“The amazing thing is that the American Jewish community continues to vote overwhelmingly Democrat.
That has always puzzled me,too.”

And it’s not just Jews that seem to have displayed this enigmatic behavior. Consider the percentage of Catholics that were reported to have voted for Obama at around 50% (I know, based on exit polls). Just an opinion, but I think a significant number of people with “religious affiliations” aren’t religious at all. They view their religion as a social arrangement. I know a number of folks that pick their church based on how good the musical arrangements tend to be at the services. ?!?!?!?! (True story)

To live a life based on the tenets of a particular religion is terribly cumbersome. Moral relativism is normative. Those who actually take a personal stand on issues based on religious morality and ethics are often condemned. It makes things so difficult when one becomes judgemental about the world. People might form an opinion about you based on your non-PC beliefs. Some might even dislike you for it.

All these ethics and morals! They’re just no fun at all. Maybe that’s why a lot of church folks can’t handle the black and white of it. They simply view their church as a social, or ethnic (as opposed to ethic), affiliation and leave it at that. LIVING their lives based on their professed religion would be SO constraining. It’s best not to think about it, at all. Just keep singing and you don’t get those headaches.

The distinction between being in, and of,  the world comes to mind here.