Someone explain religion to me

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• Novni Guest · 4 years ago

  Hey man. I’m also born atheist. It’s okay that we are. We are worthy of respect just as they are. For me it is simply feeling that life is too mysterious to pin down to one religion, and that I don’t think there’s a god. I was raised orthodox Christian though, a lot of feasts and festivals. Saint reverence. Saint Michael is still one of my favorites. There’s Old Testament to read if you’d like

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• Novni Guest · 3 years ago

  I am a reform Jew. I read the Old Testament and the Torah. We have Shabbat from sundown on Friday to sundown on Saturday. It is our day of rest. Most people just attend the Friday service, where we light candles and drink wine/grape juice from the Kiddish cup. Challah (a special braided bread) is broken as well. We sing many blessings. Women are usually the only people to light the candles. This is our candle blessing: Barukh ata Adonai Eloheinu, Melekh ha'olam, asher kid'shanu b'mitzvotav v'tzivanu l'hadlik ner shel Shabbat. Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the universe, Who has sanctified us with His commandments and commanded us to light the Shabbat candles. This is our Kiddish blessing: Yom ha-shishi. Vay’chulu hashamayim v’ha-aretz v’chol tz’va’am. Vay’chal Elohim bayom hash’vi’i milachto asher asa. Vayishbot bayom hash’vi’i mikol milachto asher asa. Vay’varech Elohim et yom hash’vi’i vay’kadesh oto. Kee vo shabbat mi-kol m’lachto asher bara Elohim la’asot. Savri maranan v’rabanan v’rabotai. L’chaim! Baruch ata Adonai, Eloheinu melech ha-olam, borei p’ri hagafen. Baruch ata Adonai, Eloheinu melech ha-olam, asher kid’shanu b’mitzvotav v’ratza vanu, v’shabbat kod’sho b’ahava uv’ratzon hinchilanu, zikaron l’ma’aseh b’reishit. Ki hu yom t’chila l’mikra-ay kodesh, zaycher l’tziat mitzrayim. Ki vanu vacharta v’otanu kidashta mikol ha’amim. V’shabbat kod-shi-cha b’ahava uv’ratzon hinchal tanu. Baruch ata Adonai, mi’kadesh ha Shabbat. The sixth day: And the Heavens and the Earth and all they contained were completed, and on the seventh day God desisted from all the work that he had done. And God rested on the seventh day from all the work that he had done. And God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it, for on that day he rested from all the work which he had done in creating the world. By your leave, rabbis, masters, teachers! To Life! Blessed are you, Lord our God, Ruler of the Universe, who creates the fruit of the vine. Blessed are you, Lord our God, Ruler of the Universe, how has sanctified us with his commandments and favored us, and given us in love and favor his holy Shabbat as an inheritance, as a remembrance of the act of creation. For this day is the beginning of all holy days, a remembrance of the Exodus from Egypt. For you have chosen us and you have blessed us from among all the nations. And you have bequeathed us your holy Shabbat in love and favor. Blessed are you, Lord, who sanctifies Shabbat. Blessing for Challah: Baruch atah, Adonai Eloheinu, Melech haolam, haMotzi lechem min haaretz. Blessed are You, Adonai our God, Sovereign of all, who brings forth bread from the earth.

  Saturday there is usually another service to end Shabbat, but not many attend. We have holidays. Rosh Hashanah is the Jewish New Year, where we celebrate life. We especially blow the shofar that day. Yom Kippur is the Day of Atonement. We confess our sins so that we enter the book of life. We do not eat or drink until sundown. Sukkot is a week long. We live in a sukkah, which is usually very tent-like, to remember our ancestors that were leaving Egypt to Israel. Simchat Torah is full of dancing and singing. We unveil the entire Torah, without touching the actual wording. Hanukkah is eight days long. We light a candle each day. We celebrate the Maccabees winning their battle. Purim is the celebration of Ester saving the Jews of Persia. We eat hamantashen cookies, which are worth the mention in this comment. Passover is a week long. One day we have a big feast and talk about Moses and the freeing of the slaves. All of these holidays have more to them, but I do not want to have to be here all day.

  I hope you had fun learning about my religion. You are perfect as you are. Believing in a higher power does not make you a good person. Just a person of faith. I hope you have an amazing day as who you are: a nice atheist.

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