Re: Dear Dr. Laura...

[Michelle Trusty-Murphy <5alive@PYRAMID.NET>]

Shulamit,

I agree that Dr. Laura has chosen particular passages of the Bible to follow
and particular passages to ignore. She is a hypocrite.  Dr. Casey points out
that hypocrisy in a sarcastic and ironic tone.  However, I have problems with
both Dr. Laura and Dr. Casey's letter to her.

Karen Armstrong writes, in her book _A History of God_ that "every religious
tradition tries to make God in their own image."  I think that Dr. Laura does
her best to make God into her own image, which, of course, is a blasphemous
act in any sense of the word.

For anyone to say that they can understand the complexity of God is a
blasphemy, correct? That is why the Jewish tradition has a Rabbi (a teacher of
God's books), not a minister (an emissary of God).

This is why I suggest that the Talmud would be a good tool for both Dr. Laura
and Dr. Casey to access.

The Talmud provides an understanding of the complexity of the questions Dr.
Casey has presented, and illustrates the tradition of questioning and
considering the implication of every action rather than simply following words
blindly, believing that you have, by doing so, possessed the secret of God.

The Talmud's attention to questions and discussions rather than absolutes
would provide both Dr. Laura and Dr. Casey food for thought.  While the Bible
seems specific and clear in its words, the Talmud shows the difficulty of the
interpretation of each word.

This difficulty of interpretation, I believe, exists and continues throughout
time, place, and circumstance.

Dr. Casey is asking static questions in fluid time and circumstance.  Dr.
Laura provides static answers in fluid time and circumstance.  Both are
flawed, but at least Dr. Casey knows he delivers those questions within a
tradition of pointing out the complexity beyond every absolute.

I worried deeply about Dr. Casey's now widely circulated "Dr. Laura" piece
because it appears to suggest that Jews live in some Biblically prehistoric
and barbarous time which allows slavery, etc.  When I showed it to a Christian
friend of mine, she laughed--then said, "That is why Dr. Laura should be a
Christian--she doesn't have the New Testament to guide her."

I didn't forward Dr. Casey's piece to anyone outside this listserve when I
read it because I was aware of its possible anti-Semitic uses--even though I
honestly do not believe that Dr. Casey would intentionally create the piece
for that reason, or intend any possible anti-Semitic use of the piece.
Nonetheless, the anti-Jewish overtones of the Dr. Laura piece is one reason
why it has been circulated by others so widely, and the very reason I felt I
needed a traditional Jewish way to answer his questions when I read it.  The
Talmud, and it's spirit of questioning and understanding of complexity, was
the best way I knew to answer him.

Clearly, Dr. Laura would not only be put in her place by a good Talmud
reading, she would also be silenced for quite a long time--it is a very big
book.

I am perplexed why you would think I was defending Dr. Laura by asking Dr.
Casey to read the Talmud.

Michelle

-----------------------------

Shulamit Levine wrote:

> At 15:31 -0800 02-06-2000, Michelle Trusty-Murphy wrote:
> >You might try reading the Talmud if she doesn't get back to you right
> >away.
>
> What are you saying, Michelle?  Do you really think "Dr." Laura's hate is
> anything less than blasphemy in the name of Judaism?  I thought the letter
> is a very creative response to a fundamentalist who wants to take a single
> one of the 613 commandments and use it to encourage murder and hate.  "Dr."
> Laura's hate hurts kids and teachers, as well as all of our society.
>
> Shulamit
>
> Equal Rights and Equal Access:  Accept nothing less!
>
> ***************************************
> Dance a Revolution!
>
> mailto:shulamit@transport.com
>
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>
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