Said California State Senator Henry Stern, a Democrat, quoted in "Are Jews an Ethnic Group? California Considers the Question. A bill would allow Jews to identify themselves as an ethnic group on state forms. Supporters argue it’s a step toward acknowledging the complex nature of Jewish identity" (NYT gift link).
Stern is the son of the actor Daniel Stern:
I have to use the tag "Judaism" for this post. I don't mean to be coming down on the side of those who say Jews are a religious group. I'm against tag proliferation and "Judaism" and "anti-Semitism" are longstanding tags. And I don't have separate tags for each ethnic group. I just use "ethnicity." There's also "race consciousness" and "racial politics."
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I plan to identify as a Jew so I can be smart and funny and control the world.
Caryn Elaine "Whoopi Goldberg" Johnson enters the chat.
"It's not rape rape."
"It's not cultural appropriation cultural appropriation."
“I'm against tag proliferation“
Wikipedia: “Tag and other chasing games have been banned in some schools in the United States due to concerns about injuries, complaints from children that it can lead to harassment and bullying, and that there is an aspect to the game that possesses an unhealthily predatory element to its nature.”
"I plan to identify as a Jew so I can be smart and funny and control the world."
I'd expect to be issued a space laser.
Althouse just lights the fuse and walks quietly away.
I don't know who Auntie Semitism is, but we've looked everywhere for her. Pinning her down is like asking where's Waldo.
If you visit Europe, keep this handy distinction in mind: German Jews have stripes, Polish Jews are the ones with horns.
Where does the Self-Loathing fit in?
The Islamic lobby want the big list
Eighty years after the holocaust, Jews are demanding to be listed as a "Registered Jew" in the government's database. Can't make this shit up.
My first girlfriend was Jewish, so I will always have a soft spot for the Jews.
Everybody wants to be special... and equal, mostly.
The Jews are a "people" --- "Am Yisrael" ("the people of Israel," which is what we've called ourselves for thousands of years). Its a religion with loose but easily recognizable ethnic, historical, and cultural aspects. If you're born Jewish, you're still considered Jewish even if you don't strictly practice the religion (unless you decide to join a different one). It's also a group that virtually anyone can join --- if you're not Jewish but genuinely want to practice the religion, and you officially convert to Judaism, you're as much a part of the Jewish people as anyone who was born that way. It's not that difficult to understand, if you sincerely want to (and just from this comments section, we know that plenty of people aren't sincere about this topic at all).
A lot of people manage to juggle sincerity and a sense of humor.
When I was a kid, my grandparents told me that you have to be a Christian to get into heaven. I was maybe 10. And I said, "What about the Jews?" And my grandparents (Baptists) seemed to think the Jews could get in. "God has a special plan for the Jews."
Decades later, I would have this same theological discussion in my Bible study. Somebody would say, "You can only get to heaven if you believe in Jesus." And I would say, "What about the Jews who didn't know Jesus? Moses and Elijah made it to heaven. And we know they did, because they make a reappearance in the New Testament." (Moses and Elijah didn't know Jesus, of course, because they were in the B.C. era.)
My belief now is that we make to heaven through Christ. And the Holy Spirit was with Moses, and Elijah. So those early Jews didn't know Jesus or his teachings, specifically. But Christ knew them. And they were on the right path.
"A lot of people manage to juggle sincerity and a sense of humor."
I was referring to Althouse comments in general. We know what happens whenever someone brings up Judaism (or even when they don't).
Judaism offers a moral code, ethical guidelines, and a community for like minds and outlooks.
"When I was a kid, my grandparents told me that you have to be a Christian to get into heaven. I was maybe 10. "
This same claim, at about the same age, started me on the road to atheism. It seemed manifestly unfair.
An ethnicity where you can work with a Rabbi and convert your way in?
...I'll put a stop to this right now: under California's scheme Ivanka Trump is an ethnic minority....
Christian as in principles. The same model for secular sects. Community membership. Atheistic faith. Ideally.
"you're still considered Jewish even if you don't strictly practice the religion (unless you decide to join a different one)"
Actually the orthodox (and I think Conservative as well) do not accept conversion out of Judaism, and still consider converts to other religions to be Jewish if they were born Jewish. I have a first cousin whose mother (my mother's sister) was Jewish but married a Catholic. This cousin married a Mormon and at least briefly joined the Mormon Church. She has kids who would also be considered Jewish (maternal line). If those kids wandered into a Chabad House or Orthodox Synagogue and told the rabbi their story, the rabbi would probably gently say this to them and encourage them to explore Jewish observance.
But as to the issue of the article, ethnicity on state forms is a stupid thing to be haggling about. No good can come from that.
More Jewish Privilage. Why don't any other white race groups get this benefit? Well, you can't blame people for taking advantage of morons.
A race to consensus, identity, and, perhaps, the origin of Diversity ideologies.
This same claim, at about the same age, started me on the road to atheism. It seemed manifestly unfair.
God our Father loves you, Original Mike.
Newsom is probably already soliciting bids to make the armbands.
Of course it would be a Democrat who's defending and promoting this further balkanization of this country. It's much easier to hoodwink a Disunited States of America into a post-constitutional dictatorship than a United States with a melting pot approach to ethnicity.
Judaism is built on alienation, as opposed to the Greek philosophy of the polis, citizenship. That alienation serves to keep Jews from assimilating the way other groups do, and preserves the religion.
Seeing antisemitism everywhere is part of the ritual of alienation.
The same identity trick has moved to other groups, blacks in particular, but without the moral founding of Western civilization behind it so it's pretty empty. It does keep blacks from assimilating. They see oppression everywhere.
Color and class judgments or class-disordered ideologies, including the far-left feminism, masculinism, racism, genderism, ageism, etc,, are toxic residue of pride and prejudice brayed by authoritarian figures in secular societies under diverse religions, faiths, and ideologies (e.g. atheism). The logic of Diversity, Equivocation, Indoctrination is or should be the red pill. #HateLovesAbortion
Judaism is built on alienation
What a dumb comment! Judaism is built on love and a search for truth. Jesus is Jewish. The Old Testament is filled with Jews.
You're literally suggesting that the Jews want to be alienated from people? They are people. They want to find God, just like Christians do. It's a 4,000 year old religion.
Truth can (of course) alienate you from people who do not know the truth. There are people who hate the Jews and want to kill the Jews. The Jews were "built" by God to show humanity the way, to give us a rabbi and messiah that will show us the path. The alienation came from all the angry, hostile people who are in our sinful world.
Islam is built on a pedophile and a slave owner.
Judaism is also big on humor, which is the complete opposite of alienation. Humor helps us find common humanity.
"Judaism is built on humor"
A lady comes in and buys $100 worth of fabric. The shopkeeper notices that she's handed him two new $100 bills stuck together.
"Here's where the ethics come in. Should I tell my partner?"
That's a tribal joke.
Yes. A prominent genetic study published in Nature Communications concluded that the modern global Ashkenazi Jewish population experienced a severe "effective population bottleneck" of roughly 350 individuals (often cited as an ancestral pool of fewer than a thousand people) living about 600 to 800 years ago (roughly 25 to 30 generations back).The Genetic FindingsEffective Population Size: The figure of ~350 does not mean only 350 total human beings were alive. Rather, it represents the "effective population size"—the number of contributing ancestors whose DNA successfully was passed down and survived in the modern gene pool.High Homogeneity: Because of this intense founder event, modern Ashkenazi genomes show high levels of genetic similarity. Researchers famously noted that virtually all Ashkenazi Jews are roughly 30th cousins or closer.Medical Impact: This bottleneck amplified certain rare genetic mutations, explaining why the community has a higher carrier frequency for specific recessive genetic disorders (such as Tay-Sachs, Gaucher disease, and specific BRCA mutations).
"My first girlfriend was Jewish, so I will always have a soft spot for the Jews."
Sex with Jewish women is some of the best I've ever had. It's crazy having sex with someone that loves your penis more than you do.
How would one define “ethnic group” that would exclude Jews as an ethnic group?
"How would one define “ethnic group” that would exclude Jews as an ethnic group?"
Check with the people who came up with the definition for 'vaccine' that allows the covid shot to be one. They might have some ideas.
To be strictly fair, there is, in fact, a way to get to heaven without Jesus: be perfect. If you can live your whole life without committing a single sin of any kind, you don't need Him, at least for His sacrifice for sins. You DO need Him for resurrection, but that's given to all people anyway.
Since last I checked, everyone has done at least one thing wrong (yes, even Democrats who claim they are more perfect than God).... that second way is rather academic. Jesus did it, no one else has or will.
As for why we need Jesus: it's because without His atonement, we couldn't bear to dwell with God as our own conscience would sear us daily. So "Getting to heaven only via Jesus" is a mercy, as it allows us to actually go to heaven. For those who never had that opportunity, God does provide a way to do it.
"This same claim, at about the same age, started me on the road to atheism. It seemed manifestly unfair."
It would be a shame to lose God just over some guy getting the rules wrong. We get lots of stuff wrong.
If Ancestry's genetic tests are to be believed I'm 4% Jewish (which is less than Elvis I think). It would be nice to think the 4% was my brain, but it's probably something like my left knee.
"To be strictly fair, there is, in fact, a way to get to heaven without Jesus: be perfect."
I love a good loophole.
"It would be a shame to lose God just over some guy getting the rules wrong. We get lots of stuff wrong."
I hear ya.
Like I said, it *started* me on the road. It wasn't dispositive.
Bob Boyd said...
"I'd expect to be issued a space laser.”
Don’t forget to ask for a username and password so you can log into the weather controlling device.
“ To be strictly fair, there is, in fact, a way to get to heaven without Jesus: be perfect. If you can live your whole life without committing a single sin of any kind, you don't need Him, at least for His sacrifice for sins.”
Nope. Original Sin. You’re born damned.
Lots of heresy being preached here today. This thread has a distinct scent of brimstone. Where is the Spanish Inquisition when we need it?
“ My belief now is that we make to heaven through Christ. And the Holy Spirit was with Moses, and Elijah. So those early Jews didn't know Jesus or his teachings, specifically. But Christ knew them. And they were on the right path.”
Not good enough. Jesus had to make a special trip to save them:
“ The harrowing of hell is a Christian theological concept describing the triumphant descent of Jesus Christ into the realm of the dead (Hades or Sheol) between his crucifixion and his resurrection. During this time, he shattered the gates of hell and liberated the righteous souls—such as Adam, Eve, and Old Testament prophets—bringing them into heaven.”
But I don’t think he’s going to do that again for us. It seemed to take a lot out of him the first time.
Smilin' Jack. I know you're trying to be funny, but you're very glib on this subject. And you're quoting AI. It's embarrassing. That might have worked for you in school, but it's not impressing people here.
I notice you keep coming back to the subject of Christ. If you're really interested in the subject, go to a Bible study. Ask questions. Be sincere. It will change your life.
Is Semitism <> Judaism
No, Hebrew is not a state-mandated language for election ballots or official translated voter materials in California.Under federal and California state election laws, voting materials must be translated for specific language minority groups if their population hits certain demographic thresholds (such as reaching 3% of the voting-age population in a specific precinct). Hebrew does not meet these statutory thresholds anywhere in the state, meaning the California Secretary of State does not require or provide statewide Hebrew
“ Smilin' Jack. I know you're trying to be funny, but you're very glib on this subject. And you're quoting AI. It's embarrassing. That might have worked for you in school, but it's not impressing people here.”
I know it’s wrong to make fun of people’s religion. But it’s just such an easy target, sometimes it’s hard to resist. And I went to school long before AI.
“I notice you keep coming back to the subject of Christ. If you're really interested in the subject, go to a Bible study.”
I did. I read Hitchen’s “God is Not Great”. If you’re really interested in the subject, I highly recommend it. Though it might be too late to change your life.
Like the Irish, Italian, German, and Polish, the Jewish ethnicity in the U.S. is getting to be mostly mixed except the orthodox. This is a good thing.
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