How do I tell him I'm not Jewish?

[vashti]

Haha! Conservatives Jews don't wear wigs or reproduce by the dozens.

Riggs - you seem to miss the point that this girl is actually INTERESTED in a guy who may care whether or not she is Jewish. According to Jewish law, she IS (though non-observant). Everything else is negotiable.

[Incognito]

No they don't, at least not in Judaism, and what I said is 100% accurate, which I know because I am Jewish, have sat on a temple board, and have worked in Jewish education. YOu are basing your ideas about religion on a Christian model, which IS faith-based (meaning if you don't believe in Jesus, you aren't Christian). Judaism is a law-based religion, where behavior is elevated, and belief is very secondary - it may be a desired attribute, but it isn't necessary, not by any branch of Judaism. And I personally know a few atheist rabbis (there is a whole branch of Judaism that is atheist), and I believe that the majority of Reform rabbis, and MANY conservative rabbis are agnostic.

Crap, I took this thread off topic, but this is a pretty interesting topic. Anyway, the dictionary definitions of faith and religion are tied together, so don't deny that they are. Also, Judaism is law based and although most Jews put law and tradition above the worship of God, that hardly means that the roots of Judaism didn't 100% revolve around the worship of God. If you assert that all of Judaism is not faith based then Judaism (by your description) isn't a religion at all, only a complicated and cumbersome way of life. Although you and those whom you surround yourself with may take an atheist or agnostic outlook you have to ask "where did the laws in the law covenant come from, and what was their purpose?". I'll take the first step and say "from God", although many unnecessary and cumbersome laws were added by men. Take "honor your father and mother" for instance. That is a pretty plain and easy to understand law, but through further Jewish law a son/daughter would owe their parents nothing as long as they said that whatever they possessed was "dedicated to God" thereby allowing them to selfishly keep their possessions when their parents were in need.

At any rate the notion of an atheist Rabbi is preposterous since a Rabbi's role is to teach the people regarding God's laws. I can appreciate that you are involved in Judaism and I am not, but that doesn't change the points that I made.

[Incognito]

@ OP: This guy, if as involved as you say he is, will probably be more concerned with your religious indifference. I seriously doubt that you being "Jewish by default" as Vashti says will be satisfactory for him. If it is satisfactory for him right now I agree (with whomever said it) that he will likely try to get you to practice in the future.

[vashti]

No offense Incognito, because I like you (really!), but this is why I don't usually discuss religion (especially Judaism) with non-Jews, except to relate what Jewish law would say. You don't know what you are talking about with respect to Judaism, and to educate you might seem like I am advocating or proselytizing, which I don't do, and would require more effort than I care to invest. Just realize that your beliefs about religion and faith have nothing at all to do with Judaism, and are heavily influenced by the predominant Western religion: Christianity. If you want to confirm what I've said is true, ask a rabbi. In the meantime, here is a link to Jewish atheism.

[url]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jewish_atheism[/url]

Although you and those whom you surround yourself with may take an atheist or agnostic outlook you have to ask "where did the laws in the law covenant come from, and what was their purpose?".

I will address this, though. I believe the laws came from man, and their purpose was to bind together a people, but if you ask 10 Jews the same question, you will likely get 10 different opinions. There is no dogma on the matter, though the Orthodox would likely have the most consistently similar answers.

[KingZ]

Actually, saying you aren't Jewish when you have a Jewish mother is more like a white person going to a black church and denying they are white, at least according to Jewish law.

Right, so the question here is how you can consider yourself Jewish when you don't have a Jewish mother.

[vashti]

Right, so the question here is how you can consider yourself Jewish when you don't have a Jewish mother.

Actually, that wasn't the question at all. If you have something intelligent to add, then do it. Otherwise, stop trolling.

[KingZ]

It's my question. I don't get it.

How does a white person convert to black?

[Incognito]

No offense Incognito, because I like you (really!), but this is why I don't usually discuss religion (especially Judaism) with non-Jews, except to relate what Jewish law would say. You don't know what you are talking about with respect to Judaism, and to educate you might seem like I am advocating or proselytizing, which I don't do, and would require more effort than I care to invest. Just realize that your beliefs about religion and faith have nothing at all to do with Judaism, and are heavily influenced by the predominant Western religion: Christianity. If you want to confirm what I've said is true, ask a rabbi. In the meantime, here is a link to Jewish atheism.

[url=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jewish_atheism]Jewish atheism - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia[/url]



I will address this, though. I believe the laws came from man, and their purpose was to bind together a people, but if you ask 10 Jews the same question, you will likely get 10 different opinions. There is no dogma on the matter, though the Orthodox would likely have the most consistently similar answers.

Yeah Vashti I really like you too I'll PM you so that it doesn't look like you're proselytizing, and to keep from further derailing this thread. Of course now we'll have to deal with the 1000 character limit on PMs..... yay.

[DarkHelmet82]

It's my question. I don't get it.

How does a white person convert to black?

Well Michael Jackson did the opposite right? So im sure there is a way

[Sonrisa]

Well Michael Jackson did the opposite right? So im sure there is a way

ha ha ha that made my day

[Sonrisa]

this is one way:

[IndiReloaded]

People do confuse Jewish ethnicity w/Jewish religion. A person of Chinese ethnicity can convert to Judaism (Jewish religion) but isn't an ethnic jew. Just make it clear what you are discussing.

Vash, you may know quite a lot about the religion aspect but I spent years on the genetic disorders of Ashkenazi Jews. One of my relatives is a genetics expert on the subject. Before you start to argue with me, is all I'm saying. I admit I know next to nothing about the religion. I'm also not arguing you aren't Jewish as Nick is. You are Jewish the same as others choose to be Catholic or Protestant.

[maxmax]

Question :

How do I tell him I'm not Jewish?

Answer : "Hey, guess what? I'm not Jewish!"

[Incognito]

^^^ I totally agree with that, which is what I was trying to say earlier. Many people lump the two together. Back on topic though. Even though the OP is Jewish (ethnically..... thanks Indi ), the fact that she isn't Jewish in the religious sense will either turn this guy off or result in him trying to get her to observe Judaism as he does in the future.

[IndiReloaded]

So if she likes him, she may need to reconsider the practice of her religion, is all. Not a big deal at all in terms of how one thinks of the problem.

Before anyone asks, here is a respectable site for learning more about genetics specific to jews:

[url]http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/omim[/url]