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Posted: Mon Mar 24, 2008 2:32 pm
Hello I was hoping to post this sooner but here it is.
I was wondering since religion is a touchy subject regardless and the demands of the Jewish faith seems as it would clearly create further diversity, so I guess what I am asking is to see how ones life is mantaining there religion?
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Posted: Mon Mar 24, 2008 5:18 pm
wait what?
Sorry could you rephrase that, it's a very confusing question?
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Posted: Mon Mar 24, 2008 9:06 pm
Sorry I often phase things poorly,
I am asking does your religion cause alot of social problems? If so how?
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Posted: Mon Mar 24, 2008 9:09 pm
For me, not really.
I know better than to let it cause a social problem.
Really it doesn't effect me, as I don't let my social life interfere with my Jewish life... the two are mutually exclusive and I don't trade them out for one another.
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Posted: Mon Mar 24, 2008 10:26 pm
So far, being Jewish has only enhanced my social life. Being the only Jew on campus, I get to be the exotic kid (despite our exchange students from Africa and India) and enjoy a bit of the curiosity that comes with that. It's a good chance to mix social interaction with correcting Christian misrepresentations (I say Christian because that's really the only other religion in the area) of Judaism. Then I get cookies.
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Posted: Mon Mar 24, 2008 10:35 pm
LordNeuf For me, not really. I know better than to let it cause a social problem. Really it doesn't effect me, as I don't let my social life interfere with my Jewish life... the two are mutually exclusive and I don't trade them out for one another. I did not think it would be very easy to keep them seperately, but I guess I am glad to it has not caused trouble.
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Posted: Mon Mar 24, 2008 11:00 pm
Dis Domnu So far, being Jewish has only enhanced my social life. Being the only Jew on campus, I get to be the exotic kid (despite our exchange students from Africa and India) and enjoy a bit of the curiosity that comes with that. It's a good chance to mix social interaction with correcting Christian misrepresentations (I say Christian because that's really the only other religion in the area) of Judaism. Then I get cookies. O never considered could be a postive thing, most people I know hold a less then pleasent view of Judaism and I have had a few in the forums mention trouble, I guess I assumed it was more wide spread.
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Posted: Tue Mar 25, 2008 9:18 am
Dinu amaru Anzullu Ziaru O never considered could be a postive thing, most people I know hold a less then pleasent view of Judaism and I have had a few in the forums mention trouble, I guess I assumed it was more wide spread. It shouldn't cause trouble. I mean, if it does, you're doing it wrong. A religion is part of culture, be it Judaism, Catholicism, Shinto, whatever. If you're not enjoying the religion and the culture, perhaps you should find a different path to spiritual enlightenment.
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Eloquent Conversationalist
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Posted: Tue Mar 25, 2008 1:30 pm
Rather than keeping my religion and my social life separate, I tend to integrate the two fully. That does not mean that I only hang out with other Orthodox Jews. Far from it! What it means is that being Jewish is a part of who I am. I don't divide myself into little boxes and comparments. I don't find one group of people who are left-handed, another group who are redheads, another group who are Jewish, another group who shop at Whole Foods stores, another group who like baking, another group who like to visit Canada, another group who like listening to Tom Lehrer or the Beatles or Metallica... Try not to look so shocked. wink
I just talk to people that I think are cool. Sometimes it comes into conversation and sometimes it doesn't. If it does, so? None of my Christian friends ever hesitate to talk about their Christmas party, their baby's baptism, the cute guy they met at church, or the fact that they had their in-laws over for Sunday dinner (as opposed to just having them over for dinner over the weekend). So why should I hesitate to talk about my Purim feast, my best friend's baby's circumcision, the cute guy I met at synagogue (who would be perfect for someone besides me, because I'm taken), or the fact that I had my new neighbors over for Shabbat dinner? They don't hesitate to invite me to church, so why would I hesitate to invite them to synagogue? I can't go to theirs, and usually they don't come to mine, but at least the offer has been made, and that's enough to demonstrate friendliness.
True, sometimes I'm the Token Jew whom everyone asks, "Is it true that Jews have sex through a hole in the sheet?" (No!) or is called upon to defend the actions of the modern state of Israel (hint: I'm not politically knowledgeable about things happening in my own country, let alone halfway across the world).
And true, there are people who think Jews and Judaism are evil, bad, stupid, misguided, wrong, or whatever -- Frankly, I don't waste my time with them. "Never try to teach a pig to sing. It wastes your time, and annoys the pig." People like that are never going to give Jews or Judaism a chance. The most I could do for myself or for them is to act like the good person that I am, and hope that they'll see that they're mistaken. I don't occupy myself trying to teach them in an active fashion.
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Posted: Tue Mar 25, 2008 3:00 pm
Actually, Divash is lying. On the weekends, me, her, and Barack Obama all get together to talk about how great being left handed is and how righties are totally lame...but that's beside the point.
Basically I'm like Dis. I'm not a true Jew (yet), but people still think of me as Jewish because I'm the closest thing they've got. I like the curiosity, I like being different, and sometimes I even enjoy setting the silly misrepresentations straight. No one really starts with the "Hole in the sheet" thing, but trust me, I've heard some weird ones.
None of my friends from around here are Jewish, but I'm lucky enough to be surrounded by tolerant people who don't mind to listen to my occasional spiels on Purim, Shabbat, or whatever else I can wedge in to a conversation.
However when I was in high school, some boys in my biology class took to calling me "Jew", but I didn't let it bother me. These same boys thought Jesus made the Earth, not like I was going to take crap from them.
Anyway, long story short I don't let it interfere with my social life. I would prefer to have a few more Jewish boys around...and I guess girls would be okay too. xd
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darkphoenix1247 Vice Captain
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Posted: Tue Mar 25, 2008 3:40 pm
Ehh.... It depends. There's not a lot of Jews where I live, so a few times throughout the years I've gotten minor hassling, threats, Anti-Semitic comments, etc.
On the other hand, most people are pretty good about it. Some ask questions (unfortunately, some of these aren't very nice), but in general I do my best to answer them. I don't just have Jewish friends (if I did, I wouldn't have very many!), so it's not really a big deal. I make sure to keep in touch with people I meet through youth groups and the like, but being Jewish isn't really a social issue for me.
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Posted: Tue Mar 25, 2008 8:04 pm
kingpinsqeezels I would prefer to have a few more Jewish boys around...and I guess girls would be okay too. xd Having Jewish girls around here would be nice. wink Or rather, having them on campus would be nice.
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Posted: Tue Mar 25, 2008 10:45 pm
lol i'm a convert (not really since i haven't even begun the process, not even a foot in the door) (anyways)
so taking that into mind you can't take my answer seriously in any way shape, form, or manner.
lol.
I think judaism isn't an issue inless you make an issue. You have to be mature to a certain level to have it not be an issue, and if you aren't up to that level, then yes it will be an issue, but that is like anything.
Judaism causes issues in my life, but because i'm changing my life, so really it isn't Judaism that is causing the issues, but me and my choices in life.
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Posted: Wed Mar 26, 2008 8:06 am
I think you're asking some really good questions, Dinu. Most of us have answers, and most of our answers aren't bad, either. But for really great answers, your best bet is to speak with a rabbi. It can be intimidating at first -- after all, he's going to be a scholar, an important part of the Jewish community, a voice of authority, and a representative of that which you're thirsting after. In the end, though, he puts his shoes on the same way you do: toes first. He's just a guy who's spent his life studying the thing that's new to you right now. He's got a few great answers, and even his questions will be on a higher level than most of us will attain, but he's still just a guy. He's not someone to fear. Judaism doesn't seek converts, but it does welcome sincere converts, and the doors of Yisrael are always open. As the Torah says, "Hashem is near to all who call upon him." That includes you, too.
Not knowing where you live, I can't really do much to help you find a synagogue in your area. Don't help me there, though -- telling online people where you live can become dangerous, especially if you live in a small town and are easily identifiable by the information you give online. I'm sure those who post here are fine, but if even one person isn't -- or if one person is lurking without posting -- then you could be put into danger. HOWEVER, that doesn't mean I can't help you at all. Check your local phone book. Synagogues may be listed under Synagogues, or under (I kid you not, in some places) Churches, Jewish. Make sure they're not Messianic; that's another term for Christian, and you've expressed the fact here that Christianity is not what you're looking for. When you call up the synagogues, ask a few key questions:
1. What movement are you affiliated with? (That'll tell you whether it's a Reform, Conservative, Orthodox, or 'other' type of congregation. They're called movements, not denominations, in Judaism. I'd actually suggest speaking to all three, taking classes at all three, and figuring out what your Jewish 'personality' is. If not all three exist in your town, go with what you've got, but do more online research for whatever branch or branches are not covered locally.)
2. Does your synagogue have a rabbi, or is it lay-led? (Some congregations don't have a rabbi, but are led by the members taking turns. Unfortunately there isn't really a way to accomplish conversion without a rabbi-in-residence, though they might be able to help you find a rabbi who would work with you long-distance.)
3. How would I go about getting an appointment with the rabbi? (Unless they specifically ask, don't bother explaining that you're not Jewish and are interested in conversion. That's a private matter, between you and Hashem and the rabbi.)
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Eloquent Conversationalist
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Posted: Wed Mar 26, 2008 10:05 pm
LordNeuf Dinu amaru Anzullu Ziaru O never considered could be a postive thing, most people I know hold a less then pleasent view of Judaism and I have had a few in the forums mention trouble, I guess I assumed it was more wide spread. It shouldn't cause trouble. I mean, if it does, you're doing it wrong. A religion is part of culture, be it Judaism, Catholicism, Shinto, whatever. If you're not enjoying the religion and the culture, perhaps you should find a different path to spiritual enlightenment. You make a very good point, I am currantly not any religion, incase it was directed towards me. It is just thing I was curious of.
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