People like to know who they are talking to, this often happens in the form of categorization, where on the basis of certain things a person is put into a box. Why this is done, I dont really know, maybe because we prefer simplicity and dont like it when we encounter something that doesnt fit within our preconceived views.
I notice myself that I dont like it when people try that on me but that I myself am doing it as well.
A couple of days ago I was told, “leave the Jewish stuff, just go back to Church, get your New Testament and be a good Christian, dont think too much, religion just isnt logical”.
My friend told me this because to him it didnt make sense that I was in between Judaism and Christianity, you were either a Jew or a Christian but not some sort of mix. He agreed that a complete embrace sometimes doesnt feel good as you know there are things lacking but responded to this by saying that religion just isnt logical.
While I can agree that religion isnt perfectly logical on all accounts, I do disagree with it being totally irrational, and think that at least some forms or expressions do exhibit logic and make a reasonable picture of the world.
But the wish for simplicity is shared, I too long for a peaceful and not complicated inner life but I dont want to discard my mind for the sake of that.
Dont get me wrong, for someone to do so, is perfectly fine, however after all Ive read I can hardly turn back again to how I used to be and pretend I dont know about it.
On the other hand sometimes when I think about the future and a family-life, I come up with the question of how I will teach my children? Am I going to say to them, look its like this, but well you can also look at it from this side and theres also this opinion.. in some way thats probably what I will do and I like the way the Rabbi’s used to comment on a dispute or argument by saying:
אלו ואלו דברי האלקים חיים
“These and these are the words of the living God”
That doesnt mean theres no absolute truth, but in many cases there are multiple interpretations and one doesnt necessarily exclude the other. In a sense you would also teach a child to appreciate diversity in that way and developing a critical mind.
Still my aim is to get as close as I can to truth and I sometimes think God values the effort more than the end-result.
I think that young people in this modern, complicated world, have been trained to compromise. Standing for one’s beliefs just complicates things. So, let the ditractors, even if they are wrong, get their way for the sake of unity? Absolute truths are hard to handle, why bother.
Would Yeshua have compromised? It is sad to witness young people today taught to abandon their beliefe for the sake of what?
Hi torah1,
In my post I was talking about the struggle of a position between Christianity and Judaism, a position where one identifies with certain tenets of both religions, some of which are overlapping and some of which are mutually exclusive. The fact that Im discussing this and am willing, at least for now, to take this quasi-middle position shows that I do stand for complicated things.
I admit that in some areas I do make compromises but when it comes to beliefs I would argue that I am trying to be as honest as possible and not be guided by the need for greater identification, hence my current position.
With blessings,
Daniel
You see gray where there is only black or white. When Christianity divorced itself from 1st century culture, all her tenets fell by the wayside. Writing creeds, but not living them was not 1st century Judaism culture.
BTW, I am torah1.
Hey,
I am in a gray area too. I am a Christian who is moving his family into Jewish observance. I love this blog BTW.
Pray for us,
Love in Moshiach,
Brad
Hi Brad,
I think you should be careful with the confusion this can cause to your children. The main issue Im thinking of is the fact that there is little understanding around you for beliefs coupled with the lifestyle you try to pursue (a non-Jew living like a Jew), which for some may not be a problem as they live socially isolated anyways, but for some who have a wider network of contacts this may be very problematic.
Another thing is that you choose to live in such a grey area because of your deep convictions, but unless the child shares those convictions, it may be very hard for him/her to deal with the consequences of such a choice.
Blessings,
Daniel