Recent events have brought renewed interest in the modern State of Israel’s origins and legitimacy. Israel is the only country in the world which will suffer a terrorist attack only to be asked what right the country has to exist at all. No one asks if the United States has a right to exist or … More Judaism: Religion or Nation?
Over in American Karaite Judaism (our FB group), we recently had a contentious and bizarre discussion of the twentieth verse of Ovadia. For reference, here’s the verse: This company of Israelite exiles who are in Canaan will possess the land as far as Zar’phat;the exiles from Jerusalem who are in S’pharad will possess the towns of the … More How Language Changes
This article was written over the course of the events of the Slaughter of the Seventh (10/7/2023) wherein hundreds of Israelis (including children) were tortured, raped, kidnapped, and murdered by Hamas terrorists. This article is written in loving memory of the victims. A reminder that morality, including the sanctity of life, must remain absolute. Their … More Reason and Morality
This article was written over the course of the events of the Slaughter of the Seventh (10/7/2023) wherein hundreds of Israelis (including children) were tortured, raped, kidnapped, and murdered by Hamas terrorists. This article is written in loving memory of the victims. A reminder that morality, including the sanctity of life, must remain absolute. Their … More The Light of Reason
In his book, Tractatus Theologico Politicus (Tractate on Theology and Politics), Baruch Spinoza (1632-1677 CE), later Bennedictus Spinoza, argues for a rationalist view of religion. Spinoza was the descendant of Jews forced to relocate to the Netherlands from Spain or Portugal. He studied with several Rabbis in Jewish schools in his youth, including with a … More Baruch Spinoza
I’ve seen a lot of former Christians struggle with how to approach the concept of forgiveness, both in terms of how Hashem forgives us for our misdeeds and how to approach forgiveness between individuals. The first thing to bear in mind is that we are not required to forgive wrongs. The second is that forgiveness … More Forgiveness
Some of the most significant and compelling arguments supporting the position that the TaNaKh is a fiction composed of multiple legends and tall tales are that the books of Ezra and Nehemiah do not agree with each other on when they occurred and the book of Esther doesn’t appear to agree with any part of … More Historicity of the Bible, Part 1
Several religions include the rationalist, panentheistic approach to existence. Others are incompatible with this view of existence. Judaism has long had a rationalist movement. Among the greatest of the Rabbinical scholars was undoubtedly Maimonides (the Rambam). His rationalist approach to faith is famous and well-studied by adherents of many faiths and by the academy. Likewise … More Jewish Enlightenment
Whenever the issue of religion arises in conversation I rarely shy away. Like politics, it is among the socially taboo topics, nevertheless I love to discuss both. For many Christians, a Jew willing to discuss religion is a rare find. Unfortunately, many take this as an invitation to the missionary impulse and they make an … More I Don’t Believe in…
A number of people have asked me for some arguments they can use when being proselytized to by Christian missionaries. I have resisted writing such work for years because it is not my style to make such arguments. I recently encountered a person who tried to convert me and claimed it would afford me certain … More Defending Your Belief in Judaism
Silver Trumpets 