Atheist Jews: Judaism Without God

[Ahimsa]

“Atheism and Judaism are not contradictory, so to have an atheist in a Jewish congregation isn’t an issue or a challenge or a problem,” Shrogin said. “It is par for the course. That is what Judaism is. It is our tradition to question God from top to bottom.”

Atheism is entrenched in American Judaism. In researching their book American Grace, authors Robert Putnam and David Campbell found that half of all American Jews doubt God’s existence. In other groups, that number is between 10 and 15 percent.

Those figures have some in the Jewish community alarmed. A recent issue of Moment, a magazine of Jewish thought, asked influential Jews if Judaism can survive without God. The answers were split.

“I’m not sure,” Leora Batnitzky, a Princeton professor of religion, wrote in Moment. “The question comes down to what it means to sustain a belief in God in Judaism, and that’s a complicated issue.”

And one that Jews have been debating for centuries.
…
Children are what brought Schrogin to Beth El, but he has stayed for the sense of purpose organizing its community service projects has instilled.

“My rabbi said, ‘You know Maxim, God doesn’t care whether you believe in him or not. All that he cares is that you do the right thing.’ Our action in the world is much more important.”

I wonder how many atheist Catholics there are. I know of at least one.

 

[GEddie]

The difference is that Judaism is an ethnocultural entity, while Catholicism is purely a faith community. So you can reject the faith and remain Jewish, but not so in Catholicism.

 

[Hokomai]

The difference is that Judaism is an ethnocultural entity, while Catholicism is purely a faith community. So you can reject the faith and remain Jewish, but not so in Catholicism.

I am not a believer but was raised as a Catholic and its history, beliefs and practices remain a point of reference for me. I enjoy keeping up with Catholic news and events. I give money to Catholic charities. Most of my friends date back to my Catholic days, and most are also former believers. My wife is also a former Catholic. I often explain Catholic beliefs to people who misunderstand them. I think this must be very like ‘Jewish atheists’, although Catholics rarely organise events with secular elements or acceptance of non-believers at which people like me can be comfortable (lectures on history debates, tours without expectation of prayer etc). The absence of these ‘cultural Catholic’ things means that my children are not so Catholic in culture. i imagine many on CA would think this a good thing, since unbelievers have no place in the Church. But my own view is that the Church benefits from people who understand it but who do not necessarily agree.