Lipush
Gold Member
I would agree it is not a theocracy. But aren't there tensions even within Israel as to whether it can be bot a Democracy and a Jewish state?There is discrimmination, in the variety of areas and laws which specifically favor Jews. Can you have a religious state and a true democracy? I'm doubtful.
There are no Israeli laws that I am aware of which specifically favor Jews, as a function of the law itself. (There is discrimination without a doubt). If you would wish to discuss this further, please don't refer me to the Adalah site and their "50 laws". I'm already very familiar with that site and not impressed. If you would like to discuss a specific law, which you feel is designed to discriminate against Arabs or Muslims/Christians, please provide the text of the law.
I'm not familiar with the Adalah site. I was thinking of the absentee landowner laws that make it easy for palestinian property to be confiscated, and laws which make it easy for Jews to reclaim property, but more difficult for Palestinians. Laws which allow Jews to more easily bring in Jewish spouses but not Palestinians.
And depending on how one defines a "democracy" and a "religious state", I don't see how the two are incompatible. Thoughts on why you would think that is?
A democracy needs to have equality and equal representation for all it's people. Laws need to treat people equally. If there is preferential treatment of a certain religious group - through which the state is defined, is it truly a democracy? Right now the ambiguous status of the Palestinians - the "Occupied Territories" all work against Israel being truely democratic.
I can not think of a single successful state that is both religious in nature and democratic. I'm not sure it's possible and one reason is that every major religion feels it's own followers are somehow elevated. Religious states have always ended up discriminating.
Oh, fair enough.
But Israel is not a religious state. Thoae who think that have no idea what they're talking about.
Only in recent years. Those who established the state were liberals and secular. Ben Gurion belonged to the left.
Yet he understood that Jerusalem was a deal breaker. That the Jewish tradition played an importand part in our lifestyle.
It is only of late that morons and religion haters rose with that "this or that" determination.
Tention? Conflict? Of course, on some level. But there is a balance. Only the fools will see it as a black or white situation