A Question of Faith

Tonight is Kol Nidre, the beginning of Yom Kippur, the holiest day on the Jewish calendar. It is known as the Day of Atonement but it is, in a larger sense, a time of reflection. As I am Jewish by birth and certainly maintain a strong sense of my cultural identity as a Jew, I find myself about to engage in familiar and traditional rituals despite the fact that they no longer reflect my spirituality.

After receiving extensive religious training prior to my Bar Mitzvah, I ultimately found that Judaism, and organized religion in general, no longer made sense to me. It took me many years on a very circuitous path to lead me to where I am today... a person of faith who believes in a non-denominational higher power that has no preference for any specific doctrine or region. I guess you could call me an egalitarian humanist hanging onto the hope of that which I maintain can neither be proven nor disproved.

So it shouldn't be surprising that I spent this afternoon at a showing of Bill Maher's important new film "Religulous". I call it important not because I agree with Mr. Maher's opinions, but because I find his fundamental mission to call into question the certitude of the practice of all organized religions monumentally necessary. I'd even say it was God's work.

This exploration needs to be in public discourse right now if we are to continue to evolve as a people and a democracy. (Yes, I said "evolve".) Since moving to the south, I have formed close relationships with quite a number of Christians down here in the Bible Belt. These are people I love and respect. However in this election season, without fail, their political views support the philosophies of George Bush and Sarah Palin. Their faith has led them to believe that we are a Christian nation and that our laws and policies should reflect their religious beliefs to the dangerous exclusion of all other points of view.

In their defense, I believe they are earnest in their convictions that they are trying to save us. However, the irony of supporting a war against religious fundamentalists by adopting policies of religious fundamentalism seems lost on them. On the other side, my atheist friends have become just as strident, asserting that they cannot believe in anything not proven by science. They feel the need to disabuse people of faith of their beliefs with a level of furor that is beyond condescension.

My truth lives in that very gray area in the middle called "I don't know" and I resent anyone who comes to my door proselytizing. So tonight I will light a memorial candle in my father's memory and fast for the holiday as my father did. Are these rituals nonsensical? Probably. But they connect me to the memory of my father and the traditions he valued and observed. And that gives me comfort, makes me happy and is ultimately my business and mine alone.

Comments

[camb94]

Nice post Dan. The ironies of religion and faith are like trying to understand zen riddles. I have recently come to the conclusion that faith in God is not faith if you can't accept that there isn't one. Once you have accepted that there is no God and can still accept the beauty and joy of life, you can then also accept that there is a God and can have faith. If you can't accept that there is no God, then you don't have faith, you have need. You aren't there for God, God is there for you. The true irony in this is that most of the truly religious fundamentalists are just the opposite. Their faith is based on need not faith. There is no way that they can accept the possibility of no God, because they are so fearful (of death, being alone in the universe, etc.), that then they cannot either accept the true beauty of life.

[JimReed]

As long as we are discussing religion, what about the Palin question? My theory is there may be no Palin fans who are not conservative Christians. If this is so, then doesn't her nomination reinforce the divide and show more clearly than ever conservative christianity and the Republican party are the same? Or if not exactly the same at least it does seem like Christianity sold their soul to the Republicans. If we don't come to grips with this, that would be like ignoring the elephant in the room and make progress in areas of faith difficult or impossible.

[PaxMundis]

"
As long as we are discussing religion, what about the Palin question? My theory is there may be no Palin fans who are not conservative Christians."

Not really. The neoons, who are of several faiths, love her.

[JimReed]

They just want to use her.

[Retrofuturistic]

The mark of a truly intelligent person is that they spend a lot of time questioning. Questioning what religion tells them, what parents tell them, what schools tell them, what the cultural conditioning tells them. In other words, in the face of great pressure, they try to think for themselves.

Governments, schools, churches, and even parents don't usually like it when people think for themselves. You're on your own when you try it; no one supports you.

It often involves asking the question, "What is the AGENDA of the entity or institution that is trying so hard to get me to act in such and such of a way? Is someone trying to CONTROL me and why?"

[research]

Interesting thoughts. I have a collective consciousness belief regarding god and the after life. Based on Neural Network processing theory, the processing power of neural nets, Brains, connected by even a low bandwidth, forms a single collective consciousness of factorial power. This meta mind is capable of storing a person's soul. The meta mind is also smarter and more influential then any individual or subgroup. God is not just the world meta mind, God is the "ideal" meta mind and thus our creation. Magic and prayer work within this meta mind. A proper religion thus educates people to project a good and kind god and to love each as one would wish to be loved. The Gospels present this very well. Buddhism also.

Fanaticism, literalism is the problem with religions. The Christians controlling the USA have Rapture beliefs. the conservative interior secretary Watt infamously said "I do not know how many future generations we can count on before the Lord returns, whatever it is we have to manage with a skill to leave the resources needed for future generations." Bush and Palini are, rapture in our time, believers. Truly dangerous.

It's time that literalism was viewed for what it is:

a mental illness.

All religions should create new editions of their holy books without all the hate speech.

It is time for religions to "evolve".

[daniel4261]

What if ... it were realized that the word "religion" has as its source the words "re" (again) and "ligio" (connect ... as in ligament).
So the word "religion" literally means "to reconnect"... and has (erroneously ?) been used to denote a reconnection of God and man.
But what if the basic assumption behind this is not true ... and God and man cannot be "reconnected" ... because they have never been separate?

Where does this leave us with "religion" ... and all that has been imagined about it in the minds of men?

And where does this leave us .... as "man"? Perhaps true HU-man.

[research]

Even if you are a hermit, the few times you meet people in your life will reconnect you to the collective consciousness. People normally interact enough each day so that they are always connected. the internet and media also connect us to the collective.

[Zanti]

Far out. The Christian Right runs the country. And for years, no less.

Last time I checked, public school prayer is still against the rules, abortion is still legal, Creationism has snuck into a few public schools in the form of the crank science I.D. (but has otherwise been successfully kept out), and Americans continue to enjoy complete freedom of religion. There is no state church. One-time big-deal neocon strategist Karl Rove remains an atheist, and his atheism remains a wide-open secret. Not once, to my knowledge, did he get in trouble with Bush or the followers of Bush for being a non-believer.

Wow. The Christian Right has really made a lot of progress in its takeover, hasn't it? At this rate, we'll be a theocracy come 3000 A.D. or thereabouts.

[research]

The Entire middle east war is just a continuation of the crusades. Bush even said so.
That theocracy is here with torture and surveillance and loyalty tests. God willing, Obama and the democrats will take control and avert the GOP theocratic, corporatist fascist state for solidifying it's position. The GOP is an unholy immoral alliance between the corporatist cronies and the literalistic fundamentalists.

Fortunately people are waking up to the BS.

Hopefully we will NEVER have a theocracy.

[gaydm]

Atheism is a religion, as is not collecting stamps, is a hobby

[Zanti]

Not collecting stamps IS a hobby if the non-collector goes around protesting the collecting of stamps, insulting collectors on comment pages, labeling collecting as a danger to human culture, and generally insisting that not collecting stamps is the only rational and intelligent alternative to collecting them.

I doubt that most non-stamp collectors make a crusade out of not collecting stamps. So, really, your analogy is not valid.

[gaydm]

Not collecting stamps is still NOT a hobby even if they make a "crusade" out of ridiculing stamp collectors. The Hobby then becomes the act of "ridiculing" the other persons hobby.

I have no problem with stamp collecting as long as I do not have to be involved in it. Therefore my analogy is still valid and I stand by it.

I do not believe in god or gods, any more than i believe in little green men on Mars. I respectfully wish to be left alone with that belief. However, when insisting that believing in a god or gods is the only rational and intelligent alternative, I have to question your belief and your right to force it on me.

[screamingbanshee]

I was brought up prodestant, went to lutheran schools and around 18 "lost my faith' and "fell away" as they say. (i appreciate my education it was much better than the public school options i had)
i wonder if you still hold hope and believe in a higher power and "i don't know" because you still fear the unknown? something that was instilled upon you during your religious upbringing that keeps you fearful...
just like the scene in Bill Mahr's movie "What if YOU'RE wrong?" Are those that "just don't know" afraid to commit to non-belief? (including bill to some extent - no religion breeds fear better than the catholics!) do you not believe enough in yourself that you have to put all your stength into a "higher power"?
***and i use "you" in the plural sense, not only looking for a response from the writer, but from others who have an opinion on the subject. (as i'm sure many of you do!)***

[Ramus]

I was raised in a mainline Protestant New England church and never believed any of it. And I said so. It was my observation that people in this particular church viewed themselves as better people than people of other churches..and way better than "heathens". It is the very attitude that the churchgoers thought themselves correct..or better in some way...that as I teen (and now) I find loathesome. When living in the MidWest, very briefly, there were frequently people from various churches who knocked on our doors and asked if we'd like to have our children bused to a church for instruction! I was always outraged by these door-knocking people. My husband and I even thought we might go knocking on doors and asking people if they'd like to send their child to a class on communisim and socilism at our place. We did not think that would tolerated as the church indoctrination messengers were.

[JimReed]

I think suggesting a class on communism wouldn't accomplish anything under the circumstances. I would just tell them no thanks because Christianity is a circumcision religion. They say God told men to do that to their sons, but God never actually said that, they just made it up.

[jake106]

Uh....circumcision was introduced into the Judaic laws because it helped save the lives of children in a day and age when disease was rife and antiseptic procedures were next to non-existent.

You do know that, right?

[amamomofsons]

Great post. In many organized religions, it is not the atheist or agnostic that is the most feared and outcast, but the apostate. Someone who was raised in a religion and after much introspective thought, they choose no religion for themselves. For some reason folks can deal with people who believe something, but not those who believe nothing. I have said it before.....I am always amazed that people who hold positions of power and responsibility over businesses and other people and even countries are so willing to be lazy where their spiritual self is concerned. They will go to church every week and be held hostage to as well as follow the leader and dogma of that institution, but they will not sit quietly for even a moment to ask themselves why they believe what they think they believe.

[JimReed]

Blasphemy has always stood the test of time. Faith is belief in things untrue. If something is true you believe it because it is true. If something is not true, then the only way you can believe it is if it is religious.

[Evinsmom]

Gray area is good...it's what keeps you open minded to not just religion but all other varialbes in life.

[rjmiller]

Sorry, I forgot to put this in my other post:

This is slightly off-topic, but I have a problem when people say they believe in God because "it can neither be proven or disproven." While that's true, something has to be said for probability. How likely do you think it is that God exists?

Here's an analogy to emphasize my point. Let's say that I go to bed every night thinking that when I wake up in the morning that I will magically have a trillion dollars waiting for me in my living room. Of course, the night before I can't prove or disprove whether or not a trillion dollars will magically appear in my apartment, and so I will continue to believe it. At least I know that a trillion dollars and my living room both exist.

[Dan Pasternack - Huffpost Blogger]

I choose to have faith in a higher power because I believe there is something larger than us in the universe. But I am open to other points of view and those who hold them. But my point really was that tolerance and acceptance are in short supply and it comes from all sides because everyone is fighting about being right and righteous. If only The Golden Rule were the one we could all follow.

[rjmiller]

Well now I'm curious. Can you explain why you "believe there is something larger than us in the universe?" I've been told that before, and I don't really understand it. Is there an innate feeling that something is guiding your life, determining your destiny? A spritual connection with the universe? I've never felt anything like that personally, so I'd love to know your thoughts on it.

[BobQueuePublic]

I'm a further-lapsed Jew than you, Dan, having similar background in my youth, but having married "out of the tribe." My daughter will, I hope, grow-up to be a human being with a good soul, hopefully without the dogma of those I believe carry a heavy and illogical burden of an anthropomorphized G-d--who I thought was supposed to be unknowable to the human mind. The "in his image" line, I believe, refers to a soul, not the physical form. So. I recently attended the only synagogue within at least 100 miles of my new home in East Tennessee to find comfort in the old traditions. But I just can't feel the pull of those traditions in my daily life. I prefer to live the best life I can without them.

Living in the Bible Belt for a year has led me to believe church leaders are promoting an undercurrent of anti-intel­lectualism perpetuates racism and social myopia. I am glad to know your experience is not the same, but I don't think I will stay in the South. I just don't see the educational and cultural opportunities here. It makes me sad.

On Atheism? Since the 1980s I've had a good handful of friendly debates--really discussions--with an atheist friend. BOM2007 makes a valid point, that "Atheists do not have "beliefs," but also arguable is that atheists believe in many things... a God not being one of them.

[Dan Pasternack - Huffpost Blogger]

I too married outside "the tribe" and my daughter, who we adopted from Colombia earlier this year, was born in a completely different world. Like you, I wish to raise my child with values and morals that I believe are (or should be) universal. My faith helps me. Hopefully my love for my daughter and my determination to teach her right from wrong will lead her to her own conclusions. I feel confident that her soul and your daughter's soul are in good hands.

[Ramus]

Are you saying that one must go to religous leaders..writers or traditions to raise a "moral" human being? Religous belief and religious teachings are not necessary to living a "moral" life..and in come cases they are an impediment to the moral life. The most important thing you can do for your children is not to lie..not about anything. That is the lesson kids need to observe. but not because religions tells us to be truthful..just because it serves the common good.

[Ramus]

and not believing in the existence of pink unicorns

[rjmiller]

My view on the "need to disabuse people of faith" is that, while it is an overreaction, it is in response to the obsession with religion that is so prominent in the US. For example, the subject of ethics and morality is very closely tied to religion by most people in the US, however it is a completely unnecessary connection and is rather insulting. The ethical philosophies that shaped this country have nothing to do with religion, they are based on logical discourse. Tying ethics to religion divorces it from reality.

What I mean is that by thinking "I shouldn't do XXX because god said it is wrong" is to fundamentally miss the point. It relies on an authoritative figure to dictate what you should or should not do instead of forcing you to take responsibility for your actions. You should think "I shouldn't do XXX because it will have negative consequences." For example, lets take theft. A religious person might think "I shouldn't steal because God forbade it," or a practical person would think "I shouldn't steal because I could go to jail." The better way to think about it is "I shouldn't steal because theft has an overall negative impact on everyone," or "If everyone stole then no one could be trusted and society would collapse, therefore theft is bad."

[fuzzywuzzy6]

The better way to think about theft is that theft is almost always wrong, except in rare extenuating circumstances. That is why the notions of justice and mercy are so often paired in western writings. That is why there are mitigating factors in a court of law. Not all religions take a black-and-white view of things. Not all religions are opposed to reason or science. One of the most moral and compassionate persons I have ever known described himself as a philosophical Christian. He was an atheist who had been reared as a Catholic and could not believe in a G-d who allowed terrible suffering to exist in the world.

I remember a conversation I had in graduate school with a professor who was a former Jesuit. There were 3 Jewish women there, all conservative or reform (this refers to the degree of religious observance and the content of the religious services, not to politics). The good professor said, "I just don't understand the Jewish position. If you don't believe in heaven or hell, how can you get people to do the right thing. You need a carrot and a stick." We replied, "disinterested good conduct is its own reward." Incidentally, both Jews and Catholics often have terrific guilt complexes as a result of their upbringings, but deriving from different religious principles.

[brandon102]

Let's see . . . why would a person tied to "reality," i.e., an Athiest, dislike religions, and want to relegate them to the status of a club or social gathering, like Comicon or a Tupperware party?

Well, it could be the "Good Riddance" banners the holy ones bring to the funerals of dead gay soldiers, no doubt to comfort the grieving families. Or maybe the "Kill an abortionist today" slogan. Teaching students folk tales rather than science, then wondering why American workers aren't competitive in a technological age. And what a friend the late, unfortunate Terri Schaivo had in Jesus!

Then there are the religious delusions preventing cord-blood and stem-cell research. Or the fact that whatever candidate spouts the religious person's brand of hate, usually the Republican, can count on that unthinking vote. Thanks for Bush & Cheney, holy ones!

And there is no limit for these people, since once you "drink the cool aid" (another religious triumph) and divorce yourself from reality (invisible beings, ghosts, aliens, Xenu, you name it) it's all about whatever you want to believe. Nothing you could make up would be more zany than any religion.

So you see, as these people, all of them superior to me (just ask them), sit in their 30,000 seat churches and listen to the reverend large edifice, ready to go forth and do god's work, it actually has quite negative real-world consequences. Not that the "real world" matters, of course. Jesus wept.

[Zanti]

Try your "these people" routine on some group--any group--other than believers.

Suggest that all of the members of this other group think, act, and believe the same. Insult their intelligence, morality, and fitness to coexist with people like yourself.

Think of the things you'd be labeled--a bigot, for one.

But, since your target is the fashionable pop culture target of the day--believers--you get a pass.

Thus, believers have joined the ranks of over-50 women, fat people, the Internet-i­lliterate, and special-needs students--we are pre-approved targets. Takes a lot of courage (not) to pelt a pre-approved target. Oh, and individuality, too. Lots of that.

[JimReed]

"They feel the need to disabuse people of faith of their beliefs with a level of furor that is beyond condescension."

Could you elaborate on that part. My family and wife say things like that about me. I am just trying to save them from the hell on earth that they cause through conservative values. I think if a Christian really wants to seek God, they should first find a church where the people didn't vote for Bush, twice.

I see a possible glimmer of hope here through Sarah Palin. Christianity has a major problem because they didn't flush Bush, and now his time is almost done. Palin is their next Bush. Christianity could at least partially redeem themselves if they can find a way to reject her before the election and vote for the other party.

[Dan Pasternack - Huffpost Blogger]

I'm happy to elaborate and I could expand the narrative as far and wide as the history of all extremism that has surrounded all organized religions. I am strong believer in the separation of church and state because I feel that theocracies only breed extremism. But the tonic to combat extremism isn't an equal and opposite vehemence. It's actually the oft touted and rarely practiced religious principal of tolerance. I find the idea of "saving" anyone of a differing point of view than your own to be a dangerous one.

[JimReed]

I also believe separation of church and state was a good idea, but under President Bush they have been combined. Tolerance that served us well in the 20th century must be rethought because as long as the Christian voting block remains tolerance leads to stay the course.

I think you might be confusing a push for rationality with equal and opposite vehemence. We have preemptive war and torture. Call it vehemence if you want, but on one side this is a war of words and on the other it is defining and exterminating terrorists for the benefit of the rich.

By "saving" I didn't mean in the spiritual sense, I meant their religion and to a great extent our nation are on the road to a literal hell on earth, and we should try if we can to find a way to save them from themselves. Christianity is lost, and they need our help.

[brandon102]

Dan -- how does your tolerance work with the woman who will die without an abortion, with a Matthew Sheppard beging beaten to death 'cause it's "god's work," with James Dobson's famous tirades about your religious duty is to shoot a gay person today?

Tolerance? You are a man of faith.

[fuzzywuzzy6]

Thank you Dan, thank you. Incidentally, i have known atheists and agnostics from different religious backgrounds (some in my family), who had a very tolerant attitude toward religious observance and affiliation. When done in moderation, it helps families and members of ethnic groups to maintain their sense of community. The problem is when religious groups use their affiliations to practice exclusion and are xenophobic. That is what we are seeing at the Sarah Palin rallies that is so terrifying,

[rsaillant1]

Christians, Jews and Athiests...
Christians, Jews and Atheists...

Are there no card carrying Agnostics left in this world?

[Dan Pasternack - Huffpost Blogger]

I will assume you are an atheist based on this comment as the only people I have met who reject that atheists have beliefs are atheists. I suppose it's semantics but as the most outspoken atheists I know are trying to set themselves apart from and even above people of faith, I understand why the need to reject the word. However from my point of view, atheists believe there is no God. That is what they believe. Agnostics seem to be the group without beliefs but rather doubt.

[brandon102]

It's the rational vs. the irrational, Dan. You figure out who'se got their act together.

[brandon102]

Athiests not have beliefs? Oh, say it ain't so. I believe there is no tornado ripping through my house right now, I believe George Bush and Dick Cheney will be reviled through history, I believe I have a fondness for cheesecake, I believe antibiotics work against bacteria but not viruses. Lots of beliefs. Some true, some false, I'm sure.

Beliefs about god? Never met the woman/man/­plant/anim­al/jello. Bring it over sometime & I'll give it a once over. Oh, it's invisible? Well, I think that's YOUR belief.

[avicenna]

The problem really is the migraine-inducing level of cognitive dissonance that fundamentalists suffer from - and this mind-bending angst is bled on to all who share the planet with them. It comes down to their insecurity of not being comfortable in your "grey" area, and by making you accept their delusions - it validates the foundation of their belief system. Kolberg identified this persona as a stunted development state of moral maturity that characterizes the "formalized" individual. Why are we suffering from an epidemic of this dysfunctional personality that lacks critical thinking skills and introspection? Blame it on the powers that be....