Many times frum people think that people go OTD because the individual is seeking a gashmius/hedonistic life filled with physical pleasure. They think that the person is weak or lazy and just does not feel liking keeping mitzvos and halacha. If only he would put more effort into his learning or davening, then he would be able to fight the yetzer haraa (evil inclination).But I would like to add a different reason. It is is not always the cute girl in the miniskirt or the cheeseburger. A major challenge is the encounter with people who are of good character and morals, yet are not Jewish, religous, and sometimes even agnostic or atheistic. The world is filled with many good people. People who have positive outlooks on life, help others around them, and prove to be honest and decent human beings. Meeting these people and learning from them shows that it is possible to grow as a person without being shomer torah and mitzvos.
Of course in OJ there are many great people, baalei chesed, tzadikkim and others who we can gain inspiration and wisdom from. But these special people are not unique to OJ. True they are one of our own, and we should connect with them. But they exist in other communities, and other faiths, or non-faiths as well. Take Warren Buffet for example. A vocal atheist who is well known for his integrity and fairness in business dealing. He has given all of his wealth to charity, much of to fellow non-believer Bill Gate's foundation. http://atheism.about.com/b/a/257812.htm All I am arguing is that OJ is not the only way to improve ones midos or even find spirituality (but that is a subject for another post).
8 comments:
> All I am arguing is that OJ is not the only way to improve ones midos or even find spirituality
Very true. Billions of non-Jews do it everyday.
And I'd like to add that chidren of non ortho families also get marrried. Some have happy marriages and some not. Shabbos is nice but wholesome family life is not the exclusive domain of any ethnic group. So.. I am adding it
The goyim are only trying to copy us. Judaism invented charity and kindness.
JP--
You're just running around trying to poke your silly thumb in the skeptics' eyes. I hope it's satisfying for you.
ZH
I think in todays modern times of always being connected by cell phone or internet, Shabbos is important, just not every week. Maybe once a month would work.
Are we on to this again? Asking what the way is? I could have sworn He made it clear that we only need worry about our way. As in I worry about my way, you worry about your way. So sure there are lots of non-Jews achieving spiritual happiness. That's their ways. What are yours? What works for you? Is it good and decent with integrity and conscience?
Only the person being asked can answer for themselves.
i dont think that its necessary to be frum or to be jewish to be a good person, have a good life, marriage , etc. i believe that every person has to make frumkeit their own if they do want to remain an orthodox jew.
suitepotato
the problem is truth. each way promotes itself as the only way, and that everyone else got it wrong. religon is very much intolerant towards other religons, and also with its own various flavors.
this in not just a theoretical construct, this idea within OJ has myriad manifestations within prayer and halacha
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