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Jacques Berlinerblau

The God Vote

Jacques Berlinerblau

Jacques Berlinerblau is associate Professor and Director of the Program for Jewish Civilization at the Edmund A. Walsh School of Foreign Service at Georgetown University. Many years ago he received a doctorate in ancient Near Eastern Languages and Literature from New York University. Soon after, for reasons that he himself has never fully understood, he completed another doctorate in theoretical sociology from the New School for Social Research. Feeling sufficiently credentialed to write about and research any topic under the sun, his areas of interest include the Bible, its composition, its interpretation, and in particular the way that it has been dragooned into modern political discourse. To this end his new book is called "Thumpin' It: The Use and Abuse of the Bible in Today's Presidential Politics" (Westminster John Knox), described by First Things as "laugh-out-loud funny as well as astute." He also has published "The Secular Bible: Why Nonbelievers Must Take Religion Seriously" (Cambridge:2005). An earlier book, "Heresy in the University: The Black Athena Controversy and the Responsibilities of American Intellectuals" (Rutgers: 1999) probed the manner in which institutions of higher education handle scholarly dissent. He has written extensively in scholarly journals on the subject of heretics, intellectuals, secularism, and Jewish civilization. This confluence of interests accounts, to a great degree, for his fascination with modern Jewish-American literature. A life-long New Yorker, he has recently moved to Washington D.C. with his family and is beguiled by the strange traffic lights that count down the seconds until they finally change colors. Close.

The God Vote

Jacques Berlinerblau

Jacques Berlinerblau is program director and associate professor of Jewish Civilization at the Edmund A. Walsh School of Foreign Service at Georgetown University. He is the author of the new book "Thumpin’ It: The Use and Abuse of the Bible in Today’s Presidential Politics" and "The Secular Bible: Why Nonbelievers Must Take Religion Seriously." The God Vote is a critical look at the religious rhetoric, activity and theology behind the 2008 presidential campaign. Full bio »

The God Vote | Georgetown/On Faith Archives | On Faith Archives | Berkley Center for Religion, Peace, and World Affairs | Georgetown


Obama, Clinton Put on Their Sunday Best

McCain declined to attend Sunday's 'Compassion Forum,' which means Clinton and Obama will be attacking him and not each other for a change.

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All Comments (14)

T. Lewis:

Please, let me know if this is true! I received this email today:
Subject:Clinton's Pastor Charged in Child Molestation!!
Google it if you don't believe it. Have you heard the media disparage Clinton like they did Obama? NO!!

When the Rev. William Procanick put his hand on the Bible during his sex-abuse trial in Oneida County Court earlier this year, he swore to
tell the whole truth and nothing but the truth. But as the former
Clinton pastor was sentenced Friday to three years in prison for
inappropriately touching a 7-year-old girl at his home last March, Judge
Michael L. Dwyer said Procanick sacrificed his honesty the day he testified.

Okay, so now that Clinton's pastor has been convicted of child molestation, will we see the same furor directed at Hillary that Obama
has had to endure these last few days?&a mp;n bsp;

IF A CANDIDATE IS KNOWN BY THE PASTOR THEY KEEP ......
Then you need to email this article to everyone you know. Here the
CLINTON'S Pastor is convicted of child molestation.
So, if Obama bears the guilt for his pastor's comments, then Hillary has to be equally tainted by this guy's crimes

Lauren O'Rourke:

I watched the Compassion Forum and noticed Clinton got more religious questions. I feel I know her views, fave Bible stories and how she looks at life and religion. Obama had more general political questions and it seemed more like an infomercial and I still really don't know any of his views on religion or spirituality. Yet, it was uncanny how after every question he vaguely answered, he got a room full of applause.

Garyd:

Michael when better than 80% of the population professes belief in some sort of God it is absurd to believe that politics will ever be wholly divorced from religion.

Michael:

I find it a bit alarming that matters of faith have come to play such a major role in America's supposedly secular political world. McCain panders to the fundamentalist right, Clinton and Obama pander to the center and left of center.

I have attended enough fundamentalist Christian churches to wonder if these "Christians" whom McCain has been pandering to so much have followed their vision of America to its logical conclusion. If they were to succeed in carrying out their agenda we would be a nation with less freedom than North Korea, with neighbors and friends denouncing each other for "Unchristian" activities or statements, spies everywhere looking for reasons to disappear people...Jesus' message turned on its head and Orwell's 1984 would be a reality, though a twisted, hate-filled version of Christianity would be Big Brother.

It's unfortunate that our presidential candidates have to present themselves as the right type of Christian to the voters they're trying to reach, when their positions on the many issues facing our nation and the world are far more important than which church they attend.

BGone:

Garyd:

I thought it was Pete Rose that said, "wanna bet."

Anyhow you're correct about Clinton not dropping out at least for the present. According to MSNBC, Chris Matthews and many others the Clinton plan is to defeat Obama now and if that fails hope McCain wins in November. Why? So Hillary can try again, 2012. That's called planning ahead, something that's seems to be missing economically speaking.

jhbyer:

Au contraire, Monsieur Jacques, Dems best serve the cause of Church/State separation by NOT playing into the GOP subterfuge that it's a matter of government policy, when, in fact, it's the law. Case closed. Similarly, Dems don't need to mention reproductive rights or gun control, because we have both. To offer views is to be unnecessarily defensive about done deals.

On the other hand, Dems might well speak out against the movement to restrict marriage on the grounds that marriage offers such profound benefits to society and individuals, that it ought not to be discouraged, much less outlawed. Still, changing state laws is not a presidential prerogative. Wiser tactically for them to stick to policy and leave advocacy for a presidential soap box.

Garyd:

In the words of the Great entrepreneur PT Barnum, Wanna bet?

If you think for one moment Hillary Clinton is going to disappear from this without leaving a mark you're dreaming. I'm sure Obama will attempt to do that very thing but Hillary is going to almost certainly unload whatever she has in one last desperatte attempt to wrest victory from the Jaws of defeat.

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Stuart:

How is church/state separation a pressing issue? Personally I would like to hear more talk about how we are going to stem the worsening recession, extract our people from Iraq, and find new energy solutions. Whether or not the irrelevant wedge-issue arguments about school prayer and "compassion" continue in the presidential debates are of no concern to me.

"The legitimate powers of government extend to such acts only as are injurious to others. But it does me no injury for my neighbor to say there are twenty gods, or no God. It neither picks my pocket nor breaks my leg." -Thomas Jefferson

gary:

obama; i am a firm beliver in black liberation theology but the seperation of church and state compell me to check my beliefs at the door of the white house ,cracker.

Athena:

I find it disappointing that the candidates are so willing to discuss faith, but don't want to talk about science. There has been a call for a debate on government sponsoring of scientific research, including the space program and stem cell research. None of the candidates have accepted the invitation.

L.Kurt Engelhart:

It is morally incorrect to tell a lie. It is politically incorrect to tell the truth. So potential leaders run a tremendous risk talking about religion. Chances of making new friends are remote. Anything you say makes new enemies.

Please visit. Business is been real-bad. Tonk asham:

www.hoax-buster.org/sellyoursoul

BGone:

Frenchie got that right, "those who are not present are always wrong." Brings to mind the one that is missing here, hoax-buster.org/sellyoursoul.

That is how we avoid going to hell, (in a hand basket). Maybe the senator from Arizona would like to avoid a bit of hell here and now?

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