Remember: You Are Not a Political Party!

When your political affiliation becomes your religion, you have cut yourself off from people.

Something is bothering me. Really hurting my heart. I see and hear people denigrate and demean people who vote for a political party they are not fans of – and this comes from both sides. They are choosing the political system over the people.

I recently corrected a person dear to me. She said, “I am a democrat.”

“No”, I responded. “You are a Jew. You vote for people on the democratic ticket, but you are a Jew.”

I recently opened up my Facebook page to see vitriolic language from people I have known as heartfelt, who do good deeds and live purposeful lives. I do not always agree with their views, but I don’t have to. It’s okay with me if we differ. My worry is this: People are putting more trust in candidates, and political parties, than is prudent.

In Ethics of the Fathers (1:3), it says, “Be careful with the government, for they befriend a person only for their own needs. They appear to be friends when it is beneficial to them, but they do not stand by a person at the time of his distress.”

I beg of people: Please remember, you are not a political party. You are a person with a soul, whether you are Jewish, Christian, Muslim, Bahai, Buddhist or other. And a political ideology is not a “God-centered” thing. I truly pray that no one puts his or her faith in anything but God. Vote your conscience, but stay loyal to your faith – and to humanity.

When people ignore their connection to faith, they do not demonstrate their appreciation for the value of real, live people.

I beg of us all – do not sink to hateful speech. Connect first to God, and then to your political affiliation. Because when your political affiliation becomes your religion, you have cut yourself off from people. Please, take a good look at what you’re investing your faith in.

I know of no faith system that says to put your trust in men and politics. In fact, most warn against it.