Check out the Washington Post this week, for a really interesting story about a crazy Moonie-Catholic priest (author Peter Manseau doesn’t call him that, though that won’t stop me!)
The gist:
…IN MAY OF 2001, Archbishop Milingo made headlines around the world when he announced that he had broken his vow of celibacy by getting married. Marriage for a man in Milingo's position — a well-known septuagenarian Roman Catholic prelate — would have raised eyebrows under any circumstances; that he had wed a 43-year-old woman selected by Moon's Unification Church, regarded by critics as a mind-controlling cult, made the nuptials a global media event.
Awesome!
Now, I’m all for reforming outdated religious models, including the prohibition against married priests, but this guy is clearly nuts, and not really a Catholic anymore.
The Post story delves into the complexities of just that issue… of the blurred line between religious denominations. Of mutual goals shared by distinct groups, and how a religious leader, wearing two hats, can be a dangerous (and crazy) tool.
So why am I blogging about this story today?
Because for me, the article is about the difficult waters of acceptance and pluralism. The article is a lesson in how sometimes you have to follow your divisive instincts to set your faith apart from other religions. To protect the integrity of your faith. Even when it costs you your pluralism.
Why do I care so much? If you read on, you’ll come to this:
Then a man who looked as though he had stepped from the pages of an Orthodox Jewish clothing catalogue — black suit, black beard, black fedora — walked into the room. He'd flown in Friday night for the occasion.
The next day, he handed me a business card that read, "Rabbi Dr. Mordehi Waldman: Have Shofar Will Travel." The leader of a "struggling" congregation in Michigan, he had enjoyed 15 minutes of fame about three years ago, when he appeared at a reception held in the Dirksen Senate Office Building and blew his shofar to announce the coming of the messiah just before Moon had himself crowned "humanity's Savior" and "returning Lord."
After freelance journalist John Gorenfeld wrote about it in June 2004, the event was a major embarrassment for the congressmen who attended. It had been a big day for Waldman, however. Though blowing the shofar — a curved piece of ram's horn used like a trumpet — is usually reserved for the Jewish High Holy Days, Waldman now blows his at every opportunity. He has done so for Unification events across Asia and Europe, occasionally referring to his patron as "Rabbi Moon."
What's in it for him?
"About a year ago, they said to me, 'Rabbi, it's not good for you to be alone,'" he told me. "You should have a wife, they said. Then they asked me: 'What kind of wife would you like?' So I said, 'A slender blonde.'"
I wondered if I was hearing a bit of shtick, but then he added, "That's how I met this lovely lady right here." Sure enough, he pulled a slender blond woman to his side. "Look at us, a German Lutheran and a Jewish rabbi! Hello! Reconciliation, right?"
See… when I read that I freaked out a bit. I mean, it’s one thing for a Christian to become a Moonie, but a Jew? I looked up the good Doctor/Rabbi, and found him to be a total sham. He claims ordination as a “Conservadox” rabbi, and can be found at the “Congregation Beth Tephilath Moses Jewish Synagogue of Mt. Clemens, Michigan.” Whatever that is.
But if we want to love everyone, we have to love this guy too. If we want to accept that everyone born Jewish is a Jew, then so is this guy… if we want to extend Inclusivity to HinJews and Jewnitarians and the children of intermarriage ( like me)…
Where do we stop?
I’m not talking Halacha here. I’m just talking my gut. But I can’t help it. Call me a close-minded conservative… this guy gives me the heebie-jeebies.
Anyone out there care to wrestle? I’d really like to hear from someone who can stretch this far…
The funny thing is, the author of this story, a friend of mine, is himself not Jewish. But he is a regular contributor to the Forward, and a self-proclaimed Shabbes-goy in training. His upcoming novel, “Songs for the Butcher’s Daughter” is about the last Yiddish poet. And that kind of blending gets me all excited and happy. I like that Peter is interested in Judaism. Which makes me a little hypocritical I guess. Since I like the blending in Peter…
But then… he doesn’t call himself a rabbi.
Good post however I was wanting to know if you could write a litte more on this subject? I’d be very grateful if you could elaborate a little bit further. Bless you!
There a few fascinating points with time in this article but I do not know if I see all of them center to heart. There is certainly some validity but I will take hold opinion until I explore it further. Good article , thanks and that we want more! Put into FeedBurner too