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How do you define 'religious'?



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amother


 

Post Fri, Mar 25 2011, 9:52 am
for example, is someone who is only somewhat observant but strongly spiritual, has faith in G-d throughout hardships of their life etc, and is kind and helpful, considered religious?

and what about someone who is an ffb, observant of everything, yet does not have true belief? are they considered religious?

obviously most people would say it's someone who is observant but also G-d fearing and seeking to do good in their life

but still interested in your answers!! Very Happy
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chocolate moose




 
 
    
 

Post Fri, Mar 25 2011, 10:43 am
Do you learn Chassidus?
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Lady Godiva




 
 
    
 

Post Fri, Mar 25 2011, 2:13 pm
Religious, to me, is a person who follows the laws of a religion.
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PinkFridge




 
 
    
 

Post Fri, Mar 25 2011, 3:03 pm
Lady Godiva wrote:
Religious, to me, is a person who follows the laws of a religion.


It's interesting, if not telling, that when a person is said to do something religiously (in the colloquial sense) it's meant as consistently.
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bubby




 
 
    
 

Post Fri, Mar 25 2011, 3:25 pm
chocolate moose wrote:
Do you learn Chassidus?


What CM means (I think) is that Chassidus deals with these kinds of questions.

My definition: someone who follows not only the letter of Jewish law, but also the spirit.
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1Life2Live




 
 
    
 

Post Fri, Mar 25 2011, 3:27 pm
When I use the word religious (referring to a Jew) I mean someone who keeps shabbos and kashrus.

Quote:
for example, is someone who is only somewhat observant but strongly spiritual, has faith in G-d throughout hardships of their life etc, and is kind and helpful, considered religious?

I use the word "spiritual" to describe a person like this. Although, if they weren't Jewish I'd use the word "religious"

I guess it all boils down to what context the word is used in.
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Depressed




 
 
    
 

Post Fri, Mar 25 2011, 3:38 pm
amother wrote:
for example, is someone who is only somewhat observant but strongly spiritual, has faith in G-d throughout hardships of their life etc, and is kind and helpful, considered religious?

and what about someone who is an ffb, observant of everything, yet does not have true belief? are they considered religious?

obviously most people would say it's someone who is observant but also G-d fearing and seeking to do good in their life

but still interested in your answers!! Very Happy


Im sorry for my bluntness, if the person wasnt raised in a frum home, and didnt go to yeshiva, they are "spiritual,searching" .. If they come from a frum home, especially if they grew up in a charedi community , but doesnt really believe they are a phony plain and simple. Maybe its not entirely their fault due to bad experiences, but they are still a phony...
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blue eyes




 
 
    
 

Post Fri, Mar 25 2011, 3:54 pm
F R U M
U consider urself normal - anyone to the right is Fanatically Religious and anyone to the left is Modern
Rolling Laughter Rolling Laughter Rolling Laughter
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Rollerblades




 
 
    
 

Post Sat, Mar 26 2011, 10:42 pm
blue eyes wrote:
F R U M
U consider urself normal - anyone to the right is Fanatically Religious and anyone to the left is Modern
Rolling Laughter Rolling Laughter Rolling Laughter


LOVE THIS!
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Ima2NYM_LTR




 
 
    
 

Post Sat, Mar 26 2011, 10:44 pm
blue eyes wrote:
F R U M
U consider urself normal - anyone to the right is Fanatically Religious and anyone to the left is Modern
Rolling Laughter Rolling Laughter Rolling Laughter

like
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sequoia




 
 
    
 

Post Sat, Mar 26 2011, 10:46 pm
This is a great question.

Okay, how can you describe someone who believes in G-d and the Torah as secular even if they don't do everything?

Although, I'm okay with describing an Orthodox atheist as religious.

I guess you should have either beliefs or practice, preferably both.
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Happy18




 
 
    
 

Post Sun, Mar 27 2011, 12:03 am
I love this question!

My answer: You cant. I could define orthodox. But I dont think I can define religious in simple terms.
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Isramom8




 
 
    
 

Post Sun, Mar 27 2011, 2:44 am
In Israel, there are people who declare proudly that they are dati - but they have to declare it, because otherwise, looking at their lifestyle and dress, you wouldn't know. So if you have to prove it, I think you're not so much.

OTOH the last time I was at the mikva, it was full of chiloniot. Wait, how can they be chiloniot if they keep TH?

Good thing it's Hashem's job to judge this kind of thing, and not mine.
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ora_43




 
 
    
 

Post Sun, Mar 27 2011, 4:32 am
To me,
religious = someone who defines themselves as religious. Unless used in conversation with someone who would take the wrong meaning from the word (so for instance, I wouldn't describe a Jew who affiliates as Conservative as "religious" in a conversation with someone who would take that to mean "shomer shabbat k'halacha" if they aren't).

frum = Jew who keeps Shabbat, kashrut, and presumably taharat hamishpacha.

Shomer mitzvot = more useful than the other two terms IMHO. Really, the mitzvot a person keeps says more about who they are and where they are holding, than whether or not they define themselves as religious, or even what they believe.
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PinkFridge




 
 
    
 

Post Sun, Mar 27 2011, 9:21 am
In the back of Rabbi Mayer Schiller's The Road Back he gives an overview of the spectrum of "Orthodoxy", going from MO to very insulated Chassidim. His approach is to delineate groups based on their interfacing with the world, and their attitude towards interfacing with the world. (I haven't read it in a while, but I think I remember correctly.)
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