What Judaism means to me

Segep · Maintenance Man Joined: 02 Jul 2007 Posts: 775 votes: 4

I have studied world religions for some time now, and in particular Judaism. Granted, the Rabbi I studied under is by no means conventional, but I respect him all the more for that. I am still a die-hard (militant?) agnostic, and that is perhaps the only thing that kept me from officially converting. I admit I don't really know if God exists or not, so I am reluctant to give Him my word that I will follow His laws and become one of His people (and wtf is that about anyway?)

Here's what made me fall in love with Judaism.

Y'Israel.

Translation: Wrestles with God.

You see, there is a story in the Bible about a man named Jacob who wrestled with an angel for an entire night (I don't know the particulars, so don't bug me about it) and when the sun rose the next day, the Angel gave Jacob the name of Y'Israel, which means "Wrestles with God". For me that is what it is all about.

God may (or may not) be the Creator of the Universe, but that doesn't necessarily mean He is perfect. He is like a Cosmic Child with vast powers at His disposal, but without the ethical and moral development to use those powers wisely. Maybe He's like Q of Star Trek TNG fame. This of course could be a metaphor for the human race itself. After all, we are told that we were created in His image.

Take, for instance, the story of Noah. What kind of fucked up individual agrees to the prospect of drowning every person on Earth but himself and his family without at least trying to talk God out of His psychotic plan?

Anyway, it's the only Abrahamic religion I've found so far that admits the possibility that humans have the power to influence and possibly even teach God a thing or two.

What it means to me is that I choose my own moral code based on what feels right in my heart of hearts, and all religious texts and opinions of my ancestors and contemporaries be damned.

Since I am agnostic and somewhat uncomfortable with all the Abrahamic traditions, I have chosen instead to follow a more animistic and polytheistic path. Hence the username 'segep', a local indigenous term for Coyote, the Trickster. It gives me great satisfaction to know that I am tweaking the nose of God and Coyote at the same time. Hubris? Maybe. But damn, I'm having fun and I promise you that at the end of my life if I have any regrets, it won't be that I spent too much time in church. Very Happy

So anyway, I will always have a special and unapologetic affinity for Jews and Judaism, and I will defend them with great vehemence against anyone who maligns them or their religion out of lazy or willful ignorance.

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Viv · Associate Joined: 21 Dec 2007 Posts: 29 votes: 1

Interesting. Were you born into that religion?

There is a huge amount of anti-Jewish propaganda at the moment. What do you think about that? Why do you think it is happening?

Segep · Maintenance Man Joined: 02 Jul 2007 Posts: 775 votes: 4

No, I wasn't born into it. There is no one in my family who is Jewish, to my knowledge.

I think all the trouble in the ME is stirring up all kinds of sentiments about Muslims, Christians and Jews.

Viv · Associate Joined: 21 Dec 2007 Posts: 29 votes: 1

Are your convictions deeply held?

Why would anyone not born into that religion, choose to adopt it in view of what you describe...all the trouble...past and present?

Segep · Maintenance Man Joined: 02 Jul 2007 Posts: 775 votes: 4

Viv wrote:

Are your convictions deeply held?

Why would anyone not born into that religion, choose to adopt it in view of what you describe...all the trouble...past and present?

No, they're not really deeply held. Convictions make convicts. You make a good point. It's like someone wanting to be gay. Very Happy