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In a separate thread, wil asked me to discuss my views of the various branches of Judaism. Here they are, in what I believe is the correct chronological order (although I'm not bothering to check my facts). Orthodox: Practicing the religion as it has been for centuries, with a real attempt to...

A Christian is someone who believes in the Christian religion. Same with a Muslim, Hindu, etc. Being a Jew is a lot more complicated. It's an ethnicity and a religion. I like to compare it to being an Irish Catholic. You can be a Jew the way someone is Catholic. But you can also be a Jew the way...

My father was born, raised, lived, and died an atheist. He saw no point to religion at all. For him, it seemed stupid. I should also mention the he was the the most moral and principled person whom I've ever personally known. I don't think he ever understood how two of his sons became...

I picked up this metaphor from an off-hand comment by a Buddhist monk in the book The Jew in the Lotus. But I've expanded on it considerably. Religion can be looked upon as food. Consider the laws and rules that make us better people. Treat others as you would want to be treated. Practice...

How do you define adultery? To my mind, the traditional Jewish definition is horrifically sexist--to the point of treating women like chattel. A woman commits adultery if she's married and has sex with someone other than her husband. A man commits adultery if he has sex with another man's...

Interesting article by Salon's sex blogger: The rise of religion might be all about sex - Salon.com I wouldn't say I agree with everything here, but it's an interesting theory.

Something happened that offended at a memorial service I attended recently. I'm wondering if I'm just thin-skinned. Some background: It was a real tragedy in the family. A 33-year-old woman died of breast cancer less than a year after being diagnosed. Her father is my wife's...

I thought I'd recommend some of my favorite books about religion. I'd also, of course, like to hear your recommendations. Who Wrote the Bible? by Richard Elliott Friedman The title is misleading. It should be called Who Wrote the Torah, since it only covers what Christians call the Five...

In the politically progressive circles I run in, an orange is standard for the seder plate. This tradition is maybe 30 years old, and yet its origins are already lost in myth. The seder is the traditional Passover ritual and meal. The seder plate contains various symbolic foods--matzo...

One of my favorite festivals, Pesach (Passover) is only a few days away. For 8 days, we commemorate the Exodus from Egypt. For those 8 days, we follow stricter-than-usual dietary rules. We eat unleavened matzo instead of bread. Pretty much all other wheat products, plus oats and barley, are...

I got this idea from an off-hand remark made by a Buddhist monk in the book The Jew in the Lotus. But I've enlarged it quite a bit myself. Religion is like food. The basic rules common to all religions--treat others as you would like to be treated, pursue peace, love others--are the protein...