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It's always a good thing to take care of the environment; but, the concept of "Mother Earth" is pagan idolatry and, as such, is an anathema to Jewish belief.
It's always a good thing to take care of the environment; but, the concept of "Mother Earth" is pagan idolatry and, as such, is an anathema to Jewish belief.
Walter, I've been thinking long and hard about this response of yours to my post in reference to Mother Earth. I do not wish to be disrespectful to you or those of the Jewish faith, the bases of my post was to be a positive one in the fact that trees were being planted in respect of your special day. I wish to explain that I am not an idolater, despite the stereotype that others had given Native Americans, we do not worship idols, we believe in one Creator who is called by many different names by many different tribes, that is the only deity that we worship. You no doubt, and you can correct me if I'm wrong, believe that Native Americans worship idols of different things like plants and animals and things like that but that is not true. We have a belief that every living thing has a spirit and we believe it is only proper to respect the spirit of those living things, we don't worship them, we respect them and to us there's a big difference. We do not worship Mother Earth, we respect the spirit of Mother Earth, for the earth is like our mother, it provides us with the necessary substance in order to survive and for that we thank her, that is not worship, that is respect. If I have offended you in what I have said, I do apologize but I cannot change the way I believe or the way I respect Mother Earth. You have a special day celebrating the planting of new life and I respect that as we all should because what we do now affects those in generations to come.osay
Walter, I've been thinking long and hard about this response of yours to my post in reference to Mother Earth ...
ptsum, traditional Judaism holds a different definition of idolatry than do most others.
Worship of other than the one true G-d is idolatry.
Any raised three-dimensional image of a person or animal is considered to be idolatry, even if that raised three dimensional image is not worshiped. That's why traditional Jews will not have a statue or bust in their residence, and that's why there were money changers in the Temple courtyard, who exchanged coins with the raised three-dimensional image of Caesar for coins that did not have any raised three-dimensional image, so that folks could make their contribution to the Temple with non-idolatrous coins.
A traditional Jew may violate all but 3 of the 613 Mitzvot (Commandments) in order to save a life: his/her own life, the live of a fellow Jew or the life of a Gentile or Pagan (Pagan being defined as a Gentile that violated one or more of the 7 Noahide Commandments). If the only food available is treif (non-kosher), even if it is pork or shellfish and even if it is Shabbat (Sabbath), a Jew is required to eat that unclean food and drive a car, or do any other prohibited act on Shabbat, to save a life.
The 3 inviolate Mitzvot (Commandments) are the prohibition against murder, the prohibition against adultery/inceast and idolatry. In order not to violate these 3 inviolate Mitzvot (Commandments), a Jew is required to commit suicide, which, under any other circumstance, would be a serious sin (violating the prohibition against murder).
I hope this is not off-topic, but here in Philadelphia the brand new National Museum of American Jewish History just opened a couple of months ago on Independence Mall just a block away from Independence Hall and the Liberty Bell Pavilion. It's a fascinating and gorgeous museum! The focus is not on the Jewish religion so much but rather on the arrival of the first Jews in the 1600's, the challenges and struggles of the Jewish people in America, and the glorious heritage and contributions they made in this country. I recommend it!
I hope this is not off-topic, but here in Philadelphia the brand new National Museum of American Jewish History just opened a couple of months ago on Independence Mall just a block away from Independence Hall and the Liberty Bell Pavilion. It's a fascinating and gorgeous museum! The focus is not on the Jewish religion so much but rather on the arrival of the first Jews in the 1600's, the challenges and struggles of the Jewish people in America, and the glorious heritage and contributions they made in this country. I recommend it!
ptsum, traditional Judaism holds a different definition of idolatry than do most others.
Worship of other than the one true G-d is idolatry.
Any raised three-dimensional image of a person or animal is considered to be idolatry, even if that raised three dimensional image is not worshiped. That's why traditional Jews will not have a statue or bust in their residence, and that's why there were money changers in the Temple courtyard, who exchanged coins with the raised three-dimensional image of Caesar for coins that did not have any raised three-dimensional image, so that folks could make their contribution to the Temple with non-idolatrous coins.
A traditional Jew may violate all but 3 of the 613 Mitzvot (Commandments) in order to save a life: his/her own life, the live of a fellow Jew or the life of a Gentile or Pagan (Pagan being defined as a Gentile that violated one or more of the 7 Noahide Commandments). If the only food available is treif (non-kosher), even if it is pork or shellfish and even if it is Shabbat (Sabbath), a Jew is required to eat that unclean food and drive a car, or do any other prohibited act on Shabbat, to save a life.
The 3 inviolate Mitzvot (Commandments) are the prohibition against murder, the prohibition against adultery/inceast and idolatry. In order not to violate these 3 inviolate Mitzvot (Commandments), a Jew is required to commit suicide, which, under any other circumstance, would be a serious sin (violating the prohibition against murder).
Walter, thank you for that information and let me pass on some information also. Despite the stereotyping of the native people of this land by Europeans, we have no graven images of our Creator and we worship no idols, to us the Creator is the spirit of all men and there can be no images of that, he is in our hearts and minds and in all living things, so how can there be any graven images of him. I find that in many conversations with some of my traditional Jewish friends that we have a lot in common in what we believe.
Any raised three-dimensional image of a person or animal is considered to be idolatry, even if that raised three dimensional image is not worshiped. That's why traditional Jews will not have a statue or bust in their residence, and that's why there were money changers in the Temple courtyard, who exchanged coins with the raised three-dimensional image of Caesar for coins that did not have any raised three-dimensional image, so that folks could make their contribution to the Temple with non-idolatrous coins.
I had not known that -- very interesting on both counts (idolatry defined, and about the moneychangers' job).
Sure puts a different perspective on the tale of Jesus chasing away the moneychangers. Now I'm not sure what to think of that! What would be the Jewish interpretation of the story?
Sure puts a different perspective on the tale of Jesus chasing away the moneychangers. Now I'm not sure what to think of that! What would be the Jewish interpretation of the story?
One version is that, in the absence of talk radio, newspapers and even flyers or posters, it was a way of announcing "I'm here".
One version is that, in the absence of talk radio, newspapers and even flyers or posters, it was a way of announcing "I'm here".
Ah, because pretty quick the gossip would be all over town ... "Did you hear what happened at the Temple today?! Who does that Jesus fellow think he is, anyway??!"
Side question: how do today's traditional Jews deal with modern coinage, which typically has a raised portrait stamped onto it?
Ah, because pretty quick the gossip would be all over town ... "Did you hear what happened at the Temple today?! Who does that Jesus fellow think he is, anyway??!"
Side question: how do today's traditional Jews deal with modern coinage, which typically has a raised portrait stamped onto it?
Reziac, not all traditional Jews are the same and all the traditional Jews I know use money.
Not all Christians are alike and not all Muslims are alike and not all Jews are alike.
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