Presentation Transcript

1. JUDAISM AND CHRISTIANITY:NO HOLDS BARRED – SESSION 4

   “Christianity is a Religion of Love; Judaism is a Religion of Law” Isn’t being Good enough?
2. “Administrative Matters” Dialogue from 9:00 to 9:50 Break from 9:50 to 10:00 Dialogue from 10:00 to 10:30 Questions and Answers from 10:30 to 10:45
3. How to Find the Slides for Each Week Go to fau.edu. On the bar on the left side, click on “Lifelong Learning.” Click on “LLS Jupiter Home” Put your cursor over “Classes” and then click on “Winter Schedule” Click on the tab for “Courses” and scroll down to Thursdays for “O’Brien and Shapiro” Click on “O’Brien and Shapiro” and scroll down to the link for the Slides in either PowerPoint or PDF Click on the link for the Slides and download them
4. Vietnam Revisited: War’s Challenges After 47 Years SILVERSEA CRUISES ABOARD THE SILVER WINDSAILING FROM HONG KONG TO SINGAPOREMARCH 10 to 19, 2015 CAMBODIA LAND PACKAGEMARCH 19 to 23, 2015CALL FIVE STAR TRAVEL 800-243-3066
5. Carryover From Last Week WHAT DRIVES SUCCESS? NYT 1/26/14 http://www.nytimes.com/2014/01/26/opinion/ sunday/what-drives-success.html?emc=eta1
6. Factors For High Achievers Sense of superiority developed through hard work, perseverance and overcoming adversity Sense of inferiority – what you have done is not good enough, so you need to continually “prove” yourself Impulse Control – systematically sacrifice present gratification in pursuit of future attainment Grit to develop this “Package”
7. John 1.14-18 And the Word became flesh and lived among us, and we have seen his glory, the glory as of a father’s only son, full of grace and truth. … From his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace. The law indeed was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. No one has ever seen God. It is God the only Son, who is close to the Father’s heart, who has made him known. 
8. How to Proceed Today? Is Christianity a “Religion of Love”? Is Judaism a “Religion of Law”? What does it mean to “be good” ? How do we know what “being good” is? What are Ethics and Morality based on? Recent Books on Ethics and Morality Just Babies The Trolley Problem Moral Responses in Judaism and Christianity
9. Jesus Preached Love and Care for Others John 15.12: This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. Matt. 25.34-36: Then the king will say to those at his right hand, “Come, you that are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world; for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you gave me clothing, I was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you visited me.” 
10. The Law in the Torah Deut. 28:58 – If you do not diligently observe all the words of this law that are written in this book, fearing this glorious and awesome name, the Lord your God, then the Lord will overwhelm both you and your offspring with severe and lasting afflictions and grievous and lasting maladies.
11. More in the Torah Deut. 30.11-14 -- Surely, this commandment that I am commanding you today is not too hard for you, nor is it too far away. It is not in heaven, that you should say, ‘Who will go up to heaven for us, and get it for us so that we may hear it and observe it?’ Neither is it beyond the sea, that you should say, ‘Who will cross to the other side of the sea for us, and get it for us so that we may hear it and observe it?’ No, the word is very near to you; it is in your mouth and in your heart for you to observe.
12. The Stereotype:Judaism – Religion of Law Torah – translated as “Teaching” or “Law” 613 Commandments Emphasis on Right Ritual (Orthopraxy) Some portrayals of God in the TaNaK as vengeful or angry when the People of Israel disobey the Law
13. Both Oversimplifications are Wrong Christianity has LOTS of rules and dogmas Judaism – emphasis on love of neighbor, care for the stranger and Tikkun Olam Many places in TaNaK where God is portrayed as loving and compassionate Paul’s epistles are sometimes misinterpreted as being opposed to the Law in favor of “Faith” Rom. 7.12 “The law is holy….” Love/Law dichotomy is a later supersessionist slander, a way of denigrating laws not followed, and a way of separating from Rabbinic Judaism
14. The Two Great CommandmentsJesus Quoted the Torah Mark 12.28-31 One of the scribes came near and … asked [Jesus], ‘Which commandment is the first of all?’ Jesus answered, ‘The first is, “Hear, O Israel: the Lord our God, the Lord is one; you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength.” The second is this, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” There is no other commandment greater than these.’  (Sources: Deut. 6.4 and Lev. 19.18)
15. Torah – The Source of Jewish Ethics Goal of Torah – to help us emulate our Creator (“You shall be holy because I, the LORD your God, am holy.” Lev. 19:2) What does it mean to be “holy”? Not a matter of having superior moral qualities Holiness for God: “Otherness” Holiness for humans: Living as “belonging to God” by following God’s commandments To be holy (and whole), it is not enough to avoid sin Need to bring others to holiness and wholeness
16. Made in the Image of God
17. Different Approaches to the Torah Orthodox: Precepts of the Torah are immutable laws Torah is a divine product given by God at Mount Sinai If ethics change, it’s because we didn’t understand the proper meaning (which was always there) Conservative and Reform: Torah is a Guide to leading a life of holiness Human product created in Ancient Israel Has limitations and flaws (e.g. death penalties for not honoring parents) “Spirit” of the Torah must be followed
18. “Spirit” of the Torah Hillel: “If I am not for myself, who am I; if I am only for myself, what am I; and if not now, when?” Hillel: “Do not do to others what you would not want them to do to you.” Tolerance and support of others “Do not oppress the stranger” Tikkun Olam – Heal the world
19. Example of the Spirit of the Torah “When you reap the harvest of your land, you shall not reap all the way to the edges of your field, or gather the gleanings of your harvest … You shall leave them for the poor and the stranger: I am the Lord your God. You shall not steal.” (Lev. 19:9-11) Failing to share our bounty with others amounts to theft according to the Torah.
20. Sources of Christian Ethics Life and teachings of Jesus as described in the Gospels and in other Scriptures “What would Jesus do?” Underlying theory: Jesus is the perfect revelation of what God is like. Jesus was fully connected to the experience of God’s unlimited love for all of us.
21. Jesus and the Torah Life of Jesus was grounded in the Torah Ten Commandments Two Great Commandments (Matt. 12:28-33) Based on Shema (Deut. 6.4) and Lev. 19.18 Jesus expanded the requirement of loving one’s neighbor to include loving one’s enemies (“But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you….”) [Matt. 5:44]
22. Teachings of Jesus’ Life and Death Overthrow some “moral certainties” Idea that if you are “good,” world will accept you Overturn the Logic of Self-Preservation Putting the good of others before your own good Require us to expand what we generally see as the “boundaries” of our ethical responsibilities Love of Enemies Turn the other cheek Judge not, lest you be judged
23. Original Sin – Sin as Part of Human Condition Developed by St. Augustine (354-430) to explain the Church’s practice of infant baptism Described as: 1. propensity of humans to commit sins (act in a way harmful to our own well-being or the well-being of others) and 2. fact that the world we enter is already shaped by sin According to Augustine, Original Sin is “transmitted” by concupiscence (sexual intercourse)
24. “Original Sin” not accepted by all Christians Athanasius – God became human in Jesus of Nazareth so that we might become divine Baptism as the Rite of Christian Initiation rather than “washing away” Original Sin Jewish view of the human condition We are born pure and that when we aim at holiness, we feel a touch of the holy in our lives (Yetzer Ha-Tov) We sometimes misuse the things the physical body needs to survive (Yetzer HaRa)
25. What Are the Sources of Morality? “Get behind” the laws and urgings of religion What is the most essential instinct of humans? Instinct for self-preservation, survival, well-being We perceive that we can survive better in groups Sometimes, we put the good of the group ahead of our own well being (even to die to for the group) for a variety of related reasons: Belief that others will do the same for us if necessary Belief that the survival or well being of the group is more important than our own well being or survival Belief that cooperation will benefit the group (and me)
26. What Does It Mean to be “Good”? Is it what is best for us, or for the group of which I am a part, or does it depend on the circumstances? Suppose “my good” conflicts with the “good” of the group of which I am a part? What happens if “my group” has a different sense of the good/well being/what is right than “your group”? Who can decide? Based on what standard?
27. Recent Books on Ethics Would You Kill the Fat Man? By David Edmonds The Trolley Problem by Thomas Cathcart Just Babies: The Origins of Good and Evil by Paul Bloom Moral Tribes: Emotion, Reason, and the Gap Between Us and Them by Joshua Greene “Why Can’t We All Just Get Along? The Uncertain Biological Basis of Morality” by Robert Wright in Atlantic Magazine (Nov. 2013)
28. Just Babies by Paul Bloom(Reviewed NYT 12.27.13) Is the sense of “good and evil” innate or learned? Series of Experiments with infants: One year olds rewarded “good” puppets and took rewards from “naughty” puppets 3-month old preferred “helper” to “hinderer” Criticism: No evidence of these behaviors from Day 1 (that the behaviors have a genetic basis or are innate. ) The behaviors are learned even early on.
29. The Trolley Problem – Two Situations(NYT 11.22.13) Five people are tied to a track; one person (the “Fat Man”) is tied to another track; you see a runaway trolley train; if you pull the lever, you can save five lives, but the Fat Man will die. 2. Five people are tied to the track and there is a runaway trolley. A heavy man is standing next to you on a bridge. If you push him off the bridge in front of the trolley, he will die, but his bulk will stop the trolley and five will be saved. (You are too slender to stop the trolley with your body.)
30. What Do You Do about the Trolley? About 90% of persons would throw the switch Only a minority would push Fat Man on the track Why? Isn’t the result the same (1 dies, 5 live)? What more is involved here? Why does it “feel” wrong to so many people? Does it relate to our own instinct for self-preservation and the well-being of the group? What if I were the Fat Man? Isn’t he an innocent bystander?
31. “Reasons” for Not Pushing the Fat Man If you do nothing, you won’t be blamed for either the death of the five persons on the track or for the death of the fat man If you push the fat man to his death, you might face punishment from society or retribution from his family and friends Pulling the lever is “high tech,” and doesn’t trigger the same aversion most people have to the low-tech personal assault of pushing someone
32. Utilitarian Ethics Seek the Greatest Good for Greatest Number Maximize over-all human happiness Sometimes suggested as a “universal ethic” Seen as a way to implement and apply the instinct for survival of the individual and the group to choices faced by individuals and society
33. Actions “Justified” by Utilitarian Ethics During WWII, British Intelligence fed false information to Germany so that Germany would bomb the Southern suburbs of London rather than London itself Atomic Bombs were used in 1945 to save American lives at the expense of Japanese lives “Collateral Damage” (civilian casualties) and torturing people are all “justified” as actions that (1) save more lives than are lost or (2) save “more important” lives) How do you react to these?
34. Limits on Utilitarianism Who decides what is the “good”? Who weighs one good against another? Studies show we all have deep biases We favor ourselves and our own groups over others We see most issues as zero-sum situations We overestimate our own (and our group’s) virtue We magnify our grievances We reduce the virtue and grievances of others We accept facts that support us and dismiss others We dehumanize the other (when seen as “enemy”)
35. What About the Morality of Nations and their Leaders? Are the “moral rules” the same as for individuals? Machiavelli – The Prince – His prescription: Highest duty of the state: preserve itself and protect its citizens Public necessity can require actions that private ethics and religious values may condemn as unjust or immoral “Anything goes” applies to matters of “security” and the well-being of the nation “Morality” is not a good basis for acts of a state Restraint is useful only when it serves the state’s interest
36. Personal Moral Judgments Importance of Reason, Honesty and Empathy “Know Thyself” – Determine and weigh (as best as we can) the effects of our actions on ourselves, on others, and on our relationships with others (even people we might not know) Make moral decisions based on our understanding of what it means for us and for others to be (and become) “fully human” (form of utilitarianism) For some, morality is imposed from outside (as by God) and we merely accept it or reject it
37. Situational Ethics vs. Moral Relativism “Moral Relativism” – Dismissive term used by “moral absolutists” that unless there are absolute moral rules that apply specific acts in all circumstances, morality becomes a mere “matter of opinion” Superficially appealing, but not really helpful Issues of intention (at different levels) Conflicting moral principles in life circumstances Leads to dubious theories for circumvention such as the “principle of double effect”
38. Situational Ethics Focus is on behaviors in contexts Weighs conflicting ethical principles in context Overriding principles: Does this behavior (and its reasonably foreseeable consequences) maintain, diminish or enhance my own humanity (considered in all its aspects) and that of the persons affected by my behavior? The humanity and quality of life of others is given greater weight than one’s own humanity and quality of life
39. Applying Jewish and Christian Ethics Two men are in the desert. They have only one skin of water, just enough for one of them to survive and reach safety. If they share the water, both will die. What should they do?
40. Response of the Talmud The son of Petura taught:  It is better that both should drink and die, rather than that one should behold his companion’s death.  Until Rabbi Akiva came and taught: ‘that thy brother may live with thee’  thy life takes precedence over his life.”  Baba Metziaq 62a
41. Howard’s Response The Art of the Balance “No person’s blood is redder than another’s” (Yoma 2.2) A Person Drowning in a River Halachic Requirement to go beyond the Letter of the Law
42. Tom’s Response Unless the two men can agree who will get the water (using whatever criteria they deem appropriate in the circumstances), imitation of the life of Jesus of Nazareth should cause a Christian to offer to forgo the water so that the other person can live.
43. Walker, there is no road; the road is made by walking.
44. RECOMMENDED READINGS –1 Irreconcilable Differences? A Learning Resource for Christians and Jews, Edited by David F. Sandmel, Rosann M. Catalano and Christopher M. Leighton – This book contains much helpful information about both Judaism and Christianity. New Oxford Annotated Bible (3rd or 4th Edition) – This Bible contains Revised Standard Version Translations of the Hebrew Bible, the Apocrypha (“Hidden” Books) and the Christian Scriptures. The Introductory Materials, footnotes, translators’ notes and Essays reflect the most up-to-date scholarship. Jewish Annotated New Testament, Amy-Jill Levine, ed. This book analyzes the Christian Scriptures from the points of view of 32 Jewish Scholars. It contains excellent Introductory Materials, Footnotes, and Essays at the back of the book Jewish Study Bible (Oxford University Press) – The Jewish Publication Society Tanakh Translation, excellent Introductory Materials, footnotes (including in-depth theological interpretation from a Jewish perspective), translators’ notes, and Essays relating to Judaism’s use and interpretation of the Bible over the ages.
45. RECOMMENDED READINGS – 2 Who Wrote the Bible? By Richard Elliott Friedman (1997 ed.) – This book is very accessible and analyzes the strands of authorship in the Torah.   Reading the Bible Again for the First Time: Taking the Bible Seriously But Not Literallyby Marcus Borg – The author is a Christian scholar of the Hebrew Bible and the Christian Scriptures. Borg shows why a literalistic interpretation of the Bible is not as rewarding as a metaphorical and historical approach. He applies this method to selected books of the Hebrew Bible and to the Christian Scriptures.   Constantine’s Sword by James Carroll – A detailed history of the relationship between Christianity and Judaism from the First Century to the end of the 20th Century. Carroll, a former Roman Catholic priest, is very critical of Christianity’s oppression of Jews.