Sunday, June 14, 2009

Hypocrisy by Another Name?

Orthodox Jews launch 'kosher' search engine - Holy Post

Religiously devout Jews barred by rabbis from surfing the Internet may now “Koogle” it on a new “kosher” search engine, the site manager said on Sunday.

Yossi Altman said Koogle, a play on the names of a Jewish noodle pudding and the ubiquitous Google, appears to meet the standards of Orthodox rabbis, who restrict use of the Web to ensure followers avoid viewing sexually explicit material.

The site, at www.koogle.co.il, omits religiously objectionable material, such as most photographs of women which Orthodox rabbis view as immodest, Altman said.

Its links to Israeli news and shopping sites also filter out items most ultra-Orthodox Israelis are forbidden by rabbis to have in their homes, such a television sets.

“This is a kosher alternative for ultra-Orthodox Jews so that they may surf the Internet,” Altman said by telephone.

The site was developed in part at the encouragement of rabbis who sought a solution to the needs of ultra-Orthodox Jews to browse the Web particularly for vital services, he said.

Nothing can be posted on the Jewish Sabbath, when religious law bans all types of work and business, Altman said. “If you try to buy something on the Sabbath, it gets stuck and won’t let you.”


There is a corner of the human heart that will justify anything. Jewish Rabbi's are not the only ones guilty of this, but so much of modern orthodoxy bleeds this sad hypocrisy.

Do we really think we are fooling the One who sees every intention of the thoughts of the heart?

4 comments:

  1. Thanks for sharing brother. Your last line really caught my attention.

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  2. This is dumb. Paul says we don't have to go out fo this world.

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  3. Should you really have been posting this on Sunday, Paul?

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  4. At least they care enough about their faith to follow it even when it's really inconvenient and counter-cultural.

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