Fealty to Gedolim

I've been listening to a lot of kiruv "how-to" lectures during my commute, and the kiruv pros' lack of logic and sheer ga'avah goes far beyond what I could have ever expected.

I don't have unwavering respect for and belief in the utterances of scientists, but I know well enough that I don't have the knowledge or tools to address complicated (and at times, not complicated) scientific issues. The rabbis who I have been listening to all have the same approach: Here is what science says, and I am going to tell you why they are wrong! No credentials, no background, nothing. They are (in this instance) "just" rabbis. In most cases it seems as though they read a few Christian apologist websites and the conclusions from some Kitchen or Cassutto books, and voila - they are experts! Even worse is the shameful logic these clowns try to pass of as error-proof and convincing.

In these lectures I really see what "fealty to gedolim" means. Kiruv pros are the gedolim of the "Jewish approach to science" field, and their audiences - believers in the lectures I'm listening to - eat up every word they say, no matter how nonsensical their musings. Some of the questions I hear asked in the mp3s clearly come from intelligent people, but they are so off the mark. They don't challenge or question - ever. And that is where the problem lays.

R' Dovid Orlofsky: Skeptic Bloggers Are Make-Believe

Recently I've spent some time listening to kiruv lectures and finding some great gems that I'll share at a later time, but for now, the knowledge that we are all make-believe should tide you over.

Here is the quote, transcribed straight from a kiruv seminar at Ohr Sameach led by R' Dovid Orlofsky:

"People become frum, in my experience, because of people. They meet people, they are impressed by people. It’s people. It’s not the questions. People ask questions, but nine our of ten times they don’t care about the questions. I wish I could tell you that you are going to meet the apikores. You know. And he’s going to start shooting at you Rambams and you know, this and that. Those people don’t actually exist. They are make believe people on blogs. Don’t worry, You’ll never meet them. You know what I mean? Who are sitting here making up sources and bringing all these things. You don’t have to really worry about it too much. Most of the time most people are going to be impressed by you."

Forgetting about my existence (let me assure you, I do exist), his other point, which he and others stress throughout their lectures, is that people aren't attracted to Orthodoxy for intellectual reasons. Goes pretty well with Faranak Margolese's Off The Derech suggestion that almost all drop-outs from Orthodoxy leave because of bad experiences. You and I are evidence that this isn't the case, and the world is just beginning to realize that people have legitimate struggles with religion on intellectual grounds. But it doesn't matter, because I don't exist. Neither do you. Unsubscribe to XGH, OffTheDerech, DovBear, LubabNoMore, etc., save yourself some time - THEY ARE ALL MAKE BELIEVE.