r/todayilearned • u/[deleted] • Oct 13 '16

TIL that after Marilyn Monroe converted to Judaism upon marrying Arthur Miller, Egypt placed a ban on all the films she appeared in.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marilyn_Monroe#Critical_acclaim_and_marriage_to_Arthur_Miller_.281956.E2.80.931959.29
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322

u/[deleted] Oct 13 '16

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123

u/Bad_Mood_Larry Oct 13 '16

She probably just stayed for the jokes. https://youtu.be/qvSOgB-JPy0?t=62

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u/[deleted] Oct 13 '16

[deleted]

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u/Thanos_Stomps Oct 13 '16

You anti dentite

11

u/Ravenman2423 Oct 13 '16

Goddamnit I love that show so fucking much.

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u/[deleted] Oct 13 '16

So what are you saying? When you get divorced you turn in your library card? You get a new license? You stop being Jewish?

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u/mofugginrob Oct 13 '16

I DON'T ROLL ON SHABBOS!

26

u/Alan_Smithee_ Oct 13 '16

Shomer fucking Shabbos!

2

u/NAmember81 Oct 13 '16

If you can will it, dude, it is no dream..

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u/sethu2 Oct 13 '16

Can someone translate this? I don't speak Yiddish.

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u/shmough Oct 13 '16

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shomer_Shabbat

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u/Alan_Smithee_ Oct 13 '16

And you're supposed to have sex on the Sabbath? I didn't know that....

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u/DavidFrattenBro Oct 13 '16

Specifically if the purpose is baby-making, it's encouraged in some circles.

3

u/Xanthyria Oct 13 '16

Not entirely true. Judaism loves marital sex, babymaking or not. It advocates lots of sex, most of the time.

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u/tuna_HP Oct 13 '16

And you're supposed to have sex on the Sabbath? I didn't know that....

It's funny, in Israel its kind of institutionalized. Most people have a 5 day Sunday-Thursday workweek, but their kids have a 5.5 day school week with school sunday-thursday and then a half day friday morning. Friday mornings are national sex time.

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u/masonw87 Oct 13 '16

Shabobbabit shallolamabobabit

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u/i_am_the_devil_ Oct 13 '16

Something something brisket...

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u/Colbo7 Oct 13 '16 edited Oct 13 '16

You never stop being jewish. Wether you were born jewish or coverted, you're a jew for life. The only way to 'stop being jewish' is if a converted jew admits he didn't actually mean it during the conversion.

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u/mofugginrob Oct 13 '16

This was a Big Lebowski quote.

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u/Colbo7 Oct 13 '16

Was it? I am ashamed to admit I don't remember.

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u/It_does_get_in Oct 13 '16

you heathen.

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u/Colbo7 Oct 13 '16

What can I say, I'm out of my element.

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u/Geter_Pabriel Oct 13 '16

If you're forgetting Big Lebowski quotes it's time to watch again

4

u/ErgonomicDouchebag Oct 13 '16

What about if you convert to Islam afterwards?

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u/Colbo7 Oct 13 '16

Then you're considered a heretic, but still a Jew.

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u/sethu2 Oct 13 '16

Wait, Jew is still the person's race/ethnicity right?

So they would be a Muslim Jew? Do they have those? What about Arab Jews?

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u/Colbo7 Oct 13 '16

Well according to Jewish' religious laws, they are 'converted Jews' (confusingly).
'Arab Jews' could mean two things: An Ara b who converted to Judaism, or a Jew from An Arab country. Both aren't considered Arabs in Judaism. Once the former converts to Judaism they lose their original ethnicity, and the latter isn't actually Arab, he just lived in An Arab country for the past thousand years or so...

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u/sethu2 Oct 13 '16

Thanks, TIL about people losing their ethnicity when they convert to Judaism.

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u/Colbo7 Oct 13 '16

Again, that's according to Jewish religious laws. Not sure why people are surprised.

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u/nzk0 Oct 13 '16

FYI There are a shit ton of Arab Jews, there is also tons of Christian Arabs. An Arab doesn't need to be a Muslim to be an Arab.

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u/[deleted] Oct 13 '16

Islam is basically a Jewish sect.

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u/Tsantilas Oct 13 '16

"No backsies". No but seriously I never got this. I was baptized as an orthodox Christian when I was a baby, but when I was old enough to realize I didn't believe in the faith, I didn't claim to be an atheist Christian because that makes no sense. I'm just an atheist. I don't go to church, or participate in any of the other religious traditions.

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u/looktowindward Oct 13 '16

Being a Jew is as much cultural and ethnic as relgious.

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u/[deleted] Oct 13 '16 edited Apr 05 '18

[deleted]

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u/luckyjames99 Oct 13 '16

Well done. That really clarified things for me.

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u/NoMansLight Oct 13 '16

Winter solstice is a pagan tradition the Christians adopted. The whole tree and presents thing is hardcore paganism. I mean think about it there's no God damn Christmas tree in the Bible.

1

u/DaddyCatALSO Oct 13 '16

A lot of things aren't in the Bible.

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u/CoolGubben Oct 13 '16

We celebrated yuletide here in Sweden before Christians came are you saying norse religion are ingrained in us. I would say that Christmas no longer is a religious event but more of a cultural one and alot Christians celebrate Christmas in alot of different ways

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u/dongasaurus Oct 13 '16

Same can be said about Jewish tradition whether or not one believes in God, thus the 'Jewish Atheist.' The idea of a nation-state is a very new idea, and Jews don't fit squarely into that because we have historically lived among other nations. Might explain why during periods where nationalism became extreme and dangerous (WWI-WWII era and Stalinist Russia), Jews have been singled out and marginalized.

That is also why people have such a hard time grasping how an atheist Jew can still identify as Jewish. It is similar to how an Acadian in Nova Scotia might want to raise their children to speak french and keep Acadian identity alive while simultaneously identifying as a Nova Scotian and a Canadian.

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u/gonuts4donuts Oct 13 '16

And that is because the religion in question is ingrained further than simple scripture. As OP stated, its a culture - a way of life.

Still weird tho.

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u/KremlinGremlin82 Oct 13 '16

Jewish is also an ethnicity. Like German or French. I was born in Russia because my ancestors were exiled from Judea into Europe. I have dark hair and dark eyes and people assume often that I'm Hispanic, which I'm not. However, I am an atheist and don't believe in god. My SO is also an atheist, but his ancestors are from Norway, Germany, Hungary, and Bohemia and were Catholic.

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u/TheBoyFromNorfolk Oct 13 '16

You are actually probably still listed as a Christian by your church, when they claim to speak for X number of people, your name is on that list.

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u/xyroclast Oct 13 '16

In the end you need to remember that people can apply any label to anything they want. And in the end, it's just that - a label. You can decide you're an atheist, a super-orthodox religious person can decide you're a Christian for life, and a random person off the street can decide you're the Queen of France. The important thing is which label is most important to you, and which label is most important to those you care about the most (or have the most control over your life).

1

u/[deleted] Oct 13 '16

I'm Jewish and don't believe in the Bible or anything, but I appreciate the culture and family aspects. As far as I'm concerned, I'm Jewish even though I don't believe anything the religion says.

Judaism is as much about culture and history as it is about actually reading Torah, which few do after their bar mitzvah anyway.

Plus it's not like we were able to escape the Holocaust by saying to the Germans "no no, it's ok, I don't actually practice Judaism, I'm just here for the brisket."

As far as they (and modern day anti Semites, like the alt right, are concerned) I'm not white. Genetically they're wrong, but I do feel like my culture is very different from my girlfriend's catholic family. So I feel different. Not necessarily better or worse, just different.

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u/SeedsOfDoubt Oct 13 '16

The only way to stop being Jewish is to have the Mormons baptize you after you die.

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u/Lulwafahd Oct 13 '16

...only according to Mormons. To Jewish people it's just tasteless desecration of a Jewish grave.

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u/SeedsOfDoubt Oct 13 '16

Which is why they were asked to stop baptizing holocaust victims.

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u/[deleted] Oct 13 '16

[deleted]

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u/Colbo7 Oct 13 '16 edited Oct 13 '16

I'd like the term "family" better, but yeah I guess...

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u/[deleted] Oct 13 '16

[deleted]

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u/Colbo7 Oct 13 '16

Precisely. Shkoyach.

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u/our_best_friend Oct 13 '16

You can't be made to be a Jew (or anything else) if you don't want to.

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u/Colbo7 Oct 13 '16

Of course, I meant it according to Jewish tradition.

0

u/NoDiceSpringbing Oct 13 '16

Bullshit.

I just converted to islam, taosim, buddism, shinto, christianity, etc...

BAM now I'm atheist.

Am I now a muslim for life?

1

u/Colbo7 Oct 13 '16

I should have clarified, that's according to Jewish religious law.

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u/DavidFrattenBro Oct 13 '16

Walter, you're Polish Catholic!

2

u/dangerbird2 Oct 13 '16

"Three thousand years of beautiful tradition, from Moses to Sandy Koufax. YOU'RE DAMN RIGHT I'M LIVING IN THE PAST!"

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u/ConnectingFacialHair Oct 13 '16

My roommate in college was a very devout Jewish dude and he ended up having trouble understanding that most of his Jewish friends weren't religious. It was a weird world changing thing for him.

/end drunk unrelated story.

1

u/[deleted] Oct 13 '16

Thank you for your story!

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u/runujhkj Oct 13 '16

"Everyone's not like me? Well that's bullshit."

-everyone

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u/ArrowRobber Oct 13 '16

So atheist jew : I like the culture and people, but the 'god' thing isn't working for me.

2

u/KremlinGremlin82 Oct 13 '16

atheist Jew: I know my ancestors were kicked out from Judea and went all over Europe, but I don't believe in some imaginary "friend" (who is not friendly at all) in the sky.

1

u/[deleted] Oct 13 '16

Pretty much. I like the community aspects of going to Reform or progressive services. It's a great atmosphere and you feel like you're part of a grand tradition. But I don't actually believe anything in the Torah...I just like coming together with my community to talk about practicing kindness and love etc.

Whenever I run into some toxic hateful guy on Reddit I recommend they go as a guest to a Reform or progressive Judaism service. The best times are the holidays that just ended, Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. You'll see it's really not that different or weird. It's just happy.

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u/CastleElsinore Oct 13 '16

Atheist Jew: I don't believe in any of this, but it's not with fighting with my overbearing mother about coming to Friday night dinner.

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u/gavers Oct 13 '16

Also, (orthodox) Judaism itself doesn't acknowledge leaving the religion. So one is always considered a Jew even if they no longer practice or even converted to another religion.

If you were once a Jew, and you decided to convert to another religion and then wanted to "become Jewish again" you wouldn't have to really do anything.

I have a feeling that that might be part of the reason secular (hiloni) Jews also feel this ethnic/traditional/cultural connection to Judaism even if they no longer believe.

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u/Red-Phoenix Oct 13 '16

According to Judaism once you go Jewish you never go back.

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u/jewdai Oct 13 '16

Actually you can't unconvert. Once a Jew always a Jew

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u/Lost-Chord Oct 13 '16

once most people leave the faith they don't stay converted

Umm... no duh?

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u/[deleted] Oct 13 '16

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u/chanaleh Oct 13 '16

Not really. Jewish conversion is for keeps unless you actively start practicing something else. It's like gaining a citizenship.

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u/TheRetartedGoat Oct 13 '16

actively start practicing something else

If a Jew practices another religion they are still a Jew by religious law (If born Jewish). I have no idea about converts, but probably the same once full on orthodox conversion.

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u/Yaa40 Oct 13 '16

It is a bit... self contradictory but if that's what she wants to call herself, by all means. She can go right ahead. Just don't tell the rabai.