Jewish Atheist

TYT interview with Todd Stiefel, founder and president of...

Tue, 18 Jun 2013 09:30:23 -0400

TYT interview with Todd Stiefel, founder and president of Stiefel Free Thought Foundation, one of the leading atheist groups in the country.

Really enjoyed this interview. Check it out.

I'm an ex baalas teshuva, and I'm just curious, do you think your parents would rather see you at the opposite extreme of being ultra-frum rather than completely secular? My parents were quite happy when I "toned down" my religious observance, but since your parents are orthodox, I was just curious if they had the same reaction or they'd rather see you Yeshivish than completely secular.

Mon, 17 Jun 2013 16:33:54 -0400

I think from a religious perspective, they’d rather I still be super-frum instead of OTD, but I also think they kinda enjoy the person I am now. Much more fun. So I think they’re a bit torn. Of course, they just want me to be bit frum, even if it’s a weak form of modern orthodox, though at this point I think they’d be happy if I was even just a bit orthoprax, doing stuff for high holidays and such - which I pretty much have no interest in.

It’s kind of funny, bc they were freaked out when I returned super frum from Israel. (I mean, super frum!) As I slowly became less religious, it probably got closer to resembling their beliefs and level of observance. I’m sure they enjoyed that. But yeah, I kept rolling until where I am now.

And just realized I forgot to call my dad for father’s day! yikes… brb…

"Against logic there is no armor like ignorance."

Mon, 17 Jun 2013 16:09:54 -0400

““Against logic there is no armor like ignorance.””

- Laurence J. Peter (via quotedojo)

Where the disobedience leads...

Mon, 17 Jun 2013 09:30:25 -0400

polishadventure2013:

In the book of Esther we read about Haman who wanted to kill the Jewish people. But it is very interesting to get to know the whole story of those people. Haman was the descendant of the Amalekites. Few centuries before that occasion the Jewish king Saul was supposed to kill all Amalekites for they were the evil nation, they attacked women, kids. But Saul decided to act more wisely. He saves women of the Amalekites. What happens later is the descendant of Amalekites wants to pay back, he probably knows only that part of the story that Jews are guilty of attacking their people but doesn’t know the whole truth. The whole nation is under threat because of the disobedience of one.

God knows better what He is doing because he sees the whole puzzle, the whole picture, because he is the maker, creator. We should trust him and obey whatever he tells us to do.

Yes, lessons from ancient stories which are at least heavily embellished if not entirely made up are a good way to rationalize anything, particularly blind faith in a god no matter what it allegedly commands, including genocide. Makes perfect sense.

Brooklyn Billboard Warns That Under Law, Haredi Schools Must...

Sun, 16 Jun 2013 09:30:24 -0400

Brooklyn Billboard Warns That Under Law, Haredi Schools Must Teach Secular Subjects

Good.

Nazi SS-led unit commander found living in Minnesota

Sat, 15 Jun 2013 14:27:51 -0400

Nazi SS-led unit commander found living in Minnesota:

The Jew media have found another innocent man who they will now demonize.

I don’t even know what the fuck that ^ means. But hearing about the innocent people this scum of the earth asshole murdered, all I can think is:

Photo

Sat, 15 Jun 2013 13:40:57 -0400

Haredi Modesty Patrol Attacks Car Carrying ‘Immodestly’ Dressed Haredi Women, Then Attacks Police

Sat, 15 Jun 2013 09:30:30 -0400

Haredi Modesty Patrol Attacks Car Carrying ‘Immodestly’ Dressed Haredi Women, Then Attacks Police:

wtf?! seriously, just wtf?! Anyone who does this deserves a good spell in jail.

hey hey! im the one who asked if you believe everything was random... how could all the intricate details of everything be an accident? even one single eyeball has soo much going on and so many details and so many things in our body have to be doing things exactly right for us to be healthy and function...how could it be that thats all an accident? O.o

Fri, 14 Jun 2013 16:22:27 -0400

Did you read what I wrote about evolution? It uses mutations as raw materials - and that part is random - but the process by which certain features are selected, that is “natural selection”, is not random. So evolution isn’t a random process, though it has random elements, but it’s also not an intentional process either.

If you haven’t already, I recommend reading a few books about evolution.

I made a deal with myself to read 2 chapters from a book every day this summer and learn something new so my head doesn't get totally mushy, and I find myself coming to your blog most of the time for the 'something new' part. Just thought you should know how great your blog is.

Fri, 14 Jun 2013 13:35:21 -0400

Thanks so much! I’m actually looking forward to getting my brain real mushy after graduation (today!) and the next few weeks, but yeah, I need some good literature and novel ideas in my life. Cheers =]

nakedpastor: Just a simple question: “Is Your Belief a House of...

Fri, 14 Jun 2013 13:16:24 -0400

nakedpastor:

Just a simple question: “Is Your Belief a House of Cards?” See my cartoon and commentary: http://www.patheos.com/blogs/nakedpastor/2013/06/is-your-belief-a-house-of-cards/

If you’re at all agnostic or skeptical or merely recognize that there are problems with religion, you should be following this blog.

thewallsofjerusalem: Charedi Judaism - Belt on her Weapons of...

Fri, 14 Jun 2013 12:52:16 -0400

thewallsofjerusalem:

Charedi Judaism -

Belt on her Weapons of War*

Thursday, Parshat Chukat, on MA”Sh street

*Yeah it sounds a bit weird but it’s kind of idiomatic, Biblical language - I ran it by a native to make sure I had it right. Basically they’re pi55ed off about the draft and they’re “going to war” about it. The number of times the pashkvilin use this image of “going to war” against going to war is kind of amazing.

Interesting new blog. Just started following and am digging it. Check it out.

"Two nations are in your belly, and two peoples will emerge from your loins…" (Bereishis 25:22-23)

Fri, 14 Jun 2013 12:45:51 -0400

hishbati-eschem:

…We know that the worst enemies faced by the Jewish people are its internal enemies. Jews who dress like gentiles, talk like gentiles, and eat non-kosher food do not have much influence on good Jews. Whatever they say will probably be ignored. The real danger is the Jew who dresses like a Torah Jew, does mitzvos, goes to the synagogue, studies Torah, and yet spreads heretical ideas….
Today we face both the secular Zionists and the religious Zionists. But members of this latter group pose the greater threat because of their observance and dedication to the Torah. Furthermore, secular Zionism as an ideology is becoming increasingly weak over the years as the secular Jews’ connection to Judaism grows weaker. Religious Zionism, on the other hand, continues in full force, and threatens to dominate the Jewish people. We must give our attention to fighting the influence of this dangerous movement.

rofl

I’m not even a zionist or religious, but this insanity is too funny. Classic sect-fighting. “Our way is the only real way!”

Clearly judaism has its own dangerous fundamentalists as well.

Shabbat Shalom: Parshat Hukat (Numbers 19:1–21:35)

Fri, 14 Jun 2013 12:28:33 -0400

eretzyisrael:

“Take the staff… and speak to the rock…” (Numbers 20:8)

Didn’t even read the post, just smh bemused at this quote.

Scientifically known as the “OTD Tipping...

Fri, 14 Jun 2013 12:22:10 -0400

Scientifically known as the “OTD Tipping Point”

(that last frame! perfect!)

What to Want

Fri, 14 Jun 2013 09:30:00 -0400

“The key is wanting what you don’t want.”

I remember hearing and thinking stuff like this in yeshiva. In retrospect, I think it speaks volumes about my former beliefs.

"Whoever destroys a soul, it is considered as if he destroyed an entire world. And whoever saves a..."

Thu, 13 Jun 2013 09:30:41 -0400

“Whoever destroys a soul, it is considered as if he destroyed an entire world. And whoever saves a life, it is considered as if he saved an entire world.”

- Babylonian Talmud Tractate Sanhedrin 37a (via tzilahjewishcultureandhistory)

One of the good bits in the talmud.

Bible Quiz Game Show I don’t usually post about...

Wed, 12 Jun 2013 11:40:24 -0400

Bible Quiz Game Show

I don’t usually post about primarily christian stuff, but this was pretty fantastic.

Mogwai - My Father; My King Randomly remembered this song last...

Wed, 12 Jun 2013 10:59:38 -0400

Mogwai - My Father; My King

Randomly remembered this song last night, which is a great alternative spin on avinu malkenu. I remember listening to this (and similarly alternative jewish music) back when I was frum. cheers

im sure you answer this somewhere on your blog but i cant find it....why dont you want to believe in a god? doesnt life seem so pointless without the world having been created for a reason you having been created for a reason?

Wed, 12 Jun 2013 10:55:12 -0400

To be clear, I used to want to believe in god. Back when I was first questioning, I desperately wanted to regain my strong faith. (See my essay, “Confessions of a Would-Be Apathetic Backslider”.)

Similarly, when I first started becoming skeptical, irreligious, agnostic, and eventually atheistic, I did feel pretty lost at first and things did seem pointless, but I got past that. I realized a big part of it was just because I’d been taught that life was about religion. It took me awhile to absorb a more existential approach, that life is about whatever you want to be. And honestly, I’m much happier these days because of it.

These days I would somewhat prefer that god not exist. Honestly, there’s not much about god that would make his existence preferable. While it might lend some potential meaning to existence, it could easily negate my reasons for existence. And while the idea of an afterlife can sound nice, it can also sound terrible. Simply put, god sounds like a tyrannical dictator. While there can be some nice things about such a leader, I’d much rather not have one.

But to be clear, my non-belief isn’t about preferences. It wasn’t when I wanted to believe, nor is it now that I wouldn’t want to believe. It’s always been, primarily, about the reasoning. What is the evidence? What is logical? And for that, preferences make no difference. (Just as I might prefer that aliens and unicorns exist, but that doesn’t make it so.)