Are the religious leaders to day just like the pharisees in Jesus day?

Some are and some are not. It is always wise to seek what is the truth and check if it is aligned with the Word of God

Judaism doesn't focus on pharisees or saducees. That's a Christian focus. Judaism is a complex developed religion, where labels like that don't map well at all.

The Pharisees were all about the little person & doing right & freedoms & liberties, not catering to the Roman power structure. (The NT has it backwards, according to what people tell me is in there.)

Hillel was a Pharisee & his famous line is "do not do unto others what you would not have done to you. That is the whole of Torah, now go & study."

Jesus if anything would have been part of that group that included Hillel.

The Talmudic writers probably leaned more on the Pharisee concepts that were popular during the Pharisee time & were handed down, more than on the other groups at the time.

You mean rabbis who passionately discuss the meanings of the laws and how they apply to life? If there's any truth behind the gospels at all, historical Jesus *was* a pharisee and probably associated with the Hillel school.

Do you mean populists with day jobs who encouraged widespread literacy and education? And refused to allow Roman religious practices like the worship of incarnate deities into Judaism.

The question you should be asking is why so many people believe 1st century political propaganda like it was 'Gospel truth'.

Some are, some aren't. Don't lump everybody into one basket, or you will be guilty of being a pharisee as well. (The pharisees were quick to judge based on outward appearances, without trying to understand a person's heart or motives.)

In fact, Jesus said, "You HYPOCRITE! Remove the BEAM from your OWN eye before you try to remove the speck from some one Else's!"

So, I'm not going to be one to point a finger as your question implies that YOU do, because every time you point your finger at some one else, you have three other fingers on the very same hand, pointing right back at yourself!

I'd say the main-line churches and Catholics have many Pharisee type leaders especially those who into sin.

Jesus held the Pharisees in high regard.

Jesus even stated, "For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven."

Since no one knows exactly what the Pharisees were like in the time of Christ, it is difficult if not impossible to say one way or the other, but human nature being what it is. many probably are.

No ! They lie more now a days ! The pharisees just guessed about things ! tg

As hard as it is to say yes. They seem to judge the person and the acts of the flesh rather than relying on the act of the Christ.