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