July Interviews

Hello and Happy Tuesday!

Here's A Sneak Peek into the July Interviews:

we'll hear from Friko who is Agnostic, Skeptitcher Rebbe who is Jewish, Judy Dudich who is Catholic, Renee Olson/Sosanna who is Pagan and Monica Chase who is Pagan.

All excellent interviews you won't want to miss!

Jason Hughes

Hello and Happy Saturday!

I wish to thank Wee_Beastie for his interview last week. I very much enjoyed reading it and I thank you Wee_Beastie for sharing!

Today we have a new interview so please welcome Jason Hughes.
Jason is an Atheist and I know you will enjoy his interview as well!

Here Is Jason Hughes's Introduction:


Jason Hughes aspires to many things, the least of which includes proving that one can be an atheist and still be a decent human being. He fancies himself a writer, but also fancies that his buns are made of steel. In either case, they are a work in progress, much like himself. He tries to hone his skill and weaponry at Life & Otherwise (http://jthughes.blogspot.com), which really is just something to do until the asteroid hits.


1) What religion do you practice?
I do not practice any religion, although some would argue that atheism itself has taken on some religious connotations (i.e., extremists and blind devotion to science), which, any time mankind is involved in anything, you will end up with a fringe element of some type. Atheism in and of itself does not adhere to any one type of doctrine, does not engage in any sort of fellowship, or seek to commune with a "higher plane" in any way, shape or form, so I would argue that pure atheism, in and of itself, does not count in any way as a "religion" in the truest sense of the word.

2) Are you a convert/revert or were you raised within this religion? If you converted, what did you need to do to convert? And what did you practice prior to converting?
I was raised Protestant, as were my four siblings, being as both of our parents were raised in strict religious households of the protestant and baptist persuasions. I "converted" to atheism about 13 years ago, although truth be told it was a years' long process of de-conversion, not without its painful moments. When you are truly questioning everything you had been taught growing up, and realizing the baselessness of many of those things that science easily disproves (i.e., the earth is only 10,000 years old), you go through a real personal struggle that many do not understand until they themselves are confronted with a perceived falsehood in their worldview. My older brother has since become a Quaker, two of my younger siblings have become agnostic-ish, and my youngest sister still adheres to the faith in which we were raised, which makes for very interesting Christmas celebrations!

3)Within your religion are there degrees of observance (ie. Orthodox,conservative, moderate, liberal)? What are the defining differences between the degrees of observance?
There are many in the atheist/agnostic camp that do hold up science as a "god," or even non-belief in a god as the end-all, be-all of their personal belief. I think it is safe to say that while I do believe science will eventually be able to provide some answers (like a cure for cancer as opposed to relying on prayer and the like), the purpose of science is to ask questions, and then prove them right or wrong based on empirical data, *not* faith. One must realize that science is based on human observation, and therefore needs constant retesting to continue to prove theories and hypothesis's. Thus, science is fallible to a degree in that, while the data is accurate from the result of the experiment, the people interpreting those results may read into it something that isn't there (which is why many believe "creationism" or "intelligent design" has scientific evidence when in fact it does not).

4)Within your religion what degree of observance are you ((ie. Orthodox,conservative, moderate, liberal) ? Why did you choose this degree of observance?
I like to think I'm a moderate when it comes to a lot of things in life, but I've always found that one man's middle-of-the-road is another man's extreme. Perhaps it's the influence of the strict version of Christianity I was raised in bleeding over, but man IS fallible (i.e., makes mistakes) and thus one cannot take all things that come from the scientific community as a sort of gospel. So even there I like to be conservative at times whenever a new discovery or finding is made public, and I like to research it further to see if it has been peer-reviewed, or verified by another source. But those types of "Eureka!" discoveries are sometimes so awesome and enlightening that one cannot help but celebrate in the genius of the scientific community!

5)What is the Afterlife within your religion? For example: what happens when a person dies? Are there places for reward/punishment? (such as a Heaven/Hell concept)
I think this is one of those "sticking points" for a lot of people. We'd like to think that this life is just a "prequel" or a "prologue" to a better life afterward. That something better is waiting. Life is hard, and we have to work hard to exist and to thrive, if we are even afforded a chance to thrive. If there's one thing I've learned, there is no discernible or verifiable proof of an afterlife, whether for good or ill, and that, perhaps rightly so, makes people uncomfortable. We can't help but imagine our minds living on after our weak bodies fail us, for our minds think great things, wonder awesome wonders, imagine fantastical, luxurious things--part of which allows us to explore and observe and perform experiments to try to answer the questions we come up with. It's a very sobering thought to think that it will all end, and usually sooner than we would like. One of the things that was very clinching for myself was that I cannot remember a time BEFORE I had conscious thought, BEFORE I was born. So why would I have consciousness after I die? It doesn't make sense and isn't terribly logical to think something would be waiting for my mind after the body, which sustains my mind, fails. However, people like "fairness," and it just doesn't seem fair that we would struggle like we do daily only to end up having all of it mean nothing in the grand scheme of things. Sadly for most, however, I can't help but think that this is it, this life, this one chance, is all there is, which even further illustrates to me personally that I must live it to the fullest.

6) In your opinion, does everyone make it into heaven/paradise? If they do not, why?
One man's heaven is another man's version of hell. (Just one more reason why an afterlife is illogical.) As stated above, this is it, this one life. I'd rather make my mistakes, relish in my victories, and enjoy my cup of coffee in the present then worry about what's going to happen when the asteroid does hit. Other people seem to like having a goal and dream of an easy life where there is no struggle, no unhappiness, and no pain. It must be noted, however, that that isn't life. A study of life, if anything, will prove that without pain and struggle, there is no life. May as well call it afterdeath. :)

7) What makes your religion a good fit for you?
This is probably one of the most disturbing things about religion in general, although I have to confess I'm not sure if this is strictly an "American" thing, or if it can be found the world over. If any one religion were THE religion, this one-size-fits-all mentality that many on the fringes of all religions would be justified. Sadly, however, the truth is that many DO shop for a religion that fits nicely with their preconceived notions of what SHOULD be. I'm not sure how many people actually challenge themselves on their beliefs and why they believe whatever it is that their choice of religion teaches. I'm sure many just say they are Catholic because that's how they were raised, but would be horrified to know what the Catholic church teaches as scripture and doctrine. I'm sure that tradition plays a huge part, but another factor is convenience--in America, you have freedom of religion, and thus the plethora of choices ensures that you can find something comfortable. I don't want to be comfortable. I want to KNOW why this person says this, or why that person believes that. Not just what they believe, but WHY. Until anyone knows the Why's of their beliefs, it's not truly a belief, at least in my book.

8) What are your holy days and what do you do to celebrate them?
There really aren't any holy days in atheism, although the winter solstice has become for many THE "holiday" of choice. Part of this has to do, I think, with not only an excuse to get together with friends and family (i.e., the needing of a "reason"), but also because so many in the religious community have declared Christmas as THEIR religion, and god forbid any others should come up with a different reason to celebrate. History shows that originally the winter solstice WAS pagan in nature until usurped by religion to try to drag people kicking and screaming from the irreligious ways they practiced the days going from shorter to longer.

9) Do you consider people of other faiths to be your friends?
Most of them, in fact, are of "other faiths." I have many faiths not only in my immediate family, but most of my friends, be they Buddhist, Catholic, protestant, Lutheran, or other. I have no issues with other beliefs, as long as they not only KNOW why they believe what they believe, and don't try to make me change. We have wonderful discussions and are constantly challenging one another in ways that are nonthreatening and respectful, although the same cannot be said for the political environment in general of the United States as a whole.

10) Would you ever join people of another faith to celebrate one of their holy days? Please explain why?
I have and always will continue to do so. Even if I don't share the beliefs of my friends and family, I still see it as a time to get together, to share what's going on in our lives, to laugh and converse, catch up with one another. I stay silent and still during prayers or hymns or whatever else is served up in the religious sense, as I respect people enough, and love my friends and family enough, to put up with what at times seems like quirks for the people I dearly love. And that is what it really comes down to--loving people enough to overlook those things which would otherwise drive us insane :) While I may not share their various faiths, I love and respect them regardless. When it comes to complete strangers knocking on my door Saturday morning, however, I politely turn them away--if they allow me to do so politely.

11) What are your thoughts on the burka, and Shariah Law?
On one hand it is a cultural institution toward which I think a certain level of sensitivity is required. On the other hand, however, I cannot help but view the burka as one more tool man has used to prevent women from having an equal place in society. (Which, of course, it is.) While I can respect that people believe certain things are sacred, taboo, or otherwise a part of faith that must be observed else their particular god(s) will punish them, when it comes to laws which demand that everyone hold those same taboos and doctrines? Absolutely not. If each individual woman, after a discussion among equals with her husband, believes she should where the burka? Fine. It's your life to do with as you please. But to make it a law for everyone. That's a no-go. No $200. People should have enough respect to let others decide what is best for their own lives, as long as it infringes upon no one else's life. Rights for all, as long as no one else has their rights violated. Anything less is disrespectful and ignorant, not to mention enormously arrogant.

12) Are women allowed to hold religious office (priest, minister, rabbi, iman etc) in your religion and how do you feel about it?
This is basically a moot point when it comes to atheism, I think you would agree. :) I believe all people, regardless of gender, ethnicity, or any other "qualifying" factor should be judged on capability alone for any position which they would like to hold.

13) Does your place of worship segregate? If yes, how does this make you feel?
No. And thank goodness. :)

14) How much does your religion affect your daily life and how much thought do you give it when making a decision? Does it affect in any way your decision on abortion, gay marriage, etc?
While many may think atheism would stand for equal rights for all, one would find many varying opinions within the atheist community on such "hot button" issues, and I mostly find that allows for a more honest discussion. People need not fear their god(s) or the religious leaders when voicing an opinion on such topics, and also allows people to voice REAL concerns about how their daily lives can/would be affected if such things were/weren't allowed by law. As stated above, however, I do feel that what others do in their lives is their own concern and should not have anyone else involved in such personal decisions unless personally affected, or if it in fact harms or infringes upon another human beings rights. That being said, I believe a woman should have the right to choose whether or not she will carry a fetus to term, and men and women should have the option to marry someone of the same gender in love, or even in convenience, as many opposite-sex couples have done for generations. Neither issue has any impact on someone not directly related to the persons making those decisions. (I.e., the Family Research Council [or any other similar type group] is in no way affected, nor are the individuals in such a group, in any way infringed upon, whether or not a woman has an abortion, or whether Bob marries Joe.) But when it comes to public policy, such right-wing (and some left-wing) groups would like to influence policy to have everyone adhere to their doctrines, even though most feel no such compunction in their own personal morals. This is akin to trying to make Sharia law the law of the land, and should not be tolerated from any one of any faith or non-faith.

15) How would you react/feel if your child wished to marry outside your religion?
If I ever do end up having the privilege of becoming a father, I would hope that my child would have been raised with enough of a bullshit meter to not have a religion in the first place. That being said, if my child were to end up having a faith, or were to marry someone who had a faith, it would be of no concern to me except that they were happy and in love and thought that the decision they were making would have a positive impact on both their lives. I myself am partnered to a Christian and our relationship is in no way ill affected by his belief or by my non belief. It's a moot point to us, however, I have seen families torn apart by such faith differences, especially when it came time to start indoctrinating said child. It is a matter for the couple and the couple alone to decide, if and when that time comes, if they are respectful enough of one another, and how to handle such a situation.

16) In your opinion, if someone is not of your faith, will they go to hell?
As there is no such thing as heaven or hell, no. :)

17) Who do you think is not a practicing ----- in your religion and why? ie who in the public domain claims to speak for your religion? Do you agree with them or not?
There are very few atheists and agnostics in the public square politically speaking, much to my dismay. Religion itself is treated with such preferential treatment in this country (whether right-wing religious elements like to admit it or not) that for any politician to speak of his or her own atheism is akin to political suicide, unfortunately. To compound the absurdity of our secular nation having such an intolerable attitude to nonbelief, the United States constitution itself states that no religious test is required to hold public office. The public, sadly, has a bit of a ways to go before atheism can become a mainstream lifestyle in this country.

18) Have you ever been the target of a hate crime? Please explain.
Yes, but not because of my faith or non faith, but because of my sexual orientation. And not because of religious reasons either, believe it or not. :)

19) Do you ever feel like your religion devalues you?
No.

20) Does your religion give you peace of mind?
An interesting question to ponder, I suppose, seeing as how "peace of mind" can be such a broad implication. I have made peace with the fact that there's no evidence for a god(s), an afterlife, or even of some sense of divine justice, which is of great consolation to many believers in this world. The fact that, even if they don't get justice in this life, they'll get there's before god(s) or what-have-you. De-conversion from faith is a hard and trying process, which is part of the reason I believe so many cling to their respective faiths at all. When you have to search the width and breadth of your being, challenge yourself on everything you've been taught, and challenge those in authority in their respective capacity as a religious leader... Well, it takes you on some dark paths in your mind. But ultimately I am more at peace for many reasons: I no longer need to fear eternity; I no longer need to feel like my measurable mistakes are going to have immeasurable, eternal consequences; I no longer need to fear that I'm committing some grievous sin simply by enjoying life having a drink or going out to dance. I can enjoy life, respect my fellow humans, and make the most of what I have without having to hope that faith is enough to buy me more time. I no longer need fear anyone but myself.

21) Do you believe in reincarnation? Why or why not?
In one word? Hogwash. :) Especially given the data on the ease in which false memories can be planted in any persons mind. And, of course, you never hear anyone claim to be the reincarnation of a baby who died after having been alive for only two minutes in the 1700s, or the reincarnation of the whore who died of scurvy on that pirate ship. They've all been princes, or kings and queens, or knights! Why have we yet to meet the reincarnated Hitler? Not that I'd want him back--even he justified his atrocities according to his Catholic faith! But be that as it may--hogwash.

Lucille Ball Quote

Hello and Happy Wednesday!

Today's quote is brought to you by Lucille Ball:

I'd rather regret the things I've done than regret the things I haven't done.


Hope to see you back Saturday!

Wee_Beastie

Hello and Happy Saturday!

Thank you so much AnnMarie for sharing your faith journey with us last week. Your journey from Christianity to Buddhism was unique and very interesting.
Thank you AnnMarie!

Today we have a new interview so please welcome Wee_Beastie.
Wee_Beastie is an Atheist and I know you will enjoy his interview as well!


Here Is Wee_Beastie's Introduction:


Hello There.
I will keep the introduction brief, as my life is not the focus of this blog. I was born in Motherwell, Scotland in 1969, our family emigrated to Canada in 1974. I have spent the majority of my life in Cambridge, Ontario. I served in the Canadian Forces for seven years (1987-1993). I went to school in Cambridge, Ontario, and attended college in Kitchener, Ontario. I now work for a respectable company in Waterloo, Ontario for the last 11 years.
Anything more than that is irrelevant for this exercise. Best Regards… Beastie.



1) What religion do you practice?
I do not practice religion per se, I believe that there is a greater power, but nothing that has been or can be truly explained by any organized religion.

2) Are you a convert/revert or were you raised within this religion? If you converted, what did you need to do to convert? And what did you practice prior to converting?
I was raised protestant. Well, I went to church with my mother when I was very young… Sunday school every weekend… I still remember the nice pigeon-toed lady taking me on to the bus when mom didn’t go. I remember waking up one Sunday when I was about 8 or 9 and saying that I didn’t want to go. Mom was insistent, but my dad called out that if I didn’t want to go, I didn’t have to. It must have been the heavy roof on our house that stopped the bolt of lightning from striking me down right there and then.

3)Within your religion are there degrees of observance (ie. Orthodox,conservative, moderate, liberal)? What are the defining differences between the degrees of observance?
The only observances that impact me are the ones accepted by the government. Statutory holidays. But It seems wrong that one predominant religion exercises its influence across all faiths. With that being said, if all organized religions had their way, we’d probably only work around 10 days a year…

4)Within your religion what degree of observance are you ((ie. Orthodox,conservative, moderate, liberal) ? Why did you choose this degree of observance?
It’s just another day off for me.

5)What is the Afterlife within your religion? For example: what happens when a person dies? Are there places for reward/punishment? (such as a Heaven/Hell concept)
Reincarnation. See below (Question 21). As for the Vikings, what a waste of a perfectly good boat.

As for rewards and/or punishments, I think that is related to our actions in past lives, as well as our current life. You reap what you sow; it just may not come right away.

6) In your opinion, does everyone make it into heaven/paradise? If they do not, why?
I do not believe in a heaven or hell as defined by man-made religion.

7) What makes your religion a good fit for you?
I do not need to dress up on Sundays, I do not need to fast, slaughter animals, make a pilgrimage. or give anything up for a specified period of time.

8) What are your holy days and what do you do to celebrate them?
The closest “holy day” is Christmas, when our family comes together. We do not celebrate it on December 24th/25th, but instead celebrate it when it is convenient to all involved. My family is very accepting, and understands that others who wish to hold to a more religious doctrine or calendar have precedence.

9) Do you consider people of other faiths to be your friends?
I have or have had many friends who hold different beliefs than my own. I do not judge them, berate them, or tease them (too often – in jest). People are people, and friends are friends.

10) Would you ever join people of another faith to celebrate one of their holy days? Please explain why?
If I had a friend who wished or requested my attendance at a “holy day” in contradiction to my beliefs, I would attend, respect the customs, rituals, etc., and make the most of the situation by learning their beliefs to avoid any chance of accidental offense. It is also a very good chance to learn, ask questions, and break down the barriers of ignorance that occur between radical factions within organized religion.

11) What are your thoughts on the burka, and Shariah Law?
If a woman chooses to wear a burka of HER OWN FREE WILL, then that is her choice. It is not my place to judge on any specific religion. ANY religion that dictates the rights (or restrictions) of any individual, regardless of gender, sexual preference, abstinence of alcohol, etc,) is restricting the freedom of that individual, which contradicts an individuals right to choice. This statement is not directed at Shariah Law specifically, but should be applied across any and all religions

12) Are women allowed to hold religious office (priest, minister, rabbi, iman etc) in your religion and how do you feel about it?
I wish there were more free thinking women out there… but a woman should be able to hold in any position within their religious organization if they choose to do so.

13) Does your place of worship segregate? If yes, how does this make you feel?
No. Anyone is welcome in my home (the closest thing to my church). As long as they have been invited, everyone is equal. Just bring your own beer, unless otherwise instructed.

14) How much does your religion affect your daily life and how much thought do you give it when making a decision? Does it affect in any way your decision on abortion, gay marriage, etc?
Religion does not factor in to any decision I make. Why should my beliefs change how I treat other people? I try to treat everyone as equals, with the exception of those who bring it on themselves. Abortion is a woman’s choice, and gay rights/marriage is a label that should be abolished.

15) How would you react/feel if your child wished to marry outside your religion?
My child would be their own person, and it is not my right to judge or influence any decision that they may make as a person.

16) In your opinion, if someone is not of your faith, will they go to hell?
Not necessarily. I believe that any individual of any religion that treats others with kindness, respect and tolerance will be rewarded through their efforts. I have seen many devotees of specific religions who will berate and judge others because they do not share the same beliefs… and then go to church to be forgiven for their “sins”.

17) Who do you think is not a practicing ----- in your religion and why? ie who in the public domain claims to speak for your religion? Do you agree with them or not?
Well, I’m pretty sure the Pope would not be of my religious persuasion. He is the beacon of light and direction for approximately a billion Catholics, and would refuse an invite to come visit me because I offer nothing to him or his religion (although it would be fun to get him sauced, and then try on all of his hats). That being said, I haven’t actually invited him.

Every individual has “their own exact interpretation” of religion, so I doubt if there’s anyone else out there that speaks for everyone else. If I was to choose somebody, it would have to be me, and I agree 90% with me completely. I’m not perfect.


18) Have you ever been the target of a hate crime? Please explain.
Yes, I have been exposed to hate crime, but I do not consider myself to be a victim. From it I learned that there are weak-minded individuals trying to be something that they are not, who do not have the capacity to accept others, or be understanding when challenging their beliefs. The only thing that I will elaborate on is that it was in the military many years ago, and it was done by a regiment that no longer exists

It is the lack of public education on religious differences that create the rifts in our society. (this is my 17-word soap box moment)

19) Do you ever feel like your religion devalues you?
On the contrary. My lack of commitment or subjugation to an organized religion has opened my eyes to the world. Everyone is welcome to practice their own beliefs, and I would not judge or persecute any individual for supporting their beliefs, unless they were themselves judging first.

20) Does your religion give you peace of mind?
Yes. The fact that I can live my life as I see fit eliminates the need for being guarded or restricted.

21) Do you believe in reincarnation? Why or why not?
I believe strongly in reincarnation. I have had experiences in certain places that I have never visited before and say to others “I’ve been here”. These places are not local, as if I’ve been out with the boys late one night and forgotten, but ancient sites throughout Europe that I can identify with.

Thank you for taking the time to read my comments.

Arthur Schopenhauer Quote

Hello and Happy Wednesday!

Today's quote is brought to you by Arthur Schopenhauer:

Each day is a little life: every waking and rising a little birth, every fresh morning a little youth, every going to rest and sleep a little death.



There's a new interview coming up Saturday so please check back!

AnnMarie

Hello and Happy Saturday!

I wish to thank G*3 for his very interesting interview last week. I very much enjoyed reading it and I thank you so much for sharing your journey with us G*3!

Today we have a new post so please welcome AnnMarie.
AnnMarie is a Buddhist and I know you will enjoy her interview as well!



Here Is AnnMarie's Introduction:


AnnMarie is an aspiring novelist and poet. She grew up in a devout Catholic family and has written numerous poems (and one novella) about the experience of being Catholic. Now she practices Buddhism. She still studies Christianity and has a blog about where Jesus would have stood on our political issues. She graduated from UCLA with a degree in American Literature and Culture, and acknowledges that Christianity has historically played a huge role in our culture. She currently works as a librarian assistant and is studying to get her master’s in library and information science. She has a husband and a young daughter who is ten months old.

http://wwjv4.blogspot.com




1) What religion do you practice?
I consider myself a secular humanist. I practice Buddhism because I find that its practices are in line with my values of intellectual inquiry, self-awareness, serenity and wisdom.

2) Are you a convert/revert or were you raised within this religion? If you converted, what did you need to do to convert? And what did you practice prior to converting?
I am a convert of a sort. I was raised Roman Catholic. When I was growing up I was quite obsessed with Catholicism and wanted to be a nun. My beliefs changed quite drastically as I got older and was exposed to a more diverse group of friends and people with other viewpoints. I still retain a lot of knowledge and interest in Catholicism and Christianity in general, and think that it will always be a part of me, a major part of my background.

I didn’t need to do anything to “convert” to Buddhism. I just needed to learn about the beliefs and decide whether or not I accepted them. I also had to learn how to practice meditation and why. I approached Buddhism at first the way I approached Christianity as a child--by studying its texts closely. But now I approach it as a simple, thoughtful, fully-aware way of life.

3)Within your religion are there degrees of observance (ie. Orthodox,conservative, moderate, liberal)? What are the defining differences between the degrees of observance?
As a Catholic there were certainly many degrees of observance and I would say that my family ranked either highly conservative or orthodox. I spent much of my childhood memorizing facts about saints and dogmas and even competing with other children to win competitions about that. My family prayed the rosary every day. For a while, I voluntarily spent my school lunches in the church going to Mass every day at twelve.

There are also degrees of observance within Buddhism, although I’m not sure they can be classified this way. There are three major sects of Buddhism: Theravada, Mahayana, and Vajrayana. These sects all have different denominations and traditions which are mostly a product of culture and history. I have had the most familiarity with Theravada Buddhism, although I reject most of the fanciful stories that have been passed down about the Buddha as being highly improbable (much like, say, the Nativity stories about Jesus). But I also studied Taoism which had an influence on the way Buddhism would be transmitted to East Asia. And for a bit I studied Nichiren Buddhism, which is a Japanese Mahayana tradition.

4)Within your religion what degree of observance are you ((ie. Orthodox,conservative, moderate, liberal) ? Why did you choose this degree of observance?
I observe certain practices in line with Theravada Buddhism, which is considered to be the “original” tradition associated directly with Siddhartha Gautama. I recently adopted a vegetarian lifestyle, although I added fish back to my diet for health reasons. I also read Theravada texts and practice meditation.

5)What is the Afterlife within your religion? For example: what happens when a person dies? Are there places for reward/punishment? (such as a Heaven/Hell concept)
In Catholicism, there is definitely a concept of Heaven and Hell and a concept of Purgatory also--this is a realm sort-of in between Heaven and Earth, where you go to perfect your soul before it meets God in Heaven. I used to believe in it strongly but as an adult I no longer see any point to believing this. It’s too easy to write off people as “going to hell” and too easy to assume that you are “going to Heaven” if you do everything you’re told and obey all the rules.

In Buddhism, the belief is that when you die, you are reborn again as a completely new person or animal. You do not have a “soul” that travels from one life to the next, but your energy, thoughts, actions and volitions produce another life at the moment of your death. Because we all crave life, and that craving for existence is what mires us in this world of endless suffering. When you stop craving, you start the wheel turning in the other direction and you have the opportunity to really get a glimpse of what there is beyond life. That’s Nirvana.

6) In your opinion, does everyone make it into heaven/paradise? If they do not, why?
In my opinion, there is no such thing as heaven/paradise. It’s not practical to me to waste time thinking about. It’s a manifestation of our ego’s desires. There is no such thing as hell either. Most Buddhists believe there are different realms, some are pleasurable and others are painful. I don’t know if I agree. I think the thought of either a pleasurable or a painful afterlife is neither productive nor practical. I just think people get reborn over and over until they no longer feel the craving for this world.

7) What makes your religion a good fit for you?
The invitation to think critically, and to question everything. The Buddha said “Don’t believe in anything because you heard it from someone or from one of your books. But if you have verified it from your own experience and your own experience tells you that it has value or truth, and is conducive to people’s good, then accept it and live up to it.”

I’d like to say a few words about Christianity too. I think Christianity has many good points, including the concept of loving all people (echoed also in the Buddha’s words five hundred years earlier). Jesus and the Buddha had a lot in common: they were outlaws, they were mavericks on the fringe of their own religion and interested in transforming it into a more global, all-embracing belief system. They both went out and preached kindness to all beings, charity to the poor and courage in the face of evil. These things still resonate with me whenever I open the Bible.

8) What are your holy days and what do you do to celebrate them?
Not being raised Buddhist, I don’t have much familiarity with Buddhist holy days. I think they are celebrated differently depending on what country you’re from. I don’t celebrate any holy days or observe any rituals or traditions. For me, that’s not where the heart of the religion lies.

Catholics have many holy days throughout the year, and almost every single day is the feast day of a saint. I used to know many of them but now I rarely observe any of them unless I’m doing it out of respect and love for my parents.

9) Do you consider people of other faiths to be your friends?
I have been blessed with a very diverse group of friends ever since I was in college. My friends are Christian, Hindu, Sikh, Muslim, Jewish, and Atheist.

10) Would you ever join people of another faith to celebrate one of their holy days? Please explain why?
Yes. I have celebrated Sikh and Hindu holy days with my friends, and have been to weddings in many different religions. I also continue to join my parents in celebrating their Catholic religion on the holy days that are important to them, such as Christmas, Easter, and others.

11) What are your thoughts on the burka, and Shariah Law?
I think anything that subjects women to abuse or oppression is horrible, and I don’t care who objects to my opinion on that. I think if women want to wear a burka that’s up to them--but the simple fact is, not all women who wear a burka want to. Besides, would the women who say they want to wear one still wear it if they knew there were alternatives and felt that they would still be accepted if they didn’t wear one? I think there are a lot of cultures in this world whom we historically absolve from their abuses for reasons of “tolerance” when we should make our fundamental goal the freedom and happiness of all people.

12) Are women allowed to hold religious office (priest, minister, rabbi, iman etc) in your religion and how do you feel about it?
Currently, Buddhists do not have an official order of nuns, and this is unfortunate. They used to, but the order died out and the religion requires a certain kind of succession to establish a new order. There are a lot of Buddhist women who choose a religious life but it is not in an official capacity.

In Catholicism, women do not hold religious office but they are invited to enter the religious life as nuns. I wanted to be a nun for a long time. I was always drawn to the mystical and the spiritual. Now, I’m a much more practical person, interested in the here and now.

13) Does your place of worship segregate? If yes, how does this make you feel?
I have visited several Buddhist temples and meditation centers and although there are some who conduct their services in a different language for people of a different culture than me, I have found a couple of Buddhist groups who have been welcoming and friendly.

Catholics don’t segregate, but they do alienate people who are different, like homosexuals for example.

14) How much does your religion affect your daily life and how much thought do you give it when making a decision? Does it affect in any way your decision on abortion, gay marriage, etc?
Catholicism used to affect my views on abortion, although I always felt that gay marriage should not bear the stigma that it has for Catholics. I do not feel that gay marriage would even have been an issue for Jesus. He hardly ever talks about it. Today, these “hot-button issues” have become tools for the more conservative political groups in this country to get people to forget Jesus’ constant cries for equality and charity, and to get them to vote against things like social welfare, unemployment and education by focusing on irrelevant issues like abortion and gay marriage.

Buddhism does affect my decisions on abortion, although it would not influence my voting preferences. I believe that people should vote based on what’s best for the country and not based on their own personal convictions. Fortunately, Buddhism is very accepting of gay marriage and I am happy that this religion embraces alternate lifestyles.

15) How would you react/feel if your child wished to marry outside your religion?
I know it’s a pretty likely thing so I will not feel shocked in any way. I actually have a dream that one day all my children will be seated around my table, each comfortable and confident in expressing their gratitude for the food before them in his/her own way.

Unfortunately, I never felt that my parents would react calmly to me rejecting their religion. That’s why I wish to maintain a certain level of anonymity here. I feel like they’d be very upset and would never see it in a rational light.

16) In your opinion, if someone is not of your faith, will they go to hell?
Absolutely not. I think nothing could be more pointless. If somebody does not believe in my religion, it simply means that they will continue to be born and reborn according to their own actions and live with the consequences of everything they do and say and think. That’s what karma is. Nothing changes for them at all, whether or not they are Buddhist.

17) Who do you think is not a practicing ----- in your religion and why? ie who in the public domain claims to speak for your religion? Do you agree with them or not?
Hm. There are plenty of people who claim to practice Christianity (Republicans for starters) who do not actually practice its basic tenets of charity and tolerance. Then again, there are people who practice Christianity only too well--in all the worst ways.

When it comes to Buddhism, I can only say that I have heard of Deepak Chopra and seen some of his interviews, and it irritates me when he speaks for Buddhists because I do not think he is actually a Buddhist. I gather this from some of the things he has said about “God” (Buddhists don’t believe in God) and the “soul” (Buddhists believe there is no soul).

18) Have you ever been the target of a hate crime? Please explain.
No, never.

19) Do you ever feel like your religion devalues you?
Absolutely not. If anything, Buddhism tells me that I--not God, not some savior or Messiah, but just I--have the power to cultivate my mind and my actions and improve my way of living and improve my consequences. It’s totally empowering.

20) Does your religion give you peace of mind?
Catholicism used to give me peace of mind in the practice of the sacraments, that I could get “in touch” with God and have a relationship with him. But it also gave me deep conflict when I began to question the existence of a God and question the cruel and intolerant views of the Catholic Church. Now, Buddhism gives me peace of mind. It gives me tools for improving my life, improving my mind, and yes, cultivating a sense of serenity and peace. It’s not the beliefs that give me comfort primarily, but the practice of meditating. Meditating will change your life. It will make you a calmer, happier, more in-tune person. It will teach you the meaning of awareness of all your thoughts and actions. It will open you up to the stores of insight within your own mind.

21) Do you believe in reincarnation? Why or why not?
I believe in rebirth. Reincarnation is slightly different (although you may say it’s a matter of semantics). I see reincarnation as being a concept related to the idea of “soul” or “self” which I do not hold to be true.

Romeo Dallaire Quote

Hello and Happy Wednesday!

Today's quote is brought to you by Romeo Dallaire:

I know there is a God, because in Rwanda I shook hands with the devil. I have seen him, I have smelled him and I have touched him. I know the devil exists and therefore I know there is a God.



There's a new interview on Saturday so be sure to check back!

G*3

Hello and Happy Saturday!

I wish to thank Hesham A. Hassaballa for his very enjoyable interview last week.
Thank you for sharing Hesham!

This week we have a new interview so please welcome G*3.
G*3 is Jewish and I know you will enjoy his interview as well!


Here Is G*3's Introduction:


Online I go by G*3 (not the catchiest of screennames, but it’s what I came up with on the spur of the moment years ago and it’s too much trouble to change it now).

I currently live in New York in a large Orthodox Jewish community. I have a masters in psychology, consider myself a history buff (particularly of military history), and have an active interest in philosophy, theology, and social psychology. I’ve always been a skeptic, but usually the only one – the only one in my Orthodox Jewish high school, the only one in the post-high school yeshiva I went to, the only one in my family. Then about three years ago I stumbled across the Jewish skeptics’ blogosphere, and I was amazed to find people just like me. About a year and a half ago I started my own blog, http://2nd-son.blogspot.com/ where I write about my experiences, philosophy, and theology, get my thoughts in order, and generally try to convince myself that I’m an intellectual.


1) What religion do you practice?
That’s a little complicated. In practice, I’m a (Modern) Orthodox Jew. I keep pretty much all of the mitzvos (commandments), I’m part of an Orthodox community, and I’m planning on sending my kids to Orthodox schools. But I don’t think that the tenets of Orthodox Judaism are true. My religious views are atheistic. I’m what some people call Orthoprax: I keep the prax (practices) of the Orthodox community, but not the dox (beliefs).

2) Are you a convert/revert or were you raised within this religion? If you converted, what did you need to do to convert? And what did you practice prior to converting?
I was born to Orthodox Jewish parents and raised by them in the Orthodox Jewish community, so as far as religion I’m not a convert. As far as my actual worldview, “convert” isn’t really the right word. I’ve only come to identify as a skeptic in the last couple of years, but that’s only about the label. As I wrote above, I’ve always been skeptical. The biggest change is that before I let go of the idea that there is a God, I spent years trying to fit religious truths into the real world. Over the last couple of years I finally let go of the last of the tortured logic and ill-fitting historical timelines that had allowed me to hold on to the idea that there might be something to God and religion after all. Once I realized that there are normal people who think the same way I do, I no longer felt the need to force myself to try and find ways to believe in things that just didn’t fit with the rest of what I knew to be true.

3)Within your religion are there degrees of observance (i.e. Orthodox, conservative, moderate, liberal)? What are the defining differences between the degrees of observance?
To do justice to Judaism’s full range of observance and belief would take a book, so I’ll limit myself to a VERY brief overview of Orthodoxy.

The Orthodox Jewish community can be divided along two axes: communal point of origin and broad theological approach. On the first axis, there are two major groups, the Ashkenazim (Jews from Europe, originally the Germanies) and Sephardim (technically Jews from the Iberian Peninsula, but often used as a catch-all grouping for all Jews who aren’t Ashkenazim). These groups are subdivided into German Jews, Polish Jews, Syrian Jews, etc. Each group has their own practices (called minhagim) in regard to various aspects of halachah (Jewish religious law).

On the second axis, on the far right are the Chareidim, which include the many Chassidic groups and the yeshivish community (the spiritual heirs of the Lithuanian Torah academies). Broadly, they believe in a mostly literal reading of the Bible (to be precise, a literal reading of the Bible as explained by the many commentaries), that the great Rabbis of the past wrote with Divine insight and were never wrong, that today’s rabbis have a similar, though lesser Divine insight, that added stringencies in the observance of mitzvos (commandments) is usually a good thing, that they must try as much as possible to separate themselves from the unholy influences of the outside world (no TVs, no secular newspapers, magazines, books, etc., and internet use restricted to business use only), and that one should ideally spend all of his time studying Torah (to the extent that many men spend a significant portion of their lives, or even all their lives, in yeshiva and never join the workforce). The Chareidim are the ones most people think of when they think of Orthodox Jews: black hats, black suits / coats, Chassidim with their shtreimels (fur hats), etc.

On the far left are the Modern Orthodox, who broadly believe that secular education is a good thing; that the great rabbis of the past and of today are pious men and brilliant scholars, but only human and susceptible error; that one can and should keep the mitzvos while engaging with the world at large, and that driving oneself crazy with added stringencies is not a good thing. The typical Modern Orthodox Jew dresses just like your average American, except that the men will usually wear a head covering.

There’s also kabblah (mystecism), which Chassidim and some Sephardim are into, and different social structures in different communities.

In practice, any given Orthodox Jew will fall somewhere on a continuum between right-wing Chareidi and left-wing Modern Orthodox. There are many different communities with various beliefs/observances that all bleed into one another, so there are informal categories like “stringent Modern Orthodox” and “Modern Chassidish.” And the far left of Orthodoxy bleeds into the Conservative movement…

4)Within your religion what degree of observance are you ((ie. Orthodox,conservative, moderate, liberal) ? Why did you choose this degree of observance?
In terms of practice and social identification, I’m somewhere in the middle of the Modern Orthodox segment of Orthodoxy. I grew up somewhere between Yeshivish and Modern Orthodox, and went to right-wing yeshivish schools. My skepticism pushed me towards the left: while I don’t think the religious beliefs of Modern Orthodoxy are true, at least many people in the Modern community are rationalists (as opposed to the mystically-oriented thinkers that dominate the right).

In terms of belief, I’m a heretic.

5)What is the Afterlife within your religion? For example: what happens when a person dies? Are there places for reward/punishment? (such as a Heaven/Hell concept)
There are slightly varying beliefs about the afterlife within Orthodox Judaism, so I’ll describe the version I’m most familiar with. Olam Haboh (literally, “the World to Come” - the afterlife) consists of Gan Eden (literally, “the Garden of Eden,” a figurative expression for Heaven) and Gehenom (literally, “the Valley of Henom,” an area outside Jerusalem that in ancient times had constant bonfires burning, an analogy for Hell).

Gehenom is more like the Catholic conception of Purgatory than it is like Hell. It’s not a place for punishment, per se, but for cleaning the residue of sin left on one’s soul so that it will be fit to enter Heaven. There are Rabbinic opinions that state Gehenom is not a place of physical cleansing and pain, but that in the World to Come everyone will know everything you did, and the shame of having your indiscretions known is compared to the physical pain of being burned in a fire.

Gan Eden is often described as a giant study hall, where we all get to study Torah with God. The more righteous you were in life, the closer you get to sit to God’s throne. The pleasures of Heaven are the intellectual pleasures of Torah study, of working through complicated legal problems and being rewarded with a sudden flash of insight.

From a skeptic’s standpoint, I’ll just note that the Hebrew Bible never mentions an afterlife; the most stringent punishment mentioned in the Bible is “mais yamus” (you will surely die); that there were mainstream Jewish sects during the time of the Second Temple that had no belief in an afterlife; that the ancient Hebrews appear to have believed in Sheol, a shadowy underworld where the dead were stored, similar to the Greek Hades; that the belief in the afterlife and the belief in universal resurrection when the Messiah comes coexist uneasily; and that the conception of Heaven as a giant study hall would appeal to the Talmudic scholars who wrote about it, but to very few other people.

6) In your opinion, does everyone make it into heaven/paradise? If they do not, why?
In my opinion, I see no reason to think that consciousness survives death. Neuropsychology is providing ever-better evidence that our consciousness is an emergent property of our brains. Much like software ceases to function when a computer stops working, so too our consciousness most likely ceases when our brains stop working. Which means that there most likely is no Heaven, no afterlife, and no one goes anywhere. We simply cease to be when we die.

As the Bible says: “Ki afar atah v’el afar tashuv” (For you are dust, and to dust you shall return). ;-)

7) What makes your religion a good fit for you?
If “your religion” refers to Orthodox Judaism, it’s not a good fit for me, but for the moment I’m stuck with it, and I’m used to it, so it’s not really a burden.

If “your religion” refers to my skepticism/atheism (which of course is not a religion at all, but a worldview) then it’s a good fit because that’s how I think. Nothing is taken for granted. Everything must be proven to a level of certainty in proportion with the demands it makes on me. In other words, if you tell me you have an aunt in China, I’ll take your word for it because it makes absolutely no difference to me. If you’re going to sell me a house for hundreds of thousands of dollars, you better have a deed showing that you own it and can sell it and I’m going to have the house inspected. If you want me to devote my life to a system of rituals and beliefs based on the premise that there is an intangible, omnipotent, omniscient, omni-benevolent Creator who handed down a manual for life at a mountain three and half thousand years ago, you’re going to need some really good evidence.

Question everything, even this.

8) What are your holy days and what do you do to celebrate them?
I celebrate all of the Jewish Holidays. A description of each of the holidays can be found here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jewish_holiday

Here’s my take, in chronological order (omitting some minor fasts):

Shabbos (the Sabbath, every week from sundown on Friday to sundown on Saturday):
Commemorates God resting on the seventh day of creation. Melacha (literally, “labor:” a large body of activities which includes turning electricity on or off, lighting or extinguishing fires, planting, doing laundry, walking more than about a quarter mile outside city limits, carrying objects outside of an enclosed area, writing, and many other things – you can fill a library with the books written on the subject) is forbidden, and objects which are muktza (things which are used to do melacha – for example, a pen which can be used for writing) are not handled. There are prayer services Friday evening (about an hour) Saturday morning (2 – 2½ hours) and Saturday afternoon and evening (about 20 minutes each).

Personally, I find the crowded, often poorly-ventilated rooms, incessant murmuring and chanting, and the visual stimulation of a roomful of constantly moving people to be very unpleasant, and find muttering prayers in Hebrew - a language I only understand if I concentrate – extolling the virtues of a Being I don’t think is there to be very boring.

Supper Friday night and lunch on Saturday are large family meals served on china, crystal, and silver. They provide good opportunities for having people visit, I try to have guests at the meals as often as possible.

Shabbos typically has a warm family atmosphere, provides a break from a hectic world, and the restrictions force us to do things like read and play games for entertainment instead of watching TV or going online. It’s one of the few things I would really miss if I ever broke with the Orthodox lifestyle.

That said, the long Shabbos afternoons during the summer can drag on and on and on…

Rosh Hashanah (New Years):
A two-day holiday, it shares most of the labor restrictions and atmosphere of Shabbos. Morning prayer services are typically about six hours long, with a break for a snack at some point in the middle. I don’t go much, but my wife likes me to take the kids to shul for an hour or so that they can hear the shofar (ram’s horn) blown.

Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement)
Twenty-five hours of fasting and roughly twelve to fourteen hours of prayer. This is the day when we tell God what miserable sinners we’ve been and beg Him to keep us around for another year so that we can continue to be His slaves. Only God could get away with something like that.

What do you mean I’m cynical?

Succos
Succos translates as “booths,” which sounds like a silly name for a holiday, but then lots of names sound silly when translated. Abraham literally means “Father of many.” Imagine greeting a friend, “Hey Father Of Many! What’s doing?” But I digress.

On Succos we erect huts and eat our meals in them (and some people sleep in them) for a week. This is supposed to be in memory of the clouds with which God surrounded the Israelites in the Sinia desert during their forty years of wandering. Personally I think that’s about as likely as Jesus having actually been born on the winter solstice. It more likely started as a harvest festival that had biblical significance tacked onto it later.

Simchas Torah
The day after Succos, Simchas Torah celebrates the completion of the annual Torah reading cycle in shul (at the rate of one and occasionally two parshios (sections) per week) and the beginning of the next cycle. It is celebrated by dancing with the Torah scrolls in shul, after which every man gets an aliyah (a small portion of the weekly portion read while he stands next to the reader. Historically each person called up to the Torah would read a portion himself, but eventually a system evolved where the entire weekly portion is read by a designated reader, and he reads each sub-section in lieu of the person called up. This was because the masses were illiterate, and this system enabled anyone to get an aliyah.)

Chanukah
This is probably the most well-known and popular of the Jewish holidays, because it happens to fall around Christmas. Then again, it’s possible that it’s not a coincidence that a holiday during which lighting candles is the major ritual falls around the winter solstice, or that both Chanukah and Christmas share features with other Solstice holidays. Chanukah is a minor holiday and has nowhere near the significance that Christmas has for Christians.

Chanukah is celebrated religiously by lighting the menorah (a nine-branched candelabra) each night after sundown for eight nights and culturally by giving gifts and getting together for family celebrations.

It’s interesting that Chanukah is the most likely holiday to be celebrated by non-religious Jews, given that the holiday celebrates the victory of the fundamentalist Chashmonaim over the secularists and assimilationists of the time who wanted Judeans to integrate fully into the Assyrian Empire.

Tu B’Shvat (The fifteenth day of the month of Shvat)

Purim

Pesach (Passover)

Shavuos
The anniversary of the giving of the Torah by God to the Jewish nation at Mt. Sinia

Tisha b’Av (fast on the ninth day of the month of Av)
A day of fasting and mourning that supposedly marks the anniversary of the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem. Its historicity aside, this is one holiday that I think can be given real significance, as I wrote about here: http://2nd-son.blogspot.com/2009/07/for-whom-do-we-mourn.html

9) Do you consider people of other faiths to be your friends?
This assumes I have friends. I tend to be asocial, and the only people I would consider friends is a couple I know through my wife.

In theory, I have no objection to being friends with anyone who’s a decent person, but given that most of my very limited social contact happens within the Orthodox community, I don’t see becoming friends with someone of another faith happening in the near future.

10) Would you ever join people of another faith to celebrate one of their holy days? Please explain why?
Personally, I have no objections. I’m very interested in other cultures, and as long as they didn’t expect me to buy into the religion the holiday is based on, I could definitely see myself watching the festivities. Actually participating would be awkward, both because of my religious conditioning (which produces automatic reactions that are hard to ignore or suppress) that other religions are, well, if not exactly evil, definitely not good, and because as a skeptic I think it would be inappropriate for me to be an active part of something that is meaningful to others and that I view as superstition.

11) What are your thoughts on the burka, and Shariah Law?
Mostly that it’s none of my business. As a member of a religion that has similar (though less extreme) modesty rules for women and that lives by the dictates of a religious law code, I can empathize with Muslims. In Orthodox communities, it is often women who call for stricter observance of modesty rules, women who organize classes on modesty, and women who justify modesty rules as ennobling, as keeping their beauty only for their husbands and as keeping themselves from being seen as sex objects.

In practice, I’ve found that the stricter the modesty laws in a community, the more sexualized women are. In communities where men and women are strictly separated at all social gatherings and women are covered in loose-fitting clothing from collarbone to wrist to ankle, a bare elbow is pornographic and accidentally brushing against a woman is something that a man will remember for years.

When I was in high school, the (all boys) school I went to had strict rules against any of us having any contact with any girl to whom we weren’t related. As a result, I vividly remember the single time I spoke to a girl during my four years of high school: one morning when my bag dropped on the sidewalk and a girl on her way to one of the Orthodox all-girl schools helped me pick up my books. All I said to her was, “Thank you.” She didn’t say anything. It’s something that would normally be a non-incident, but because I had no contact at all with girls, it stands out well over a decade later.

I would guess that there are Muslim women that champion the burka as ennobling. And I would guess that there are Muslim men who would see a woman in street clothes the same way an American man would see a woman in a string bikini.

12) Are women allowed to hold religious office (priest, minister, rabbi, iman etc) in your religion and how do you feel about it?
No. Though there was recently an attempt by a single rabbi on the left wing of Modern Orthodoxy to ordain a woman. It didn’t go over well with the rest of the Orthodox community, but we’ll see where it stands in another decade or two.

On the one hand, I think it’s unfair that women are excluded from positions of religious authority. On the other hand, given the way Orthodox Judaism is structured, a version of Orthodoxy that truly allowed women into the religious power structure wouldn’t really be Orthodoxy. It’s a systemic problem, born of the belief that the further back in time a rabbi lived, the more authoritative he is; and the fact that the rabbis of centuries and millennia ago lived in and shared the values of the societies of centuries and millennia ago.

13) Does your place of worship segregate? If yes, how does this make you feel?
Yes. I don’t have a place that I go regularly, but all Orthodox shuls (synagogues) have separate men’s and women’s sections. Many have the men’s section in the front and the women’s section in the back, because the service is performed exclusively by men and the chazzan’s (prayer leader’s) podium and the aron (usually translated as ark: a kind of a closet, often made of ornately carved wood with an embroidered velvet curtain hanging over the door) where the Torah scrolls are kept are always at the front of the room. Many Modern Orthodox shuls have the divider run down the center of the room instead, so that the sections are right and left instead of front and back and the women’s seating opportunities are equal to the men’s.

Usually when I do go to shul I end up sitting next to a complete stranger and spend half the time worrying that I’m in someone’s seat. I’d much rather sit next to my wife, but for now, at least, that’s not an option.

14) How much does your religion affect your daily life and how much thought do you give it when making a decision? Does it affect in any way your decision on abortion, gay marriage, etc?
Orthodox Judaism has a large effect on my daily life. It affects what I eat (kosher only), where my kids will go to school, the kind of clothing my wife will wear, etc. I do give it some thought when I make decisions, but only in a practical (not moral) sense, such as which schools I’m considering for my kids.

Skepticism is just the way I think, and so of course it affects my life, my decisions, and in general the way I evaluate everything and relate to the world.

I’m neither a woman nor gay, so I don’t see that I will ever have to personally make a decision about abortion or gay marriage. If you want my opinion on their morality, I really can’t see how gay marriage harms anyone. As long as no one is being coerced I don’t see how any marriage is anyone’s business besides the two (or three or four or whatever) people getting married. Abortion is trickier, and comes down to your definition of life, at what point someone becomes human, and your take on the idea that every human life has intrinsic value. I can fully support aborting fetuses to save the mother or in cases where the child would live a short and miserable life. Other cases are grey moral areas that require more nuanced answers than “right” or “wrong.”

It occurs to me that the heated debate over abortion may be because people are very uncomfortable with ambiguity in their moral systems. This discomfort causes many on either side to adopt absolutist positions that can’t be justified and can only be defended with invective rhetoric.

15) How would you react/feel if your child wished to marry outside your religion?
As long as the person they want to marry is a good person who will make them happy, I’m fine with it. Telling their grandparents, though… that wouldn’t be fun.

16) In your opinion, if someone is not of your faith, will they go to hell?
I used to wonder about this. According to Judaism, any non-Jew who adheres to the Seven Noahide Laws (most of which are basic social rules) has a place in Heaven. But what about the Crusader knight who truly believed that he was doing God’s will when he slaughtered the Jewish communities of the Rhine valley? Or the devout Inquisitor who served the Lord by ferreting out Marranos (Spanish Jews who nominally converted to Catholicism but continued to practice Judaism in secret) and burning them at the stake in an auto de fe? Did God punish them for bringing such sorrow to His chosen people? Did He reward them because their intention was to serve Him?

Today, as I said above, I see no reason to think that the consciousness survives death or that there is any such place as Hell, so the question is moot.

17) Who do you think is not a practicing ----- in your religion and why? ie who in the public domain claims to speak for your religion? Do you agree with them or not?
I don’t think there is anyone who publicly claims to speak for Orthodox Judaism. For that matter, I can’t think of anyone in the popular media that claims to speak for Judaism collectively or in any of its forms.

There are outspoken atheists like Dawkins, Dennet, etc. who I often find myself agreeing with, but the disbelief in a concept is a weak bond on which to build a community identity and I certainly don’t feel that any of them speak *for* me.

18) Have you ever been the target of a hate crime? Please explain.
Nothing serious enough to be labeled a hate crime. I’ve had things like “Jew boy” yelled at me and once, shortly after I graduated from high school and was still wearing the white-dress-shirt-and-black-dress-pants I had been used to in school, I was mugged by a couple of teenagers who “helpfully” suggested that I should wear jeans so I wouldn’t stand out. On average, though, this sort of thing has happened maybe once a decade.

I had a much worse experience nearly a year ago when I foolishly commented on a Chareidi news site challenging some of the premises of an article posted there. I had been hoping for an interesting conversation with the article’s author. Instead I got threats, personal attacks on my character, and anxious comments warning that my identity should be found out so that I could be kept from corrupting the community’s children. I wrote about it here: http://2nd-son.blogspot.com/2010/02/defenders-of-faith.html

19) Do you ever feel like your religion devalues you?
In a way, I think religion devalues everyone. Accomplishments are attributed at least in part to God, while theodicy demands that people are solely responsible for their failings.

Years ago an acquaintance tried to convince me that Napoleon Bonaparte was a shaid (a kind of demon). The premise seemed to be that a mere human wouldn’t have been capable of accomplishing everything Napoleon did. Leaving aside that Napoleon’s life is well-documented, this kind of thinking devalues the human race as a whole because it denies us credit for our greatest accomplishments.

20) Does your religion give you peace of mind?
No. I don’t think Judaism is true, so there’s no help there. And without any belief in the metaphysical, I find myself groping to find meaning and slipping into nihilism.

Incidentally, the loss of meaning that sometimes accompanies loss of belief in religion is often cited by theists as a reason to be religious. Unfortunately, that’s just a pragmatic argument. It says nothing about whether the claims of the religion are true. As George Bernard Shaw said, "The fact that a believer is happier than a skeptic is no more to the point than the fact that a drunken man is happier than a sober one."

21) Do you believe in reincarnation? Why or why not?
No. I see no reason to think that there is a soul, and without a soul reincarnation is meaningless.

On the other hand, the material we’re made from is constantly recycled, and some of it will probably end up in some other living creature at some point. For instance, dust mites eat our dead skin cells, and the material becomes part of them. But somehow I don’t think that’s what most people mean by reincarnation.

Please note, if I seemed overly critical of Orthodox Judaism, that’s only because that’s the religion I’m most familiar with and the community in which I live. I have a similar opinion of all theistic religions.

Tina Turner Quote

Hello and Happy Thursday!

Today's quote is brought to you by Tina Turner:


Sometimes you've got to let everything go - purge yourself. If you are unhappy with anything . . . whatever is bringing you down, get rid of it. Because you'll find that when you're free, your true creativity, your true self comes out.


There's a new interview coming up on Saturday so be sure to check back!

June Interviews

Here's a look ahead into the June Interviews:

YMR will hear from CF who is Agnostic, Kriss who is an Atheist, KV who is Christian and Stephanie who is a Mormon.


All great interviews that you won't want to miss!