>The election in Israel will be on Tuesday.  Politics can be a strange thing and the closer the election day is, the more strange things happen.

For example, a religious party in Israel has a TV political ad which shows Rabbi Ovadia Yosef promising a place in heaven to those who vote for the Shas Party.

In an article published in Ynetnews, Rabbi Ovadia is quoted telling “his listeners about a man who reaches heavens and fears God’s verdict. At that point, a white angel appears and tells the man he is heading to heaven for building a mikvah (Jewish ritual bath) and a synagogue. The man says he has not done any of that because he had no money, but later admits he did vote for Shas.”

“The angel’s reply: ‘Exactly. And by sending emissaries who built mikvahs and synagogues and safeguarded the world of Torah, you’re a party to mitvzot and your place is in heaven.’ Therefore, the rabbi explained, anyone who votes for Shas will end up in heaven.”  Read the full story by clicking here.

In our country some politicians also are invoking religious themes in order to convey their message.  Recently, Senator Hillary Clinton cited the New Testament to oppose a House bill that takes a hard line against illegal immigrants.  Senator Clinton said: “It is certainly not in keeping with my understanding of the Scripture because this bill would literally criminalize the Good Samaritan and probably even Jesus himself.”

My understanding of Scripture is completely different from what Senator Clinton believes the New Testament says.  But, I will let you draw your own conclusions.

Claude Mariottini
Professor of Old Testament
Northern Baptist Seminary