<p>The wiki: Christian</a> atheism - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia ;]</p>
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Jamesford, I highly disagree as that's what I do. Being Jewish is a HUGE part of who I am, but it doesn't mean I have to believe in a supreme being. Most of, if not all of, my relatives look at Judaism the same way as I do.
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<p>I don't understand how you can consider yourself Jewish if you reject the single most important creed of the entire faith. Sure, you can argue that the Jews are both a race and a religion, but I've never known of anyone who participates in the culture but rejects the religion. Maybe you can enlighten me.</p>
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I don't fast for Yom Kippur because I'm repenting to God for that year's sins. I fast for Yom Kippur because it's what "my people" do. I became a Bat Mitzvah because it is a milestone in the Jewish culture. I get emotional at the Western Wall because of it's connection to me. I feel overwhelmed at the top of Masada because of it's connection to me as a Jew. I don't need to believe in a supreme being because I associate myself with Judaism. Judaism is both a culture and a religion. Can I not celebrate its culture without the religious aspects? So far in my 18 years of life I have...
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<p>About Yom Kippur, you're better off just not fasting. The entire purpose of the holiday is to atone for your wrongdoings of the previous year. Your fasting is meaningless; Yom Kippur becomes little more than that one day of the year that you decide not to eat simply because everyone else doesn't. Frankly, I think that shows disrespect for the most sacred day of the Jewish calendar.</p>
<p>I don't understand the Bat Mitzvah part either. Didn't you read the Torah and agree to follow its laws? A Bat/Bar Mitzvah is more than just the day you turn 13 and read a bunch of passages from that old book with the funny symbols in it.</p>
<p>I can see where you're coming from with the Western Wall and Masada.</p>
<p>Overall I'm not trying to be condescending, but I have trouble understanding your position. There IS a secular Jewish culture, but the concepts you described are religious and you cannot be a member of the Jewish faith if you do not believe in God. It's simply not possible.</p>
<p>agnostic :)</p>
<p>atheist all the way stopped practicing hinduism when I was 8 lol</p>
<p>^thank you come again?</p>
<p>also lilygraces is a cultural jew, aka does it so her family lurves her (won't admit it but IT'S THE TRUTH :O)</p>
<p>Greek Orthodox Christianity. Well I pratice I declare myself it. It still a Christian branch.</p>
<p>Shalashaska64... Not at all. My entire family is atheistic. So no, I'm not a cultural Jew to make my family have a few smiles.</p>
<p>Conservative Jew and respectful of anyone's beliefs</p>
<p>Aw.</p>
<p>It's like the Crusades all over again - but instead with weapons of hugs and acceptance! :3</p>
<p>jamesford-pretty much every single one of my friends who classifies herself/himself as 'jewish' does so because she/he loves & practices their culture, not the religion itself. u can't judge people's practices & go on to say they can't classify themselves as 'jewish'. anyone can classify herself/himself any way they like (:</p>
<p>@ smart</p>
<p>Sure you can call yourself whatever you want. But without backing, that classification is just a label. </p>
<p>I'm trying to understand where lilygraces is coming from. I understand that there's both a Jewish religion and a culture. But when you participate in the RELIGIOUS aspects of the culture (i.e. the holidays, Bar/Bat Mitzvah) and simultaneously reject the core creed of the religion, that's not good.</p>
<p>Christian and proud of it</p>
<p>Lol, wait, why isn't it good? Most irreligious people (myself included) I know still celebrate Christmas and Halloween and Thanksgiving and the like without venerating their pagan roots. When I went trick-or-treating was I secretly engaging in cognitive dissonance by not consciously seeking to placate the evil spirits by my actions?</p>
<p>^ i'm with you on that. I'm not religious yet i still celebrate christmas and other holidays :)</p>
<p>Only one other pastafarian?</p>
<p>Conservative, right-wing Christian, and I wouldn't have it any other way :)</p>
<p>96% Atheist, 4% Agnostic</p>
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Lol, wait, why isn't it good? Most irreligious people (myself included) I know still celebrate Christmas and Halloween and **Thanksgiving **and the like without venerating their pagan roots.
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<p>Silly, Thanksgiving isn't religion-based. I don't think Britain-residing Protestants celebrate this particular holiday. </p>
<p>As for Christmas and the like, you have to realize that the Christian Christmas (i.e., the original Christmas) was meant to celebrate a person's birth, and is thus different from the modern, gift-centered holiday we know today. In actuality, the whole point of Christmas was to sing happy birthday to Jesus. Therefore, if you don't believe in Jesus' divinity/existence, you can't really be celebrating Christmas (in the original sense). You're just giving gifts and eating turkey.</p>
<p>@ Moodrets</p>
<p>Christmas, Thanksgiving, and Halloween have dissolved into little more than opportunities for companies to exploit the consumerism of our country. I really doubt there are any pagans left that are offended by our modern celebration of those holidays, but let's take Christmas. Christmas is supposedly the holiday that celebrates the birth of Jesus Christ. 80% of America is Christian, yet how many of those millions of people make Jesus their focus on December 25th and not presents? Very few. Frankly, if I were a Christian, I'd be irritated by people turning Christmas into a holiday of nothing more than buying and receiving gifts and losing the true focus of the holiday. Same goes with Yom Kippur. Don't go through the motions for the sake of going through the motions. Remember the meaning behind it.</p>
<p>That's all I have to say. I don't want to get into a flame war.</p>
<p>How many non-religious Christians go to church on Christmas, Halloween (or All Saints Day), or Easter?</p>