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How Would God Vote?: Why the Bible Commands You to Be a Conservative

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If you're looking for Jewish insights into what God wants for America, you've come to the wrong place.

Klinghoffer writes as an "Orthodox Jew," and he quotes the Talmud and traditional Jewish interpretations of the Bible.

But his worldview is derived from Christian conservatives. Rather than asking, "what does Judaism say," he asks: "What Jewish sources agree with my Christian friends?"

The result could lead well-meaning Christians to the false notions that Judaism and Christianity agree on topics that they actually don't.

He fails to let readers know when he is conveying authentic Jewish wisdom (as he does when he noted that Judaism doesn't consider life to begin until 40 days after conception) and when he is just making stuff up (as when tries to use the Hebrew phrase "Bet Av" to impose St. Paul's notion of an obedient wife (!?) on the Hebrew Bible).

So there's some truth-in-advertising problems here.

Readers prepared to read closely may be disappointed because Klinghoffer indulges in more hand-waving and ad hominem arguments than one might like. In his first three pages, he dismisses eight books at odds with his views, without showing any evidence of having read them, let alone addressing their arguments.

Ultimately, he vacillates arbitrarily between taking the Bible literally and ... not.

He ignores entire books of the Bible that don't fit his politics. (Amos, for starters.)

And his central question -- what does the Bible command? -- is at odds with Orthodox Judaism, which finds definitive interpretation of Scripture in the Talmud and its commentaries.

If you do buy this book, you owe it to yourself to pick up my rejoinder (How Would God REALLY Vote: A Jewish Rebuttal to David Klinghoffer's Conservative Polemic) as well, in which I offer deeper readings of the Torah and Talmud to make the case for voting liberal.

And then you can decide for yourself.

The author has me assent to his bringing out biblical values characterizing today's conservatism in confrontation with liberalism. He does this from the standpoint of an orthodox Jew, but allows "what a timelessly useful book Scripture is, whether it is seen as divine revelation or simply as the treasured wisdom of mankind" (p.245).

He sees (p.21) "liberalism as the political expression of materialism", of being "in the grip of nature", giving the examples of gays claiming "no choice about their sexual behavior", or women that they "can't be held responsible for...unwanted pregnancy" and subsequent abortion. These forces of materialism can be more broadly associated with the scourge of Darwinism, leading to the "dialectic materialism" of communism, and "Aryan supremacy" of Nazism.

"Women's rights" and "gay rights" can be seen also as originating in more particular weaknesses of the human spirit. The civil rights movement concerning the equality of blacks was morally fully justified as an important advance in human justice. But as often happens when initially righteous action is carried to excesses, other groups cried "me too", with questionable justification. "Equality" was being applied in inappropriate areas, as when trying to obliterate the differences between men and women, by insisting they do the same work, or by not distinguishing between them in marriage.

The book's author touches on these subjects and others, and I am in agreement with many of his viewpoints. There are some though I strongly depart from. He writes (pp.108-9) about "a demand for justice, even extending down through many generations" and, "According to biblical tradition, responsibility can be inherited". Biblical tradition or not, it is unfortunate that especially a Jew condone the same. Innocent Jews have been persecuted for ages for alleged responsibility for the crucifixion. Relatedly, the author writes (p.230) about "why traditional Jews looked with ill favor on the idea of starting up a Zionist state prior to the coming of the Messiah. That is because Jews have a job to do, serving as a 'kingdom of priests' (Exodus 19:6) to the world, a 'kingdom' without borders. Once that job is complete, then the time to return to our land will have come". It is difficult to see what that job may be, since Jews are not known to proselytize, and of course waiting for the Messiah is a deeply doctrinal matter, not the faith of many. Most of all, Jewish suffering under the Diaspora appears to make the need for a present homeland uncontestable.

The author's finding of what are today held conservative views in the Scriptures is at any rate understandable. There may be protests that the bible can be interpreted in liberal ways, but those ways are justifiably viewed by the author as connected with atheist rejection of the spiritual.

While its true conservatives ostensibly have more beliefs that harmonize with biblical teachings than liberals please do not deceive yourself into thinking they are Gods chosen party and that their agenda is His agenda. The politics of this nation is utterly corrupt.. George Bush is not a true Christian and bears none of the fruit of a true Christian, a true Christian is to come out of the world, not to be entangled in the worlds politics. When Jesus was here He and His disciples did not try to theocracize Rome. Jesus did not command His disciples to become involved with worldly politics and try to fix decadent evil Romes problems by legislating morality. He commanded His disciples to live humbly ..not to concern themselves with high things and to come out of the world so they would not be partakers of its sins. The politics of the world is utterly corrupt and vile to God. Those who claim to serve Him in government often times are on the take with big business.. making all kinds of shady deals to undermine the poor, living a life of lying, stealing, lusting, coveting, adultery, murder, extortion, and then at the same time claiming to be conservative "Christians" acting in Gods behalf to defend "Christian values". Be not deceived .. people who live depraved lives like that He will utterly spew out of His mouth and they will have their place with the hypocrites where there is much weeping and gashing of teeth. A true Christians position should be to have nothing to do with the corruption of the world at all, not be involved with politics, not vote .. but to come out of the world all together and serve and obey God in spirit and in truth. We cannot fix this wicked evil world but we do not have to be partakers in its sins. A Christians duty isn't to go around judging others and trying to force worldly people to live by Christian standards.. but to come out of the world.. live as peacefully with other men as possible and to obey and be faithful to God and His commandments themselves. The commission of a true Christian is to warn as many people as possible to repent, be babtized and turn from sin so they can be saved and not be partakers of the Judgments that God is soon to bring upon this nation and the world for the peoples vast iniquities.

This book left me with a lot to think about. The author knows his stuff and makes very interesting points, some quite unexpected from a Christian perspective. The book gave me a different way to look at current events in this country, more from God's perspective based on what the Bible says God's perspective is. I truly enjoyed the book and recommend it to anyone who would like to have a better idea of what God thinks about current events.

I was anxious to find out what this person had to say, but couldn't really follow what he was attempting to say. I felt he was talking in circles, just like some politicians. Maybe , I just need to spend more time focusing on it.

What incredible, inconceivable, unutterable arrogance to claim to know the mind of God. Has he ever heard of the seven deadly sins? One of them has his number.

This is an important book. It is well researched, easy to read, and most of all timely. It is not a book for the hard core left or liberals in general whose unifying principle is a rejection of biblical authority. It is timely because, however softly it has come upon us, we conservatives no longer feel free to make our points from Scripture. But why should this be so when for most of American history this is precisely how we have argued? Scripture is at the foundation of our society and culture--and of Western Civilization. Even atheists should appreciate this, for their freedom too issues not from a state atheism, which in the 20th century enslaved millions, but from our forefather's reading of Scripture.

Klinghoffer has put his finger on the unstated pivot in the culture war--the Bible. The left speaks of "framing"--seemingly to frame its arguments so as to hide its atheism. Well, if we don't begin to frame our arguments from their true source we are going to lose.

Klinghoffer also provides insight into scriptural understanding generally unfamiliar to Christians, yet as an Orthodox Jew he is sympathetic to Christians and backs up his reasoning from both Old and New Testaments. One can argue with his conclusions--that's not the point. The point is that we argue from Scripture.

Of particular interest is Klinghoffer's refrerence to the biblical concepts of "purity" (tahor) and "impurity" (tame), the first pertaining to life, the exercise of free will, responsibility, creation, and the latter to the suppression or denial of these things. The political party and mindset which sees us all as victims of chance and necessity, and is thus hostile to concepts of guilt and moral obligation, has fallen under the spell of "tame". This is an area of biblical thought that Christians as well as Jews would do well to ponder.

Klinghoffer also pinpoints the problem as idolatry, as on page 210: "Idolatry manifests itself in every age. Its essence lies in setting up moral authorities in competition with, or to the negation of, God. Today, aggressive secularism possesses all of the classic pagan hallmarks: relativism, nature worship, sexual corruption, and a willingness to sacrifice children for the cause."

John Kwok (the reviewer above) has it wrong. Though Klinghoffer doesn't go into it in this book, evidence for the Darwin-Holocaust connection is overwhelming and documented by many reputable historians. Darwinism lies at the very heart of the culture war. One can take whatever side he will, but let's not deny the crux of the conflict.

I highly recommend the book.

This book gives away the answer to its question with the subtitle: "Why the Bible Commands You to Be a Conservative". Clearly, Klinghoffer is not ambivalent about the political prescriptions he derives from his biblical analysis. I was very excited to read this book, and I've been looking forward to it ever since I heard of it.

This book is highly recommended for anyone who is interested in politics and cares about an honest analysis of what the Bible says. Klinghoffer's writing style is engaging and witty. His research is extensive and detailed. No matter how much you may think you know the Bible, you will learn something from this book.

If you care about what the Bible has to teach us, if you believe in God or even just are open to the possibility that He exists and has revealed wisdom in His Word, then you must read this book.

I have written a chapter-by-chapter review, which is too long to post here. Please see my profile for the link to this review, if you are interested.

David Klinghoffer has created a masterpiece of scholarship. This book, no doubt, will inspire a strong negative response from people who are far away from God. This should not be surprising, because there is something in all of us that discerns the difference between what is in God's will and what isn't. As a result, David can expect the usual vitriol from the usual crowd who are having a tough time reconciling their choices and lifestyles with what they know would be God's best for them.

What is especially helpful is David's discussions of historic Jewish commentaries and traditions which help Christians gain greater insights into the Old and New Testaments. Most Christians are not familiar with the Talmud, nor are they fluent in Hebrew. David's analysis is particularly helpful to those of us who have been grafted into the Jewish root stock. For example, David's explanations of the differences between personal morality and the morality of the state are extraordinary.

This book is a rare find today. It has a place among the finest works of intellectual criticism. It is rare in a time when cynicism is the new intellectualism.

I read this book slowly - not because it is difficult to read (it isn't) but because it explains so much. Thank you, David, for this gift of insight.

I read title and subtitle but not the rest of the book. The title page is enough for me to offer my criticism that the most dangerous and imbecilic persons of the world are those who claim to know the mind of God.

Whenever you hear such a person speak the Cuckoo clock should start chiming and the Department of Homeland Security's terrorist threat level should be raised.