Brackman doesn't KNOW that there is a god. He merely BELIEVES that there is a god. In other words he is substituting his own ignorance by means of belief. He inconsistently accuses aetheists and agnostics of ignorance because they are not prepared to accept beliefs in the absence of knowledge.

serious dialogue. Many Jewish atheists, like myself, came to the conclusion that Jews are deceiving themselves in believing that we have a God who cares about us.

Religion is at the end of the day a belief a faith call it what you want. As much as you are free to have your religious beliefs we are also free not to belive. That is a persons basic human right, yet still there are some segments of the religious population that seem to think they are some Gods police men and force their lifestyle on non belivers. introducing religious laws on non belivers only has the reverse effect on people. One only has to look at the behavior of the ultra orthadox , who judge slander and act violently towards people who do not share their fanatical beliefs. This kind of behavior only confirms that on a personal note i want nothing to do with religion what so ever, not in my life and certainly not in my death and certainly not for my chidren. israel is a democratic country with a system of law and not a jewish version of Iran. Seperate religion and state

religious people take from the seculars.

While I'm not familiar with Christopher Hitchen's seemingly cockeyed theory about an "atheist gene" I can say that, from my own perspective, the question for me is how can any Jew believe in God after the Holocaust? And while this probably begs the question as to why there were Jewish atheists prior to that horrific event...they'll have to come up with their own reasons.

Most Jews may have a "thirteen year old's concept of how Judaism perceives God", but it's easy to discern by watching Orthodox Jews. Apparently, God wants us not only to protest against Israel, but to make sure our protests turn violent, whether the subject is a Shabbat parking lot, jailing a chareidi woman, an Intel plant, or other issues. God apparently wants Jews to sweep accusations of sexual molestation and misconduct under the rug, as is routinely done when chassidishe rebbes are accused of molesting their students. God also likes dirt, because you can tell how 'frum' a place is by how dirty and run down it is. And, of course, God must condone spitting at non-Jews (a common occurrence in Jerusalem, I'm told by Orthodox bishops and other obviously 'goyishe' types in the capital). And apparently the word "kosher" apparently refers only to the lungs of an animal, but not to the business ethics of the abattoir. Could that turn people off to God? Jewish literature and history is replete with outstanding ideas about God, ethics, interpersonal relationships and everything else under the sun. But unless and until those Jews who purport to "walk in the ways of the Lord" show those ways to be pleasant, compassionate, understanding and beautiful, a large percentage of Jews will actively disassociate from them and will continue to describe themselves as "atheists." The image of God they receive from the frum community can lead to no other conclusion.

There is a genuine lack of KNOWLEDGE OF HA-SHEM HIMSELF. There is TOO MUCH Talmud and not enough TANACH. Rabbis have taken Ha-Shem out of the picture and quote the Sages rather than Ha-Shem. They press so much Talmudic tradition, that is added by themselves and their endless analysis of TALMUD and eliminate the true desires of Ha-Shem given to us in Torah. How can one learn the fear of Ha-Shem without His presence and His words? There is no atheist gene. The only way to stir up a HUNGER for the knowledge of Ha-Shem is by bringing Him closer. I do not fear the Torah Sages, I fear Ha-Shem.

Why should it disturb the Rabbi if Jews are atheists? Just because we are born Jews, doesn’t mean we have to practice, it's not a mandatory prerequisite. No-one will get stripped of their Judaism if they don't believe in bizarre stories and rituals from thousands of years ago. I’m a Jew and I don’t practice Judaism, doesn’t make me less Jewish than the Rabbi. Do me a favour, let us believe what we want to believe. You leave us alone, we'll leave you alone, how's that?

I think why the vast majority of us are atheist is because we are not impressed by the way our Rabbis and all those around them behave. They dont set good examples and many times their behavior is far from religious. The rabbis who are the "middlemen" in this are doing a very poor job. Thats the reason Rabbi Levi. Your profession needs to catch a wake up as soon many of your flock will not be around

Manny Jew become or remain religious because of tradition and sheer ignorance and ingenuous belief in what that Rabbis like Brackman say about Judaism. Manny Jews become atheist because they know the Talmud all too well. If Rabbi Brackman wants to reach out to atheist he would be wise to consider other means than addressing them as ignoramuses.

difficult to argue with since the only people spending time learning Torah are religious. Why would the secular want to learn if it will alter their secular lifestyle?

how many avi you got there? people please invent name damn you r one big puzzlement.

I feel that one only has to look at the beauty of nature and especially a newborn baby to believe that this isn't all by chance. There has to be a Higher Power creating all this.

The rabbi should be giving lessons to other rabbis on how to be a leader of the faith and to fully understand the meaning. He also needs to explain that: Stealing Lying Cheating Beating Child molesting Wife beating Judging Hating Army shirkers are all a big NO NO! - because, right now, it's all apart of the norm for them. I wonder why?

And you are'nt Atheist because of lack of Jewish education . I had one , my children attended a Jewish school abroad till age of 18 , One of my daughters observes Shabbat and Kashrut , mostly because of her husband . Now that Jews ask questions is true . How can people still believe in a god after the Shoa . I can't

I would like to correspond directly with Rabbi Brackman. Please send me his email.

What do you think? That they woke up one day and said "Religion sucks, I don't believe in God anymore"? A belief is a much more complex thing. You either believe in something or you don't, regardless to your religious practices. It's not a descision you make, it's something more deeply implemented (or not). You can't just "make" someone believe in a higher being and one cannot "decide" one day he "believes" in God just as much one cannot decide he "believes" in aliens.

If these people who consider themselves atheists are sick or their children are sick or have major problems, they ALWAYS turn to G-d for help.

Jew but, nonetheless, a Jew I am. And with all your knowledge of Judaism and with all my ignorance, I must voice some disagreement with you. Belief in the non-rational or supernatural, as it were, is not something which can be studied in a rational, textbook way and be understood. Rather, it is a matter of direct, sometimes profound, experience. The more rational one is, however, and the more one studies, the greater and stronger becomes the shield preventing a direct perception of spiritual experience. I, myself, have been exposed to these perceptions over many years (since mid adulthood)and I now readily accept the fact that the world as I learned to know it at school and through earlier discourse was really very limiting and those limits were also induced by my Jewish education. Nonetheless, I strongly identify as a Jew and am very attached to the state of Israel but I do not feel at home praying in a synagogue, sitting, standing, holding a book or swaying. I do think the early Baal Shem Tov was more of an example although, since then, the Chassidim have turned away from his model. I also know that every religion has its extraordinary mystics, healers and those who connect naturally with the spirit world. This fact does not prevent me with identifying as a Jew, however, as that is how the Creator intended. Why this was intended, I really don't know. On some days, gambler that I am, I think Hashem was just enjoying Himself throwing a set of celestial dice along with His helpers.

the question is not how can jews belive in god after the holocaust. the question is how can jews believe in man after the holocaust. study after sudy have shown that statistically many people became bigger believers in god as a result of the holocaust, philosophysing that there must be a god if i was saved. the trouble is man; not god. man/jews must take responsiblity.

THIS COULD BE HAD IN THE NEW TESTAMENT CHAPTER 9-11., IN THE LETTER TO THE ROMANS. Arn-Orao.

was this a joke or is he serious? 1) Secular does not mean atheist 2) Atheism is NOT agnosticism- the two ideas are VERY different! 3) Jews are a diverse group -this is perhaps the main point! The reason(s) for Jews being secular or atheist etc in the USA is very different from why Jews are atheist or secular in Israel, France, or Russia! In the US, Jewish immigrants in the 19/th centuries sought to be fully integrated into American society- they were 100% successful, joining America's elites and intellectuals, whom we all know to be at least secular if not atheist! In the USSR, Jews were FORCED to be atheist. In France, secularism and atheism are a legacy of the French revolution and history. In Israel, the socialist parties dominated the country for decades and encouraged (rightfully so!) secularism, but not necessarily atheism. The main champion of atheism or secularism in most societies is education- if one is intellectually honest, he/she cannot believe in superstitious and primitive notions of an historically intervening deity; they at best will end up being secular agnostics.

I would sooner believe aliens created the Jews and guided them throughout history than some divinity. At least the theories explaining alien life, although not yet proven, are more rational then ancient superstitious beliefs in a supernatural deity!

A lot of people are writing that they don't believe in God because of the Holocaust. This is not a solid basis for one's Atheism; the word holocaust is Biblical and refers to the many genocides and massacres committed in God's name. Think the unfortunate people of Moab. No. You need to have a more evidential and scientific understanding of where we, as people, come from to firmly steel your mind against superstition. We evolved. Humanity is over 250K years old. The first city was built almost 10K years ago (5K years older than the Bible). Many of the same stories attributed to the Tanach can be found in many Semitic and even Egyptian fables. There is very little archeological evidence for many of the stories in the Bible (including Solomon's Temple). Furthermore, you only have to read and see pictures of the sheer size of the universe. The very diversity of life and yet its genetic interconnectedness are all proven scientifically. We can still marvel at nature, at our history and at the universe without imbuing in it some perverse bronze age superstitions that have no place in any more in this age of science and humanism. Part of that is recognizing that human beings are capable of many evil deeds that are rooted in our DNA and psychology (like the Holocaust); that this monster resides within us all. And so we must learn mastery over our base instincts and occasionally tell our genes to go jump in the lake. Our conscious makes us free of our genes. This conciousness is often mistaken for God by people like the good Rabbi Brackman.

The face of jewish religion is what makes people reject it. no religious jew in israel never even pronounce the word GOD. they only cite rabbis (=other human beings). The religious appear to us non-religious as extremely narrow minded, ethnocentric, quite stupid and extremely racist people with and agenda of exploiting non-religious economy without any other participation. also on their agenda you'll find hate to non-jews, hostility towards women and even towards other currents in jewish religion. They look upon us with an air of superiority and as ignorants. Well, if this is not a good reason to reject this line of thought, what would be one?

We are just sick and tired of the religious coercion forced on us by the Ultra-Orthodox which has resulted in many, including myself, being driven away. The Ultra-Orthodox leech off the land, contribute nothing, dictate how we must live, who may worship and where and sow hatred against those who have different lifestyles. Rabbi, when you can convince the bigots like certain members of the Cabinet and their supporters to be tolerant of others, then you might be able to convince some to return to the fold. When we consider that hatred, the persecution and killing over the ages one can only come to the conclusion that Religion is the root of all evil!

What can i await from an , for me , inexisting "idea" . Where was this god when our grandparents and parents turned to him ? Nobody on the number you have called , was the answer . Regarding being sick , look at a mirror .

I'm an atheist Jew. I'm tired of people telling me that I'm an atheist because I hadn't study enough. How much I have to study torah to become a wise, approved atheist? I'm also ignorant on the Koran, on the Bhagavad Gita, on the Tao Te Ching and on the Book of the Dead. They all say I don't believe in their religions since I'm an ignorant.