Magus55

There are conservative, reform, and messianic also. And orthodox are the ones that wear black top hots.

Opera Nut

Messianic Jews are not accepted by the other Jews.

They are theologically Christian, although they appropriate Hebrew words to mislead people into thinking they are Jews.

They are also funded by the Southern Baptists as a stealth way to convert Jews.

You cannot be a Jew and believe Jesus was the Messiah.

No way in hell. However, Messianic Jews have not enough brains to realize they beleive in two mutually contradictory ideas at the same time.

lpetrich

Also, Orthodox Jews are divided into "modern Orthodox", like Senator Lieberman, and the black-hat sort of Orthodox.

ComestibleVenom

I am unabashedly not at peace with religion. I do indeed get along with religious people imperfectly but as well as any atheist to be sure.

Vylo

One time I went to an IV (christian Inter Varsity) prayer meeting with the born again friend, general theist friend, and my one literalist friend. They were trying to convert me and the general theist friend. I found it pretty amusing, as they aren't really pushy at all. I think most of the people in that group have some serious issues (using religious belief as a crutch), but many of them are very nice people.

brighid

I think peaceful co-existence is possible, although friction will occur. I have friends who range from Kabbalists, to Muslim, to Catholic, to Liberal Jewish, Baptist (most of my mother's side of the family, including a minister), to whatever blend of Catholicism, Messianic Jew, whacked out Protestantism my mother and her husband subscribe, Pagan, Native American, Lutheran, to agnostic, weak and strong atheist (and even a few closet atheists who can't bring themselves to define themselves as "atheist") ... oh, Buddhist as well.

Religious discussion usually stays out of the mix for the most part, and I only discuss religious and political matters with friends and family that share similar view points because for some it has caused a little too much uncomfortable friction. I wish it were different, but by and large my family becomes very defensive about their religious and political beliefs (conservative, republican, christian mostly.)

B

emotional

Some of them have beards. There are two divisions of Orthodox Jews: the crocheted-caps, who are moderate, and the black-hats, who are more fundamentalist. Technically: Centrist Orthodox and Ultra-Orthodox respectively. They're all Biblical literalists (6-day creationists) and observe the laws of Torah and Talmud (foremostly the dietary laws). It is these laws that separate them from the secular Jews and Gentiles.

In America there are Reform, Conservative and Orthodox Jews. In Israel, Reform and Conversative Jews are nearly non-existent. The division is between secular Jews and Orthodox Jews. The division is conspicuous and total: the two sides never eat with each other or intermarry. There are not two nations (Jews and Arabs) in Israel but three (secular Jews, Orthodox Jews and Arabs).

Biff the unclean

I wonder if anyone else is old enough here to remember the term "Uncle Tom"? It was a term used during the days of the struggle for equal rights for Blacks for somebody who just wanted to play nice-nice in the hopes that no one would bother them.
I think of all the groups who wanted equal treatment -women, blacks, gays, farm workers, unions, etc. I don't believe that passivity was a tactic that worked for any of them.