Debra said (June 9, 2011):

"I Missed a Chance to Become a Jew" refers to a way of life missing the point that Judaism is the traditional religion of Europeans, who are the descendants of Abraham (Anglo-Saxon).

The author states, "I happen to believe that Christian salvation has come through the Jews. Yet, Leonard Simpson's dilemma of betraying his European identity by joining or marrying into a Jewish community is an example of how mixed up nearly everyone is on the subject.

Jacob/Israel had twelve sons, which eventually became the twelve tribal patriarchs of Israel. These racial Jews are descended from the "House of Judah" who were the people living in Judea, the southern region of Israel, and were the Tribes of Judah, Benjamin, and Levites. The Levites being the priests at that time were dispersed between the North and South.

Only these Southern Tribes were referred to as Jews, but all followed one God and Judaism.

The much larger (by population numbers and area) northern region of Israel was made up of the other remaining Ten Tribed "House of Israel". This group has basically lost all their national and tribal identities, because they never were called Jews to begin with. They were either called by the names of their individual Houses/Tribes, or were simply called Israelites or the "House of Israel". Then, over the centuries, their Israelite identities were lost, and they are now only called by the names of the modern-day nations that they became.

These nations are - U.S.A., Australia/New Zealand, Canada, South Africa, Northern France, Ireland, Belgium, Scotland, Denmark, Gibraltar, United Kingdom, Scandinavia, Baltic States.

Had Leonard Simpson joined the community, he might, in fact, be closer to his original roots of Judaism and his identity as an "Israelite" which is Anglo-Saxon and "Israel", not a Gentile.

John said (June 8, 2011):

I read Leonard Simpson's article with great anguish of heart. I, too, was a 'shabbas goy' growing up, working in a Reform Synagogue for over eight years on Fridays and Saturdays. Because of my liturgical knowledge, I was involved with a music ministry at one of the largest synagogues in the US.

Every week, I heard the Rabbi and congregants talking, not about God, or the salvation He has procured for His people, but about THEMSELVES. Every sermon was about 'the Jews' and NEVER about the Almighty. Every time there was a supposed 'affront' to 'the Jews,' THAT was the topic of the sermon- never about grace, love, mercy, and NEVER, EVER about forgiveness, turning the other cheek, and things that I consistently heard growing up as a catholic Christian.

I finally realized that, for Jews, THEY are their 'god,' and everything always revolved around them. This viewpoint was later corroborated in books which stated that very thing.

As Mr. Simpson has noted, the mantra, "But is it good for the Jews?" is the ONLY operating 'creed' they have.

It was a hard lesson to learn, but a necessary one. I later also learned the second most important lesson. Arthur Koestler's book, "The Thirteenth Tribe" clearly showed me that 'they who say they are Jews, and are not' (as St. John noted, 2000 years ago, Rev. 2:8,9) USE THIS FALSE IDENTITY to subvert Christianity, and take from her, that which God has given to her- the super cession of O.T. Judaism, via the Church.

This is not a 'heresy' as some mistakenly call it, but the consistent witness of 20 centuries of Christian theology. By the Incarnation of Jesus, the Body of Christ is now HIS Body- there will not be another, there is no other way to heaven, and the 'faithless Jews' as the Prayer for Good Friday, still remains, no matter what pseudo-Popes, or apostate Clerics may say.

Mr. Simpson is actually flirting with losing his salvation, for, as Brother Nathanael Kapner has noted in his website, www.realzionistnews.com, one must RENOUNCE his 'Jewishness' to BECOME a Christian.

These are hard words for anyone to hear. But they are the ONLY TRUE WORDS YHWH has spoken, in these '....last days, of His Son, the Messiah of All Israel'- for it is not those who deny Christ who are 'Israel,' but only those who confess Jesus as Lord: [Rom. 11:23] for even the 'Jews' need to come to us, to the Church, for their salvation.

Leonard (author) said (June 8, 2011):

Isn't all of this talk about "assimilation" similar to "equality" and women's rights"? It's all about a power grab. The basic thing is this that we need to mind our own business. So what if someone is richer than me. So what if someone has a different sex than me. So what if someone is a different race than me. I need to be content with who I am in ever sense of the word. The tenth commandment is, "You shall not covet." This is the commandment being broken.

Yes I would have benefited in many, many ways from my association with Jews, but I didn't want the benefits, the money, the stability because I have to be satisfied with where I am now and look at the real roots to the problems. Many do marry Jews to enjoy the benefits. Jews need to be careful just as much as non-Jews. They are targets as well.

Mohammed said (June 8, 2011):

i think its just that the Jews want to be able to keep the money in the "family". like a company thats always on the lookout for new talent.they take the best that they can find & assimilate it. that way the person or thing loses its own identity & the Jewish community becomes stronger.
There is one thing that puzzles me- I've always believed that its almost impossible to become a Jew- you have to be born one or if you marry one, your children automatically are regarded as Jews.

And Dan,[below] you say:"Ah, well now we understand what Jews have felt for two thousand years. Full acceptance into the local culture requires assimilation of the stranger into the tribe."

i hope you're being sarcastic because i know that the Jews have behaved like chameleons wherever they went. not because the other community just wanted to harm them for no reason. the Jews wanted to blend in wherever they went so as
to avoid attention while they continued bleeding countries dry with their interest rates. by the time the locals identified the cancer that was
attacking them, it was too late.

Dan said (June 8, 2011):

Henry, amazing article.

"why would I want to give up my European heritage? I happen to love my culture."

Ah, well now we understand what Jews have felt for two thousand years. Full acceptance into the local culture requires assimilation of the stranger into the tribe. (see "A Man Called Horse" and many other examples).

One the one hand it's an honor, on the other an honorable man doesn't forsake the suffering of his ancestors for personal convenience.

In this story are the grounds for a certain respect of a common humanity between honorable men (and women of course) which transcends tribalism.

Still, the problem of assimilation being a requirement of full acceptance persists.