Is Religion a Myth?
Well, the short answer is yes, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing! Oy! Why would the rabbi write something like that? The word “myth” has been on my mind because it is December already and the group known as “American Atheists” is up to its annual campaign to convince people that all religions are “myths” (although they misuse the word completely.) American Atheists has placed billboards in New Jersey (at the Lincoln Tunnel,) Ohio, and Florida to convince people that the celebration of Christmas is only the perpetuation of a myth (in this case meaning a falsehood.) Here in Ft. Lauderdale we will get to hear a lot about their efforts because the annual American Atheists convention will be held here this month.
When this group says that religion is a myth (they are targeting Christianity but would include any faith system that teaches that God exists) they mean that it is a lie, that any religion is false. They make their position very clear claiming that there is no God and, therefore, society, law, and morality should be based solely on humanistic, secular values. While I would defend their right to believe or disbelieve anything they want, I must reflect on the real meaning of the word “myth” and why the “myth” of religion is important to us all.
I believe that there is a God. There is only one God and all the fighting that we do is all about the various ways in which we choose to worship God. More importantly, I believe that Judaism is the proper way to worship God. That includes respecting people who worship differently or not at all. What of myth? Used properly, a “myth” is a sacred narrative. It tells us where we come from, how and why we got here, and where we should be going. Judaism starts with Abraham, the first individual who posited that God was a solitary unique being. Abraham entered into a special covenant with God and we are here to be a part of that “myth” because we affirm all that Abraham believed.
I am a Jew because I hold the “myth” of Judaism to be the very essence of what I believe to be true. This sacred story tells me that there is something that connects me to the past and the future and that the short little burst of light that represents my life is part of a much greater existence. My belief in God explains where that little light comes from and where it fits into this vast universe.
I actually worry about people like American Atheists. If they want to say that they live without myth they are the ones who are really practicing self-deception (a charge they would level against those who believe.) Their myth is one that they have to create- that man is the measure of all things- the final arbiter of good and evil. That’s a pretty scary proposition to me!
For Jews our “myth” is our sacred history- it is the story of our past and our future. It is the story of why we continue to bring a little more light to this dark world to this very day. Myth is the highest form of truth.
This article first appeared in the South Florida Jewish Journal
Wednesday, November 30, 2011
Thursday, November 17, 2011
Join me on the Internet for Music and Memories
Below you can read the story I did for South Florida Jewish Home. As you learn a little bit more about Internet Radio and my friend Peter Wein remember that you can join me for the two shows that I do on weinetwork.com.
The 45rpm Show airs Tuesday nights at 8pm, on Sundays at 10am and 5pm. On this show I play records (yea, those round little black things that spin) from the 60’s and 70’s. If you love the music relive in with my record players and me! Music you will not hear anywhere else. From Iron Butterfly to the Monkees I’ve got you covered.
The Bebop Jazz Hour airs Sundays at 12noon and at 7pm. I play the classics of 40’s and 50’s bebop and always try to include music that even most jazz fans have not heard. I play the classics of Jazz and always try to teach you something new about the music.
Remember, if you can’t log on when the show airs you can go to the weinetwork.com homepage and link-up to free i-tunes archives to stream or download. Hope to meet you in cyberspace real soon!
Below you can read the story I did for South Florida Jewish Home. As you learn a little bit more about Internet Radio and my friend Peter Wein remember that you can join me for the two shows that I do on weinetwork.com.
The 45rpm Show airs Tuesday nights at 8pm, on Sundays at 10am and 5pm. On this show I play records (yea, those round little black things that spin) from the 60’s and 70’s. If you love the music relive in with my record players and me! Music you will not hear anywhere else. From Iron Butterfly to the Monkees I’ve got you covered.
The Bebop Jazz Hour airs Sundays at 12noon and at 7pm. I play the classics of 40’s and 50’s bebop and always try to include music that even most jazz fans have not heard. I play the classics of Jazz and always try to teach you something new about the music.
Remember, if you can’t log on when the show airs you can go to the weinetwork.com homepage and link-up to free i-tunes archives to stream or download. Hope to meet you in cyberspace real soon!
Internet Radio In South Florida
Tech Tips, by Rabbi Yaakov Thompson
The internet has changed the way we do just about everything. The way we communicate with each other, the way we get our news, the way we pay our bills, and, yes, the way we are entertained; all these activities have been reshaped by our access to the internet. The big shift in radio entertainment began in 1994 with a very modest internet broadcast of a concert. Next the Rolling Stones would open the web to their live music. Before long the idea of an audio stream that would offer the content of a terrestrial radio station gave birth to thousands of “internet radio stations.” After more than 25 years of development there are now thousands of internet stations in every corner of the globe and the really great fact is that you can listen to any one of them no matter where you are. This fact gives the internet radio phenomenon a decided advantage over traditional radio with its limited broadcast area. Combining the best of both worlds is what has become known as satellite radio- picked up by radios but with a world -wide audience- although it remains a pay-as-you-go medium.
Statistics show that more than 30% of Americans now listen to internet radio and that number is constantly growing. With the computer equipment that most of us already own we are able to hear “broadcasts” from anywhere in the world and find “stations” that interest us the most. The big draw is that internet radio can cater to the listener who may not find his or her desired programs on regular commercial radio. Ethnic music, foreign language broadcasts, and stations devoted to those genres of music that have limited commercial impact can all be served by internet radio.
Here in South Florida we have a local internet station at weinetwork.com. Simply log on as you would to any other website and see a selection of programs to interest you. Music, including rock, jazz, oldies, and even theatrical music is available. Weinetwork.com offers a full array of talk shows including political and economic news, green technology, investing, and real estate. There is even a show produced by middle-schoolers to talk about topics that confront them. One of the great features for the internet listener at weinetwork.com is that the radio shows are archived on i-Tunes and can be downloaded for free at any time. This offers the same flexibility as a podcast (more on that next time.)
Peter Wein,61, owner of weinetwork.com began his career in marketing and then discovered that internet radio could combine effective marketing for advertisers as well as the ultimate in local and global entertainment. Wein works out of his Wellington studio providing his regular programming as well as live webcasts to help promote community and charity events. Speaking about the wide range of programs, Wein commented “Weinetwork.com is a station that has something for everyone. Our programming reflects the great range of interests that our audience has and the many ways in which our programming addresses the needs of the listening community. While most of our listeners are in South Florida, we have regular listeners across the globe. That is the mission of weinetwork- while our programs are produced locally, we know that the whole world is our audience.” You can check out all the shows by logging onto weinetwork.com. You will hear the show currently airing and can then go to any of the pages describing other show on the station. Happy listening!
This article appeared in the November 11th issue of South Florida Jewish Home
Tech Tips, by Rabbi Yaakov Thompson
The internet has changed the way we do just about everything. The way we communicate with each other, the way we get our news, the way we pay our bills, and, yes, the way we are entertained; all these activities have been reshaped by our access to the internet. The big shift in radio entertainment began in 1994 with a very modest internet broadcast of a concert. Next the Rolling Stones would open the web to their live music. Before long the idea of an audio stream that would offer the content of a terrestrial radio station gave birth to thousands of “internet radio stations.” After more than 25 years of development there are now thousands of internet stations in every corner of the globe and the really great fact is that you can listen to any one of them no matter where you are. This fact gives the internet radio phenomenon a decided advantage over traditional radio with its limited broadcast area. Combining the best of both worlds is what has become known as satellite radio- picked up by radios but with a world -wide audience- although it remains a pay-as-you-go medium.
Statistics show that more than 30% of Americans now listen to internet radio and that number is constantly growing. With the computer equipment that most of us already own we are able to hear “broadcasts” from anywhere in the world and find “stations” that interest us the most. The big draw is that internet radio can cater to the listener who may not find his or her desired programs on regular commercial radio. Ethnic music, foreign language broadcasts, and stations devoted to those genres of music that have limited commercial impact can all be served by internet radio.
Here in South Florida we have a local internet station at weinetwork.com. Simply log on as you would to any other website and see a selection of programs to interest you. Music, including rock, jazz, oldies, and even theatrical music is available. Weinetwork.com offers a full array of talk shows including political and economic news, green technology, investing, and real estate. There is even a show produced by middle-schoolers to talk about topics that confront them. One of the great features for the internet listener at weinetwork.com is that the radio shows are archived on i-Tunes and can be downloaded for free at any time. This offers the same flexibility as a podcast (more on that next time.)
Peter Wein,61, owner of weinetwork.com began his career in marketing and then discovered that internet radio could combine effective marketing for advertisers as well as the ultimate in local and global entertainment. Wein works out of his Wellington studio providing his regular programming as well as live webcasts to help promote community and charity events. Speaking about the wide range of programs, Wein commented “Weinetwork.com is a station that has something for everyone. Our programming reflects the great range of interests that our audience has and the many ways in which our programming addresses the needs of the listening community. While most of our listeners are in South Florida, we have regular listeners across the globe. That is the mission of weinetwork- while our programs are produced locally, we know that the whole world is our audience.” You can check out all the shows by logging onto weinetwork.com. You will hear the show currently airing and can then go to any of the pages describing other show on the station. Happy listening!
This article appeared in the November 11th issue of South Florida Jewish Home
Wednesday, November 16, 2011
What can I do?
Do you ever ask yourself that question? I seem to be finding myself asking that a lot lately. It is usually in the context of “I am just one person, so what can I do?” While there are many issues that might make me stand in front of the mirror asking that question, one seems to be recurring often- what can I do to help protect Israel from the lies and assaults from her enemies? I am too old to serve in the IDF and I am too far away to do anything that seems “tangible.” Yes, I write columns and speak to people but there must be something else! A brand new campaign to help Israel is being kicked off this year. It is tangible and it can help!
“Buy Israel Week” is an event that is meant to help bring awareness that I (and we) can do something to help- to buy Israeli products and ask our retailers to stock them. “Buy Israel Week” is the brainchild of Manhattan marketing executive Frances Zelazny. I had the opportunity to speak to her last week and gained a new understanding of “put your money where your mouth is.” We all know that there is a general assault on all things Israel. We tend to think only of the military or political assaults but there is a concerted effort to boycott Israeli products and bring pressure on retailers not to stock products of any kind from Israel.
Those who support the Palestinians portray Israel as “the aggressor.” They use economic tools such as boycotts and protests in order to hurt Israel’s ability to export products. What can we do? The simple act of buying and using Israeli products allows us to “push back”- to respond that we support Israel. If you use a cell phone, you are using technology developed in Israel. If you get sick and need state of the art treatment, you will probably need a medical protocol that was developed in Israel. So why not enjoy cheese or wine or cosmetics or a thousand other products that are made in Israel?
It may seem trivial- what difference could buying a few groceries make in the face of the great struggles facing Medinat Yisrael? A shopping bag full of Israeli items is a bag full of the Jewish future! Wow, how is that for a bargain! When we ask ourselves “what can I do?” we are admitting defeat. We are admitting that we can’t influence the world around us, but we can. We can all do a little and the accumulative result is enormous. Visit “buyisraelweek.com” and get the full story.
“Buy Israel Week” is going to be an annual event. It is also an effort that we can support every time we buy the things that we need in our homes. It seems so easy and it is. It is one more way that you can support the present and the future of Israel.
This article appeared in the South Florida Jewish Journal and the Atlanta Jewish Times.
Do you ever ask yourself that question? I seem to be finding myself asking that a lot lately. It is usually in the context of “I am just one person, so what can I do?” While there are many issues that might make me stand in front of the mirror asking that question, one seems to be recurring often- what can I do to help protect Israel from the lies and assaults from her enemies? I am too old to serve in the IDF and I am too far away to do anything that seems “tangible.” Yes, I write columns and speak to people but there must be something else! A brand new campaign to help Israel is being kicked off this year. It is tangible and it can help!
“Buy Israel Week” is an event that is meant to help bring awareness that I (and we) can do something to help- to buy Israeli products and ask our retailers to stock them. “Buy Israel Week” is the brainchild of Manhattan marketing executive Frances Zelazny. I had the opportunity to speak to her last week and gained a new understanding of “put your money where your mouth is.” We all know that there is a general assault on all things Israel. We tend to think only of the military or political assaults but there is a concerted effort to boycott Israeli products and bring pressure on retailers not to stock products of any kind from Israel.
Those who support the Palestinians portray Israel as “the aggressor.” They use economic tools such as boycotts and protests in order to hurt Israel’s ability to export products. What can we do? The simple act of buying and using Israeli products allows us to “push back”- to respond that we support Israel. If you use a cell phone, you are using technology developed in Israel. If you get sick and need state of the art treatment, you will probably need a medical protocol that was developed in Israel. So why not enjoy cheese or wine or cosmetics or a thousand other products that are made in Israel?
It may seem trivial- what difference could buying a few groceries make in the face of the great struggles facing Medinat Yisrael? A shopping bag full of Israeli items is a bag full of the Jewish future! Wow, how is that for a bargain! When we ask ourselves “what can I do?” we are admitting defeat. We are admitting that we can’t influence the world around us, but we can. We can all do a little and the accumulative result is enormous. Visit “buyisraelweek.com” and get the full story.
“Buy Israel Week” is going to be an annual event. It is also an effort that we can support every time we buy the things that we need in our homes. It seems so easy and it is. It is one more way that you can support the present and the future of Israel.
This article appeared in the South Florida Jewish Journal and the Atlanta Jewish Times.
Join Me For the L'chaim Show, Comcast 239, Direct TV 366, Tuesdays at 8PM
L'Chaim.153 12/6/11 - An interview with the editor of Jewish Home Magazine
and a discussion about PJ Library, an organization that sends out Jewish
books to children of all ages for free.
L'Chaim.154 12/13/11 - A look inside the Professional Advisory Council of
the Boca Ration Federation to see how it raises funds for Jewish services,
and we take a trip to CD Heaven inour "Eye on Jewish Business" segment.
L'Chaim.155 12/20/11 - Michael Andron discusses Kodesh.org, an organization
devoted to personal and spiritual growth and mind-body effectiveness
training, and Harry Silverman talks about Synagogue Solutions.
L'Chaim.156 12/17/11 - Senior speed dating where seniors come to meet other
seniors in a very unique enrivronment, and Scott Brockman talks about Hillel.
Watch on these South Florida stations. Remember JLTV airs throughout the US and Canada- to find your local listing go to JLTV.tv. Thanks to all of you who watch and support the show!
and a discussion about PJ Library, an organization that sends out Jewish
books to children of all ages for free.
L'Chaim.154 12/13/11 - A look inside the Professional Advisory Council of
the Boca Ration Federation to see how it raises funds for Jewish services,
and we take a trip to CD Heaven inour "Eye on Jewish Business" segment.
L'Chaim.155 12/20/11 - Michael Andron discusses Kodesh.org, an organization
devoted to personal and spiritual growth and mind-body effectiveness
training, and Harry Silverman talks about Synagogue Solutions.
L'Chaim.156 12/17/11 - Senior speed dating where seniors come to meet other
seniors in a very unique enrivronment, and Scott Brockman talks about Hillel.
Watch on these South Florida stations. Remember JLTV airs throughout the US and Canada- to find your local listing go to JLTV.tv. Thanks to all of you who watch and support the show!
Tuesday, November 8, 2011
A Chilling Spring
Since my last column many people have talked to me about the release of Gilad Shalit. As we all know, two Jews equals three opinions! It has been amazing to hear just how divided people are. Both here and in Israel people are concerned about the bigger issue of prisoner trades. Will it help or will it only embolden Israel’s enemies? It is certainly too soon to know but I think we can put that issue in a larger context. While Gilad’s return home was occupying much of Jewish news two other very ominous events occurred. Voters in Tunisia gave power to an Islamist party and the newly victorious Libyan interim government announced that it would seek to change Libyan law to a model closer to Sharia law. Increasingly, this is becoming the fruit of the “Arab spring” and I have to tell you that it is leaving me with a real chill!
We have been told over and over that the continuing wave of Arab democracy would bring new hope for the Mid-East. I do not believe that is true. This continuing “democratic” wave is only creating new dangers to Israel and the West. As each new country “falls” and supporters of Sharia rule are able to come to power there is less and less chance for peace. I don’t understand why people are willing to die in the struggle against a tyrant and then chose a new tyrant to take his place. That may sound harsh or perhaps like I haven’t given these new rulers a chance to show what they will do but the facts speak for themselves. Those countries that embrace and propagate Sharia are the countries that are the most radical.
It is this same radicalism that threatens to bring new war to the Middle East and new terror to the West. If you look at recent events in Egypt it is clear that the animus that overthrew the government was almost instantly turned against Israel and America. It is very easy to see this becoming the trend in the new “democratic” Arab world. What of Iran? The longer we choose to do nothing to deter Iran the braver the rest of the Arab world will become. Again, all of this will be fueled by a theology and legal system that seeks to bring Muslim dominance. Much of the stability in the Arab world (for better or worse) was fostered by governments that embraced a secular model of life. These governments forced this stability by abusing their own people and now that accumulated hatred is turned against other enemies. The Arab spring is proving to be a very chilling experience.
Since my last column many people have talked to me about the release of Gilad Shalit. As we all know, two Jews equals three opinions! It has been amazing to hear just how divided people are. Both here and in Israel people are concerned about the bigger issue of prisoner trades. Will it help or will it only embolden Israel’s enemies? It is certainly too soon to know but I think we can put that issue in a larger context. While Gilad’s return home was occupying much of Jewish news two other very ominous events occurred. Voters in Tunisia gave power to an Islamist party and the newly victorious Libyan interim government announced that it would seek to change Libyan law to a model closer to Sharia law. Increasingly, this is becoming the fruit of the “Arab spring” and I have to tell you that it is leaving me with a real chill!
We have been told over and over that the continuing wave of Arab democracy would bring new hope for the Mid-East. I do not believe that is true. This continuing “democratic” wave is only creating new dangers to Israel and the West. As each new country “falls” and supporters of Sharia rule are able to come to power there is less and less chance for peace. I don’t understand why people are willing to die in the struggle against a tyrant and then chose a new tyrant to take his place. That may sound harsh or perhaps like I haven’t given these new rulers a chance to show what they will do but the facts speak for themselves. Those countries that embrace and propagate Sharia are the countries that are the most radical.
It is this same radicalism that threatens to bring new war to the Middle East and new terror to the West. If you look at recent events in Egypt it is clear that the animus that overthrew the government was almost instantly turned against Israel and America. It is very easy to see this becoming the trend in the new “democratic” Arab world. What of Iran? The longer we choose to do nothing to deter Iran the braver the rest of the Arab world will become. Again, all of this will be fueled by a theology and legal system that seeks to bring Muslim dominance. Much of the stability in the Arab world (for better or worse) was fostered by governments that embraced a secular model of life. These governments forced this stability by abusing their own people and now that accumulated hatred is turned against other enemies. The Arab spring is proving to be a very chilling experience.
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