[HANASHIR:3628] Re: Bar'chu info

[Chazzzan <Chazzzan...>]

Well...we Humanistic Jews....founders of non-god-centered Judaism...believe 
that "malchuto" refers not to "his kingship", or "Her Queenship", but rather 
"Its Royalty". We find any reference to a god -- male, female or neuter -- to 
be highly offensive to any gender or living being, animal, vegetable or 
mineral.  We also find it offensive to Capitalize any Letters that are not at 
the beginning of a sentence.  This wanton capitalization of euphemisms 
referring to a deity is totally devoid of any consideration for the 
sensibilities and centuries of suffering experienced by the non-capitalized 
majority of letters.

We thereby have elevated e.e.cummings to the level of  "kohen", due to his 
very holy avoidance of any capitalization...eschewing all upper-case for 
lower-case letters.  May the meek and small inherit the earth!

Also, the reason Baruch Kevod is said softly is...back in the earliest days 
of Hava Nashira (1140 C.E. in Troyes, France), the congregational songleader 
returned from HN with a sore throat after singing so loudly all week... 
Therefore, on that Shabbat, she/he/it could not sing aloud and could barely 
scratch out the Barchu or Shma or any other secular, nondenominational, 
nonethnocentric, pluralistic prayer.

Out of deference to her/him/it, it is our Humanistic Jewish minhag to whisper 
the ENTIRE service, not just the Barchu.  We feel that one never knews Who or 
What might be listening, or WHY. 

May IT always Bless you and your children, of whatever gender.  (Not that 
there's anything WRONG with that!)

I hope this puts to rest all the former misunderstandings and half truths 
shared in this thread!

Brian

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