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General Discussion
Started by drakar at 06-28-2007 9:30 PM. Topic has 4 replies.
  
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 06-28-2007, 9:30 PM
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drakar
Joined on 06-29-2007
Posts 4
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Jewish Religion: Uncertainty
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I am Jewish by birth and am personally incomfortable with these principles wich, you are correct, each Jew must abide by. It's, lately, gone past the stage of being a mere phase. Im 15 now and have read the Fountainhead and Atlas Shrugged, We the Living and so on. I can no longer possibly follow these principles.
I have a big family, of wich i am the only one that does not believe in the teachings. Im embarassed by it at the moment, because i know that my parents would be infuriated by the mere mention that I would let go of the religion.
My mother read the Fountainhead when she was about my age, in Hebrew. Yet she is still a Jew and thinks not otherwise. This is leading me to great uncertainty, because when it comes to matters where religion has no place, we, most of the time, agree on the moral answer to the problem.
I would like thoughts on this.
A is A
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06-29-2007, 12:56 AM
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NickOtani
Joined on 04-21-2006
Posts 323
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Re: Jewish Religion: Uncertainty
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15 years old is still very young. Have you had your bar mitzvah yet?
I'd say, "Be patient." Soon, you will be on your own, independent, and your own person. You'll be able to believe anything you want, as long as you obey the law and don't attract too much attention to yourself. It's no big deal.
Respect your parents and their views. There are admirable things in Judaism, and there may be enough diversity in your family's version for you not to be uncomfortable, unless you are super-sensitive. Don't be. Get used to living around people who don't agree entirely with you. Most people will be that way. There are worse things than being Jewish. At least your family is not White Supremist or something really scary. You can try to have diplomatic discussions and debates with your parents and family members, but it is not worth a bad confrontation. Be gentle!
Also, keep reading. Ayn Rand is not necessarily better than all other writers and philosophers. Use her and others to shape your views, but make sure you shape and own your own views, not others.
bis bald,
Nick
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06-29-2007, 2:39 AM
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youngmastermatt
 
Joined on 06-15-2007
Idaho
Posts 14
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Re: Jewish Religion: Uncertainty
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I understand your position, drakar, since I went through much the same sort of thing when I was 15. In fact, many of the details in your story and mine are quite similar. Quite ironicly, my first exposure to Objectivism came through my devout Lutheran mother, who handed me a copy of Anthem. She knew next to nothing of Ayn Rand or her philosophy other than a vague reference to induvidual thought.
The decision to "come out", so to speak, is entirely up to you. You're in the bind of trying to be your own person while living with the pressures of a traditional Jewish upbringing. At 15, there are no easy answers.
The good news, however, is that you're young, and have plenty of time to learn about yourself. Read all that you can, from a variety of perspectives (we're never done learning, after all!). Take everthing (including Objectivism) with a grain of salt, and always keep your baloney-detector turned on.
It's tough right now- but before you know it, you'll be out of your parent' house and away from your family. This will make it easier to inform your family of your theological disagreement. Regardless of if and when you choose to discuss this, it will be a potentially unpleasant and awkward conversation to have- but it need not devolve into a bitter shouting match. I personally approached this conversation with a bit of humor- I simply said "Mom, the only downside to raising your children to think for themselves is that they might take you up on it... as I'm about to inform you."
Whatever you choose to do, let me encourage you to come back and discuss with us anything you may have questions or observations about- we'd love to hear from you!
Best regards,
Matt
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06-30-2007, 11:13 AM
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NickOtani
Joined on 04-21-2006
Posts 323
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Re: Jewish Religion: Uncertainty
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Hey, drakar! I know you read Ayn Rand, who is ethnically Jewish, but how many other Jewish authors have you read? Have you read Saul Bellow or Philip Roth? Have you read Exodus, by Leon Uris? There are a few short stories by Isaac Bashevis Singer I’d recommend highly: One is The Son from America. Another is The Spinoza of Market Street. (Spinoza, of course, was also an ethnic Jew.)
bis bald,
Nick
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08-07-2007, 8:49 PM
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solo
Joined on 08-08-2007
Posts 16
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Re: Jewish Religion: Uncertainty
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Dear Drakar,
You are entering a stage of your personal
development that all we Randians have gone through. It the stage
where you realize that Rand's Philosophy is going to bring you into
conflict with those in your environment. I can tell you, this is
just the beginning. This philosophy is going to put you at odds
with the sum of all of human history and the almost all of the existing
world. The problem one has here is how to believe in and live by
Objectivist principles without bringing down the wrath of the mankind
down upon yourself. The solution to this problem is very simple. Know
your limitations and don't get into a fight you can't win.
At the age of 15 you are a minor and your
parents have legal control over you. You are also financially
dependent upon them and this gives them still greater control.
You are living in their house on their bread. If you go to
college you may require their financial assistance. You are not
in a position to wage war against them and Judaism in the name of
Objectivism. Don't try it. Instead for now, learn all you
can about Rand's work and enhance your philosophical knowledge.
When you become a legal adult and
have the financial independence of your own income and career, you will
be in
a position to state your principles to them and let the chips fall
where they may.
You might be interested in the book
"How I Found
Freedom in an Unfree World" by libertarian author Harry Brown.
His basic premise is that you can believe and do just about
anything you want as long as you don't do it in a way that draws
attention to it. This is a somewhat cowardly attitude in my
opinion, however there are limits to what a rational person can do in a
world like this.
Yours in Reason,
Solo
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The Atlas... » Ayn Rand's Idea... » General Discuss... » Re: Jewish Religion: Uncertainty
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