[bvw]

Any Jew not in Israel is not on Terra Firma. That is, a bit off-base. How that off-baseness comes out depends on the Jew and the community. In fact, until the Temple and the Services are re-established and safe in Israel, every human on earth is negatively affected -- more confused, even more crazy.

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?

[Alexander Rubin]

I think they are frightened and confused and lost, and they think they can wish the world a better place and it will become so. These people are generally very intelligent and quite caring, but they've lost their faith, and have forgotten G-d, dismissing the Lord as a cultural shackle or religious relic of a bygone age. Many also have a very poor sense of reality or long-term vision as well, which is disturbing. You'll find a lot of these people generally support the status quo.