Life After Death

[Timothy Leary]

I hope this is the right area to put this. Anyways, I've been asked to explain what I believe about Life after Death by a few people, and I told a few of them that I'd get an article explaning what my thoughts are about it.

So here's the article:

http://www.ancient-paths.net/article-573--0-0.html

I would have had it sooner, but it got lost one time during a server move.

[stillsmallvoice]

Hi yoshiah_ap!

That article was very interesting. Thanks to you, not only am I learning more about Karaism per se, but I am also coming to respect its views even if I, as a "rabbinical" Jew, do not share them. http://www.jewfaq.org/olamhaba.htm is a good, introductory read on our views.

Be well!

ssv :hi:

[Timothy Leary]

Thanks :smile:

When I visit my mom, I'll usually attend a local Sephardic Synagogue and try to learn a bit from the Rabbi there. I would visit a local Orthodox Synagogue out here, but they are all Askhenazi. (In my expereiences, they will not recognize our - Karaites - existence)

If you have any questions, feel free to PM or email me. If you don't mind, I'd like to clear up a few misconceptions that have been brought to me in the past.

1) Karaite Judaism was not founded by Anan ben David. Anan ben David founded a sect, they were called the Ananites when they existed. Some differences between Ananites and Karaites would be a) Ananism forbade all use of medicine (and by extension, doctors and hospitals), whereas Karaites do not, and b) Ananites used all 4 "Rabbinical" intereperetation methods, whereas Karaites use only Peshat. Around 3 centuries after Anan's death his movement died, and they either assimilated into Kariate or Orthodox Judaism.

Many Karaite sages, including Ya'acov Al-Kirkisani (a very well known Karaite sage) heavily criticized Anan in their writings.

2) We have not attacked the Masoretic Text as being invalid. Afterall, the Ben Asher family were Karaites.

3) We do not regard the Shema alone to be divinely inspired. We accept the entirety of the Tanach as divenely inspired. This one, along with the previous, were probably the errors of other medevil sects and was accidently labeled as Karaism.

The best outline of Karaism that I know of would be An Introduction to Karaite Judaism: A Guide to Karaite Observance, Theology, and History (http://www.ancient-paths.net/modules.php?name=Amazon&asin=0970077548) and is written from a Crimean Karaite's perspective. The reason I recommend this above any other one is because it is the least anti-rabbinic one that I know of.

Another one that I like, but spends too much time as more of a Polemic against Rabbinic Judaism IMO, is "As it is written : A Case for Karaism". It is attached to this post in a PDF file.

Peace!

Hi yoshiah_ap!

That article was very interesting. Thanks to you, not only am I learning more about Karaism per se, but I am also coming to respect its views even if I, as a "rabbinical" Jew, do not share them. http://www.jewfaq.org/olamhaba.htm is a good, introductory read on our views.

Be well!

ssv :hi: