|
|
| Don't have an account yet? Sign up as a New User
|
|
| Support uws |
 |
|
|
|
|
|
| Authored by: Yaacov on Sunday, December 12 2004 @ 02:19 AM CST |
I don't understand how Judaism can be considered a "race" if people can convert to it.
Do you understand how Asian can be considered a race if people can move to Asia and marry Asians? Judaism is in a similar situation.
So why isn't Christianity a race also? Good question. The big difference, on the issue of race, between Judaism and most other religions that we're familiar with is that Judaism does not seek converts. While Christianity and Islam (and many other religions) gain many adherents through conversion, the vast, vast majority of Jews have been Jewish because they are the children of Jewish parents.
In today's world, people have much greater freedom to convert than in the past, and so the number of converts is rising, , but these continue to be a small minority.
As a result of these factors, most Jews share a common genetic heritage, as well as a common religious one. This is why there is a stereotypical set of "Jewish features", ie. big nose, curly dark hair, heavy facial hair on men, etc.
On the flip side, most people who do not practice Judaism, but have parents who are genetically Jewish identify themselves as Jewish because of the genetic links that tie them to the Jewish people.
It's this genetic heritage that was used by the Nazis in their persecution of all those who had one or more Jewish grandparents. The Nazis were not concerned with conversion, and the switch didn't save Jews who converted to Christianity. The Holocaust was based on genetics, not on religious practice.
For all of these reasons, unfortunately, Jewish people can, have, and continue to experience racism.
---
"an ideology is a thought—economizing device" - Moisés Naim[ Parent ]
|
| |
|
