I can speak a little for the internal conflict in Jewish life. From experiences I have had with the Orthodox and reading the Talmud, I have developed ideas on the position of the Modern Israeli Orthodox Jew.
In the Talmud, a compendium of laws and anecdotes, a theme emerges. The Orthodox Jews viewed converts as less than full Jews. They were grouped with the poor and the maimed. A true Jew was one who had generations of Jewish blood on his mother's side and followed the Mosaic laws, both written and unwritten. We are speaking purity here, folks. You know the junk that the NAZIS were sprouting out of their mouths in the 20th century. This is in my opinion one of the greatest weaknesses of the Jewish people.
Anyhow, the modern Orthodox Jew in Israel is taught this belief either indirectly, via in-depth study of the Talmud and other Rabbinic works, or directly. What does this mean for the other two branches of Judaism? This means that they are not viewed as true, pure Jews. Their form of Judaism is seen as lacking in the essential qualities which defined Judaism as defined in the Rabbinal writings.
An additional note to made about the Orthodox Jews. They don't recognize Holocaust Remembrance Day. This day, which is celebrated every year in Israel with silence, is seen as a Goyim holiday. Goyim is Jewish word for Gentile. Gentiles are vieweed in the Talmud and by modern Orthodox Jews as less than converts, as less than women. These people will accept a day which marks the fall of the Second Temple, but they won't do so for a day which marks the greatest tragedy in Judaism. Do I need to say more?
When I attempted to join Judaism, I was heavily discouraged from doing so by the Orthodox Rabbis. Their desire in not helping me convert was made very clear. Though discouraged, I still continue my studies.
Though I am pro-Israel, pro-Jewish, I know in my heart Israel will be gone in a century. The reasons for her creation were wrong-as a guilt offering by shamed nations who did nothing as the Holocaust occured. Now, decades later, these same nations which said yes to her creation are luke warm in their support. Without stronger support, Israel will falter. With internal dissension between the secular Jews and the purity-driven Orthodox Jews, the country will be torn by civil war. With a class of people oppresed-the Israeli Arabs-growing in number and hatred of the Jews, they will face a more terrifying enemy-an enemy that knows the Jews far more better than the Palestinians. These problems and more will destroy this young nation.
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Their problems are of their own making. They didn't have to act like the international assholes they've become. They started losing the Holocaust sympathy vote as soon as they started forcing Palestinians out of their homes. All you need now is a US President who says to the Jewish lobby groups: "Yeah? Well if you think Israel is so great, fuck off and live there then." and they'll be comnpletely stuffed.
Good. Maybe if the original mistake (i.e. the creation of Israel) rectifies itself, the whole area will be less of a clusterfuck.
Registered: Mar 1999
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posted
From what I can juxtapose of the Old Testament and current events, it seems that new-found knowledge hasn't actually affected their actions in any way.
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Not necessarily, the Jews didn't really do much in their own defense during WWII because they still had faith in their whole god's chosen people idea. They've been kicking butts ever since the Holocaust. The problem is getting them to stop protecting themselves by crushing the Palestindians.
-------------------- "God's in his heaven. All's right with the world."
Registered: Apr 2001
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[ConservativeFunnySpeak]The IAF IS NOT THE BEST AIR FORCE IN THE WORLD BECAUSE THE NAME "UNITED STATES" IS NOWHERE IN IT! BEEEEEYAH![/ConservativeFunnySpeak]
Registered: Sep 2000
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Not only is the IAF top of the line, but their army waged one of the most successful tank battles in history. And the Mossad... beats hell out of other similar agencies.
-------------------- "The best defense is not a good offense. The best defense is a terrifyingly accurate and devastatingly powerful offense, with multiply-overlapping kill zones and time-on-target artillery strikes." -- Laurence, Archangel of the Sword
Registered: Mar 1999
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posted
Can we make the spelling police go away now?
-------------------- Great is the guilt of an unnecessary war. ~ohn Adams
Once again the Bush Administration is worse than I had imagined, even though I thought I had already taken account of the fact that the Bush administration is invariably worse than I can imagine. ~Brad DeLong
You're just babbling incoherently. ~C. Montgomery Burns
Registered: Mar 1999
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