Collective Guilt

The following by email from a faithful reader, explores the question, "Well, who said the Jews alive today are responsible for the death of Christ?" Some points rarely raised about corporate responsibility. (For what reason might they be raised so rarely, I wonder?)

Thought I'd throw this up, if for no other reason than that I think there may be one last designated victim group I haven't yet managed to offend in these pages. One doesn't like to leave a job half done.

You can't blame all the Jews of all times and places for the crucifixion of our Lord, they say, and with reason. Mary ? Joseph ? Peter ? Matthew ? They were obviously perfectly innocent, and in fact opposed to the crime in question. They were and are Jews.

But, what about the Jewish nation as such ? By the decision of its actual leaders at the time it ordered or at least arranged, as far as in it lay, the execution of its own Messiah. The Sanhedrin etc. acted in the name of the Nation.

Have we moved beyond such ideas of corporate responsibility which allow nevertheless for personal, individual innocence?

No. The concept rightly remains.

Canada, for example, the Crown, must keep promises and pay debts connected with treaties made hundreds of years ago. This is a distinct thing from the fact that I personally never did any harm to our Native People.

Japan had to pay damages after World War II. This did not mean that little Japanese children were *personally* guilty of anything. But the Nation as such...

So with the Jews.