Every book in the Bible condemns the violent racism of modern Zionism… except one: the book of Esther. The source of the annual feast of Purim, Esther celebrates the Jews' slaughter of more than 75,000 Gentiles (which included women and children). No Biblical book has so influenced evangelical attitudes toward Israel, especially in approving Israel's brutality against Arabs. Esther thus plays a pivotal role for both Jews and Christians in their unconditional defense of the state of Israel.
For nearly 2,000 years, a minority of Christian scholars have been troubled by the book's omission of anything truly spiritual. Athanasius, some of the church fathers, and Martin Luther rejected it as apocryphal. The book never mentions God; nor do its protagonists, Esther and Mordecai. The Jewish people are delivered from annihilation yet never resort to prayer or thanking God afterward.
Instead, this book exalts and appeals to racist Jewish tribalism and appetite for revenge. It began the now familiar Zionist theme: long-suffering Jews as victims of irrational hatred from murderous Gentiles. It celebrates the triumph of Jews who obtain peace not by faith in God but by slaughter.
Ancient as it is, Esther’s message is current. It echoes the cries of Jewish protesters in Israel last month who shouted, “Kill Arabs! Kill those who want to destroy Israel! Kill them before they kill us! "
