Another 'Star' Ruins Credibility

For some reason, our country takes famous people's opinions seriously.

Mostly these famous people say things only mildly offensive or silly.

Case in point, Johnny Depp stated that the U.S. (and I'm paraphrasing here), was like a puppy, a little puppy that has to show his teeth.

That was enough for me not to go see Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, even though I would have loved to see it.

Add to the list Sean Penn, Kim Basinger, Alec Baldwin, Susan Sarandon, Tim Robbins, Kanye West and Green Day. The list goes on.

The thing about all of these people is that they are so out of touch with the Average American that has afforded them their lifestyle, not to mention the voice they now have.

It is hard for me to take when they bash the society that has afforded them their success and their voice.

And of course, part of that society The U.S. has created, allows the freedom to say all these things.

But now Madonna has pissed off her new religion, and they are like-wise free to speak against her.

JERUSALEM

A song on Madonna's upcoming album dedicated to a Kabbalist rabbi is drawing criticism from other rabbis, the Israeli Maariv daily reported Sunday.

The album, "Confessions on a Dance Floor," is to be released on Nov. 15 and features a track entitled "Isaac" about Yitzhak Luria, a 16th century Jewish mystic and Kabbalah scholar.

Rabbis who oversee Luria's tomb and a seminary in the northern town of Safed are unimpressed with Madonna's musical tribute and see the inclusion of the song about Luria on the album as an attempt by the pop star to profit from his name.

Rabbi Rafael Cohen, head of a seminary named after Luria, suggested Madonna's actions could lead to divine retribution.

"Jewish law forbids the use of the name of the holy rabbi for profit. Her act is just simply unacceptable and I can only sympathize for her because of the punishment that she is going to receive from the heavens," Cohen told the newspaper.

Another rabbi called for Madonna to be thrown out of the community.

"Such a woman brings great sin on kabbalah," Rabbi Israel Deri told Maariv. "I hope that we will have the strength to prevent her from bringing sin upon the holiness of the rabbi (Yitzhak Luria)."

Madonna spokeswoman Liz Rosenberg didn't immediately return a phone call seeking comment Sunday.

The singer and actress was raised a Roman Catholic but has become a follower of Kabbalah in recent years and adopted the Hebrew name Esther. She made a much publicized visit to Israel in 2004, when she visited many sites important to Kabbalah, but didn't travel to Luria's grave.

It's really sad, Kabbalah has been trivialized by Hollywood types like Madonna making it trendy.

How could it not be totally obvious that Madonna's interest in Kabbalah had little to do with spiritual enlightenment, and everything to do with her proving that she is more enlightened than the rest of us ignorant common folk?

Poor Madonna, she forgot to have her lawyers read the fine print, 'Jewish law forbids the use of the name of the holy rabbi for profit.'

Oh well, better luck on the next religion you exploit to keep yourself in the entertainment news.