should be no more questions. 

And the big, big question is: WHY? Because everybody else chose to go their own way. That’s why. Simple as that. “Keep it simple.” Men did not want God, so He let them go, and they chose to follow the Adversary:

Romans 1:28 “…they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind…”

No one had any excuse. EVERYONE had known God:

Romans 1:21 “…when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful…”

That pertained to the world before Genesis 12.

So, the purpose of God in making Israel was to show the world and the Adversary what a nation under the Creator looks like. That’s it.

“Biblical Chosenness is certainly a facet of Judaism.”

No, it’s not. Not in the Bible. God chose Israel, first, but it’s not because of Judaism. 

Perhaps we can say Judaism came from being chosen. 

Deuteronomy 7:7-8 “The LORD did not set his love upon you, nor choose you, because ye were more in number than any people; for ye were the fewest of all people: But because the LORD loved you, and because he would keep the oath which he had sworn unto your fathers…”

Again, their being chosen is the reason stated above, “to show the world.” Judaism came about for at least these two reasons:

For God to make them stand out to the world, different and peculiar:

Deuteronomy 14:2 “For thou art an holy people unto the LORD thy God, and the LORD hath chosen thee to be a peculiar people unto himself, above all the nations that are upon the earth.”

And, because Israel opted for the Law (EX. 19).

“…Chosenness…Does it relate not at all to the Jewish supremacy that animates Jewish-Israeli expression and express action?”

Perhaps so.

It’s not about their supremacy; they’re not superior. They’re not special, but God made them special, and that’s the key difference. He is going to make them the head and not the tail, and the Gentiles are going to be subject to the Jew. It was His call. 

WHY? Because men chose to go their own way (Rom. 1). So God will show the world what a nation is like whose God is God, and also, this is very important, God will use Israel to repossess the earth from the Adversary. No one wanted to be a part of that, so God made Himself a nation who will carry out that needful function.

“For what—pray tell?—are foundational, early teachings like Deuteronomy 14:2, if not a declaration of Jewish superiority for posterity?”

“For thou art an holy people unto the Lord thy God, and the Lord hath chosen thee to be a peculiar people unto himself, above all the nations that are upon the earth.”

Posterity may have made it that way, but that is not what is going on there in Deuteronomy 14. Israel then was not holy in and of themselves. God was/is going to make them holy. He is going to accomplish that for them. That was one of the mandates of their Redeemer.

I mean, take Balaam for example. Consider again what Balaam told Balak. It’s astounding:

Numbers 23:21 “He hath not beheld iniquity in Jacob, neither hath he seen perverseness in Israel: the LORD his God is with him, and the shout of a king is among them.”

Yet there was iniquity in Jacob! There was perverseness in Israel! But “I Am” Himself was going to make Israel right. The Redeemer. Perhaps no one, including Moses, did not understand how God could say such a thing, but He knew.

“Alongside all the commentators and broadcasters who insist on upholding the division between Judaism and Zionism…”

Bible wise, there is no such thing as Zionism. Judaism, yes, but again, that came a whole lot later, for the purposes of making them a peculiar people to stand out to the Adversary following world, and because Israel opted for the Law contract (EX 19).

“In speaking truth to power, Jesus followed in the footsteps of the classical prophets.” 

No. This is why He came:

Romans 15:8 “Now I say that Jesus Christ was a minister of the circumcision for the truth of God, to confirm the promises made unto the fathers:” 

“…a faith is more than a doctrine;” 

A faith? Bible faith is not more than a doctrine. Faith is based on doctrine:

“Faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the word of God.” 

“I want to believe in the strict bifurcation of Judaism and Zionism…” 

Such a statement may have application in the secular among the political, but it’s nonsense as far as what’s going on in the Bible (God’s word). 

God made a nation. He gave them land. They’re going to get it. Those are the facts. It’s not Zionism. Judaism doesn’t have anything to do with the land God gave to Israel. God instituted Judaism primarily because Israel opted for the Law contract. 

“All the same, from Jews, liberals for the most, I’ve always heard the Chosen People storyline.”

I almost can’t believe the words I’ve been reading. Israel was chosen, but no, not because they were superior. 

Joyce Carol Oats quip was good, but it’s the same with philosophers and the majority of Christendom. The president and whoever else was there crying out 2 Chronicles 7:14, don’t know what’s going on. The majority of Christendom doesn’t have a clue.

But, let me tell you, Ilana, who did know what’s going on in the Bible, and it was a New Testament Jesus rejecting Jewish rabbi of all people:

“We regard Jesus as one of the greatest of our Rabbis,…And he added, ‘It was not he that founded Christianity, but your PAUL.'”  From, “Forgotten Truths,” by Sir Robert Anderson.

That man was pretty much spot on. I might tweak what the Rabbi said, this way: the Lord Jesus Christ, Israel’s Messiah, began something new with Paul (Christianity).

Before that, Christ’s earthly ministry AND early Acts, was God’s program with Israel. The “middle wall of partition” was still up separating the Jews from the “dogs” (Gentiles).

The problem, Ilana, as far as why Israel did not see all her promises get fulfilled, such as getting their land, is because the God of Israel unexpectedly interrupted His program with them. It’s a temporary interruption.  But He is going to resume His program with them, and they are going to get that land and then some. And they will be the head and not the tail, and the Gentiles are going to be compelled to get in line with that.

I am not a “Zionist.” But, if Israel legally became a nation in 1948, I don’t see what the problem with that was. Was it of God? No, I don’t think so. He’s going to, after this dispensation of grace concludes, gather all the Jews Himself and put them Himself into the land He gave them. Whether He “uses” the current configuration, time will tell.

 Sincerely.

The star of the show is, of course, Jared Kushner, playing the Tadzio in this knockoff of Mann’s literary classic. Up till now, I’ve only known of Kushner from the outside, and I didn’t like what I’d seen. Thanks to Mrs Mercer, I can now envision this Jersey Shore Caligula from the within the inner circle. Sylphlike, languid, nepotistic, limbic, androgynous, and above all privileged, America behold the “waxy perfection” of Little Lord Fauntleroy, the icon of your ruling class. In his heart of hearts, there is no end to the number of charming neighborhoods he would condemn to eminent domain, nor of people he would displace (including to the charnel house), in order to erect more gilded architectural lollipops to the vainglorious tribute of the tastelessness of his beloved father-in-law, the dying Aschenbach of Mann’s classic 2.0.

Meanwhile, Bibi reclines on his chaise, waiting for the lickspittle Vance to report today’s news, secure in the knowledge that he controls the whole noxious lot of them.

Read through this exhaustive archive:

https://www.ilanamercer.com/category/gaza/

Here is one essay in particular:
https://www.ilanamercer.com/2024/05/jewish-state-genocidal-israeli-society-sick/

The numbers have not changed.