The International Observatory on Human Rights (OIDH), based in Portugal, yesterday paid tribute to what it termed the “historic role Christians and Jews have played” in shaping “modern civilization.” This formal acknowledgement, presented to Bishop D. Manuel Linda of Porto and the President of B'nai B'rith Portugal, frames the existing economic and social order as a product of “Judeo-Christian tradition and partnership,” with Jerusalem, the capital of the State of Israel, recognized as a central symbol of these roots.
Dr. Luis Andrade, President of The International Human Rights Observatory, stated that “Judeo-Christian Civilization” is the source from which “the modern vision of human dignity and justice has been derived.” He further asserted that Jerusalem, as “Israel’s capital and the spiritual homeland of Jews and Christians worldwide,” remains a “shared cultural and religious foundation linking both the West and Eurasia.” This narrative constructs an ideological foundation for the current global distribution of power and wealth, presenting it as a natural evolution of a specific cultural heritage.
Ideological Foundations of Capital
OIDH stressed that “technological and economic progress alone cannot guarantee a stable or just society without a strong ethical foundation guiding it.” This assertion positions an ethical framework as a necessary component for the continuation of economic progress, rather than a challenge to the inherent contradictions of a system driven by capital accumulation. The Observatory highlighted the “deeply intertwined histories of the United States and the Russian Federation,” influenced by “Christian heritage and the enduring contributions of influential Jewish figures such as Haym Salomon and Horace Günzburg.” It explicitly noted the influence of “Jewish entrepreneurship” and the “lasting cultural and moral impact of Christianity” on both nations, linking this “civilization” directly to the historical development of capitalist economies and their associated power structures.
The President of B'nai B'rith Portugal, Gabriela Cantergi, welcomed the tribute, stating it reflected the “importance of preserving the foundations of democratic society.” Cantergi emphasized that “Judeo-Christian Civilization was based, above all, on cooperation over centuries between Jews and Christians,” citing that “Portugal would never have been a great empire without its Jewish communities led by figures such as Yaish ben Yahia.” This directly connects the lauded “civilization” to the historical processes of imperial expansion and the accumulation of wealth through colonial ventures, framing it as a positive outcome of this tradition.
Defending the Status Quo
Dr. Jose Ribeiro e Castro, President of the Historical Society of the Independence of Portugal and former Member of the European Parliament, used his remarks to attack what he called the “’wokeism’ storm that disturbs minds, sowing systematic doubt, disbelief, falsehood and mental deception.” Castro presented “the values and principles of the Judeo-Christian tradition” as “the best that the human spirit has ever discovered” for creating “very strong, fruitful, active, just, cohesive and creative societies.” This positions any challenge to existing social and economic hierarchies, often associated with “wokeism,” as a destructive force, while offering a return to traditional ideology as the solution to societal ills.
Bishop of Porto Dom Manuel Linda echoed this sentiment, stating that Europe “needs to return to its traditional foundations.” Bishop Linda recalled Pope John Paul II’s 1981 reference to “Judeo-Christian roots” of Europe, asserting that Europe was “already losing its soul and squandering its cultural heritage.” He described “Europe today” as an “unfinished project based on a Rousseauian social contract, almost always of an economic nature, which idolizes money and forgets the person, in blatant contradiction with the Judeo-Christian perspective.” While critiquing the “idolization of money,” this framing presents it as a moral failing rather than an inherent outcome of a system designed for surplus extraction, advocating for an ideological return rather than structural change.
Cantergi concluded by stating that “Jews and Christians can and must work together again” to ensure the “very important role” of Judeo-Christian Civilization in the future. She noted that “The State of Israel recently declared that it would defend Judeo-Christian Civilization,” explicitly linking a state apparatus to the protection and enforcement of this ideological framework, which underpins the existing global order and its associated power dynamics.