Buddhist Catholic Contemplative Evangelical General Christian Hindu Jewish Latter-day Saint Muslim New Visions Progressive Christian

Beliefs

Topics

Columnists

Resource Library

Research Tools

Video

Podcasts

Thought Readers

Faith In Media Tracker

Newsletters

Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In Subscription Support

Follow Patheos

Home
Jewish
Family, Parenting and Religion
A Jewish Mother Responds to Chris Martin’s Remarks

A Jewish Mother Responds to Chris Martin’s Remarks

Last updated on: September 5, 2025 at 1:04 am by Dana Shemesh

A Jewish Mother Responds to Chris Martin’s Remarks 2025-09-05T01:04:45-04:00 Dana Shemesh

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Image created in Dalle for Patheos.

Hey Chris Martin of Coldplay, Am I a Human?

Hey Chris Martin — quick question from a Jewish mom. I was born in Israel. Am I human too?

My kids are Jewish. They’re Israeli. They’re American. Do they qualify as human?

Wait, I’m also a Zionist – which means I believe right of Jews to live safely and sovereignly in Israel. Am I still human now?

And if — if — you’re generous enough to acknowledge our humanity (thanks so much for the favor, Chris! So big of you!) does that acknowledgement only count if you also shout out Palestinians? Is our legitimacy as humans somehow contingent on being balanced out?

Humans… With a Catch

Chris Martin (from Coldplay) performing in Bogotá, Colombia. Foto: Carlos Mario Ríos. Carlos Mario Ríos (@carlosmariorios), photographer and podcaster born in 1980, in Manizales, Colombia., CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

For the past few days, your video from Wembley Stadium has flooded my social media feed. You stood on stage next two young female fans, randomly pulled out of the crowd, asking them where they’re from.

“Israel?!…(pause) I’m very grateful that you’re here as humans, and I am treating you as equal humans on earth, regardless of where you come from or don’t come from. Although it’s controversial maybe, I also want to welcome people in the audience from Palestine because… out of the belief that we’re all equal humans.”

The crowd cheered. The two young Israelis were fossilized into a moment of history that I shall soon never forget. A moment of history that epitomizes just one of the largest social cancers of our generation: antisemitism wrapped in a pretty bow.

New Generation, Same Old Tropes

Antisemitism isn’t creeping in anymore — it’s pouring in. It’s seeping through pop culture, music festivals, celebrity statements. The war in Gaza has become a convenient excuse for old hatreds to be rebranded as activism.

I feel it. Every day. That sick knot in my stomach. That quiet panic. The calculation I now make before speaking Hebrew in public. The blatant bashing of my religion, country and acceptance of falsehoods as truths because its convenient to a fictional narrative. The utter disbelief that my children are aware of the hatred against them for being Jewish.

Every stranger I pass — are they safe? Are they rational or part of the anti-Semite brigade? There’s no middle ground anymore. Friend or enemy. Ally or threat.

I never thought I’d feel this way. Not in 2025.

And I see the mobs gathering in the streets of Europe, faces lit up with a perverse joy — joy in chanting for the destruction of people like me, of children like mine.

I’m Not Racist, I Have Friends That Are (Blank)

So Chris, when you say we are “equal humans on earth,” imagine you are saying that to any other minority group or nationality in the world.

In your mind, you may have thought you created some *Kumbaya* moment.

Let’s all hold hands as “humans”. Instead, it was one of the cringiest public displays I’ve ever seen.

Please stick with creating music and leave the political narrative behind the scenes.

Video: Chris Martin’s comments leave fans mortified

Religion News

Previous Post

June 15, 2025

I'm Stuck in Israel with Kids During a Full Scale War

Next Post

February 27, 2026 Purim's Ancient Story Echoes in Today's Israel-Iran Tensions

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Uncategorized

Select a Month August 2026 February 2026 September 2025 June 2025 March 2025 February 2025 March 2024 January 2024 December 2023 November 2023 October 2023 May 2023 April 2023

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

What city did the walls fall down after the Israelites marched around it?

Select your answer to see how you score.

Nineveh Jerusalem Nazareth Jericho