Author Topic: Is It Wrong For Jews To Use Terms Like "The Holy Grail", "Wandering Jew", Etc.?  (Read 3436 times)

Online Something Fishy

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Holy Grail, Wandering Jew, Good Samaritan, Holy Cow, and a bunch more. All if those are technically Christian or Buddhist/Hindu religious terms, but these days are simply used in everyday conversation without any religious connection or implication.

Is it wrong for a Jew to use these terms the way they are commonly used today?
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Offline Ephraimh

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Add fingers crossed to that list

Offline churnbabychurn

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Add fingers crossed to that list
Yes pet peeve of mine. Terrible

Online Something Fishy

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Add fingers crossed to that list

Right, and knock on wood as well.
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Offline LoLo

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And Jeez.

Offline ChaimMoskowitz

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Hate to break it to all you but the forum idea came from a Catholic.  :)
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Offline shapsam

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Hate to break it to all you but the forum idea came from a Catholic.  :)
Problem is not that those expressions come from christians, the problem would be that they are christian.

Offline Ephraimh

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Hate to break it to all you but the forum idea came from a Catholic.  :)
That Catholic who came up with the forum idea is probably mad at you for using his tool to conflate stuff .. words and phrases are a function of, and generally reflects, ones views, ideas and beliefs, a forum on the other hand, is just a tool, and does non of that, regardless of what the guy who invented it believes in.

Offline whYME

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The way I see it
Holy Grail, Wandering Jew, Good Samaritan, Holy Cow
these days are simply used in everyday conversation without any religious connection or implication.

However,
fingers crossed
and
knock on wood
Still have somewhat of a religious connotation. (or maybe it's just that they have an action associated with them, even if most people don't view them as being religious?)

Offline ChaimMoskowitz

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What religion is associated with fingers crossed and knock on wood?
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Offline churnbabychurn

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What religion is associated with fingers crossed and knock on wood?
Crossing is a Christian form of prayer

Offline ChaimMoskowitz

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Crossing is a Christian form of prayer
Never heard of that once. It is for wishing luck where I come from.
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Offline gingyguy

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Never heard of that once. It is for wishing luck where I come from.
thats because you hang out on a jewish forum.... gotta spend more time with the christains!!
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Offline ChaimMoskowitz

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thats because you hang out on a jewish forum.... gotta spend more time with the christains!!
You need to get out more and not believe this non-sense. If you want to talk about something real we can start with "blood libel".  :)
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Offline gingyguy

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You need to get out more and not believe this non-sense. If you want to talk about something real we can start with "blood libel".  :)
now ur on thin ice.. blood libels are not really joking material
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Offline ChaimMoskowitz

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now ur on thin ice.. blood libels are not really joking material
So you think it is a joke to associate these things with Christians? I guess Christians should stop saying "cheap"?
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Offline gingyguy

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So you think it is a joke to associate these things with Christians? I guess Christians should stop saying "cheap"?
there is a difference to referencing a religion even if you think its a mistake  to joking about innocent people being brutally murdered
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Offline ChaimMoskowitz

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there is a difference to referencing a religion even if you think its a mistake  to joking about innocent people being brutally murdered
Yes there is a big difference.
Making fun of a religion is not a joking matter IMHO.
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Offline gingyguy

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Yes there is a big difference.
Making fun of a religion is not a joking matter IMHO.
no-one was making fun of anything!!!
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Offline Yikes2179

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To cross one's fingers is a hand gesture commonly used to wish for luck. Occasionally it is interpreted as an attempt to implore God for protection. Wikipedia