... Are you kidding me? I just agreed that there is no proof of time starting or ending, and you told me that I can't prove it? I can't prove the no proof, that doesn't make sense.
How do you know that your ancestors did this and that it wasn't just written by some guy somewhere? Why do you deny Hindu and Buddhist philosophy?
Because the Jewish people have a Mesorah where things were passed down from father to son, mother to daughter. It would not be possible for someone to just say that every Jew witnessed the revelation at Sinai. The Jewish faith cannot be compared to others because Jewish history is replete with validation of the prophecies.
But what I have to say to you Mr SecularNationalist is this. I rebuke you for your rejection of your heritage. I try to remind myself that you claim you are of Russian descent which explains it if your family experienced the Soviet Union. The Soviet system was intent on trying to destroy the Jewish faith and it almost succeeded except for the Chassidic Rabbis who kept teaching Torah even at the risk of their lives.
And the leader of JTF, Chaim Ben Pesach and his Rabbi Rabbi Kahane both fought for the liberation of Soviet Jewry. My family left Ukraine in the 1890s and they missed much of the devastation of the Jewish people in Europe. Many Jews lost their faith there, but many more also gained their faith and saw the rebirth of the Jewish nation. The dreams of our fathers actually materialized in their generation.
A person who believes only in science is not a scientist. Putting faith in science is, as I have said here many times, a form of idolatry. Hashem created space and time, and he operates outside the rules that we do in this world. I cannot even begin to explain to you how Hashem exists because his 'existance' is not something we can comprehend.
Believing that man will know all the answers, or that everything can be measured and weighed via algorithms and calculations is a foolish thing. I studied Computer Science at one of the best schools and understand a lot about computer science {with over 25 years of experience in the field} but I am humble enough to admit that there are things which are beyond my understanding.
I have seen scientific theories come and go. And in many cases the 'business of science' becomes the important thing, and the actual data for the science is manipulated. This occurs both in environmental and biological/pharmaceutical sciences. To believe every report of findings is not wise, and it leads to losing faith in the scientific community.
I suspect I am a bit older than you are. And as a result I must have some compassion on you because you have not experienced the world yet. Many young people don't listen to their parents and rebel. I did not believe the teachings of my parents till I was well into my 30s. But you have a contempt and a mocking attitude which I never had myself. I never mocked the religious and I always respected my elders.
I do not enjoy engaging in conversation with you. I feel sorry for someone, who claims to be Jewish, who forfeits his connection with the creator. You may want to believe that all religions are the same but you will discover that you were born Jewish for a reason, it is a mission for the Jewish soul. We are not trying to convert anyone, and we are not trying to force anything on anyone.
This thread was started about homosexual marriage. The Torah and our moral laws are meant to create an enlightened and 'Holy' nation. When we engage in things which lower our spiritual level {such as engaging in intercourse purely for animalistic intentions} we bring darkness into our souls. You have questioned the existence of the soul, but I believe you will find your soul shortly. I knew I had a soul when I was 8 years old.
So I don't really think JTF is a place for you to find friends. Most of us here have faith in Hashem, in one way or another, and our Nationalistic view is dictated by the Torahs command for the Jewish people to occupy the land which was promised to Abrahams children. I am sure there are forums where your opinion would be valued and I hope you find such a forum for your ideas. I believe you are bright and you have a lot of potential. But I will not sit here and listen to such blather as you have expressed here. I don't know if you intended to be obnoxious or 'avante garde' but when you started posting here a light in my head lit up saying 'troll'.
I do not feel any hatred for you, nor do I wish you ill. But I do pray that all of the Jewish people will stand together one day and say 'Shema Yisroel'.