Missouri's Jewish Leaders to GOP: Our Faith Requires Absentee Voting in Pandemic

[hurl]

From the article:

In Missouri, voting-by-mail is only permitted for those who offer a valid reason for it. Maybe they’re out of town or sick, but it’s not automatic.

Given the pandemic, you would think there would be a push to mail ballots to everyone for November’s election, but this is a state where Republicans dominate the legislature as well as the governor’s office. They sure as hell don’t want more people voting. When people vote, Republicans lose. They love voter suppression.

But Republicans also claim to love religious freedom…
...
It’s a brilliant plan. Every other religious institution should follow suit. There’s no reason Catholics, Satanists, Muslims, progressive Christians, etc. can’t do the same thing and make voting all about practicing their faith. Either force Republicans to pass absentee voting for everyone or make them say they don’t give a damn about anyone else’s religious beliefs.
...

More:
https://friendlyatheist.patheos.com/2020/05/05/missouris-jewish-leaders-to-gop-our-faith-requires-absentee-voting-in-pandemic/

[Mike 03]

1. Recommended

This is exceptionally clever.

[JudyM]

2. Excellent argument.

[Hekate]

4. Is this somehow relevant to the discussion, or just a casual slap?

Orthodox Judaism is a minority of a Minority...

[abqtommy]

6. The original op concerns the Jewish Faith. So does my comment. Thanks for your input...

[hurl]

8. Faith (any faith) is definitely NOT a virtue IMO

I suspect you're not wrong about your claim, although not being an Orthodox Jew, I don't know or even care about all their errors. Those interested can explore "Shelo Asani Isha" to decide for themselves.

For me, though, the point of the article wasn't the content of the Orthodox Jewish faith, but rather on using "sincerely held belief" claims to force Republicans into a dilemma: Either they act against their own interests or once again have their hypocrisy on evangical Christian privilege laid bare.

That, of course, does nothing to discount your point.

[abqtommy]

9. I believe in the separation of church and state. What I did in my original comment was attempt to

portray what is to me is clear hypocrisy that is present in all faiths. So I don't think that any faith should
be given a pass for any reason. I am aware of the orthodox "thankful that I'm a man" prayer, having read and heard about it all my life (I'm 71) but I'd have to dig to find out about other sincerely held
orthodox beliefs and I wouldn't support those either... And I'm not jumping on the Jews. My second
ex-wife was a Jewish convert due to the fact that her father was the source of her Jewish heritage and
not her mother... And no, the Jewish bit didn't enter into our divorce at all...

[elleng]

10. No thanks.

[Jake Stern]

5. Find some folks in each "reason required" state to sue

based on the claim that it violates their sincerely held religious beliefs that life is sacred and must not be unduly jeopardized by voting in person during a pandemic.

[riversedge]

7. k and R

[TomSlick]

11. Interesting argument.

Any other faith could make a similar argument.

I will be interested to hear the response of the religious right. Does sincerely held religious belief trump everything else or doesn't it?

[IronLionZion]

12. Yeah religious freedom doesn't matter for non-Christian religions

when you're dealing with bible thumping conservatives who are deeply oppressed by other people's existence

[struggle4progress]

13. "You shall love your neighbor as yourself: I am the Lord." Leviticus 19

Businesses reopen in Missouri as state records jump in virus cases
Robert Patrick , Erin Heffernan , Joel Currier , Kurt Erickson 8 hrs ago

JEFFERSON CITY — Gov. Mike Parson promoted the end of his statewide stay-at-home order Monday by visiting a handful of businesses, as the state recorded its largest single-day jump in COVID-19 cases.

Parson stayed clear of coronavirus hot spots Monday and headed to the southwest part of the state, touring a thrift store and an electrical contractor in Joplin.

He later stopped at Bass Pro Shops and a hospital in Springfield before returning to the Capitol for his daily coronavirus briefing.

“We believe we are on the downside of this virus,” Parson said ...

https://www.stltoday.com/lifestyles/health-med-fit/coronavirus/businesses-reopen-in-missouri-as-state-records-jump-in-virus-cases/article_3cbacb74-2313-5b32-bff7-4c3dcbd04055.html