[397] in Depressing_Thoughts
Re: More male/female stuff... warning...
jik@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (jik@ATHENA.MIT.EDU)
Wed Oct 5 01:11:28 1988
There is another reason I reacted the way I did.
When someone asks me, "Do you consider it important for someone whom
you date/with whom you have a serious relationship to be Jewish, and,
if so, why?" I can deal with the question and answer it in a manner
that I think most people can understand (believe me, I've had
practice). When someone, however, asks, "Why does she have to be
Jewish? Why does it matter?" then I am immediately put on the
defensive. Instead of trying to explain my opinion, I am forced to
defend it.
I don't like arguing about or defending my religious beliefs. I
prefer a strictly live-and-let-live religious philosophy -- I believe
that there is room for every different religious belief, except one,
and that one is the belief that you are right and I am wrong, and that
it's your job to show me that I'm wrong (metaphorical "you" here,
obviously).
The fact that I will not consider getting involved with a non-Jewish
girls is one of the beliefs of mine that gets questioned, and
attacked, most often. The most frequent start to that attack is, "Why
does it matter?"
Token depressing thought: Unfortunately, most of the attacks on this
belief of mine come from fellow Jews. And we wonder why intermarriage
is a problem?
