Despite the relatively high percentage of atheists among Jews I have not heard of or come across many ex-Jews — that is people who are no longer Jewish, but were once Jewish. I know of and have heard about lots of ex-Christians, but even people like Sam Harris or Bill Maher who make no qualms about their contempt for the Tanakh, still identify as Jewish. Jews like Sam Harris or Bill Maher, self-identify as Jewish but are Jews that only seem to accept the racial mythology of Judaism and not the other stuff, like Yahweh. It’s ironic though because they are often quite disdainful of “religion”. Mythological deities — ridiculous! Mythological races — sign me up! Bill Maher even said he didn’t “know he was half-Jewish” until he was a teenager when he learned that his mother (who clearly didn’t give a shit about the Torah or traditional Judaism) was “Jewish”. The incoherence is astonishing. To glimpse the peculiarity of Judaism regarding this, consider this Pew poll about religious views of Americans:
Among Jewish adults, 26% believe Yahweh exists; while 80% of Christian adults believe Yahweh exists. Frankly, I was more bewildered by the Christian statistic. There are people who still consider themselves Christian even though they don’t believe in the existence of Yahweh? There are I suppose “protestant atheists” — people who believe that Jesus was a wise sage of some sort and they are very dedicated to what they conceive his philosophy was and thus consider themselves Christian. Though I’m really reluctant to grant them a place in my epistemology as Christians, just like I wouldn’t consider Mormons Christians.
There are also very sad cases like Richard Dawkins, who: somehow wrote a book titled the “God Delusion”, suggests Islam is uniquely barbaric while the “Jewish State” of Israel carries out a genocide supported by his government, is a professor of evolutionary biology at a state funded university, and simultaneously thinks he lives in a “Christian culture” and considers himself a “cultural Christian.” But modern-day U.K. doesn’t have much left of Christianity except statues and the dilapidated remnants of the “Church of England” which now blesses same sex couples (I approve even though it is incongruent with Christianity) and is considering gender netural language for Yahweh — the character who supposedly commanded Joshua to murder everyone in Jericho, exults in innocent human sacrifices, and commanded his followers to murder homosexuals in Leviticus 20:13:
If a man lies with a male as with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination; they shall be put to death, their blood is upon them.
Maybe poor Richard thinks he is a Christian too. But I personally wouldn’t classify him as a Christian anymore than a Scientologist who says he likes Jesus, Muhammad, and Buddha and considers himself a Christian, Buddhist, Muslim Scientologist. The culture of Christianity includes the fundamental practice of worshipping Jesus as a human sacrifice, or at least some kind of divine being, which Richard does not. Unlike some people, I do not believe “self-identification” is always valid. Sometimes I think it is irrational. I don’t believe Rachel Dolezal is black. And I don’t believe Lia Thomas is a woman. I believe in an objective reality beyond solipsistic dreams; I might even be religious about it.
However, Sam Harris and Bill Maher — I’d argue are indeed Jews because they self identify as Jews and the religious pillars of Judaism include an ethno-mythology that Sam Harris and Bill Maher seem to accept and have an attachment to. They may be atheists, but they are still religious Jews (albeit impious with regard to most of the Torah) with a devotion to Israel, arguably the most essential myth of the Torah. You can find both of them, Sam Harris and Bill Maher, playing defense for Israel’s behavior. But Jewish atheists such as them have no business expressing contempt toward Islam for its alleged unique barbarity while the particular religious state they frequently defend maintains an apartheid and carries out a genocide.
I currently know of the writing of 5 ex-Jews, Shlomo Sand, David Dworkin, Jonathan Levy, Noah, and Jake Klein. But I hope to see a lot more. There are though many honorable Jews who reject the Torah and are anti-Zionist, such as some Jews who belong to “Jewish Voice for Peace” — and by “reject the Torah” I mean, at minimum, they are atheists or agnostics and would probably not try to rationalize the genocidal stories in the Tanakh. And by anti-Zionist, I mean they oppose an ethno-theocratic government that privileges Jews in Palestine that was created and is being expanded by racial-cleansing and oppose U.S. military and financial support of it.
I personally know Jews who view most of the Tanakh as superstition and mythology, don’t support the U.S. military and financial support of Israel, but continue to be loyal to Judaism, entirely because of their acceptance of the racial mythology. Their opposition to Zionism is honorable though, and their next virtuous step should be to reject Judaism altogether, and that includes their attachment to the racial mythology and their devotion to the “Faith of their Fathers” even though it isn’t a faith they have themselves. Like Abraham, they should leave the faith of their fathers, leave “their people,” and forge a new path, and if they must join a tribe, they should join one that does not traditionally revere superstitious genocidal tyrannical slavers.
The Lord had said to Abram, “Go from your country, your people and your father’s household to the land I will show you. - Genesis 12
The aspiration of many modern “progressive” or “liberal” Jews to reform Judaism into a social justice club is folly and simply provides cover for a core that is rotten. Judaism shouldn’t be reformed anymore than the Klu Klux Klan should be reformed. From ABC News:
"The KKK is for a strong America," Abarr told the newspaper. "White supremacy is the old Klan. This is the new Klan."
Judaism should be renounced and denounced, and that includes rejecting the identity of being a “Jew”. The racial cleansing of Palestine in 1948 wasn’t a deviation from Judaism; a blueprint is in the Torah. The genocide that is being carried out by Israel is not a deviation from Judaism, it is unfortunately one very logical expression of it. Both Ben Gurion, the first prime minister of Israel, and Netanyahu, the current and longest running prime minister of Israel, derived inspiration from the genocidal book of Joshua for their military campaigns. Zionists are not manipulating Judaism to do bad stuff; they are doing bad stuff and it’s clearly and explicitly reflected in the Tanakh and historically precedented. The primary people who are carrying out the genocide are not Jains or Taoists; they are Jewish Zionists; and there is abundant historical and ideological reason for that. There is no history or mythology of conquest or genocide of Palestine in Jainism or Taoism; there is in Judaism. Whats happening in Palestine is history and mythology repeating itself.
The most honorable response by people who are Jewish but: find the racial tribalist and supremacist mythology of Zionism to be contemptible, the racial cleansing of Palestine repulsive, or the superstitious genocidal slaver morality of the Torah detestable, is not to remain loyal apologists to the tribe, but to leave it. For example, when a Scientologist becomes disillusioned with Scientology, they typically defect and denounce Scientology. They don’t cling to the Church, defend it from disparagement, call detractors racist, continue identifying as a “Scientologist”, and with futility try to reform it. I can empathize with why some Jews might be afraid to do that given the ostracism that might follow from their families and social network and even the murderous hatred expressed by the Torah, Talmud, and various “sages” toward apostates:
It is a mitzvah[commandment] to kill minim and apikorsim.
The term minim refers to Jewish idolaters or those who perform transgressions for the sake of angering God, even if one eats non-kosher meat for the sake of angering God or wears sha'atnez for the sake of angering God.
The term apikorsim refers to Jews who deny the Torah and the concept of prophecy.
If there is the possibility, one should kill them with a sword in public view. If that is not possible, one should develop a plan so that one can cause their deaths.
What is implied? If one sees such a person descend to a cistern, and there is a ladder in the cistern, one should take the ladder, and excuse oneself, saying: "I must hurry to take my son down from the roof. I shall return the ladder to you soon." Similarly, one should devise other analogous plans to cause the death of such people. - Mishneh Torah, Hilchot Rotze'ach uShmirat Nefesh 4:10
But that will be the more effective way of ending further oppression and genocides —like the one being carried out today with American taxes under the banner of the Star of David. When more people stop identifying as Jewish and insist that Zionists stop erroneously racializing former Jews like Nazis did it will help dilute the power of Zionists to effectively wield false accusations of racism. Furthermore, the myth of a Jewish race provides necessary oxygen for the existence and perpetuation of actual anti-Semitism. However, if they believe genuine apostasy would lead to dangers they do not wish to face, there is still honor and value in leaving privately and only sharing their apostasy with other non-Jews they can trust. We exist.