Help me understand atheistic Jews

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Maritsa

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Would any Jewish people here please help me understand this phenomenon?

Here’s a conversation I had:
**Him: **This is your goddaughter?
Me: Yes.
**Him: ** They just dump her off with you?
Me: I babysit for her parents and enjoy getting the time to spend with her.
**Him: ** Want another? [Referring to his son.]
Me: [Joking.] Is he baptized? Does he need godparents?
**Him: ** Neither. He’s Jewish.
Me: [Knowing Judaism is matriarchal.] Oh! Are you Jewish, or just him?
**Him: ** [Apparently offended.] Both.
Me: Do you have sponsors for the Bris and the Bar Mitzvah in Judaism?
**Him: ** We don’t do that. We didn’t cut off any other parts, so we’re not going to start there.
Me: Oh.
**Him: ** Much to my super Jewish boss’ displeasure. He wanted to know when the Bris would be. I told him, “there isn’t going to be one!” My wife is not very observant. I’m more Jewish than she is.

I know from his wife’s blog that she is a militant atheist. He implies that he isn’t actually Jewish, contrary to his previous statement, but just agreed to raise his son Jewish. Contrary to his previous statement, he isn’t doing that either. I don’t understand. A woman was raised Jewish, denounced her faith, married a man raised Baptist who also denounced his faith, and the two have established an atheistic household. They have a son who is being raised as an atheist and who has never been introduced to the fundamentals of Judaism. They celebrate Christmas with a tree and presents on Dec 25 and they trash any people who believe in God. Yet all three identify as Jewish. I’ve been told that secular Judaism is not uncommon. I know many people who say they “used to be Catholic” but I don’t know any current atheists who also say they are currently Catholic. How does this happen in Judaism?
 
Its simple really; unlike most other religions, Judaism is also an ethnic group. Admittedly, because of the possibility of conversion, it can get a little complicated, but because of the fact that Jews historically were outsiders in the areas they lived, they always identified with their Jewishness more than with the people they lived among.

Thus someone can cease believing in the Jewish notion of God (which technically isn’t required anyway, merely correct practice) and still consider themselves Jewish.

–
Bill
 
I don’t understand your answers and am really here trying to understand. How is it that two American atheists who are raising their son as an atheist, with no connection to Judaism and a cultural connection to Christianity, all identify as Jewish?

I can comprehend how a non-practicing Jewish woman would still say she is Jewish, but one who mocks people of faith and has no use for Judaism saying she is Jewish does not make sense to me. For her Christian-raised husband and atheist-raised son to also say they are Jewish doesn’t seem to be a matter of numbers but a mindset. A mindset I don’t understand.
 
They identify with jewish culture, but they do not practice Judaism. But really, from your OP I saw little there that would indicate they even indentify with Jewish culture.
 
What is Jewish culture? What types of things separate it from Christian or American culture that they could be identifying with?
 
How do regular jews view atheistic & non-practicing jews?
 
AgnosTheist said:
How do regular jews view atheistic & non-practicing jews?
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In a pinch, if there are no christians around, we will use their blood to make the matzah.

Depends on the Jew. Many orthodox Jews don’t even like to think of religious conservative jews as Jews. But they’re stuck with us 🙂
 
Maritsa said:
What is Jewish culture? What types of things separate it from Christian or American culture that they could be identifying with?
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Rejecting Jesus, for one. In fact belief in Jesus is the one thing that will always get you kicked out of their circle of trust. Common enemies are often a unifying force.
 
Valke2 said:
Depends on the Jew. Many orthodox Jews don’t even like to think of religious conservative jews as Jews. But they’re stuck with us 🙂
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and which one are you? orthodox, conservative, or something else? 😃
 
If there are Jews who really believe in God, it seems that they would really believe God is going to come down hard on them as a whole for tolerating atheism and traitors to God in their ranks.

I’m not saying to take them out and stone them, but like when I’m in discussion forums and atheist Jews come on mocking God and such, believing Jews ought to be telling them they aren’t real Jews.

They made that little rule with Jesus, they could do it as easily with atheism.
 
Valke2 said:
In a pinch, if there are no christians around, we will use their blood to make the matzah.

Depends on the Jew. Many orthodox Jews don’t even like to think of religious conservative jews as Jews. But they’re stuck with us 🙂
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I am not Jewish, but I find the bolded statement to be much more than distasteful— Some “jokes” should never be voiced—Shame on you for printing such a thing—
 
FaithofAbraham said:
If there are Jews who really believe in God, it seems that they would really believe God is going to come down hard on them as a whole for tolerating atheism and traitors to God in their ranks.

I’m not saying to take them out and stone them, but like when I’m in discussion forums and atheist Jews come on mocking God and such, believing Jews ought to be telling them they aren’t real Jews.
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thats what orthodox jews are for. for saying who qualifies. 😃
 
Rocky said:
I am not Jewish, but I find the bolded statement to be much more than distasteful— Some “jokes” should never be voiced—Shame on you for printing such a thing—
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The real shame is that I’ve run across posts supporting this belief. I’m sorry if my sense of humor disturbs you…
 
Valke2 said:
The real shame is that I’ve run across posts supporting this belief. I’m sorry if my sense of humor disturbs you…
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Yes, those posts that you ran across are a shame, and you have added to that shame.
 
I thought the joke was funny. How common is it to find people like this family I’ve described within Judaism?
 
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