Liberal, conservative religious perspectives

Re “Religious zealots, arranged right to left,” Current, Dec. 11

We at the Union for Reform Judaism thank Dennis Prager for reminding the American public that there exist religious voices other than those of the religious right. We hope that his article is the beginning of greater media attention to liberal religious perspectives on economic, social and political matters.

We believe that the religious truths of Judaism call on us to speak out on the great issues of our day. If Prager disagrees with that, he had better take it up with Isaiah, Jeremiah and Amos.

RABBI ALAN HENKIN

Regional Director

Pacific Southwest Council

Union for Reform Judaism

Encino

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Prager attempts to win the argument by changing the subject. There is no danger in the religious attempting to influence our government. The danger is when the religious try to become our government. This threat comes exclusively from the religious right.

Republican policies do not indicate a concern for children going to bed hungry; liberal policies do. Privilege is an advantage of the wealthy that a liberal government equalizes for the poor.

The Jewish left in America is not more concerned with liberalism than Judaism; it is concerned with injustice at home as well as abroad, and to Jews and non-Jews alike.

Finally; the religious left longs for a world in which everyone is liberal, while the religious right longs for a world in which everyone is Christian.

STEVEN BEYER

Los Angeles

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Prager shows great angst over why the resolution at the Union for Reform Judaism convention calling for full voting rights for the citizens of the District of Columbia is considered differently from the Southern Baptists passing a resolution calling on the United States to keep marriage defined as between a man and a woman.

However, his outrage would be more believable if the answer weren’t so glaringly obvious. The former resolution is about expanding liberty, while the latter is about denying liberty.

DAVID DODSON

Glendale