Talk:Karaite Judaism/Archive 1

message: What should we add to this page? I'm thinking about adding information on "Tefillin", the New Moon Sightings, as practiced (or not practiced) in Karaism. Any thoughts from anyone?
:Why is the section on Ben Asher an identical copy to the main article bearing his name? JFW | T@lk 20:59, 19 May 2004 (UTC)
replies: text:  I would guess that it was copied from this page. I don't know. --Yoshiah ap 07:17, 11 Jun 2004 (UTC)
thread_title:  Karaite Judaism Page 

message: In his autobiography, "Unfinished Journey", the late violinist and music educator Yehudi Menuhin claims Karaite descent on his mother's side.
:Thanks for the information. Do you know what he affiliated with? (Reform, Conservative, Orthodox, Karaite?)--Yoshiah ap 23:20, 15 Jun 2004 (UTC)
thread_title:  famous Karaites and Yehudi Menuhin 

message: This article doesn't have any dates, could we have some? For example dates of foundation of the sect, and major events in it's  history. Births and deaths of major figures and so on.
:I'll see about getting some dates of significant leaders in Karaite history, however Karaism really didn't have a "founding". Some of us are descendants of the ancient Saducees. The common misunderstanding was that we were founded by Anan ben David, but he wasn't a Karaite. He used PaRDes, while Karaites only use Peshat. I could gather dates of when Anan ben David convinced the Muslim authorities to allow Jews to practice Non-Rabbinic Judaism. Would that work? --Yoshiah ap 21:27, 16 Jun 2004 (UTC)
thread_title:  Dates. 

message: What do Karaites believe about Jesus?
:Hi, in Etz Hayim by Aaron ben Eliyahu, Aaron wrote that "At the time of the second Temple when the authority of the Greeks ruled the people of Israel, the former, as a result of their contact with the Jews, their religion and its true teachings, upon the advent of Jesus the son of Mary, immediately adopted his false teachings in order not to accept the faith of Israel, thus demonstrating their envy and hatred." Ya'acov Al-Kirkisani wrote that (paraphrasing from memory) "some say that Jesus was a good man, and was one of the first to reject the Rabbinite Traditions". I'd directly quote it, but the writings I have of his are currently packed. (I'm getting ready to move)--Josiah 23:42, 16 Jul 2004 (UTC)
thread_title:  Karaite Judaism and Jesus 

message: The section about common misconceptions regarding Karaism confused me at first.  It features a bulleted list, not of the misconceptions themselves, but their denials.  When I read "Karaites do not wear tefillin", I could not tell whether this was itself a misconception, and that Karaites did wear tefillin, or whether the misconception was that they did when in fact they don't.  It was only when I got down to the misconception about belief in Jesus that I figured out the intended reading, because I was pretty sure that a group like the Karaites would not believe in Jesus.  But my ignorance on the subject had me on the fence up to that point.
I suggest a wording something like this, before the bulleted list:
"There are many common misconceptions about Karaite beliefs and practices.  For example, it has been incorrectly asserted that Karaites venerate Jesus.  But in fact:"
On second thought, this suggestion is not the masterpiece of clarity I was hoping for.  But something should be inserted to make it clear that the bulleted statements are not themselves misconceptions, but rather authoritative assertions intended to counter misconceptions.  I have no doubt some skilful encyclopedist will have exactly the correct phrasing at the ready.
:I've re-worded it; hope it's clearer now. Jayjg 02:57, 20 Aug 2004 (UTC)
thread_title:  Misconceptions section possibly confusing