lolarobot

I am a member of a website (can't say the name or they remove it) where we discuss a variety of issues. Many times the topic of "Jew" comes up... whether is be a discussion of Israeli Jews, American Jews, the Holocaust, Gaza Strip, Palestine, etc... Okay, let me get to the point. I know many Jews on this site who are actually atheists and don't even believe in Judaism, yet they still identify themselves as Jews because their mothers or grandmothers are Jewish and they defend Israel to a fault, yet are not religious at all. They have never lived in Israel and don't have any relatives in Israel.

This same theory of adopting your mom's religious/racial identity does not follow through to other religions, just Judaism. So, why is this? Is Jew more of a race... they are also White. Someone told me once it was more of a tribal feeling of identity.


Help, I am confused. Sorry for the stupid question.

Skie

Just because they don't follow the religion doesn't mean they can't be part of the culture, history, pride, whatever that any other Jewish persion is a part of.

And why does it have to be my mom's religion? Why can't it be my dad's religion?

Let me ask you a question. Are you female? And why are you a female? Yes, I'm being sarcastic, but the way I asked my question is the same way I see your question.

lolarobot

Nope, it is not the Dad's religion, only the Mom's. If your Mom is a Jew, then you are, period. How can one appreciate Judiasm if you don't even believe in the core beliefs of Judiasm? These people are atheists.. makes zero sense. Pride in what? They are not Jews... History? So, if there mom was a jew, they automatically appreciate the Jewish history and culture? And, typically a man must marry a jewish women, even if he is an atheist...My mom was catholic and believe me, I am not automatically a catholic and don't appreciate the history or culture...nothing about it. In fact, is is ridiculous.

The whole thing is strange and absolutely can't compare to me being a woman. I am a woman, period.

simpswr

You are not automatically anything . . If you choose to be Jewish you mother must be Jewish for the Synagog to accept you as Jewish . . or you convert.

If you do not choose to be Jewish, you are not

lolarobot

From what I understand and heard for years from MANY Jews...if their mom is Jewish, the are a Jew.

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/in...4230117AAlWOgx

simpswr

The two most accruate comments in that article:

" it has nothing to do with DNA, or any of the findings, it simply has to do with Hebrew traditions"

and . . " if your mother is Jewish, you are 100% Jewish. If you convert you are 100% Jewish. DNA, race etc is all incorrect- it is a religious, spiritual thing.

You are Jewish only if you choose to be Jewish.
"

Skie

I'm not Jewish, nor am I familiar with their customs/traditions. I was just making the dad remark to be sarcastic. Nor is anyone in my immediate family. For us, all the traditions, religious stuff, etc passes down from the father. The wife takes on the husbands family traditions and such. Obviously, she doesn't have to convert, but I'm just saying. The church that I go to is the same church that my dad goes to.

Anyway, you don't need to a firm believer in the religion to appreciate the culture that you're born into. I may never live in rural Europe where my parents were born and raised, but I can still appreciate and respect where they came from, the hardships they faced being poor farmers, and their attempts to better themselves by coming to America. Just because I'll never live the way they did doesn't mean I can't appreciate the way they did even though they had no choice in the matter. Just like if I was born to a Jewish family and decided to become an Atheist, I would still have a strong respect for my family and heritage. And just because I'm Christian doesn't mean I don't respect other religions. While I still hold my religious beliefs, I also am interested in a few other reilgions and am interested in learning more about them. But I won't be giving up my beliefs in that quest.

However, being Jewish and following the Jewish religion are seperate things. Jews are a race as well as a religion. The first paragraph in this link says just that. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jewish. It's up to the individual person to decide what they want to believe.

As I said before, I was being sarcastic when I asked the Are you female question. The only reason I compared it with your Are you Jewish question is because, in my mind, you asked the question in a very absurd way, so I countered with another absurd question. Again, I was being sarcastic. Lighten up a bit.

simpswr

There was a guy in Germany in the 40's who worried about who was and who was not Jewish . .

lolarobot

All I can say is that I am glad I am atheist and I am a mixed Scottish, Irish, Italian and German.... and, I could not care less about the culture of any of those places. My life does not revolve around their culture, etc. I am an American and appreciate America. That is just me.

Skie

That's perfectly fine by you, but I like to know where I come from. I've been to Germany and it's a really lovely country, same with Austria. I'd love to visit Ireland one of these days. My family isn't from any of those countries, but I can still go there and appreciate their culture and history. And yes, I'm American as well (born and raised), but I have 2 cultures that I can draw from, that which my family gave me and that which the country I live in gives me. Oh, and while I do believe in GOD, I also am very interested in science and astronomy and believe in how science says things were created. Have some fun with that.

simpswr

If you are interested in learning more about the Jewish Relegion and Culture ( they are not the same ) pick up a copy of "The Jewish book of Why?"

yustr

The father mother thing is pretty easy to understand if you look at historically: the tribes knew which women were part of the tribe. At the same time they didn't know for sure who the father was...hence the babies of mothers were known to be part of the tribe.

As far as it goes, here's a question I ask all my evangelical friends that is appropriate here: what religion would you be if you were born in Damascus? Dehli? Shanghi? Its doubtful it would be what you think you are today.

<<I'm moving this over to the PS as I think it fits better there.>>

lolarobot

Well, being an atheist and on a good day an agnoistic (he, he), I would not want to be born into any relgious as they seem, well, outright silly to me. However, if I was forced, I would choose a more logical-based religion like Buddishm, Taoism or some other Eastern religion whose philosophies are quite different and based on the human mind vs. outside magical beings. People who are Buddist seems to be so happy and content unlike other religions, especially Islam.

yustr

My point is that you don't get to make this choice until very late in your life - yes 20 is late wrt molding opinions and cultural behavior. Said another way: Kids do not have a religion born into them. They will be what their parents are - except in very rare instances.

That is why I think all the trumpeting about how we're god's chosen ones or mine is the one true religion is so much male cow manure.

kinbard

Warning! TSF's resident Bible Thumper caught wind of this thread Biblically speaking (everyone groan, but I have an actual thought here)(also, by Bible I mean the law and the prophets, which Jews accept), there were two names for the group when they were set aside. Jewish, and the tribe of Israel. They were known as the tribe of Israel after Jacob wrestled with the angel and got his name changed. I wonder if the religious aspect falls under the monikor of Jewish and the natural or cultural part under the monikor of Israel, and it all got interchangeable over the years. Any thoughts?