Religious Identity and Appropriation

[danceswithwaves]

Someone I'm friends with on Facebook just had a bunch of stress dumped on her and her family and posted "Please be praying for us that things will fall into place quickly and smoothly. I praise Hashem for his amazing grace and his son Yeshua (Jesus) for dying on the cross. (I know not everyone believes and that is okay, but the first person that

Comments

[kith_koby]

I completely agree. I cringe whenever I hear non-religious friends using 'El-ohim' rather than Elokim (though this does not extend to 'El' - I'm not bothered by people saying that instead of 'Kel'). But Christians using HaShem? That's horrible. And don't get me started on Messianic Jews. I will never understand that kind of thought process.

But it really does bother me. Because it's the High Holy Days, and we prayed on Rosh HaShana that all the nations of the Earth will know the Lord's glory and worship him. But using our name for him when you're blaspheming against our beliefs is just the opposite of that, in my mind. (At least, at 11 at night when I'm sick during the High Holy Days. Tomorrow morning I might be less vehement about it)

In any case, a good year to us all, and may we be written and sealed in the books of life, memory and forgiveness!

[danceswithwaves]

I actually have almost no problem with Messianic Jews who follow Jewish rituals and holidays and know Hebrew and feel part of Jewish culture and just also happen to believe that Jesus was the messiah. But I have quite a problem with people who call themselves Messianic Jews who are really just Christian and think Jews are really cool. The first I see as a legitimate personal theology, the second brings cultural appropriation to mind.

Feel better!

[kith_koby]

I suppose that kind of Messianic Jew you're talking about is no worse than any other non-believer or heretic... I feel uncomfortable with the idea primarily because it scares me - that there are Jews who are Jewish in every way except one, yet that one way is exactly what makes them heretics, and so Halachically unfit to be part of an Orthodox community. (it actually happened in my community... We're a religious community and new members must live in the community for at least six months, and then voted in by the rest of the community. And we're Modern Orthodox and all, but one a family of Messianic Jews as you describe tried to be accepted into the community, and it was only dumb luck through which we discovered the truth)

[danceswithwaves]

See, that's interesting because I knew someone who was a Messianic Jew in college, and he went to the Chabad house, an Orthodox community, all the time, and many people there knew that he was a Messianic Jew and still welcomed him into the community. He tried going to Hillel, the Conservative community, a few times, but people were a lot more uncomfortable there with the idea of him being a Messianic Jew. So I think it really depends on the individual community. And possibly there's an America/Israel difference going on too

[sartorias]

I wonder if she might belong to one of the (many) break-off sects along the lines of 7th Day adventists or Mennonites, who I have heard use various terms that they have taken from the Old Testament, and who use Saturday as their Sabbath, instead of Sunday, etc. The use of 'Yeshua' is what makes me wonder about this.

[danceswithwaves]

I was thinking something along the same lines in the beginning. The problem with that -- and I particularly checked on this -- is that the name Hashem for God isn't found in the Old Testament.

Which means it came from Rabbinic Judaism, and using something from Rabbinic Judaism in a Christian context feels like appropriation to me.

That doesn't mean she's not from one of those sects, just that I completely disagree with their use of the name for God.

[sartorias]

They probably have their reasons (drawing on Judaic connections out of which Christianity arose) but it does really feel appropriative, doesn't it? Why not use one of the other names of God?

[danceswithwaves]

I had a more intense discussion about this earlier and I think the why is really important. But at the same time, I think names and words for things are also really important, so while I might be ok with someone taking a ritual they like and making it meaningful to them, as long as they call it something else, I'm less ok with them taking a word or name they like and attaching a different meaning to it.

[traumerin]

Interesting! I'm fascinated by what strikes different people as crossing the boundary line....

My feelings on this are mixed, especially as I've struggled with some of the relationship between Judaism and Christianity issues personally, so I'd rather talk about this privately with you sometime. :) Email date?

[danceswithwaves]

Oh my goodness! You're on livejournal! You exist! Sure, haha. I'm still phoneable for another week, too, before I leave for England.