2017-03-02 – When the religious right in this country wants to appear inclusive and ecumenical they use a peculiar term: Judeo-Christian.

I’ve always thought this was a peculiar term, kinda like up-down or black-white or Democrat-Republican—a forced conjunction of opposites. I get the sentiment of trying to unite enemies, but sometimes I feel like it’s an attempt to obliterate one of us. And I think I know which one. Judeo-Christian apparently doesn’t include Jews.

Prove me wrong!

I am calling on folks who use this term to stand up and speak out against the rash of threats and attacks on Jewish institutions we’ve seen in the last few weeks. If you believe that we share common Judeo-Christian values, show me by defending some Judeos.

It doesn’t work just one way.

Then, when you are done with that, maybe we can start working on Judeo-Christio-Muslim values.

Dude, we do have values in common. We all value life. (Yes. The debate in your head is not reality. No normal person supports killing.) We value our parents. We value our children. We are distressed by hunger and illness.

I invite you to come into my neighborhood park on a warm spring day. We are privileged to live in a community where Judeos and Christios and Muslios all feel comfortable to spend a nice day in the park. You will see parents in all styles of dress kvelling over their children. (Kvelling is a Judeo term meaning “bursting with pride.”) It doesn’t matter the race, ethnicity, or religion. We see them all. We see old people with walker sitting on the park bench being attended by their middle-aged children and watching their grandchildren. It doesn’t matter the race, ethnicity, religion, or legal status.

Those are Judeo-Christio-Muslim values. Come to my park on a warm spring day to see why your efforts to divide people are a lie.

The weather is starting to warm. It’ll be spring soon.

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