Rabbi Krustofski and son.
(From: 'Like Father, Like Clown')
Posted on 04/18/2006 4:55:01 PM PDT by Graybeard58
"So then the Lord Jesus, after he had spoken unto them, was received up into heaven, and sat down on the right hand of God."
-- Mark 16:19
Right hand. Right side. Right way. Religious Right.
It is easy to understand how conservative Christians have influenced politics and populace in America, says Rabbi Michael Lerner. It has been about taking ownership of the human need to feel valued, protected and directed.
The activist, author and former darling of the Clinton administration was on the Easter edition of "Meet the Press" to discuss faith, morality and politics and will speak in Madison on Saturday. (Details are here.)
Americans "hunger for some framework of meaning that can connect them to a higher purpose," Lerner writes in Tikkun, his Berkeley-based interfaith magazine, also a publication of critical thought. "They are sick and tired of competition, materialism and selfishness. And they hear these issues being addressed by the Religious Right."
He believes this segment of Christianity has "immense power" and is "a danger to American society" that is far greater than any U.S. president or political party. Changing public discourse is not simply a matter of electing a Democrat, Lerner says.
What is the danger? The Religious Right "creates a group of insiders and outsiders, and the outsiders are frequently demeaned," he argues. That can include gays and lesbians, ethnic and religious minorities, activists and others who question conservative theology.
A 2005 best-seller by evangelical Jim Wallis, "God's Politics: Why the Right Gets It Wrong and the Left Doesn't Get It," was one plea for more social justice, less punishment/power when defining Christianity.
Now Lerner has a new book that is along the same lines: "The Left Hand of God: Taking Our Country Back From the Religious Right" (HarperSanFrancisco, $24.95). It is about strategy as well as definitions.
"The Left Hand of God" is the guidebook for a movement "that is not just for people who believe in God or who are part of some religious community. It is equally inviting to those who are 'spiritual but not religious' and who recognize that a progressive movement today needs a spiritual foundation if it is to take our country back from the Religious Right."
Like Wallis, Lerner laments the tendency of liberals to avoid religion.
"There is no spiritually grounded vision of the world being taught by liberals and progressives," he writes. "The Left Hand of God is rarely articulated, has few institutions committed to promoting it and has no political force ready to champion it."
Separation of church and state is one thing, says Lerner, a Jewish Renewal rabbi (whose ordination is not acknowledged by Orthodox Jews). The separation of "spiritual wisdom, caring and love from state" is both inappropriate and has backfired as a political strategy.
"The left was most influential in this country when it was led by Martin Luther King Jr.'s very much church-based civil rights movement," Lerner says, in an interview with Dragonfly Media. He compares the work to be done to the women's rights movement because "success didn't come until huge numbers of women responded with their own actions."
"The Left Hand of God" contains the Spiritual Covenant with America, which outlines how politics can have a spiritual vision as its root. Among the goals, according to www.spiritualprogressives.org:
• An end to U.S. militarism and immediate withdrawal of U.S. forces from Iraq.
• Action from the G-8 nations, which represent two-thirds of the world economy, to dedicate 5 percent of their gross domestic product (each year for 20 years) to eliminate global poverty.
• Adding a Social Responsibility Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which would require any corporation with an income of at least $50 million to get a new corporate charter every 10 years. A prerequisite would be proof of social responsibility, as judged by a panel of ordinary Americans.
This "new bottom line," Lerner hopes, would replace materialism and selfishness.
His Network of Spiritual Progressives will meet May 17-20 in Washington, D.C., for its second Spiritual Activism Conference.
Michael Lerner, Bill and Hillary's mentor, is a Kabbalist. Tikkun, the name of his magazine, is the Kabbalist ideal. Tikkun means the repairing of the world. As long as there are conservatives left in the world, it needs to be fixed. Fashioned in accordance with his occultic, new age ideals.
If the witch gets elected, it will be like Old Testament Jezebel times.
Lerner takes issue with the New Testament usage of "right hand." What he isn't telling you is it is a Jewish term, not a Christian one. An idiom for strength, power, and favor.
If it were not for "U.S. militarism", Rabbi Lerner's mother would be a lampshade in a German home right now.
I wonder why the good rabbi believes that the Iraqi people are not worth saving from butchery.
{What is the danger? The Religious Right "creates a group of insiders and outsiders, and the outsiders are frequently demeaned," he argues. That can include gays and lesbians, ethnic and religious minorities, activists and others who question conservative theology.}
How hypocritical is that? He's writing an article demeaning religious conservatives as "dangerous".
That reminds me of a likewise 'brilliant' and 'compassionate' mind ...I believe his name was Nero?
Because for a liberal, it's better to feel bad about a tradgedy than to avert one, or save people from one.
Mark
The problem is people like Russert put this nut on his shows and treats him like what he says is good theology. Does Russert know anything about religion or theology. Any one who does knows this man does not believe in the Bible. The old Testament ie Hebrew Bible. He is like our left wing theologians who do not even believe any more but preach socialism. If they are going to be put on shows the host needs to name them as socialists not religious theologians unless they want to point out their theology and religion is Socialism.
Why did I know it was going to be Lerner even before I mashed the link?
Rabbi Krustofski and son.
(From: 'Like Father, Like Clown')
What he is not telling you is that the term "left hand" is referring to the black side of the occult i.e., the "left hand path" refers to the practice of black magic.
Perhaps he is letting us know (unconsciously of course) what kind of "spirituality" he is really into.
Sorry, that's "KEEP"
When the local Amish start getting angry and protesting this or that, then I'll know all is lost...which may happen soon if the Feds keep pushing through the tagging of our livestock.
Christians (especially we Lutherans) pretty much keep to ourselves. We have lots of behind the scenes subvertin' to do at our Pot Luck Dinners, don't 'cha know? And we're making Lefsa at a fever-pitch these days, getting ready for the Syttende Mai Festival.
I find it hard to believe the Good Rabbi could find something wrong with us when we clean up so nicely! ;)
More CINO nonsense from Jim Wallis
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