Do you agree with the Rabbi's opinion of Madonna?

[Lanshark]

Rabbi calls Madonna 'slut'

Knight Ridder Newspapers
Published on: 06/03/04


Not everyone is impressed that Madonna has re-invented herself, reports MSNBC.com.

Rabbi Shmuley Boteach, the former friend and adviser to Michael Jackson, has attacked the Material Mom, calling her a "slut" and a "vulgarian."

In a startling essay for SomethingJewish.Co.UK, the Rabbi blasts Phillip Berg, the head of the Kabbalah Centre, for letting the Material Girl be the religion's highest-profile spokesperson.

"Earth to Phillip Berg: Do us all a favor and dump Madonna as your principal spokesperson," Boteach writes. "Sorry to be so crass, but Madonna is a slut. Yes, she may sing, and she may dance. But she is famous for being a slut. And no religion dare have a slut as its principal representative."

He goes on to say: "Was the Kabbalah Centre really so desperate that it is prepared to promote itself through a vulgarian whose main contribution to the culture is porn rock?"

Not surprisingly, Madonna's rep reacted strongly.

"I find Rabbi Boteach's comments regarding Madonna frightening," said Liz Rosenberg. "His vile attacks on her character and as an artist are staggering for someone who professes to be a religious person. ... I suggest this man take a look at his own character and what problems he may have that would make him feel that he should make statements about a truly beautiful human being that he does not know in the slightest."

 

[Briar Rose 7457]

Madonna keeps reinventing herself. she's been known to push the envelope more than once. who else but Madonna would have the nerve to make a coffetable book called "Sex"?

Rabbi boteach comes from the ultra Orthodox world where modesty is very highly valued.


Madonna, with her raunchy performances, is not the ideal candidate to the poster girl for Kabbala. but I feel the Rabbi's words are more than a bit harsh.

as an aside -- I find it a bit strange that celebrities are studying Jewish mysticism without having a good grasp of mainstream Judaism. Britney Spears, for example, is reported to have had had no idea that Kabbal had any connection to Jewish thought!

 

[WDWisTheBest]

Rabbi Boteach certainly has a point. Madonna has made a big point about the Kabbalah Centre being a major impact on her life as she gets older.

Did anyone ever see the music videos that Madonna has made over the years?

 

[katerkat]

I don't think any religion should use a celebrity spokeperson. Yeah, they get all into it when they start - but how many religions has Madonna followed over the years? And after all, didn't the Catholic Church in England or somewhere have Britney as the Spokes-Virgin? Um, that didn't work out too well, didn't it?

And like BR, I also think it's odd how these celebrities get all into a religion without knowing anything about it. Like Sting and Tantrism - talk about a total misuse of a religion!

 

[The Mystery Machine]

I think Madonna has a "public persona" and her "real" persona.

Like Britney Spears claimed to be all "sugar and spice" but in real life was a boozing, smoking gal. Madonna is the opposite.

It is what is behind closed doors that counts and really no one knows everybody's "thing". Yes her profession and the religion she touts is like having a prostitute teach abstinence but what counts is that people are allowed freedom to choose and the Rabbi is free to comment.

 

[Kallison]

I'm a bit surprised a man of his stature used the word "slut". You think he could have used a more mature and intelligent term to get his point across.

 

[MosMom]

Madonna has also changed quite a bit after becoming a mother. Most of us do things we look back at and cringe a little. Who is this Rabbi to judge her and call her names. He should be pleased that she is improving herself through Kabbalah.

Whether or not the religion should have a celebrity spokesperson is another matter. What the Rabbi said was regarding her personally and if those two were on the debate board, the Rabbi might be getting a stern warning on personal attacks.

 

[Briar Rose 7457]

the Rabbi's comments were aimed at the leader of the Kabbalah Center -- I don't think anyone would deny Madonna the right to learn Kaballah if that's what she wants, but should the Kabbalah Center exploit her participation in their program given her public persona? I think the Rabbi's right on that issue.

 

[MHopkins2]

Originally posted by Briar Rose 7457
the Rabbi's comments were aimed at the leader of the Kabbalah Center -- I don't think anyone would deny Madonna the right to learn Kaballah if that's what she wants, but should the Kabbalah Center exploit her participation in their program given her public persona? I think the Rabbi's right on that issue.

Are they exploiting her participation? Or is she just talking about it on her own accord, because (among her many other fine qualities), she's a very vocal woman? Seriously asking, since I haven't really followed this - is she an "official spokesmodel of" or just a "vocal participant in?"

 

[Joeblack]

Madonna is not the kind of example I want for my daughter nor the kind of woman I would ever even have dated. That being said, she is a marketing and self-re-invention genius and deserves all her fortune and fame.

I think the Rabbi's comments are true but maybe he should have kept them to himself.

 

[Disney Doll]

Frankly, the rabbi has a right to his opinion, and the right to voice his opinion, as do the rest of us.

I am amused at the level of indignation Madonna's spokesperson brought forth. I odn't recall anyone telling Madonna that she should "look at her own character to figure out why she would focus so much on sex" when she was in that very sexual "phase" of her career.

Cry me a river...Madonna "chose" to create her various personas, and so must live with the consequences of those choices. As far as being a "truly beautiful perosn"... I have no way of knowing that, since the "Madonna" I know is the one she created.

Perhaps as she has matured and found a religion that brings her peace and comfort, she has come to regret some of her earlier decisions?

 

[Lanshark]

It's his right to voice his opinion just like it's her right to voice her opinions. She has spent a career making "In your face" moves with her career. Many of her songs, videos and stage performances have rebelled against organized religion. Now she is older and has children of her own maybe she has mellowed. Maybe she doesn't want her children exposed to some of the garbage she made millions peddling to youth. I hope she has found peace and contentment through whatever religion she has become involved with. I would not take seriously, any religion, where Madonna was considered the spokesperson. It would take away credibility.

 

[Tiggeroo]

Madonna lives in a free country. So she is free to make the videos she does, sing the songs she does, etc.. and make money off of it. But with everything there are consequences. I would say she is strongly lacking in the fundamentals of Judaism if she can't see why some Jewish leaders would have a problem with her as a spokesperson. It just seems she is narrowminded if she cannot see a problem with this. I have done things in my past which might make me a poor candidate for certain things. And I'm not a public figure. I'm saying this even though I like Madonna.
I find her changes since motherhood interesting. It seems as though her conservative Italian Catholic upbringing are going to affect the way she raises her dd. She may not want her dd to pose in things like Madonna's book.
Just out of curiousity, what is the Caballa's relationship to Judaism, mainstream and conservative?

 

[Briar Rose 7457]

Kabbalah is Jewish mysticism, traditionally not taught until a person reaches the age of 40 and has completed his studies of Torah (bible) and Talmud (commentary),