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Originally Posted by Halx
Well I see it like this: Hassidim, Orthodox, Casual... they're all "Jewish" but they have different ways to worship. Traditions, behaviors, clothing, etc. If you consider yourself part of one sect, how do you feel about people in other sects? Are they doing it wrong? Are you holy and they not? Do the casual Jews think the orthodox jews are crazy masochists for adding all this extra crap to their lives in order to worship? Do the orthodox Jews look at everyone else and go, "Well, the thought was nice, but they're missing a lot and god favors us because we're the straight-A students?"
In order words: If there wasn't a "right" way or a "wrong" way, then what is the purpose of going about all this worship in the first place?
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I'd agree with levite and xazy that opinions vary. One branch of my family is orthodox and they have almost completely cut off contact with the rest of us. Only one orthodox family speaks to us, all because we are reform or non-practicing Jews. As with all people, there are some reasonable and some unreasonable folks.
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so the aim of judaism isnt to convert? i just sense reluctance on your part to bring converts into the fold, is this because people will find it too hard and give it up?
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No, except for some very small groups, evangelism isn't a Jewish activity. Someone else mentioned that Jews seem to be tolerant of other religions, and while there are obviously exceptions (if I had a nickel every time I argued with a Jew who was blindly angry at Arabs/Muslims...but that's a whole 'nother conversation) I think that there is some truth to the idea. Maybe it's because of the diaspora, or that Jews have for so long been the minority everywhere they lived, but I think we've developed an outlook on life that accepts living with people who are very different than you are.
...I wanted to touch on levite's discussion of intermarriage in the reform movement. It's an extremely contentious topic internally and has been for years. Many people feel that it is eroding the number of people who consider themselves to be Jewish or practice Judaism. Others have a much more modern belief that love triumphs all. As admirable as the idea is for only marrying Jews...well, realistically, Jews are a tiny percentage of the American population, and an even smaller percentage of the world at large. My personal belief is that it is unrealistic to expect people nowadays to only marry within the tribe, so to speak. And as with many aspects of a religion and culture thousands of years old (the idea that women are not full and equal members of the community, and may not become rabbis, or that gays are committing a sin), Judaism may have to adapt to modern realities somehow in this case.
Judaism hasn't survived this long, in so many locations, and through so many difficult times by being monolithic and unable to evolve. In fact, the one thing I like most about my heritage is that Judaism not only encourages, but demands, that its adherents constantly take honest appraisals of - and question - absolutely everything. The story goes that after Jacob awoke from the dream in which he wrestled with angels, he took the name Yisrael, which means "one who struggles." The Shema, one of our holiest prayers, begins "Shema Yisrael," which means "listen, you who struggles with god." Times change, and I think it is up to Jews to both maintain their faith and keep up with them.