Belief

When I'm asked if I believe in G-d, I answer in the affirmative. And what I presume people are asking is "do I believe that G-d exists". But, to use a comment made rather often- if asked if I 'believed in' a person, the question would have been "do I think that that person is capable of doing the job they're supposed to be doing/are they a good person/etc". So- if I were really serious about my belief in G-d, about my faith, as it were- ought I to be answering this other question? That would imply taking G-d's existance as a given, as you would the existance of a person you were asked about, say, one's sister/colleague/friend/student. On the other hand, the sort of involved answer that I'd like to give to the latter question would be very confusing to someone who wanted an answer to the first question, which is almost always the question that is really being asked in those contexts. I wonder if it would be different in a more theologically oriented society/a more religious society. Certainly I remember learning that people described as "Atheists" before (I think) the englightenment were generally not atheists as we think of the term (people who don't think that G-d exists), but rather people who held "non-standard" ideas about G-d, outside of the approved religion in their area. The way we process this question does seem to prove quite nicely how well we have socially as well as legally separated religion from the rest of public life.

Belief

When I'm asked if I believe in G-d, I answer in the affirmative. And what I presume people are asking is "do I believe that G-d exists". But, to use a comment made rather often- if asked if I 'believed in' a person, the question would have been "do I think that that person is capable of doing the job they're supposed to be doing/are they a good person/etc". So- if I were really serious about my belief in G-d, about my faith, as it were- ought I to be answering this other question? That would imply taking G-d's existance as a given, as you would the existance of a person you were asked about, say, one's sister/colleague/friend/student. On the other hand, the sort of involved answer that I'd like to give to the latter question would be very confusing to someone who wanted an answer to the first question, which is almost always the question that is really being asked in those contexts. I wonder if it would be different in a more theologically oriented society/a more religious society. Certainly I remember learning that people described as "Atheists" before (I think) the englightenment were generally not atheists as we think of the term (people who don't think that G-d exists), but rather people who held "non-standard" ideas about G-d, outside of the approved religion in their area. The way we process this question does seem to prove quite nicely how well we have socially as well as legally separated religion from the rest of public life.

Help?

Can anyone describe the knot used in tying tzitzit for me? I've read a series of sets of instructions which describe it using a. an incomprehensible picture, b. the term "double knot", and/or c. the term "granny knot". Unfortunately, I don't know if these are all the same thing, different things/different customs for tying, or what. Can anyone fill me in? OTherwise I'll see if I can find something at work tomorrow, but all our rabbis are either off in Israel right now, or don't really come in in the summer.

Help?

Can anyone describe the knot used in tying tzitzit for me? I've read a series of sets of instructions which describe it using a. an incomprehensible picture, b. the term "double knot", and/or c. the term "granny knot". Unfortunately, I don't know if these are all the same thing, different things/different customs for tying, or what. Can anyone fill me in? OTherwise I'll see if I can find something at work tomorrow, but all our rabbis are either off in Israel right now, or don't really come in in the summer.