A question regarding Judaism

[Will.]

So my dad is going mad at me because I think if you're Jewish you're part of the religion but he says Jewish is a nationality and not a religion.


Please help I'm so confused

[Niamh.]

Judaism is a religion not a nationality :laugh:

[Will.]

I'm scared to mention if again as he's gonnna go mad, he thinks if you're from Israel the. You're Jewish and it not a religion

[Niamh.]

I'm scared to mention if again as he's gonnna go mad, he thinks if you're from Israel the. You're Jewish and it not a religion

If you're from Israel you're Israeli :laugh:

[Pete.]

It's first and foremost a religion but it has been interpreted as a race also in recent years. But its like calling Christianity a race which is insanity imo

[Josy]

Wills dad for mastermind

But yeah what Nimah said.

[TomC]

From Wiki:

Jewish people, are an ethnoreligious group[12] originating from the Israelites, or Hebrews, of the Ancient Near East.[13][14] Jewish ethnicity, nationhood and religion are strongly interrelated, as Judaism is the traditional faith of the Jewish nation,[15][16][17] while its observance varies from strict observance to complete nonobservance.

[TomC]

But it's certainly not a 'nationality' as such, you could call it an ethnic group.

[Niamh.]

But it's certainly not a 'nationality' as such, you could call it an ethnic group.

What about people who convert to Judaism then?

[Crimson Dynamo]

Its a religion

[TomC]

What about people who convert to Judaism then?

They're not part of the ethnic group. It's got a two-fold meaning according to Wiki.

[Crimson Dynamo]

So my dad is going mad at me because I think if you're Jewish you're part of the religion but he says Jewish is a nationality and not a religion.


Please help I'm so confused

I think your father is more referencing zionism but livia will be along soon to clarify

[Niamh.]

They're not part of the ethnic group. It's got a two-fold meaning according to Wiki.

We need Livia in here :laugh:

But this is what a Jewish person on yahoo answered :

Best Answer: We literally keep telling people this (at least 10 times a day), but just get ignored. Everyone else seems to want to define what Judaism is, instead of allowing people who are actually Jewish to define themselves and explain.

Judaism IS a religion and it definitely isn't a race like some have suggested. There are Jews of ALL races the world over.

Judaism HAS distinct ethnic groups in itself, but that does not make the entire group an ethnicity. Ashkenazic (German or Eastern European), Sephardic (Spain and Portugal), Mizrahim (Middle Eastern, North African) and smaller subgroups exist.

These include: Indian Jews (Bene Israel), Romaniotes (Greece), Italian and Chinese Jews. The customs are different, so are the base languages as a whole etc..

The reason people make these distinctions is for one of two reasons 1) Antisemitism (easier to hate people who are separate from you)
2) To make claims that one can be Jewish while being a Christian

To clear up the 'who is Jewish' thing: Someone is Jewish one of two ways (according to Judaism):

A) Their mother is Jewish: If someone takes up another belief they are an apostate. Should they *want* to return to Judaism, they wouldn't have to convert back into the religion, but apostasy implies a number of things, like not being buried in a Jewish cemetery for example.

B) One converts into the religion: Judaism doesn't proselytize (because we understand that it's not for everyone), but if someone wants to convert, by all means they are welcome to.
Source(s):
~Jewish

https://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20090304220051AANEwK2

[bots]

I think your father is more referencing zionism but livia will be along soon to clarify

The last thing we need is someone that is knowledgeable on the subject :fist:

[Jamie89]

I'm no expert so could be completely wrong, but I've always thought of Judaism as being more complicated than other religions in terms of identity, because it can be based on your parentage rather than just your beliefs. I mean it's essentially just a label so it depends how you interpret it (so maybe there's no right or wrong answer) but I'm pretty sure that there are a lot of Jewish people who consider someone to be a Jew purely based on if they are born to a Jewish mother. Even if that person follows no religion or faith.

[Jamie89]

I don't know how accurate this website is but...

http://www.jewfaq.org/whoisjew.htm

Who is a Jew?

A Jew is any person whose mother was a Jew or any person who has gone through the formal process of conversion to Judaism.

It is important to note that being a Jew has nothing to do with what you believe or what you do. A person born to non-Jewish parents who has not undergone the formal process of conversion but who believes everything that Orthodox Jews believe and observes every law and custom of Judaism is still a non-Jew, even in the eyes of the most liberal movements of Judaism, and a person born to a Jewish mother who is an atheist and never practices the Jewish religion is still a Jew, even in the eyes of the ultra-Orthodox. In this sense, Judaism is more like a nationality than like other religions, and being Jewish is like a citizenship.

[Crimson Dynamo]

my advice to you will is to make sure that you just be you and dont attach any religious labels to yourself as they all all fictitious

[Jamie89]

my advice to you will is to make sure that you just be you and dont attach any religious labels to yourself as they all all fictitious

He's not saying he want's to become Jewish, he's just trying to understand more about it :suspect:

[Crimson Dynamo]

He's not saying he want's to become Jewish, he's just trying to understand more about it :suspect:

i wonder is his penis has been mutilated tho

already, before he can make a choice?

:suspect:

[Niamh.]

i wonder is his penis has been mutilated tho

already, before he can make a choice?

:suspect:

That's not just a Jewish thing, the vast majority of Americans get that done to their baby boys too :worry:

[Crimson Dynamo]

That's not just a Jewish thing, the vast majority of Americans get that done to their baby boys too :worry:

well it is a jewish thing and its a horrible thing to do to any boy @america

[Crimson Dynamo]

:fist: that can be a crucial cm or so

[Niamh.]

well it is a jewish thing and its a horrible thing to do to any boy @america

Yes but the Americans (not just Jewish) believe it's "unclean" not to have it done, nothing to do with religious reasons

[Jamie89]

i wonder is his penis has been mutilated tho

already, before he can make a choice?

:suspect:
Will's penis is irrelevant :oh:

[Crimson Dynamo]

Yes but the Americans (not just Jewish) believe it's "unclean" not to have it done, nothing to do with religious reasons

:joker:

yes millions of years of evolution and natural selection and some americans think they have a better idea


:facepalm:

[Rob!]

Make him a bacon sandwich and tell him it's meat from the country of Judaism.

[Kizzy]

Yes but the Americans (not just Jewish) believe it's "unclean" not to have it done, nothing to do with religious reasons

I wonder where they got the idea?

[Niamh.]

I wonder where they got the idea?

Not from jews if that's what you mean

[Crimson Dynamo]

http://www.upworthy.com/the-absurd-reason-why-america-circumcises-baby-boys

:omgno:

[Livia]

Like everyone's already said, Judaism isn't a nationality. We do consider it a 'race' though, although there will probably be a trickle of posts telling me that's not so. Anyhoo... that's what we believe.

[Rob!]

Like everyone's already said, Judaism isn't a nationality. We do consider it a 'race' though, although there will probably be a trickle of posts telling me that's not so. Anyhoo... that's what we believe.

I can't say I've ever considered Judaism as a race :laugh:

[Niamh.]

Like everyone's already said, Judaism isn't a nationality. We do consider it a 'race' though, although there will probably be a trickle of posts telling me that's not so. Anyhoo... that's what we believe.

:thumbs:

[Livia]

I can't say I've ever considered Judaism as a race :laugh:

And yet... Trumpet has just referred to the "Jewish race" on another thread.

Lots of people would argue that it's actually a race... but then lots of people would argue about practically anything!

[Livia]

LOL... God I'm fast today!

[Crimson Dynamo]

i would disband it but keep the humour

[Livia]

i would disband it but keep the humour

Someone's already tried that. Didn't work out... but the humour wasn't affected happily.

[Kizzy]

Not from jews if that's what you mean

Then where?...

[Crimson Dynamo]

Then where?...

puritans in the 19th century would you believe!

[Kizzy]

puritans in the 19th century would you believe!

No I wouldn't believe. I wonder why it's considered a race? (Not saying it is or isn't.)

[Livia]

Muslims account for more circumcisions than the Jews. American circumcision is usually done for non-religious reasons. Nice to think some people believe the Jews are so influential they persuaded 80% of the male population of the US get circumcised though.

[Niamh.]

No I wouldn't believe. I wonder why it's considered a race? (Not saying it is or isn't.)

:o

[Kizzy]

:o

Are you mocking me Niamh? :bawling:

[Niamh.]

Are you mocking me Niamh? :bawling:

Yes :fan:

[Livia]

Does Marshy know you've got his fan again, Niamh?

[Crimson Dynamo]

not americans doing stupid things mainly now because its a huge money spinner and has nowt to do with actual logic?

[Niamh.]

Does Marshy know you've got his fan again, Niamh?

No :fan:

[Kizzy]

Yes :fan:

Shame on you then :hmph:

[Mokka]

That's not just a Jewish thing, the vast majority of Americans get that done to their baby boys too :worry:

not americans doing stupid things mainly now because its a huge money spinner and has nowt to do with actual logic?

Unfortunately it's a Canadian thing as well.. All of North America really... Idgi

[Crimson Dynamo]

Unfortunately it's a Canadian thing as well.. All of North America really... Idgi

i would hope you dont

:omgno:

[Mokka]

i would hope you dont

:omgno:

I meant... It was offered to me at my sons baby check up appointment at the doctors office... I refused.
My sister did it to her boy though :worry:
Some of what I hear on the topic is it's esthetically pleasing that way
Why would you be thinking about your son's penis like that at 2 weeks of age :shrug:... Or at all

[Crimson Dynamo]

I meant... It was offered to me at my sons baby check up appointment at the doctors office... I refused.
My sister did it to her boy though :worry:
Some of what I hear on the topic is it's esthetically pleasing that way
Why would you be thinking about your son's penis like that at 2 weeks of age :shrug:... Or at all

its a disgusting mutilation and should be outlawed worldwide.

[Kizzy]

its a disgusting mutilation and should be outlawed worldwide.

Agreed.

[y.winter]

Israel calling.

As an Israeli (born, raised and still there) I can guarantee you that Judaism does not mean Israeli and the other way round.
Israel is so-called "Jewish and Democratic state" (which is quite an absurd oxymoron), it's mostly jewish because of its historical-biblical narrative (and being the sanctuary for holocaust survivors, like my grandparents).
Even in Israel, which is jewish-biased, the issue of labeling it formally as a nationality is quite a controversial one.
As a result, the nationality in our IDs is "******" (yep, asterisks).

I'm, btw, an atheist (although my roots are jewish and some may want to consider me as such).

[Niamh.]

Israel calling.

As an Israeli (born, raised and still there) I can guarantee you that Judaism does not mean Israeli and the other way round.
Israel is so-called "Jewish and Democratic state" (which is quite an absurd oxymoron), it's mostly jewish because of its historical-biblical narrative (and being the sanctuary for holocaust survivors, like my grandparents).
Even in Israel, which is jewish-biased, the issue of labeling it formally as a nationality is quite a controversial one.
As a result, the nationality in our IDs is "******" (yep, asterisks).

I'm, btw, an atheist (although my roots are jewish and some may want to consider me as such).

Oh you're from Israel? I never knew that

[y.winter]

Oh you're from Israel? I never knew that

sarcastic or serious?

[Niamh.]

sarcastic or serious?

Serious :laugh: I just assume that everyone is English unless they say otherwise (eventhough I'm not even English myself haha)

[Mokka]

Serious :laugh: I just assume that everyone is English unless they say otherwise (eventhough I'm not even English myself haha)

Tibb has gone global Niamh...keep up :fan:

[Niamh.]

Tibb has gone global Niamh...keep up :fan:

:fan:

[y.winter]

Serious :laugh: I just assume that everyone is English unless they say otherwise (eventhough I'm not even English myself haha)

haha that's Ok :bigsmile: I've mentioned it before so I didn't know if I was pushing it too hard.

Hello from the other side :wavey:

[Niamh.]

haha that's Ok :bigsmile: I've mentioned it before so I didn't know if I was pushing it too hard.

Hello from the other side :wavey:

No lol I never heard you say that before. I think you might be our only Israeli member :love:

[Livia]

haha that's Ok :bigsmile: I've mentioned it before so I didn't know if I was pushing it too hard.

Hello from the other side :wavey:

I didn't know... Hi! I have family in Jerusalem and Haifa... I'm off there for work on Wednesday. Nice to have you here.

[Crimson Dynamo]

haha that's Ok :bigsmile: I've mentioned it before so I didn't know if I was pushing it too hard.

Hello from the other side :wavey:

Livia is a spy for Mossad so keep an eye out for her. She will be in a Hummer tooled up and shooting out the window

[Livia]

Well, that's my cover blown...

[y.winter]

I didn't know... Hi! I have family in Jerusalem and Haifa... I'm off there for work on Wednesday. Nice to have you here.

Oh, that's nice! What do you do for living?
I'm living in the center, a city called Holon, a few minutes from Tel-Aviv.
Mossad agents are welcome. It worked well with Gal Gadot :smug:

[Livia]

Oh, that's nice! What do you do for living?
I'm living in the center, a city called Holon, a few minutes from Tel-Aviv.
Mossad agents are welcome. It worked well with Gal Gadot :smug:

I know Holon.. well, I know where it is, I've not been there.

I'm a lawyer, I work for the government specialising in International law.

Ahhh Gal Gadot. Looking at her is like looking into a mirror for me.

(I wish)

[Ninastar]

tbh for like a day I thought that Jewish people were from 'Jewland' but then I googled it

[Livia]

tbh for like a day I thought that Jewish people were from 'Jewland' but then I googled it

LOL... you silly arse.

I thought you were from Lesbos...

[Crimson Dynamo]

LOL... you silly arse.

I thought you were from Lesbos...

:oh:

DO NOT RUIN MY LIFE

[Crimson Dynamo]

All boys know Lesbos is full of Blonde Lesbians

:flutter:

[Livia]

All boys know Lesbos is full of Blonde Lesbians

:flutter:

Ninastar is a blonde lesbian. And gorgeous.. if I was that way inclined I definitely would.

[y.winter]

tbh for like a day I thought that Jewish people were from 'Jewland' but then I googled it

:joker::joker::joker:

[Crimson Dynamo]

Ninastar is a blonde lesbian. And gorgeous.. if I was that way inclined I definitely would.


I must say when i entered "A question regarding Judaism" I did not think we would get to here
:drool:

[Ninastar]

Livia if you ever get tired of men, call me and I will turn you

[Ninastar]

And thank you :love: I do wish I was from lesbos tbh

[Crimson Dynamo]

Livia if you ever get tired of men, call me and I will turn you

http://gifsec.com/wp-content/uploads/GIF/2014/03/Popcorn-GIF.gif?gs=a