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UI 044: Guilty by Association

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500px-Venn-diagram-association-fallacy-01.svgSo this week's Ultimate Issues has been inspired by the New York Times.  While I am not a fan of them in general, they occasionally put out articles worthy of mention.   Plus, I know that many others are reading the Times so I figure I should at least be as informed as them...

The first article deals with a Jewish couple who are getting a divorce and the man has refused to grant her a get.  And for those of you who don't know (and I don't expect you to know) a get is a religious document necessary to release a woman from her Jewish marriage bonds to her husband.  So, while one may legally get divorced, if the Jewish couple does not also formally complete the get, then in the prevue of Judaism they are still considered married - and typically neither can get remarried (as polygamy is prohibited in Jewish law.)  But this guy found a loophole, and has gotten remarried.  But the shmuck still will not grant his ex-wife a get, leaving her stuck and imprisoned by the very system meant to protect her.  In the past, such cases (while not common, also not unheard of) were dealt with within the community.  The pressure on the husband to grant the get varied in severity from public shame, to intimidation, to full on violence.  Basically the other men of the community (often relatives of the ex-wife) made sure such passive aggressive cruelty did not exist against women, nor did they want an otherwise decent system and one set up with the intent to strengthen families, marriage, and women's status was not abused to the point of not only being unholy but also immoral.

Here is a link to the article.

Unwilling to Allow His Wife a Divorce, He Marries Another

And then there is this other article also from the New York Times, not at all on the level of the last one.  But let's see if you can spot the similarity and common theme... and why I'm presenting this as an ultimate issue.

Illusion of Safety at Afghan Haven Is Shattered

 

So have you figured out the link.  While the story from Afghanistan is far worse than the one from Vegas, both deal with a tremendous subject:

Doing evil in the name of God.

Whether or not a person explicitly states they are doing evil in the name of God, or if they are just obviously religious and repugnant either way it is the ultimate in sin.

WHy? Because evil done in the name of God or on behalf of religion make God or the religion guilty by association.

  1. It desecrates God's name "Chillul HaShem".  This is from Dennis Prager:“Do not take the Lord your God’s name in vain” is how the King James Version translates what Jews call the third commandment (Jews and Christians number the Ten Commandments somewhat differently). This translation is understandable, but it is a serious mistranslation.Literally translated, what the commandment states is: “Do not carry [or “lift”] the Lord your God’s name in vain.”And who is it that carries God’s name in vain? The person who commits evil in God’s name. The proof that this is the correct translation is not only linguistic. The very fact that God says that this is the one commandment whose violation He will not forgive makes it clear that this is the worst sin, and that it cannot possibly mean one who says “God” in a non-religious context — such as saying, “God, that was a terrific movie.”
  2. It brings ill repute to otherwise good religions:  Like it or not, good religion is our greatest hope for creating a decent society.  Societies void of religion fall into a moral abyss within a generation or two.  Who is to determine right and wrong, or good and evil if not the God of Ethical Monotheism?  A person, a government, a culture, a tribe... This predictable moral decay will lead to two things:
    1. Moral relativism: There is no absolute, objective morality.  All is relative to the one's own judgement at any given time.
    2. Moral darwinism: The biggest and strongest "morality" will prevail.  As in the case of murderous tribes of Africa, old Germanic tribes, Maoist China, or Nazi Germany.

Either way nothing good will come from this.  Regardless of which dominates the moral compass will be broken, and depravity will inevitably ensue to the point of a hedonistic, violent, animalistic nightmarish existence for humanity.

Good religions produce good people.  Good religions teach people that there is one God who judges everyone, and holds every person accountable for their actions.  Good religions have the courage to stand up to moral degenerates and declare their evil to the world.  Good religions disavow anyone who commits evil in their name.  Good religions work tirelessly to fight evil and promote goodness among all people... and especially within their own followers.  Good religions are marked by the good fruit they produce.  People who become more religious should become 'gooder' people.  Yes they should become more preoccupied with the spiritual behaviors involved with a religious life,  BUT far more important is that they become even more obsessed and passionate about their moral behavior toward their fellow man as  religious person.

God cares faaaaaaaaar more about how we treat each other than how we treat Him.  And God is extremely explicit about how wrong it is for a person to behave evil in His name.

And I'm talking about evil.  I'm not talking about sinning.  Sinning is typically an act against God.  And yes it's wrong.  But what is more important is not harming another person, especially if you are religious.

When religious people act indecent they do more to promote atheism than any university professor, atheist comedian, or Hitchens book.  Religious people have special obligations areligious people do not.  They are obligated to be act good towards others.  They are obligated to act honest.  They are obligated to act kind, generous, and lovingly.  Basically they have a religious obligations to operate in the world with a good mood, cheerful disposition, and high degree of maturity and decency.

If every religious person realized that they (each individual) is the most powerful tool for promoting goodness, decency, and Godliness then they would walk through life with a very different demeanor.

When I was in high school and junior high I played football.  Growing up in Texas, that is just what you do.  Anyway, on days we had a game the football players wore their jerseys in school.  Doing so meant that you had to be on especially good behavior.  Were one to act disrespectful while wearing the jersey... then one would have brought disrespect to the whole team.

I once got in trouble in junior high, and the coach pulled me aside before practice and made it very clear that I was no longer alone.  That since I was a part of the team, anything I did, anywhere I went, I representing the team.  And there were rules of conduct and expectations he had for his team... and because he knew how hard I worked to get on, and how much it meant to me  - Coach made it very clear that being apart of the team for me came with raised standards and obligations.  For a young man growing up in a single parent home alone, this was enormously impactful.

When I started returning to Judaism, I started changing my whole life pretty much.  Why? Because I did not want the character flaws of my old self to in any way impact someone else's opinion of my team.  I love Judaism, and I want to be deserving of what it has given me.  I love God, and I want to begin to deserving of His love.  I know that, yes God is judging me constantly... but also that others are judging me as well... and if I act indecent they will not only think poorly of me, they will think poorly of God and Judaism (God forbid.) So you bet I am extremely careful how I behave now.

That is the power of good religion.

Also, good religion must openly and unequivacly denounce and condemn those who claim to be religious and yet act evil.

Here is an example of what I am talking about.

From the guardian:

Pope Francis to mafia: repent or 'end up in hell'

 
This is the purpose of religion.
Today people are all about religion being comforting and nonjudgmental.
Today people think that "God is love."
But those theological models do nothing (if not harm) to a society.
 
"God judges" should be on the banners inside churches, mosques, and synagogues.  And the world's major religions should be intolerant of evil done in their name.  Openly and loudly the leaders and followers of these religions should do as Pope Francis did ands stand courageously against those who defame their religion and carry the Lord's name in malice.
 
Jews need to stand up and fight what inequities within Judaism.   Incontrivertable problems like the agunah - get issues I raised at the beginning need to be resolved.  In Israel they have been able to make a new ruling that "a husband has 45 days maximum to provide his wife with a get once a rabbinical court has ruled that one is needed. If the husband refuses to do so within that time frame, the court must hold a hearing to arbit whether to impose punitive sanctions, which can include preventing the husband from traveling abroad, confiscating his driver's license, and even incarceration."(Jewish virtual library)
 
In Islam they must have reform from within against Islamists (those who desire and work for Islam to conquer the world and have everyone under Shariah rule.)  I know many wonderful and good Muslims who are angered, embarrassed, or amazed by others who as they same "claim to be Muslim."  For my friends they think the Islamists are evil and have no legitimate basis for their claims or movement.  While I appreciate their candor with me in private, I always make a point that they and their Imans should be saying this publicly... constantly and consistently.
 
Reform typically MUST happen from within.
 
Take a note from the playbook of today's Catholic church.  Thankfully, Pope Francis is working to reform old customs, tradition, mentalities, and simply evil behavior done under the auspices of the church.  From confronting the mafia to confronting child molestation... change is beginning to take form. And it is to the Pope's credit.
 
Courage may be the rarest of human traits.   And that is unfortunate because it is the trait most necessary to battle evil and promote goodness in this world.  In years past the courageous were heralded.  They went against the grain, and focused on what will do the most good, rather than what feels good.  For instance Martin Luther King, Jr. or Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel... they acted with defiant courage and faced evil in the face.
 
Today however people confuse courage for demagoguery.  What is courageous about speaking to a group of college kids about your life as homosexual and the rights for same-sex marriage?  That is demagoguery.  Be courageous and speak to them about the need for Judea- Christian values and how they currently benefit from them, despite their aversion to religion.
Or what is courageous about a high school student giving a speech about the environment and what you can do to save the Delta Smelt?  Nothing.  However were that kid to stand up and give a speech demanding an end to cheating and that students are obligated to treat their teachers, administrators, and other school employees with respect and courtesy (not to mention honor their father and mother) - Now that kid is courageous.
 
We have a duty to be example of courage for the next generation.
We have a duty to our religion to be an example to others of its goodness.
We have a duty to God to glorify Him in all that we do and say.
And we are obligated to correct our own errors along the way, as well as help others realize their errors and they grandness of their errors regarding the desecration of God and/or religion.
Then, hopefully each of us can help lead an individuals toward a better paths - a way of life which is focused on goodness of character, ethical treatment of others, and deeper connection with the Almighty.