To: Enterprise
Am I wrong to think that there are a disproportionate number of Jews on the list? Yes, I realize that it is a religion, not an ethnic group. But I cant help noticing nonetheless.You are not wrong to notice it. You are wrong in saying that Jews are a "religion not an ethnic group". Yesheva University (a Jewish institution) recently completed a genetic study that shows that, yes, Ashkenazi Jews (the ones from Europe) are closely related to Sephardic Jews (the ones that are historically from the Middle East). The article says they are about a related as 4th cousins. While it is a religion, it is not a prosteletizing religion, unlike Christianity and Islam. Both of these religions focus on recruiting new members. Judaism does not. It also requires intermarraige. Children born of a non-Jewish mother are not considered Jews, traditionally.
Like many other traditions this is breaking down in the USA and intermarraige is more common.
59 posted on
07/26/2010 7:04:51 AM PDT by
Jack Black
( Whatever is left of American patriotism is now identical with counter-revolution.)
To: Jack Black
I won't get into a debate about it then. I have heard the statement made that it is a religion, not an ethnic group. This site offers a couple of interesting comments.
"Judaism is the oldest religion in all senses of the word."
"Abraham was the first to establish Judaism as the "religion of the deed, not the religion of the creed"."
About Judaism - Origins and Values
60 posted on
07/26/2010 7:32:11 AM PDT by
Enterprise
(As a disaster unfolds, a putz putts.)
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson