05-08-2019, 02:58 PM
(This post was last modified: 05-08-2019, 03:03 PM by WisdomSeeker.)
Chavak:
Thank-you for your replies. I rather like the practice of using the word G-d. I'll try to incorporate that moving forward.
I buy your statement that it is the sacrifice that is pleasing to G-d, and not necessarily the form. However, on the unlikeliness that animal sacrifice would not have been man made because it would impose a financial penalty, what may work against that is that there are many examples where self inflicted punishments are part of humankind's nature- although not commonplace.
Some of my other issues are still hard to reconcile (siding with one set of people's against another up to and including the killing of innocent children, for example).
I guess what worries me, is our youth. Many go to colleges/universities where their beliefs may come under fire, or, at least be the target of criticism. Add to that the "new atheists" such as Richard Dawkins, Sam Harris and the late Christopher Hitchens, and it becomes complicated.
If I have these questions, as a person of faith, I worry about how those who may not be as grounded in faith or may be open to ideas, may fare- unless they are provided answers to the difficult questions that scripture sometimes raises.
To give you a small example: I am sure you know that Catholics believe that when the host is given, Jesus' body is actually in that host. Well, we were listening to a lecture about that and the person speaking went to great lengths to illustrate how G-d is all powerful, and cited many examples from the Hebrew Bible (I hope I am using the right term to refer to the Bible that Judiasm follows). He was doing so to argue that if G-d could do all that, why would we not accept that he could also transform the host into Jesus' body?
At the end of the session, a lady approached the lecturer and asked "Why can't women be Priests?" His response was "think about it. How can a woman be made into a male for the purposes of priesthood? " It was a cringe moment for me, as I thought it was a very poor response. It did not seem to impress the lady who asked either.
My point being is that people of faith need to be able to explain and defend the faith where needed, in a way that inspires those who are seeking or who may just be approaching a certain faith.
I hope I am making sense.
In any event, thanks Chavak for the dialogue.
Charles.
P.S. Are you a Rabbi?
Thank-you for your replies. I rather like the practice of using the word G-d. I'll try to incorporate that moving forward.
I buy your statement that it is the sacrifice that is pleasing to G-d, and not necessarily the form. However, on the unlikeliness that animal sacrifice would not have been man made because it would impose a financial penalty, what may work against that is that there are many examples where self inflicted punishments are part of humankind's nature- although not commonplace.
Some of my other issues are still hard to reconcile (siding with one set of people's against another up to and including the killing of innocent children, for example).
I guess what worries me, is our youth. Many go to colleges/universities where their beliefs may come under fire, or, at least be the target of criticism. Add to that the "new atheists" such as Richard Dawkins, Sam Harris and the late Christopher Hitchens, and it becomes complicated.
If I have these questions, as a person of faith, I worry about how those who may not be as grounded in faith or may be open to ideas, may fare- unless they are provided answers to the difficult questions that scripture sometimes raises.
To give you a small example: I am sure you know that Catholics believe that when the host is given, Jesus' body is actually in that host. Well, we were listening to a lecture about that and the person speaking went to great lengths to illustrate how G-d is all powerful, and cited many examples from the Hebrew Bible (I hope I am using the right term to refer to the Bible that Judiasm follows). He was doing so to argue that if G-d could do all that, why would we not accept that he could also transform the host into Jesus' body?
At the end of the session, a lady approached the lecturer and asked "Why can't women be Priests?" His response was "think about it. How can a woman be made into a male for the purposes of priesthood? " It was a cringe moment for me, as I thought it was a very poor response. It did not seem to impress the lady who asked either.
My point being is that people of faith need to be able to explain and defend the faith where needed, in a way that inspires those who are seeking or who may just be approaching a certain faith.
I hope I am making sense.
In any event, thanks Chavak for the dialogue.
Charles.
P.S. Are you a Rabbi?