[net.religion] Jewish Baptism

trb@floyd.UUCP (06/11/83)

avsdS!pat mentions that someone in this group claimed that Jews
practice Baptism by immersion.  I have been ignoring most of the flames
in this newsgroup, even *I* don't have the time or interest to follow
it.  But Jews practicing Baptism by immersion???  Give me a break.

Jews do have a a purification ritual which involves immersion in a
communal hot tub called a "mikvah."  People take a dip in the mikvah
when they are religiously obligated to be purified and also, when they
feel like taking a dip in a hot tub.

By the way, both this ritual and the Jewish ritual washing of hands
before meals are not physical cleansing.  Your body should be
physically cleaned (by showering) before taking a mikvah and your hands
should be physically cleaned with soap before the ritual washing of the
hands, which is actually just a rinse with water.

Jewish Baptism by immersion sounds like the product of either ignorance
or deceit.

	Andy Tannenbaum   Bell Labs  Whippany, NJ   (201) 386-6491