A Jewish Conservative Looks at Pagan America [Paperback]

Don Feder (Author)

Product Details

• Paperback: 238 pages
• Publisher: Vital Issues Pr; First Edition edition (August 1992)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1563840367
• ISBN-13: 978-1563840364
• Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 5.4 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,315,248 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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26 of 29 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Feder is a delight., May 6, 2000

By 

John S. Ryan "Scott Ryan" (Cuyahoga Falls, OH) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: A Jewish Conservative Looks at Pagan America (Paperback)

This is a marvelous collection of columns and speeches by Jewish conservative Don Feder, on topics from family and feminism to abortion and euthanasia. Worth the price of the book is Feder's speech "Does Judaism Have a Mission to Humanity?" It most certainly does, he argues, and it isn't to bring the message of messianic secularism. The Jews are supposed to serve as a moral example to the rest of the world by observing the specifically Jewish mitzvot and by teaching the laws of the Noahide Covenant to non-Jews.

"This, ladies and gentlemen," he concludes, "is the essence of the Jewish mission: to persuade humanity that someone indeed is watching us, one to whom we all are ultimately accountable. On the success or failure of this mission the fate of the world hinges."

Amen. And all of Feder's writings turn on this mission in one way or another, both in this volume and in his later _Who's Afraid of the Religious Right?_ (and in his regular column, which interested readers will find on the website of the Jewish World Review). Handily smashing the idols of the modern, secularist left, Feder takes no prisoners in his reclamation of the moral high ground for the Judeo-Christian tradition which provides the foundation of United States society and culture -- or did, before that culture was debased and it became necessary to speak, as Feder's title does, of "pagan America."

There is a lot at stake here, and Feder knows it. He writes with both passion and wit in expounding a wide range of conservative positions, but at the center is his view of the Jewish mission as outlined above -- a mission he is undoubtedly doing his bit to fulfill. A strong voice in the "culture war," he ranks with Rabbi Daniel Lapin and Dennis Prager in clarity, moral vision, and plain good sense.

I don't always agree with him on every single point, but I can't recommend him more highly -- especially to those who have been duped into believing that Judaism is somehow synonymous with left-liberalism. It isn't.

20 of 25 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Eloquent Common Sense, August 11, 2001

By 

Steven Fantina (Phillipsburg, NJ USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: A Jewish Conservative Looks at Pagan America (Paperback)

It is nothing short of amazing that Don Feder's brain can fit inside his head. His intelligence seems to be comparable to the average think tank. What's more impressive is his ability to employ apropos sarcasm to accentuate his position. And he does it all in a way that makes his column a consistently enjoyable read.

This work constitutes a hodgepodge of his efforts with a few speeches thrown in for good measure. As usual, he does not eschew taboo topics. There is a certain irony to his persuasive essay "Returning Christ to Christmas;" in which an orthodox Jew articulates the authentic argument that most Christians are sadly now reluctant to make.

Page after page demonstrates Mr. Feder's ability to be sublimely succinct. While nearly any passage could be sited as an inducement to purchase this compilation, a few random examples will suffice. Discussing humanism, he postulates the controversial truth, "without God, morality is impossible; right and wrong become matters of personal preferences." Similarly, on relativism and the widely spoken falsehood that one person's values are as valid as another's, Feder asks, "what makes the Judeo-Christian ethic superior to modern paganism? What makes the volunteer at a drug rehab center better than a schoolyard pusher?...What makes the morality of those who hid Jews during the Holocaust superior to those who killed them?" And to show his astute use of sarcasm regarding obscene rap performers 2 Live Crew, he puts forth "the rap group is to music what toilet-stall graffiti is to literature." These selections are indicative of the wit and wisdom that permeates Don Feder's oeuvre, and this work is typical of his canny reasoning and literary prowess.

Although it was initially published in 1993, the anthology has not become dated. Most of the topics he discusses are timeless; the articles' urgency is as relevant today or in certain cases far more so.

7 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars No Personal Attacks, Please - If You're Perfect, Then Throw the Stone, July 5, 2005

By 

Bobbie Schroder "TheRealDeal" (Texas) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: A Jewish Conservative Looks at Pagan America (Paperback)

You can't help but love the guy. Witty, to the point, and on target, 99% - you can't ask for more than that. In my opinion, he sometimes makes things more complicated than what they are by adding lots of extraneous facts and figures, but then again, others may appreciate it, and find that interesting. At any rate, round off the the total score and you get 4 stars.

SO WHAT about his kid's problems? (with reference to another reviewer). Even the best teachers and philosophers and great thinkers have had occasional family problems. Take Einstein, for instance. He disrespected his wife terribly, and didn't know how to maintain a positive relationship with her. But if he were to write a book today, I would not criticize his book by pointing to his private life. That would be wrong. Also, if people really knew Einstein's politics, many would not consider him so smart. However, there's a difference between being "smart" and being "intelligent". The man was intelligent, no question about it.

As another example, if it were a requirement that religious preachers be perfect, then none could teach. Even the most hypocritical preacher in the business, can still preach the truth, and benefit those who take that truth seriously. IT MATTERS LESS IF HE IS "HYPOCRITICAL" IN HIS PERSONAL LIFE, BUT MORE THAT HE SPEAKS THE TRUTH.

Hypocrisy matters mainly when a person is running for office, or holds a judicial seat, and they try to impose laws than would likely not affect themselves or their loved ones. It also matters when you investigate their voting record, and you find that it doesn't match the so-called position that they claim to have.

All in all, I highly recommend this author's book, and his others, as well. Not only is his perspective unique and interesting, the information he imparts is vital knowledge that needs and deserves to be heard across the board. I like reading his writings so much that I've signed up for his newsletter, and I occasionally go to his website for addition news and comments. It is well worth the read.