December 20, 1999
Rabbi Calls for Action on Guns
By GUSTAV NIEBUHR
Leaders of Reform Judaism's synagogue organization, the Union of American Hebrew Congregations, voted overwhelmingly yesterday to adopt a resolution calling on social action committees in Reform synagogues to urge congregants to write their Congressional representatives "demanding that effective gun control" laws be enacted next year.
The decision came a day after the union's president, Rabbi Eric Yoffie, delivered a sermon saying Reform Jews should regard gun control as "a solemn religious obligation" to counter what he called society's idolatry of guns.
The resolution, passed by a voice vote at the union's biennial assembly in Orlando, also urged that each of the union's 875 Reform congregations invite elected officials in their area to talk about their positions on gun control.
Although the union has previously spoken out for gun control, the resolution goes further in asking Reform Jews to take specific actions and saying the next several months may be crucial to the passage of gun control legislation.
On Saturday, Rabbi Yoffie delivered a sermon to the 4,700 people at the gathering, in which he urged greater efforts to protect children. "Now is the time to assemble a critical mass of citizens who will stand up and say no to the deadly toll that guns take on the lives of our children," he said.
"Our gun-flooded society has turned weapons into idols," he said, "and the worship of idols must be recognized for what it is -- blasphemy. The only appropriate religious response to idolatry is sustained moral outrage."
In an interview before his sermon, Rabbi Yoffie said the union wanted to go beyond rhetoric, to launch a nonpartisan but "very, very focused" effort. In the past, he said, "there's been a great deal of passion" by opponents of gun control, and not enough by its supporters among Reform Jews.
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In our present day society, criticizing someone who happens to be Jewish is a risky proposition. The risk goes up if the individual in question is a recognized leader of that faith. That said, I want to stress that I'm a pretty tolerant guy and certainly not an anti-semite.
I'm even a proud, card carrying, dues paying member of the JFPO.
Rabbi Yoffie is a dangerous fool.
You would think that a people that had almost been exterminated would have learned that their existence was dependent on their own vigilance and not that of some government that can turn around and betray them overnight.
My guns are not an idol that I blasphemously worship.
They are a symbol of my freedom and I respect and cherish them for that.
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397 days left!
[This message has been edited by Karanas (edited December 20, 1999).]
Rabbi Calls for Action on Guns
By GUSTAV NIEBUHR
Leaders of Reform Judaism's synagogue organization, the Union of American Hebrew Congregations, voted overwhelmingly yesterday to adopt a resolution calling on social action committees in Reform synagogues to urge congregants to write their Congressional representatives "demanding that effective gun control" laws be enacted next year.
The decision came a day after the union's president, Rabbi Eric Yoffie, delivered a sermon saying Reform Jews should regard gun control as "a solemn religious obligation" to counter what he called society's idolatry of guns.
The resolution, passed by a voice vote at the union's biennial assembly in Orlando, also urged that each of the union's 875 Reform congregations invite elected officials in their area to talk about their positions on gun control.
Although the union has previously spoken out for gun control, the resolution goes further in asking Reform Jews to take specific actions and saying the next several months may be crucial to the passage of gun control legislation.
On Saturday, Rabbi Yoffie delivered a sermon to the 4,700 people at the gathering, in which he urged greater efforts to protect children. "Now is the time to assemble a critical mass of citizens who will stand up and say no to the deadly toll that guns take on the lives of our children," he said.
"Our gun-flooded society has turned weapons into idols," he said, "and the worship of idols must be recognized for what it is -- blasphemy. The only appropriate religious response to idolatry is sustained moral outrage."
In an interview before his sermon, Rabbi Yoffie said the union wanted to go beyond rhetoric, to launch a nonpartisan but "very, very focused" effort. In the past, he said, "there's been a great deal of passion" by opponents of gun control, and not enough by its supporters among Reform Jews.
****************************************************************
In our present day society, criticizing someone who happens to be Jewish is a risky proposition. The risk goes up if the individual in question is a recognized leader of that faith. That said, I want to stress that I'm a pretty tolerant guy and certainly not an anti-semite.
I'm even a proud, card carrying, dues paying member of the JFPO.
Rabbi Yoffie is a dangerous fool.
You would think that a people that had almost been exterminated would have learned that their existence was dependent on their own vigilance and not that of some government that can turn around and betray them overnight.
My guns are not an idol that I blasphemously worship.
They are a symbol of my freedom and I respect and cherish them for that.
------------------
397 days left!
[This message has been edited by Karanas (edited December 20, 1999).]
