It's not a basic curiosity. Not too many people, after asking these two consecutive questions - sometimes with a deep anger or an utterly disgust - are going directly, after meeting me, to the first library, or look after helpful information on the Internet (like this one - links for the curious provided: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atheist_Jew, helpful for those doubting any cognitive dissonance in my short answers "yes" to both questions).
In fact, me, I don't use to ask people what their religion is. Usually, I can have my own conclusions, but only if it is relevant for the general topics. I can easily discuss about weather or daily life without jumping to religious - more or less theological arguments.
But, I'm often faced with this kind of questions - unfortunately - and when my simple answer is "Atheist Jew", I'm often regarded as a strange person, in the very bad sense of the word.
In fact, from this point on, any other discussion, excepting the analysis/trial of my choice, is dead. I either have to be regarded with deep compassion ("oh, what happened with your life?") or deep aggressiveness ("why do you need to know other fellow Jews, in fact you don't have to call yourself a Jew", it's one of the softest appreciation I can get).
Atheism is a bad brand. I could be considered a communist (impossible!), a person without principles (not corresponding to the reality). Plus, my knowledge about Judaism is scrutinized carefully, mostly by people who know approximatively 10% of what I'm knowing about.
No, I don't feel any inferiority complex and I don't suffer of being excluded; my place is not with narrow minded, intolerant and aggressive people. I don't have any plans to change myself or to reconsider my very personal existential options.
And no, I don't hear voices, I'm not killing people, goats etc., I'm not suffering for any addictions, I wasn't abused in my childhood, I'm not zoophile, pedophile etc. and I'm very monogamous. "Sounds" normal ????
In fact, me, I don't use to ask people what their religion is. Usually, I can have my own conclusions, but only if it is relevant for the general topics. I can easily discuss about weather or daily life without jumping to religious - more or less theological arguments.
But, I'm often faced with this kind of questions - unfortunately - and when my simple answer is "Atheist Jew", I'm often regarded as a strange person, in the very bad sense of the word.
In fact, from this point on, any other discussion, excepting the analysis/trial of my choice, is dead. I either have to be regarded with deep compassion ("oh, what happened with your life?") or deep aggressiveness ("why do you need to know other fellow Jews, in fact you don't have to call yourself a Jew", it's one of the softest appreciation I can get).
Atheism is a bad brand. I could be considered a communist (impossible!), a person without principles (not corresponding to the reality). Plus, my knowledge about Judaism is scrutinized carefully, mostly by people who know approximatively 10% of what I'm knowing about.
No, I don't feel any inferiority complex and I don't suffer of being excluded; my place is not with narrow minded, intolerant and aggressive people. I don't have any plans to change myself or to reconsider my very personal existential options.
And no, I don't hear voices, I'm not killing people, goats etc., I'm not suffering for any addictions, I wasn't abused in my childhood, I'm not zoophile, pedophile etc. and I'm very monogamous. "Sounds" normal ????
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