Leader of U.S. Reform Jews Blasts Religious Right
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
HOUSTON - The leader of the largest branch of American Judaism harshly criticized conservative religious activists in a speech Saturday, calling them "zealots" who claim a "monopoly on God" while promoting anti-gay policies akin to Adolf Hitler’s.
Rabbi Eric Yoffie, president of the liberal Union for Reform Judaism, said "religious right" leaders believe "unless you attend my church, accept my God and study my sacred text you cannot be a moral person."
"What could be more bigoted than to claim that you have a monopoly on God?" he said during the movement’s national assembly in Houston.
The audience of 5,000 responded with enthusiastic applause.
Yoffie did not mention evangelical Christians directly, using the term "religious right." In a separate interview, he said the phrase encompassed conservative activists of all faiths, including Jews.
He used particularly strong language to condemn conservative attitudes toward homosexuals. He said he understood that traditionalists have concluded gay marriage violates Scripture, but he said that did not justify denying legal protections to same-sex partners.
"We cannot forget that when Hitler came to power in 1933, one of the first things that he did was ban gay organizations," Yoffie said.
The Union for Reform Judaism represents about 900 synagogues in North America with an estimated membership of 1.5 million people. Of the three major streams of U.S. Judaism - Orthodox and Conservative are the others - it is the only one that sanctions gay ordination and supports civil marriage for same-sex couples.
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