I think that quite a lot of people have a complex. From discussions I've had recently with people telling me what they know about Orthadox Judaism, based on the fact that they can apparantly read other people's minds, every Orthadox Jew is judging them.
Um. What?
I've just experienced it quite a bit recently, due to my fascinating job, and I've come to a realization about judging. Now read this slowly, think about it, and read it again:
In order to assume that someone is judging you, you have to judge them. You know that you're making a judgement, and you only assume that they're judging you. So who's stereotyping here?
So please, I beg of you. Converse, don't assume. If you think Orthadox Jews just are a certain way, look into it. Ask an Orthodox Jew!! Speak to Jews outside of New York, for example. As a general rule, it's healthy to speak to all kinds of Jews outside your comfort zone. You'll find many, different types of Orthodox Jews, many quite friendly, many quite open-minded and tolerant.
And you'll become a much happier person, 'cause you'll realize that they're not judging you, and they don't hate you!!
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And some of us are insane!
(I speak for myself...)
I also get that a lot, where people make such quick judgements about Orthodoxy. So, and in a slightly twisted way, I get major pleasure of contradicting said assumptions. And not just Orthodoxy, but Judaism in general. Someone said to me -"all religions are just totally based on blind faith, so it's arbitrary..." I was just like, "Oh, really? Not mine." They then tried to explain, qualify their statement, and then I explain and qualify mine until they'll say something, "ok, maybe not your form of Judaism..." and then I'll say, "Ok."
heh heh...sick pleasure, I'm telling you. (and that's just one example...)
What really gets me is that it's usually the people who pride themselves the most on their openness and tolerance that end up being the most intolerant of those whom they perceive as being less tolerant than themselves. (Wow, but that sounded convoluted.) Hence, for instance, people's assumptions about Orthodox Jews--they perceive us as being less tolerant than they, so they consider themselves worthy of being our judges and juries all rolled into one.
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