I have had the pleasure of seeing Dennis Prager on several occasions. I will be seeing him again at the end of the month at the Reagan Library in Simi Valley. I just saw him several days ago at the David Horowitz weekend in Santa Barbara. He was the final speaker of the conference.
On more than one occasion he has agreed to do an interview with me, but he is so incredibly busy. I have tried to strike the right balance of persistence and politeness.
When I saw him a few days ago, I handed him a note after his speech. The note had several questions, and a reminder that I would see him on the 29th. The note said that if he failed to answer my questions, the sun would come up the next day, which I would expect to be th 30th. Translation…I would like him to do it, but it is not life and death. I hope he was amused. He knows me ona first name basis, and has not had security throw me out of the room, so I guess he is ok with me.
Anyway, his assistant producer got back to me today, and told me to email the questions again. I did.
The risk of seeing and reporting on one person too many times can lead to the risk of a repetitive message and boring blogging. Even the best politicians get stale when giving their standard stump speech. I did radio for many years, and I cannot wait to skip over my own voice and listen to the music. Luckily, Mr. Prager has so much of value to say that his most recent speech was fresh for me. It was also very enjoyable.
With that, I bring more wit and wisdom from Dennis Prager.
“I live in Los Angeles. I go to Seattle for the weather.”
“Joseph Lieberman is being pressured to not speak at the republican convention.”
“The ugliest human trait is ingratitude. Jews that hate Christians, or who refer to Jews that love Christians as Jewish Uncle Toms, are psychopathological. Hating people who love you, which is comfortable for those on the left and uncomfortable for those on the right, is a sickness.”
“In college I learned nothing about life. Everything I was taught at Columbia was wrong. Men are not the same as women. The United States was not the same as the U.S.S.R.”
“The desire for meaning in life is greater than the desire for sex. People can live without sex. They cannot live without meaning. Europeans found out that art, Mozart, and good places to dine cannot replace meaning.”
“Compassion is the holy word of the left. It is the ultimate feeling word.”
“Jews are told not to follow their heart. The heart is the worst guide towards helping on find meaning.”
“All religions have nonsense, but religious nonsense is still better than secular nonsense.”
“All humans need non-rational beliefs to exist, religious or not.”
“I don’t care of you believe that God is a turtle, as long as you believe something. This is because the opposite of belief in something is not nothing. The opposite of belief in something is believing anything.”
“I believe that God choosing the Jews is one of the most monumental silly things that could have been done.”
“People can be deeply rational outside of religion.”
“I am a Christian’s second favorite Jew. This is because I do not assess another person’s theology. Theology is not equal to values. There are Judeo-Christian values. There is no Judeo-Christian theology.”
“The New York Times (Jayson Blair Times for readers of this blog) Editorials are the equivalent of a hysterical page. They are always angry. There is too much anger. I get angry at angry talk show hosts, whether on the left or the right. Michael Savage is angry, but he is an altar boy next to Keith Olbermann.”
“John Hagee is not equivalent to Pastor Wright. John Hagee has a huge moral bank account. If you subtract his bad words, he is normal. Jeremiah Wright has a debit.”
“People point to the fact that Jeremiah Wright collects for the poor. We all collect for the poor. All religious institutions collect for the poor. I am not comparing Pastor Wright to a terrorist, but Hamas collects for the poor in their area. Hamas tortures and murders, but at least they do not steal like the PLO.”
“Barack Obama left his church after 20 years when it became politically necessary. He has said he does not support the more inflammatory comments made during those 20 years, even though he was unaware of them. What needs to be asked of Obama is how he explains all the members cheering those remarks. Do they believe what they heard? Does he renounce them?”
“Michael Moore has said that because of slavery, whites cannot judge blacks. Because of what blacks went through, whites cannot pass any moral judgments about them. This says that black people are beneath judgment. They are beneath contempt. This is racism. Does the Holocaust mean that we cannot pass judgment on Jews? Of course not. This is because Jews are respected.”
“Pastor Hagee has been attacking Christian antisemitism that goes back to Martin Luther. Therefore, Jews are attacking Christians that are actually attacking other Christians.”
“Pastor Hagee did not call the Catholic Church a whore. He was quoting a biblical passage verse by verse.”
“The Anti-Defamation League has said that the biggest threat to Jews is the Christian right.”
“Jews on the left are not concerned with antisemitism. They simply endorse anti-right wingism.”
“John McCain became aware of Pastor Hagee while running for President. Barack Obama has known Pastor Wright for 20 years.”
“Pastor Hagee stated that God sent Hitler to cause the Holocaust, which would then lead the creation of Israel. I judge a man by his deeds, not his beliefs. God judges behavior.”
“Orthodox Jews believe that Pagans that are good can get to Heaven, while Jews that commit evil deeds cannot. We are about deeds. Christianity is about faith. As a Jew, this is why I judge people by their deeds, not their beliefs.”
“Yet many on the left are critical of Christians for their religious beliefs. The irony of this is that secular leftists are judging religious people based on their theology.”
“Did God direct the Holocaust, or did he just watch? There is no Jewish answer.”
“Some want to get rid of Indian sports names. They ask how we would like it if a team called itself the Jews. We would love it! For 3000 years we have wanted fans! I would love people in the crowd yelling ‘Yyyaaaaayyyy, Jews!’ Gimme a J!”
“As for Pastor Hagee, Jews at AIPAC applauded him.”
“The year is 1938. Armageddonijad (sic) equals Hitler…no, we are not traveling back in time. After all, Jews do not have too many enemies. Of course we should attack our friends, and negotiate with people who want to destroy us. Chosen people? This is tested with regularity.”
“Christianity has been left out of the EU charter.”
“In the U.S.S.R, the joke was that the future is known, it is the past that is always changing. This is the American left.”
“Can you imagine if we had affirmative action for classical music? I am a part time conductor, and while I am sure there is some wonderful Albanian or Buddhist music, most classical music came from white, German, Austrian, Christians. We cannot offer what feels good in place of the truth.”
“I have said before that Europe will either have a civil war or be Islamic within 50 years. I still believe that.”
“DOn’t judge religions. Judge practitioners.”
“Chinese nationalism is equal to the Chinese religion. It got to the point where the government had to subdue anti-Tibet demonstration.”
“Jews were once a convert seeking religion. Paul would travel miles just to find one more Jew. Today Jews still seek converts…to liberalism, not Judaism.”
“My son played on a baseball team that came in last place. His team was given a trophy. We now give trophies just for showing up. What is next? Do we give a death trophy when they leave? This is why U.S. kids are last in math among industrialized nations, yet first in their confidence of their ability in math.”
“Multiculturalism is not equal to ‘E Pluribus Unum.’ Secularism is not equal to ‘In God We Trust.’ Equality is not equal to liberty. The French tried to have equality and liberty at the same time. This is not possible. They are directly opposing ideas. The left wants forced equality. The right believes in liberty.”
“Alan Dershowitz and I agree on very little, but we both support Israel. However, the difference between Dershowitz and myself comes in the form of belief. There are times when Dershowitz disagrees with the Torah (Old Testament). When I asked him if in those circumstances he thought the Torah was wrong, he replied, ‘Yes.’ When I disagree with the Torah, I do not claim that I am right. I do not put myself above God.”
During the question and answer session, I asked a question.
“Dennis, the people in this room are the converted. We appreciate your words, but what can be done about the remaining 70-80% of Jews that are liberal? Short of giving these people the verbal equivalent of cranial-glutial extraction surgery, what can be done to get your message beyond this room?”
Dennis, as always, was impressive in his answer.
“It is easier to do bad than good. One person can spread bad deeds to 100 people, but it often takes 100 people to get one more person to do good. One person can persuade 100 people to become suicide bombers. It might take 100 people to save one human life.”
“People are not born anti-semites. When I invite some of these young anti-semites onto my show to discuss their opinions, I asked them if they felt this way as children. They almost always say that this is not the case. So I ask them what happened to them. In almost every case they invariably start their explanation with the phrase, “I went to University…”
“I need to go to Universities more. I do go sometimes, but not enough. ”
“Atheists allow for opposing speakers, and yet liberals will not. I attend a Reform (liberal) Shul (Synagogue), and even they will not have me.”
After the event ended to thunderous applause, I went up to give Dennis my note. I told him that I appreciated his answer, and that I also do not go to the universities enough. I told him that I do go, but I absolutely could go a lot more. I thanked him for making that point. A couple students were there, and they offered to coordinate with him. They also told me that they would let me know about student events requiring speakers as well.
I told Dennis that I would see him at the Reagan library on the 29th. He said, “See you there, Eric.”
I did not tell him my name this time, so the fact that he remembered it means he now officially remembers me as the pain in the rumpus trying to get an interview with him.
I let him know in my note that if on the 30th the questions were not answered, and there was no sun, just 40 days and nights of rain, I would not blame him as long as he refrained from blaming me.
I look forward to seeing him again and hearing him speak, as I always do.
eric
No comment.
JMJ
“Barack Obama left his church after 20 years when it became politically necessary. He has said he does not support the more inflammatory comments made during those 20 years, even though he was unaware of them. What needs to be asked of Obama is how he explains all the members cheering those remarks. Do they believe what they heard? Does he renounce them?”
No, theres no pressure for him to do so, especially whithin his own concsience.
He probably didnt notice after 20 years that anyone but him was in the pews.
Yaaaaaaaaaaa! it works.
And I get to see JMJ and Mickey2 play rock-em sock-em robot
There are a couple of really good quotes there.
I am afraid that civil war in the U.K is not only inevitable but highly desirable. Recent reports in The International Express find two evangelists handing out religious leaflets in a so called ‘Muslem Area’ and are arrested for what is described as a Hate Crime!!!
Subsequent investigations found the arrests were illegal and the said evangelists are suing after no forthcoming apology.
When did parts of the U.K. suddenly become Muslem Areas?
Liberal Governments have a lot to answer for in the not too distant future.
The so called ‘free world’ is hell bent on self destruction.
On Obama:
The man swears he never heard any racial villification in his 20 year attendance at the Hate Church.Would that be due to the raucous applause eminating from the person standing next to him?
Prager is amazing. Hope you get that interview.
Obama: I wonder if the man really attended services there. Perhaps it was all just an “arrangement.” Wright had a politician (local and then National) on his congregation list, and Obama could say he was a member of the hippest black theology congregation anywhere. No one talks about him being in church for a service, a potluck, a Sunday school, a mission – nothing.
Think of the conundrum this could pose for Obama. He needs to be a church member and professed to be, but…what if he was never active in the church.
I believe he knew exactly what Wright preached, whether he was there often or not, because they were close personal friends.
Maggie
Maggie’s Notebook