In tonight's installment of Jew vs. Jew, Jeff Jacoby and Samuel Freedman square off on whether or not the Almighty is a Republican or a Democrat. Both men concede the obvious -- that you cannot speak of the Creator meaningfully in such terms -- but then discuss whether or not the Democrats or the GOP are more faithful to Biblical religion in their philosophies.
Naturally, my pal Jeff gets the better of the argument. Read for yourself, tho'.
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As a christian, I don't really care what the old testament God is. I care what Jesus is. - Posted by: Pat | September 27, 2008 10:48 AM
Pat, meet Marcion. Marcion, meet Pat. Enjoy your discussion.
The God of the Old Testament seems to be a theocrat, not a Democrat or a Republican. He aspired to set His chosen and anointed king on Mt. Zion, not an elected president in Washington. All this talk of people voting, versus a nation headed by a prophetically-and-priestly-anointed king in league with a priesthood and receiving his policy rebukes from prophets, is antithetical and foreign to Biblical Judaism. God is not a Republican or a Democrat. First and foremost He is against the will of the people (who are usually stiff-necked to begin with), and instead in favor of His own will which He has revealed to His prophets to preach and carry out. Why do people try to adopt or domesticate YHWH for their own causes?
(Just being contentious - sort of)
Re: The question. Answer: Huh?
The question is not which side is God on, but if I'm on His.
For some reason, the word "presumption" keeps springing to my mind, when I read this question and responses.
I haven't been agreeing with Reaganite in NYC recently, but he has this entirely right. Otherwise, I'd be happy to go over the Torah and Biblical Hebrew with your friend, who doesn't even mention the Talmud. However, I wouldn't consider it a political discussion, because, even if you believe that the Torah sanctions the Death Penalty, Sanhedrin has a lot to say about how it can be used.
It was fun to read though. Thanks.
By the way, I've been off-line moving. It wasn't fun. I guess I'm an addict.
Considering His record over recorded time, I'd say God is an anarchist.
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