tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3627627202031486081.post6383223280980297675..comments2023-10-09T10:35:20.874-04:00Comments on Thoughts of a Secular Jew: How To Make Judaism EnjoyableSJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10704885840004960450noreply@blogger.comBlogger12125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3627627202031486081.post-60141280500613027372011-02-18T14:42:49.131-05:002011-02-18T14:42:49.131-05:00>> but something that goes much much deeper ...>> but something that goes much much deeper within the Soul. <br /><br />>>This I don't understand. <br /><br />Ah. Well then, there is the problem you are having. Religion, true faith, true belief is a thing that comes from and transforms the deepest parts of ourself within our Souls. It's something that one experiences when the God(s) is/are allowed into the heart and life of the follower. <br /><br />Sometimes a lot is asked of us and it seems like a lot of work for very little surface reward...however, there's a reason we are asked to do things and we won't experience the full blessings until we just do it.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3627627202031486081.post-66390126898476830692011-02-17T21:59:25.829-05:002011-02-17T21:59:25.829-05:00>> Why are you so focused on Orthodox? Do yo...>> Why are you so focused on Orthodox? Do you feel Reform and Conservative have the same issues?<br /><br />I can comment on reform and conservative another time.SJhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10704885840004960450noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3627627202031486081.post-6552486324602390012011-02-17T21:58:14.346-05:002011-02-17T21:58:14.346-05:00>> We are able to go in and out of religions...>> We are able to go in and out of religions not because we are consumers but because of that beautiful thing called Free Will. <br /><br />right. free will to be consumers.<br /><br /><br />>> By saying that we treat religion like a product and we are consumers I get the horrible vision of "trendy" religions to join for the moment. Scary. <br /><br />That's not what I mean.<br /><br />>> I don't know what to say about the rest... I don't follow my Gods because of some real-time tangible reward; instant gratification isn't me.<br /><br />I'm not talking about driving around in a lexus. More basic needs.<br /><br />And yes, with the kind of things Judaism makes you do, a nice bank account would be appreciated. XD<br /><br />>> So I've got nothing for you beyond saying that following your God or my Gods shouldn't be about rewards and perks <br /><br />I can understand an ascetic kind of a position even if I disagree with it.<br /><br />>> but something that goes much much deeper within the Soul. <br /><br />This I don't understand.SJhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10704885840004960450noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3627627202031486081.post-88957775278426822112011-02-17T21:40:23.064-05:002011-02-17T21:40:23.064-05:00We are able to go in and out of religions not beca...We are able to go in and out of religions not because we are consumers but because of that beautiful thing called Free Will. <br /><br />By saying that we treat religion like a product and we are consumers I get the horrible vision of "trendy" religions to join for the moment. Scary. <br /><br />I don't know what to say about the rest... I don't follow my Gods because of some real-time tangible reward; instant gratification isn't me. So I've got nothing for you beyond saying that following your God or my Gods shouldn't be about rewards and perks but something that goes much much deeper within the Soul. <br /><br />Why are you so focused on Orthodox? Do you feel Reform and Conservative have the same issues?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3627627202031486081.post-38863453453957448662011-02-17T21:25:02.223-05:002011-02-17T21:25:02.223-05:00By calling religion a product, I mean that people ...By calling religion a product, I mean that people have the right to go in and out of it like consumers, exactly as you and I have done.<br /><br />I'm not talking about a Peter Popoff kind of thing.<br /><br />Hmm. What sort of information was I seeking? Well, Judaism demands a heavy amount of your attention and enrgy and I'd like to know I'd be rewarded for it in some fashion. <br /><br />As much as I believe that God exists from what I understand in what I read, but from what I see and have experienced he does seem pretty darn slow in helpin people out.<br /><br />Also in terms of non-metaphysical benefits what does Judaism have to offer that the outside world doesn't?<br /><br />It's just a nagging feeling inside me that as long as Judaism exists it's making demands off me (me being born Jewish of course) hence my questioning.<br /><br />In any case, the jewish establishment should be rather disturbed that a blog like mine comes up first in the google searches of "how to make judaism enjoyable" and "how to make judaism meaningful."<br /><br />It might actually allay their OTD and assimilation issues if the jewish establishment gets their shit together and answers these questions. XDSJhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10704885840004960450noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3627627202031486081.post-32080647127104619992011-02-17T16:56:16.147-05:002011-02-17T16:56:16.147-05:00But religion isn't a product...I am not out he...But religion isn't a product...I am not out here/there trying to sell the "miracle works" of my Gods and neither should anyone else. By seeing religion, which is built on faith, as a product to sell to the masses the relationship to one's Deity is cheapened.<br /><br />I cannot speak for Judaism as I've never been part of the religion as anything but a "visitor". However, I must ask: what sort of information were/are you seeking? It seems to me that there's plenty out there you just have to know where to begin. Google and the internet can only get you so far.<br /><br />As for why I left the religion of my childhood: it wasn't that the religion didn't "serve" me...it simply came down to the fact that it lacks the Gods I belong to; I was never meant to be Christian. <br /><br />In response the original inquiry of how one makes a religion more enjoyable/meaningful: that's up to the individual to figure it out for themselves.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3627627202031486081.post-2306751613384541522011-02-16T22:44:40.243-05:002011-02-16T22:44:40.243-05:00I'm not saying that religion should be compani...I'm not saying that religion should be companies but they are similar in the sense that nowadays religion are viewed as products.<br /><br />If religion isn't seen as serving the individual at hand then it will be discarded as both you and I did. I agree that people leave because of something lacking in the religious experience. Totally.<br /><br />And no, I'm not suggesting lack of google options is why people leave. XD A theme of mine in the past before I met you has been that there's not enough information dispensing in Judaism it's either follow or leave.SJhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10704885840004960450noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3627627202031486081.post-37823642473596900942011-02-16T22:34:01.562-05:002011-02-16T22:34:01.562-05:00Ummmm....because religion isn't a company (or ...Ummmm....because religion isn't a company (or shouldn't be). Who would run the websites? Who would make sure the 'right' sites show up on Google? <br /><br />I would wager the OTD crisis has nothing to do with what can be found lacking doing a Google search but rather what is found lacking in a person's religious experience.<br /><br />I didn't walk away from Christianity because of a lack of Google options on what makes it enjoyable as I left before Google was on the scene. I left because I found the *religion lacking*. There's a huge difference.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3627627202031486081.post-88711919368735129862011-02-16T22:08:01.886-05:002011-02-16T22:08:01.886-05:00I'm just giving a tip on why orthodox jews hav...I'm just giving a tip on why orthodox jews have an OTD crisis I think it's valid as companies use Google to promote their products. So why not religion?SJhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10704885840004960450noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3627627202031486081.post-16710658896030604682011-02-16T21:54:02.263-05:002011-02-16T21:54:02.263-05:00Google search "how to make christianity more ...Google search "how to make christianity more enjoyable" top 10:<br /><br />1.Conblogeration: Making fun of Christianity so you don't have to<br /><br />2. New 'Jesus' Cartoon Making Fun of Christianity? - US - CBN News ...<br /><br />3. Who here likes making fun of Christianity and religion in general <br /><br />4. The Prolonged Suicide of Evangelical Christianity: A Brief <br /><br />5. Why is anything enjoyable a sin according to Christianity?<br /><br />6. Theatrical Christianity<br /><br />7.The Prolonged Suicide of Evangelical Christianity: A Brief ... (yep, a duplicate!)<br /><br />8.The Critic - Google Books Result<br /><br />9. Amazon.com: Customer Reviews: A History of Christianity in the ...<br /><br />10. ThirdWay - Oct 1993 - Google Books Result<br /><br />Have I "essentially exposed a huuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuge information deficit in [Christian] society that the [Christian] establishment might want to take note of if they aren't the retards I think they are." ?<br /><br />Harldy...and neither did you.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3627627202031486081.post-26599029292831974692011-02-16T21:51:35.981-05:002011-02-16T21:51:35.981-05:00I'm not judging Judaism based on a Google sear...I'm not judging Judaism based on a Google search, I am merely pointing out a reason why Judaism has a less than stellar retention rate.<br /><br />Also I am random sometimes. XD And once in a while I may still post on Jewish stuff.SJhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10704885840004960450noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3627627202031486081.post-38881507176669128142011-02-16T21:41:19.819-05:002011-02-16T21:41:19.819-05:00I don't think it's fair to judge a religio...I don't think it's fair to judge a religion on a Google search. Not to mention it's random.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com