Category — Uncategorized

When I was twelve, I read a book that changed my life, as great books often shake the mindsets of twelve-year-olds.

Salinger’s Catcher in the Rye is often referenced as the defining book for the American adolescent male, and perhaps Lord of the Flies in second place. But The Chocolate War, by Robert Cormier, far exceeds either one.
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Another wonderful aspect of ultra-Orthodoxy in an endless supply of benefits even in Olam Hazeh

As some of you may have heard, the always-functional ultra-Orthodox have started an epidemic of the mumps. And it is getting worse. Why? Because these stupid penguins are too pious to get vaccines. This is not being mentioned in the NY newspapers.

The Israeli newspapers are less shy. Because “THEY HATE FRUM PEOPLE.” And because it is true.

Please check with your local rabbi BEFORE getting your child vaccinated!

In any case, the ultra-Orthodox public largely believes that everything is in God’s hands. Even though one must make the effort and go to the doctor, measles was not seen as a disease people die from

Same with mumps, presumably. You can go deaf, but no big whoop. Not something you break shabbos for, and not something you get a vaccine to prevent.

The ultra-Orthodox mentality is itself conducive to plague.

Mandatory Orthodox comparison to Goebbels in comment number 1.

Unpious. I know about it, yes. Thanks to everyone for their emails. Also see Formerly Frum for a skeptic perspective from the ladies.

Courtesy of XGH.

Mine would have gone closer to a 45 degree trajectory.

When Carter’s letter of apology was published, Halfsours noted to me privately that, “something’s up.”

Indeed, it was.

Some did not wait even a day to see what “was up.”

Antisemitica wrote,

Apparently, Carter now believes the international prestige of Israel is more important than his stated commitment to ‘human rights’. If the Jewish Lobby wasn’t such a powerful force in American politics, would an ex-president of the United States ever prostrate himself before it in this manner?

Antisemitica, A.K.A. Hunter Wallace, did not ask the following question:
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Way sooner than I expected. Don’t expect all the hippies to rush to retract, however.

The WSJ writes,

Federal counterterrorism officials investigating the recruitment of ethnic Somalis in the U.S. for jihad in Somalia say the case echoes the type of homegrown radicalization that threatens parts of Europe.
[...]
Patrick Rowan, who was chief of the Justice Department’s national-security division when the Somali probe began, said: “If there was ever a subconscious belief in the counterterrorism community that our society is different from Europe and therefore we don’t have to worry about problems like they’ve had, the activities in Minneapolis demonstrate we can’t think that way.”

Contrary to the secular western culture whose deplorable materialism is responsible for enticing ultra-Orthodox Jews to commit crime after crime, India appreciates rituals. Even better, India appreciates baby rituals. Rituals are important, people.

Hat tip: Eli Valley

Rabbi Avi Shafran has an important essay reminding us not only about who is a proper candidate for conversion, but really, who is considered a good Jew. All too often, we judge people by vague notions of “upstanding” morality, and that simply isn’t the True Jew way. We can sit here and argue about who did or did not murder, amputate limbs, bury a pregnant woman alive, and generally torture large civilian populations…but those simply aren’t the important issues.

With a proper conversion, even the most vile gentile criminal becomes as pure as a baby.

Rabbi Shafran explains,

Liberian dictator Charles Taylor, believed to be responsible for the murders and maiming of untold numbers of innocent African men, women and children, is now Jewish.
[...]
The answers – assuming the would-be convert is demonstrably sincere in his desire to join the Jewish people and accept Jewish observance (including renouncing crime) – are yes. By very definition, seeking conversion bespeaks a determination to change radically, and undergoing conversion creates precisely such a change. A convert, in the Talmud’s words, is “like a newborn baby,” detached from his or her previous existence.

The question, therefore, is not if whether or not Mr. Taylor has done evil. The question is whether today, he is willing to accept daas Toyrah…the will of the haredi leaders.

If so, he should be legally absolved of all past crimes of his former gentile life. He would have a new soul.

On one foot. On Jewcy.