I Wanted to be Closer to G-d, Not Closer to MoveOn.org
Rosh Hashanah is one of the most important dates in the Jewish year. It is considered to be the birthday of the world. Every year on Rosh Hashanah, G-d inscribes each person’s name in the Book of Life. At this point, The Days of Awe begin. This is a period of repentance, atonement and reparations. A passage in the New Union Prayerbook for the Days of Awe, Gates of Repentance, begins, “On Rosh Hashanah it is written, on Yom Kippur it is sealed: How many shall pass on, how many shall come to be; Who shall live and who shall die;…”
The Days of Awe are a time of reflection and meditation. One recalls memories of our parents and others who have touched our lives. One also reflects on one’s past shortcomings, one’s purpose in life, ways to become a better person and how to better serve G-d and the people in one’s life.
In Reform temples, the rabbi gives a sermon. At Rosh Hashanah, one would expect it to be a general one about more conscientiously following G-d’s commandments, spending more time with one’s family and doing more to help one’s community. Instead, the Rabbi gave a sermon about how the hurricane stricken residents of New Orleans were victims of global warming, the destruction of the environment by developers, racism, and the appropriation of money to the “unnecessary” war in Iraq rather than to repair of the levees and helping the people of New Orleans escape poverty. There are two problems with that sermon. The first is that much of it was factually incorrect: Global warming is unproven, poor preparation and response to Katrina was due to incompetence rather than racism, the war on terror is necessary and money was appropriated to repairing the levees and to welfare programs. The second problem with the sermon is that it ignores the concept of personal responsibility which is part of the foundation of Judaism. If it were not, what would be the point of repentance and atonement?
Reform temples emphasize the charity aspect of Judaism, but neglect the personal responsibility aspect of the religion. Some people are impoverished because they are too ill or disabled to work. Others are impoverished because they failed to act in ways that would improve their circumstances. Even the emphasis on charity has changed from the individual’s duty to give to the less fortunate to the need for government to do so. I am not a Biblical scholar, so I must have missed the part that said it is the government’s job to provide for us. Reform Judaism has become more of a “social justice” movement than a religion. Far more attention is paid to issues such as affordable housing, health care for the uninsured, etc. than is paid to anything in the Torah.
Religious leaders of all faiths have used religion as a means to promote their political views. Is that really fair to worshippers? If so, how far should it go? During Rosh Hashanah morning services, the temple’s other Rabbi spoke about John McCain’s proposed amendment that would restrict interrogation techniques. The rabbi referred to this as the “Anti torture” amendment and urged all members of the congregation to sign copies, (available in the lobby), of a letter urging our congressional representative to vote for the amendment when it is introduced in the House. That went beyond a religious leader expressing his political views in relation to his interpretation of religion. This was a specific call to action. It seems to cross the line as much as telling a religion’s followers whom to vote for in an election. It implied that those who do not act accordingly are going against G-d’s wishes. If that is the case, are those of us who wish to read the amendment prior to forming an opinion displeasing G-d?
The real disappointment was having what should have been a somber, profoundly spiritual service turned into a series of political lectures. This is not unique to Judaism. Many Christians voice complaints that some churches use the pulpit to promote political ideologies. This has dissuaded many religious people from joining congregations and attending services. Many people attend services to worship G-d, not to influence government. Those individuals once cherished the time spent at religious services as a respite from the secular world. Should a house of worship tie its spiritual mission to political missions? When a religious institution concentrates on the material and the political, it can easily lose its connection to the spiritual.
The Days of Awe are a time of reflection and meditation. One recalls memories of our parents and others who have touched our lives. One also reflects on one’s past shortcomings, one’s purpose in life, ways to become a better person and how to better serve G-d and the people in one’s life.
In Reform temples, the rabbi gives a sermon. At Rosh Hashanah, one would expect it to be a general one about more conscientiously following G-d’s commandments, spending more time with one’s family and doing more to help one’s community. Instead, the Rabbi gave a sermon about how the hurricane stricken residents of New Orleans were victims of global warming, the destruction of the environment by developers, racism, and the appropriation of money to the “unnecessary” war in Iraq rather than to repair of the levees and helping the people of New Orleans escape poverty. There are two problems with that sermon. The first is that much of it was factually incorrect: Global warming is unproven, poor preparation and response to Katrina was due to incompetence rather than racism, the war on terror is necessary and money was appropriated to repairing the levees and to welfare programs. The second problem with the sermon is that it ignores the concept of personal responsibility which is part of the foundation of Judaism. If it were not, what would be the point of repentance and atonement?
Reform temples emphasize the charity aspect of Judaism, but neglect the personal responsibility aspect of the religion. Some people are impoverished because they are too ill or disabled to work. Others are impoverished because they failed to act in ways that would improve their circumstances. Even the emphasis on charity has changed from the individual’s duty to give to the less fortunate to the need for government to do so. I am not a Biblical scholar, so I must have missed the part that said it is the government’s job to provide for us. Reform Judaism has become more of a “social justice” movement than a religion. Far more attention is paid to issues such as affordable housing, health care for the uninsured, etc. than is paid to anything in the Torah.
Religious leaders of all faiths have used religion as a means to promote their political views. Is that really fair to worshippers? If so, how far should it go? During Rosh Hashanah morning services, the temple’s other Rabbi spoke about John McCain’s proposed amendment that would restrict interrogation techniques. The rabbi referred to this as the “Anti torture” amendment and urged all members of the congregation to sign copies, (available in the lobby), of a letter urging our congressional representative to vote for the amendment when it is introduced in the House. That went beyond a religious leader expressing his political views in relation to his interpretation of religion. This was a specific call to action. It seems to cross the line as much as telling a religion’s followers whom to vote for in an election. It implied that those who do not act accordingly are going against G-d’s wishes. If that is the case, are those of us who wish to read the amendment prior to forming an opinion displeasing G-d?
The real disappointment was having what should have been a somber, profoundly spiritual service turned into a series of political lectures. This is not unique to Judaism. Many Christians voice complaints that some churches use the pulpit to promote political ideologies. This has dissuaded many religious people from joining congregations and attending services. Many people attend services to worship G-d, not to influence government. Those individuals once cherished the time spent at religious services as a respite from the secular world. Should a house of worship tie its spiritual mission to political missions? When a religious institution concentrates on the material and the political, it can easily lose its connection to the spiritual.
Copyright Eva Ellsworth, 10/09/05, all rights reserved
10 Comments:
Global warming is not unproven. Scientists, as a class, give space to the dissenting voice to avoid the appearance of close-mindedness. The fact that almost all anti-global warming research is funded by big oil and other vested interests ought to at least raise an eyebrow.
Glaciers have melted across the world, the Northwest Passage will be open for the first time in tens of thousands of years as the Arctic ice sheet dies.
If you can be so reasonable about everything else, why not about this? Seriously. I agree with everything else, but you need to open your mind to the fact that human activity actually can change the ecosphere. It's done so before.
I attended services at a conservative shul in Rockaway Beach one time. The Rabbi was completely opposite. He gave a sermon that was supportive of President Bush and his pro Israel stance. His name was Rabbi Blaine.
------Hey anonymous --------
Mars is warming, along with the Earth. Do you think our Mars rovers are causing this? Maybe putting rf radiation out, or something?
Couldn't be caused by the sun, huh? Well, maybe it could. We do have that solaris satellite around it, reflecting all those wave thingies back to it, causing it to overheat.
Obviously part of George Bush's plan. Hard to believe such an idiot can also be an evil genius, huh?
Eva,
It's a good point, but why go to a reform synagogue? You know what you are getting into. Reform Judaism is basically the Democratic Party with holidays.
You seem to be struggling with your own values. Why not visit a conservative congregation instead? I hope you aren't hostile to Christianity...
I'm a scientist, and I think GW, to the extent it exists, is largely caused by natural causes.
Look it's easy to understand why liberals annoy me, but comments such as the two regarding global warming are why conservatives annoy me.
The first poster completely ducks any logical discussion of the point, preferring instead to use a traditionally feminist "blame and shame" attack. He makes a ridiculous suggestion about mars rovers causing warming, then makes an equally ridiculous one about a satellite somehow reflecting enough solar radiation to warm a planet. He then links this to somehow thinking Bush is an evil genius. I don't know, but the logic of the post is - lacking, to put it mildly.
As for the second comment, about the scientist who believes global warming is naturally caused, well, everyone has the right to an opinion. Informed ones are usually better. Recent research has revealed a strong warming trend that was diguised in the noise from data from misconfigured satellites. Hey, it may be natural, but that doesn't make it any less real, right?
Of course, scientists once loudly decried the possibility of the ozone hole. And that man could ever fly. Etc.
Global warming is real. It's changing the environment. And sticking your head in the sand will be of no avail in the end. Enjoy.
One; Good point, why is the author obviously going to the wrong synagog and then complaining about it? Every religion has clergy with differing viewpoints, so what's her real lament? Just change rabbis and shut up.
Two; Global warming is about as real as global cooling (the new ice age) was when I was a kid. Frankly I don't believe it's a scientific fact.
True science has become politicized in the most perverse way. Junk science is the result. It's not ironic that this topic shifted from religion to science because both have their share of crackpots and charlatans.
What makes me wary of the GW theory are the leftist mouth foamers that get the vapors when a little ice melts at one of the poles. And BTW, if you think the oceans will rise even if both polar caps melt then fill up your bathtub with water and a 30 pound chunk of solid ice. Then mark the water level with a crayon. Come back in the morning when the ice has melted and see if the water level has risen one millimeter. Have you tried that one, oh resident scientist?
The fact is that the anti-capitalists are looking for any excuse to make us all dependent on a central economic control system that puts protecting mother earth our most important priority...even if it kills us. You doubt it? Have you, dear readers, ever heard of DDT and the millions dead from malaria since it was banned? Death through junk science. Bravo!
The charlatans pretending to be scientists don't dare back off the big lie of global warming now. No sir, it has too much momentum and power, and the fiction has become so real, so swallowed up by the masses, that telling the truth would put them out of business forever. Besides, what would they replace it with? You must admit that for stirring up international hysteria, junk scientists would be hard pressed to find a substitute, crack pot theory as good as GW.
I'm fifty-two years old and I've been all over this world and I can tell you folks that the earth is mainly doing fine and that global warming is bull shit. And I reckon that is about as authorative as some poseur claiming to be a scientist trying to shame you into believing the opposite.
Please remember one thing, any idiot can become a rabbi,preist pastor or whatever. We must always bear that in mind. When the Rabbi wasted your time with his imposition of his views upon you, you have the right to tell him you're leaving the congregation because of that. My wife and children are Roman Catholic and I would go to Mass as "Crowd Control" (important with 4 sons, believe me.) But when the rants against abortion, The War or something else popped up, I popped out with Sons in tow. My wife chose to sit through it, so we waited outside. The Priest got the message. From then on the rants were at least related to the teachings of the Roman Catholic Church.
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This is the lamest, most obvious feminist columnist on MND.
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