Had a recent, brief discussion with a fellow UU. We are confused by
Christians turning to the Old Testament, when Jesus is the New Testament. In Basic Principles of Christianity my frosh year in a Catholic liberal arts college for women, Sister Catherine Clare shared Jesus was the, “NEW LAW”. Does that suffice for the New Testament as well?

Moving along, Jesus’ teaching—LOVE—-seems most appropriate for the
Valentine month.

In our past some in our fair county wanted the Ten Commandments on a
wall of the commissioners’ chamber in the Government Center. (Still there.)

So, I share a story of a UU and Jew. Both lovers of teaching, respectful of
one another, leaders of their spirit communities. Ben Kerns brought
Unitarianism to Klamath Falls; Paul Warshauer was the rabbi-figure for the Jewish community.

In 1997 Ben wrote a Letter to Editor. From our Archives:
“Recently a letter appeared in these columns stating that Thomas
Jefferson’s addition of freedom of religion to our Constitution did not mean that he would not allow prayer in the schools or the Ten Commandments on the walls. Jefferson was a Unitarian, as were four other of our presidents, and believed firmly in separation of church and state. He would not condone one religion’s prayers or the Christian Ten Commandments on the wall of a government building.”

Ben concluded quoting some Jefferson writings on the issue.

Paul responded, and was published September 4th:
“With great respect to Ben Kerns in his letter of Aug. 28, the Ten
Commandments are not Christian. They were given to the Hebrews (Jews) at Sinai by God and brought down the mountain by the great Jewish sage and leader, Moses. In point of fact, Moses delivered the commandments and the rest of the Hebrew Bible called the “Old Testament” by some for all humanity to learn from and utilize. So, Moses was one of us. For the record, Ben did call many of us in the Jewish community to apologize. Now that’s being a mensch (a good person who does good deeds). The rest of the letter was OK.

(signed) Paul Warshauer”

“NO VOICE WITHOUT ALL VOICES”
(That from the late William Stafford, Poet Laureate of Oregon and the USA.)

–Barbara Turk