If there was ever a contradiction in terms, it is in the term ‘Frum Atheist’. Yet it is undeniably a growing phenomenon. I have written about this in the past.
There are atheists, raised in Frum families, who have learned in Yeshivos, gotten married, have children, send them to religious day schools and living as Frum Jews. No one knows that they do not believe in God. They are integrated well adjusted members of the Frum Community.
Since most people are in the closet about this, it is impossible to tell what the numbers really are. But the following letter from a fellow who calls himself Mikeskeptic seems to tell it all. He has commented here in the past, although not in a long while. His comment was made on Rabbi Yakov Horowitz’s website dealing with the Jewish Observer article, ‘Adults at Risk’, (the subject of yesterday's post):
It's nice to see this topic being touched on by a mainstream frum publication, even if the JO is just tiptoeing around it. I wonder how many readers of this article realize what is really at stake here. To be blunt, I am an Apikores living an outwardly frum life in a mainstream frum community. I wear a black hat and still learn daf yomi, but I don't believe in God anymore. My Rav doesn't really care about me, he is focused on bigger things like making sure his congregants avoid eating bugs. But maybe he should care...
Even if I remain frum for the rest of my life, which is uncertain, my children will grow up apikorism, that is, if they remain frum at all. My wife is no longer a believer and my closest friends already have or will soon become apikorism as well. This is not a topic that is discussed openly in our community, so it's hard to know how unusual my situation is. But consider this: just one internet group for frum skeptics has nearly five hundred members, nearly all of whom joined in just the past two years. And there are many more groups out there. Obviously, I am long past the stage of caring whether the frum community is able to address this issue. In fact, I'm kind of hoping they will fail to do so.
Just watch out for those bugs. After all, it's the things you can't see that you most have worry out.
Does this not distress anyone? What can be gleaned from this comment?
This particular issue is all but ignored in the Torah world and I’m not exactly sure why. Perhaps it is thought that the numbers are not significant enough. Or perhaps there is just no real way to deal with someone who is bright and after much thought and analysis has come to the conclusion that there is no God. Many of those leaving are very bright and can cite chapter and verse as to why they have become atheists.
Obviously there Jews who were once Frum, become atheists, go off the Derech and are no longer observant. That is not a new phenomenon. But as Mikeskeptic’s comment shows the danger lies with those who are outwardly observant. His atheism spread to his family and friends.
And another thing. I wonder why a family would continue to be outwardly Frum while being closet atheists? Is there any benefit to remaining in one’s social circle if one is living a lie? What is gained? I think this issue is one of the most perplexing problems facing Torah Judaism today. Yet, I don’t think there has been any discussion about it in a public forum.
