Editing Openai/6923f6d0-6398-800f-88a6-895979bdbe94 (section)

=== 1. Jewish Family and Social Position ===
* Spinoza grew up in a Sephardic Jewish family in Amsterdam, recently exiled from Spain and Portugal.
* The family and Jewish community provided internal support, social networks, and religious awareness, which acted as a protective buffer.
* This support made it difficult for the Church to take violent actions against him.
# Spiritual Authority as Deterrent
* His family had religious and cultural prestige in Jewish circles and Amsterdam society.
* Even without direct political power, this prestige deterred the Church from direct interference.
* The Church could not easily suppress Spinoza without causing social tensions or harming the Jewish community network.
# Conclusion
* The Church’s restraint was due not only to Amsterdam’s relative freedom but also to the family’s standing and communal support.
* This factor contributed to Spinoza’s survival and the eventual dissemination of his philosophy.