Please go back and re-read the blog. I withdrew my accusation of anti-Semitism. I never criticized him for praying for me. I think it’s sweet that he prays for me. The issue is that I was crystal clear that I was only willing to talk to him if he would agree not to talk to me about converting to Christianity. His response was to begin a dialogue but clarify that he has a policy of only talking to Jews under the condition that he may talk about how he wants us to become Christian.

Since then he has been educated, by me and others, about what he did wrong. He has apologized, I think sincerely, and promised to never again evangelize in any way a Jew who makes it clear he is not interested. I admire his personal growth in this area. I do not think he is a bigot. I think yesterday he expressed bigotry (which is complete intolerance of other people’s beliefs) but when explained why his behavior was wrong he apologized and promised not to do it again. I think that’s terrific.

(Btw, where do you see the antisemitism? Christ was a Jew. The Jewish heritage is greatly honored among Christian believers. Please stop misconstruing statements based on your own emotional reflexes. I know this man. He’s not a bigot.

To continually press (especially a person who 1) asks you to stop and 2) is clear and confident in his own belief system) is, I think, more foolish than insensitive. To be so obtuse (I know I already used the word, but I like it) as to think that a person will give up and convert is to be entangled with a spiritual system that is silly at best, crazy at worst. Thank G-d, most Christians either no longer believe in such rigid guidelines of worthiness to receive entrance to the Kingdom or they are wise enough to know that pushing will not succeed.

I am more bothered by his lack of common sense than I am offended by his cultural insensitivity. I certainly understand your response, especially in light of the traditional Jewish options. Should we debate this? Debating the merits or lack thereof of the Christian claims has never been “good for the Jews.” It’s a no-win discussion.

Mark Barton: I disagree with you. You say: “The real moral is that again, religion is not mutually exclusive of bigotry.” By framing it the way you do, it sounds as if you mean to imply that religion by nature includes bigotry. Bigotry is not the same as, “I believe that I am right and that you are wrong.” Bigotry is the stubbornness and intolerance that follows on the heals of above mentioned disagreement. David is not saying that he can’t have a discussion about Christian/Jewish differences. He is saying, “Don’t thrust the discussion upon me and invade my personal world without permission. Don’t make the terms my conversion.” Randy Thomas’ view may be bigoted, but this is not because of something intrinsic to religion. It his skewed and immature view of his religion.

Yes. At the same time, it’s the actual doctrine of many flavours of evangelical Christianity that other people’s beliefs are in no way to be respected (“No one comes to the Father but by me.”, John 14:6 etc, etc), so you can’t actually tell him he should stop without insulting his religious beliefs. The real moral is that again, religion is not mutually exclusive of bigotry.