By: Mary Mostert, Analyst, Original Sources (www.originalsources.com
August 31, 2000
On Monday the Anti-Defamation League, which bills itself as "the world's leading organization fighting anti-Semitism through programs and services that counteract hatred, prejudice and bigotry, issued a press-release scolding fellow religionist Joe Lieberman for daring to talk about their common religion. The press release said:
"Concerned about his recent statements on the campaign trail, the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) today called on Vice Presidential candidate Joseph Lieberman to refrain from overt expressions of religious values and beliefs, stating that 'appealing to voters along religious lines is contrary to the American ideal.'" 'Candidates should feel comfortable explaining their religious convictions to voters,' said Howard P. Berkowitz, ADL National Chairman, and Abraham H. Foxman, ADL National Director. 'At the same time, however, we believe there is a point at which an emphasis on religion in a political campaign becomes inappropriate and even unsettling in a religiously diverse society such as ours.'
"The ADL letter made reference to Senator Lieberman's remarks yesterday to the congregation of Detroit's Fellowship Chapel. 'Language such as this risks alienating the American people,' said Mr. Berkowitz and Mr. Foxman. 'We feel very strongly, and we hope you would agree, that appealing along religious lines, or belief in God, is contrary to the American ideal. The First Amendment requires that government neither support one religion over another nor the religious over the non-religious.'"
Appealing to people based on their belief in God is contrary to the American ideal? WHOSE American ideal? The Declaration of Independence is shot through and through with appeal to people's belief in God. It speaks of the "separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and Nature's God," entitled, the "Creator" who endowed them with unalienable Rights, the "firm reliance on the protection of divine Providence."
George Washington, in his farewell address, said:
"Where is the security for property, for reputation, for life, if the sense of religious obligation desert the oaths?…And let us with caution indulge the supposition that morality can be maintained without religion. Whatever may be conceded to the influences of refined education …reason and experience both forbid us to expect that national morality can prevail in exclusion of religious principle."
The Rev. Louis P. Sheldon, chairman of the Traditional Values Coalition, observed yesterday that:
"Joe Lieberman shouldn't be surprised by the recent attacks against him by the leftist Anti-Defamation League (ADL) for expressing his religious faith. It is Clinton/Gore policies and their political allies that have bred this climate of anti-religious bigotry. They worship the liberal god of tolerance. The only things they can't tolerate are 'God talk' and conservative Christians."
In all fairness, it appears that the ADL also is having a bit of problem with "God talk" coming from politically liberal Orthodox Jews, as well as conservative Christians. The Rev. Sheldon noted:
"The ADL's statement is clearly false. Polls show that at least 90% of the American public believe in God, so talking about Him is only going to offend a minority of voters and liberals who worship tolerance instead of the one true God…"Liberal morality, however, tolerates everything-except anything that opposes their left-wing political agenda. They are consistently intolerant of traditional moral values. As an orthodox Jew, Lieberman talks a good talk, but does he truly believe-and live out-what the Torah says about such issues as the right to life and homosexuality?"
The Torah-the first five books of the Old Testament-clearly condemns homosexuality and the taking of innocent life. "By supporting abortion on demand, including partial-birth abortion, Lieberman is violating God's laws," notes Sheldon. "And by linking arms with the homosexual movement, Lieberman is supporting a sexual practice that God calls an 'abomination' and sin in the Old Testament."
The Rev. Sheldon has brought up a point that could get sticky in the coming weeks. Sen. Lieberman has certainly made his religion a focal point of the Campaign. That being the case, if people question his views, by quoting the Torah, are they going to be accused of being anti-Semitic by the ADL, or merely be accused of mixing church and state?
The fact of the matter is that abortion, especially partial-birth abortion IS an issue in this election. Hate crimes legislation, which in effect is a means by which those who object to not only abortion but homosexuality are to be silenced, is an issue in this election. What DOES the Torah say about these issues?
Since I have the Torah, as well as the Bible and the Book of Mormon, in the "Religion" section of my website (http://www.originalsources.com/Religion/Religion.html), I decided to look it up to see if Rev. Sheldon was accurately quoting the Torah.
According to one Rabbi quoted on the Torah page, it was homosexuality that prompted God to wipe out most of mankind with the flood that Noah and his family survived. He wrote:
"Another interpretation of the expression in the Medrash "...ad shekasvu Gumasiyos" is that they wrote marriage contracts between males. When they went down to City Hall and started taking out Marriage Licenses between two men, when they starting debating about making City Ordinances legalizing marriage between two males with all the rights of fully married couples, that's when Chaza"l say the fate of the Generation of the Flood was finally sealed."Up until that point, it was at least looked down upon; people knew that it was wrong. But when they went ahead and proclaimed that it was an acceptable alternative life-style, then unfortunately the Flood came."
And what was Sen. Lieberman's position on homosexual marriage? Although both senators from California, Sen. Feinstein and Sen. Boxer, and both Senators fom Massachusetts, Sen. Kennedy and Sen. Moynihan, voted against it, Sen. Lieberman voted for it.
On the subject of abortion, according to the Torah:
"The Torah holds human life to be of the utmost value; this applies also to fetal life. Hence abortion is basically forbidden. However, the Torah differentiates between born and unborn life, and when only one of them can be preserved, the former is preferred. Thus there are situations in which abortion is permitted, for example to save the mother's life. But since preservation of life is of the utmost importance, in any such situation a qualified Rabbi must be consulted.That, it would seem to me, would make it extremely awkward for Sen. Lieberman to fit the description of an acceptable candidate in the eyes of the NOW group, or of Al Gore and Bill Clinton. The Rev. Sheldon concluded:
"After the attacks that Senator Lieberman has experienced these last few days, we are granting him an honorary status as an Evangelical Christian," says Sheldon. "He has gotten a dose of the sort of abuse that is heaped upon religious citizens every day. We are made to feel like second class citizens. If the Senator wants to join us in fighting anti-religious bigotry, he should disassociate himself from two of its chief proponents: Al Gore and Bill Clinton."
This is getting interesting. It appears that if Sen. Lieberman actually adhered to his religion he would be closer to Alan Keyes' positions on the importance of morality in government. However, the media totally ignored Alan Keyes. It doesn't seem to be ignoring Sen. Lieberman.
Sometimes Politics makes strange bedfellows.
To comment: mmostert@originalsources.com
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