The Left Hand of God: Taking Back Our Country from the Religious Right

by Michael Lerner

The unholy alliance of the Political Right and the Religious Right threatens to destroy the America we love. It also threatens to generate a popular aversion to God and religion by identifying religious values with a pro-war, pro-business, pro-rich, anti-science, and anti-environmental stance. Over the past few decades, the Republicans have achieved political dominance by forging a union with the Religious Right. This marriage has provided a sanctimonious veneer for policies that have helped the rich get richer while ignoring the needs of the middle class and the poor, dismantling environmental and civil liberties protections, and seeking global domination. The Right champions the materialism and ruthless selfishness promoted by unrestrained capitalism and then laments the moral crises of family instability and loneliness experienced by people who bring these commercial values into their homes and personal lives. In response, the Religious Right offers insular communities for the faithful and a culture that blames liberals, activist judges, homosexuals, independent women, and all secular people for the moral and spiritual emptiness so many Americans experience. Yet, however distorted both the Right's analysis and its solutions to America's spiritual crisis may be, it wins allegiance by addressing the human hunger for a life with some higher purpose. The Left, by contrast, remains largely tone-deaf to the spiritual needs of the American people. It is the yearning for meaning in life, not just the desire for money or power, that lies at the core of American politics. Addressing the central mystery of contemporary politics -- why so many Americans vote against their own economic interests -- The Left Hand of God provides an invaluable, timely, and blunt critique of the current state of faith in government. Lerner challenges the Left to give up its deeply held fear of religion and to distinguish between a domination-oriented, Right-Hand-of-God tradition and a more compassionate and hope-oriented Left-Hand-of-God worldview. Further, Lerner describes the ways that Democrats have misunderstood and alienated significant parts of their potential constituency. To succeed again, Lerner argues, the Democratic Party must rethink its relationship to God, champion a progressive spiritual vision, reject the old bottom line that promotes the globalization of selfishness, and deal head-on with the very real spiritual crisis that many Americans experience every day. Lerner presents a vision that incorporates and then goes far beyond contemporary liberal and progressive politics. He argues for a new bottom line in our economy, schools, and government. This is a fundamentally fresh approach, one that takes spiritual needs seriously in our economic and political lives. Presenting an eight-point progressive spiritual covenant with America, Lerner provides a blueprint for how the Democratic Party can effectively challenge the Right and position itself to win the White House and Congress. By appealing to religious, secular, and spiritual but not necessarily religious people, The Left Hand of God blazes a trail that could change our world and reclaim America from the Religious Right.

Genres: Politics, Nonfiction, Religion, Spirituality, Theology, Cultural

416 pages, Hardcover

First published February 7, 2006

About the author

Michael Lerner was an American political activist, the editor of Tikkun, a progressive Jewish interfaith magazine based in Berkeley, California, and the rabbi of Beyt Tikkun Synagogue in Berkeley.

Reviews

[Robert · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was really, really inspired by this book. It was a deeply affirming read. I basically share Rabbi Lerner's vision of a politics of meaning based on love and hope. In the second half of the book Lerner details various policy proposals for a spiritual progressive movement.

This is the sort of book I have to go back and re-read, taking notes this time. My hope has been strengthened by being exposed to Lerner's vision. Even before starting this book, I have made it a personal mission to build a spiritual progressive group in Tucson. Now I am aware that a larger movement exists sharing that mission.

Keep in mind that I say this as, basically, an agnostic. And, specifically, as an atheist in regard to a "Creator God". By spirituality (in the past I used the word mysticism to communicate this point, but it seems "spirituality" is being more popularly used in this context) I simply mean a connection to something greater than my self. I am referencing the transcendental experience, and especially the sort of rapture and ecstasy which cannot fully be reduced to words and logic.

And I am a great lover of analysis and reason. However, I also understand that the map is not the territory, the menu is not the meal, and whatever I say something *is* it is not. Logic and reason are not analogous to reality. They remain tools that I will always admire and even embody, but I will not give them dominion over my whole psyche. I aspire, with all my imperfections and knowing full well I will often fail to do so at all times, to give love that dominion.

I believe, deeply, that this is what is missing on the Left.

As Lerner puts it, liberals tend to want to argue from the high ground of rationality. As if all the facts prove them right. All too often, we fail to acknowledge that there is indeed an ideology that attracts us to certain facts, just as is the case with conservatives. But conservatives are not shy about their vision, and this gives them a power that the Left has yet to fully embrace. However, when liberals do embrace that vision, the effect upon society has been transformative.

The next step, again as articulated by Lerner, is in reembracing that vision. Only this time, when we embark on the inner struggle to be the change that we seek in the world, we must have forgiveness for ourselves and others for falling short of that ideal. Only by developing that culture of repentance and forgiveness will we be able to remain vital and not burn out in the greater struggle for justice in our communities, in our nation, and on Earth.

[Libertine · Rating 2 out of 5]

I wanted to like this book, I really did. Thought the author has some good ideas, he ruined the book with a repetitious and rambling writing style that made it very hard for me to wade through this wordy morass and actually finish it.

The author, a rabbi, challenges the idea that religious conservatives have the corner on spiritual values that are relevant to politics. Religious conservative ideas, which conform to the financial bottom line, are what Lerner calls the "Right Hand of God". He asserts that liberals should not abandon the spiritual perspective on politics to the right wing, and they should reclaim the ethical high ground that religious liberals in the past, such as Martin Luther King, espoused.

Most of his ideas I agree with, such as restructuring the workplace so that we work to live rather than live to work, universal health care, legislation that would compel corporations to operate more responsibly in regards to the environment and in relation with their employees, and so on. And, interestingly enough, Rabbi Lerner agrees with me that the government should get out of the marriage business, though I found his solution of turning legal marriage into "civil unions" for everyone, while "marriage" would be a private, religious matter to be only a partial answer. Still, however, it is a step in the right direction.

Lerner has some good ideas if you don't mind cutting through all the verbosity -- this book could have been edited to one third its length and still retained all the important points. However, I highly recommend that readers pass on buying it and get it from the library instead.

[Marybeth Hoesterey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rabbi Lerner gives scholarly and compassionate information on Right and Left hands of God. He does not stop with history, but leaves us with a thorough list of “To Do’s” to be part of the needed revolution

[César (pronounced with a Polish accent) · Rating 2 out of 5]

I agree with his overall plan. Good ideas, practical, gets to the underlying core of the problem. Just sounded, however, a little too hipster and goat yoga for me.

[Rachel · Rating 3 out of 5]

A slog at times, but an interesting and important read around the time of the 2024 Presidential election.

[Dan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was written at the end of George W. Bush’s presidency, so it is interesting to apply the author’s recommendations to the political elections that have transpired since 2006. He has interesting recommendations for trying to get the Left’s attention on the fact that historically they have ignored spiritual issues in the last 45 years (last time was probably during Jimmy Carter’s presidency). The author recognizes that there is a large section in the middle of the electorate on both sides that want recognition for spiritually in a party’s platform.

The chapter on “Fear vs Hope” is interesting considering the mood of the country in 2006. We were still in a fear mood because of the 9/11 attacks. The author thought that the Bush administration had over-reacted. Then Barak Obama comes out with his book “The Audacity of Hope,” which seems to fit right into the authors recommendation of how to get people’s attention, after years of fear they were looking for hope.

The vision for the Left Hand of God is often described as the language of women. The Hebrew word for compassion is rachamim, from the Hebrew word for womb, rechem. Providing a vision of love and kindness, displayed in the mothering we receive during our early years. At that age children can die if they do not receive love and physical contact. The author also presents a different viewpoint then the Right has on the Bible’s text on homosexuals.

Part of the Left’s problem is they ridicule anyone that votes republican and considers them idiots. Sounds like the left needs to little polishing on their sales pitch. The Left has issues like the environment, LBGQT and women’s rights that they champion, but they do not have a comprehensive agenda. They seem more concerned about grabbing power then about understanding the needs of the average American. The author points out the irony that when the Left feels that churches are not progressive, they forget the black churches were the ones who lead the civil rights changes of the 1960s.

It is interesting when the author provides some background on the Clinton campaign of 1992. He tells of the first speech that Hillary gave as First Lady. She connected with people on a spiritual level, in much the way this author has recommended. It is sad that she didn’t stay the course as she moved forward. If she had stayed course in the fashion of “Leading Like a Woman” rather than as a man, she would have had a better connection with the American public in the 2016 election.

[John Stockman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book! Deals with the topic of spirituality and the militant right wing agenda, namely the concept of "just war"

not by any means definitive, but compelling nontheless...

the author is involved with the network of spiritual progressives, whos camp i would consider myself a part of. you can check them out at www.tikkun.org...

[Aldafan · Rating 2 out of 5]

I ALMOST finished it. There was much I liked such as having a government based on hope, not fear and moving away from our culture of Materialism. But toward the end it got a bit utopian for me and I just got bored. Too many other books I want to read.

[Basmah]

got it as a birthday present. . .just gettin ready to read it

[Elizabeth Fuller · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the most important books I've read in a long time. Gives me hope for our political future that I haven't felt in years.

[Shane · Rating 2 out of 5]

I enjoy politics, but this was a bit too partisan for me. The concept of "The Left Hand of God" was interesting, but became too tainted in political i-told-you-so-isms.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

this book really challenged my cynicism about the possibility of real social change. very interesting.

[Marianne V · Rating 4 out of 5]

While Lerner is so wordy that he is slow reading, this book still had much to say about why people fall for the religious right posture.

[Rodney Hinds · Rating 3 out of 5]

This one is still not finished and probably will not be finished. It is a little out of date and would be a good read for politicos.