A couple years ago, I was at my grandparents listening to Hannukah Lights on NPR, a collection of six or seven recollections of Jewish writers or artists on the season.
Sadly enough, without exception, these were tales by adults who'd never received much in the way of religious instruction and had never practiced their faith as children. One in particular stood out ... but only because it seemed odd that he would ascribe the lack of Jewish identify growing up to his parents' being movers and shakers in Hollywood.
While one or two found that having kids of their own prompted an investigation of their faith and an attempt to practice something like tradition, most looked to Israel and the suffering and slaughter of Jews (among others) during World War II as the catalyst for their renewed interest in their Jewish identity. They were quite upfront about the way the prayers they recited were "unintelligble" and the practice yet foreign.
As a Vatican II Catholic who's been learning my Latin in the choir loft as I reclaimed for myself the faith denied me by the revolution as a kid, I can sorta relate to that.
But what I cannot relate to -- and even as a ignoramus Vat II Catholic did not relate to -- was the Politicization of my faith in the name of Process, Systematic or Liberation theology.
I fear that's been the primary drawback of the establishment of a "Jewish" state that is not always as close to Abraham as it should be. It politicizes a people and I think that particularly where Judaism is seen as an ethnic quality or "race" of some sort, it's particularly skewed and the emphasis that should be on practice of one's faith gets put on blood relation or ethnic backgroun instead.
That's unfortunate. And I think that some who spend a lot of time worrying over the Political Ramifications of their faith -- and what is "constitutionally permissible" where the faith of others is concerned -- foment nothing but suspicion and mistrust ... particularly where they bring in the state to serve as Strongarm.
I have never understood what causes some Jewish folks to believe that a secularist state is somehow in their best interests for survival. Surely the New Age Odinists of the Third Reich proved that wrong once and for all.
Perhaps if more folks studied the FACTS of history instead of gleaning their knowledge from made-for-TV movies on the boob tube or NEA propaganda, fewer would be prone to fall into such gross misconceptions and more would understand who the real enemy is ... even when that real enemy is Us on occasion.
The Church ... with regard to Nazis and WWII-era Totalitarianism
(That too is something, as a Catholic, I understand well. We too have our own versions of the thoroughly politicized, compromised and conniving who think to speak for us all. Particuliarly odious when you realize that anyone, anytime, can see who is or is not a practicing Catholic based on the clear and unequivocal language of the Catechism.)
Best regards, governsleastgovernsbest.
Madonna interview (Cat disgust v. "are you really 'sickened'?)
"KINSEY" interview. Find Reisman "talk of the town" passage.