Political safety in the design community (Part 2)
How Theological Antisemitism Has Shaped Pop Culture’s Lack of Empathy for Jewish Suffering
In part two of this series on political safety in the design community, I delve into the spiritual and cultural dynamics that have historically trivialized empathy—especially toward Jewish suffering—by deconstructing the Jewish identity of Yeshua (Jesus).
Yeshua Himself taught:
“You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘You shall not murder, and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.’ But I tell you that anyone who is angry with a brother or sister will be subject to judgment” (Matthew 5:21–22).
In this radical teaching, Yeshua equates hatred and anger with the moral weight of murder, showing that prejudice, contempt, and spiritual dehumanization pave the way for real-world violence. Theological antisemitism—rooted in centuries of misinterpretation, false theology, and spiritual replacement narratives—has cultivated a worldview that normalizes hatred against the Jewish people, making it easier for society to dismiss Jewish suffering.
When hatred becomes “normal,” human safety and design safety—principles that depend on dignity, respect, and empathy—become afterthoughts. This toxic theology trickles into mainstream pop culture and even into workplace design and policies, manifesting in environments that lack the moral foundations for ensuring the well-being of all people.
I. Historical Roots of Theological Antisemitism
1. Supersessionism (Replacement Theology)
Origins (2nd–3rd centuries): Early Church leaders such as Justin Martyr and Irenaeus began teaching that the Church had replaced Israel as God’s chosen people. This doctrine claimed that God’s covenant with Israel was voided because of the rejection of Yeshua.
Cultural Consequence: Jews were portrayed as cursed and rejected by God, resulting in a cultural narrative that made violence, exclusion, and discrimination seem “justified.”
Spiritual Decay: By stripping Yeshua of His Jewish context, supersessionism replaced the richness of Torah ethics with a theology of domination. This was later weaponized during the Crusades, the Inquisition, and countless pogroms, which not only endangered Jewish lives but normalized violence as an expression of religious “duty.”
2. Allegorical Misinterpretation of Scripture
Origen and Early Church Fathers: Scripture concerning Israel was “spiritualized” to mean the Church alone was God’s new Israel. This allegory minimized Yeshua’s Jewishness to make Him fit into Greco-Roman philosophical frameworks.
Impact on Empathy: This reinterpretation separated Yeshua’s message from His Jewish cultural and ethical roots. The Torah’s emphasis on justice, kindness, and human safety was rebranded as “legalism,” fostering a disdain for Jewish moral contributions.
Effect on Design Ethics: A culture that despises its own foundational ethic of justice eventually produces workspaces, designs, and policies that treat human dignity as optional rather than essential.
3. Medieval Blood Libels and Hostility
The “Deicide” Charge: Jews were falsely accused of killing Christ and, worse, of ritual murders and desecrating the Eucharist.
Figures of Hate: Leaders like John Chrysostom (“Against the Jews” sermons) and Martin Luther (On the Jews and Their Lies) stoked the flames of violent antisemitism.
Cultural Legacy: This era established the normalization of violence and hatred, equating difference with danger. When hatred is sacredly justified, the principles of design safety—built on empathy and respect—are eroded.
II. Modern Groups Deconstructing Yeshua’s Jewish Identity
1. Jehovah’s Witnesses
Teach that Yeshua is not the Jewish Messiah but rather the Archangel Michael, erasing His Jewish heritage and Torah observance.
Their theology constructs a “spiritual elite” identity, which subtly fosters exclusionary attitudes toward Israel and Jewish history.
2. Mormonism (LDS)
Recasting Israel: Mormons claim that their church is the “new Israel,” minimizing the historic and eternal covenant God made with the Jewish people.
Distortion of Jesus: By disconnecting Jesus from Torah and Jewish identity, the LDS narrative dilutes the Jewish foundation of human ethics and divine justice.
3. Islam
Reinterpretation of Jesus: Isa (Jesus) is reduced to a prophet, and His Jewish Messianic role is denied. Certain Qur’anic interpretations encourage antisemitism and view Jews as eternal enemies.
Fusion with Anti-Zionism: In many modern contexts, this has manifested as both religious and political hostility toward Israel.
4. Liberal Protestant Movements
Anti-Zionist Theologies: Churches such as the Presbyterian Church USA and United Church of Christ have passed resolutions condemning Israel while overlooking Jewish suffering.
“Palestinian Jesus” Narrative: Yeshua is reframed as a “Palestinian freedom fighter,” erasing His Jewish identity and the context of His mission.
III. Emerging Modern Theologies That Promote Antisemitism
1. Divine Feminine Theology
Rejection of Torah: Claims that God must be seen only through feminine archetypes, dismissing the Hebrew Bible as “patriarchal.”
Recasting Yeshua: Yeshua is transformed into a mystical or gender-neutral archetype, erasing His Jewishness.
Moral Decay: By demonizing the foundational ethics of the Torah, this movement frames Jewish values as oppressive rather than liberating, subtly enabling hostility.
2. Golden Rule Theology (Radical Universalism)
Replacement of Covenant: The “Golden Rule” is elevated as a replacement for Torah, dismissing God’s covenant with Israel as narrow or tribal.
Consequences for Human Safety: When distinct identities are vilified as “exclusive,” workplace and community design suffers because it erases the value of difference, treating diversity as a threat rather than a gift.
3. Pro-Palestinian (Pro-Pali) Religious Movements
Liberation Theology and Activism: These groups often redefine Yeshua as a symbol of resistance, not as the Jewish Messiah.
Violent Justifications: Attacks against Jews and Israelis are framed as “divine justice” or “resistance,” further normalizing hatred.
IV. How These Ideologies Undermine Design and Workplace Safety
Theology shapes culture, and culture shapes workplaces, products, and communities. When antisemitism and hatred are normalized, they degrade:
Empathy in Leadership – Decision-making loses the human-centered focus required for safe and ethical design.
Ethical Standards – Hatred breeds environments where workplace harassment, bias, and exclusion thrive.
Political Safety in Design – Workplaces become less about safety and inclusivity, and more about appeasing destructive cultural narratives.
The absence of empathy toward Jewish suffering, rooted in these theologies, is symptomatic of a broader moral decaythat undermines the foundational principles of design safety and human dignity.
V. Messianic Jewish Response
Yeshua’s Jewish identity is not optional for understanding God’s covenant and humanity’s moral compass.
As Paul wrote in Romans 11:29, “The gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable.”
A design culture rooted in truth, empathy, and covenant faithfulness can only exist when we reject theologies of hatred and embrace the Jewish Messiah in His fullness.
Conclusion
Theological antisemitism is not merely a “religious problem”; it is a cultural poison. By deconstructing the Jewish identity of Yeshua, these movements have helped mainstream a lack of empathy toward Jewish suffering, ultimately contributing to the spiritual and moral decay of societies and workplaces.
Yeshua’s teaching warns us that hatred itself is a form of murder in the heart. When such hatred is left unchecked, it manifests as systems and designs that harm people—physically, emotionally, and spiritually.
Designing for human safety means designing with empathy and doing away with revisionist regime language. To heal cultural and workplace toxicity, we must restore the truth of Yeshua’s Jewish identity and the God-given dignity of those who don’t manufacture lies for larger bonuses and bigger paychecks.
