Jew
Posted on: Sat, 2006-09-23 11:09
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Jew
I have been angered by people. People who say that because they had jews in their past ancestry that they are "half-jewish" or something of the sort. My question is, how can you be half jewish? How can you be half of any religion? no one has jewish blood. People say hitler was "half-jewish" . Well, I am an atheist, my mother is catholic, my father is methodist, i think. Not sure. He seems to me like an agnostic atheist or christian. His reasoning isnt strong at all. but no one says i am half-catholic or half-methodist. Why do people say that??? It seems so incredibly irrational.
Well, Jews are sometimes considered an ethnic group, so they might just mean they're from Isreal... There is such thing as a secular jew, it's no big deal.
they wouldnt be a jew, they would be an isrealite
It pretty much means the same... It sure is nonsensical though.
I think you're taking a rather simplistic view of what it means to be Jewish. Obviously, it is not a race, but the fact that many non-religious Jews consider themselves Jews shows us that it is more than just a religion. In fact, the Jewish definition of a Jew is "one whose mother is Jewish." There is no doubt that being a Jew is unique from being apart of other religions.
The word "Jew" kind of lost it's meaning. Jews are considered an ethno-religious group by most.
[quote=FroMagnon]I think you're taking a rather simplistic view of what it means to be Jewish. Obviously, it is not a race, but the fact that many non-religious Jews consider themselves Jews shows us that it is more than just a religion. In fact, the Jewish definition of a Jew is "one whose mother is Jewish." There is no doubt that being a Jew is unique from being apart of other religions.[/quote]
I'm going to have to agree with the end of that there. I have a friend who's atheist, but who's mother and father are jews, so he's still considered a jew to his parents and everyone else.
I still dont think their jews. Just because the other jews think they are jews doesnt mean they are. My mom is catholic and she sometimes says i am too. You just arent jewish. No matter what you think. Just because the majority thinks so doesnt mean its true, if that was true god would be real.
[b]Jew[/b]
[b]1.one of a scattered group of people that traces its descent from the Biblical Hebrews or from postexilic adherents of Judaism; Israelite.[/b]
In that sense, they are.
[b]
2.a person whose religion is Judaism.[/b]
In that sense, they aren't.
simple :P
As already mentioned, The Jewish definition of a Jew is someone who either..
1. Has a Jewish Mother
2. Formally converts to Judaism
Whilst there is a secular/humanistic jewish movement, it is sort of based on false premises.. I mean, the definition of a Jew is based on the Torah and Talmud, which is pure dogma. A secularist who says, "I'm a jew because the Torah says so" is no different than someone esle saying "God is real because the Torah says so".
Anyway that's my take... Here's an essay by someone who puts it rather nice.
http://www.dvorkin.com/essays/yinotjew.htm
You can be a Israelite Jew, a Chinese Jew, a Hungarian, Jew...etc. You can't be a Jewish Christian, or a Jewish Muslim (Technically).
[quote]You can be a Israelite Jew, a Chinese Jew, a Hungarian, Jew...etc. You can't be a Jewish Christian, or a Jewish Muslim (Technically).[/quote]
Well, that is a touchy subject... It is possible to be a Jew who accepts Jesus as the Moshiach (that is a messianic Jew). They still follow the law of Moses/
You can be a secular jew if you want.
After the enlightenment judaism definitely was turned from a religion into a way of life. ....It's like saying you're african, or canadian.
I think people treat religion as a family tradition thing. I'd say religion is what you believe (or disbelieve), not something like nationality or ethnicity. If my ancestor was from so-and-so country, I would have to be at least part so-and-so. If my parents were Arabic and Muslim, that does not make me born a Muslim, but it does make me part or fully Arabic. When I started to realize I was atheist I was ashamed because my parents had taught me I would always be Sikh because my family is. (I grew out of that and am now an avowed atheist though.)
To summarize, Jews are rude. It is the only religion that won't let you escape. BTW, I am TECHNICALLY a Jew, as my Great Great Great Grandmother was a Jew (moms all the way up). Nobody in the bloodline but her practiced it though.
I'd actually say that Islam is more difficult to escape than Judaism, I've met a few Jewish people in my life and none of them were practicing. But I think more telling is the latest statistic that says that only 30% of the Jewish population in the United States are "sure" that God exists.
It is probably harder to stop practicing and such in Islam, but my Brother will always introduce himself as a Jew, even though he is a soft Atheist. I guess he finds it funny. I will officially ask the Jew community to let me not be a Jew. Is that as rude as them forcing me into their psuedo- religious group?
my school is in Beverly Hills/Brentwood, California, so it''s about...70% Jewish(that's a guess) but very few people are actually devout practitioners. About 95% believe in God, but very few of them practice anything which could be remotely called judaism, just kosher.