We all know that Florida is a critical swing state in the coming election. According to Sam Stein of The Huffington Post, it's more in play than ever and the Obama campaign knows it. That's all fine. But the idea that a central reason for the shift is the increasing number of Jews who don't like Sarah Palin because she is a Christian is far from fine.
There are many reasons not to support Sarah Palin, but the fact of her religious affiliation is not one of them. In fact, I am actually a little ashamed of Jews who object to Sara Palin because of what she believes. How did it feel when we heard that people were uncomfortable supporting Joe Lieberman, not because he was a Democrat, but because he was a Jew? In fact, Jews worried about that phenomenon far more than it ever materialized, but that's another story.
And please don't write and tell me, "but that's different, we don't believe the outrageous things that they do" because that just isn't so. With the exception of the identification of Jesus as the messiah, there is no belief in Evangelical Christian thought that can not be found in traditional Jewish thought as well. Bodily resurrection? We got that. In fact, traditional Jews, including yours truly, pray for it three times a day. The Bible as the revealed word of God? We've got that in spades. We just disagree about what's included in the revelation, not the idea of a personal God who gave us a library. That one group is God's chosen people? I won't even start.
Don't get me wrong. One can create a meaningful Jewish life without these concepts, or do so by reinterpreting them in new ways. And the same can be said for a meaningful Christianity. But if not believing those things were a barrier to office, then Joe should have been disqualified as well.
I find it particularly ironic that the same Jews in Florida, often elderly and relatively secular, supported Lieberman but use religion as their excuse for not supporting Palin. They are actually doing to her precisely what they fear she will do to the rest of us i.e. using a theological litmus test for gaining office in a nation which separates church and state. Not a road I want to travel down with any group.
Why? If for no other reason than there are more of them than there are of us, so we will ultimately lose. But mostly because this election should be about issues, including the role of personal faith in the making of public policy, not the theology which we presume a candidate holds. If we used that test, then Obama would fail on the basis of Jeremiah Wright, which would also be wrong.
Add to Del.icio.us
Add to Technorati
Add to Digg
Add to Newsvine
Add to Facebook
Add to StumbleUpon
Subscribe
Author, radio and TV talk show host, and President of CLAL-The National Jewish Center for Learning and Leadership, Brad Hirschfield is the author of 
Jews would be crazy to vote for Palin. As a devout evangelical she believes that she will be "rapt" after every Jew is returned to Israel. But Jews will not share in the rapture. Their forced repatriation will not be a salvation but simply a sign that alerts evangelicals to get ready for the big lift-off. But there is no place for them in the rocket ship to heaven.
Hey Seymour you are definately not bright or know what you are talking about. If it was Jew running for President you would be all over that person...he or she is the right person. Yeah yeah. But you are so wrong just like in the Bible you Jews condemned Jesus and hung him on the cross, your forefathers and who believe like them will persish in hell. McCain is a much better pick than Obama, first thing DODO oBAMA WOULD probably do is abolish guns IN homes and then next make Muslim religion the religion of ole USA. Then you silly jews would have no choice either OR ANY OTHER RELIGION. We would not have a choice of religion anymore you want that, think for once. Obama preaches change all right but ask yourself what change. NOT all change is good and you can bet his change is a well hidden change and its not for every American good at all. But you silly people vote him in and IT WILL BE TO LATE!!!!
I do not know of any pro-Israel Christian who would stay in a church for one minute if the pastor was anti-Israel. That is my big concern about Sen. Obama. He stayed for more than 20 years in a church where some of the pastor's sermons were anti-American, anti-white and anti-Israel. Sen. Obama's church record should prove to us that he cannot be trusted regarding Israel if he becomes president. How can we trust his pro-Israel "words" when he attended that church?
Most Christians in America hate Jews just becasue Jews killed Jesus so spare us the talk.
Vote Obama.
Dear Friends:
I am appalled at the comments regarding Jews crucifying Christ. As Christians, we hold this basic belief: my personal sin is what put him there. As the prophet Isaiah said, "It pleased God to bruise Him (messiah Jesus)." According to believers, Jesus' death was a sacrifice of love that didn't end with the crucifixion, but continued through the resurrection. Enough of the blame game. As G.K. Chesterton once wrote to the London Times in response to an article entitled, "What's Wrong With The World", "Dear Sirs: Me."
If Christians hate, then they are not of God. As John, the beloved disciple wrote, "Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God and everyone that loves is born of God and knows God. He who does not love, does not know God."
Even Jesus Himself, forgave those who crucified Him saying that, "Father, forgive them for they know not what they do." Christ followers ever since have done the same including the example of the martyrdom of Stephen, the Alexandrian Jew who did the same at his death.
As far as the article goes, it is true that a just and righteous person is valued over one who is not as a ruler. The problem is in this world of spin, we never really know who that is until they act. All we have are their documented, verifiable acts. The best predictor of future behavior is past behavior.
Personally as a pastor and Christian, I would have supported Joe Liberman as a presidential candidate. I think religion plays a shaping role in a persons politics, but I have never seen where a person's religion has superseded common sense, sound wisdom and competency in the Presidency. The vetting process of a national election is too demanding for that. Politics is a "dirty" business where compromise is the name of the game.
George Bush who is considered by most to be "a good guy" and had a very compassionate agenda allowed the press of the post 9-11 world to derail good programs and allow a very corrupt Congress to run rampant. Well, apparently, we the people said "enough" in a deafening shout. Now, we look forward to the 44th peaceful transfer of power in the highest office in the land. Isn't that something?
Let's get rid of prejudices, whether they be religious, ethnic, or color base. Let's take our country to where Dr. King wanted to go - "where men are judged based on the content of their character."
Post a Comment
By submitting these comments, I agree to the beliefnet.com terms of service, rules of conduct and privacy policy (the "agreements"). I understand and agree that any content I post is licensed to beliefnet.com and may be used by beliefnet.com in accordance with the agreements.