The Judeo-Christian world is full of so many contrasting views that it really amazes me sometimes.
Take Mormonism, for example. It's authoritarian structure is perhaps even more strict (and certainly more hierarchical) than what you've described in Orthodox Judaism, yet it has this one core doctrine that is viewed as heretical in most of the rest of the Christian world: the idea that man is destined to become like God, literally. In fact, the idea that God himself was once a lowly man, but exerted enough "Tsuyoku Naritai!" to overcome his own sins and rise. As such, Mormons believe that the saying by Jesus to "Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect," is a literal commandment.
Not saying that religion should inform our views here, simply that the Mormon perspective seems to align with the overall direction of this post, and that it is somewhat striking that such a view can arise from the same common religious ancestry.
The Judeo-Christian world is full of so many contrasting views that it really amazes me sometimes.
Take Mormonism, for example. It's authoritarian structure is perhaps even more strict (and certainly more hierarchical) than what you've described in Orthodox Judaism, yet it has this one core doctrine that is viewed as heretical in most of the rest of the Christian world: the idea that man is destined to become like God, literally. In fact, the idea that God himself was once a lowly man, but exerted enough "Tsuyoku Naritai!" to overcome his own sins and rise. As such, Mormons believe that the saying by Jesus to "Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect," is a literal commandment.
Not saying that religion should inform our views here, simply that the Mormon perspective seems to align with the overall direction of this post, and that it is somewhat striking that such a view can arise from the same common religious ancestry.