Posted on 12/15/2005 6:57:56 PM PST by freedom44
CHICAGO (Reuters) - U.S. Jewish leaders say they are increasingly worried that Christian conservatives want to turn America politically and culturally into a country that tolerates only their brand of Christianity.
"There is a feeling on all sides that something is changing," said Abraham Foxman, director of the New York-based Anti-Defamation League.
"The polls indicate a very serious thing -- that over 60 percent of the American people feel that religion and Christianity are under attack," he said on Thursday in an interview.
"Some are saying we are attacking (Christianity). This whole movement is not anti-Semitic or motivated by anti-Semitism. But sometimes unintended consequences are much more serious than intended" he added.
Foxman recently arranged a meeting in New York involving six Jewish organizations to discuss the problem. He said that while participants did not agree on the exact level of the problem, they felt a strategy was needed.
"It's not a war room strategy," he added. "It's to understand what's out there."
He said Jews are a people of faith but are opposed to anyone who would say only they know the truth and want to impose it on everyone else.
While every December brings disputes over what to call the "holiday season" and its trappings, the level of lobbying by those who fear Christmas is becoming something generic has been particularly high this year.
But the issues raised by Foxman and others goes much deeper into American society, ranging from challenges to teaching evolution to bans on abortion and same-sex marriage or deciding
what kind of people who should serve on the U.S. Supreme Court.
"Every room (from bedroom to classroom) in the American mansion is under assault to impose either de facto or de jure a Christian theocracy -- I call them Christocrats," said Rabbi James Rudin, former head of interreligious activities for the American Jewish Committee.
"They are people who believe there should be a legally mandated Christian nation, where the concept of separation of church and state is weakened or abandoned," he added.
Rudin said he has met pastors "who say that Jesus Christ is the ultimate leader of America and that God's law trumps the Constitution ... I'm very concerned."
While far from all evangelical Christians hold those views, he said, the influence of those who do is strong.
Rudin, whose book "The Baptizing of America: The Religious Right's Plans for the Rest of Us" will be published in January by Avalon, said those with a theocratic agenda are not anti-Semites, and in fact some of them are among the strongest supporters of the state of Israel.
But he said they are Christians who see secular humanists and globalists as their enemies and who feel they are being attacked.
Mathew (cq) Staver, general counsel of the Florida-based Liberty Counsel, a group which backs conservative Christian causes in court and which has been particularly active in Christmas-related issues, says "there is absolutely no effort that I'm aware of to theocratize America or put down other faiths to expand Christianity."
He credits the increased activity surrounding Christmas issues this year to three years of building an organization over the matter.
"People have said enough is enough," he said, citing such incidents as naming Boston's Christmas tree a "holiday tree" and the publication of a sales catalog by a major retailer which featured Kwanza and Hanukkah gifts but made no mention of Christmas.
President George W. Bush, who describes himself as a born-again Christian, also faced criticism recently for sending out cards wishing people a happy "holiday" season.
"This clearly demonstrates that the Bush administration has suffered a loss of will and that they have capitulated to the worst elements in our culture," William A. Donohue, president of the Catholic League for Religious and Civil Rights told the Washington Post.
That Fundie was obviously a nutcase. Are you judging evangelicals by the acts of a few lunatics?
Proud member of the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod.
I consider Rabbi Lapin and the JPFO to be representative of my beliefs, even though I'm NOT an observant Jew.
Mark
The Orthodox population, and especially the haredi Jews, are breeding there's no tomorrow--because they know that there WILL BE a tomorrow.
While liberal Jews claim to be in the "majority" their numbers are dwindling, and that demographic will change drastically.
Cultural Jews (the are Jewish in name only, don't believe in God their creator, are liberal)
vs real Jews (believe in the God that Moses wrote about)
Real Jews usually are friends with evangelical Christians.
Great intelligence.
Great family values, and moral values.
Safe, at least, in the US, because of our military and support of Isreal.
Joe Lieberman says it all in my book, and even though he is a Jew and I am a Christian.
Joe should be the show piece for all the Jews in America, but unfortunately he isn't.
I'm getting sick of the whole separation of Church and state concept that liberals always throw out. First of all Separation of Church and State is not a phrase that exist in the Constitution. The Constitution says Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion... An establishment of religion in the 18th century meaning is a state run church that can FORCE people to be part of it. This amendment is simply trying to stop the federal government from forcing people to belong to a state owned church. The amendment is not trying to forbid any religious expression. George Washington and many other presidents, even in the twentieth century have issued official governemnt proclamations of thanksgiving, fasting, and prayer. It is not unconstitutional for government to express religious views. That is part of Free speech so the Lefties should give Americans back their country and bug off.
Foxman I know and ignore. I don't know about this Rudin. Cut from the same cloth?
Mr. Rudin, FYI, God's law trumps EVERYTHING, and if THAT worries you, then YOU'VE got a BIG problem. God won't change just because you don't agree with Him.
Being Jewish, I find it terribly sad that I'm unable to donate to any Jewish charities, with the exception of a donation in memory of my mother to a synagogue that I'm a member of... My donations all seem to go to Christian or Catholic charities, or secular charities (Salvation Army, City Union Mission in KC, Truman Medical Center Charitable Trust - for indigent medical care). I'd love to give some money to a Jewish charity that doesn't support things I simply can't abide. I've sworn that I'll never give a cent to Hadassa or Bnai Brith due to their political leanings, unless they change their policies.
Mark
Very good point.
Always be aware that there is a certain amount of garden variety lunacy that calls itself religion.
This is crap! Not one Jew I know, liberal (my family) or conservative cares about this.
I don't mind it if government employees can call a tree a "Christmas" tree. It's a Menorah too, not a candle holder. Sing "Silent Night" in school, fine with me.
But when a small and vocal number of Christians attempt to insert actual religious dogma into science class and imply that it is fact, then that's over the top. With the strong education and scientific culture in the Jewish community, I don't doubt it a bit that the recent fad of pushing creationism in public schools pushes their button.
Traditions are traditions, and scientific facts are scientific facts, and the two should not mix.
I'm not so sure. When I was in school, we were taught Creation and evolution as theories (along with Big Bang). I think it should be taught to inform everyone of another viewpoint (that it exists). They don't need to dwell on all the minutia - leave it up to those interested in Creation the ability to explore it more by studying the Bible.
Creation, by the way, is in the Torah and is not a wholly Christian concept.
Absolutely he should. But a majority of them seem to worship the SheBeast. And if not her, their votes will go to the dimos. It just does not compute with what I thought the Jewish population was made of....a strong dynamic people. Of course, we on the right have our kooks also but......
Nah, only LIBERAL U.S. Jews seem to have a problem with religious conservatives.
The Media for the most part has no clue as to the vagaries of conservative or liberal christians and jews....we're all the same to them....sometimes.
Foxman also has no clue as to what is really happening.
Somehow the media thinks he represents the Jews.....LOL
I think you have to be selective in your donations. For instance, I'm a Republican, but I would never donate the the RNC, because the money would probably go to help re-elect Arlen Specter. I donate to selected candidates whom I can trust.
The same with Catholic charities. I donate to ones that I can support, but I can't do it through the bishop's fund, because that supports all sorts of questionable causes.
And I donate to a few Evangelical organizations such as Survivors, because they are doing specialized work that I believe in.
It's unfortunate, but that's the way things are at the moment.
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