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 Computerism
Propagandist
 
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 Judaism
#12169678 - 03/09/10 09:22 AM (2 years, 2 months ago) |
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deCypher's Roma thread reminded me that I recently found out I was an Eastern European Jew on my father's side. (He was adopted and we knew nothing of his genetics until I did a paternal DNA test through National Geographic.) I seem to have the highest DNA matches with Jewish people from Latvia and Belarus as well as other former-Soviet countries.
Judaism is pretty much identical throughout the Orthodox sects, isn't it? There's not like "Latvian Orthodox" like there would be with Catholicism, right? (I'm willing to accept that I'm wrong on this.)
I know there is Conservative and Reformed Judaism, and probably some others as well. But from an outsiders perspective, the Orthodox version seems like it would most match the original teachings. Is that correct?
Since Judaism is inherited matrilineally (via the mother), would an Orthodox Jewish person even consider me a Jew since it is all on my father's side? Does the Eastern European connection have any further meaning to it, or is a Jew just a Jew and it doesn't matter where they're from?
I'm just curious and hoping that someone here has a few answers.
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Butterfly in the sky, I can go twice as high. 
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Silversoul
Holon
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Quote:
Computerism said:
Judaism is pretty much identical throughout the Orthodox sects, isn't it? There's not like "Latvian Orthodox" like there would be with Catholicism, right? (I'm willing to accept that I'm wrong on this.)
Far from it. There are several different currents of Orthodox Judaism, ranging from strict legalism to Kabbalistic mysticism. There are very conservative forms of orthodoxy, and there is modern orthodoxy. There are also regional differences between Sephardi, Ashkenazi, and other groups of Jews.
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 c0sm0nautt
Registered: 05/19/08
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Like most religions, the mystical sects were the ones who knew what was up.
Judaism --> Kabbalahism
Christianity --> Gnosticism
Islam --> Sufism
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astralsun.blogspot.com
The intuitive mind is a sacred gift, and the rational mind is a faithful servant. We have created a society that honors the servant, and has forgotten the gift. - Albert Einstein
  
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Computerism
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I assume there are different types of Jewish Kabbalah as well. On Wikipedia it says, "It is hard to clarify with any degree of certainty the exact concepts within Kabbalah. There are several different schools of thought with very different outlooks; however, all are accepted as correct."
Nice.
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Butterfly in the sky, I can go twice as high.
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Computerism
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Spent part of the morning reading about Kabbalah... doesn't seem worth any further investigation for me. It's the same as everything else. 
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Butterfly in the sky, I can go twice as high.
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c0sm0nautt
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Do realize it is an immense subject people dedicate there lives to. It can be overwhelming and easily dismissible if glossed over. See how you like this book.
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astralsun.blogspot.com
The intuitive mind is a sacred gift, and the rational mind is a faithful servant. We have created a society that honors the servant, and has forgotten the gift. - Albert Einstein
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RiverRat427
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Indeed there are many different schools of thought within Judaism as well as different forms of Kaballah/Qubalah/Cabala from the mystical, to the rabbinic, occult, and Kaballah WaterTM pushing forms.
In most forms of Judaism (certainly in Orthodoxy) if you're mother isn't Jewish one must convert in order to be considered a Jew by the community. Once one converts though, they aren't considered to be a different kind of Jew from those who born Jewish.
The biggest differences withing the Jewish community derive from the differnt cultures in which the communities formed. Most Eastern European Jews belong to the Askenazic (German) branch of the Jewish community. The other biggest branches are the Sephardic (Spanish) and Mizrahi (Middle Eastern) Jews along with smaller communities form places like Ethiopia and the Southern Arabian peninsula. They all have the same beliefs and use the same scripture, but they say their prayers in different order during services and have different practices when it comes to celebrating the sabbath and holidays and stuff like that.
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Don't tase me, bro!
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Computerism
Propagandist
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Quote:
c0sm0nautt said:
Do realize it is an immense subject people dedicate there lives to. It can be overwhelming and easily dismissible if glossed over. See how you like this book.
Yeah, it's just too much. I'm already trying to unlearn past mystic teachings, live by my senses and embrace simplicity.
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Butterfly in the sky, I can go twice as high.
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RiverRat427
Something funny happened...
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Quote:
c0sm0nautt said:
Do realize it is an immense subject people dedicate there lives to. It can be overwhelming and easily dismissible if glossed over. See how you like this book.
Damn fine book on the subject, if I do say so myself. But it's about what the title states, the Mystical Qabalah. A lifetime could be dedicated to the study of it alone but it's not the only form of the Qabalah in existence.
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Don't tase me, bro!
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The Chronic
Registered: 05/08/04
Posts: 11,039
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Quote:
Computerism said:
Quote:
c0sm0nautt said:
Do realize it is an immense subject people dedicate there lives to. It can be overwhelming and easily dismissible if glossed over. See how you like this book.
Yeah, it's just too much. I'm already trying to unlearn past mystic teachings, live by my senses and embrace simplicity.
Then your coming into the true teaching that unveils the mystery 
Silence
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 skatealex2
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Quote:
Chronic777 said:
Then your coming into the true teaching that unveils the mystery
Silence
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MarkostheGnostic
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Quote:
Computerism said:
Spent part of the morning reading about Kabbalah... doesn't seem worth any further investigation for me. It's the same as everything else.
Well...I beg to differ with your conclusion (which, after one morning, is way too premature IMO). I'd recommend one book that will set you back some $4.98, but you'll understand the essential system better than anyone who hasn't read this little gem (I've read quite a bit including the classical authors, Scholem, Franck, Waite, Fortune, Crowley: Kabbalah, Cabala and Qabalah):
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γνῶθι σαὐτόν - Gnothi Sauton - Know Thyself
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Olympus Mons
esprit de l'univers
Registered: 09/15/09
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there was an episode of seinfeld about the latvian orthodox church.
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I close my eyes and seize it
I clench my fists and beat it
I light my torch and burn it
I am the beast I worship....
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Computerism
Propagandist
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Quote:
MarkostheGnostic said:
Quote:
Computerism said:
Spent part of the morning reading about Kabbalah... doesn't seem worth any further investigation for me. It's the same as everything else.
Well...I beg to differ with your conclusion (which, after one morning, is way too premature IMO). I'd recommend one book that will set you back some $4.98, but you'll understand the essential system better than anyone who hasn't read this little gem (I've read quite a bit including the classical authors, Scholem, Franck, Waite, Fortune, Crowley: Kabbalah, Cabala and Qabalah):
That's a nice list of names, but it doesn't really explain to me what any of it is about. You're going to have to give me a little more to go on before I decide if it's worth the trouble. Why are you so enthusiastic about Kabbalah?
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Butterfly in the sky, I can go twice as high.
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RiverRat427
Something funny happened...
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Quote:
Olympus Mons said:
there was an episode of seinfeld about the latvian orthodox church.
That's a branch of the Eastern Orthodox Christian church.
Quote:
MarkostheGnostic said:
Quote:
Computerism said:
Spent part of the morning reading about Kabbalah... doesn't seem worth any further investigation for me. It's the same as everything else.
Well...I beg to differ with your conclusion (which, after one morning, is way too premature IMO). I'd recommend one book that will set you back some $4.98, but you'll understand the essential system better than anyone who hasn't read this little gem (I've read quite a bit including the classical authors, Scholem, Franck, Waite, Fortune, Crowley: Kabbalah, Cabala and Qabalah):
Thanks, man!!! I remember seeing that little book everywhere in occult shops back in the day before I really delved into studying Qabalah and by the time I did there were a lot more other books available (esp. after the Kabbalah Center popularization) and it wasn't so easy to find among all the other more elaborate, fluffed up, not to mention more profitable for vendors, ones. I'm gonna check that out ASAP.
Props 
Edited by RiverRat427 (03/11/10 02:49 PM)
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deCypher
Registered: 02/10/08
Posts: 52,515
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Quote:
c0sm0nautt said:
Do realize it is an immense subject people dedicate there lives to. It can be overwhelming and easily dismissible if glossed over. See how you like this book.
This was a great book.
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We are all in the gutter, but some of us are looking at the stars.
  
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RiverRat427
Something funny happened...
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Quote:
Mr. Cypher said:
Quote:
c0sm0nautt said:
Do realize it is an immense subject people dedicate there lives to. It can be overwhelming and easily dismissible if glossed over. See how you like this book.
This was a great book.
I second that statement. I've read that twice and I could still go back and learn something new each time.
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Don't tase me, bro!
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MarkostheGnostic
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It seems that RiverRat427 and Mr. Cypher have my back on this. If you can't go for a B&N $4.98 book and find out first hand, then I'm done doing my part here. "Let those with ears, hear."
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Computerism
Propagandist
Registered: 02/27/10
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Quote:
MarkostheGnostic said:
It seems that RiverRat427 and Mr. Cypher have my back on this. If you can't go for a B&N $4.98 book and find out first hand, then I'm done doing my part here. "Let those with ears, hear."
Nah, I'm not gonna bother hunting down a book on something that doesn't interest me if the people who like it can't tell me anything about it.
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Butterfly in the sky, I can go twice as high.
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RiverRat427
Something funny happened...
Registered: 02/09/10
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It's a Jewish mystical system drawing from the Bible and the dissertations thereon which can help people empower and better understand themselves, the nature of man, the nature of God, the nature of the cosmos, the nature of evil and ignorance, and then some. It's basically a road map back to paradise if you can grasp the lessons which it contains. MarkosTheGnostic gave you a good list of places to start your search if you're interested in doing so, but understand that spiritual understanding (gnosis) is entirely different from intellectual understanding so if you're just going to gloss over it it's probably not worth your time. But if you want better intellectual understanding it's good for that, too, if you take the time to mull it over.
It's hard to have somebody explain an entire mystical system in a blurb on a message board. It's the basis of most (pretty much all) Western occult, esoteric, and mystery traditions and it's worth at least a gander if you plan on seriously studying mysticism or magic as more then just a favored reading topic to pass time.
When it all comes down to it do whatever tickles your pickle. I wouldn't think any less of you for your choice, in this life you gotta do you.
Peace
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Don't tase me, bro!
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