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Jewish people who call everyone and their dogs 'culturally Christian' and then get offended at the suggestion that perhaps professing a disbelief in the god central to Jewish Scripture makes them 'culturally Jewish' sure express one /hell/ of a cognitive disconnect. https://twitter.com/anisky/status/1391223013866102789
This is not to say I believe such assertions aren't genuine; ironically, however, they're rooted in a 'culturally-Christian' conception of what God /is/, or in what it means to be an atheist.
@rabbiandruekahn had an excellent thread on this in January. ☟ https://twitter.com/rabbiandruekahn/status/1351170473829269509
@rabbiandruekahn had an excellent thread on this in January. ☟ https://twitter.com/rabbiandruekahn/status/1351170473829269509
They write: 'To be a Jewish atheist, there would be a denial of all mystery in the world.' I don't know that one can be religiously Jewish and still assert that.
More importantly, however, I don't truly believe that's what any self-professed 'atheist Jew' is actually doing.
More importantly, however, I don't truly believe that's what any self-professed 'atheist Jew' is actually doing.
Rather, it seems to me they're using 'atheism' as a shorthand for their disbelief in a personal, Christian conception of God.
I won't mince words: this is a dumb shorthand.
I won't mince words: this is a dumb shorthand.
Obviously, it's dumb because it's semantically erroneous; there are many conceptions of Divinity which would be 'atheist' by such a definition.
Hindus are atheists by that definition.
It's a bad definition.
Hindus are atheists by that definition.
It's a bad definition.
But frankly, it's doubly ignorant to use such a culturally-Christian conception of 'atheism' to define one's relationship to Judaism because—surprise!—Judaism isn't Christian!
Why define your Judaism and your Jewish relationship to God using Christian theology?
Why define your Judaism and your Jewish relationship to God using Christian theology?
Sure, there are Jewish people with a much stronger connection to and belief in a personal God much more analogous to what Americans see as the 'norm,' and I can appreciate the desire to separate oneself from such a belief.
But that doesn't make you an atheist.
But that doesn't make you an atheist.
To call yourself an atheist because you don't believe in God the way Christians do? That's a strong indication you're as steeped in 'cultural Christianity' as anyone else you've tarred with that brush.
