I hold some positions which aren't always appreciated by Jewish friends.
For instance, I am convinced that the Exodus never happened. There's no evidence for it where there would be if it had actually happened.
That doesn't mean it isn't important, that it isn't foundational to Jewish identity, or that I don't treasure it as a story. It's foundational, important, and dear to me - but it's an origin myth which I don't take any more literally than I do the story of Noah's Ark. I think biblical literalism in (Judaism or Christianity) is theology for spiritual and intellectual infants. I have no patience for literalist readings and have often enjoyed the fact that Jews are less married to literalist readings than Christians.
Another example came to mind today because I'm staring to see Chanukkah posts. Most Reform/Conservative Jews my age in the US were raised to see chanukkah as a holiday celebrating religious freedom, but I've never felt entirely comfortable with that reading.
I have issues with lionizing the Hasmonean dynasty. I dislike demonizing Hellenism in overly broad strokes. I hate that "apikoros," the word some Jews use for a Jewish apostate or Jewish heretic, comes from Epicurus, whose contributions to western thought are extraordinary.
Later Jewish thinkers like Maimonides and Spinoza folded Hellenistic ideas into Jewish thought...and I dearly love the products of these projects of synthesis.
I'm not saying that it was good the temple was desecrated. I'm not saying it is bad that the Maccabean revolt restored the temple.
I'm saying that it's really a shitload more complex than the story I was raised with and I like delving into that complexity and questioning the way the story is told to Jewish children.
Here's the part which is oddest to me: When I struggle with this topic? I feel exceptionally Jewish. It feels right to me to dig into the complexity and fallability of these stories and their heroes.
If this topic interests you, here's an article to get you started:
High on the list of idiotic commonplace expressions is the old maxim that "it is better to light a candle than to curse the darkness." How
