just what we always needed. a kosher taliban.

 

1. Well, you’ve found the crazy aunt in the attic.  Like the Catholic Church and some of the odd sects it spawned, the Mormon Church and its strange sects, or the Westboro Baptist Church, we’ve got our loonies in the attic as well.  They are not mainstream by any stretch of the imagination.

   To give you some idea how few of these guys there are though, consider this:

   1) Jews are approximately 2% of the population of the U.S., a pretty small portion.
   2) Orthodox Jews are a minority subset of the 2% Jewish population of the U.S.
   3) Hasidic Jews are a minority within the Orthodox community.
   4) These particularly odd Hasidim are a minority within the minority Hasidic community.

   Obviously they stand out, but fortunately there aren’t many of them.  The rest of us consider them a bit embarrassing and quaint.  Also fortunately, they tend to keep to themselves and not go beyond their own little cloistered world.

   There is a huge difference between them and the Taliban or ISIS.  While the Taliban and ISIS consider it a holy act to kill people and conquer territory, the Hasidim would never leave their Torah (Old Testament) study if they didn’t have to.  In that, they are the complete opposite of the Taliban and ISIS.  They will sometimes create trouble in their own neighborhoods, but that’s rare. 

   Oh yeah, check this, many of them are opposed to Israel because G-d didn’t personally create the State of Israel in 1948. 

   Also, they’re a little more based on the late 18th and early 19th Centuries.  The funny hats and clothing are in honor of some founding rabbi who died over 200 years ago.  They think dressing like him makes them holier.  Drag queens who dress up like Marilyn Monroe make more sense.

   I can partially explain them, but not much more.  Frankly, I find them neither particularly interesting nor enlightening.  Mostly, they are small minded freaks.

   Posted by Dr. Jeff       05/29/2015  at  10:33 PM  



2. P.S.  The shaved head business for women dates back to the Middle Ages when the local nobility would claim the right of primogeniture when a Jewish woman got married.  Shaving the head made the woman less desirable to her intended noble rapist.  I guess it sometimes helped.  There is no basis for it anywhere in the Old Testament or any part of Jewish law that I’ve ever heard of. 

   btw - Peiper, are you Jewish too, or am I the lone member of the Tribe here at BMEWS?

   Posted by Dr. Jeff       05/29/2015  at  10:44 PM  



3. Hi doc. Yeah am a member but not I must admit in very good standing in that have not been attentive beyond support of Israel.
   The freaks as you call them, are embarrassing tho.
   I didn’t actually mean it literally when I put them in same cesspit with Taliban, and I should have been clear on that, but was writing faster than the thoughts.
   The idea, and another reason for my dislike, is their attitude toward Israel, which support them. It’s like funding their own 5th column. I don’t think Israel always gets things right btw, but acting as these folks do, and if they had the numbers would commit natl. suicide, is just not excusable.

   Posted by peiper       05/29/2015  at  11:53 PM  



4. Cool.

   Posted by Dr. Jeff       05/30/2015  at  12:53 AM  



5. I am SO happy I was born a Wasp with no particular push on faith issues.
   Mom was a Presbeterywhatever & Dad was a catholic in name only. Went to mass 3 times maybe my whole life before the age of 7 and never been to a popehole since. Mom got me to try Pressy sunday school for , Oh, 5 weeks, after which I swore off anything with a cross and false promises.Is this too much info? NAAAAA, I hate you all.
   Kidding, I love you guys, just keep your mortality salvation tales to yourselves.
    

   Posted by Rich K       05/30/2015  at  05:43 PM  



6. I’m a raging Jack Mormon.  We never do any weird shit. 

   Posted by grayjohn       05/30/2015  at  09:53 PM  



7. I kinda think most of us would fall under the “Jack” label.  We’ve all got a basic grounding, but none of us is interested in anyone dictating our beliefs.  Free thinkers each and every one.

   Posted by Dr. Jeff       05/30/2015  at  11:45 PM  



8. I dated a guy (met in the Methodist church - which I attended until my early 20s and heard a minister say marriage is outdated because it’s such a failure - only time I’ve entered one since is when I had to poll work there) - whose parents are descended of Jews. We went to a Bar Mitzvah, Bat Mitzvah and a wedding. The wedding was not entirely kosher - Cookie Chensky (?sp is probably wrong)married William Patrick O’Brian - actually fun was had by all - possibly the best wedding I’ve ever attended. His father acknowledges his heritage (that was the family whose events we attended) - his mom who is descended from German Jews - not at all, she barely acknowledged her family at all. I have been in the Episcopal church (my Mom’s faith) and my one sister was married in it. I have been to the Catholic church - my other sister was married in it and both of my daughters went for quite a while. And I am (formerly) RLDS which is now Community of Christ. Although the last church service I have been to is Catholic - youngest daughter and I enjoy the German Service at Old St. Mary’s now and again. Ironically - my brother was Baptized in the Methodist church by my Mom’s Dad the Episcopal minister. So I guess that is why I have always had such an eclectic view of organized religion.

   Every group, race, religion, people has their fringe extremists who carry things too far or take a verse out of context. I mean have you ever seen those snake handlers or read about David Roever, who when he started his ministry (a phosphorous grenade went off in his hand in Vietnam and melted his face and hands) some guy in one of those fundamental Southern churches stood up and told him he wasn’t from God because he had scars.

   It takes all kinds.

   Posted by wardmama4       05/31/2015  at  10:38 AM  

Commenting is not available in this weblog entry.