>>Jack, I agree that the people who sing LotD are not trying to express antisemitism, and I am utterly convinced that they don't see the song as anti-semitic. I'm trying to convince people that it is.<<

Gerry,

I am embarrassed that I seemed to have utterly failed to make my larger point. I shall try one more time.

There is nothing expressed in that song that is not more clearly and overtly expressed in the Gospels. The Gospels make it very clear that SOME Jews were very much responsible for the death of Jesus. Who actually did the stripping and the nailing is not in dispute because the Gospels are clear about that as well. Again it is clear from the Gospels that Jews killed Jesus. Just Bin Laden killed nearly 3,000 Americans and Dick Cheney and Doug Feith killed Iraqis.

It is also clear to me and to the vast majority of Christians who read that text understand All Jews are not responsible any more than they believe that all Arabs or all Muslims or all people with beards or all of any other group that Bin Laden may happen to belong to, are not responsible for 9/11.

The Gospels are the Gospels. They are Christianity's ultimate source documents for this information and Christian belief on this subject. You may not believe that they are historically accurate. But you do not look at them through the lens of faith. You seem to be implying that Luke was lying. You will get no where with that argument. You seem to be saying that because Carter repeated the lies of Luke then the song offends you. If you are saying that then you are denigrating what is arguably the holiest part of the Christian Bible. The sacrifice of Jesus is the very basis of most Christian's faith. Christian understanding of that sacrifice is rooted in the Gospels. Calling any part of the Gospels "a lie" is playing with dynamite.

On the other hand, I will grant you that some people who call themselves Christians believe that all Jews past and present are responsible for Jesus' death. But there is no way that they got that idea from reading the Gospels or singing Lord of the Dance. The source of that vile prejudice most certainly lies elsewhere.