Blame the Jews?

Ironic, isn’t it, that the first ones to blame the Jews if Obama loses will be… the Jews.

Obama’s Jewish poll numbers seem to approach that of Carter, the last Democratic candidate not to get a majority of the Jewish vote. This is undoubtedly due to the fact that, to religious Zionist Jews like me, his campaign betrays a decided leftist bent reminiscent of every utopian socio-political fad that ultimately was destructive not only to us, but to the country and, in many cases, the “world order”, for lack of a better term.

For Jews who subscribe to a different set of commandments, their support of Obama is undoubtedly due to the fact that his campaign portrays a decided leftist bent reminiscent of every utopian socio-political fad that ultimately was destructive not only to us, but to the country and, in many cases, the “world order”, for lack of a better term.

“Different set of commandments”?

Absolutely.

I’ve come to the conclusion that, because I’m the one who holds myself accountable to a set of religious principles over and above a set of nebulous ethics that have become as axiomatic--if not more--than any fundamentalist religious doctrine, I am more tolerant and more open-minded than any of my co-religionists who subscribe to the contemporary liberal creed. And, make no mistake about it, contemporary liberalism is a creed.

I didn’t like being preached at during my long and extensive religious education. I don’t like being preached at when I read religious texts for my own edification. However, I never forget that what I’m reading is designed—whoever is responsible for the design—to do exactly that: preach, and preach from a Judeo-centric point of view. It is ultimately up to me to decide what morally and intellectually binds me as a result.

However, I’ll say it again: the Jews who throw an alternative moral code at me are no less self-righteous—or fundamentalist—than the farthest right-wingers with the longest beards. There are certain liberal tenets I can accept, but the beauty of liberal doctrine was supposed to be that it would be up to me to decide what would be morally binding.

That no longer being the case, I can handle the implication that my Judaism—especially when combined with my support for Israel—ipso facto renders me morally suspect, as far as liberals are concerned. I should have expected that long ago. What I suppose I’m going to have to get used to is the implication that my being Jewish should actually morally bind me to leftist doctrines, and that my refusal to do so renders me the wrong kind of Jew, or insufficiently Jewish.

If Sarah Silverman wants to be my Rabbi, where was she when I was in high school?