Religous without Belief

Judaism as my story, not my creed

I am religious Jew.

No, I haven’t recanted most of what I’ve previously written on this blog. I remain unconvinced about what for some are the most fundamental claims of religion and Judaism, such as the existence of a deity, the survival of the soul after death, and the divinity of any sacred book. I am not either particular about Jewish law. But I am deeply religious.

Lest the reader attack me that I am co-opting the term religion for something else, or obfuscating my true position with misleading labels, I would like to first try to understand what religion means. I am not claiming that every ideology or practice is a religion; that is to abuse the meaning of the term.

Sociologists of religion have long struggled to define religion. A definition which considers God to be a salient element would suggest the nontheistic religions such as Confucianism or some forms of Buddhism are not religions at all. A definition which considers morality and ethics to be salient elements might eliminate many polytheistic religions. And a definition which considers religious rules and practices might exclude Taoism, but could include legal or cultural non-religious frameworks. What is the common denominator between the ancient Greeks religious notions, a modern-day liberal church, and a Buddhist monastery?

The anthropologist Clifford Geertz, in a much-celebrated essay in 1966, argued that religion is “A system of symbols which acts to establish powerful, pervasive, and long-lasting moods and motivations in men.” While his definition has been subject to further debate and refinement, it seems to capture the idea that religion is a particular kind of cultural icon, one which is more binding and more motivating than any other. It may take the form of beliefs, particular practices, community, or a mixture of all three. But its distinct from other cultural systems in it power and meaningful nature.

I’m not here to argue if Geertz is right or wrong. Some might argue that religion is particularly focused on the idea of the sacred, or the idea of fulfillment, or maybe something to do with tradition. It may very well be. But I want to share what religion means to me.

There are two ways to see the world. The left brain looks for facts, analyses data, and arrives at objective conclusions. The right brain seeks meaning, develops stories, and builds a subjective experience. What is the difference between data and a story? Data is separate items or events, which although they may influence each other, they are intrinsically distinct. A story weaves together a series of events and builds a central theme or message. The scientist or philosopher has the job of describing data, the artist or theologian has the job of turning that into a story. Is the story true? That is a meaningless question. Stories aren’t true or false, the are relevant or irrelevant.

Religion is a story. But not just any story. It is the story of ultimate existence. For example, the Christian story is a story of sacrifice and redemption, and this frames the perspective on life itself. Life is deeply embedded in suffering and wrongdoing, and the sacrifice of Christ or one giving himself up to Christ has the power to redeem the person and allow them to look forward to the goal in spite of the struggles along the way.

Some frame this a metaphysical claim about the nature of the universe. Whether or not this claim is true, that doesn’t define its meaning and its power. It’s staying force it the perspective and framing it gives to human existence. Just as people view themselves in terms of their social networks, skills, and interests, people view themselves as playing a part in this grand narrative. It is a collective narrative developed through community, which enables one to embrace it more fully. And it is an existential narrative meant to describe the human condition making it ultimately important.

I reject the Christian narrative. This is for many reasons, including my cultural associations and sensitivities, but primarily due to its irrelevance to my life. Yes my life includes struggles and goals, but framing it in the religious terminology of sacrifice and redemption doesn’t speak to me or reorient me in the direction I desire. Therefore I don’t deny the story, as it was never a claim to be denied, rather I craft other, more relevant stories with which to orient my life.

The axiom of my religious identity is Jewish peoplehood. It is a story of tradition, identity, and uniqueness immersed in the cultural, political, and religious language of the Jewish people. Mesorah is the term I use to situate my place on the grand stage of history, klal Yisroel is the term I use to anchor my place in the sea of humanity on our planet, and these tools are embedded in me to the root of my being.

I might sometimes attempt to reframe older traditions which don’t feel relevant to me in a more palatable way, I might sometimes choose to reject other aspects of Jewish tradition, and I might sometimes grasp onto other narratives and identities for certain matters, but this doesn’t change what is there. I am writing the next chapter of the story which was initiated by the (mythical) patriarch Abraham, and nobody will tell me otherwise.