Folah, I have stated my position many times on this website. Sigh, I guess it is time again. I do not follow the jewish religion. Although I was not raised with it, my ancestors, up until my grandparents, were orthodox Jews, the men being all rabbis. My father, baruch HaShem, was an atheist, and my 83 year-old mother remains an agnostic. When I was 19 years old, I was recruited by an Occult organisation. As a part of initiation into the group, I was required to study most major religious and a few "magical systems". I had read the older JPS version of the Tanach around the age of twelve. As a teenager, I read the n.t. I never did see the connection between the two of them. I have studied, in depth, Buddhism and Taoism, and see little difference between their teachings and those of the Jews. Contrary to what the wonderful orthodox people who run this website believe, I suspect that the main difference between Kabbalah, Buddhism and Tao, and the Vedas, is one of semantics. I am of the impression, through my mystical education, that God is very real, and that a part of God is in each of us, and, for that matter, in all things. I have accepted that the existence of God can be derived from various practical experiments, which I choose not to discuss here. I am of the opinion, also, that an understanding of God can be achieved through purely logical, empirical methods. I don't accept "belief" or "faith" as having other than practical value, other than as a means to achieving oneness with the Divine.
I speak five languages, and know enough Hebrew to follow passages in the Tanach, sometimes with the help of a dictionary. I accept that Moses and most other major figures in the Hebrew scriptures were based on real, living people. Moses saw something on the mountain, whatever it was, that changed history from that moment on. He wrote down laws. Now for a belief. I believe that the "Torah" we have today is a compilation of generations of oral teachings, which contain, probably, most of the actual Torah revealed to Moshe Rabenu. The Torah, and the entire Tanach, stand entirely on there on merits, and don't agree with reinterpretation by xians, moslems or mormons, etc. Again, my opinion is different from that followed by the Jews, but I want to be clear for Folah, etc. I am what is known today as a "new-ager". I have nothing but deep respect for the Jews that run this board, and have not perceived anything short of mutual feelings from them. Sorry for the rant, mods, but I feel the need to be understood by Folah.