Why do these sex harassment charges, if true, sink Herman Cain’s presidency?
What if a candidate dishonored his parents? Or stole computer software? Why is that not a big deal but sex harassment a big deal?
I think I know why — because America is a largely Protestant country. Protestantism is a religion of the heart (faith saves, not work) and is appalled at the natural passions such as sex outside of marriage.
Judaism is all works. Judaism and Jews consequently have a relaxed attitude about the dirty nature of the heart and of the natural passions. Judaism and Jews understand that virtually all healthy men lust for sex outside of marriage. If they act on it, it is a sin, but not necessarily more of a sin than eating non-kosher food or stealing software or dishonoring parents.
For Protestants and those influenced by the Protestant ethic, these sex harassment charges against Herman Cain are a big deal. For an Orthodox Jew trying to decide who to vote for, these charges don’t matter much.
Another natural passion that Jews are more relaxed about is the desire for honor. Jews accept that the natural man wants to be honored. Wants to feel like a big shot. And there’s nothing necessarily wrong with this desire. It is all about how you express it.
Protestants tend to be much more humble.
What is primary in Christianity — humility, chastity, faith, love, etc — is secondary in Judaism. What is primary in Judaism — obeying the laws of the religion — is secondary in Protestant Christianity.
