I agree 100%
What do you mean, have it both ways? I understand them not being whole nations, but could it be souls with in a nation? How does it work? Where are the lost tribes, are they still Jews? The northern tribes were not very Jewish when they were exiled!
Like I said, if they are gentiles, then they are not Jews.
Someone born to a nonJewish mother is a gentile. They would have to convert to become Jewish, even if they are a lost Jew from the lost tribes (only God could know that). This is another reason why certain ideas in kaballah get people confused.
If a person converts, then you can say , oh "he had a Jewish soul" bla bla bla. But if he has not converted and his mother is gentile, you have no basis for saying that. He's a gentile thru and through and God bless him.
Brit am wants to have it both ways- what I mean is that he wants to take gentiles and declare them "lost Jews" - he doesn't get to play God, and many individuals he speaks of have no desire to convert or be Jewish.