I am not impressed with Judaism

So before I begin, I need to make some firm disclaimers: I do not believe Jews are responsible for any of my economic woes. I do not feel threatened by Jews and it makes no difference to me if my neighbors or work colleagues are Jews. The holocaust was real.

I also have no strong opinion on the Israeli-Palestinian issue. There are other persecuted groups around the world especially in China and Myanmar and even here in my own country that are worthy of equal concern.

With that said, I am not impressed by Jewish culture. I have no curiosity to learn Hebrew and I believe the theology of Judaism is worthy of dismissal on an equal level with Christianity and Islam. Christians keep telling the story of Israel in the Bible and hence idolize the Jews in a way. And so that is another reason I'm not Christian either. If you are Christian, in principle you should not be anti-Semitic because you share your scriptures with them (the Old Testament) and Jesus was a Jew.

Now let me also be clear: there is a distinction to be made between Judaism as a religion and Judaism as a race. The Star of David represents the Jewish nation while the Menorah represents the religion. I have no issues with the Jews as a race, though I do question atheistic Jews for holding up their culture as a source of pride. It's the theology that I find bothersome and unworthy of praise. More on that further down.

It makes no difference to me that Einstein was a Jew or that Jews have longevity of cultural preservation or even that Jews are relatively better off economically. The theology is not the answer to obtain these things. The Chinese invented the clock, gunpowder, paper and print and many other things.

Now let's talk about the theology. All this talk of the Israelis being God's chosen people and the promised land is small thinking. Why is 1 finger of land in the Middle East the only thing that matters? It's as if the entire universe is one vast darkness and Israel is one pinprick of light in the darkness. I've read the first 5 books of the Old Testament that being the Torah and I am NOT impressed. The creation story is scientifically inaccurate, the Exodus is a myth and those descriptions of a Tabernacle and rituals of animal sacrifice makes no difference to the way I conduct myself in my day to day living.

True, Jews don't have much of a fire and brimstone message the way Christians and Muslims do. They are more focused on how to create the ideal life in THIS world. But their teaching to Gentiles is not worthy of my attention either.

The Jewish teaching to the world boils down to basically this: If everyone followed the Law of Moses, planet earth would achieve Utopia. Jews are BORN to be priests while Gentiles are to listen to their teachings. So... I can be a respectable second-class Gentile but NOT a priestly Jew? That's an insult in my book. Also, are you saying that if I refrain from work of Saturdays, eat Kosher and grow curly sideburns, we are one baby step closer to Utopia? Forgive me, but I don't believe that. True, technically I can convert to Judaism, but it's not like that is advertised and the outward message is still "You're not a priest, but you can be priest-like".

The last thing I want to say is the misuse of the tetragrammaton (God's name) shows no evidence of misfortune to my physical well being.

 

Jes are obviously NOT "God's Chosen". God gave the Jews unleavened bread ("manna") but gave the Irish Guinness Stout, leaving no doubt at all that the Irish are God's TRUE "Chosen People".

 

I doubt you'll find many Jews who have a problem with the above or would call you anti-Semitic for it. Hell, criticizing the Tanakh and the Talmud is a pretty common Jewish pastime.

 

Not sure why any religious person should care what anyone who isn't part of that religion thinks about their religion.

I think they are all silly, but no one should care what I think.

 

I think early on in their history, they were better than their neighbors because they didn't sacrifice babies and young children to their gods.

 

Yes, there are injustices in may places in the world.

However, the methods and depth of our support for Israeli atrocities against Palestinians is stark evidence of our US hypocrisy.

We loudly claim to the world that we stand for representative government, equality of people, rule of law, humanitarian behavior, etc.

But, our actions blatantly deny that.

One must remember that when Egypt had its revolution the US position was fully supportive of the Egyptian regime that was so objectionable that it brought on that revolution. The result was that western ideas of government were rejected by the people.

What we do compared to what we say has real impact. And, our deep and abiding military and political support for Israel's actions against Palestine (denying rule of law, denying representation, and their range of humanitarian atrocities) are well recognized throughout the world as being what America stands for.

 

I agree that the American government's unconditional support for Israeli atrocities, ethnic cleansing, land theft and war crimes is both hypocritical and repulsive.
However, I don't think that all the American people should be blamed for being knowingly complicit in these crimes because they have been professionally deceived by our MSM's egregious pro Israel bias and Israel's paid army of Hasbara trolls.

Americans are never told about the Israeli government's spying and theft of US Top Secrets, murder of American GIs, and obscene parasitism of the Israeli lobbies who manage to extract $ Billions each year from America's coffers that could be much better spent feeding and housing America's needy citizens.
AIPAC is just one of countless Israeli lobbies that even has the power over America's craven politicians to send Americans to die for Israel (1)

It is a tragic irony that rarely a day passes when Americans are treated to one inflated Holocaust myth after another. Unfortunately, few Americans have even heard of the Nakba where genocidal Zionist terrorist gangs massacred, raped and mutilated thousands of Palestine's native residents, stole their land and destroyed their homes.

Regrettably, the Nakba continues as Israel's Right Wing extremist Netanyahu regime continues its US subsidized ethnic cleansing and criminal land theft.

It's long past time for America to crate up our glut of grisly Holocaust theme parks and dump them on the Knesset stairs where the "lessons of the Holocaust" are most needed.

Thanks,



(1) “QUIETLY LOBBYING CONGRESS TO APPROVE THE USE OF FORCE IN IRAQ WAS ONE OF AIPAC’S SUCCESSES OVER THE PAST YEAR.”

AIPAC Executive Director Howard Kohr; N.Y. Sun, Jan. 2003

 

Well, in case a practicing Jew comes across this thread, I want to remove that perception that their preaching and example is prompting me to learn Hebrew (unlike the Jewish roots movement within Christianity) or go Kosher.

That does not make the theology true.

I'm not American and I don't care for Israeli politics. American politics, I would say I have a mild interest but not on this specific foreign policy issue.

 

I largely agree with what's written in your OP.

I am roughly equally unimpressed with Judaism, Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, animism, Scientology, etc. Is there a reason you wrote a thread about Judaism in particular?

 

Because I've made threads dismissing the truth claims of other religions in the past. It was the turn of Judaism.

I may be misunderstanding them, but I often get the impression of a smug attitude from practicing Jews of how they are THE shining example of piety to the Gentiles. I want to strike down that claim as I've noticed some Christians (those who study the Jewish roots of the religion) seem to look upon Jews with a kind of awe. I have no admiration for Jewish culture.

 

Jews never preach to non-Jews.

You're not impressed with Judaism for all the wrong reasons, me thinks, but it's your right not to be impressed. Keep it up!

 

Frankly, I'm surprised. Someone as intelligent as you are should be impressed with religions, which are the product of millennia of human thought, creativity, hankering, fears, hopes.

 

I've never understood why there is so much discussion about Jews.
They're just a harmless religious group, no more, no less.

Some conspiracy idiots think Jews secretly rule the world.
Hitler also believed in much anti-Semitic nonsense and therefore wanted to eradicate the "Jewish Race".

 

Your choice of interests is, of course, up to you but I believe that if there is a WW 3, it will be because of events in the Middle East.

As far back as the Làvon Affair, Israel has initiated False Flag attacks in an attempt to get America to attack Israel's enemies.

AIPAC has been pushing America to attack Iran for years.

Thanks,

 

imho, Judaism can be considered a major issue today, as it is the foundation claimed by the government of Israel for its continuing war on Palestine - a war that we of the USA are deeply involved in assuring or even promoting its continuation, both through political means and through our massive arms donations to Israel.

This is a major issue as it involves questions of what it is that America stands for.

 

Yes, there is a division between Judaism as a world religion and the state of Israel, a state that takes action based on its politics and its form of government.

 

They don't preach directly like street preachers, but they are very happy to make TV and Internet documentaries giving Synagogue tours and showing Jewish families sharing a Passover meal. One Jewish lady was speaking on camera about how proud she is of her culture. On top of that, Orthodox Jews wear their religion on their sleeve.

Jews are a relatively small religious group, but many Christians look upon them with admiration (especially those Christians who make Bibles with Hebrew terms brought back like 'Adonai' and rearrange the books to the order of the Jewish Tanakh. I'm thinking of the Tree of Life translation) when really there is not much to admire. Hebrew lacks the letter J so what makes their script so special anyway? I suppose you can say that I'm speaking more to Christians who DO preach than I am to Jews themselves. The Exodus is a Jewish story that I have been told repeatedly growing up and I'm here to say that I'm not prompted to be more pious because of that story.

"Be like King David. Be like Moses" to which I say "No"

 

Your total lack of proof concerning any of these BS allegations is noted.

 

If you dislike Christianity to begin with then it should not be the tiniest bit surprising that you would be "not impressed with Judaism".

 

The Jewish religion basically boils down to "The Law", God's instructions (to the Hebrews) written down.
It expanded a little bit with "The Prophets", who had a message that almost set the tone for the beginning of Christianity.
Then of course the Talmud, which was an expansion of "The Law" and an elaborate interpretation of it, although it does not hold the same weight as "The Law" itself.

 

I don't get involved in religious discussions much. Religion is a private matter and way too personal fo open discussion. And there's little chance that anyone will change their minds about anything. But I will say I'm a booster of Israel I have worked closely with them on many USA defense projects, including a Stinger Missile training simulator they designed and built for us. I was sent to live in Israel for months as an SME (Subject Matter Expert) to assist them. I found the Israelis to be friendly, intelligent, fun, professional and great folks. And Israeli food is miles ahead of any "traditional Jewish" foods I had experienced at home in the States.

 

I think the OP was pretty clear that he wasn't driving the thread off the international conflicts, he points for instance to Myanmar and China as areas that would be worthy of equal concern from that point of view.

Then again, I guess it depends on what you mean by major. Christianity and Islam are also integral to political, international, ideological issues, even individual denominations are, and it's not immediately clear to me how much of the Israel issue is driven from theology and culture, but I guess if your category of "major" is wide enough, I guess it can go there.

 

How so? There are plenty of things that are the result of such things, that I'm not particularly impressed with.

 

Good point, but I do likes me some Manischewitz Kosher Elderberry or Concord Grape wine.

 

Jesus praised the Hebrew Scriptures. Aside from groups that are far, far smaller than Jews themselves (I've met two modern Marcionites. There may even be 100 or so out there, but likely not more than that), Christians revere the Hebrew Scriptures and see them as reflective of their God.