What Kind of Jew Are You?

Raised Catholic. Although Martin Luther is my 14th Great Grandfather

Ashkenazi Levite/Jew

The original post is from 2008 ... And John mentions: that chart is essential for any student of comparative religion. But it would be interesting a table that could really synthesize and visualize almost all 4200 religions / philosophies on the planet.
Although for practical purposes it could be maybe pointless trying to compare so many differences between all those sacred books, goddesses and gods, principles, rules, mantras, prayers, demons, metaphors, rituals ...
The unpleasant aspect would have to be included, all those attempts to prevail or the warlike ones, to create only one religion: the true truth. The only one who said the oldest. As if the relevance was determined by the ancestors of the Vedic culture.

I think our brain also loves symbols and mystical aspects, because it adds flavor to everyday life. Perhaps our brain cannot bear operating in logic mode all the time and requires a pleasant rest in lapses along our day. Perhaps that is why drugs are sought to evade reality or to "provide gratification." but with chaotic results for the body, life or lives involved.

It is interesting how the adoption of a religion also includes the geographical factor: depending on the place where we were born, the beliefs could be accepted or rejected. Some human beings look for what is especially different from their culture because that feeds something important. Some other people searched far and wide and questioned the dogmas and their curiosity gave them other learnings.

In my opinion, the study of comparative religion might also include the theme that symbolic processing "embraces" the brain and neuro-chemicals give us: a spiritual experience. Necessary to bear fears, overcome adversity, understand death or make sense of what "happen us".

Alan wrote: Cathars? Why does this heresy get a place?

Because Cathars exist in Star Wars. Duh.

All kidding aside, you bring up an excellent point. There were several heretical movements throughout the evolution of Christianity, from the days of the Didache to the Medieval period. Where are all those movements on this chart?


As an aside: to answer Br. John's original question, I'm a Torah-observant Christian Gentile formerly of the Pentecostal persuasion.

Freedom is a licentie ik I don,t see myself as part of a community and don,t have to be responsible for my actions. Jewish freedom is the freedom to fully diascharge towards responsibilty another…..May the force be with you

[justify]Ashkenazi in United States, matrilineal and patrilineal, theist and monolatrist.

I am a reform chabadnik and renewal. That pretty much means I follow the reform minhag with a chabad mindset, or that I am a reform jew who has lots of experience with chabad. I can't really explain well.[/justify]