July 1, 2005

“Graham and the Air Force”

Billy Graham came back to New York after many years away. Tens of thousands sat and stood, listening to this evangelical preacher perhaps for the last time. I keep asking myself why Graham, the world’s preeminent Christian preacher, friend and confidant of President Bush and many of his predecessors chose New York to make his last appeal for faith in Jesus. The answer is probably the fact that New York has the largest number of Jews than any other city on earth. Christian doctrine and prophecy teach that the second coming of their “messiah” will take place only after the Jews embrace him. This is chutzpah par excellence. Secret tape recordings made of President Nixon’s office conversations with Graham were made public. Nixon is heard accusing the Jews of being in control of the nation’s news media. Graham not only concurs, but according to the New York Times, offered on his own “they’re the ones putting out the pornographic stuff… A lot of the Jews are great friends of mine. They swarm around me and are friendly to me because they know that I’m friendly with Israel. But they don’t know how I really feel about what they are doing to this country. And I have no power, no way to handle them, but I would stand up if under proper circumstances.”

Graham offered an apology and many Jewish leaders were quick to accept and forgive. Their rationale varies with some arguing, “We need his support for Israel,” while others maintain, “that he is too important to be accused of anti-Semitism.” In essence, hid forgivers tell us anti-Semitism is all right if political purposes loom large enough to either ignore or forgive. In the 1930’s, when Hitler’s drumbeats were beginning to resonate, the worldwide Jewish response was to ignore his words, “their first political rhetoric” Graham is certainly not Hitler but looking the other way in the aftermath of anti-Semitic revelations is both unwise and dangerous. Let me explain why.

I have reliably learned that there wee many Jews listening to the Reverend Graham appeal for souls. I do not know if any Jews responded but is the loss of even one Jew to apostasy worthy of condoning the words of a man who is an exposed anti-Semite.

How does one accept an apology for anti-Semitism? Were his comments the result of pressure? Were these abominable words uttered in the midst of a rage? These remarks were a part of idle conversation.

Does supporting Israel provide enough reason to tolerate false accusations against the Jews? Is this the price we must pay today because most evangelical Christians strongly support Israel? I applaud the Bible Christian powerful stand on Israel’s side. My relationship with the various right-wing Christian leaders is of many years. I came to know many of them in my thirty years as a Rabbi in the southern Christina Bible belt. My friendship with these distinguished religious leaders is an honest one. They well know that I do not tolerate any attempt to proselytize Jews and would reject anyone who at any time was antisemitic. This is what defines an honest relationship and friendship.

There are some who want Jews to ignore what is happening at the Air Force Academy. Jews and people of other faiths are being openly proselytized by Evangelicals. A Christian Chaplain resigned from the Air Force in protest. The issue goes far beyond the First Amendment and the Constitutional separation of Church and State. It is an open repudiation of individual rights to express and believe as a matter of personal choice and freedom. Officially tolerated, evangelism spits directly in the face of America as the land of liberty. It furthermore insults and demeans all religions other than the religion of the proselytizer doing it within the framework of a government installation. In the Air Force case, it is tyrannical; the majority is seeking to impose its will on minorities. There are those who maintain that the Jew caring about his or her religion should not join the Air Force or attend its academy. This argument can go much further. Jews should not be part of anything in this country thus giving license to anyone who imposes beliefs and religious commitments.

Freedom is the hallmark of American democracy. This country has been blessed as a symbol of light and liberty for people of all nationalities, religions and creeds. Thank

G-d today, Jews no longer need to stand petrified by being invalidated, libeled and pressured to abandon personal belief. Opposition to those who would stoke the fires of hate or impose religious belief, even as some in the religious right claim is their religious right as missionary work defines their religion. The American flag of red, white and blue says it all. It’s not all red, all blue or all white. It’s not all Christian, Jewish, Muslim or agnostic. It’s the land of everyone. Long may this flag wave.

Edited by Anna Olswanger

Shabbat Shalom