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.
More likely the guy is kicking off some fund raising campaign, mining the fields of the moneyed paranoid.
(Denny Crane: "I Don't Want To Socialize With A Pinko Liberal Democrat Commie.Say What You Like About Republicans. We Stick To Our Convictions. Even When We Know We're Dead Wrong.")
A little girl that is a friend of my eldest daughter is Jewish by heritage, is an agnostic if not an outright athiest, and has never been to Temple that I know of...and considers herself Jewish. Sounds like she would fit right in with this fellow.
Yeah, Yoffie does look seriously evil.
The reason of course is that Yoffie IS seriously evil.
"What could be more bigoted than to claim that you have a monopoly on God?"
I guess he was referring to the religious right and the mussies. Side note from a Christian: If anyone proclaims to have a more sacred text than the Jews or a more appropriate relationship with God they are playing with fire. LOL I don't think you would catch me telling anyone that God favors me over his chosen people or that King James had a better idea about christianity than Moses. I just hope we all have a shot at the afterlife based on our individual behavior.
(Denny Crane: "I Don't Want To Socialize With A Pinko Liberal Democrat Commie.Say What You Like About Republicans. We Stick To Our Convictions. Even When We Know We're Dead Wrong.")
JINO
(Denny Crane: "I Don't Want To Socialize With A Pinko Liberal Democrat Commie.Say What You Like About Republicans. We Stick To Our Convictions. Even When We Know We're Dead Wrong.")
This same group just voted almost unanimously to get out of Iraq ASAP! They think Christians are their enemy instead of the Muslims who want them dead!!
I stopped reading right after this part. Another leftist moonbat, nothing more.
It really isn't Judaism anyway. It is just liberal politics.
Excuse me, but he was funded by homosexuals and that's how he rose to power in the first place. Had it not been for queer money, Hitler would have never made it anywhere. He killed them off after he was done with them.
Gays aren't good for anything but political money. If they weren't funding democrat politicians today, the nation would have kicked them over the boarder years ago. History is just repeating itself.
(Denny Crane: "I Don't Want To Socialize With A Pinko Liberal Democrat Commie.Say What You Like About Republicans. We Stick To Our Convictions. Even When We Know We're Dead Wrong.")
Here's his official bio, which naturally puts a good face on all his activities.
It boasts that he was the only religious leader who participated in the Million Mom March.
Oops. Forgot to post the link.
http://urj.org/yoffie/bio/
...and their sympathizers in today's DNC.
"Reform Judaism is dying from lack of interest and assimilation."
Which is why he needs to attack Christians. Maybe he'll even write a book, call it "My Struggle" or something. Really surprised that Jews in the audience would be cheering this hatefulness. So much for Leftist Tolerance.
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