Letter: Remember the Golden Rule

I was intrigued by the juxtaposition in the AC-T of two articles on faith. “

‘Can you be an evangelist by nudging’?” The book review by Tim McConnell of Leonard Sweet’s, “Nudge: Awakening Each Other to the God Who’s Already There,” and Chris Highland’s, “What does one Asheville rabbi think of nonbelievers?”

I’m struck by the contradiction of an evangelist using the Yiddish term ‘nudge.’ Jews don’t believe in evangelism so the irony of the statement stands out. Talk about mixing metaphors. Tim McConnell supports “God speaks in so many ways to us, why can we not hear his voice?” He implicitly dismisses those who are non-believers in his preferred religion, and further believes that it is important to “gently” bring them into the fold. On the other hand, Rabbi Batsheva Meiri of Congregation Beth HaTephila reflects a more inclusive view.

“Judaism is less about beliefs than about action. It’s not about creeds (the “I believes”) but concern is to discover the “great commonalities” because “we can’t claim truth with a capital T.” In this I’m proud to say my actions as a Jew have been and continue to be to be to follow the Golden Rule. My views on God have nothing to do with my behavior or beliefs.

Duffy Z. Baum, Weaverville