Judaism: Race, Religion, or Ethnicity?

**JDawg1536** · 11-02-2007, 02:17 PM

I got in a debate over this and want to know what your thoughts are.....

**goose** · 11-02-2007, 02:22 PM

in before the lock!

**JDawg1536** · 11-02-2007, 02:26 PM

Originally Posted by goose4

in before the lock!

Shhhhhh........

**DIESELPWR** · 11-02-2007, 03:28 PM

id say religion

**gixxerboy1** · 11-02-2007, 04:38 PM

Originally Posted by DIESELPWR

id say religion

+1 There are jews from every where

**JDawg1536** · 11-02-2007, 06:16 PM

Originally Posted by gixxerboy1

+1 There are jews from every where

There have gotta be a few jewish people on the board..... Come on guys, what the hell are you?

**Atomini** · 11-02-2007, 06:20 PM

I'm Jewish. I consider myself all 3, even though I hate organized religion.

This question is fvcking stupid. How much can people argue about this shit? Does it even matter? Is it going to change anything? Will debating over this question cure AIDS? Will it do ANYTHING productive? No. So, who gives a shit?

**LawMan018** · 11-02-2007, 06:32 PM

It's all three, simple answer...

**LawMan018** · 11-02-2007, 06:35 PM

Well it won't let me edit my first response so I'll make another reply... I meant to say it can be all three... It is a race, a religion, and an ethnicity

**JDawg1536** · 11-02-2007, 06:44 PM

Originally Posted by Atomini

I'm Jewish. I consider myself all 3, even though I hate organized religion.

This question is fvcking stupid. How much can people argue about this shit? Does it even matter? Is it going to change anything? Will debating over this question cure AIDS? Will it do ANYTHING productive? No. So, who gives a shit?

No it wont. I was asking for opinions on the matter for a personal reason. If you are gonna be a dick, keep your big nose out of the thread.

**Atomini** · 11-02-2007, 07:00 PM

Sorry, but I just do not like it when someone tells me what I am or am not, and that's what these debates usually always come to. "HEY YOURE NOT A RACE/RELIGION/ETHNICITY!!!"

Oh yeah, that's right. Tell ME what I am (or am not). If you want to resolve some personal reason, I feel you could do it without starting a thread that would bait people into getting into a big debate over the issue.

The fact is, i'm a human. Doesn't matter if i'm a Jew or a Pygmy. I was born Jewish, but i'm not as adamant about what it is or isn't as many Jews are. Just don't tell me what I am or am not.

**JDawg1536** · 11-02-2007, 07:41 PM

Originally Posted by Atomini

Sorry, but I just do not like it when someone tells me what I am or am not, and that's what these debates usually always come to. "HEY YOURE NOT A RACE/RELIGION/ETHNICITY!!!"

Oh yeah, that's right. Tell ME what I am (or am not). If you want to resolve some personal reason, I feel you could do it without starting a thread that would bait people into getting into a big debate over the issue.

The fact is, i'm a human. Doesn't matter if i'm a Jew or a Pygmy. I was born Jewish, but i'm not as adamant about what it is or isn't as many Jews are. Just don't tell me what I am or am not.

Nobody is telling you what you are or aren't. Everything in the world is classified as something, and whether you like it or not, YOU ARE one or more of those. Some people enjoy healthy discussions and debates on these sorts of topics, and I happen to be one of them. Sorry, if you dont like it, but you have no reason to be an asshole and ruin the thread. Thanks.

**Igifuno** · 11-02-2007, 11:15 PM

i don't think ethnicity or race cause there are jewish people all over the world, but def a religion

**wascaptain5214** · 11-03-2007, 04:26 AM

... id say its a religion. and aint ethnicity and race the same?

**convalescence69** · 11-04-2007, 02:58 PM

It is both an ethnicity and a religion, you can be one, the other, or both. One can be ethnically jewish and be a christian or atheist, etc. Same for the religious part, a christian can decide Jesus is a fraud and start practicing Judaism. Some denominations of Judaism take the ethnicity perspective very seriously and would never allow a non ethniclly jewish person into their temple/association, whereas others are more than happy to admit a new member regardless.
In response to Igifuno; there are Jewish people all over the world yes, because of the diaspora (see Babylonian Exile). They were largely a nomadic people, they managed to maintain their traditions for the most part, and also mixed with their respective local populations. This was also a reason they kept moving from place to place, as the local governments, monarchy's, what have you, would see their separateness in terms of tradition and religion as a hindrence and they were frequently used as scapgoats for various problems throughout the centuries, thus forcing them to move on to find yet another place to live. Their tradition also dictates that any children of a Jewish mother are also Jewish, regardless of the father's lineage. This is why you see such variation amongst the physical characteristics of European Jews (lighter skin, red hair, blonde hair, blue eyes, etc). Ancient Judean people looked very much like what people in that region look like now, dark skin, dark hair, dark eyes, etc. Some may suggest there is a particular cranial morphology amongst the Jewish population as well (compare Sienfeld, Jeff Goldblum, Streissand, etc). Hitler also trained his Gestapo to recognize particular cranial features in hopes it would help them recognize Jews that might still be living outside of the ghetto's.
I am an anthropology major, just so it's established that I am not talking out of my ass on the subject.

**JDawg1536** · 11-04-2007, 03:59 PM

That was good, thanks for the info. Can you explain to me why Jews wouldn't be considered a race?

**thegodfather** · 11-04-2007, 04:29 PM

Jews are covered under a broad group of peoples known as Semitics...to learn more click the link below...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Semitic_peoples

**convalescence69** · 11-04-2007, 04:34 PM

Well, in anthropology, the word "race" has become "unprofessional" and inappropriate because it carrys negative conotations, so they employ the word ethnic or ethnicity instead.

**samoth** · 11-04-2007, 04:57 PM

I started a thread like this over on EF after reading about events during WWII, and there doesn't seem to be a single, credited response to the question.

I don't believe in the notion of different races within the human race in the first place, but I can see the basis behind historical prejudice of people that differ in skin color, et cetera. However, I don't see how a group of people that would normally be considered caucasion being defined as a different race based solely on their religion. Wouldn't that make Christians, Muslims, and Buddhists different races as well?

Many famous people during the WWII era suffered at the hands of Nazi Germany simply because they were born in a Jewish family, even if they didn't practice Jewish beliefs (or even believe in God). This implies that there was a racial aspect beyond religion... but who can look at a person and say, "hey, he's Jewish" in the same way one can discern an Asian, African American, or Hispanic person?

**Amorphic** · 11-04-2007, 06:20 PM

its open to personal interpretation, pretty simple

**Carlos_E** · 11-04-2007, 07:02 PM

Originally Posted by JDawg1536

Everything in the world is classified as something

And there in lies the problem. Everyone spends too much time trying to separate, label, classify and pigeon hole people. Like he said he's human. Leave it at that.