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June 8, 2006 I have seen a lot of commentary this past few years mostly on the Internet about people not believing in God or a higher power. A lot of what I have read has come from the keyboards of teenagers and that alarms me. I was raised in the Jewish culture more than in the Jewish religion and only went to Temple and Sunday School when my parents wanted me to meet other Jewish children. I have not been in a Temple to worship for many years. It really makes no difference though because I know that being a Jew is more than a religious belief and a bunch of traditions. It's something in my genes that I believe I was born with and will always possess. It's more than a way of life and going to a place of worship...it's ethnic, cultural, and a part of who I am. I also believe in God. It is very easy for a Jewish child to believe in God because there are no harsh rules to follow (other than the Ten Commandments), and God is portrayed to us as gentle, loving and protective. It was not necessary for me to have a Bat Mitzvah in order to grow into a Jewish woman. I do not have to confess anything to anyone, I don't have to genuflect, wear a cross or shout my beliefs from the rooftops in order to "Witness" and attempt to convert anyone. I am just who I am because of my birthright. That doesn't mean that I don't question things because I do. I wonder if the person (deity?) that some call Jesus Christ and who we Jews think of as a teacher and a profit was more? Was he really the Messiah that we still wait for and could we have possibly have been wrong about who He was or is? Will the Messiah that we wait for ever come? I learned from the Rabbi who taught me in my confirmation class that Jesus would have been called Yesuha Ben Joseph and that the language spoke at the time that he lived was Aramaic. I learned that the Greek word for Yeshua, later to be Joshua (in the Hebrew language), translated to Jesus, and that the word Christ means Savior. My Rabbi also suggested that I read the New Testament as well as the Old so that I would have a better and clearer understanding of what other people believe and why. I did that and I became fascinated with Revelations. I see some signs in today's world that the prophecies in that part of the Bible are coming to pass and that they are fairly clear to decipher. Even without a background of Christianity, I can see some of the signs, I personally feel that without a belief system and a faith in a higher power that we are lost and alone. I know that when I am feeling over-whelmed that prayer is comforting so based on that alone, I have to believe that there is a link between that feeling of comfort and peace to a God at the other end of my prayer. I was taught that God is busy sometimes and can't be bothered with trivia so as a Jew I only pray for other people or for help with extreme situations like illness or tragedy. I don't ever ask God to help me win the lottery or ask Him for help in acquiring material possessions and I don't bother Him with petty matters. I can't imagine not believing in God. I can't imagine how lonely that would be and how helpless and alone I would feel without believing that He is somewhere out there, or more importantly, somehow a part of who I am. I never take offense at people who believe differently from me or who don't believe at all because I believe that God created many different avenues to reaching him and my particular route may not be everyone else's. I also ask questions of people who believe differently than I do because I think that there's a lot to learn and even more to understand. I believe that we are all God's children. I can't quote the Bible fluently or on command when a situation warrants it and I don't proselytize. I don't go to another building to worship or pray but I believe in God and without that belief I really don't know how I would get along. The following link will explain my beliefs and the beliefs of my people better than I could ever hope to so I will include it in this article to better clarify my position...but NOT to attempt to convert. It simply explains what God means to me through the teachings of my ancestors. http://www.aish.com/literacy/concepts/Understanding_God.asp ------------ About the author: Meri has a Medical/Legal background and is a former forensic researcher specializing in psychological profiling. https://www2.xlibris.com/bookstore/bookdisplay.asp?bookid=27335 Email: writers2@cox.net Comment on this article here! ------------ All articles are EXCLUSIVE to Useless-Knowledge.com. Please link to this article rather than copying and pasting it onto your site (which would be unauthorized and illegal). |
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