In one week, faith shines after trust fades

Marty Latz
Special to Jewish News

The children's voices from the Shadow Rock Congregational Church rang liltingly throughout the cavernous ballroom at the Phoenix Civic Plaza. Their young sounds were followed later by the extraordinarily beautiful voice of Christian Scientist Isola Jones, a woman who sang the lead role more than 500 times in New York's Metropolitan Opera and performed with the likes of Placido Domingo and Luciano Pavarotti. Still later, the Arizona Mormon Tabernacle Choir regaled us with inspirational music uplifting to all.

Music and chants of Islam, Catholicism, Sikhs, Judaism, Hindus, Bah 'Ą, Nichiren Buddhism, and other Protestant denominations rounded out the program. "Voices of Faith," it was titled, and it was true. The Interfaith Action Coalition of Arizona sponsored it to help us better appreciate the beauty and music found throughout our religious institutions and to learn how music impacts these groups' worship experiences.

The interfaith coalition's mission, say its leaders, is to "bring about a unified effort among representatives of diverse faiths, cultures and socioeconomic backgrounds to work toward affirming the spiritual values and improving the moral condition of our community." What are those common spiritual values? Among others, The Golden Rule. Derived from the biblical commandment, "Love your neighbor as yourself" (Leviticus 19:18), this ideal, according to the coalition, "is contained in all our Holy Scriptures." Treat others as you would have them treat you.

An equally important event dealing with morality and values and discourse occurred last week. This one highlighted amoral values, destructive role models, and has greatly contributed to the increasing disintegration of discourse and trust in our national community. This one, of course, is The Golden Lie, our national embarrassment perpetrated by the most powerful man in the world, a man apparently unable to look us in the eye and tell the plain truth until forced.

If I sound like I feel personally betrayed, I do. I worked with the Clinton White House for several months in late 1994 and early 1995 and poured my heart and soul into helping this administration accomplish some very worthy policy goals. Now, President Clinton's recklessly stupid actions, poor judgment and inability to come clean have substantially eroded, if not destroyed, the president's moral authority and our confidence in the integrity of the leader of the free world.

Don't get me wrong, I don't absolve Chief Inquisitor Kenneth Starr of his role in this needlessly destructive process. This "independent" counsel's personal vendetta against the first family and his wholesale dive into the national gotcha game of politics has no relationship to the purpose for which he was appointed. No one forced him to request that his legal mandate be expanded to include possible lying in a civil sexual harassment lawsuit, and he shouldn't have. But there's simply no excuse for President Clinton's lies to us about his relationship with "that woman, Miss Lewinsky."

The contrast and example set by the Voices of Faith event couldn't be more apparent. The choir's voices sounded young, fresh, and pure. Their words preached love for their fellow human beings and sought peace for all. In a week dominated by a destructive national embarrassment, this young choir represented a beacon of hope.

Marty Latz is a Valley attorney and negotiation consultant. Anyone with comments can write to him via e-mail at mlatz@negot.com.

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In one week, faith shines after trust fades

Marty Latz Special to Jewish News

Marty Latz
Special to Jewish News