I was raised a Jew - the culture inevitably influences the way I think in a knee-jerk way. There are concepts from other religions and cultures that I find hard to wrap my head around because of this.
But in good conscience I couldn't call myself a plain Jew because I finally gave into the fact that I didn't believe in an old man in the sky watching everything we did. I don't remember who introduced me to the humanistic side of Judaism - it was something in passing, but humanism aligns nicely with my values and "beliefs," as it were.
http://www.shj.org/
I come from a group of people who've been shit on (and oftentimes chose to be shit on) for a damn long time, who drive themselves insane with the number of rules they try to follow and then sneakily try to get around in these modern days, whose sense of humor is unparalleled thanks to a deep and abiding love of the irony in the world. Despite what you hear about the fucknuts Chasidim, who are struggling against what they know is a fast-slipping tide into secularism, the emphasis Jewish parents place on their children about learning is something I'm grateful for. They're a group of survivors - sadness is always around the corner, but kvetching helps chase away at least some of the darkness.
hrugs:
Besides, our fearless leader never lets me forget that he wants to put me in his oven and turn me into cookies.
But in good conscience I couldn't call myself a plain Jew because I finally gave into the fact that I didn't believe in an old man in the sky watching everything we did. I don't remember who introduced me to the humanistic side of Judaism - it was something in passing, but humanism aligns nicely with my values and "beliefs," as it were.
http://www.shj.org/
I come from a group of people who've been shit on (and oftentimes chose to be shit on) for a damn long time, who drive themselves insane with the number of rules they try to follow and then sneakily try to get around in these modern days, whose sense of humor is unparalleled thanks to a deep and abiding love of the irony in the world. Despite what you hear about the fucknuts Chasidim, who are struggling against what they know is a fast-slipping tide into secularism, the emphasis Jewish parents place on their children about learning is something I'm grateful for. They're a group of survivors - sadness is always around the corner, but kvetching helps chase away at least some of the darkness.
hrugs: Besides, our fearless leader never lets me forget that he wants to put me in his oven and turn me into cookies.
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