Customer Reviews

Judaism Beyond God (Library of Secular Humanistic Judaism)

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

This is a MUST READ for any jew who questions her/his role or identity as a jew in a world where creationism is indexed under 'mythology' (or should be). The old rabbinic explanations of "who is a jew" are replaced by simpler, believable secular-humanist definitions. For those jews who are confirmed atheists, you are not alone. Now there is a philosophy behind how one can be both an atheist and a jew, without a hint of hypocrisy. This book is not found in the catalogs of the my local Public Library (Vancouver), which in my opinion says much for the strength of the religious lobby in community education. If the philosophy of this book was made known to all jews then I believe jewish identity will be carried proudly by all jews, secular as well as religious, through the coming generations.

Judaism Beyond God - Sherwin Wine

A the oldest of the three major monotheisms, it can be expected that Judaism would be in the forefront of the move toward agnostic secularism and the recognition that the major philosophical question - "Why is there something instead of nothing?" - cannot be answered. Wine follows in the footsteps of Russell, who, in his 1927 talk before the South London Branch of the National Secular Society, stated "Why I Am Not a Christian." Wine differs by emphasizing a cultural identification; saying that a Jew is someone who identifies with the history and the fate of the Jewish People. Russell by contrast emphasizes core beliefs. As a rabbi with a rich personal connection to his cultural roots, Wine is not willing to advance the march of progressive cicvilization away from tribalism and advocate for the disappearence of group markers as a step toward a more inclusive humanism; but his argument obviously accepts this possibility.

The reviewer who wrote that Humanists can't have it both ways (being Jewish and a Humanist) exposes how unqualified he/she is to give advice to Jews or Humanists when he/she uses the term Godhead in the context of Jewish Theology. As in: How can it be Judaism when one leaves out the Godhead. Ha Ha! Judaism leaving out the Godhead....is Judaism EXACTLY!
Anyway, only we Atheists who feel an affinity or affection toward other Jews while having no interest in Torah or Talmud can understand why a book like this and the movement started by the author could be relevant. Look, maybe it's just conditioning by having been raised a Jew but that's my life and I'm not going to artificially renounce my feelings to please atheists anymore than I'd pretend I believed in the Torah or what have you for Jews I come in contact with.
I think that, ironically, fundamentalist and orthodox religionites and activist Atheists share this either-or proposition. The quicker both groups get over it the happier this planet is gonna be!

Rabbi Wine was without question the most innovative thinker in Judaism. And while he may stand on the shoulders of greats like Rabbi Kaplan, he has taken perhaps the boldest step yet, going where even Kaplan feared to tread.

"Judaism Beyond God" rends the veil of superstition and embraces what most of us already know; that Judaism is the religion we had to have to survive as a people. But he goes further, to state that Judaism, being of our own invention, can be reinvented as we require.

As a Secular Humanistic Jew myself, I am every day in awe at the hope and promise this holds for us, and potentially for the world. Because the implications of Rabbi Wine's logic are as breathtaking as they are inescapable - we are free to become whoever we want and need to become to survive. We can and must make our own identity and our own destiny, by means of our reason and will. "Judaism Beyond God" is no less than a Declaration of Independence for the Jewish people, the inevitable conclusion of the process of Jewish Emancipation begun more than 200 years ago.

This is a must read for all thinking Jews and those who wish to understand Judaism better. Rabbi Wine has laid the foundations of a new and vibrant secular humanistic Judaism, based on reason, and rooted in a love of our culture and history. But be advised - don't read this book unless you are prepared to watch as Rabbi Wine shatters every idol of empty religiosity in the process.

Rabbi Wine's book, Judaism beyond God presents all Jews with a paradox. Yes, the Jewish way of life, the family warmth, the sense of belonging are all positive virtues, BUT, how can one dispose of the Godhead and still leave a residue to which one can ascribe? This is the key question, and Humanistic Judaism, (a contradiction in terms, surely) is not, in my opinion the way forward. If you find Humanism attractive, then Jewish culture per se is not required, it is not a 'given' to leading a good and meaningful life. So, may I respectfully suggest to all Humanistic Jews that you can't have it both ways, you either take the package of Judaism, yes, God and all, or you stop playing games and think you can have the culture without the Deity. Be honest with youselves, either you are Jewish or you are not, sitting on the Humanist fence will not help you.

There is no requirement that Jews take Judaism seriously-and there is also no reason-or requirement to define Judaism without God-or to use the title,'Judaism Beyond God' as Judaism in any sense.Sherwin Wine,who was ordained as a Reform rabbi,came to believe that God is irrelevent to Judaism-and founded "Humanistic Judaism",marketing himself on TV talk shows and the local Detroit Jewish News(currently JN)-and is unfortunately taken seriously-but not by PT Barnum.Fans of his,with any sense of consistency,hopefully also believe that The Constitution should be irrelevent to lawyers. If anything,this book-written in the eighties- formally solidifies Wine-who believes that God is irrelevent-as one of the three most overrated Jews of all-time ,along with Spinoza(God and nature are the same)and "Rabbi"Mordecai Kaplan,founder of "Reconstructionist Judaism",who believed that 'God is a cosmic Process.' Buy the book by Hans Christian Andersen,instead.