Dean's World

As a resident of Illinois, I'll be writing in Mickey Mouse for Senator this year.

I admire Vice President Cheney and his daughter Mary Cheney. I oppose Alan Keyes for his attack against the Vice President's daughter. I am proud to be selfish. Like a cat. Meow!

Jewish law is actually quite ambivalent on this subject.

Dean,
C'mon - Jewish law even specifies that those who accidentally kill an unborn baby may be put to death for this offense. If you want the references, click here.

But the comment about Jewish law is a bit of red herring anyway - the main point was about Keyes asking Christian voters to consider how their Savior would have them vote. As you know better than most, I do not always agree with Lucy. However, I think Keyes is perfectly correct in this. I am an independent, but I mostly vote Republican. This is not because I agree with most of the Republican platform (for example, I despise government hand outs to big business). I usually vote Republican because the Democrats rarely allow a pro-life candidate to run for a major office (Your man of the hour, Zell Miller, being a major exception. And at that, he's probably convinced them not to allow exceptions…). I have never knowingly voted for a candidate who supports abortion and never shall.

Casey,
Very true - Jesus came to minister to the sick, not the well. However, he also told the "undesirables" to go and sin no more...

Dean,

Why do you assume that I have not? I have had this conversation many times with priests, preachers, rabbis, and religious laymen. I've also discussed this with religious laymen of other faiths (such as Islam), but have not yet had the opportunity to discuss this with professional leaders of these faiths.

As with any issue, there are multiple opinions. However, there is one common theme - the rabbis and priests who take their Scriptures literally believe their religious texts are very clear - abortion is murder. (Murder most foul too – I believe future Americans will look back at us and wonder why we allowed such a barbaric practice just as we look back at our ancestors and wonder why they allowed a few people to keep slavery legal.)

Likewise, over the course of many, many conversations it became apparent that those priests and rabbis who think the Scriptures are "guidance" and "suggestions" tend to share your perspective on this issue. They also tend to be those who think gay marriage and the Scriptures are easily reconciled. These folks are the ones who strain interpretations, but they have the advantage of being politically correct. Calling abortion for the murder it is (a most painful murder too in many cases; our backward nation does not even provide anesthetic for the condemned as is done in some nations) is very politically incorrect and brings out attacks from many – sometimes where one least expects it. I do not expect you to like my straightforward interpretation, but it is hardly strained.

As fascinating as this tangent is, this is a tangent to the point you originally raised. I do not understand why you find fault with Keyes on this issue. Surely you and I can agree that many folks reject abortion on religious grounds. Yes? This is hardly controversial. Then why shouldn't Alan Keyes ask these folks to consider their convictions when they vote? Because it makes politically correct folks squirm? Tough.

Dean,
I respect your opinions or I would never visit. I appreciate that you are also very widely read. However, your exposure on this issue has obviously been quite limited.

I wrote a lengthy response on the subject that turned out much too long to post as a comment. So I posted it here.

As you will see, there are many, many Jewish experts who disagree with those with whom you have spoken. As I discuss, this may be due to the dominance of liberal Jewish opinion in the US vs. the standard Jewish opinion in much of the rest of the world.