Reza Aslan Quote
When it comes to the heart and soul of the Jewish faith - the law of Moses - Jesus was adamant that his mission was not to abolish the law but to fulfill it (Matthew 5:17). That law made a clear distinction between relations among Jews and relations between Jews and foreigners. The oft-repeated commandment love your neighbor as yourself was originally given strictly in the context of internal relations within Israel. The verse in question reads: You shall not take vengeance or bear a grudge against any of your people , but shall love your neighbor as yourself (Leviticus 19:18). To the Israelites, as well to Jesus's community in first-century Palestine,neighbor meant one's fellow Jews. With regard to the treatment of foreigners and outsiders, oppressors and occupiers, however, the Torah could not be clearer: You shall drive them out before you. You shall make no covenant with them and their gods. They shall not live in your land (Exodus 23:31-33)
Reza Aslan
When it comes to the heart and soul of the Jewish faith - the law of Moses - Jesus was adamant that his mission was not to abolish the law but to fulfill it (Matthew 5:17). That law made a clear distinction between relations among Jews and relations between Jews and foreigners. The oft-repeated commandment love your neighbor as yourself was originally given strictly in the context of internal relations within Israel. The verse in question reads: You shall not take vengeance or bear a grudge against any of your people , but shall love your neighbor as yourself (Leviticus 19:18). To the Israelites, as well to Jesus's community in first-century Palestine,neighbor meant one's fellow Jews. With regard to the treatment of foreigners and outsiders, oppressors and occupiers, however, the Torah could not be clearer: You shall drive them out before you. You shall make no covenant with them and their gods. They shall not live in your land (Exodus 23:31-33)
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About Reza Aslan
Aslan has worked for television, including a documentary series exploring world religions on CNN called Believer, and served as an executive producer on the HBO drama series The Leftovers. Aslan is a member of the American Academy of Religion and the International Qur'anic Studies Association. He is a professor of creative writing at University of California, Riverside, and a board member of the National Iranian American Council (NIAC).