“You're not your job. You're not how much money you have in the bank. You're not the car you drive. You're not the contents of your wallet. You're not your f*** khakis.”
-Fight Club
And I’d like to add, I am not the blog I write, or the things I say on the internet. I am not my religion.
I find myself refraining from posting certain things on the internet or saying them in person. Oooh, my dear, it will offend my Catholic visitors. Yikes, this guy is a hardcore religionist, I’d better be careful what I say around him. Oh noes! it will offend my fine Christian blog readers. I can’t post that, it has a curse word in it. Better not say anything about this because it will offend various religious people. Oooh, better not Tweet that, some Christians don’t like rock music. Woops, better not post that, some hardcore Christian friends are vegans and puritans.
Really?
Yuck.
I hate stifling myself for fear of offense. It’s painful to do, and I’m not sure it’s even the right thing to do.
To top things off, I think the people who put up the image of 100% always-religious façades are frauds and charlatans. Their righteousness is only skin-deep, more often than not.
I am not my blog, I’m not my tweets, I am not my Facebook status updates. I’m not my religion. I’ve got to be who I am, and wouldja believe it, I’m not religious 100% of the time. I like rock music. I sometimes avoid studying Scripture so I can do some software programming. I like playing video games. I enjoy my wife and all the pleasures and sensualities that entails. I’m not a puritan. I like leisure and taking it easy.
That’s me.
I’m not all religious all the time. 
And if you’re offended by this post, you suck. 
And now that I’ve pondered holding back this post, deleting it, or otherwise not publishing it; now that I’ve resolved to hit the publish button, I now return you to our regular programming.
You know, I had similar thoughts about my own blog--feeling that sometimes it was not "religious" enough. But, there are so many facets to my life. And I know that God is the God of it all, so I don't have to feel compelled to "write religious" all the time.
ReplyDeleteGood on you for being yourself!
Yeah, that's the thing, isn't it? There's so much to life -- when I don't fill it all up with religion, I feel guilty around ultra-religious people. I don't think that's right, I don't think that's what God intended.
ReplyDeleteI dunno, I'm just talking off the top of my head now, but that's what's on my mind.
Thanks for the encouragement.
I'd say I hugely agree!
ReplyDeleteThe best thing is to say honestly what you think and to talk about it. If people get offended, its their problem. The good ones will realize the best thing to do is to say what they think and engage in un-angry debate. Its pretty simple - it doesn't have to be hard or confusing.
Now, I even agree with you about what you're saying about "I am not my religion", but it can be said in a different light, and in that way, I would say "yes, I am my religion".
This is not bragging by any means, especially since countless other religious Jews follow hereafter (and perhaps more). Therefore when I say "I", you can replace it with "all religious Jews", including the Prophet Dani'el, HaRav (The Master) Yeshua, his talmidim/disciples, Rav Shaul, etc:
1. When I arise and pray, reciting Torah verses (Shema, etc), Psalms, my own personal prayers or what be it, it takes up usually a half hour to multiple hours of my morning (I make sure to rise as early as I need to when I'm working or doing something in the morning).
2. When I eat something throughout the day, I say the appropriate bracha (blessing) each time.
3. When I pray in the afternoon, its generally shorter than morning prayers, but I have the ability to draw it out if I feel led to, and sometimes I do.
4. When I pray at night to recite the Shema again and what not, its usually a bit longer than mincha (afternoon prayers).
5. In my spare time, I have gotten in the habit of turning off the tv and studying Torah, whether it be online discussions, studying the upcoming Torah portion, reading Tehillim (Psalms) or other books of the Tanakh, or books on the subject of the Tanakh and/or my religion.
6. Also in my spare time, I often pick up my guitar, write songs, play songs I already know - sometimes I play my guitar and sing the Psalms I would normally sing as part of prayer.
With all this (and believe me, I didn't just start doing this overnight - it takes discipline), I find that the vast majority of my time outside of sleeping, eating, working, is spent in prayer, Torah study, and other HaShem-seeking ways.
It has been said "your heart is where you spend your time". If that's true, then I'm happy to say I have correctly placed my heart where it needs to be. Again - Rabi Yeshua and his talmidim, and many others were and are way advanced than me and done/doing greater things than I, I am no saint here; but in this way I guess I can say I am my religion.
-Aaron (I'm logged into another profile uploading something, so that's why I didn't use my account to post this.)
I've always believed in "call no man a fool", when it comes to matters of conviction in politics or faith.
ReplyDeleteThat's not to say I've ADHERED to that mantra always, but we try. You can state your truth or belief, providing it's backed up with evidence and free of name-calling or vilifying stereotypes. If someone is still all precious about it, then they deserve to be offended.
Hope you enjoyed Florida, Judah. Did you hear the one about the Brooklyn Jewish couple going to Florida for a holiday?
No, you suck :-) JK.
ReplyDeleteWork hard. Pray hard. Play hard.
The joys of the World to Come have a lot to do with grass, trees, mountains, and rivers who make glad the city of God.
Derek
Thanks Aaron, and thanks Derek for the laugh. :-)
ReplyDeletePH, no I haven't heard that one...please, go on. :-)
Woo woo!!! I agree 100% man!!!! Its not your problem if people get offended by reading your blog, and if they do - they suck!! ^_^ hahaha love ya brotha!!! Just keep on doing what you do best!!! and eff all them who tell ya otherwise!
ReplyDelete-Michaela (your FAVORITE sister in the WHOLE WIDE WORLD!)
Michaela...hahah, too funny.
ReplyDeleteI didn't know you read my blog! You never comment. Well, cool. :-)
Brother, this was refreshing and real......as we all are, religious or not we are human, and our humanity is beautiful...thank you for sharing a glimpse of yours...
ReplyDeleteI love rock music too :)...
Disturbed, Skunk Anansie, Linkin Park, Incubus..and on , and on..
Cool. It's funny, and kind of hard to believe, that you're a rock music lover. My mind thinks of you as this calm, collected God-follower. Maybe these images aren't mutually exclusive. That's cool.
ReplyDeleteYou ever hear Alter Bridge - Blackbird ? One of my favorite rock songs (and albums). At about 4:30 into the song, Mark Tremonti goes on one of the greatest rock guitar solos I've heard. Killer song, great guitar.
BROTHER!!! BLACKBIRD IS MY ABSOLUTE FAVORITE SONG OF THE ENTIRE FRIGGIN ALBUM!! OMG!!!! WOOOOOOOOWWW! So awesome.
ReplyDeleteLET THE WIND CARRY YOU HOOOOMMMEEE BLAAACCK BIRRRDD FLYYY AWWWAYYY MAYYY YOU NEVER BE BROKEN AGAAAAIINNNNNNNNNNN
lol and the images are not mutually exclusive....both sides keep my sanity :)
ReplyDeleteHahah! :-) Awesome man.
ReplyDelete