What religion or non are you?

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Well, what you just mentioned about Judaism, Christianity and Islam is one reason why you can't classify 3 as Judaism. I know history says that Christianity and Islam branched off of Judaism, which is OP-s main argument. But given that both Christianity and Islam has far more members than Judaism, it is no longer appropriate to view Judaism as a generic name of the entire category. Thus, it is not appropriate to lump 3 with Judaism (as opposed to Christianity and Islam) either.

I suspect there might be some Levite in my maternal ancestry, but I have no way to verify that.

Shalom

According to stats, at least half of the world Jewry is in USA. Now do the math:

1) The number of humanists in USA is greater than the number of Jews in USA

2) The number of humanists in the world is greater than the number of humanists in USA

THEREFORE

3) The number of humanists in the world is greater than the number of Jews in USA

BUT

4) The number of Jews in USA is equal to the half of the number of Jews in the world

THEREFORE

5) The number of humanists in the world is greater than half of the number of Jews in the world

Well, true, it can be greater than 1/2 and still less than 1. But 1/2 is a significant number, so you should NOT lump world's humanists with world's Jews.

So if everyone in your family are either Jewish or atheists, how did you become Christian? Was it some influence from outside of your family, or did you do that completely on your own?

That would be an atheist.

I expressly do not believe in that God. An option for "Deist" would probably be useful.

People who compose the tribe of Judah are those descended from Judah (son of Jacob). The term, "Jew" was first used in Kings and it was a derogatory term that referred to the Southern Kingdom. The Southern Kingdom was composed of Levi, Judah, and Benjamin. Most modern day Jews are very likely descended from these three tribes that made up the southern kingdom. I keeps the Feasts of YHWH (notice that I do not call them the Feasts of the Jews). This starts with Pasach (Passover or preparation day for the festival of unleavens), Unleavens, Shavout (Pentacost), Yom Teruah (Day of Trumpets known to Jews as Rosh Hoshanna), Yom Kippur (Day of attonement), Sukkote (Feast of Tabernacles), and Shemini Atzeret ("8th Day Solomn Assembly). I also keep the Sabbath (Friday evening to Saturday evening). I also eat clean foods as defined in Leviticus. Israels includes those who are physically descended from Jacob (regardless of skin color) as well as those who have taken on the Israelite customs and faith. They are to be treated equally, and yes, that includes Blacks, Asians, and others. Israel was not given a position of privilege but rather a position of RESPONSIBILITY. Israel (all of the tribes) is supposed to be a blessing for all mankind.

People who compose the tribe of Judah are those descended from Judah (son of Jacob). The term, "Jew" was first used in Kings and it was a derogatory term that referred to the Southern Kingdom. The Southern Kingdom was composed of Levi, Judah, and Benjamin. Most modern day Jews are very likely descended from these three tribes that made up the southern kingdom. I keeps the Feasts of YHWH (notice that I do not call them the Feasts of the Jews). This starts with Pasach (Passover or preparation day for the festival of unleavens), Unleavens, Shavout (Pentacost), Yom Teruah (Day of Trumpets known to Jews as Rosh Hoshanna), Yom Kippur (Day of attonement), Sukkote (Feast of Tabernacles), and Shemini Atzeret ("8th Day Solomn Assembly). I also keep the Sabbath (Friday evening to Saturday evening). I also eat clean foods as defined in Leviticus. Israels includes those who are physically descended from Jacob (regardless of skin color) as well as those who have taken on the Israelite customs and faith. They are to be treated equally, and yes, that includes Blacks, Asians, and others. Israel was not given a position of privilege but rather a position of RESPONSIBILITY. Israel (all of the tribes) is supposed to be a blessing for all mankind.

So if modern Jews are descendants of the three southern kingdoms, which include Judah, and you say you are also descendant of Judah, does it mean you are a Jew? In particular, from secular demographic perspective, are you considered a Jew? Did your parents consider themselves Jewish? If not, what is your ethnicity?



While you, yourself, don't subscribe to any denomination, do you attend a church? If so, what denomination is that church?

[quote="cyberscan" Israels includes those who are physically descended from Jacob (regardless of skin color) as well as those who have taken on the Israelite customs and faith. They are to be treated equally, and yes, that includes Blacks, Asians, and others. Israel was not given a position of privilege but rather a position of RESPONSIBILITY. Israel (all of the tribes) is supposed to be a blessing for all mankind.[/quote]

I know that, as long as you are descendant of Jacob, skin color won't change anything. However, it can still be true that most descendents of Jacob happened to have a certain skin color. In particular, if you are a descendant of Jacob who is black, you are still Israelite. But the question is, are there descendants of Jacob who are black? And if there are, how many? There were a lot of studies done that subscribe to different points of view on the issue. Some claim that Israelites are mostly of European descent; some claim they are mostly of African descent. Of course, logically you can combine the two and say they are mixed. So what do you believe?

I could never wrap my mind around the concept of a personal god. Certainly not the omniscient and omnipotent deity of the exoteric Judeo-Christian faiths. I deliberately left out god's supposed omnibenevolence according these faiths, because there really is no consensus on that among Judeo-Christian belief systems or individual believers. Existence being what it is, omnipotence and omnibenevolence seem logically incompatible no matter how you slice it. So...I define myself as an atheist because while I don't claim to be CERTAIN there's no such thing as a personal god, I really see no strong reasons to BELIEVE in such a being. If there is a personal god, I really doubt *it's* characteristics are reasonably similar to those the Roman Catholic Church (for one example) ascribes to it. If there is any form of consciousness in existence which does not have it's origins in a physical entity (like a brain ofcourse), i'd guess it's something akin to the "absolute" of Herbert Spencer.

Or...the "All" of the Hermeticists, the chinese concept of the Tao, the Ain Soph of the Kabbalah, Parabrahmam of the Hindus, the "thrice-great darkness" (this is perhaps where the Hebrew kabbalists derived their concept of "the three negative veils of existence" and Ain Soph is one of the three) of the ancient Egyptians, etc.....


This is a "no-thing-ness" which would be beyond all limitations and dualities....including humankind's beloved "good and evil". It is infinite, ineffable and can't be seen as anything other than pure consciousness stripped of all other attributes. If it exists....it simply IS.

At any rate....as fascinating as it is to me....I ultimately can't conceive of ANY form of consciousness which doesn't originate in a physical entity. I don't think that's so unusual, mystics the world over have always claimed "the absolute" transcends ordinary human reason. And ordinary human reason seems to be the only form of reason i'm capable of. Thus....I remain firmly grounded in scientific materialism and if there is something *more* to reality...so be it. If there is.....it sure as hell doesn't seem to do me, or billions of other humans, any good.

Christian fundamentalist in training, who happens to have issues with congragational groups. They humanise God, and his Angels, including some fallen ones. They have placed ideas of material objects in discussions of heaven or hell, as if there were never any figurative meanings in the first place. Those are just two ideas floating in my oppinion, anyway.

Oh, and I also believe in ghosts, some curses, and can accept the idea of extra terrestrials. I believe phsychicks exist, but some fake ones make them look stupid.

Last edited by LiendaBalla on 27 Oct 2009, 9:00 pm, edited 2 times in total.

I don't believe in any religious stuff but I sometimes wish I did. I tried to learn and follow Buddhism a few years ago because I like some of the ideas. I also think I'd like to be a Bhikkhuni.

I'm a "Jewitch" (Jewish witch). I practice solitary eclectic Wicca, but I was raised Jewish and my Jewish heritage is important to me so I incorporate aspects of those beliefs and into my faith.

As a Jewish witch, have you been fascinated with the Curses that are being pronounced during the Jewish excommunication ceremony, which is called "cherem" (see http://oregonstate.edu/instruct/phl302/ ... curse.html ) Imagine a dark room with candles and a deep, slow voice reading these Curses. Don't you think there is alluring mysticism to it? And do you think that, irnoically, it might actually have a positive effect on a cursee by enhancing their spiritualty?

It is kind of like a hemlock that they gave to Socrates. On the one hand it was a poison, but, on the other hand, as any other herb, it had some vitamins. So perhaps a Curse is spiritual poison with some spiritual vitamins, don't you think?

Last edited by Roman on 27 Oct 2009, 9:29 pm, edited 1 time in total.

Agnostic.

It is quite fascinating, I love learning about Jewish mysticism.



Hmmm, perhaps!