Rabbis and Politics

Shortly after the rabbis of the Reform movement took it upon themselves last month to advise President Bush on the war in Iraq, the rabbis of the Conservative movement decided to advise Senator Arlen Specter on the proper standards for confirming President Bush’s nominee to the Supreme Court.

The Reform letter, with its citations to the purported necessity of an “exit strategy” under Jewish law, was close to self-parody (see "What Would Maimonides Do?").  The Conservative letter was more amusing in a straightforward way:  you have to have a sense of humor to be famously hazy on the role of halacha but think it appropriate to lecture the Senate Judiciary Committee on the sanctity of “settled law” (Roe v. Wade).

When did American rabbis become experts in foreign policy and constitutional law?

(Hat tip:  Pillage Idiot, whose own “follow-up letter” is also funny).

Comments

[Elan]

About the same time they adopted liberalism as their religion.

[RR]

According to the entry in the Jewish Virtual Library on “Abortion and Halacha:”

"The traditional Jewish view of abortion does not fit conveniently into any of the major 'camps' in the current American abortion debate. We neither ban abortion completely, nor do we allow indiscriminate abortion 'on demand.' To gain a clear understanding of when abortion is sanctioned, or even required, and when it is forbidden, requires an appreciation of certain nuances of halacha (Jewish law) which govern the status of the fetus."

Rabbis can, and should, take a position -- whichever way -- on abortion, based on their understanding of Jewish law. Rabbis should not take a position -- whichever way -- on a political fight over the Supreme Court, on pain of being barred from any future sermons on the importance of separating church and state.

[Mel C. Montgomery]

In a free society, everyone has the right to voice their opinion, and to lobby for changes in legislation. I think it is particularly valuable when sincere, legitimate religious leaders bring their views to the table. However, as a Christian pastor, I am uncomfortable when any religious leader claims that some political position is endorsed by God. It is entirely appropriate, and our duty, to speak to the moral aspects of the country, legislation, or even judicial appointments, expressing our concerns based on principles clearly revealed in Scripture. But when we go beyond this limit, and state that God or the Scriptures unequivably endorse this piece of legislation, that war plan, or this judicial candidate, we diminish our credibility, and in a sense, take the Lord's name in vain by attaching it to some political agenda with which He may or may not be in agreement.
Religious leaders expressing political views is a mixed blessing. Although I think that Jerry Fallwell and Pat Robertson have at times brought forth good ideas and appropriate political pressure, they have also gone to unhelpful extremes. Falwell announced in the early 1980's that God was against the Panama Canal Treaty. Robertson proclaimed recently that God had given Ariel Sharon a stroke to stop his political agenda. Such extreme statements delegitimize the speaker, denegrate their religion, and wound us all.
I hope that Rabbis, conservate or not, will consider very carefully the pitfalls of attaching personal interpretations of God's eternal Scripture to man's fleeting political positions.

[RR]

Mel – that is beautifully expressed.

I think religious leaders, and religious people, not only have a right but perhaps an obligation to bring their religious views to the public square, as long as they purport to speak for themselves and not for God.

My objection is to religious leaders purporting to dress political views in religious garb or using religious organizations for blatantly political purposes. I don’t think God has given us guidance on issues such as the Panama Canal or stare decisis, and I agree that calling upon religion to support them diminishes the credibility of those who do.

[abu maklubah]

if only oprah knew what u guys to do palestianians.