Why are non religious jewish people still called jews?

Question

I am a christian.. That means I believe in Jesus as my God and Savior. Jewish religion believes in God of Abraham. If the Jewish descendent doesn't believe in God, why are they still call jewish? It is like saying I am a vegetarian but I like eating steak... Jewish is a religious group and not an ethical group.. If they do not believe in God, they shouldn't be called jew.

People seem to have misinterpret my question. I did not post to be anti semitic. I apologize if it sounds that way. I only ask because I always thought Judaism is a religion like Christianity. As a result as Christian, I believe in Jesus. But I have friends who are Jews who don't believe in God. That is like saying, I am Christian but do not believe in god. How can you be a religious group and not believe in the religion?

Answer 1

I'm glad to see lots of very good answers to this question, especially those who point out that Jewishness is a culture, not a religion. The part of your question I'd like to address is, "If they do not believe in God, they shouldn't be called Jew."
Belief in God is not necessary to call oneself a Jew. If one is born of a Jewish mother and grows up in a Jewish home, that person is a Jew and will be recognized by Jews for all time. However, if that person converts to Christianity (or becomes athiest, pagan, etc.) I think he has a right to determine the label he wishes to carry. Here in the USA, we each have individual rights to declare the culture or ethnic identity we wish to assume. (The Catholic Church has decreed exactly who is and who isn't a Jew for many centuries.) Jews who converted to Christianity were not allowed to participate fully in the church because of their Jewish "bloodline." God bless this nation that gives us the right to declare our own ethnicity! And Christians can continue to tell others who is a "real" Christian and who "isn't" a real Christian.

Answer 2

Well, I'll tell you right now. I'm a religious Jew. It so happens to be that both of my parents came from non-religious homes and became religious on their own. It isn't that non-religious people don't believe in God, its that they don't necesarily believe it necesary to keep all His commandments for whatever reason. Also, a person isn't Jewish b/c he follows the commandments, he's Jewish either b/c he converted, or, in this case, because he was born to a Jew and his lineage traces back to Abraham. He is a descendant of Abraham and he was a witness to the giving of the Torah (bible) at Mt Sinai, as Jews believe that every Jewish soul from then or the future was present, and they all excepted upon themselves the Torah. Also, we believe that God created 2 human inclinations, the Good and the Bad, and He gave every human the freedom to choose which he shall follow. So if he follows the Good, than good for him. If he follows the bad, it's because he's a human and that's the way God made him. Why it is at all that God made evil, well thats a different story, and if you want to ask me, you can message me or just post it as a question. I hope I was helpfull!

Answer 3

I lived in Jerusalem years ago (studying the Bible.) I found that being Jewish usually means two things. It can be in reference to your ethnic heritage and it can also refer to a religion.

Many people belonging to the largest Christian religion - Catholocism, aren't actively practicing. They may not have attended in many years, but still see themselves as Catholics.

Jews may be religious Jews, Practicing Jews, Ethnic Jews, and even Converted Christian or Messianic Jews. There are also Orthodox Jews, Hassidic Jews, etc.

In your response, please remember that the God you and I worship was of Jewish decent as well when he was born on earth. He was a decendent of Judah - therefore a Jew. He was raised as a Jew and lived all of its laws and commandments until they were fulfilled in him.

The Old Testament teaches much about the history that helps us better understand the New Testament and the teachings of Jesus Christ. One thing you will find there is that the Benjamanites and Levites that mixed with The Jews (or decendents of Judah) anciently are also often referred to as Jews as well. So from the original 12 tribes of Israel we eventually consolidated into the general term Jews.

From a religious context, we should see it as the forerunner to our religion with more understanding being added through Jesus Christ, an actively practicing Jew.

With a history as long as Judaism has, it shouldn't be dismissed as simple. With the repression and treatment the Jewish people (not religion) as a whole have received over the years (and sometimes continue to receive) they often hang onto their Heritage with pride, even if the religion is not actively practiced or even dismissed and replaced with another.

I hope this sheds some light and helps you understand better the difference between the ethnic and religious parts of being Jewish.

And try to learn what Jesus taught about tolerance, acceptance and love. It may help you feel more peace.

Good luck.

Answer 4

Strange sort of Christian you are! You seem to have a lot of hate for the Jews. The Jews are a race of people, they are THE only people who are still a race and can trace their ancestory back to Abraham. What they believe does not change who they are.
Is a ***** not a black man because he lives in the UK?
The Jews are Gods chosen people and they still have a lot of blessings to come yet. Of course if you read your scriptures you would know that. Or perhaps you are not a Christian at all just a RC! Who says the Jewish decent does not believe in God? Where are you coming from? Where do you get your information from? The Dandy!
Christians also believe in the God of Abraham. What strange teachings you have. They are certainly NOT Christian.

Answer 5

Once a person is born Jewish or converts to Judaism he can never become non-Jewish. What you are describing is non-religious but they are still Jewish.

We believe that we should not give up on anyone until the day that they die that they will return to Judaism.

There is also a "tzelem elokim" (Hebrew) - a piece of G-d in every Jew. Another way of describing it is Yiddish: "A pintele yid" there is a spark of Judaism in every Jew, although for some it may be hidden deep. But one day they will find it and will return to G-d. They will always be Jewish.

Answer 6

Judaism is not a race, it is a people who share a religion. Non-religious Jews typically still believe but don't follow.

Answer 7

Your wrong. Jewish is both a religion and a race. You can be racially a Jew but be an atheist. You can be black (Sammy Davis Jr.) and be a Jew.

Answer 8

Jews are both. a religious jew is one thing and a non religious jew is another.. If you are born a jew, you are always a jew, even if you convert to another religion.

Answer 9

Are you asking what to call a person of Jewish culture and ethnicity who is not religious? "Jewish faith" is a Christian construct. The term "Jew" is an English take on the word Judean -- which, from aproximately 600 BCE was synonymous with the tribes of Israel (nation of Israel). Jewish religion is realy the cultural heritage and legal structure of Israel. Jews (when not under Christian social influence) talk about ourselves and each other as "less observant" or "more observant". Another term is "unaffiliated" -- meaning a Jew who has no connection with a Jewish community. So on the spectrum -- one could say "traditionaly observant Jew" "somewhat observant Jew" "un-observant Jew" "unaffiliated Jew" and if you are trying to express a person of Jewish tribal identity who hates everything to do with it -- "self hating Jew" "Jew with Stockholm syndrome" -------------- NOTE: Today "Israeli" normaly refers to citizens of the state of Israel. One could be a Jewish Israeli, an Arab Israeli, or one of a number of other religious/cultural groups (Armenian Israeli, Cerkessian Israeli...).

Answer 10

Ummm... initially they were a ethnic group... Israel was their home, they were en-slaved several times, moved to different parts of the world, but overall orginally they are an ethnic group. Especially, Israeli's who are of Jewish descent.