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.
(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.")
Actually, it IS worthy of the 'Reform Movement', LOL!
Wow! The AP gets it right by accurately labeling the URL as "liberal".
Aside from that, this scumbag Yoffie lies through his teeth.
Bring it on Rabbi.
You don't represent the teachings of Moses anymore than the the publishers of Rolling Stone do. You represent "cultural Jews" who are very liberal and could care less about the teachings of God.
And conservative Christians are Israels most fierce defenders; on;y behind Israel itself.
You sir are an idiot. You are chaff that will not survive the fire. See Matthew 3:12
http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?book_id=47&chapter=3&verse=12&version=31&context=verse
Why should he care, if his means of reaching God is no better than anyone else's?
Better forward this to Pat Robertson.
He loves Israel.
When your motto is "It's good to be Jewish, pass the ham" why bother going to Synagogue?
Why oh why commit social suicide? The answer is like many who suicide he truly believes he is hurting someone else.
I've been interested for some time in the differences as to how morality is defined. I believe that Islam, for instance, has no independent morality. Giving to charity, being nice to people, not killing them, well that's fine on its own, but if it's not in the name of Islam, it's really not moral. The Judeo-Christian view separates morality from religious identity and even from religious practice. It's so ingrained in the Western point of view, that we don't even notice cultures that don't recognize it.
Well, Hitler opposed gun ownership among the general populace, as does, no doubt, this left wing Rabbi. So that must mean he's a Hitler.
See, the left wing doesn't have a monopoly on Hitler accusations. This is sorta like playing tag!
Rule #1: The first person to mention Hitler loses the argument.
Righteous Christians, evangelical Christians, are the best friend of Israel and Jews. Evangelicals visited Israel for Holy land Tours even when the intifada was very bad. I cannot say the same for reform Jews. This man is clueless.
Funny, when God destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah over homosexuality, above all, the Main Jew (that would be Jesus) was right at His side (see John 1:1) saying "yes," and "amen."
Good point, although I think Islam teaches about hospitality and kindness to the other, as long as they toe the line. Although no doubt overstating it, it may be akin to the ethos that the master should be kind to his slaves.
As a Jew, I ask my Christian brothers and sisters to disregard this repulsive piece of shit Yoffie, as well as the fat pig communist Abe Foxman. These scumbags do NOT represent the opinions of religious Jews. Reform Jews are Socialists and depraved promoters of leftist ideology and the homosexual agenda. Thankfully they are so busy dying (ie. Palm Beach), becoming fags and aborting their babies, that in 25 years there will be very few left of them, and they will be replaced by religious Jews, 77% of whom voted for George W. Bush.
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