What on earth is going on?

At the moment of writing this article, we are currently into another wave of antisemitism like it has not being seen in decades, actually since the holocaust and the Russian oppression of the Jews after WWII.  Additionally, the persecution of Christians in the Middle East is reaching a level of barbarism that we thought only hollywood could come up with it. Many people that are not aware of any type of faith practice always ask me why?  Why are the Jews persecuted?  Is there an easy answer to that?  My own neighbour one day started ranting on how this world is crazy and the government fines and tax rates, then an explosion of fury came out of his mouth it's those Jews In Europe!  He then realized that his thoughts have come out of his lips, in front of me, a Jew.  I make it no secret , I walk with my dogs kippah on my head Tzitzit flying in the air, ok for those that don't know about the Kippah is the pancake hat we wear on our heads usually pined down with girly bobby pins, the Tzitzit are the fringes or tassel if you pay attention you will see them.  So I ignored the comment and said words to the effect that not all puppeteers are Jews and even those that call themselves one may not be in reality, as their actions attest otherwise.
This brings me to a very poignant question, who is Jew and is Judaism a religion or a peoples group?  Well the reality is that they are both, so my last sentence in the opening paragraph kind of makes no sense if this is the case.  If a Jew is a race, a genetical traceable group of people, then their actions will not diminish their status as a Jew, that is pure logic, and genetics can prove that. 
Lets put an example, a black man that was raised by white parents, acts and behaves as white, has the same level of cultural assimilation as white folks etc, but his behavior if you were blind to color would be of a white caucasian person.  We are talking totally assimilated, in his cultural bias and preferences, food he eats and likes, music, probably country western and drives a red neck pickup truck.  However, his DNA would say otherwise, even his outer appearance says he is a black man, regardless of his behavior.  The same can be said about a Jew, born a Jew die a Jew correct?  Well not so fast that is not what the Torah instructs.  The following are a few passages that talk about the exclusion from being part of the congregation, being cut off, in other words, no longer o the people, Gen 17:14, Lev 3:, 7:25, 7:27 , Num 9:13 and the final one which I alluded to my neighbour Numbers 15:30.
Now comes the crunch, at this very moment when the whole world is thirsting for war, right now in the Middle East people are being beheaded, property destroyed and desecrated, women raped and then murdered as well as their children, planes shot out of the sky, the barbarism sees no end.  As I witness these acts via media, internet, etc, one thing comes to mind, we are not fulfilling HaShem's purpose, Kiddush HaShem Haim, Living Kiddush HaShem, in other word living a life sanctifying HaShem.  Time and time again we are called to be kadosh, holy, but is holy how do we define holy, there a several ways of translating the word kadosh, because the reality is there is a discrepancy between Hebrew a functional concrete language and English or Spanish languages that are abstract in nature.  Holy, you hear someone being described as a holy person and the first thought is a person walking with a halo around its head and soft liturgical catholic music playing, the reality is that kadosh means to set apart for a specific function reserved for special occasions.  The concept of holy in Hebrew is that is a functionality issue, and not a state of mind the opposite of holy is profane or mundane or common.  We have a unique situation here, HaShem has entrusted his identity to us, His followers and His chosen people to be His ambassadors here on earth, His holy nation.

So we establish that holy is nothing mystical, rather a state in which you become set apart for a specific purpose. The separation needs to be understood in terms of the functionality, what are we meant to do as set apart people?, the answer to that is sanctify His Name.  Ok time for more definitions is another word that is related to kadosh in other words our aim of being set apart to set apart His name.   The interesting thing about this process is that we are called by both Judaism and Christianity to set ourselves apart from the world and those that are not of the faith.  The Torah instructs the children of Israel to not marry women from the peoples of the land they were about to take over as an inheritance, as they (the women) will set your heart away from HaShem and towards idolatry, Deut 7:3 and similarly found in the Apostolic writings, 2 Cor 6:14, not to unequally yoke ourselves to unbelievers.
So we are to separate from the world, not to yoke ourselves unequally, and not follow after the world's idols. I am currently reading an excellent book by Rabbi Shraga Freedman, in it he gives an excellent illustration,"The relationship between the Jews (Believers) and other nations is similar to the relationship between fire and water.  Fire and water work together very effectively as long as they are separated; when the water is contained within a pot and the fire beneath it, the fire heats the water and enables to cook the food.  If the pot were to be removed, however,  the water would extinguish the fire, ruining it."  This alludes that if we remain separate from the world we would have an incredible impact on it, but when we assimilate into the world, we are being robbed of the potential to impact the world. 
What is happening right now is the result of the ease of assimilation, that we Jews and believers, followers of HaShem and Yeshua have committed.  We have allowed ourselves to be influenced by the world and not the other way around, to that effect when ever we assimilate persecution follows.  Balance needs to be restored, what we do matters, our conduct should reflect HaShems Kingdom, if we have allowed ourselves to be assimilated we no longer shine and reflect His Kingdom. 
We compromise on our attitudes, our kindness, our morals and even our faith.  We begin to question what is written in Torah is really inspired or just another book, and usually that is the case we view the bible as a book, and not for what it is. First of all it is the inspired word of HaShem, secondly it is a collections of writings across time by different scribes but the same author. We even question the validity of the commandments and what and when certain things applies, in the mean time we are not sanctifying His name, we are not being the light and salt to the earth, the words of our Master comes to mind "if you love me keep my commandments".  In the mean time the kingdom of darkness increases and the persecution begins.  The more we compromise the greater the hatred, make no mistake if we do not shine that means we do not have the light and we are not in Him.