The Gospel According To Ben

Future law school dropout Ben Shapiro needs to brush up on the concept of "the hypothetical" before September. Opining on the attempt of right-wing Catholics to excommunicate pro-choice pols -- but only those who've committed the mortal sin of Democratism -- Father O'Shapiro writes:

The purpose of religion is to set a standard for values and actions undertaken by that religion's adherents. If a religion ceases to punish breaches of its moral system, that religion loses all credibility.

Take Judaism, for example. Let's say that Sen. Joe Lieberman decides to endorse abortion on demand. Now, Joe decides that he doesn't want his rabbi condemning him for contravening Jewish law. "Hey, rabbi," he says. "Let's just forget about my little abortion problem. I don't want to get excommunicated. And if you excommunicate me, and I revise my abortion ideas, all those Jew haters will say: 'Look at those Jews in Congress. They don't care about America, just about their rabbi.'"

Let's say, my spotted Irish ass. Lieberman already has endorsed "abortion on demand." And he's said his position is consistent with his faith.

In fact, Shapiro has already written about that fact. Last year, the V.B. characterized Lieberman as "saying that on-demand abortion is permitted by the Torah." So what the fuck is Shapiro talking about now?

Why doesn't Shapiro just come out for the excommunication of Lieberman instead of kibitzing on the Catholics' little fish fry? Be a man, Benny. Don't you lose all credibility by failing to demand Lieberman's bare-assed spanking, rabbinical-style?

Update (5/24): J. Shawn Landres at Religion & Society provides some clarifying details about Judaism and excommunication.