# Jews are no better or worse than anybody else. **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [April 19, 2002, 1:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jews-are-no-better-or-worse-than-anybody-else/104513 "2002-04-19T13:40:30Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![berdollos](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ed8c4c/32.png) [@berdollos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/berdollos)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2002, 1:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jews-are-no-better-or-worse-than-anybody-else/104513/1 "2002-04-19T13:40:30Z")
This conclusion provides a balance between Jewish pride and hatred of Jews. ---
**Author:** ![Coldfire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a587f6/32.png) [@Coldfire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Coldfire)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2002, 2:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jews-are-no-better-or-worse-than-anybody-else/104513/2 "2002-04-19T14:41:50Z")
Yyyyyyeah. I don’t think the opposite of “hatred of Jews” is necessarily “Jewish pride”, but OK. What kind of opinions are you looking for, **berdollos**? I think on this board, you’ll find that the vast, vast majority of people will respond by saying “yeah, Jews are no better or worse than anybody else”. Could you specify a purpose for this thread? ---
**Author:** ![occ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/8c91f0/32.png) [@occ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/occ)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2002, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jews-are-no-better-or-worse-than-anybody-else/104513/3 "2002-04-19T18:25:51Z")
Man, I’m glad someone finally set the record straight. What?! ---
**Author:** ![Drastic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Drastic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Drastic)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2002, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jews-are-no-better-or-worse-than-anybody-else/104513/4 "2002-04-19T18:32:13Z")
> [@](#): > > Could you specify a purpose for this thread? I thin it was to demonstrate that the dual-forum quadruple-post with a half-twist, preivously thought to be a human impossibility, was indeed possible. ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2002, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jews-are-no-better-or-worse-than-anybody-else/104513/5 "2002-04-19T18:36:40Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Drastic \* > \*\* > I thin it was to demonstrate that the dual-forum quadruple-post with a half-twist, preivously thought to be a human impossibility, was indeed possible. \*\* Heh heh, your splash was bigger. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Carter\_of\_Mars](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/2bfe46/32.png) [@John\_Carter\_of\_Mars](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Carter_of_Mars)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2002, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jews-are-no-better-or-worse-than-anybody-else/104513/6 "2002-04-19T20:18:51Z")
**"Jews are no better or worse than anybody else."** No shit? What a revelation! And on Friday afternoon, too. You rock, guy! :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![Big\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/df788c/32.png) [@Big\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Big_Sam)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2002, 8:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jews-are-no-better-or-worse-than-anybody-else/104513/7 "2002-04-19T20:26:53Z")
No group of people is better or worse than any other group of people. The problem is getting all the groups to understand that and act accordingly. ---
**Author:** ![Frodo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/frodo/32/302_2.png) [@Frodo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frodo)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2002, 9:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jews-are-no-better-or-worse-than-anybody-else/104513/8 "2002-04-19T21:01:38Z")
in other news the pope may be catholic and some weird substance that may be bear poo has been found in the woods ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2002, 9:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jews-are-no-better-or-worse-than-anybody-else/104513/9 "2002-04-19T21:13:25Z")
Better or worse at what? ---
**Author:** ![Atreyu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5e9695/32.png) [@Atreyu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atreyu)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2002, 11:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jews-are-no-better-or-worse-than-anybody-else/104513/10 "2002-04-19T23:52:04Z")
Christians are no better or worse than anybody else. Muslims are no better or worse than anybody else. Buddhists are no better or worse than anybody else. Hindus are no better or worse than anybody else. Agnostics are no better or worse than anybody else. Atheists are no better or worse than anybody else. …et cetera… I prefer not to judge someone by their belief system, but rather by their behavior…and I’m still looking for a _point_ to this OP. ---
**Author:** ![berdollos](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ed8c4c/32.png) [@berdollos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/berdollos)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2002, 3:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jews-are-no-better-or-worse-than-anybody-else/104513/11 "2002-04-20T03:49:22Z")
better or worse than other groups. However, it is apparent that the sense of arrogance and superiority as well as despising others or feeling worse than others is widespread. I am pleased that straightdopers found this insight so ordinary, as day after day in discussions and in the media, I hear people indicating their sense of superiority and the inferiority of others. Best wishes, Berdollos ---
**Author:** ![LolaBaby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/d2c977/32.png) [@LolaBaby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LolaBaby)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2002, 4:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jews-are-no-better-or-worse-than-anybody-else/104513/12 "2002-04-20T04:46:37Z")
Freebasing peanut butter is really dangerous. You should quit. ---
**Author:** ![TV\_time](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f17d59/32.png) [@TV\_time](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TV_time)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2002, 3:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jews-are-no-better-or-worse-than-anybody-else/104513/13 "2002-04-20T15:59:31Z")
> [@](#): > > **Jews are no better nor worse than anybody else** Would you be quiet! My wife might hear. I’ve managed to convince her that at least one of them (me) is a little better than most everbody else (I think I’ve managed to convince her of that. At least she says she’s convinced…). ---
**Author:** ![Cliffy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/59ef9b/32.png) [@Cliffy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cliffy)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2002, 10:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jews-are-no-better-or-worse-than-anybody-else/104513/14 "2002-04-20T22:57:22Z")
I used to think we were better than everybody else, but then Ariel Sharon showed up on the world stage and that guy’s bringin’ the average way down. (Also, all those creepy jews who came to D.C. to march last Monday – ick!) –Cliffy ---
**Author:** ![shawa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/dfb087/32.png) [@shawa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/shawa)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2002, 11:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jews-are-no-better-or-worse-than-anybody-else/104513/15 "2002-04-20T23:50:19Z")
Well I did always wonder about the Chosen People thing. That always sounded a little arrogant to me. ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2002, 5:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jews-are-no-better-or-worse-than-anybody-else/104513/16 "2002-04-21T17:01:50Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by shawa \* > \*\*Well I did always wonder about the Chosen People thing. That always sounded a little arrogant to me. \*\* That’s because you very clearly don’t understand the concept. “Chosen” doesn’t mean superior, it means chosen to follow the Laws of God. It means different, not better. It means that the Jews have a burden that others don’t. Compare that to the belief of many Christians whereby if you don’t believe exactly what they do you will suffer an eternity of uninaginable torture after you die. Talk about arrogant. Haj ---
**Author:** ![Enderw24](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ba9def/32.png) [@Enderw24](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enderw24)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2002, 5:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jews-are-no-better-or-worse-than-anybody-else/104513/17 "2002-04-21T17:08:02Z")
I’m better than everyone else. That I’m Jewish is merely coincidental. ---
**Author:** ![\_ceQueen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/_/b9bd4f/32.png) [@\_ceQueen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/_ceQueen)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2002, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jews-are-no-better-or-worse-than-anybody-else/104513/18 "2002-04-21T17:37:43Z")
I’m half-Jewish. I’m half as good and half as bad as the rest of the folks out there. ---
**Author:** ![shawa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/dfb087/32.png) [@shawa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/shawa)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2002, 11:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jews-are-no-better-or-worse-than-anybody-else/104513/19 "2002-04-21T23:38:18Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by hajario \* > \*\* > > “Chosen” doesn’t mean superior, it means chosen to follow the Laws of God. It means different, not better. It means that the Jews have a burden that others don’t. > > Compare that to the belief of many Christians whereby if you don’t believe exactly what they do you will suffer an eternity of uninaginable torture after you die. Talk about arrogant. > > Haj \*\* I agree with you about the Christians, but isn’t saying tha Jews have a burden that others don’t a little like saying Jews are superior since God felt they were worthy of being chosen to follow his laws? ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2002, 12:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jews-are-no-better-or-worse-than-anybody-else/104513/20 "2002-04-22T00:35:38Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by shawa \* > \*\* > > I agree with you about the Christians, but isn’t saying tha Jews have a burden that others don’t a little like saying Jews are superior since God felt they were worthy of being chosen to follow his laws? \*\* No. The legend (nonBibilical folklore) says that God offered this burden to several different groups, all of whom turned it down, until he came accross the Hebrews who decided to accept it. Aside from that, anyone who so desires can join the tribe but then they’re supposed to follow the laws too. I do not currently practice any religion and consider myself an atheist but I was raised as a Reform Jew and went through religious training until I was 18 years old. This notion of “superiority” is not part of the doctrine and simply doesn’t exist except in the minds of a very few racists. Haj [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jews-are-no-better-or-worse-than-anybody-else/104513.md?page=2)