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According to Dr. Neil Gillman's work, "The Feminist Critique of God Language," a number of Jewish feminists have been challenging the status quo in the discussion of God. Certain feminists believe that this discourse, which frequently
stems from language connected to males, excludes particular categories of people. Gillman carefully considers all of the numerous recommendations put forth by these feminists to improve the language's equity and universality. He essentially examines the need for God to be represented by language that takes
into account and acknowledges everyone, reflecting a larger movement towards
equality and diversity.
Concurrently, Keith M. Parsons addresses a significant philosophical issue in his article, "A Simple Statement of the Problem of Evil," published on January 1, 2011. Parsons grapples with the perplexing question of why, in the presence of an all-knowing and supposedly good God, there is so much evil in the universe. While Parsons explores this general philosophical question, Gillman focuses on the need for a more diverse vocabulary to discuss God, especially from a feminist standpoint. These pieces prompt deep reflection, advocating for a reassessment of conventional wisdom and a more deliberate and expansive conversation about God and the challenges facing the world. Together, they weave an engaging narrative that invites contemplation on these crucial issues related to our understanding of God and the complexities of the world we inhabit.
During the holiday week, I faced a personal dilemma reminiscent of Odin's sacrifice of wisdom. As an area manager at Amazon, I had to decide whether to work through the Christmas holidays or spend time with my family. The role entails numerous responsibilities, including overseeing site operations to ensure timely deliveries. Amidst the busiest time of the year, I made the difficult choice to work extra days beyond my scheduled time. Choosing between work and spending the holidays at home was challenging, given the significance of Christmas for my family with its numerous gatherings, gift exchanges, and celebrations.
The choice was similar to Abraham's sacrifice of his son Isaac in the Book of Genesis, when Abraham put his trust in God above his own love for his own. In a
similar vein, I had to put work ahead of the perfect Christmas celebrations in order to start the new year off right. The choice was also in line with the notion that a person's New Year's Day celebration has an impact on the year as a whole. Even though it was a difficult choice, I was pleased with the result since it
fulfilled my aim to make enduring memories with my loved ones.
Tackling tough decisions aligns with strong ethical and moral considerations in the Jewish tradition. The foundational principles of Jewish law, embodied in Halacha, underscore virtues like justice, compassion, and honesty, guiding ethical decision-making. Seeking guidance from sages and experts is highly esteemed, recognizing the collective wisdom of a group in supporting deliberate decision-making. In the Jewish tradition, the focus is less on criticizing or making
fun of the decision-making process but more on imparting knowledge and aiding
individuals in making ethical choices. Humorous sayings or tales may highlight the challenges in decision-making, serving as educational tools.
The Jewish tradition places a premium on the sanctity of family life and interpersonal connections in personal decision-making, particularly in matters of
relationships. Harmony, dedication, and compassion serve as guiding principles. Ultimately, the Jewish tradition acknowledges the inherent complexity of human decisions, advocating for a deliberate and moral approach. It acts as a moral compass, emphasizing the values of morality, community, and seeking advice from knowledgeable and experienced individuals. Dr. Neil Gillman's assigned paper, "The Feminist Critique of God Language," sheds light on the intricate decision-making process within the Jewish tradition, specifically exploring Jewish feminists' perspectives on the traditional masculine vocabulary used to describe
God. Gillman examines the difficult decisions these feminists make, replacing male pronouns for God with either gender-neutral terms or specific feminine forms, within the context of Jewish tradition.
References
Gillman, Dr. Neil. “The Feminist Critique of God Language.” My Jewish Learning, 5 Oct. 2018, www.myjewishlearning.com/article/the-feminist-critique-of-god-
language/.
Parsons, Keith M. “A Simple Statement of the Problem of Evil " Internet Infidels.” Internet Infidels, 23 May 2022, infidels.org/library/modern/a-simple-statement-
of-the-problem-of-evil/.
Dr. Neil Gillman's "The Feminist Critique of God Language" and Keith M. Parsons' "A Simple Statement of the Problem of Evil" are two articles that Kesans skillfully
addresses in his perceptive discussion post. Using these pieces as a starting point, Kesan focuses on "challenging the traditional way of talking about God" and poses an intriguing question: "why is there so much bad stuff happening in the world if there is a God who is supposed to be all-powerful and always good".
Expanding on this question, Kesan describes a tough decision to leave a long-
term relationship through a personal story from the Christmas break. He proficiently combines the writings' topic aspects, which mostly deal with the complexities and uncertainties of life. In addition, Kesan considers how this difficult choice has affected him personally and compares it to Odin's giving up of insight. By doing this, he creates a coherent narrative that highlights the difficulties of life and decision-making by skillfully tying the philosophical debates in the articles to his own personal experiences.
Kesan drew a deep link between his own experience and Odin's sacrifice for learning, which is why I deliberately picked his discussion thread. His ability to convey the complexity and implications of his decision-making process while tying it into a deep mythological idea was really impressive. His piece demonstrated how people become wise through hardship and sacrifice in a very sympathetic way, making the theoretical ideas really real.
I found it particularly noteworthy how Kesan infused the conversation with his personal experience, creating a concrete connection between theoretical ideas and actual circumstances. When I started writing my own discussion post, I had trouble at first thinking of a way to connect the lesson of the week to my predicament of having to decide between an internship and my part-time employment. Still, Kesan's story gave me important new perspectives on Odin's wisdom-seeking sacrifice. It made me see that choosing the internship over my existing position was making a big personal sacrifice in order to gain more knowledge and self-
awareness.
Essentially, Kesan's piece acted as a spark for my own knowledge in addition to skillfully covering and conveying notions of reflection and decision-
making. It reinforced the concept that choices, even if hard, are vital for personal growth and entail venturing beyond of one's comfort zone. In addition to improving my comprehension of the course, his story stimulated a more in-
depth investigation of the difficulties involved in making decisions and growing as a person.
To expand on Kesan's talk, let me draw your attention to a paper by Christopher Chan titled "Religiosity and Ethical Principles Influence Ethical Decision-Making." This essay explores the complex relationships between religiosity and moral values and how they affect moral judgement, especially when there are several religions present. The subject of how these variables affect the difficult process of making moral decisions is brought up by Chan's investigation. The piece points out, "Ethical principles exert varying degrees of influence on the relationships between inherent religious inclinations and the recognition of ethical values, as well as between external religious behaviours and the intent to engage in ethical conduct." This quotation emphasises how important moral principles are in directing moral judgements. It highlights the value of knowledge and the necessity of taking into account other people's values in addition to one's own while making decisions.
Kesan's decision-making journey is further supported by Chan's piece, which shows how our decisions help to shape who we are as people. The essay delves into the intricacies presented by conventional theological viewpoints, and both Kesan's talk and the paper show how personal development may result from tough choices. Taken as a whole, they offer a sophisticated investigation of the complex interplay of religion, moral values, and the transforming power of difficult decisions.
Reference Chan, Christopher, et al. “Do Religiosity and Ethical Principles Influence Ethical Decision-
Making in a Multi-Faith Context? Evidence from India.” Journal of Business Research
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vol. 149, Oct. 2022, pp. 772–785, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2022.05.065. Accessed 5 June 2022.