Ask a Jew anything.

Pete Svarrior · « **Reply #800 on:** October 10, 2014, 03:46:10 AM »

Quote from: Parsifal on October 10, 2014, 01:08:50 AM

Agnostics don't believe in God, but they also don't believe in the absence of God. Atheists subscribe to the belief that God does not exist, in addition to not holding the belief that God exists.

Yeah, no. This is a common mistake propagated by religious people, possibly because it lets them use convenient tactics like "but you can't prove that there is no god!"

Atheism is the rejection of the belief in the existence of any deities, but it does not make any assertion about the non-existence of gods either. A person holds the belief or makes the claim that no deities exist is an antitheist, or a gnostic atheist.

An agnostic is a person who acknowledges that they cannot be certain of their position on theism, as there is no real evidence to conclude god or no god, while a gnostic would make a claim that they know their position is correct. An agnostic may be a theist, atheist, or antitheist (or anything else).

(A)gnosticism is essentially independent of (a)theism.

Yaakov ben Avraham · « **Reply #801 on:** October 10, 2014, 11:38:15 AM »

IRUSH, that risk does not exist on a kosher farm.

Yaakov ben Avraham · « **Reply #802 on:** October 10, 2014, 12:47:25 PM »

Well. As much as I am NOT fond of Muslims, I think the choices this year for the Nobel Peace Prize were brilliant. Malala Yousefsai (sp?) of Pakistan and the Hindu gentleman of India were perfect. Gandhi would have been proud. This marks the second time that a Muslim has won a Nobel Prize, the first time being one in Literature. This also marks the youngest Peace Prize recipient ever, with Malala being just 17.

I truly am VERY happy to see them both win, especially young Malala. She has a proud and bright future ahead of her. But a Hindu of India and a Muslim of Pakistan winning together is truly brilliant, given the history of bad blood between those religions and those countries. May God bless them both, and may the cause of peace be advanced between both countries and their respective faiths. Omein.

Rama Set · « **Reply #803 on:** October 10, 2014, 01:14:13 PM »

You are still a bigot. This is the equivalent of saying "I am not a bigot, I have a Muslim friend"

Yaakov ben Avraham · « **Reply #804 on:** October 10, 2014, 01:34:26 PM »

Actually, I do have a Muslim friend, but that is beside the point. I never denied not liking Muslims, and the fact that Malala is a wonderful child who deserved this award, and is a compliment to her people, her faith, and to the human race does not change the fact that most Muslims are dangerous. The fact that I have a good Muslim friend doesn't change that either.

Rama Set · « **Reply #805 on:** October 10, 2014, 01:49:17 PM »

most muslims? as in over 500M?

Yaakov ben Avraham · « **Reply #806 on:** October 10, 2014, 01:51:51 PM »

Pretty much, yes. I personally think they are not a threat as long as they stay in their part of the world. But in our country, or other non-Muslim nations, they are dangerous, and must be deported forthwith.

jroa · « **Reply #807 on:** October 10, 2014, 02:48:08 PM »

Yaakov, why do Jews cut their penises off? Serious question.

Yaakov ben Avraham · « **Reply #808 on:** October 10, 2014, 03:17:16 PM »

First off, let me specify that we don't cut off our penises, and neither do Muslims, who also have the rite of circumcision. Now, as to WHY God ordered Abraham to remove the foreskin of Isaac's penis at age 8 days, and at the same time remove the foreskin of Ishmael's penis (Ishmael was 13 years old; OUCH!), I don't know. The Bible simply says that God ordered Abraham to do it. He also had to do it to himself (MAJOR OUCH!). The Bible only says that God commanded it as a mark to indicate that Jews were in the covenant relationship with God.

Now, Jews are the children of Isaac, and have continued to perform this act to infants at the age of 8 days. Arabs are the descendants of Ishmael and continue to do this ceremony on boys at the age of 13 years. Now, Ishmael was NOT the son of the Promise, Isaac was. Hence the Bible said that Ishmael would become a great nation, which he did, founding the 12 Tribes of Arabia. So he was not neglected by God, but he was not the son of the Promise in the way that Isaac was.

But back to circumcision as a commandment. The Bible doesn't explain, why that as opposed to something else. Now, it is possible that the Talmud does. I have not examined the subject. I don't have the Talmud in my library, because I can't afford it, quite frankly. The whole collection of 20 odd books costs several hundred dollars. I do have a compendium of Jewish Law that might explain it, or at least attempt to. I shall do some research in my compendium, and perhaps visit the library at the shul and see what I can find in the Talmud. Perhaps the Rabbi can explain it to me as well. I shall tell you my answer if and when I get one.

jroa · « **Reply #809 on:** October 10, 2014, 03:36:48 PM »

Kind of seems like a scam. Once you cut your penis, you can't grow it back, so they have you.

Yaakov ben Avraham · « **Reply #810 on:** October 10, 2014, 03:42:03 PM »

It depends on where you live. In America, many infants are circumcised so that they can better clean their penis, and so that they are less likely to catch HIV/AIDS and other STDs from a female partner, as circumcision has proven to reduce this problem as well. So, in a country where many are circumcised, a person's lack of foreskin will not be remarked on. Now, I suppose if you live in a country wherein circumcision is not practiced much, you might have some issues if you drop your pants in front of other persons (say, in the military for a "nuts and butts" exam). Certainly it was easy for the Nazis to figure out who the Jewish men were. All they had to do was require a man to drop his pants. Non-Jewish German men at that time did not circumcise their boys.

Lord Dave · « **Reply #811 on:** October 10, 2014, 03:51:37 PM »

Circumcision decreases the penis's sensitivity with regards to sex. This story was likely created to quell the pleasure of sex at an early age.

AIDS/HIV did not exist (or were not know of) at the time so that's not a reason.

Its also possible that Abraham was a sick bastard who decided to mutilate the penis of his sons out of insanity or mental illness and y'all assumed God said so.

jroa · « **Reply #812 on:** October 10, 2014, 03:58:07 PM »

Quote from: Yaakov ben Avraham on October 10, 2014, 03:42:03 PM

It depends on where you live. In America, many infants are circumcised so that they can better clean their penis, and so that they are less likely to catch HIV/AIDS and other STDs from a female partner, as circumcision has proven to reduce this problem as well. So, in a country where many are circumcised, a person's lack of foreskin will not be remarked on. Now, I suppose if you live in a country wherein circumcision is not practiced much, you might have some issues if you drop your pants in front of other persons (say, in the military for a "nuts and butts" exam). Certainly it was easy for the Nazis to figure out who the Jewish men were. All they had to do was require a man to drop his pants. Non-Jewish German men at that time did not circumcise their boys.

Why do Jews worry so much about STDs? Are you permiscuous?

Rama Set · « **Reply #813 on:** October 10, 2014, 05:24:11 PM »

Quote from: Yaakov ben Avraham on October 10, 2014, 03:17:16 PM

I don't have the Talmud in my library, because I can't afford it, quite frankly. The whole collection of 20 odd books costs several hundred dollars.

http://www.sacred-texts.com/jud/talmud.htm#t01

For free!

Yaakov ben Avraham · « **Reply #814 on:** October 10, 2014, 06:08:31 PM »

Thank you Rama Set. PLEASE NOTE: This is the Babylonian Talmud only. There is also a Palestinian Talmud. The two of them together make up the whole Talmud. They were each prepared in parts where Jews were then living (during the approximate years 500 BC-500 AD). Please also scroll up and read the brief intro to the site that Rama Set so kindly provided.

Vindictus · « **Reply #815 on:** October 10, 2014, 07:05:50 PM »

Quote from: Lord Dave on October 10, 2014, 03:51:37 PM

Circumcision decreases the penis's sensitivity with regards to sex. This story was likely created to quell the pleasure of sex at an early age.

AIDS/HIV did not exist (or were not know of) at the time so that's not a reason.

Its also possible that Abraham was a sick bastard who decided to mutilate the penis of his sons out of insanity or mental illness and y'all assumed God said so.

If you're cutting children's penises because a voice told you so, then yeah you're probably crazy.

Yaakov ben Avraham · « **Reply #816 on:** October 10, 2014, 08:30:56 PM »

I expect other STD's did exist, however, even though HIV/AIDS didn't. It does, from what I have been told, desensitize the penis a bit. I would suggest that denial of God's existence makes one crazy.

Lord Dave · « **Reply #817 on:** October 10, 2014, 10:00:54 PM »

Quote from: Yaakov ben Avraham on October 10, 2014, 08:30:56 PM

I expect other STD's did exist, however, even though HIV/AIDS didn't.

Since blood tests didn't exist either, any STD would have been one that has easily identifiable symptoms. And such women with those were loose and not worth marrying. And as we all know, it was a sin to have sex out of wedlock and all married women are virgins on their wedding day so this, theory doesn't hold water.

Quote

It does, from what I have been told, desensitize the penis a bit.

It does.

Quote

I would suggest that denial of God's existence makes one crazy.

I'm crazy for other reasons.

Tau · « **Reply #818 on:** October 10, 2014, 10:50:34 PM »

Quote from: Lord Dave on October 10, 2014, 10:00:54 PM

Quite

Quote from: Yaakov ben Avraham on October 10, 2014, 03:17:16 PM

I don't have the Talmud in my library, because I can't afford it, quite frankly. The whole collection of 20 odd books costs several hundred dollars.

So you're willing to advocate the extermination or relocation or Muslims for your faith, but not pay a few hundred dollars? I see.

Lord Dave · « **Reply #819 on:** October 10, 2014, 11:25:17 PM »

If someone claimed to be God, what would convince you that it really is God? Like if you found a burning bush that spoke to you (like Moses) how would you know it's God and not a guy with a speaker in a burning bush?