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Jews, Muslims, Christians, and the National Football League

Fri, 03 Sep 2010 16:05:11 GMT

The religion of football often conflicts with actual religion.

Before getting to actual religion, Favrewatch 2010 has now concluded. The grizzled 40 year old veteran looked in the mirror, saw his (bearded stubbly) shadow, and now he is playing six more months of winter football. Thank the (football) heavens.

http://www.nfl.com/trainingcamp/story/09000d5d819d7d11/article/favre-not-100-percent-healthy-but-hes-fully-committed-to-vikes

Now that # 4 is back, new religious football conflicts abound.

There is an old joke about a Christian minister who goes golfing on Sunday and skips church. He gets a hole in one, but an observer wryly points out “who can he tell?”

A song by the late Jerry Reed called “The preacher and the bear” involves a minister who goes hunting on the sabbath when he should be preaching as well. A bear chases him up a tree. The minister says to God, “If you can’t help me, at least don’t help that bear.”

For Jews and Muslims, September of 2010 brings the holiest days of our calendar.

For the Israelites (also known as Hebrews, the descendants of Jacob), the Jewish new year of Rosh Hashanah begins at Sundown on September 8th, goes through the 9th and 10th, and ends at Sundown on the 10th.

For the Mohammedans (the sons and daughters of Ishmael), the holiest day is the end of Ramadan. Due to certain calculations, Muslims are not yet completely sure if that day falls on the 9th, 10th, or 11th.

While there is much conflict between various people of different religions, one thing that can unite people across all strata and stripes is the National Football League. I don’t care what God you believe in, even if the answer is none. If you are a good person, you are welcome in my home on an NFL Sunday.

Being an NFL player can often be difficult for deeply religious players. Some religious Christians walked away from lucrative NFL contracts because they did not want to play football on their holy Sabbath Sunday. The Reverend Billy Graham has lamented that the Super Bowl is played on Sunday.

Glen Coffee is only 23 years old, and was entering his second season with the 49ers. Out of nowhere, he just quit football. He said that he felt that God wants him to spend his Sundays engaged in Christian activities. Raiders running back Napoleon Kaufman left the game in the prime of his career to focus on his ministry work.

This is not crazy. People putting God first are not being hypocrites. They are being the exact opposite.

For deeply religious Christians, every Sunday is a holy day. The decision to play or watch football can be a sincere spiritual struggle.

(Although to the best of my limited knowledge, nothing in Christianity specifically prevents such activities.)

Christianity tends to be more faith based, while Judaism and Islam are more legalistic. Specific issues are often explicitly spelled out, whether we like it or not.

Islam has the holy month of Ramadan. One Muslim player on the Minnesota Vikings is balancing Ramadan with playing in the NFL.

http://www.vikings.com/news/article-1/Abdullah-Awaits-Ramadan-Fast/61f6b6cb-6275-40c5-93bb-61ca8a5dc270

Husain Abdullah plays safety for the Vikings. During Ramadan, which falls early in the NFL season this year, he will not be eating any food or drinking any water from sunup to sundown. He can eat breakfast around 5am, and then have dinner around 8pm. Every day for 30 days, he will fast for 15 hours.

He will also be playing football. Like other religions, Islam would allow an exception if his life was at risk. He and the Vikings are working with team nutritionists and doctors to prevent this.

I truly admire Mr. Abdullah’s devotion to his faith and his profession.

Judaism is a little more complex than Islam because on the Sabbath Saturday, work is explicitly prohibited. Religious Orthodox Jews would most likely never make it to the NFL. The games are on Sundays, which is fine. However, the years of preparation would be prevented because high school games are played on Friday nights and college games are played on Saturdays.

One Orthodox Jewish person does have a Super Bowl ring from his playing days, but Alan “Shlomo” Veingrad did not become religious until he stopped playing. His journey is also inspiring.

http://www.tygrrrrexpress.com/2010/02/meeting-alan-veingrad/

So many people have had to balance their religious faith with sports. While the athletes have the real hard decisions, it is tough for fans as well.

Many Christians have to decide whether to go to church or watch their favorite NFL team on Sundays. Some people try to sneak walkmans into the services. It is tough.

The late Larry Miller used to own the NBA Utah Jazz. He was a devout Mormon, and even when his team was in the NBA Finals with a chance at a championship, he would skip their games that fell on Sundays. For a man to miss his own team play is tough, but his religion came first.

The late New York Jets owner Leon Hess had to miss a game against the rival Giants because of Yom Kippur.

Al Davis of the Oakland Raiders is Jewish, as are some other owners. They all have varying stances.

For me as a fan, balancing the NFL and my Jewish holy days is always a struggle.

In college, The Raiders played the hated Kansas City Chiefs on Yom Kippur. I taped the game, and 24 hours later, after avoiding all people and newspapers, just as I was about to watch the game, somebody ruined it for me. No good deed goes unpunished.

The spirit of the law in Judaism says that on holy days, activities such as football should not be partaken. The letter of the law prevents turning the television on. Those obeying the letter but not the spirit of the law can just leave the television on the whole time.

My grandfather was an Orthodox Rabbi and a New York Mets fan. After services, I would be the heretic grandson who would “forget” and “accidentally” turn the tv on. My grandmother would admonish me all the while knowing that I knew, and was taking heat for grandpa. My attitude was that he has suffered enough. He was Jewish and a Mets fan. Let him watch. My grandmother took a more literal interpretation of the Old Testament, which did not allow exemptions for bad teams.

One year the Raiders were at the Steelers, and Yom Kippur fell during halftime. On Yom Kippur we fast for 24 hours. My friends and I stuffed ourselves silly in the first half. Since the tv was already on, we watched the second half, and then raced to synagogue.

People who do not understand football can minimize this struggle as selfishness, but most good people want to do the right thing. They want to be good before God, but simply care about their sports. The argument of “nobody is getting hurt” falls flat to religious people who point out that disobeying God is hurtful in itself.

On September 9th, 2010, I have a tough decision to make. The 2010 NFL Season kicks off with a spectacular Thursday night extravaganza. The game is a rematch of last year’s NFC Title Game. The Minnesota Vikings travel to play the New Orleans Saints. Brett Favre will be playing quarterback for the Vikings.

Favre agonized for months on whether to play in this game. I will be agonizing for weeks on whether to watch the game.

The game falls on Rosh Hashanah. The laws of Judaism are very clear.

I could be a phony and have somebody else turn on the tv for me. The problem is that asking somebody to do this is prohibited. They have to somehow guess. Many homes have non-Jewish helpers to work the electricity so the family does not have to do so. I do not have one.

I know how Favre feels. Everybody is insisting that he knew all along what he was going to do, even as he insisted that he really did deliberate long and hard.

Everybody who knows me insists that my mind is already made up, but it is not.

One year when the NFL opener fell on Rosh Hashanah, I figured out that Maloney’s Sportsbar was across the street from the local synagogue. I calculated months in advance when the breaks in the games and the services were. I ran back and forth like Mrs. Doubtfire, switching my Yamulkah (Jewish skullcap) for my Raiders baseball cap. I occasionally got confused about whether I was in the sportsbar or the synagogue. The letter of the law was obeyed, but the spirit of the law was bent severely if not completely broken.

As September 9th rolls around, I really want to see # 4 the Gunslinger make the Vikings game against the Saints a spectacular event. I also do not want the lord to shove a flamethrower up my hide for watching the game on Rosh Hashanah.

Yet is just showing up in synagogue good enough if I am thinking about the game anyway? I know the game would enter my mind. So in a sense I would still be violating the spirit of the law because I would be distracted from the whole purpose of going to synagogue, even if I am physically in the building.

Of course, some could see that as a rationalization to stay home.

For those wondering, yes, Jews on occasion really do analyze everything to death. As a kid I worried that my violating the religious laws would cause my team to lose, although it now seems that God likes the teams with the bigger and better players.

If Brett Favre were Jewish, maybe he could convince the NFL Commissioner to reschedule the game. I am going to take a great leap of faith and guess that Favre’s home of Hattiesburg, Mississippi, is not a hotbed of Jewish activity.

I have a tough decision to make. I honestly do not know what I am going to do.

I will figure it out, and life will go on. Judaism has thrived for thousands of years, and the NFL has been around for over a century.

They are both older than me, but perhaps an ounce of wisdom will allow me to find a creative solution.

To those who place their religion above sports, I applaud you.

As much as I love navel gazing, it is time to put my thought process with this issue on lockdown.

I am a Jewish football fan. Something has to…and will…give.

Sen. Grassley on the U.S.-Israel relationship

Mon, 30 Aug 2010 15:20:32 GMT

On August 24, the RJC Great Plains Chapter held a membership appreciation event featuring Senator Chuck Grassley. Sen. Grassley spoke about the importance of the U.S.-Israel relationship. I had the privilege of introducing the Senator at our luncheon.

Click below to watch an excerpt:

Meet Keith Fimian; The National Importance of Virginia’s 11th District Congressional Election

Wed, 25 Aug 2010 17:03:14 GMT

Though Virginia’s congressional primaries attracted little national notice, the general elections this November will prove to be decisive.

This is especially true in Virginia’s 11th district, which is currently represented by Democrat Gerry Connolly. Connolly is important nationally because he was voted president of his congressional freshman class in 2008. If Connolly were to lose, it would send a strong message to the rest of his freshman class: You’re next!

Virginia’s 11th district is located in Northern Virginia and Republican Tom Davis held the congressional seat from 1995 to 2008. Though the area has grown in both population and liberal leaning over the past decade, there is a strong chance Republicans can take back this district.

Since the statewide elections last year in which Republicans did extremely well, national sentiment has only gotten more volatile for politicians and incumbents. That undoubtedly has an effect on Virginia’s 11th district.

Though sentiment has begun to change within the district, Gerry Connolly has both a strong footing and loyal supporters.

Connolly’s main attack against his Republican opponent, Keith Fimian, is that he is too conservative for Northern Virginia. This argument was most likely made to appeal to the many self-described ‘moderates’ that inhabit the 11th district.

But there are a few key problems with this premise. As I noted earlier, the tides across the country have changed and Republicans and conservatives look more appealing to voters. What is most surprising is that Gerry Connolly must know this.

Fiscal responsibility, independent thinking, and fighting for Northern Virginia’s economy; this is what one candidate promises on his website. But, what is most shocking is that these are actually liberal Gerry Connolly’s campaign promises, not conservative Keith Fimian’s. As shown by his voting record and public statements, which contradict those three promises, Connolly has yet to stand up for these key tenets of conservatism.

Fiscal responsibility? Connolly has voted for almost every piece of legislation that has increased spending and therefore debt – including the $800 billion stimulus, cap-and-trade, and the $2.5 trillion dollar health-care bill. In fact, Connolly has never been fiscally responsible; he left his chairmanship of the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors with the county $650 million dollars in debt.

Independent thinking? Connolly voted with Speaker Nancy Pelosi 97 percent of the time!

Fighting for Northern Virginia’s economy? Connolly has done nothing for Northern Virginia’s businesses other than create more red tape. Not only that, Connolly has also done absolutely nothing to address the terrible transportation problems of his Northern Virginia district – problems that directly affect the local economy.

So why in the world would Connolly use rather moderate, even conservative ideals as his campaign mottos? Are we supposed to believe that a man who has always been liberal will suddenly begin working to advance these conservative principles now?

Of course, Connolly has already had two years in Congress to show what he’s about, and he’s done the complete opposite. Clearly, Connolly knows that the people are fed up with polarizing liberalism. Why else would Connolly campaign on principles that go against the grain of his record? He must hope that his constituents are too busy or don’t care enough to look beyond his misleading buzz words.

It is too bad for Connolly and the rest of his freshman class that they awakened a part of America to the liberal political machine. Most constituents will be able to see past Connolly’s lies, especially if there is a better candidate.

Keith Fimian is that candidate! I was fortunate to have the opportunity to ask Fimian a few questions about his campaign and core values. His responses proved to me that he is a strong candidate who isn’t afraid to go to Congress and stop the Obama/Pelosi machine.

Fimian is in no sense of the word, a ‘politician.’ Rather, Fimian is an entrepreneur who has spent his career building a home inspection business in Northern Virginia that has now expanded nation-wide.

When asked if there was anything he wanted voters to know about himself, Fimian responded by stating, “I am running for Congress not because I need the job. I am running because I am principled – and because I am principled, I believe I can make a difference and have a positive impact in Congress.

“Congress is broken because its bond with the American people has been broken. Too many in Congress are looking out for re-election rather than their constituents and putting the next election ahead of the next generation.”

When asked if there was anything he specifically wanted Jewish voters to know Fimian responded, “Maintaining a strong US-Israeli alliance is absolutely critical to both countries. The United States has a great ally in the Middle East in Israel and I am committed to maintaining this economic and military alliance. I fully support Israel’s efforts to defend its people.

"Israel cannot afford to show weakness when neighboring countries threaten to wipe Israel off the map. These threats must be taken seriously and the United States must maintain a united front with Israel against this kind of aggression.”

Though Keith and Gerry ran against each other in 2008, there is much more in Keith’s favor this time. When I asked Fimian what makes him competitive this time around he responded, “When I ran in 2008, I had never run for office before and I faced the worst environment for Republicans in years. Despite that, and the surge of new voters created by Obama’s candidacy, I ran ahead of John McCain and held Gerry Connolly to 54 percent (Obama got 57 percent).

“The environment has changed drastically since 2008. Last year, Governor Bob McDonnell won the 11th district with 55 percent. A March poll showed me beating Gerry Connolly 40 percent to 35 percent and, importantly, 43 percent to 28 percent among independents.

“I am a better candidate now that I have run once before, and Gerry Connolly now has a record to run on—a failed record. Connolly has done nothing to spur economic growth and he has voted with Speaker Pelosi 97 percent of the time, including for cap-and-trade, the $800 billion failed stimulus and the $1.4 trillion health care takeover. Northern Virginians are sick and tired of the type of reckless spending and government overreach that is leaving our children mountains of debt.”

Keith Fimian is ready and qualified to represent Virginia’s 11th district in Congress. He knows what needs to be done to set our country back on a path towards prosperity. He has a real chance to make waves across Northern Virginia and the rest of the country!

Corruption is picking winners and losers

Wed, 11 Aug 2010 19:41:15 GMT

A new wave of corruption scandals is building in Washington. Or, rather, we're beginning to see the wave come ashore. This time, it's Democrats washing up – Charlie Rangel, Maxine Waters and a host of other representatives up on ethical and possible criminal charges. Of course, corruption among government officials is as old as government itself. As the clichéd fable goes, a scorpion will sting no matter what he promised the frog.

It's difficult to resist flogging the details of individual scandals, making this about the personal corruption of many Democrats in Congress. But Republicans would be smart to use these scandals to explain why big-government, Democratic policies foster a culture of corruption. Why progressive policies are, fundamentally, unethical.

A progressive government requires government officials to choose winners and losers. It mandates lawmakers to take from some and give to others. At the individual level, we call this corruption, and it's illegal. When the government-at-large does it legislatively, it's (usually) legal. At both levels it's unethical.

For years it has been known that Maxine Waters has close financial ties to OneUnited bank – her husband was a director and each has owned large amounts of stock – speaks publicly in favor of the bank and has been critical of federal regulations. More recently the congresswoman scheduled a meeting between Treasury officials and executives of the OneUnited, shortly before the bank was awarded $12 million in TARP money. And a provision intended to help OneUnited was also included in the federal bailout bill.

It's still unclear whether or not Rep. Waters is guilty of improperly using her congressional position for personal gain. There is, to say the least, a conflict of interest. It appears Waters was helping pick winners and losers – in which she would have been one of the winners. But this should not come as a surprise, however, considering she acted just as the federal government does every day.

Consider when the Obama administration took over GM in 2009 and favored the UAW (winners) at the expense of bondholders (losers). Or, what about last summer's "Cash for Clunkers" program, in which the government took $4 billion from taxpayers (losers) to help the failing auto industry and individuals in the market for a new car at the time (winners).

The massive $700 billion TARP bill last fall? Failing banks (winners), financially sound banks (losers). The $787 billion economic stimulus bill? Municipal construction crews (winners), small businesses (losers); residents of public housing (winners), residents of middle-class housing (losers); "green home owners" (winners), regular home owners (losers)…and on and on. Last week the Senate debated The Disclose Act, which would have muzzled thousands of non-profit and for-profit entities (losers), while carving-out exemptions for political donations from big(ger) voices like the teacher's unions and the NRA (winners). And of course there's the whole world of government subsidies: Agribusiness (winners), family farms (losers); ethanol (winners), gasoline (losers).

The fact is a government that plays God, choosing who shall flourish and who shall fall, has made lawmakers particularly prone to ethical misconduct. James Madison warned of the threat of factions to the Union in Federalist Paper No. 10, reminding Americans, "it is in vain to say that enlightened statesmen will be able to adjust these clashing interests, and render them all subservient to the public good."

Indeed today Madison's words seem prophetic. Government has grown so large – so intrusive – that interest groups abound, each currying favor from lawmakers like Waters, usually at the expense of others. "Draining the swamp" has to mean more than rhetoric and ethics committee hearings. Ridding Congress of its imperial sense of entitlement can only come about if Democrats and Republicans reconsider their progressive beliefs. Charlie Rangel and Maxine Waters pulled the wool over the eyes of the American people for years because they are part of a government where financial and social engineering are standard practice.

It's true, "if men were angels, no government would be necessary," but it's equally true that government must seek "to control itself." The early republic teaches us, smaller government doesn't eliminate bad people, but it does greatly reduce the opportunity for bad behavior.

Sabrina L. Schaeffer is managing partner of Evolving Strategies and a senior fellow with the Independent Women's Forum.

France Bans the Burqa

Fri, 23 Jul 2010 10:07:53 GMT

In an Earth-shattering decision that may have global ramifications, the nation of France has decided to ban the burqa. Women in France are no longer allowed to wear that piece of Muslim garb.

While I am a proud Neocon who wants to eradicate Radical Islam, I am surprised myself at the fact that I am not so sure I am in favor of this decision. What I am sure of is why this law passed, and what it means for the future.

I am totally in favor of banning the burqa and any other face coverings in driver's license and other identity photos. The right of law enforcement to see the face of the person is paramount. It is called identification to begin with. In America, United States law supersedes religious law.

Yet a total banning of the burqa does seem to be an encroachment on religious freedom.

Some will argue that the burqa reduces women to second class citizens. However, if religious law does not interfere with government law, then the government does not have a role. Honor killings are illegal because murder itself is illegal.

Yet many religious communities have separate existences. Some very religious sects of Judaism have their own Rabbinic courts for issues such as divorces, and federal and state law often defers to these Rabbinic courts.

If Sharia law does not infringe on American law, there is no legal issue. The problem with Sharia law is that it does impose Sharia on non-Muslims and others who have their own traditions. It is one thing for Muslims to have foot baths at airports. This does not hurt anybody. Yet cab drivers refusing to allow alcohol, pork, dogs, or other items banned under Sharia into their cars crosses the line.

People should be free to practice their religious faith without encroaching on the freedom of others.

While strict Islam is a male-dominated culture, the issue becomes whether women are forced into this life or if they do so voluntarily. While social pressures exist in communities, women in places such as Europe and America have legal protections to prevent subjugation.

Why should a woman in France who wants to voluntarily wear her traditional garb be banned from doing so? Isn’t this an issue between her and her husband?

Yet while I want to be sympathetic toward the women who choose their garb, I am more sympathetic to those instilling the ban. It is important to understand why the ban was enacted.

In short, parts of the non-Muslim world have had it.

I have had it with third-world genocidal lunatics running around like Ali Baba in the Bugs Bunny cartoon yelling “Hassan Chop!” I am tired of the words “infidel,” “blasphemer,” “Jihad,” and “Allah Akbar!”

I have just had it.

Peaceful Muslims are collateral damage, and they have only themselves to blame. They will not stand up and condemn Radical Islam.

I understand the need for silence in the Middle East, where the penalty for speaking out is death.

Where are the Arab Muslims in Minneapolis, Detroit, and Dearborn?

When England turned into Londonistan, it was another sign that Europe had surrendered. This makes it even more ironic that the French of all people are not surrendering. Nicolas Sarkozy is not your typical French appeaser. He does not want France to be part of the Caliphate.

Is he taking an elephant club to mice? Sure. Is this the best way to handle things? No. Is it better than doing nothing? Yes it is.

With France the issue is secularism. In America it is Christianity. Christian Americans would sooner bring back the Crusades than surrender to Radical Islam.

The word “crusades” is a term that is deeply offensive to Muslims. They can get over it. I am offended by beheadings and towers being blown up.

Should I stand up for the right of Muslim women to wear their burqa? Sure. I am willing to do it? No. I have my battles to fight, and I have better things to do than stand up for people who won’t fight for themselves.

This ban is a backlash that is years in the making. Yet backlashes often rage out of control, resulting in innocent people getting hurt.

The backlash will not always be justified, but the anger behind the backlash is certainly proper. If Radical Islamists do not stop their craziness, it is their decent fellow Muslims who will feel the pain.

The Radical Islamists don’t care. If moderate Muslims do care, they should speak up now before the burqa bans are only the tip of the reactive iceberg.