Let's face it: Modern Orthodoxy is a failure from a Hashkafic perspective (lifestyle wise I guess it's mostly OK). It's neither Modern nor particularly Orthodox. It has completely failed to address the hashkafic challenges of modernity, including science, ANE history and of course Biblical scholarship. Science and Torah reconciliation efforts are mostly a joke, the only people who buy that stuff are brainwashed, ignorant or both. The insistence on rationalism drains the mystery and spirituality from the theology. A 12th Century Philosopher who held that the planets were spiritual beings is held up as a beacon of common sense. Modern Orthodoxy? More like Medieval Orthodoxy. There's no new thought, and our leading intellectuals are mired in stupid debates about a single freaking brachah. Pathetic. I'm embarrassed to have a blog called Modern Orthopraxy, lest someone identify me with Modern Orthodoxy. Maybe in the 1960's it was hip and cool and groovy but that was 50 years ago.I feel more affinity theology wise to the Reconstructionists AND the Chareidim (in different ways of course). It smacks of intellectual dishonesty (We must integrate modern scholarship except of course where it contradicts the sayings of a 12th century medieval philosopher). I don't see much chance of anything changing anytime soon, so for intellectual gratification I'm going to have to look elsewhere. On the bright side, I have read some fun and interesting books lately, including 'Imagine: John Lennon and the Jews' which had some good lines, and 'Jewish Philosophy as a guide to Life' which is mostly impenetrable to anyone without a background in Jewish Philosophy but it did have some good quotes from Rosenzweig and Levinas. Luckily for me I happen to have some friends who do have a background in Jewish Philosophy, and also other friends who can read Tenach in Akadian (what, you never heard of the Artscroll Akadian Tenach?) so I do have access to some interesting thoughts. So in the spirit of that enterprise I'm shutting this old blog down. And starting a new one. This will be the last post on this blog.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Posts
7 comments:
Let's see what this post contains. A bunch of swipes and insults against Orthodox figures, and promises that in the future, you'll be presenting something new. Where have we heard that before? Oh yeah, all your previous blogs.
It's obvious that after an initial burst of 2-3 new thoughts, the new blog will degenerate into exactly what your last three blogs were.
I totally agree with this post.
I am really sad you will be closing down. I enjoyed the old style. On the other hand, I have just left UO. Good timing for me.
As in the past I eagerly await your new blog, and congratulate you on your past efforts.
I don't understand why you are so sanguine about the MO lifestyle. Is MO overflowing with artists, writers, stylish people? Does MO have a better grip on reality, the future? For the most part people are getting through life using a rear view mirror. The strength of MO lies in its special ability to raise decent children, maintain a solid family life and provide a strong sense of community. Other than the high culture of Talmudic study, MO is governed by the quest for parnassa and money. And except for small groups who can be called bourgeois,(which is a madreiga of sorts), for the most part everyone is middle class, busy with popular culture, sports and their iPhones.If the culture was stronger, the intellectual failures would appear and in fact be less important.
ej
I have to admit that I've been sporadic in following this blog, although I was regular reader of Godol Hador, with its daily posts and at least 150 comments on each post. Maybe it wouldn't hurt to bring him back.
ej, even in the MO world, or parts of it, there is a religious bias against being involved in the arts. A modern Orthodox child would find it difficult to succeed as a concert pianist or a serious actor or actress because of Shabbos.
See, for example, this post about the actress Mayim Bialik:
http://lifeinisrael.blogspot.com/2011/10/nisuch-hamayim-mayim-bialik-speaks.html
Although she is not from an Orthodox background, she has become quite observant; but most MO parents would not want their kids going to work on yom tov.
And except for small groups who can be called bourgeois,(which is a madreiga of sorts), for the most part everyone is middle class, busy with popular culture, sports and their iPhones.
You could say the same thing about almost any sector of American society.
tesyaa...I hear what you are saying. But writers, painters, designers are still possible. There are two taboo topics in MO, social class and the value of imagination. Concentrating on the latter, it's reason, rationality all the way down, which makes for many lawyers and few bohemians.
On your second point, a good part of the apologetics rests on the lifestyle and in effect culture. In my opinion it could and should be more. I don't see the same complacency and self satisfaction in the rest of Jewish life. There Jews push themselves and their children for aesthetic development (bildung)to the point of being culture vultures.I find it difficult to accept the idea of MO as culturally self sufficient, the only exception being pop culture and sports.
I wish there was a blog dealing with these topics.ej
learn hebrew, move to Israel, and learn what Judaism really is. Don't move to galut in Israel, like Beit Shemesh, Zfat, or Beitar, but to real cities, like anywhere else in the country.
Post a Comment