As an American, I take exception to your cynical assessment of the faith of American citizens. Prayer, whether in public or private is most assuredly not "all fake." To many Americans it does indeed carry great meaning. You are correct that prayer, when understood in light of the Torah (and Christianity, the largest umbrella group of faith perspectives in the US is rooted in Judaism, and therefore the Torah), this prayer does carry the implication of life outside of prayer likewise being mindful of the Torah and its Author. And this is exactly the perspective of _many_ Americans. By no means all, and perhaps not even most. But to paint all American prayer with the broad brush of insincerity is not only inaccurate, but also unkind.

You forget the most awful part of this monotheism: IT LEAD TO THE CYLON WAR! People don't think about that part, but the AI in the original Cylons were patterned after the real thought patterns of a Monotheist. "This has all happened before, and this will all happen again."

Re the Greco-Roman pantheon: the gods were considered very poor role models, and in fact there was serious debate on whether to teach the stories of them to kids because of this. Re the G-d of Israel "choosing" the Jews. I think this is the crux of the matter for poster #19. Had he been among those chosen, he might have responded with joy and gratitude instead of trying to delegitimize the One who chose Israel. As a personal aside: G-d choosing Israel is something that moved my mom to (jealousy? envy? not sure what to call the emotion, because it was accompanyed by none of the bitterness those terms connote, just an intense curiosity coupled with desire). From the time she was nine until the time she converted, she was fascinated both with these Chosen People and with the One who chose them. Israel being the chosen of G-d isn't G-d giving every other people the middle finger. On the contrary, it's G-d giving every single person on this planet hope.

Golly, you _don't_ know your own history, do you? The most reliable sources put the timeline as something like this: at about 6 years old, Aisha was called over from swinging with her friends and told she was going to be married to the Pedophile Mohammed. She was 9 when he first started being physically intimate with her. She would be playing with dolls with her friends until he came up to her for physical relatiions, then afterward would go back to playing with dolls with her friends again. I have researched this. The vast majority of sources agree with the above. I won't copy/paste URL's because YNet doesn't like that. But if you research this topic instead of clinging to the lies that make you feel more comfortable about serving the Pedophile Mohammed, you might be less comfortable, but much more knowledgeable.

Christians are not majority in South Sudan. Actually each of the Christians, Muslims, and Pagans contribute equal share, one third each, to the population of SS. maybe they call it Christian because no single Jew is there.

This was the best article I have read on YNET. #14 - as for "developing Judaism"...it was already developed when Moshe received brother. It is for us to gaurd not reinterpret. B"H for the Haredi!

because we have been killed a lot.

WOW luck is on your side. Good to have you back with us here. Wishing you a speedy recovery with a safe homecoming.

I am glad to here that you are doing better. Long flight -- aneurysm -- not friends. Thirteen hours in a pressurized cabin with an aneurysm that large? You almost didn't get to see Masada. Welcome back!

Actually, I am a very nice person. I do hate terrorists and Islamofascists, but I'm in pretty good company with that .... I suspect a lot of people do, World Citizen. Well, the normal ones, at any rate. Do you hold a particular passport, World Citizen, or do you issue forth your pithy platitudes from a floe in the middle of the Arctic Ocean?

From where I am, I can see Russia (on a clear day and if I had an array of parabolic mirrors stretching for hundreds of miles), but there's nobody on the ice floes except the walruses. And they're too busy having fun to pontificate. :)

Be patient, God will soon show his mighty power when there are countless of enemy soldiers surrounding Israel and destruction will seem inevitable. He will show his might and then they will finally know and finally bow their knees.

Dear Mr's Sarah B. I must say that our God is the same, and the differences among my Christian faith and your Jewish faith are not so great. I believe you accept Jesus as an espiritual leader, if not a prophet. We, that repudiate the terrible sins committed against your people in the past, do see you, Hebrews, as our oldest brothers. Holy Trinity is a mistery, but it doesn't deny the principle that God (Jahveh, Adonai) is unique and only one. And we greet Israel as the only country, in Middle Orient, that protects our holy places and gives security for all Christian churches and denominations. I enjoyed very much when I prayed on the Wailing Wall. Shalom (Saludos).

Robert spoke about "Jewish contributions" then, told us that "This all Islam can accomplish". Not contribution or accomplishment, but Jewish and Islam which are not comparable. he ought not compare people (Jews) with Islam (religion). What people have to do with religion, unless his prayer is like this: "Lord G-d, see what a great king and lord I am! See how rich, smart, and pious I am! See what a handsome lad or lass I am in comparison to others! Be gracious to me, help me, and in view of all of this save me."

so what is your story about a woman chief rabbi and woman leader of an army; modern reforms in Judaism? don't go on the subject's fringe. do you really know about marriage of younger girls in the biblical time, was that marriage or financial deals?

What proof? Why, only ... YOUR OWN HISTORIES. Google "Aisha, Mohammed's nine-year old wife" (without the quotes). You should see one of the results is phrased like this exactly and leads to a site where you will see hadith after hadith that shows the truth about the Pedophile Muhammad and his sexual relationship with his pre-teen wife. The striking thing about your faith perspective is that the deeper I dig, the nastier it shows itself to be.

Very interesting article. I would just like to bring to your attention that there is an error in the first paragraph. You state, "the same US where separation of religion and state is a fundamental constitutional principle". Actually, the US Constitution does not contain any clause which refers to separation of church and state. This is a common error, which has evolved from historical revisionism. It was actually a unilateral Supreme Court decision in 1947 by Judge Hugo Black, and one that has changed the course of the US forever.

The reason that we dont pray like the americans, is because the the orthodox and haredi institutions are attempting to hijack the state to forward there own agenda, which in most cases has nothing to do with sprituality or working towards the common good. When rabbi's stop dealing in political wheeling and dealing and stop defining jewish nature of a state according to amount of money that is being directed to religious institutions maybe we will see a return to prayer. I cannot imagine an american president rushing to admit he prayed regularly if the religious leadership as in this country became, purveyors of hatred to those different than themselves, preachers of a moral code that they feel is only good for others and not to be followed by themselves (an example thou shalt not steal....) I could continue, but the bottom line here is that when rabbis in israel stop trying to spread their beliefs through raiding the public purse and return to words of wisdom and kindness from the pulpit maybe the tradional jews who believe in greater force will also come out of the closet and return to public prayer.

The Haridi are in no way the foundation of the state of Israel, their adaption of the extreme “Beit Shami” interpretation of Halacha and adoption of the extreme Lithuanian interpretations will bring the end of the Jewish state. It’s also sad that the more liberal saphradi movement has decided to emulate the achkanizim. It was in fact the zealots who lead to the destruction of the second temple. The notion that the Haridi have that only their interpretation of Halacha is correct is in fact not true but is full of hubris. They seem to be locked into 16th century interpretations and norms particularly in regards to women and the requirements to defend our country. Their schools shun all modern study. If the Haridi become the ruling majority Israel as Jewish state will in fact disappear s it had in the past.

Hadith is the oral tradition of either sayings or deeds by Mohammad. Most Hadiths are strong, but some are weak ones. If a Hadith does not confine to fact or established norm, it is weak one. Asmaa, Aisha's sister, was 10 years older than Aisha. Asmaa died at the age of 100 years in the year 73 After Hijrah. That's strictly documented by historians. That means Aisha was 17 years at the first year After Hijrah, and married one year later, denoting she was at least 18 years when she get married; that's Bukhari Hadith is too weak.

You obviously have not actually done any research on this topic. If you really want to take the hadiths that reveal that the Pedophile Mohammed married a girl of about 6 and started having sex with her when she was 9, including AISHA'S OWN NARRATION, and refute them, it would take more than the few minutes between my post and your response to it. There are two things you should consider: First, Saudi Marriage Officiant Dr. Ahmad Al-Mu'bi said, "He married her [when she was] age six, and he consummated the marriage, by having sex with her for the first time, when she was nine. We consider the Prophet Muhammad to be our model." Perhaps he was a little more Observant than you? Second, Aisha was 65 years old when she died in 678, which means that she was 20 when the Pedophile Muhammed died in 632, she had been having sex with him regularly (on a rotation schedule) for about 10 years. So the one source that says she was 10 instead of 9 when they started having sex cannot be tossed aside summarily, but the fact that ALL others except the one you quote say it was 9, again INCLUDING AISHA, lend credence to this view. Curiously enough, the majority of Muslim apologists don't waste time with your flawed tactic. Instead, all but one attempted to rationalize Mohammed's getting it on with a nine-year-old. Interesting fact, that. Like I said, the more I find out about your faith perspective, the nastier and nastier it reveals itself to be. post scriptum: Your turn. Care to do research (like I just did), or will you just make peace with with your pedophile false prophet's "relations" with a child? (2nd try)

I asked you to answer me seriously, but you didn't : ( Robert, I advice you to read the history of Muslim contribution to world civilization, it seems very recent that Muslims were on top of the world. They were pioneers and leaders in all areas of human endeavor. They invented new branches of science and mathematics. They not only laid the foundation of modern knowledge, but propelled it to new heights. In particular, their contribution to the world of medicine is legendary, Many Muslim governments are persecuting their people and this make them feel frustrated and helpless, however we hope for a better future and yes we can figure out how to reclaim that past glory. What I want to say that theGuilt is within ourselves, and not because God favored the Jews over us.

Like much you've posted recently, your response to Robert (#29) shows a marked lack of factual basis. This is not a criticism of you personally, but of your talkbacks. If you research your topic and make assertions based on facts, you will find your talkbacks are taken more seriously (or, "taken seriously at all"). As for this post (talkback #44), the contribution of a group can be seen most readily in what that group is known for. A typical example is the Serenity Prayer, famous for its use by the group Alcoholics Anonymous: "God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference." Regrettably, this is also true for Islam. The most well-known example is the hastily cried "Allahu Akbar!" prayed before the suicide bomber detonates his explosive belt. This is not, of course, foundational to Islam. But it is what Muslims are known for, the contribution of Islam: The prayer "Allah is Great!" followed by the brutal murder of women and children. This can be contrasted to the most well-known prayers of the Jews, which are the Psalms. As with AA or Islam, we use the same standard of measurement: what do outsiders think. Among non-Jews, the most well-known prayer of Jews is Psalm 23: (A Psalm of David) The LORD is my Shepherd, I shall not want He maketh me lie down in green pastures, He leadeth me beside the still waters He restoreth my soul: He leadeth me in paths of righteousness for His name's sake Yea, tho I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I shall fear no evil: for Thou art with me; Thy rod and thy staff, they comfort me Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies; thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I shall dwell in the house of the LORD forever That is what Jews are known for, the contribution of the Jews in the area of prayer.

As you know I do not pray but for you I shall make an exception. Best wishes and speedy recovery.

Folish Moderator in the Ynets News, refusing to post my comment on this matter, prolonging the Egoistic Ignorance between the Talkbackers. Comment - YEHOWAH has chosen a People on the Earth, a People who shall Promote his Cause upon the Earth and for the Eaath. Further - Isak and Jacob/Israel was chosen even before their birth. This by the Free Will and Promise of Yehowah to Abram/Abraham their Father. This has nothing to do with Quality, but the free will of Yehowah. Yehowah is no lier and therefore stands for HIS promises. Among the tribes of Jacob/Israel, Juda was chosen to be the Chanel for the Messiah, because of their loyality to the Cause of Yehowah, against His 10 brother Tribes, when they leftt Egypt. Orao.

as long as you deny that mohammad is the last prophet from the same god /your post will be ink on a paper //this is about quality not quantity

are your eyes instructed in the opposite sides can only see the inside of your hollow skull but histiracally see mosquitoes flies and arabs .. hahaha

(excelent point, btw!) Something I learned only recently is that Ynet does not have Mods - the moderation/posting system is automated, without human moderators at all.

>>According to the traditional counting cited by Rashi, Isaac was 37 years old at the time of the Binding of Isaac, and news of Rebecca's birth reached Abraham immediately after that event. Isaac was 40 years old when he married Rebecca. making Rebecca 3 years old at the time of her marriage. >>A ketannah ((literally meaning little [one]) was any girl between the age of 3 years and that of 12 years plus one day) was completely subject to her father's authority, and her father could arrange a marriage for her, whether she agreed to it or not. In Islam, virgin woman has to be asked for her consent of marriage, if she doesn't approve no marriage can be legal. >> American girls at the end of 19th century were considered legible to marriage and physical relationship at the age of 10. >>you can find proof of true Aisha's age of marriage (in Arabic) at: http://www.ibnalislam.com/vb/showthread.php?t=3210 http://7stars.darbalkalam.com/t1184-topic

why do you chose the middle finger it is the least important in the hand while it is the longest /i think god is wizer in his choice than you so they are not the chosen people