Orthodox Union Opposes Jesus In Military Prayers--Hey, I Thought They Liked Religion in the Public Square

Several weeks ago, it was Chabad-Lubavitch, which insists on putting up giant menorahs during Chanukah from Manhattan to Moscow, suddenly getting indignant about legislation in several provinces in Russia instituting the teaching of Russian Orthodoxy in public schools. And now the Orthodox Union, the political arm of American Orthodoxy, which, like Chabad, habitually aligns itself with fundamentalist Christian groups in the U.S in supporting religion in the public square, is taking a stand against a bill in the U.S. House of Representatives that would allow military chaplains to mention Jesus Christ in prayers before military servicemen and women of varied backgrounds--including Jews.

http://jta.org

"When a prayer is called for in a setting where attendance may not be voluntary, chaplains should pray in a more inclusive manner," said the OU in a letter sent to armed services committees in both houses of Congress.

Well, no kidding, but hey, OU and Chabad, where did you think that your demonstrative lining up with the Ayatollahs of the Christian Right, Pat Robertson, James Dobsons, Jarry Falwell et al, (not to mention Vladimir Putin), was going to bring the Jews? You thought they would just support Israel and not do anything to put the squeeze on those in this country who don't accept Jesus as their personal savior? WRONG! Remember how furious the fundies and several GOP Congressmen got last year when a few Jews, including Rep Steve Israel (D-Long Island), had the guts to complain about Jewish cadets at the Air Force Academy being subjected to intense Christian proselytizing? Earth to the OU--if these forces continue to accumulate power in the U.S., it will not only be gays and secularists who are going to kicked around. The Jews, including Orthodox Jews, will also be made to feel like outcasts in a Christian America. Why are you surprised? After all, according to them we are already damned to eternal torment in the flames of hell for not accepting Jesus.


And by the way, if the OU doesn't believe non-Christian military personnel should be forced to endure prayers to Jesus, why should non-believing Christians or non-Jews have to endure the sight of a creche in front of a city hall or a giant menorah at the corner of 5th Avenue and 59th Street in Manhattan? Is that menorah supposed to represent all of America? Its time for all those out there, including Russian Jews avid to line up with the religious right, to wake up and remember that it is only the separation of Church and State that has allowed Jewish life to flourish in this country for 200 years. The Founding Fathers of this then almost entirely Christian nation were a lot wiser than our present Bible-thumping leadership when they wrote the First Amendment proscribing the establishment of an official religion and allowing all religions to express themselves freely in America.