A little like me, Senator Bernie Sanders stands outside America’s Christian mainstream. Sanders is Jewish; I am an atheist (although I’ve been told occasionally that I look like a rabbi). Like me, Senator Sanders says he’s not actively involved with organized religion. (I’m married to an organized pastor, but that’s not the same thing.) Unlike me, Senator Sanders says faith is a “guiding principle” in his life and that he wouldn’t be running for President if it weren’t for his deep religious and spiritual feelings.
But Senator Sanders’s response to a question from CNN’s Anderson Cooper last night about how a candidate like him responds to deeply religious voters shows where Senator Sanders and I find common ground on what spirituality ought to move us to feel and do:
I believe that, as a human being, the pain that one person feels, if we have children who are hungry in America, if we have elderly people who can’t afford their prescription drugs, you know what, that impacts you, that impacts me. And I worry very much about a society where some people spiritually say, it doesn’t matter to me, I got it, I don’t care about other people. So my spirituality is that we are all in this together and that when children go hungry, when veterans sleep out on the street, it impacts me. That’s my very strong spiritual feeling [Senator Bernie Sanders, as transcribed by Sarah K. Burris, “Watch Bernie Sanders’ Refreshing Answer About Faith and Religion During New Hampshire Town Hall,” Raw Story, 2016.02.04].
I can go to that church. The Muslims at the mosque President Obama visited yesterday and the mosque President Bush visited in 2001 ought to be able to go that church. The South Dakota legislators obsessing over birth certificates and locker rooms ought to come to that church.
Rabbi means teacher. Bernie Sanders is a pretty good one.
Bernie’s answer was a good example of finding common ground in “that church” On a lighter note, Sanders has had experience as a rabbi: http://www.cnn.com/2016/02/03/politics/bernie-sanders-movie-rabbi/index.html playing the role of Rabbi Manny Shevitz. (Mike from Iowa – instead of Gatorade, how about a tip and a toast to Cory with kosher wine?)
Bernie Sanders has credibility going for him as well. That is important when you are negotiating in good faith with fellow lawmakers. Sanders has shown consistent honesty and integrity in those negotiations that garners respect from both sides. You can have disagreements without loosing your credibility through lies. Look at what he has done in a congress that has Thune, Rounds and NOem in it http://www.alternet.org/election-2016/bernie-gets-it-done-sanders-record-pushing-through-major-reforms-will-surprise-you
A commenter on MSNBC last night made the point that the Mosque that the President visited in Baltimore – does not allow Women to enter the main worship area. Instead, they are shunted off to the basement, or relegated to some side room. The commenter also pointed out that this is the case in 2/3 of the mosques in America. Women are not given equal consideration – they are 2nd class.
Now, the commenter tried to make this an issue that government, and more specifically, the President needs to address. This is where I disagree. That unequal access is the religion’s business – not the government’s – IMO – constitutionally.
In the Church of the Holy Roman Kiddie Diddlers there are seven sacraments for men but only six for women. Women are not given equal consideration – they are 2nd class.
Pick a lane, Dick.
http://www.politico.com/story/2016/02/obama-christian-politicians-218733
How many women Cardinals are there in the Catholic Church?, Bishops, Priests?? But, how many men are Nuns? Other religions have only recently recognized women as church leaders. And the point of all of this? Organized religion is dangerous as well as unholy in its divisiveness.
Here is where it all hits the on all cylinders. The House of the Moolah. The God of Gods operates here. Here is where we disrobe all sense of brotherly love and caring to cuddle up to the idols of precious metals and minerals. The only reason we have Islam is because they have all that oil. http://www.dailykos.com/stories/2016/2/4/1479978/-The-Day-Hillary-Clinton-Went-To-Wall-Street-And-They-Liked-Her
Jerry, that was a great link describing many of Bernie’s successes in Congress – thanks!
I won’t presume to speak for Sanders, but my toleration for any religion that treats women as inferior is very low. They can practice their religion in their church—they can have different sacraments or pews or rugs or whatever for the ladies—but when they come out of their houses of worship, they’d better treat their women as the state will: as equal citizens, with equal dignity and equal rights.
The suffering of women under any repressive regime impacts us all.
So we all do have a soul and a conscience. The Bible does say that God writes his law on our hearts, he does not just say that to Christians. We are not just survival of the fittest. We do care about others, it is in our DNA or to a religious person, it is part of our spirituality. I have even met atheists who claim to be spiritual. My Christian friends who are not listening to anyone who does not believe in God like they do, would never think of this if you do not tell them. We all have a soul if we like it or not.
Roger, I have something in me that feels like a soul and a conscience. I don’t know how it got there, but it’s there, and it affects me. Heck, it is me. It is Sanders, too, compelling him to give a darn about others and do something about others’ suffering. I find it less fruitful to question how that soul got there and what powers it (DNA, yesterday’s lunch, God’s breath, Satan’s temptation) and more fruitful to act on the moral mandates that soul delivers up.