Is Judaism a racist religion?

[Rebiu]

Is Judaism a racist religion?

[Boerseun]

No. The only quality you need to qualify as a "Jew", is to profess that you are, indeed, a Jew. There are Jews from Asia, Jews from Ethiopia (there are actually a big discussion amongst the bigwigs in Judaism that the Ethiopian Jews are actually the oldest branch, closest to the original sons of Abraham genetically - and they are pitch black).

There are, however, internal divisions that also transcend skin colour, which might be more discriminative: Whether you are a sephardim Jew or a... a... the word escapes me now. I'll get to it. And it's mostly the sephardim that gets the government jobs in Israel, etc. There are a lot of issues regarding this, but it has nothing to do with skin colour.

BUT - what's your take on it? You can't just make a hit & run post like this. Do YOU think its a racist religion? And if so, why?

[coldcreation]

Originally Posted by Rebiu

Is Judaism a racist religion?

Religions are not racist, people are.

[ughaibu]

What does that mean? There are no religions without people.

[Rebiu]

Thanks for the info

Originally Posted by Boerseun

BUT - what's your take on it? You can't just make a hit & run post like this. Do YOU think its a racist religion? And if so, why?

I was under the impression that anyone could convert and was rebuked without explanation on another forum. I have not found any information on it yet.

[Rebiu]

What would the idea that followers of a religion should be treated different of are better than nonbeleivers be called?

[CraigD]

Prior to researching it for this post, I, too believed that Judaism, as is typical of many small religions (at 14 million, or about 0.2% of the world population, Judaism is slightly smaller that Spiritism, a religion that neither I nor my spell-checker had ever heard of) was a moderately “closed” religion that one must either marry or be born into.

According to becomingajew.org’s article “conversion process”, this does not appear to be the case. However, despite the openness this article suggests, I’m suspicious that “step 6: talk to a rabbi” may be a veiled social filter. Is there any requirement that the rabbi you talk to not simply say “I’m sorry, but you cannot become a Jew”, especially if you happen to be a Palestinian youth seeking Israeli citizenship, or of some other traditionally non-Jewish ethnic group?

”Conversion controversy”, which is linked to by the begomingajew.org article, appears to support my suspicion. I get the impression, beginning with its subtitle, “Kansas City rabbi quests to convert ‘lost’ Sephardic Jews”, that in order to be acceptable for conversion to Judaism, one must be able to make a reasonable claim to being descendent of a “lost” tribe of ancient Israel. The necessity of making such a claim suggest to me that, subject to the arbitration of a rabbi (who may have his own opinion about the “openness” of his religion), Judaism may be accurately described as a “racist religion”.

[Rebiu]

Originally Posted by CraigD

Prior to researching it for this post, I, too believed that Judaism, as is typical of many small religions (at 14 million, or about 0.2% of the world population, Judaism is slightly smaller that Spiritism, a religion that neither I nor my spell-checker had ever heard of) was a moderately “closed” religion that one must either marry or be born into.

According to becomingajew.org’s article “conversion process”, this does not appear to be the case. However, despite the openness this article suggests, I’m suspicious that “step 6: talk to a rabbi” may be a veiled social filter. Is there any requirement that the rabbi you talk to not simply say “I’m sorry, but you cannot become a Jew”, especially if you happen to be a Palestinian youth seeking Israeli citizenship, or of some other traditionally non-Jewish ethnic group?

”Conversion controversy”, which is linked to by the begomingajew.org article, appears to support my suspicion. I get the impression, beginning with its subtitle, “Kansas City rabbi quests to convert ‘lost’ Sephardic Jews”, that in order to be acceptable for conversion to Judaism, one must be able to make a reasonable claim to being descendent of a “lost” tribe of ancient Israel. The necessity of making such a claim suggest to me that, subject to the arbitration of a rabbi (who may have his own opinion about the “openness” of his religion), Judaism may be accurately described as a “racist religion”.

Thanks for the great information.

[Rebiu]

This article says four generations of maternal Jewish parentage is required by Israel. Racist Israel

[Rebiu]

Here are a few examples of racism in the talmud I found Here

"The Jews are called human beings, but the non-Jews are not humans. They are beasts."
Talmud: Baba mezia, 114b

"The Akum (non-Jew) is like a dog. Yes, the scripture teaches to honor the the dog more than the non-Jew."
Ereget Raschi Erod. 22 30

"Even though God created the non-Jew they are still animals in human form. It is not becoming for a Jew to be served by an animal. Therfore he will be served by animals in human form."
Midrasch Talpioth, p. 255, Warsaw 1855

"The souls of non-Jews come from impure sprits and are called pigs."
Jalkut Rubeni gadol 12b

"If a Jew has a non-Jewish servant or maid who dies, one should not express sympathy to the Jew. You should tell the Jew: "God will replace 'your loss', just as if one of his oxen or asses had died"."
Jore dea 377, 1

"Sexual intercourse between Gentiles is like intercourse between animals."
Talmud Sanhedrin 74b

"It is permitted to take the body and the life of a Gentile."
Sepher ikkarim III c 25

"It is the law to kill anyone who denies the Torah. The Christians belong to the denying ones of the Torah."
Coschen hamischpat 425 Hagah 425. 5

"A heretic Gentile you may kill outright with your own hands."
Talmud, Abodah Zara, 4b

"Every Jew, who spills the blood of the godless (non-Jews), is doing the same as making a sacrifice to God."
Talmud: Bammidber raba c 21 & Jalkut 772