Very well said, and a refreshing touch of reality to the lies and distortions that are commonly bought forth in an attempt to excuse the bloodshed and brutality regularly and systematically dished out to the Palestinian people. The so called 'good book' - that familiar compendium of myths, fallacies, brutality, historical inaccuracies, logical inconsistency, and incredible misogynism has much to answer for, as does it's alleged albeit non-existent author.

The Jews will not miss you.

What a beautiful piece of writing, Ron.

The content is also fascinating.

Could you have a chat with David Singer sometime soon?

Dear Dr Whitton,

Thank You for an interesting article and for the book by Shlomo Sand.
I'm going to try to get hold of a copy. I appreciate your sharing with us your reasons for "Why I stopped being Jewish." I'm sure many people of other religions will be able to identify with you - possibly having taken the same journey from their own religious perspective - "Why I stopped being a Catholic," and so on. Personally,
I feel that one doesn't have to stop being "Jewish, Catholic, Muslim,
Hindu or whatever," to be a good person. But of course that's only my opinion. I don't like what organised religion has done to the world, however I've come to see that true religion is internal, not external.
Secularized organized religions have become, in many cases, as calcified as other institutions that form the structure of the modern world. Possibly that's why they're rejected. Our religious institutions have fat too often become handmaidens of the status quo, while a genuine religious experience is anything but that.

Spirituality is an inner fire, a mystical sustenance that feeds our souls. But enough said. I understand the main point that you're making. If we only could remove from our hearts the illusion that we're separate. If every nation and every people and every colour and every religion could find at last the one heartbeat that we all share.
If we could remove the walls that separate us and the chains that hold us down - then perhaps we could create a new world here on earth.

Thank-you for sharing what is a very interesting and unique view to your personal experiences as an Australian Jew.

You made a very important point that I think perhaps many people are not aware of, and can be made aware of, that Israel was established on Palestinian land, as Australia was on Aboriginal land.

The real issue is that the Zionists in Israel believe that it is their God given right to occupy the land, and that is why they are constantly building settlements that are in opposition to peace.

This encapsulates the impetus behind the injustices that the Zionists of the Israeli state are perpetrating; they believe it is their God given right as ‘Gods chosen people’. They validate their inhumne actions through this believed right.

I’d like to make the point that, while you have validated that Israel is misguided in its efforts to establish the Israeli state at all costs as they are not Gods chosen people, they are none the less misguided even without such proof.

As ‘God’s ‘chosen people’ - proven or not, These people should know, that even if God wanted them to live in the land, surely it would not be at the expense of others,

Firstly as a decent human beings who believe in human rights and human dignity according to International laws and norms built over time, Then as good people of God,who have been victims in the past, these people should know better.

God would not have wanted the suffering of so many hundreds and thousands of people, living as perpetual refugees,

That should be the main point, that it doesn’t matter if they believe that its their God given right or not, it does not negate their obligation to treat people around them with respect and not this inhumane occupation that has been going on for the last sixty three years.

Thanks again for the article, we can only wish that more people start to see this from a humanity point of view.

Thank you Ron,

I also stopped being Jewish with the help of Zand's book.

The main victims of Judaism are not the Palestinians: the main victims are the Jews themselves and the Israelis in particular.

If one really owns something (such as a land), then one has the right to dispose of it or gift it to others, wholly or partially as they please. What one is not allowed to dispose of - is not theirs!

Jews feel obliged to occupy and settle the land of Israel, whether they like it or not. I do not agree with GYM-FISH's unkind remark as if Judaism is an excuse for bloodshed and brutality: yes, Palestinians do suffer brutality (but though I would hate living as a Palestinian, "bloodshed" is quite inappropriate and grossly exaggerated as Jewish-inflicted fatalities are rare and unintentional: the Jewish intention is to drive non-Jews away from the land, not to kill them), but while Judaism is at cause, it is not an "excuse" but a true reason, it makes the Israelis suffer too by feeling compelled to conquer and occupy, mostly against their will, then suffer the repercussions which they then feel are unfair (for who are they to disobey god's commands?).

The worst about Judaism, is that it portrays God as a whimsical and racist tyrant, instilling in His followers fear of Him instead of love (Jesus attempted to repair this deep-rooted false image, with partial success). Judaism unabashedly abused God's name to make Him serve the national-political aspirations of its leaders. How is one supposed to love such a tyrant will all one's heart, soul and might? As I do love God, I have no choice but to leave Judaism behind.