Jewish Leader Blasts 'Religious Right'

AP ^ | Nov. 19, 2005 | Kristen Hays

[Alouette]

HOUSTON - The leader of the largest branch of American Judaism blasted conservative religious activists in a speech Saturday, calling them "zealots" who claim a "monopoly on God" while promoting anti-gay policies akin to Adolf Hitler's.

Rabbi Eric Yoffie, president of the liberal Union for Reform Judaism, said "religious right" leaders believe "unless you attend my church, accept my God and study my sacred text you cannot be a moral person."

"What could be more bigoted than to claim that you have a monopoly on God?" he said during the movement's national assembly in Houston, which runs through Sunday.

The audience of 5,000 responded to the speech with enthusiastic applause.

Yoffie did not mention evangelical Christians directly, using the term "religious right" instead. In a separate interview, he said the phrase encompassed conservative activists of all faiths, including within the Jewish community.

He used particularly strong language to condemn conservative attitudes toward homosexuals. He said he understood that traditionalists have concluded gay marriage violates Scripture, but he said that did not justify denying legal protections to same-sex partners and their children.

"We cannot forget that when Hitler came to power in 1933, one of the first things that he did was ban gay organizations," Yoffie said. "Yes, we can disagree about gay marriage. But there is no excuse for hateful rhetoric that fuels the hellfires of anti-gay bigotry."

The Union for Reform Judaism represents about 900 synagogues in North America with an estimated membership of 1.5 million people. Of the three major streams of U.S. Judaism — Orthodox and Conservative are the others — it is the only one that sanctions gay ordination and supports civil marriage for same-gender couples.

Yoffie said liberals and conservatives share some concerns, such as the potential damage to children from violent or highly sexual TV shows and other popular media. But he said, overall, conservatives too narrowly define family values, making a "frozen embryo in a fertility clinic" more important than a child, and ignoring poverty and other social ills.

One attendee, Judy Weinman of Troy, N.Y., said she thought Yoffie was "right on target."

"He reminded us of where we have things in common and where we're different," she said.

Yoffie also urged lawmakers to model themselves on presidential candidate John F. Kennedy, who famously told a Houston clergy group in 1960 that a president should not make policy based on his religion.

On other topics, Yoffie asked Reform synagogues to do more to hold onto members, who often leave after their children go to college. He also said the Reform movement, which is among the most accepting of non-Jewish spouses, should make a greater effort to invite spouses to convert.

[Alouette]

I also say the Rabbinate and Battei Din be recognized as having the authority to govern all who qualify Halakhically as Jews including the authority to discipline clowns like this, by tying them up and beating them if need be. I also think the Rabbinate should be given the authority to carry out the death penalty whenever it is Halakhically justifiable.

You realize that if you said this in public in Israel you could be arrested?

[Sam Cree]

"a century ago Reform Judaism would have been against homosexuality."

I don't think you have to go back a century, less than 20 years should do it. Reform Judaism until quite recently opposed gay "marriage" because the Torah refers to homosexuality as an abomination more than once. I forget how many times exactly, but it was enough that the top rabbis didn't think they could ignore it. Anyhow, in very recent years, they seem to have somehow decided that they could ignore those passages after all. Te justification they came up with is probably available on the Reform Judaism website.

[avile]

The legacy of elderly reform Jews:

"They [American Jews] did next to nothing to save the Jews of Europe, and worse, they demonized the Jews and Christians who gave their all to turn FDR. Ben Hecht and Peter Bergson were the Jews who led the fight to save the Jews of Europe. They went after FDR with great advertisements in the press in an effort to awaken the nation to the conspiracy of silence that was burying the Jews.

"The court Jews, led by Rabbi Stephen Wise, FDR’s great buddy, went after Hecht and Bergson, told the Jews of America that ‘these guys’ were the enemies of Jews…. Wise was aided in this endeavor by The New York Times and The Washington Post, both papers owned by Jews. And by one of the top Jews in Congress, Sol Bloom.

"What bothers me as a Jew is the chutzpah of the Jewish leaders. Let them look into their own archives, let them examine what their ancestors didn’t do to save the Jews of Europe. And the same for the Israelis, who have plenty to answer for."

Sidney Zion, columnist for the Daily News. Source: Daily News, March 30, 1998

[Alexander Rubin]

It does not totally deny the Torah. Nor do they explicitly deny G-d. They do, however, deny the Torah was given by G-d directly. They believe it was created by men. To contrast, the conservative denomination (mine) believes that the Torah was given by G-d directly to men, but because they were men, there are a small number of inconsistencies and minor mistakes embedded within the transcription. The Orthodox denomination (to which I believe Alouette is a member of) believe the Torah was given by G-d directly, and that it represents his Word exactly. These positions may vary by individual though.

Reform Judaism does twist the Torah to justify certain things. Pick and choose, so to speak. Furthermore, the movement as a whole is undeniably political these days. Inherent in Judaism itself is a charge, perhaps a geas if you will, to go out and perfect the world. The Reform movement was started out as another modernizing movement, but it has become (starting in the 30s especially, and picking up in the 60s) a very political movement as well. One of the things they've done is confuse socialism for social justice. Thus, they are a very liberal institution.

Now, one of the problems is that they've focussed a lot on assimilation. They succeeded a little too well. As a whole, the movement suffers from a high intermarriage rate in this day and age, though Torrie's friend is, while an exception, not an uncommon one, especially amongst older individuals. The kids don't identify with the faith, thinking their Jewishness refers mainly to a cultural heritage, and often an ethnicity.

They've also substituted liberal (generally left of centre) values for Jewish values. Which has resulted, if you combine these two phenomenon, in a dying religious movement. I wouldn't say the abortion rate is high (safe sex is generally encouraged and practiced: and members are generally wealthy and well-educated), but the birth rate is quite low, and though they generally are very well-educated and well-off, they don't encourage religious values in their children, although they often do teach at least some aspects of Judaism, or Jewishness, as a cultural heritage.

Is it another facet of the "Progressive" movement? Not exactly. Although I would say, in many ways, it is a predecessor that helped create the movement, or at least lay the groundwork. It is as much a facet of the "Progressive" movement as a mainstream, wishywashy, liberal Christian denomination is.

Meaning, it's something a lot of "Progressives" belong to, in order to satisfy their "spiritualism", but not something they adhere to or live by. It has directly given birth to many "Progressives" and has given them more than a few religious leaders, and definitely more than a few gurus.

Its like the liberal Christians, in many ways. They like being called "Jews"/"Christians", because its a neato heritage, but they don't want the whole commandment and absolute morality baggage, nor do they want things that will limit them, or get in the way of their politics (and it doesn't necessarily, just look at the Christian Left in eastern europe).

[Torie]

One can't be a politically conservative reform Jew, without one's progeny becoming something other than Jews, eh? I suspect you are right as a statistical matter, but not as an individual matter. Don't confuse the micro with the macro. I depends on the example the parents set. My father profoundly influenced my values, and world view. All the education in the world, and I have a lot of it, didn't alter much of what my father inculcated in me, by example. It just didn't.

[Salem]

"Didn't YOU guys claim the monopoly on god when you killed Jesus!!?"

Jesus said,

Joh 10:17 Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again.
Joh 10:18 No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father.

Whether the Jewish authorities of that time, or the Roman occupational authority, they were nothing but pawns in a much wider campaign, thus His comment from the cross, "...Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do...."

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[Alexander Rubin]

It's not a facet of the Progressive movement. It's a facet of the Jewish assimilation movement of the 19th century, that's been touched by democratic socialism and heavily influenced by it in the early 20s. It helped spawn the Progressive movement (or the New Left), but it's not a facet.

Simplified, it's a facet of what happens when a progressive religious movement (which it was) meets the modern world, tries to adapt, and is too focussed on the progressive/adaption part and not strong enough to survive as a viable religious movement as a result.

[Alexander Rubin]

That's a very well put argument, and summation of the debate.

"One can't be a politically conservative reform Jew, without one's progeny becoming something other than Jews, eh? I suspect you are right as a statistical matter, but not as an individual matter."

That sums it up very nicely.

[Zionist Conspirator]

I also say the Rabbinate and Battei Din be recognized as having the authority to govern all who qualify Halakhically as Jews including the authority to discipline clowns like this, by tying them up and beating them if need be. I also think the Rabbinate should be given the authority to carry out the death penalty whenever it is Halakhically justifiable.

You realize that if you said this in public in Israel you could be arrested?

Don't surprise me none. They won't even let some people (like Rabbi 'Avraham Hecht) into the country.

I spent a week in Israel a few years ago, and those 'El `Al security people are scary (of course they have to be). As I was going through security to board and begin the flight home somehow the topic of my "host" for my trip (Yehudah `Etziyyon, Dangerous Rightwing Extremest Extraordinaire) came up. "Do you know who Yehudah `Etziyyon is?" she asked me. That was pretty scary.

[Torie]

Thanks for the kind words. This is an interesting and constructive thread, and I appreciate chatting with you.

[Alexander Rubin]

Ditto. ;)

[bvw]

Isn't this is an issue only prayer resolves? That is, every Jew is more tightly linked to G-d than, perhaps, to even his own family, much less the rest of us. Isn't this type of mass slandering if that is what it is, being call of the leaders applauded by their congregations, best and perhaps only effected by petition for redress to G-d, Himself?

[Sam Cree]

"Happy under communism" - only a liberal could think such a thing.

[Alexander Rubin]

Ideally? Yes.

Realistically, this group may forget their faith and the covenant. These are people who, while they may think themselves good men (and probably are, in many, even most, ways) are not righteous men, nor good Jews.

[Inyokern]

It's not a facet of the Progressive movement. It's a facet of the Jewish assimilation movement of the 19th century, that's been touched by democratic socialism and heavily influenced by it in the early 20s.

The two are not mutually exclusive.

It helped spawn the Progressive movement (or the New Left), but it's not a facet.

I disagree with that statement. You are giving Reform Judaism credit for original thought, which it does not deserve.

Reform Judaism is not a leader, it is a follower. Leftwing ideas are not spawned there, they are merely assimilated. Leftwing ideas typically originated among university intellectuals and Democratic Party activists and eventually filter down to Reform Judaism.

[STD]

Consider this Liberal jews claim that homosexual couples should have "legal protections to same-sex partners and their children"

Well, buddy I don't know what you remember about sex, but queers don't have children! By definition queers can't have kids.

[STD]

I expect that Jesus has all sorts of shame from this one here.

[Polybius]

Sounds like a hateful speech composed of hate speech to me.

Imagine the liberal media reaction if a Christian pastor gave such a vitriolic speech about "the Jewish Left".

[Blood of Tyrants]

Rabbi Eric Yoffie, president of the liberal Union for Reform Judaism, said "religious right" leaders believe "unless you attend my church, accept my God and study my sacred text you cannot be a moral person."

Next thing this guy will be giving us the "many paths up the mountain but they all lead to the peak" bullcrap. I would bet that he would not even commit to say that there is only one G-d or he would try to tell us that Allah/Marduk the Moon god are the same as YHWH.

[Alexander Rubin]

You are right, the two are not mutually exclusive. Except they are not a facet of the Progressive movement, merely a contributing factor, and a social grouping whose membership often overlaps with that of the Progressive movement.

Reform Judaism does deserve credit for much original thought, whatever else it may deserve or may be said about it. Leftwing ideas have been spawned there or added to, as well as assimilated. And it is not itself a leader, any more than most movements are. But it contributes a fair number of religious leaders to the Progressive movement. Furthermore, it is an important part of the New Left. Look when Jews moved over in large numbers to the Democratic party. The 30s. The New Deal. Who did FDR and the Democrats sway to get that Jewish vote? The Reform synagogues (which were still strong at the time). Prior to that, there were a lot of Jewish Republicans, I'd wager perhaps even the majority of Jewish voters in the 19th century.

Also, the Reform movement also encouraged (while at the same time it mirrored) the liberalization of many mainstream Christian Churches. Not on its own, of course, but as part of the liberalizing religion movement.

That said, I don't approve of a lot of what they do and what they teach. Being accurate though is important in an intellectual discourse.