Yom Kippur Eve: A goy’s first atonement
by Ms. Babble on October 7, 2008
in Israel, Religion
Tomorrow is Yom Kippur. In the United States, it doesn’t mean much of anything to most people. As a kid I remember one teacher taking time to help her students understand what the day meant. After 15 minutes of explanations and a classroom full of blank stares, the teacher ended with “It’s a Jewish thing”. That seemed to satisfy most of us.
But apparently, it’s a day of atonement. It’s a day of suffering to cleanse yourself of “sins” (or whatever evil word you’d like to associate it with). There’s no eating. No drinking. No driving cars. No wearing of leather. No sex. No shower. The ultra religious don’t even tear their toilet paper when they use the bathroom on this day. They “pre-tear” sheets the day before. The streets will be empty (save emergency vehicles) and children use the day to ride their bikes on the city streets freely without fear of vehicles. Interesting, eh?
Bottom line is that tomorrow I’ll fast for the first time in my life. My reasoning is simple:
When in Rome….
I would never do it any other time or in any other place (I’m not Jewish, for god’s sake) but I’m curious to know what it feels like not to drink water or eat food all day (masochist anyone?). And maybe a small part of me will feel bad stuffing food into my face while all of Israel is starving.
Maybe I should live blog the day tomorrow? Hourly whining updates? No. I’ll leave it to the imagination and end this post with another brilliant e-card from someecards.com:
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Happy (which holiday is it again? oh, right.) Bunny day.
by Ms. Babble on April 8, 2007
in Religion
While I was working on a paper today, I put my new and glorious cable T.V. in a little window up on my computer screen. I find it easier to think through an essay with some sort of back ground noise humming. I flip on the History Channel and they’re showing a movie about Jesus. I put on CNN and it’s a spot called “What Would Jesus REALLY Do?”. Lifetime… TLC… all of them were focused on Jesus. It took me a minute to realize that our stations hadn’t all gone religious, but rather it’s Easter Sunday.
Last night I had a wonderful dinner with my dad, step-mom, and step-bro. Vegetarian lasagna instead of ham. Yum! I was able to see my Uncle (aka Mr. Chicago), Aunt, and cutie pie cousin. He made me an Easter egg; hard boiled and painted a deep purple. So, yesterday felt like the holiday to me, not today.
I’ll admit that I was a little peeved by my choice in television programing. I don’t think it was necessarily because I do or don’t believe in any religion. I just got angry at the lack of options. The channels that I’m normally so faithful to all seem to have forsaken me at the same time. I watched The Passion of Christ just like everyone else did, but once was enough for me. I’ve read the story of Jesus’ crucification in bible study as a child, it was enough for me then. I’ve drawn pictures in Sunday school of how Jesus rose from the grave, and that was enough too.
I just decided that today I don’t want to hear the story again. No matter if it’s Easter or not. Blasphemous? Maybe. Honest? Totally.
The Discovery Channel was my savior though and (quite ironically) had an Egyption mummy excavation show marathon playing all day. It was fascinating. I finished my paper. No one was harmed in the process. And all is good in the world right now.
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Trumped by a 5 year old: Journal 12/16/06
by Ms. Babble on December 17, 2006
in Family, Giving Kudos, Religion
My brother came by today with my niece Abby and nephew Max. Two of the most gorgeous and intelligent kids I’ve ever met in my life. I see them and have hope that my kids will be just as rad as they are.Â
My neice Abby asked me when she got here if we celebrated Christmas or Hanukkah. I looked at her and said, “You know what Hanukkah is?” And then proceded to quiz her on it. She told me that every day they light a candle for 8 days on a menora. And there is a present for every day too.  I was shocked! “Where did you learn this?” I said. She told me they taught it in school. Then she asked me again what we celebrate. So, I pointed out the Christmas tree we were sitting next to and asked her if she knew what that was. She said that it’s Christmas here then, right?Â
Later when I was playing guitar for her she whispers in my ear to play a Hanukkah song about a dreidel. I asked her how the words go because I couldn’t remember and she says, “Dreidel dreidel dreidel, I made it out of clay. And when it’s dry and ready, Then dreidel I shall play!” ha! She knew it all! So I sang, and we had a cheery ol’ Christmas/Hanukkah time.
I was trumped by a 5 year old. I barely knew anything about Hanukkah until Einat explained it to me. Abby has about a 20 year advance on me in this respect. So, with that being said:
Happy Hanukkah everyone!
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Forcing Me Off the Fence: 9/22/06
by Ms. Babble on September 22, 2006
in American Perspective, Middle East, Religion
So, it comes naturally for me NOT to pick religious sides. I respect them all in some way. I have no desire to say that one is better than another. But the irony in this is just too much to deny: Pope Benedict XVI:Â
He began his speech at Regensburg University with what he conceded were “brusque” words about Islam: He quoted a 14th-century Byzantine emperor as having said: “Show me just what Muhammad brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached.”… :  Complete article here Â
This quote really pissed off those in the Islamic faith. I suppose it can be understandable. I mean, I don’t assume they are all violent. In fact, I’m told that the Islamic religion in based on peace.  This is the reaction of some of the Islamic folk:Â
“You infidels and despots, we will continue our jihad (holy war) and never stop until God avails us to chop your necks and raise the fluttering banner of monotheism, when God’s rule is established governing all people and nations,†said the statement by the Mujahedeen Shura Council, an umbrella organization of Sunni Arab extremist groups in Iraq. Complete article hereÂ
Anyone else see the absurdity in this?Â
**addition**Â Â Â
I just saw this article on LGF:Â Â Â Â
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ISLAMABAD (AFP) – Hundreds of Pakistani Islamists held street protests to condemn Pope Benedict XVI for remarks they regard as anti-Islamic, with one leader saying the pontiff should be crucified. Demonstrators Friday poured out of mosques after the main weekly Muslim prayers in Pakistan’s largest city Karachi, the eastern city of Lahore, the capital Islamabad and other urban centres. “If the pope comes here we will hang him on the Cross,†Hafiz Hussain Ahmed, a senior leader of Pakistan’s main alliance of radical parties, told around 200 noisy demonstrators in Islamabad.Â
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Evangeli-wha?: Journal 4/6/06
by Ms. Babble on April 6, 2006
in Middle East, Realizations, Religion, masses are asses
Believe it or not, I went to church last Sunday. I honestly can’t remember the last church service I had been to. I wouldn’t be suprised if it’s been over 10 years. (I’m not including weddings or funerals of course.) I went partly for my own amusement. And I also went to show respect for a few people here in my unit. I was raised Evangelical Christian and was quite active in the church when I was a young girl. Youth groups. Sunday school. Sunday service. And every summer I would attend a week long Christian youth outreach program in Wisconsin.Â
When I turned 14, I moved away from the church. I realized that there were many things about myself that the church didn’t approve of. But underneath it all, I still knew I was a good person with good values. Yet, according to the scripture, I was still damned . None of this made sense. I started to see the hypocrisy. I saw the HUGE beautiful churches and the overflowing collection plates. The fancy clothes people wore in their fancy shiny cars. And just a few miles down the road, people were starving. People were in poverty. People were at war. At that age all I could think was that something had gone horribly wrong somewhere along the road of the organized Christian religion.Â
The service I attended last Sunday was just as I remembered. Singing and preaching and singing and preaching. They used simple and powerful words over and over again: Love, Strength, Hope. In this particular service, the pastor examined (word for painful word) the Lord’s Prayer (Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name…etc).   There were no huge revelations but rather just a further foundation of how the bible tells us to pray. I was beginning to space off (just as I used to when I was a kid)…the monotone of the preacher taking ahold of my sleepy head (I had just come off an overnight 12 hour shift). Then one word jerked me awake… aba.
No, aba does not refer to the super pop sensation from Sweden, Abba! It’s one of the first words I learned in Hebrew which is spelled aleph bet aleph; it means father. When I started talking to E. from Israel, I began picking up words from her as I was simultaniously giving myself a crash course in Middle Eastern history, policy, and religion.
The pastor off handedly commented that in the origional language of the bible, the English word father was spelled Aba by the Greeks. I was confused. Surely this man would know that the bible, at least the Old Testament, was origionally written in Hebrew. And from what little I know in Hebrew, I know Aba means father. According to the Greek dictionary, pateras is father. Anyways, I have a point in here somewhere. And even if I am wrong (which I encourage anyone to correct me if I am) my point is this:
Misinterpretation. It’s like the telephone game. By the time the message gets to you, it isn’t quite right. Sometimes we just can’t take someones word for it. When it comes to something like religion, I tend to analyze everything. Some may think I don’t take it seriously. That maybe I’m blowing off something as important as the saving of my soul. But I look at it in the opposite way. I care about my soul enough to really try and understand religion.Â
And I know, I know. The root of any true believer in any religion is to just have faith. We are supposed to just take someones word for it and have absolute faith in that authority. I’m supposed to believe that my religion is the only true way and that all others are damned. Well, I’m sorry. I just can’t do it. If I have absolute faith in Jesus Christ, then the Muslims are going to hell. If I have absolute faith in Muhammad, then the Jews are going to hell. Who is right… who is wrong… anger rises…wars are fought… people die.
Gah.
My dog tags read “No Rel Pref”. I believe in the human spirit. I believe that all of us are inherently good. I have respect for all religions as long as they practice peace and understanding. But I refuse to associate myself as one or the other. I can’t say that one religion is better over another. All I can do is live my life as a positive and contributing human in our world. And if that means I’m going to hell because I don’t have the faith to be called a Christian….. then so be it.
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