More idiocy from so-called Christians

This one's via Americablog from our good friends and lunatics over at Agape Press:

...A Jewish author says it isn't anti-Semitic to note that Jesus was handed over to the Romans for crucifixion by Jewish leaders. In his new book -- Why the Jews Rejected Jesus: The Turning Point in Western History -- David Klinghoffer quotes the Talmud, which says that "on the eve of Passover they hung Yeshu (Jesus)" on charges that he "performed magic, enticed and led astray Israel." The Talmud also claims that Mary conceived Jesus in adultery and that Jesus suffers eternal punishment. But Klinghoffer says fear of Christian persecution caused Jews centuries ago to relegate such materials to footnotes in tiny type or delete them altogether. Anyway, he says, the real dispute between Jews and Christians concerns whether Jesus was Israel's messiah and the Son of God who properly exercised authority to reinterpret divine law.

Who knew the Talmud was written in English?

Thanks to the Miracle that is Google, 30 seconds of searching yielded this, this, and this. Scholars have pondered this question for years, and as many scholars have come to the conclusion that the "Yeshu" and "Miriam" referred to in the Talmud were NOT the Jesus and Mary of the New Testament. In reality, "Yeshu" and "Miriam" were common names at the time. This is like saying that every 30-ish man named "Joshua" is a literal descendent of Jesus (though every time I see Josh Lucas in a movie, well, it makes me wonder...).

I will never understand why Jews are allowing themselves to be cast as useful idiots by the Bible-thumping right.