And I would be fine with that, too.
Back when I did go to church the priests never even mentioned politics, much less urged the congregation to vote for or against any candidates. Sermons were about God and the teachings of Christ, and how we should strive to live our lives.
I’ve also never heard a Rabbi say “vote for X,” but in this era I’ve heard them say something along the lines of “If you share the values that we talk about all the time, you know how important it is to vote this year.” And you’d have to be an idiot to not know they’re talking about voting for Democrats.
This is part of my point. When I was growing up (born in the early 50s, and pretty much stopped attending church in the mid- to late-70s) there was NO discussion of politics, or even of voting, by the priests. But apparently at some point “religious values” became a factor in how one should vote, to the point where religious leaders felt it was necessary to “instruct” people how they should vote to be in accordance with the teachings of their religion.
Some churches will say, We wont tell you how to vote, but family values are important. Wink nudge.
Well, when you’re Jewish and one political party openly endorses fascism, it’s IMO a dereliction of duty to not call it out. YMMV.
Many churches have to instruct their parishioners because if you were to vote based on a simple. “what would Jesus do?” metric you might end up supporting those evil liberals, and they can’t have THAT.
I’ve never had a rabbi come even close to suggesting how we should vote, because social justice is baked right into the worldview.
“Sharing our values” is not the same as pointing out that a political party, or even a specific candidate, endorses fascism.
Ideally, fascism should also be called out by Christians, at least in terms of it promoting bigotry. This is the problem I have with all of these people who claim to support “Christian values” but still support racism, sexism, etc.
I think we’re talking at cross-purposes here. My point is that if a church (or a charity) is a tax-exempt 501(c)(3) organization they are specifically banned from engaging in any political campaign activity. Therefore, if a church, temple, mosque, whatever, is actively supporting or opposing any candidate they are in violation of that law, and should have their tax-exempt status revoked. The key word is is “actively”, Pointing out that a person or political party has particular views is not the same as campaigning for or against them, which is what a lot of religious leaders are doing now.
Actually, they are not. They can campaign on “”moral issues”, such as abortion, but they cannot oppose or endorse candidates.
When I was a teenager I heard my Lutheran pastor tell the congregation, and it was a big one then, nearly two thousand, that if Jack Kennedy was elected the Pope would control America.
Now, I’d believe the show-ups number is far less than a hundred. No taxes and no mortgage keeps them afloat.
Dan
Trump doesn’t piss me off. What pisses me off is the fact that anyone believes him.
I get that.
It’s a common sight in a place like Seattle to see someone with mental health issues ranting about nonsense on a street corner, and it makes me sad. If people gathered around, started nodding in agreement, then began smashing things in response, those people I’d want to see punished.
I’m a grown-ass man. I can be pissed at any number of assholes at any given time!
Now while he was President and actually had real power, he pissed me off on at least a weekly basis, but It’s been 2-1/2 years.
Yet he just won’t go away.
Worse. Even if he loses and gets convicted, the next time there’s a fascist Republican in the White House, he’ll be pardoned.
I worship at an Episcopal church that is very progressive. I’ve never heard a candidate mentioned by name from the pulpit as someone for whom we should vote, but around election time it’s not too hard to figure out whom the preacher favors.
Some years ago, pre-Trump, an associate priest who also taught at a local college straight-up said in a sermon, “No true Christian could vote for a candidate from today’s Republican Party.” There was considerable pushback, and he ended up apologizing.
Here’s a gift link for the NYT article. There’s an audio bit where you can hear him making statements about classified documents, rustling papers around, and the other people exclaiming.
‘Let us reflect upon the words of Jesus. [Quote several passages that show Jesus was a ‘woke’ Socialist.] When electing public officials, please keep in mind the words of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. Does the candidate ‘welcome the stranger’? Does the candidate accept that people should be taxed, according to the Scriptures? Does the candidate believe that we should help the less fortunate and the ‘fallen’? Please, I pray, let us vote according to the teachings of Jesus. Amen.’
Ah, so you’ve been to my church, have you…? 
You haven’t been following Israeli politics?
The idea that there is anything inherently good about Jews is just as stupid as the opposite.