# Why \[were the Jews\] chosen? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [October 24, 2015, 12:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-were-the-jews-chosen/735595 "2015-10-24T00:58:58Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Gorsnak](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gorsnak/32/7587_2.png) [@Gorsnak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gorsnak)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2015, 5:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-were-the-jews-chosen/735595/21 "2015-10-24T05:48:33Z")
God does not exist, and hence the Jews were not chosen. The OP’s question is based on a false premise. ---
**Author:** ![Drunky\_Smurf](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drunky_smurf/32/449_2.png) [@Drunky\_Smurf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Drunky_Smurf)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2015, 6:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-were-the-jews-chosen/735595/22 "2015-10-24T06:13:49Z")
> [@Gorsnak](#): > > God does not exist, and hence the Jews were not chosen. The OP’s question is based on a false premise. Cite? ---
**Author:** ![coremelt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/4491bb/32.png) [@coremelt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/coremelt)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2015, 7:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-were-the-jews-chosen/735595/23 "2015-10-24T07:00:45Z")
Read the wiki page on Yahweh and it gives a pretty good account of how a local “divine warrior” was successively promoted to being a national god, then a universal god, then denying that all other gods existed. > **[Yahweh](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yahweh)** > > Yahweh\[a\] was an ancient Levantine deity that emerged as a "divine warrior" associated first with Seir, Edom, Paran and Teman, and later with Canaan, as the national god of ancient Israelites and Judahites. The origins of his worship reach at least to the early Iron Age, and likely to the Late Bronze Age if not somewhat earlier. > In the oldest biblical literature he possesses attributes typically ascribed to weather and war deities, fructifying the land and leading the heavenly army against Is... Yahweh was the local god of the ancient kingdoms of Israel and Judah, so of course they were the chosen people. Has any tribe every created a religion where they weren’t the chosen people? ---
**Author:** ![simster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/simster/32/1047_2.png) [@simster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/simster)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2015, 12:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-were-the-jews-chosen/735595/24 "2015-10-24T12:47:45Z")
> [@Gorsnak](#): > > God does not exist, and hence the Jews were not chosen. The OP’s question is based on a false premise. But the book where both God and the chosen jews does, and can therefore be discussed on its own merits without any supernatural inferences required. ---
**Author:** ![tomndebb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9e5f3/32.png) [@tomndebb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tomndebb)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2015, 1:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-were-the-jews-chosen/735595/25 "2015-10-24T13:17:52Z")
> [@Gorsnak](#): > > God does not exist, and hence the Jews were not chosen. The OP’s question is based on a false premise. This is threadshitting. That religious beliefs are held and not held is obvious to anyone reading this forum. The question is obviously asked in the context of belief, so your post provides nothing for the discussion. Knock it off. L[/Moderating] ---
**Author:** ![tomndebb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9e5f3/32.png) [@tomndebb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tomndebb)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2015, 1:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-were-the-jews-chosen/735595/26 "2015-10-24T13:28:18Z")
> [@tooldtocare](#): > > for a purpose That said, are you taking this discussion somewhere? Posting a bunch of vaguely related verses with no actual discussion of how you intend them to relate to the OP is not helpful. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2015, 1:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-were-the-jews-chosen/735595/27 "2015-10-24T13:49:45Z")
> [@Ambivalid](#): > > ?? nm ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2015, 1:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-were-the-jews-chosen/735595/28 "2015-10-24T13:52:46Z")
William Norman Ewer once wrote: How odd of God To choose the Jews. This was followed by Not news, not odd The Jews chose God and then Not odd of God To choose the Jews Goyim annoy him. ---
**Author:** ![LinusK](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/258eb7/32.png) [@LinusK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LinusK)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2015, 2:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-were-the-jews-chosen/735595/29 "2015-10-24T14:00:57Z")
Uh, Annie’s right. They were chosen, because they wrote the books. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2015, 2:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-were-the-jews-chosen/735595/30 "2015-10-24T14:54:44Z")
> [@LinusK](#): > > Uh, Annie’s right. They were chosen, because they wrote the books. Yep. See post #18. ---
**Author:** ![Gorsnak](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gorsnak/32/7587_2.png) [@Gorsnak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gorsnak)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2015, 3:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-were-the-jews-chosen/735595/31 "2015-10-24T15:11:00Z")
> [@tomndebb](#): > > This is threadshitting. That religious beliefs are held and not held is obvious to anyone reading this forum. The question is obviously asked in the context of belief, so your post provides nothing for the discussion. > > Knock it off. > > L[/Moderating] I find it interesting that my post is threadshitting while “The Jews made up the story so obviously they are the protagonists” is not, when they are stating exactly the same thing. Nevertheless I’ll simply bow out of this one. ---
**Author:** ![tomndebb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9e5f3/32.png) [@tomndebb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tomndebb)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2015, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-were-the-jews-chosen/735595/32 "2015-10-24T15:28:21Z")
> [@Gorsnak](#): > > I find it interesting that my post is threadshitting while “The Jews made up the story so obviously they are the protagonists” is not, when they are stating exactly the same thing. Nevertheless I’ll simply bow out of this one. Declaring a reason for the specific writing by pointing to the authors of the work differs from declaring that the question is pointless because there cannot be any foundation for the claim. If you cannot recognize that distinction, then you probably should stay out of such discussions. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2015, 3:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-were-the-jews-chosen/735595/33 "2015-10-24T15:46:46Z")
One supposes with Moses the prose is pro-woeses Disposed to grow noses Pinocchio-usly Modern-day schmoeses opposes, exposes But those us God choses did all goeses free. I believe in recycling. ---
**Author:** ![tooldtocare](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e19adc/32.png) [@tooldtocare](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tooldtocare)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2015, 3:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-were-the-jews-chosen/735595/34 "2015-10-24T15:56:29Z")
They were chosen to show us the way, to show us how to treat the stranger, how to be compassionate and loving to your neighbor and by doing so peace would envelope the world. With that premise in mind I looked at the past and present to determine if they are complying with His suggestions Sadly I have found that they are not; now please prove me wrong (:- ---
**Author:** ![tooldtocare](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e19adc/32.png) [@tooldtocare](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tooldtocare)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2015, 4:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-were-the-jews-chosen/735595/35 "2015-10-24T16:02:25Z")
> [@Bryan\_Ekers](#): > > One supposes with Moses the prose is pro-woeses > .,.,…,. And it came to pass in those days, when Moses was grown, that he went out to his brothers, and looked on their burdens: and he spied an Egyptian smiting an Hebrew, one of his brothers. And he looked this way and that way, and when he saw that there was no man, **he slew the Egyptian, and hid him in the sand**. And when he went out the second day, behold, two men of the Hebrews strove together: and he said to him that did the wrong, Why smite you your fellow? Now when Pharaoh heard this thing, he sought to slay Moses. But Moses fled from the face of Pharaoh, and dwelled in the land of Midian: and he sat down by a well. ``` This marks the great EXIDIOUS ``` ---
**Author:** ![tooldtocare](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e19adc/32.png) [@tooldtocare](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tooldtocare)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2015, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-were-the-jews-chosen/735595/36 "2015-10-24T16:15:02Z")
(Exo 12:21 KJV) Then **Moses** called for all the elders of Israel, and said unto them, Draw out and take you a lamb according to your families, and \*\*kill the passover. \*\* (Exo 12:22 KJV) \*And ye shall take a bunch of hyssop, and dip it in the blood that is in the basin, and strike the lintel and the two side posts with the blood that is in the basin; and none of you shall go out at the door of his house until the morning. \* The Lord I know would not condone the killing of anything, sense He created it all. The term “hate” or “kill” is not in the Lord’s vocabulary (Exo 12:23 KJV) _For the LORD will pass through to smite the Egyptians; and when he_\* seeth the blood upon the lintel, and on the two side posts\*\*, the LORD will pass over the door, and will not suffer the destroyer to come in unto your houses to smite you. \* (Exo 12:24 KJV) \*And ye shall observe this thing for an ordinance to thee and to thy sons for ever. \* (Exo 12:25 KJV) _And it shall come to pass, when ye be come to the land which the LORD will give you, according as he hath promised, that ye shall keep this service._ (Exo 12:26 KJV) \*And it shall come to pass, when your children shall say unto you, What mean ye by this service? \* (Exo 12:27 KJV) \*That ye shall say, It is the sacrifice of the LORD’S passover, who **passed over the houses of the children of Israel in Egypt** , when **he smote the Egyptians** , and delivered our houses. And the people bowed the head and worshipped. \* (Exo 12:28 KJV) \*And the children of Israel went away, and did as the LORD had commanded Moses and Aaron, so did they. \* (Exo 12:29 KJV) _And it came to pass, that at midnight the LORD_\* smote all the firstborn in the land of Egypt\*\*, from the **firstborn of Pharaoh** that sat on his throne unto the **firstborn of the captive that was in the dungeon** ; and all the **firstborn of cattle**. \* LORD smote all the firstborn in the land of Egypt,.,.,.,.Not the Lord I know, He forbids killing and not a doer of (🙂 (Exo 12:30 KJV) _And Pharaoh rose up in the night, he, and all his servants, and all the Egyptians; and **there was a great cry in Egypt; for there was not a house where there was not one dead.** _ Believe me, the Lord is no destroyer.,. such crapolla ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2015, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-were-the-jews-chosen/735595/37 "2015-10-24T16:34:10Z")
Yes, yes, we all know the story. What’s your point? ---
**Author:** ![tooldtocare](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e19adc/32.png) [@tooldtocare](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tooldtocare)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2015, 6:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-were-the-jews-chosen/735595/38 "2015-10-24T18:06:01Z")
My point is is that this is a time line of one specific people. Where the timeline begins way before Jesus was born. In my recollection Jesus actually read the Old Testament. My point is, if you follow the time line to the here and now nothing has changed. Killing children has become a sport _ **12 yr old boy SHOT DEAD** in front of your eyes Updated 9.48 p.m., 3rd Oct 2000_ [http://www.themodernreligion.com/jihad/sniper.html](http://www.themodernreligion.com/jihad/sniper.html) The sad story of the never ending killing of Palestinian children by the Israeli Defense Force all in the name of self-defense. Murdering little girls is an Israeli sport it seems _ **Gaza girl said killed** By Amos Harel and Nir Hasson, Haaretz Correspondents,and Haaretz Service_ Thu., October 28, 2004 _IDF troops shot and killed an 8-year-old Palestinian girl who was on her way to school in a Gaza Strip refugee camp_ [http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/494672.html](http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/494672.html) _UN officials: **Girl hit by IDF gunfire in UN school in Gaza** By Amos Harel, Haaretz Correspondent and AP Tue., October 12, 2004 Tishrei 27, 5765 **An 11-year-old Palestinian girl was shot in the stomach** and critically wounded by Israel Defense Forces gunfire_\* IDF troops fired two shots\*\*, one of the shots hit a fifth-grade student at the school. Last month, **a 10-year-old girl was killed by IDF gunfire while sitting at her desk** at the same school.\* [http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/487788.html](http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/487788.html) \*United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) 7 September 2004 At 07:45 \*\*10-year old **Raghda Adnan Al-Assar was struck in the head by Israeli fire while sitting \*\* at her desk** \* _UNRWA’s Elementary Girl’s School On June 1 this year_\* two ten-year old \*\*children in \* _UNRWA’s Al-Umariye Elementary **Boys’ School** in Rafah were **hit by a bullet** from a Israeli tank In March 2003_ _ **12-year old** Hoda Darwish was **hit in the head** by a bulletfired **Two 10 year-old schoolchildren were shot** in the al-Omaria school run by UNRWA in Rafah, when an Israeli tank fired into their classroom._ _Bullets fired from the tank flew through the classroom window, hitting Mahmoud Hamad in the neck and Hisham al Habil in the head. **The boys** had not even been sitting by the windows but in the middle of the room._ [http://www.palestinemonitor.org/index.html](http://www.palestinemonitor.org/index.html) \*Photos of a **12 year old** palestinian boy being \*\*shot \*\*by Israeli soldiers and the ambulance driver who tried to save him also being shot and killed. \* [palestine-net.com](http://www.palestine-net.com/misc/durra/) - \*\*three-year-old \*_Rawan Abu Zeid, who took **bullets in the neck** and head while buying candy with her friends._ 5 June 2004 [The New Yorker’s Israel: Where Objectivity Fails | The Electronic Intifada](http://electronicintifada.net/v2/article2785.shtml) _An **eight-year-old** Palestinian **girl shot dead by Israeli troops** in the central Gaza Strip was killed while showing off her new school uniform to friends_ [http://tinyurl.com/99kh8zk](http://tinyurl.com/99kh8zk) _Boy of 17, shot by Israeli soldiers, left bleeding overnight to die_ September 8, 2003 The bullet ridden corpse of Mohammad Abdullah Abu al-Husni, was found yesterday morning near the town of Jabaliya, where he lived in Gaza. [http://www.palestinemonitor.org/updates/left\_to\_die.htm](http://www.palestinemonitor.org/updates/left_to_die.htm) _Haneen, who was eight years old, had been shot twice in the head by an Israeli soldier as she walked down the street in Khan Yunis refugee camp with her mother._ 28 July 2003 _She was coming down the street and ran to me and hugged me, crying, ‘Mother, mother’. Two bullets hit her in the head, one straight after the other. She was still in my arms and she died."_ > **['I can't imagine anyone who considers himself a human being can do this'](https://www.theguardian.com/world/2003/jul/28/israel)** > > On Friday a four-year-old Palestinian boy was shot dead by a soldier - the most recent child victim of the Israeli army. Chris McGreal investigates a shocking series of deaths. \*This boy was in his own house and an IDF soldier barges into the house and shoots him dead Mohammed a 7-year-old boy fell dead, still clutching his piece of bread. \* Tuesday December 23, 2003 > **[Israel Army action breeds fresh hatred](https://www.theguardian.com/world/2003/dec/23/israel)** > > Israel Army action breeds fresh hatred. ---
**Author:** ![tooldtocare](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e19adc/32.png) [@tooldtocare](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tooldtocare)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2015, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-were-the-jews-chosen/735595/39 "2015-10-24T18:08:59Z")
Last Updated Jul 21, 2014 4:30 PM EDT _total number killed since the new round of fighting began on July 8 to more than at least 570, Palestinian officials said, adding that some 3,350 have been wounded._ > **[Amid rising death toll, Hamas and Israel both vow to keep fighting](https://www.cbsnews.com/news/palestinian-death-toll-from-hostilities-with-israel-tops-500-gaza-officials-say/)** > > U.S. pledges $47 million in humanitarian aid to Gaza as Secretary of State Kerry and U.N. chief launch new push to end conflict _Tribune wire reports 9:48 p.m. CDT, July 19, 2014 GAZA/JERUSALEM— 341 Palestinians, 5 Israelis dead entering 13th day of fighting_ [http://tinyurl.com/p3xxffg](http://tinyurl.com/p3xxffg) - 15,000 turn out for pro-Gaza rally in London (PHOTOS)\* [http://rt.com/uk/174188-gaza-israel-london-palestine/](http://rt.com/uk/174188-gaza-israel-london-palestine/) The Guardian Israel kills scores in Gaza City suburb in deadliest assault of offensive so far > **[Israel kills scores in Gaza City suburb in deadliest assault of offensive so far](https://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/jul/20/israeli-attack-suburb-gaza-city-palestinians-shujaiiya)** > > Special dispatch: Peter Beaumont reports from Shujai'iya, where fleeing and injured tell of streets strewn with bodies and rubble [http://tinyurl.com/lkcr7xj](http://tinyurl.com/lkcr7xj) Israel starts Gaza ground offensive 18 July 2014 > **[Israel starts Gaza ground offensive](https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-28359582)** > > The Israeli military begins a ground offensive against Palestinian militants in the Gaza Strip, extending its Operation Protective Edge. this is the here and now ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2015, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-were-the-jews-chosen/735595/40 "2015-10-24T18:24:25Z")
I _think_ I get what you are saying: Why were they chosen, because it doesn’t seem as if they deserve to be The Chosen People. Is that it? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-were-the-jews-chosen/735595.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-were-the-jews-chosen/735595.md?page=3)