A Conversation with Rabbi Arthur Hertzberg: Bush Lied


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A Conversation with Rabbi Arthur Hertzberg: Bush Lied
02.23.05 (8:42 am)   [edit]
The following is from an interview with Rabbi Arthur Hertzberg at The Palestine Chronicle.

Rabbi Arthur Hertzberg is well known as a historian of Judaism and of American Jewry, a feisty intellectual, and a voice of influence in the fight for justice in the United States and Israel. Now retired, he is Bronfman Visiting Professor of Humanities at New York University.

I'd like to go to a subject that we discussed a bit last week: the question of religious fundamentalism, rising across major religions.

That is a horror. Let me tell you a story. Some 10 or 15 years ago, I was invited to Tokyo—the only time I've spoken in Tokyo, to an inter-religious meeting, of a variety of opinions in the traditions which are not Biblical. And the question was: What is it, that Biblical religions hold in common, and more important still, that they have in common with the non-Biblical religions?

And I said: The great disaster is, that we are now increasingly identifying ourselves by what we assert as our truth, our virtues, our right, our powers. And therefore, we are making war, and not peace. That the function of religion, at its most serious, is not to encourage the believers to say, "I'm right and you're wrong," because "I'm right and you're wrong" means war, means holy war, and the most disastrous of holy wars. I think what we must change over to, is the notion that what religions have in common, is their duty, and their passion for defending the defenseless, whoever they are, whatever tradition, wherever they come from.

And therefore, I regard Christian and Jewish fundamentalism, and all other forms of fundamentalism, as the enemies of God—and I hope you'll quote me on that: "As the enemies of God."

Jewish fundamentalism, Christian fundamentalism teach them, that they are right about everything, and we and those who don't agree with them, are going to fry in Hell. Jewish fundamentalism is teaching that Jews can fight with guns and with civil war, against being relocated off the West Bank, and disobey the orders of their government. That is the call to jihad, to several kinds of jihad.

Moral values, if you want to use them correctly, begin with love of your fellow man. And if they teach, not love, but hatred; if they teach you to be certain that your fellow man is part of what the Christians once called, when they wanted to beat up on Jews, a part of the "Synagogue of Satan," then it is the call to war, it is the call to fascism, and it makes God into Hitler! Quote me.

It is one's religious duty to stand up to all of this.


I agree wholeheartedly with Rabbi Hertzberg. Read the entire interview.

 


posted by: angiekruger (reply)
post date: 02.23.05 (7:08 am)

this is exactly why i do not believe in organized religion. it amazes me the people who preach the message of jesus, the message of loving your fellow man, of tolerance and understanding of others, yet in the same breath turn around and bash anyone who's views on religion differ from theirs. they're going to hell because they worship differently, "fags die, God laughs" and such. how dare you?

in the words of the famed poets salt, peppa and spinderella, "the moral of this story is, who are you to judge? there's only one true judge and that's God. so chill and let my father do his job."



posted by: Ran Selig (reply)
post date: 02.24.05 (4:58 am)

I agree with the good Rabbi Hertzberg, of course – just one small matter and it’s semantical really, but I would rather hear something besides “religious” and “duty” in the same sentence. These words have negative connotations, I think. We’re in this mess because some versions of “religious duty”. Maybe it’s time to switch it around a bit and use words like “spiritual” and “goal” or something like that. It’s a small detail, I guess, but maybe not.



posted by: angiekruger (reply)
post date: 02.24.05 (5:42 am)

i have a special post for you and philippe



posted by: DianneMaire (reply)
post date: 02.24.05 (7:13 am)

Reply to: angiekruger
The story of religion has been played out over and over throughout the centuries, Angie and the ending is always the same. What we see today is no different from what we saw during the Crusades and every other religious mass movement. They just haven't drawn their swords yet.



posted by: DianneMaire (reply)
post date: 02.24.05 (7:18 am)

Reply to: Ran
But, religious and duty go together Ran. "One ring to bring them all and in the darkness bind them."



posted by: angiekruger (reply)
post date: 02.24.05 (7:18 am)

Reply to: DianneMaire
oh i know hun. i've always thought religion was the major cause of all the problems in the world. throughout time.



posted by: DianneMaire (reply)
post date: 02.24.05 (7:19 am)

Reply to: angiekruger
Ok Angie, I'll tell him and have a look. You're not naked are you? LOL

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