Releasing the Judaic section

[Honza]

This Judaic section has been stifled. Many moons ago there were freeflowing discussions going on here about The Old Testament and its broader implications to a modern, spiritual world.

But now when some of us try to start LIBERAL discussions about the Old Testament and Yahweh they get stomped on by the narrow minded; who keep wanting us to observe Judaic Traditions here. It is as though we cannot have spiritual/new age discussions about Judaism in case we upset some of us.

This general forum is a SPIRITUAL and NEW AGE forum and not a tradition/orthodox religious forum. This Judaic section ought to be OPEN and LIBERAL and not bound to Judaic Tradition.

I find it very annoying that people need to start observing silly customs like saying Yahweh instead of Jehovah and saying G-d instead of God and so on.

This is not a Judaic Religious site! So can't we all relax?

I'm pretty relaxed. Why spend time and energy not being so? :)

[RabbiO]

Originally Posted by Honza

This Judaic section has been stifled. Many moons ago there were freeflowing discussions going on here about The Old Testament and its broader implications to a modern, spiritual world.

But now when some of us try to start LIBERAL discussions about the Old Testament and Yahweh they get stomped on by the narrow minded; who keep wanting us to observe Judaic Traditions here. It is as though we cannot have spiritual/new age discussions about Judaism in case we upset some of us.

This general forum is a SPIRITUAL and NEW AGE forum and not a tradition/orthodox religious forum. This Judaic section ought to be OPEN and LIBERAL and not bound to Judaic Tradition.

I find it very annoying that people need to start observing silly customs like saying Yahweh instead of Jehovah and saying G-d instead of God and so on.

This is not a Judaic Religious site! So can't we all relax?

It is true that much of this site is devoted to New Age and alternative spiritual paths. At the same time, the site has carved out subforums for what one might call the more traditional religious and spiritual paths.

This subforum, for example, is labeled Judaism and the tagline says that it is meant for discussions about Judaism. I, for one, don't have a problem with anyone posting here as long as the threads are just that - discussions about Judaism. Some of the threads here have had little, if anything, to do with Judaism.

Personally, I don't care if someone writes G-d or God. I write G-d because doing so has become kind of a Jewish convention and I do so out of respect for that convention, but write it either way.

As for Yaweh or Jehovah, my only problem with Jehovah is that there is no deity in Jewish scripture, the Tanakh, what you refer to as the Old testament, who has the name Jehovah.

I would remind you that one person's silly customs are another person's deeply held beliefs and sometimes it is a nice thing to be respectfully of those beliefs even if one does not personally hold to them.

I am not an Orthodox rabbi. I don't have a problem with freeflowing and liberal discussions.... as long as those discussions are discussions about Judaism.

L'shalom,

Peter

[Honza]

My take is that Judaism has all sorts of implications to the greater realm of spirituality; above and beyond the religion of Judaism itself. For example the Tarot are believed to be derived from the Kabbalah. The central idea of a Creator and of a God above and beyond Creation is a fascinating subject which has endless relevance to modern spirituality.

What I tend to do is take essentially Jewish notions and detach them from Judaism and apply them to modern spirituality. If you take Jewish principles and remove them from Judaic religion and apply them to modern spirituality then you end up with new ideas! Which are not bound by Judaic conventions.....

Good thread