Posted on 11/19/2005 3:40:09 PM PST by 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.
Dear sir, please cite one person who has said this.
I read his statement and it seems unobjectionable to me. What he says is that if you water down your religion too far, it ceases to work after a generation or two. That's as true of Jews as it is of Christians.
I'm not so sure there's not more than one path to the peak (even going by what's in the Torah alone). But I do think that if that's the case, some paths MUST be shorter (and dare I say "better") than others. And then again, I'm not so sure there isn't just one path that leads to the peak.
I think he might say there's only one G-d. But that his conception of G-d would be very different than ours.
Religion is supposed to be a conservative institution, by definition. It relies on traditions, solid values, and a strong orthodox belief. Liberalized religion is just a poor model to work from, and it's very hard to go far with such a model and do what other non liberalized denominations do as well as they do. Try taking a solar powered car to the Indy 500. On a rainy day.
OK fine, but there is a difference between what Kennedy said, and a President who has a belief and faith in God that he is doing the right thing.
For example, President Bush might have gathered with his cabinet before the invasion of Iraq, and prayed for guidance, "God, please help me to make the correct decision, for men will die and I pray that I am doing the correct thing."
Kennedy on the other hand could have prayed with Marilyn Monroe, "God... please don't let me get caught."
I'm sure if you looked hard enough, you would find one moron or kook who said it. Few people believe it, though, and why you'd waste your time doing such a thing, I don't know.
It becomes more difficult, I agree. I am influenced by my father, an atheist, who was the most moral man I suspect I will ever know. He just was. His values, his honesty, his courage (the ups and downs of his life are almost worth a novel), by example, guide his three sons as we continue on this mortal coil, until we depart. I hold my two brothers in very high esteem, because they have earned it, even though they unlike me, are generally political liberals.
I believe that there are many Reform Jews who are not progressives, and possibly even some temples that at least don't think about leftism all the time. Also, the Republican Jewish Coalition probably contains plenty of Reform Jews. Still, the national leadership of Reform Judaism, which Yoffie heads up, is consciously and deliberately part of the Left. And the guiding principles of Judaism, which can be read at the official site, contain elements of socialism, although the religious principles are more prevalent. My opinion is that most Reform Jews are nice and conscientious people, but they do tend to be "liberals," if not hard socialists like Yoffie seems to be. That may be changing, though. Yoffie is a boomer, the new generations may have different outlooks. I hope.
The big contradiction in Reform Judaism is that it is supposed to have been founded on the principle of personal autonomy and choice, yet today it pursues socialism, which has nothing to do with personal autonomy, but everything to do with the suppression of it in the name of the common good.
The majority of Jews in the Cincinnati metro area, almost all of German rather than Eastern European origin, who arrived on the fruited plain in the 19th century, still vote majority Pubbie to this day. One of their progeny, served as a Pubbie congressman from Cincy not so long ago. I love studying ethnic politics. It is a hobby of mine, and gives me great pleasure.
Now why did I know this was from the AP? They will crawl under the rocks and through gopher holes to find people that agree with them.
Some imbecilic rabbi in Houston condemns Christians is big news, but let someone agree with us, and voila..silence from the AP gasbags.
That sums it up pretty well, yep.
I think what he means is that gays should have rights to other people's children (given preference in adoption, custody over child from previous hetero spouse, etc.)
Yes, it's possible to be morally upright without being religious. Partly, it's because non-religious people have the religious heritage there in society to draw on, even though they don't accept its basis. Partly because, as St. Paul says, "the law of God is written in the heart"-- What's known as Natural Law.
I just did a Google search for that phrase and turned up a couple of good articles and books on the subject by writers I know, particularly J. Budzewzski and Phillip Johnson:
http://www.google.com/search?sourceid=navclient&ie=UTF-8&rls=GGLG,GGLG:2005-46,GGLG:en&q=law+of+God+is+written+in+the+heart
But without the support of religious faith it's a lot harder.
There were several waves of Jewish immigration, although there have been Jews in America since the very first (possibly a few secret Jews even sailed with Columbus, if you can believe that and a few settled New Mexico). German Jewish immigrants tended to be wealthier and better-educated on average. Also, they assimilated much better, as they came in a smaller group and were able to assimilate well, while maintaining their own identity. Quite a few German and French Jews settled in the South, where they got along quite well. They also settled in the more (at that time) settled parts of the mid-west.
In fact, the first 3 Jewish senators were from the South, if I recall correctly.
It is harder, unless well, you are raised right. Then it is easy. It is hard wired. It is as natural as breathing. It is who one is. Is is all about good habits, in short.
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.
This is typical liberal BS spew. They can't point to a single conservative who has defined any such "values."
A little Proverbs for the Rabbi: Chapter 24, especially verses 10,11.
And he should know that I love him and am praying for him. There's silver in there, I know.
Are you suggesting that Jewish religious organizations be given soveriegn rights in the U.S. and that Rabbi's be given authority to sentence people to death?
How about Southern Baptists be allowed to take over everything in Dixie? Lutherans in the upper midwest?
Are you out of your mind?
Baptist Ping List
Freepmail me if you want on or off this ping list.
Though I'd ping yall to this since we are the "Religious Right".
Again, how that craziness manifests itself depends on many things, but it DOES manifest itself.
So, imo, the internal righteous-ness of anyone is beyond being judged, we can and must judge actions -- and maybe that is what you meant, that these acts by the Reform Jewish congregations assembled are not righteous.
I agree that that blasting of the "religious right" may be not a righteous act, but would not put that serious a label on their anti-war resolution. That resolution is a folly of confusion and blindness and not a direct act to slander, itself. I do feel that both acts are driven by a seemingly senseless hatred of President Bush, Republicans and the politically Right.
And when I said "driven by a seemingly senseless hatred" that scares the Dickens out of me -- for I do not understand how such intelligent and otherwise caring people can maintain such *seemingly* blind hate. Am I the blind one? What am I missing? What drives this projected vehemence and slander?
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.