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From: wkp@lanl-a.UUCP
Newsgroups: net.religion.jewish
Subject: Re: Christian nation
Message-ID: <13851@lanl-a.UUCP>
Date: Tue, 25-Sep-84 13:03:35 EDT
Article-I.D.: lanl-a.13851
Posted: Tue Sep 25 13:03:35 1984
Date-Received: Thu, 27-Sep-84 05:16:23 EDT
Organization: Los Alamos National Laboratory
Lines: 31

I am somewhat disturbed--and at the same time somewhat sympathetic--
to Yiri BenDavid's views expressed in his "Christian naion" article.

Yiri, while it is true that some parts of Christianity can be viewed as
paganistic according to Jewish teachng, I feel it is very unfair
to make the statement that Christianity--which in a sense Judaized
the *real* pagan world--is worse than materialism.  It seems to me
that such a statement is at best, inappropriate, and at worst, antagonistic.

Perhaps the real reason for your concern is the fact that you resent
being Jewish in a predominantly Christian nation.  Instead of confronting
the fact, and perhaps moving to Brooklyn or Netanya, you are under the
illusion that the dominant religion in this nation should cloak itself
in secular garb, and not show its face to you.

Most religious Jews probably do not have these conflicts because
they do not care if a school district in Montgomerey County, Alabama
prays to a Jewish carpenter.  In fact, this is just what they want:   
non-religious Jews would then be confronted with their
Jewishness (like that Jewish mother who found her kid singing So-and-so
Loves Me).  The problem of separating the holy from the profane (hamavdil
ben kodesh l'chol) then becomes a lot easier, doesn't it?
                               
My advice:  send your kids to day school, teach them Jewish ways, and
let them be a light unto the nations:  Don't worry about small political 
issues, and don't get bitter at other religious beliefs.

                                           Shanah tovah,

                                           bill peter
                                           (wkp@lanl)