Thursday, February 10, 2005

Does Shmuley read DovBear?

Shmuley Boteach criticizes American Jewish conservatives who champion Christianity:



...it is incumbent upon the Jewish community to stand up for itself and not pander to our Christian brethren's sensibilities. Such pandering insults Christians by offering them a fraudulent relationship, and it insults Jews by reinforcing the age-old stereotype of the court Jew with no backbone.



Sadly, many of my Jewish conservative colleagues, bending to market forces, increasingly see their role as champions of Christianity rather than of their people.



....



Now, I too want to see a very robust Christianity in America. But surely these writers understand the paucity of committed Jews capable of promoting something authentically Jewish in American culture. Are not the millions of Christian champions of Christianity enough? Will we Jews forever consign Judaism to the status of a backwater religion?



....



Will Judaism ever find a high-profile voice in the world? Or will we forever be forced to choose between Jewish isolationists who argue that Judaism is only for Jews, and apologists who practice Judaism but champion a religion that claims to have supplanted it?




So, Duvie, still think he's a blinkered Christianity groupie?



(And yes, I know you don't "want to see a very robust Christianity in America." But do you give Shmuley any credit here?)

2 comments:

DovBear said...

Wow. Shmuley Boteach says something that makes sense.

This is a belated comment, as I read the article weeks ago, and thanks for bringing it to my attention

Zman Biur said...

No prob. Glad to be of service.