Y Not I

Howard Dean said in a speech at General Assembly of the United Jewish Communities:

“This country is not a theocracy,” Dean said, according to JTA. “There are fundamental differences between the Republican Party and the Democratic Party. The Democratic Party believes that everybody in this room ought to be comfortable being an American Jew, not just an American; that there are no bars to heaven for anybody; that we are not a one-religion nation; and that no child or member of a football team ought to be able to cringe at the last line of a prayer before going onto the field.”

Geoff Robinson at A Goy For Jesus writes:

Well, I hate to break the news to Howard Dean. There are bars on heaven keeping people out. It isn’t based on race. It is based on sin.

God is holy. His Law condemns us. We lie, steal, and covet. We don’t honor our parents as we should. We don’t love our neighbor nor our God with all our heart.

And our only hope is the grace of God made manifest to us in Jesus the Messiah. If we do not trust in Him, we are doomed and will find bars to heaven. No matter what Howard Dean may tell you.

My Rabbi in his invitation likes to say that when God asks why He should let you into heaven, and if you say,”because I am Jewish”, God will respond, “Not good enough” or if one says “because I am a Gentile”, once again that will not be good enough. While Howard Dean might feel it politically wise to have a big tent and allow anyone into heaven, this is something he is certainly going beyond his authority as the head of the DNC to grant. Seems to me he comes off as more of a salesman here, promising more than he can ever deliver.

So, as a Jew, I know that Jews can go to Heaven, I also know it is not because Howard Dean said it is OK, but because those Jews have by faith come to accept their Jewish Messiah.