PHARISEES AS TERM OF INSULT

It is common for Christians and others to call self-righteous professed Christians Pharisees. That is actually racist.

The New Testament does not hide the rancour going on between Jesus and the Jewish leaders, the Pharisees and scribes. Interestingly they did not say as much horrible stuff to him as he did them.

So Christians then thanks to him use Pharisees as a slur against hypocrites.

Why Jewish leaders only? Why not Brahmins or Druids?

Jesus Christ exemplified a form of racism in Matthew 23. It is the worst form where members of a race are tarred with and blamed for crimes done by a few members of the race long ago. Racism is really about suspecting people of being dangerous just because of their skin colour or where they are from. That is ignited and fed by things the race allegedly did wrong.

He accused the Jewish leaders the scribes and the Pharisees who were cherished by the people and symbols of the people of being responsible for murders that happened centuries before. It was racist for there were no Scribes or Pharisee leaders at the time of the murders. There is no evidence that these leaders mistreated the Jews of Jesus' day. Even the Sermon on the Mount admits that the Romans ruled not the religion and the religious leaders were in fact TOO respected and loved. A scribe or Pharisee was still a layman and many lived exactly like lay people.

Jesus started his sermon by saying their religious teaching was reliable and the people should go to them for they sit in Moses the lawgiver's place. Then he abused them. This explains why religious books and prophets preach evil and good at the same time. They want you to do good so that you feel superior and in a position to harm the enemy. It is hard to have a self-righteous hate for others unless you see yourself as good. It explains why we should not let the Church use the good stuff to trap us and silence us if we tell is being harmful.

A mixed message is often justified by saying the bad rules were given so that we can grow out of them but that is just a smug excuse. But religion and many other systems do weaponise good and good deeds and that is what is happening.