Comment

Comment by Ralph Dumain on December 27, 2010 at 8:59am

In the USA, most active in the USA are ex-Christians, and they tend to be as provincial and ignorant as they were when they were Christians.

Comment by Prog Rock Girl on December 27, 2010 at 8:56am

I'm reluctant to tell people that I am a Jew and an atheist b/c I've so often gotten lectures about how I'm not really a Jew if I'm an atheist. Really gets on my nerves b/c I've also been lectured by relatives by saying I'm not Jewish.

Comment by Ralph Dumain on December 27, 2010 at 1:02am

Sounds like some folks were more rigorously religiously indoctrinated than others and feel a greater need to rebel. Primarily, Jews are an ethnic group or supergroup of ethnic groups. That's how one can remain a Jew and be an atheist. But as for Jewish culture, this varies wildly on age and circumstance. In the USA, no ethnic culture is what it was 40 years ago, & even less like what it was 60 years ago. Ethnic identity and certain appurtenances like cuisine persist generations after the cultural content that made it distinctive has evaporated. Ultimately, who you feel you are and where you want to be is what will matter to you, whether it fits wholly or partly or nont at all into an ethnic pattern.

Comment by Michael Pianko on December 24, 2010 at 4:39pm

Another thing: I don't do Rosh Hashana or Yom Kippur, and I certainly don't fast.  I skipped hanukah this year, because nobody was going to see me light candles, and I know god does not care because HaShem is imaginary.  I can read prayerbook Hebrew but I can't speak any Israeli conversational Hebrew.  I do have a degree in Yiddish literature.  i don't really care about Isrel, and I think my ancestors were turkic or slavic speaking psople who got converted to Judaism in E. Europe, somewhere between the 800's and 1300's.  Later, their language got mostly relexified with Middle german and a little old Hebrew vocabulary but retained the original grammar of whatever slavic dialect they spoke.

 

Every so often I eat treyf on purpose just to remind myself that the idea that there really is a god, especially a god who cares what we eat, is totally imaginary.  Today, for example, at the grocery store I work at, there was food provided for the employees in the break room, and I had a shrimp and a little ham.  I've also tried scallops, swordfish, and oysters, just so I could call my brother and see his reaction when I told him I ate treyf.     

Comment by Michael Pianko on December 24, 2010 at 4:30pm

I'm not even sure I care about a Jewish culture (even) without god or religion.  I really thought I was the only ethnically Jewish person who realizes that god is imaginary and davening is a bizarre waste of time. 

 

The thing I hate most about being from a Jewish family is that my genitals were damaged in that Jewish ritual infant penile mutilation ceremony called a bris done to myself and most other Jewish boys (and without our permission!) on our 8th day.  I want genitals like those of a completely un-circumcised man.  I want nothing to do with a culture that hates sexuality and actually does penile reduction surgery to its sons.   

Comment by Jeffrey Falick on September 21, 2010 at 2:05pm

Hi there! I'm a secular humanistic rabbi and author of the blog, www.TheAtheistRabbi.com.! Please visit it when you get a chance!

Comment by Adam on May 12, 2010 at 12:36pm

I'm located in New Jersey. Anyone else?

Comment by Harvey F on May 12, 2010 at 8:11am

Hi Shiran, I'm also from Israel. Hopefully, we'll get a larger community here. I will send some invitations to my Israeli friends.

Comment by shiran on May 11, 2010 at 5:41pm

Think it's the first time I'm writing here (though, don't sure...)
I'm from Israel.

Comment by Julien B on May 4, 2010 at 10:56am

London, UK over here

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