Readers Respond

AFLAWEDG-D TheimplicationsofRabbi BradleyArtson’sthinkingin“G-dis Becoming:ConsolationintheFaceof Tragedy”(Tikkun,May/June2009)are thefollowing: 1. G-dexists. 2. G-disnotomniscient. 3. G-disnotomnipotent. 4. G-disall-lovingbutnot omnipotent. RabbiArtsonsharesRabbiHarold Kushner’sbeliefinalovingG-dwhois powerlesstohelpus.Inaddition,he statesthatG-dexperiencesoursorrows andjoys.Unfortunately,hisstatements arenotcompellingargumentsforthe existenceofalovingG-dwhoisnotomnipotentoromniscient .Theyarebeliefs ,perhapswishes,thatalovingG-d existsandcaresforus.Atbest,theyare unprovedhypothesesthatsuchaG-d exists. Furthermore,hedoesnotpresenta compellingargumentfortheveryexistenceofG -d.Auniversethatrunsaccordingtothelawsofphysics ,withno interferencefromG-d,maysimplybea G-dlessuniverse.Indeed,ifG-dexists andifHe“didirrevocabletzimtzum (withdrawal),”Heismerelyafugitive G-dwhocreatedtheuniverseandvanished . Do we wish to pray to such a G-d?Ontheotherhand,ifG-dishidden but present in the universe, Attimes,Ihaveglimpsesof Hashem,myG-d.Iseeevidenceforthe existenceofmyunknowableCreator. Existenceandconsciousnessaremiracles ,Ibelieve,thatcannotbefullyexplainedbyevolution .Similarly, althoughsomescientistsmayargueto thecontrary,Isuggestthatthemagnificent ,exquisitedesignoftheuniverse cannotbeentirelyexplainedbychance andevolution.Justasgreatworksofart andgreatdiscoveriesinsciencerequire thegreatmindsofcreativehumanbeings , so does a universe of infinite beautyrequireabeautifulCreator. WhenIsitwithmypatientsandlistentotheheartrendingpermutations ofsufferingandevilintheirlives,Icry silentlyforthemandfeelanunbearable painthatassaultsmysoul.SometimesI makeclinicalrecommendationsthat maysoothethemiftheychangetheir thoughtsandbehaviors.Butsometimes Ifeelhopelessandhelplessandpray privatelyfortheirhealing. Iamahumanbeingwithmanylimitations .ButIexpectmorefromthe Creatoroftheuniverse,myG-d, Hashem,whomIchoosetosearchfor andbelieveineveninthefaceofsufferingandevil . Dr. MelWaldman Brooklyn,NY BradleyArtsonreplies: IthankDr.Waldmanforthe honestyofhisresponseandforthe depthofhisloveofGod.Thatsaid,he mischaracterizesmyunderstandingof howGodworksonseveralpoints. IdonotbelievethatGodexercises coercivepower,northatGodsuspends oroverridestheregularitiesofcreation, whichiswhatmostpeoplemeanby omnipotence.Butthealternativeto LETTERS watchingusstrugglewithearthlyevil butpowerlesstointerferewithnatural laws,dowewishtopraytosuchaG-d forcomfortandemotionalstrength? Iusedtobecomfortedbythetheory ofacompassionateG-dunabletohelp us. Now, the notion of a flawed G-d saddensandenragesme.CanIbelieve thata G-d who created the universe by tzimtzum(contractionorconcealment )ispowerlesstohelpusinour timeofneed?Theveryactofcreationis a miracle. Indeed, creation from nothingnessappearstobethegreatest magictrickeverperformed.IfG-dcreatedtheuniverse ,Healsocreatedthe lawsofphysics.ButifG-disMother Natureandnothingmore,governedby thelawsofphysics,perhapsweshould praytothewind,rain,snow,andfire andtheearth,stars,andsun.Inany case,RabbiArtson’sarticleismerelya beautifultheoreticalconceptualization. Iwishitweretrue.Butwhoknows? Nevertheless,IconfessthatIama passionateseekerofG-d.Everyday,I searchforproofofHisexistence,knowingthathumanlogicisinadequateand unequaltothetaskofknowing Hashem.Iamanatheist,agnostic,and theist—acontradictorymanofpassionatefaithattimes .Myfaithisnotblind oruncritical.Itisintermittentand launchedbycriticalthinkingandfedby spiritualexperience. ANOTEONLETTERSTOTHEEDITOR: As Tikkun increases its Web presence by posting online exclusives at www.tikkun.org and spiritualprogressives.org,andbysendinge-mailstoanyonewhoaskstobeplacedonourlist (send requests to Generosity@Tikkun.org), we are increasingly publishing responses to onlineaswellasprintarticlesinthissectionofthemagazine .Wewelcomeyourresponsestoour articles.SendyourletterstotheeditortoLetters@Tikkun.org.Pleaseremember,however,not toattributetoTikkunviewsotherthanthoseexpressedinoureditorials.Wee-mail,post,and print many articles with which we have strong disagreements, because that is what makes Tikkun a location for a true diversity of ideas. Tikkun reserves the right to edit your letters to fit available space in the magazine. Readers Respond J U LY / A U G U S T 2 0 0 9 W W W. T I K K U N . O R G T I K K U N 3 Letters_4:Letters 6/16/09 2:40 PM Page 3 notabandontheGreekphilosophical straightjackettheologybecauseofreligiousperversityoradesiretoharmJu daism .Tothecontrary,myloveoflife andGod’screation,myloveformy autisticsonandaworldfilledwithpain andinjustice,andmyyearningfor God’spresenceandhealingallluredme forwardtowhatseemstometobea moresoul-enrichingandresonantway tothinkof/relateto/imitatetheDivine. Ifitdoesn’tworkforDr.Waldman,then Iinvitehimtostickwiththemetaphors thatworkforhim.ButIwouldremind himthathismetaphorsarealso metaphors. THELONG-SUFFERING WHOREOFBABYLON Forcenturies,theologians haveusedtheWhoreofBabylonas theirchosenfiguretostandinforwhateverillstheywishedtoattack :empire, apostasy,promiscuity,capitalism...you nameit.ThedemonizationofthisfigurereliesonwhatIseeasafundamen tallywrongheadedpremise :theidea thatwomeninthesextradeareasource ofsocialillsbecausetheycorruptupstandingmenthroughseduction . Itshouldgowithoutsayingthatthe institutionofprostitutiondoesnot springfromaprostitute'sdesiretoseduce .Rather,itariseswhenclientsseek topaymoneyforsex.Throughouthistory ,prostituteshavemostoftenbeen poorandmarginalizedwomenoffering aserviceforwhichthereisdemand,in ordertoscrapeby.Butthedemonizationofprostitutespersists ,bothinreligioususesofthe "WhoreofBabylon" metaphorandintheapproachfrequentlytakenbythepolice ,whorelentlesslyharassandimprison (usually female)prostituteswhiletakingalenientandforgivingattitudetowardthe menwhopaythemforsex. InTikkun’sMay/June2009issue, Rev.Campoloinvokesthewhore metaphortostrengthenhisclaimthat wecanandshouldlevelamoralcritiqueagainstcapitalism .Hisgoalisupstanding ,buthislanguageistroubling. Howcouldaprostituteeverbetheappropriatefiguretorepresenttheex ploitativeaspectsofaneconomic 4 T I K K U N W W W. T I K K U N . O R G J U LY / A U G U S T 2 0 0 9 LETTERS thatGreekideaofpowerasimposing forceormagicisnot“powerlessness.” Godisactiveineverymoment,atevery levelofcreation,invitingusandempoweringustowardnovelty ,greaterrelatedness ,theabilitytobe self-surpassingagents(madeinGod’s image).ThisisnottheGodofspecialeffects ,whichishowDr.WaldmanunderstandsGod ’spower.Butitis certainlyaGodofvastpersuasive powerandenduringlove. IfomniscientmeansthatGod knowswhatcannotbeknown,thenitis correctthatIdon’tbelievethat.But suchabeliefisaverbalandlogicalselfcontradiction .Farmorereflectiveofthe worldweexperienceistherecognition thatGodknowseverythingpossibleto know—allpotentials,allactualities, everythingthathasalreadyhappened. WhatGodknows,Godknowsobjectivelyandeternally .Thatknowledgeis prettyimpressivetome.Notethatthere isnobiblicalorrabbinictermforomniscience ,buttherearetermsthat speakofthevastnessofGod’sknowing. Finally,itshouldbenotedthatIdid EDITOR Michael Lerner ASSOCIATE EDITOR Peter Gabel MANAGING EDITOR David Belden ASSISTANT EDITOR Alana Y. 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PUBLISHERS George & Trish Vradenburg ArticlesinTikkundonotnecessarilyreflectTikkun’sposition onanyissue.Tikkun’spositionsarepresentedinoureditorials. Tosubmitamanuscriptorsendaletter,pleaseemailmagazine@tikkun.org. LETTERS TO THE EDITOR SendyourLetterstotheEditortoletters@tikkun.org EDITORIAL BOARD RachelAdler,GarAlperovitz,MichaelBerenbaum,ChetBowers, JayCantor,AbbyCaplin,DavidCohen,DanCohn-Sherbok,JosephineDonovan,Elliot Dorff,TerryEagleton,Marc H. Ellis, Leslie Epstein, Sidra Ezrahi, John Felstiner, Nan Fink Gefen, Barry...