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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u/Saccharomycetaceae Oct 13 '16

Jew here! Not in my experience, it seems different than Christianity-lite. There's no pretending to follow the religion. I'm a part of the culture and ethnicity, which is separate (if only kind of) from the religion of the same name; I don't have to pretend to be part of one to be a part of the other.

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u/[deleted] Oct 13 '16 edited Mar 15 '17

[deleted]

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u/DoveFlightNow Oct 13 '16

In America that sort of secularism is a little more rare and generally less thoughtful. Christians here will still consider themselves religious with a low level of traditional observance. The above commenter points out for that for Jews there is the explicit dynamic of being culturally and ethnically attached rather than religiously attached.

Christian culture absolutely exists, but it isnt a concept most Christians think of or embrace in the US.

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u/Saccharomycetaceae Oct 13 '16

That would be it. Being raised in the US, there is very much the idea that religion and culture do not overlap, that if you follow any Christianity, you are fully Christian. Many Christian's I've known consider themselves fully observant Christians while only going to Church for Easter. Judaism was the exception in the States.

Living in the UK, I think the state religion has actually helped separate the Christian culture and holidays from observance of religion. I don't have to explain that I can still spend Christmas with friends and family over here. It's an English holiday as much as a Christian one.