[VeritatisSplendor]

Isn't this an oxymoron? Judiaism is a religion. If you are secular, you are not religious. How to be both at once?

I know a Jewish woman who is an atheist, and she lights the candles every Friday night, saying the Sabbath prayers and celebrates the holidays. She would be absolutely devasted if her children did not marry Jews and be outstanding intellectual successes, is estranged from the daughter who didn't. She thinks Moses was a really smart guy and a great leader. She supports Israel. She has enormous pride in the Jews, in their intelligence and humanitarian values through the ages, and sees them as the Chosen People and a gift to the world, a light unto the nations, even though she is an outright atheist and sees other peoples' religions as harmful and sees herself as too smart and advanced to believe in God.

Go figure. Secular Jews, who are devoted to secularism and to ethnic Judaism, certainly exist.

Mrs VS

[Huck]

The woman you describe may say she's an athiest, but clearly she's not. Or even if she is, she yet remains, according to your description, a practicing Jew, not a secular person. If she is claiming to be an athiest, then she's a confused practicing Jew.

What I am questioning is what you call "ethnic" Judiasm. Judiasm is a religion, a belief system, not a race. As far as I can tell, race wise, Jews are just more ugly white folks.

[SJackson]

If you'd like to be on this middle east/political ping list, please FR mail me.

High volume. Articles on Israel can also be found by clicking on the Topic or Keyword Israel, WOT. Using an old copy for a week. If I missed you you'll be back next week.

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