Respect is earned; Rabbis are not exempt

I have always been told that I have an authority problem. I tend to mentally (and actively) challenge many rules. There is such a thing as legitimate authority. But I firmly believe that if a rule or a law is implemented, there better be a good reason for it.

Governmental Authority

I resent our government's intrusion in our personal lives. For example, I don't need the government to threaten me with a fine in order to have me wear a seat belt when I'm in a car. This is unnecessary. Just educate us on the number of lives that are saved due to wearing a seat belt and let adults decide for themselves whether we want to wear them. Let them also take responsibility for whatever injuries occur, in the form of higher -- or even no -- insurance premiums, for example.

I actively challenged this law in NY for over 10 years because I NEVER wore a seat belt from 1989 - 2000. (I always buckled up my children, they were too young to make these decisions). I never got a ticket for it either. But that's not the point.

I also actively challenge the federal government's laws regarding intoxicating substances. Who are they to tell us that we can smoke cigs, drink liquor, and use only the drugs that the FDA approves? I feel that I should be able to have the freedom to decide which intoxicants I want to put in my body and I should be able to make these educated decisions myself without having the government threaten to fine me or put me in jail.

The government is only my authority if I choose to recognize it as such.

Religious Authority

Years ago, I stumbled upon my youngest sister's Yeshiva book in my childhood home. It was about the rules and regulations of keeping Kosher. It was written for a younger audience. I would surmise that E. would have been in 6th - 8th grade when she used this book in school.

I was hoping to see an explanation and purpose for keeping kosher; like an introduction. Instead, it was revealed that the Jews keep kosher because the Torah mentions separating certain foods and since the Torah was divinely inspired, keeping Kosher is divinely mandated by God.

I don't know how anybody accepts this line of reasoning. What tremendous leaps of logic and mental gymnastics we need to do in order to get there.

First of all, the Torah only mentions not boiling a kid in its mother's milk. Everything else, the Rabbis made up later.

I do not accept the premise that any god exists, that this god wrote or inspired the Torah, nor do I take seriously any advice or admonitions which are stated in the Torah.

Respecting Pious Liars

And I certainly do not listen to or respect any Rabbis who take these ancient myths and extrapolate nonsense from it in order to make the Torah relevant for modern society.

Why does everyone bend over backwards to respect these so-called pious liar Rabbis who spout off nothing but ancient superstition and try to tell you precisely how to live your life?

Fine. If you choose to live your life worshipping your Rabbis words, please don't expect nonbelievers, atheists or anyone NOT of your religion to respect your chosen authority; Rabbis.

Fatherly advice

Recently, I was spoken to very harshly from a member of my family about my criticism of Rabbi Avi Weiss. I was expected to have "respect" for this man and not publicize my opinion of him on the internet.

Rabbi Avi Weiss can use any media forum he wishes to promote his form of Open Orthodoxy. He can publicly induct a female Rabbi (while going to great pains to replace the word 'Rabbi' with 'MaHaRa”T' to avoid being ostracized from the rest of the orthodox community) He can create media attention by getting arrested for civil disobedience with my brother-in-law and a whole bunch of other NY and NJ Rabbis. He can write books and hold public ceremonies which create controversy and publicity for himself and his ideas about Zionism and Jewish protesting.

All of Rabbi Weiss' outlets and opinions are fine with my family member who chose to get angry with me because R. Weiss is spouting forth similar views which he and my family members all share.

Equal time

Freedom of speech is sacred to me, especially the freedom to oppose religion for the vile fraud that it is. Religion is in my face all the time. It's annoying! I do not respect Rabbis, or any clerics, and I will make my opinion known as loudly and as forcefully as the clerics on the opposing side do about their views.

Respect by proxy?

I will not respect someone just because a member of my family respects that person. Respect must be earned, and as far as I'm concerned Rabbis and other clerics are doing damage to humanity by spreading falsehoods and teaching lies to gullible people who are emotionally weak and needy.

If there is ever to be an end to religious nonsense (and I don't mean the apocalyptic kind, where they kill each other off), then we must understand WHY religion is given such a wide berth of acceptance today, why billions of potentially rational people, or presumably mature adults, dress up and play make-believe...and why the rest of us let them do it.