[anarchotheos]

also, i was saying this to my boyfriend last night and have continued to think about it: i wonder if the increase in paganism/witchy stuff has anything to do with like, a desire for a positive atheist experience? not all pagans are atheists, but plenty are, or are agnostic, in my experience. stedman talks a lot about building atheist communities on the basis of humanitarian goals, rather than being anti-religious, and again, in my somewhat limited experience from friends, it seems like a lot of pagan beliefs can fulfill that; a community, positivity, a sense of spiritual discussion. same with atheist jews, really; people are social creatures and we will seek each other out.

[anarchotheos]

so i'm reading fatheist: how an atheist found common ground with the religious, by chris stedman, and i have a lot of positive, wonderful thoughts. but i'm at the part where he's talking about becoming disillusioned with christianity, and how he did look into other religions and none of them fit. and he talked earlier about having a jewish friend as a kid, but how as cool and welcoming as it was, it didn't fit. and ita interesting to me, i guess, just in difference; when i started learning about judaism, i felt like all the pieces of a puzzle id had for years were finally clicking into place. it felt right. i know some people say jews by choice have jewish souls, and i really wonder sometimes, because it felt so right.

[anarchotheos]

it makes me so uncomfortable that like such a vast majority of christians are always itching to convert you 

tbh that was one of the biggest draws of judaism; i started learning and there was no one begging me to convert, trying to save my soul, whatever. in fact, there’s a lot of discouragement for converts because judaism is not the right path for everyone and that’s a very clear part of the religion and culture, and often (online at least) people who are interested in judaism are encouraged to follow the noahide laws rather than convert and stuff.

bleh, idk, one of my facebook friends who i always considered a Normal Christian who was a tumblr mutual back in my sadblr days like 5 years ago shared a video by some evangelist talking about how much she loves her and i :/ 

and like, it annoyed me as an atheist, but it annoys me even more as someone who is interested in religion in any capacity because i want to talk to people about faith and beliefs and theology, like, academically. i don’t want an ulterior motive. even if you’re nice about it! like people will say they’re open and be kind but if its because their end goal is converting you than its the same thing. 

[awellboiledicicle]

When i learned that “Pesach” was pronounced “Pay-sock” and not “Pea-sack” i was shaken deeply because i jump to phonetics and i was let down.

I was also snickered at by the little old lady i was talking to at the oneg because i tried to say it correctly like 5 times and kept choking on air.

[agnosticmysticism]

Hebrew transliteration uses Latinate vowels

a = aw

e = ey like in hey

i = ee

o = oh

u = oo

the diphthongs all form naturally from that system

[awellboiledicicle]

When i learned that “Pesach” was pronounced “Pay-sock” and not “Pea-sack” i was shaken deeply because i jump to phonetics and i was let down.

I was also snickered at by the little old lady i was talking to at the oneg because i tried to say it correctly like 5 times and kept choking on air.

[agnosticmysticism]

Hebrew transliteration uses Latinate vowels

a = aw

e = ey like in hey

i = ee

o = oh

u = oo

the diphthongs all form naturally from that system

[anarchotheos]

i feel like you can't critisize the idea of what this author calls "mascot jesus", ie jesus that believes being happy is an ultimate good, if you believe in heaven. seeking heaven over hell is fundamentally hedonistic, its the ultimate pleasure seeking. and thats okay!

[anarchotheos]

so this books assertion is that sjw jesus is idolatry bc hes only jesus for oppressed people and thats wrong bc jesus is for everyone

nd like

for one that doesnt make sense bc equity and liberation aren't about making privileged ppl suffer, theyre about decreasing all suffering in general and not just for any one group. and the goals most of us have in mind (be that earthy or spiritual) are something we want for everyone?

and also like, jesus said it was hard for a rich man to get into heaven so, wild, almost like jesus felt willfully being an oppressor was a sin but w/e

[diylycanthropy]

i think i have very specific and obstinate views of (the potential virtues of) atheism from being an atheist for so long; religion that’s antagonistic to non-theists still feel very alienating to me and one of the most comforting things about judaism was this attitude that its okay to not know exactly what you believe and to not feel like everyone does, like if you want to bring god into your life then thats enough and argument is like, part of being jewish.

[antigonick]

I prayed and fasted. I read the mystics. I studied the martyrs. I began to think I was someone thirsting for God.

Anne Carson, The Anthropology of Water (via antigonick)

[yidquotes]

As for me, some days I believe in God, and some days I do not.“ Then Dodger said, “Is that allowed?” Solomon pushed the door open and then fussily began locking it up again behind him. “Dodger, you fail to understand the unique arrangements between Jewish people and God.

Terry Pratchett (via tikkunolamorgtfo)

[anarchotheos]

i feel like its probably really easy to think of candlenights as sort of cheesy concept but like, i feel sort of Lost during the winter holidays cause

1) i feel like i'm not supposed to want to celebrate christmas, but to be real i've been an atheist/agnostic the vast majority of my life and most of my friends were as well, so the chistian symbolism was mostly lost on me, it was just an excuse to get people presents and listen to corny music (confession: i love less religiously charged christmas music and i will jam to rocking around the christmas tree any second of any day)

2) i'm not even like officially converting though so hannukah isn't really my thing either, and, subpoint,

3) hannukah isn't jewish christmas either, it has different meanings and generally much more tame gift exchange that is really a lot of cultural bleed over from christmas anyway

anyway griffin's wife is jewish so i feel like its coming from a really sincere desire to coexist and it makes me happy

[anarchotheos]

me: i should start reading some of these jewish books i never started

the book: describes the character raping his wife on page 3

me: okay never mind

[anarchotheos]

rosh hashanah more like me crying about the fact that i'm too much of a pansy to tell my mom to go fuck herself and just go to shul so i've like totally stagnanted on converting, and another part of my Moving Out Plan was gonna be talking to a rabbi in madison and now i lost that, plus i don't even have anyone to talk to about judaism in the way i did w [redacted] so i'm sad and kinda lonely

[yidquotes]

I don’t propose that all Jews should unite themselves into one homogenous group. I don’t propose unity across Jewish factions. The Jews as a people were never truly united; our history encompasses many sects who opposed each other: Pharisees vs. Sadducees, Karaites vs. Rabbinites, Hassidim vs. Mitnagdim, and the plethora of denominations that exist today. Unity has never been our strong suit. However, I do believe that we should strive for a respectful disunity. Let us embrace each other’s differences but not fight against one another nor try to restrict each other’s religious expression based upon our own religious convictions. How much fighting could we reduce if we just let people be different from ourselves? If the Temples were destroyed due to sinat hinam (free-flowing hatred), it stands to reason that future redemption can result from ahavat hinam, the inclination to respect and accept—and maybe even love—each other.

Malka Strasberg (via yidquotes)

[yidquotes]

Jews find socialism attractive because they believe that it is rooted in Jewish tradition. In particular, they find that Judaism’s concern for the poor and its advocacy for the practice of charity are consistent with the values of socialism, if not identical to them.

Rabbi Dr. Tzvi Hersh Weinreb (via yidquotes)

[almostanastronaut]

Steven Greenberg, “Wrestling with God and Men” - Author’s conversation with Rabbi Eliashiv in Jerusalem

[anarchotheos]

this is so specific, i love judaism