I had never heard the term “dry baptism” before Rabbi Kingsley used it to describe the kind of conversion assimilation tried by German Jews in the last two centuries.  The idea was similar to that of “Conversos” in Spain who may have honestly given up their Judaism to become part of the mainstream Catholic Christianity in the country of their birth. Converted Jews in Spain were always suspect. Some German Jews chose to become Protestants and tried to pose as Christians but did not accept the divinity of Jesus. They tried to have it both ways; assimilate and become part of the mainstream of Christian Germans but retain their cultural ties to their Jewish backgrounds.  It was interesting to note that both the Spanish and German Jews thought of themselves as authentic natives of their countries.

“Dry Baptism” is choosing to stand in two camps with a foot in each. It causes stretching, coping with schizophrenia, trying to stuff two opposing and conflicting persons into one body.  The schizoid individual believes he can bring it off but it is clear to the two groups he wishes to belong to that in both he is not a bit authentic. This is not quite the case of Democrats who become Republicans or vice versa.  Their belief systems are not that far apart for their interests are in making their projects pay off handsomely by joining what they believe is the winning party.

There are Jews who remain culturally comfortable but who choose to be identified as the “Jewish congregants” who sit in pews in one of the many choices of churches. That label follows them into the succeeding generations.  They never were easily accepted, as were the Disciples and early Christians in the centuries following the conversions of entire peoples in North Africa, the Middle East and Europe. They are not as comfortable in attending church services as, perhaps the fallen Catholic who becomes a Protestant or the Protestant who becomes a Catholic. Each retains a belief in the sacrifice of Jesus for their sins. Any Muslim, Buddhist, Shinto or Hindu who is converted (mostly because of missionaries) has little difficulty in being accepted as the genuine article.  The Jews ARE different.  Hitler proved that. The present conflict throughout the world of believers over the ownership of the “Holy Land” is a conditional partnership of the Jews in Israel and their current friends, the Fundamentalist Conservative Baptists. These are of the wet kind. They form an uneasy barrier against the last of the major religions - Jihad warriors bearing the sword instead of the WORD to convert and retake the piece of land where Mohammad rose up to heaven far from the holiest city for Muslims, Mecca.

 Dry Baptism may be possible, but I took care of that at the River Jordan by sprinkling myself with its water. Jesus was a good man but not God.