Sunday, August 10, 2008

Aish.com Has a New Minister of Information

Ok so Aish.com has a new propaganda video attempting to tackle the issue on whether or not orthodox judaism destroys individuality. In it Rabbi (Minister of Information) Becher gives a very deceptive image of individual nonindividuality.

Here is a hint on why many people feel that orthodox judaism takes away individuality:







Penguins.

Lot's of them.

and when you take a look at Minister of Information Becher's video, duh he's following the orthodox dress code except for the black hat.



I personally had a bad experience with the orthodox dress code. On the first day of yeshiva high school while I was still in high school, I was sent home the first day of the year because although my dress shirt was blue, and a solid color, as the text of the dress code said, it wasn't the correct shade of blue for the rabbinical control freaks and I was not allowed to attend classes the first day because of that bull shit.



Here's three points where the deception comes in.



1) Becher's portrayal of diversity of practice inside orthodox judaism would be as if Osama bin Laden said that in a propaganda video that in his ideal society 'there is great diversity. a woman can choose to wear a black burka or a grey burka.' What Osama bin Laden wouldn't say in his propaganda video is that a woman who chooses not to wear a burka would get stoned or beheaded.



Similarly, Becher is utterly silent about what one risks if one does join the orthodox community and then decides that a particular religious stringincy is too much for him or her. The person who decides to chill out even a bit with the stringency stuff risks his/her marriage, family, and community. This is not diversity. This is fascism.



2) Secondly, Becher was portraying orthodox judaism as if everyone agrees with eachother in terms of belief. This is totally false. Mitnagdim disagreed with hasidim. The Ashkenaz disagreed with the Sephardic. Modern Orthodox disagreed with the Charedim. Chabad disagrees with everyone else regarding if the messiah came or not yet. etc. Orthodox Judaism is anything but a unified party platform.



3) Spiritual individuality is bull shit. Either you are able to live life your own way without being shunned by your family and your community, or you are not. And Minister of Information Becher is trying to sell not being individualistic as being individualistic.



Don't fall for it.

16 comments:

Anonymous said...

you're really making this point on tisha b'av the day that the temple was destroyed for baseless hatred? You couldn't wait to attack for just 1 day?

SJ said...

ask me if i care XD

Anonymous said...

nice selfish attitude

SJ said...

in case you haven't noticed factual basis, i don't practice orthodox judaism.

Anonymous said...

practice or not everyone wants the messiah even if we have a different view on how to get it or what it will be when it comes. And knocking someone on today of all days, EVERYONE will tell you will only make the redemption for us all less likely.

And if you are really selfish enough not to care about that, you can at least lay off for one day for the sake of the rest of us if you care at all about your fellow jews

SJ said...

>> EVERYONE will tell you will only make the redemption for us all less likely.

it is not my problem that the aish minister of information can't tell the truth. perhaps you should have a nice little talk with him about truth in advertising.

what is worse, criticizing false propaganda, or lying in god's name? don't liars in god's name hold up the redemption (should one eventually happen)? cause i fail to see how criticizing false propaganda holds up a redemption.

Anonymous said...

your missing the point. I'm not saying don't criticize. If you read my stuff at all you know i have no problem with criticism. I just wonder why you couldn't wait till the day AFTER tisha b'av to rip on another set of jews?

SJ said...

>> I just wonder why you couldn't wait till the day AFTER tisha b'av to rip on another set of jews?

talk to someone who actually PRACTICES tisha b'av. as it is, i don't, and last I checked, the USA is a free country .... so .... shove it. XD

Anonymous said...

Hmmmm, so the pieces of the puzzle are starting to fall into place.

You were made to go to a Yeshiva high school. This implies a frum background. You didn't like the uniform and were treated unfairly, at least in your perspective of things.

Now, did you meet that girl before or after you got kicked out of that school?

SJ said...

garnel

1) i graduated

2) my personal details are not your business

3) its not about a girl. u have sufficiently been allowed to disagree on this blog so if u try to say its about a girl one more time i am going to start erasing future comments from you.

there will be no further warning.

Anonymous said...

Dagnabit, still no swear words. I'll have to try harder.

FrumFintnessJunkie said...

Becher is using a persons kavanah when saying Kiddush as an example of individuality. This example is very lacking!

Your second point, was more of an example of individualism in Orthodoxy than what he was saying.

If we look at Modern Orthodox, Lubavitch, Chasidim, etc. etc. we'll see that not everyone follows the penguin dresscode.

Very interesting post!

SJ said...

>> Your second point, was more of an example of individualism in Orthodoxy than what he was saying.

actually no. see point 3.

>> Very interesting post!

thanks.

FrumFintnessJunkie said...

no. 3> "Spiritual individuality is bull shit"

But, I'm a religious jew and I feel that one can have "Spiritual individuality"

I think Bechers comments are grossly inaccurate though!

It's sad for me to know that people get shunned for having beliefs that fall outside the groups philosophies! Religion is a very personal thing! even in judaism (Its sad that Jewish Communities don't respect that)

DK said...

"On the first day of yeshiva high school while I was still in high school, I was sent home the first day of the year because although my dress shirt was blue, and a solid color, as the text of the dress code said, it wasn't the correct shade of blue"

Yikes! In a way, they did you a favor...you found out at a young age what they are really like...

OTD said...

"as if Osama bin Laden said that in a propaganda video that in his ideal society 'there is great diversity. a woman can choose to wear a black burka or a grey burka.'"

I love that!!