Rational Frummie- Reflective of you posts you seem to be both A)Smart and B)Searching for greater Emunah.
People especially a smart person is constantly looking for empirical proofs in life. In this case it is a struggle whether to go for or against changes in Halachacha or Hashkafa and what can and cannot be acceptable.(especiallY in a religion with an all encompassing G-d that we cannot see) You seem to have a tremendous knowledge base. I want to try to show in a calm non-screaming post how given your smarts and knowledge you show your struggle as otherwise you would never post such things. The answers to your posts are simple without quoting any seforim or Gemara
1)”that YCT is centrist is just as… Who can judge what are the extremes in frumkeit, and who is really in the “center?”
a) When most Talmidie Chachomim across the spectrum say that YCT is on the extreme then I think it is fair to say that they are not in the center every nation has laws Rabbanim are our arbiters.
2)”At least YCT seems to care about most of Halacha, there are many talmidei chachamim in their ranks,’
A)I am sure you will agree caring about most of Halacha is a form of intellectual Judaism.Using the words caring about most of Halacha and being a talmid chacham in the same sentence does not really make sense.
3)”Once most rebbeim at YCT renounce torah mi-sinai and tell their students they can drive on shabbos I’ll agree with you.”
t.
1)Quoted from the incoming Chovevi Rosh Yeshiva. You cannot say reform theology contributes to Torah in any way.
2)This is a total belittlement of all Halacha sefarim and poskim out there as well as an interdenominational approach that the vast majority including Rav Soloviechick ZTL disagreed with.
4)”Look at bava Basra 25 and pesachim 94 to see that the Amoraim believed the earth was flat, the universe was geocentric, and that the sun literally travels through the sky. They also believed that you could see demons by burning a black cat and putting its ashes in one’s eyes.”
A) I could tell you about a split sea, hail mixed with fire etc… this was actually the post that bothered me and got me to write as I understood the first part as you trying to bolster your argument for modern day science. But using the part about the black cat and then using it again versus another poster was indicative of an emotional more then intellectual struggle
5) “In Just like science, when these ideas are abandoned or rejected, we have to rethink if those still apply today. This is COMPLETELY DIFFERENT from objective halachic conceptsa similar vein, some of the information chazal used in establishing Halacha regarding women is based on goyish systems.”
A)Sorry nothing based on goyish systems. Sometimes semantics mean nothing and sometimes they mean alot. Chazal was definitely influenced by the world around them but nothing was goyish based.Influenced a little yes.To say something in the Torah is goyish based is reflective of todays society where we must try to rationalize everything.
6)”Its a lot easier to quantify and put height “in order” than it is religious beliefs.”
a) :)agreed!
Many people I know (all FFBs) have gone to AISH, Gateways Hineni or similar seminars,and from time to time all of us I.E. myself have similar queries. Dozens of Seforim are devoted to this topic. In a million years,I would never from your posts call you an apikores or your thought process heretical . Your posts reflect your struggles with Emunah, and the ability to correlate modern knowledge with Halacha.(totally normal)
Just go get the answers you need
Good Shabbos