ask lord of the mark

[Last Conformist]

Do you eat shellfish?

[lord of the mark]

Originally posted by Oerdin
Which is better, M&Ms or Peanut M&Ms?

Plain, definitely.

And I never missed the red ones.

If you want chocolate and peanut together, then go for Reeses Peanut Butter cups.

[lord of the mark]

Originally posted by Last Conformist
Do you eat shellfish?

No, I dont.

[Dinner]

I have a question about ethics and religious dietary restrictions. If a group of religious people (Muslims or Jews) were trapped on a desert island or some similiar remote location (plane crash in the desert or what not) and the only food they had were some canned pork product like Spam then what should they do? Ethically should they not eat the religiously banned food knowing this will cause them to starve or would god forgive them for eating the food until they were rescued?

[lord of the mark]

Originally posted by Oerdin
I have a question about ethics and religious dietary restrictions. If a group of religious people (Muslims or Jews) were trapped on a desert island or some similiar remote location (plane crash in the desert or what not) and the only food they had were some canned pork product like Spam then what should they do? Ethically should they not eat the religiously banned food knowing this will cause them to starve or would god forgive them for eating the food until they were rescued?

Jewish law is quite explicit on that subject. The commandment to save a life "Pikuach nefesh" trumps all laws except three 1. dont murder 2. Dont commit idolatry 3. Dont commit adultery. Ergo, any ritual law can be broken for the sake of saving life. Orthodox Jews thus may take medecines made from pig parts.

The application of the pickuach nefesh principle has many applications, and many implications.

1. Are organ transplants acceptable? Jewish law forbids the desecration of a corpse. OTOH PN requires us to save a life. Most authorities accept organ transplantation from a corpse on that ground. Some however will do so only if a SPECIFIC life is being saved - its ok to take an organ to keep someone alive, but maybe not for research, since the beneficiaries of the latter cannot be identified
2. Many O rabbis cite Jewsih law saying it is forbidden to turn over any part of the Land of Israel from Jewish soveriengty. Others have cited the principle of pikuach nefesh, and said that a determination by the secular authorities that such a turnover will save lives, either by advancing peace, or simply as a tactical withdrawl, overrides the other commandment.
3. Can you work in a hospital on Shabbat? In a Fire Department? In the diaspora this is simple - there are non-Jews eager for such work, who are not bound by shabbat law, so of course a shabbat observant Jew cannot, though if he has a specific skill or connection to a patient then Pikuach nefesh applies. In Israel however, in many towns, there are no non-Jews, and the Orthodox observe Shabbat by leavingemergency services to non-observant Jews. Which in principle, is really just as great a violation as if they did it themselves. At least one major O thinker says that O needs to change the law in Israel, and explicitly allow O individuals to do emergency work on shabbat, in recognition of conditions that never existed before.

[lord of the mark]

I mean if you want a jewsh law vs ethics involving people on a desert island, I can think of better ones.

Theres been a worldwide thermonuclear war. Youre trapped on a large island, with one other person. Youre a man. Shes a woman. Shes married. You dont know for sure if youre the last folks on earth, or if her husband, among others, are alive somewhere else. If you procreate with her, and her husband is alive, but no one else is, you save humanity, at the cost of committing adultery. If lots of other folks are alive, then you arent even saving humanity. If her husband is dead, then youre not committing adultery at all. What does Jewish law say to do? what does general ethics say to do? Are they in conflict? (Probably

[Robert]

1. How do you explain the 70 sevens of Daniel 9?
2. Why did the Messiah not come in the 1st century, despite that many jews believed he would come based on Daniel 9?
3. Explain Isaiah 53
4. Is man able to be rightious for God by keeping his commandments?
5. Is there life after dead?
6. What would make you believe that Jesus is the Messiah?

[lord of the mark]

or the question of homosexuality.


The bible forbids it (subject to some debate). You know scientifically that at least some folks dont choose it. You know that the ban on it causes human suffering and loss of dignity (which we are commanded to avoid, wherever possible) General ethics seems to indicate equal treatment as the preferred approach. What to do? This is something the Conserv J movement has been wrestling with for 20 years. This december the Commitee on Jewish Law and Standards of the CJ movement made major changes, which now allow for the ordination of openly gay C rabbis, and gay commitment ceremonies.

[Last Conformist]

Gay rabbis? That sounds like prime material for a new meme.

[lord of the mark]

Originally posted by CyberShy
1. How do you explain the 70 sevens of Daniel 9?
2. Why did the Messiah not come in the 1st century, despite that many jews believed he would come based on Daniel 9?
3. Explain Isaiah 53
4. Is man able to be rightious for God by keeping his commandments?
5. Is there life after dead?
6. What would make you believe that Jesus is the Messiah?

1. Daniel is weird book, with lots of influence from eastern mysticism, IIUC. Its not one im super familiar with.

2. Things dont always work out the way some Jews beleive. Some Jews believed that the war in Iraq would be a cakewalk. Some Jews beleived that R. Menachem Mendel Schneerson would be the messiah. Jews make mistakes, as do all humans
3. The one about one who suffers for the sins of the people? Traditionally taken as a reference to the "remnant of Jacob" = the righteous in ISrael, suffereing for the acts of the sinners. IMO, theres so much rich imagery in the prophets, its not hard to find something to prove they prophesied almost anything.
4. That is what we believe the Torah calls us to do. Of course we cant be perfect - but thats not G-ds expectation. We are to do what we can within our capacity. If we fail, we must sincerely repent - that is why Yom Kippur is so important. Franz Rosenzweig, on the point of converting to Christianity, attented a traditional Yom Kippur service (he wanted to enter Christianity AS a Jew, as the first Christians had) he decided to remain Jewish, and went on to become the most important Jewish thinker of modern times.

5. The Talmud tells us that "All Israel has a place in the Wolrd to Come" I hope so, but thats not the center of my life. I dont know anyone who can tell what the world to come is like, and i dont trust interpretations of bibilical passages to make me certain. So I live in THIS life, in the world the holy one has made, and do my best to achieve such immortality as parenting, accomplishments, and participating in a community give me.

6. If and when Jesus did the things the moshiach is supposed to do, like raising the dead (all of them, not just some dude named Lazarus) gathering in the exiles, ending war, etc, etc.

[lord of the mark]

Originally posted by Last Conformist
Gay rabbis? That sounds like prime material for a new meme.

Openly gay rabbis. There have been gay rabbis around for quite some time, without a doubt. There are Orthodox gay rabbis, thats well known - just not openly.

Anyway, its a huge issue - there is talk the new decision will split the C movement, driving away the most traditional. Rabbi Roth, who wrote the opinion defending the status quo, has resigned from the Committee on J law and standards, though he has not yet left the movement.

[Jon Miller]

Christians claim that some large number were raised o the dead by Christ. Additionally, we claim that the completion of Christ's existence is still to come (the second coming).

Jon Miller

[Last Conformist]

Originally posted by lord of the mark
Openly gay rabbis. There have been gay rabbis around for quite some time, without a doubt.

Yes, but there's not been a mass movement to make fun of them yet.

[LordShiva]

Originally posted by Jon Miller
Christians claim that some large number were raised o the dead by Christ. Additionally, we claim that the completion of Christ's existence is still to come (the second coming).

Jon Miller

That's not a question

[Last Conformist]

Do you dream of boobs?