[nagdu] Concerning Religion And Dogs

Wed Jan 14 14:11:33 UTC 2015

Chaim,
Thanks for the information, it was very interesting. 
I was taking the local paratransit bus home yesterday and the lady did not want to take me because of the size of my dog! He is a black lab and around 80 pounds, he is also pretty tall. I told her that he will fit fine on the floor beneath my feet, but she kept insisting on calling another van to take me home. You just never know how people will react. 
Deanna and Pascal

-----Original Message-----
From: nagdu [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Chaim B. Segal via nagdu
Sent: Tuesday, January 13, 2015 8:15 PM
To: nagdu at nfbnet.org
Subject: [nagdu] Concerning Religion And Dogs

 BS'D:

I am starting this message with those three letters, as I saw someone else on here do so. I was pleasantly surprised to find presumably a fellow Jew on here. I don't know who you are yet. For those who don't know, those three letters are a salutation which mentions the Divine.

Chaim Segal here.

I am extremely behind on messages. I get this list in Digest mode, and did not realize how high traffic it is. I have been very busy at work, with this being the beginning of the semester in college and our customer service call center is being flooded with calls. I generally do E-mail during the day at work, but have a few spare moments here at home to share some thought.

While I would say that that remark about "soap and water" where Muslims are concerned is a little insensitive, I can see the humor in it, but want to explain something about religious beliefs that many in our more-or-less secular society have a hard time understanding. I have been an observant Jew nearly my entire life, and will say that despite the turmoil in the Middle East, Judaism and Islam share a few similar beliefs, and customs and practices related to the latter.

Let me begin with an explanation, and then I will tie dogs in to the matter.

To begin with, the concept of what is holy differs somewhat greatly in Judaism and Islam from Christianity. For example, we as observant Jews are not allowed to even think about matters relating to scripture or prayer in a bathroom. When I attended the Ohio State School for the blind, I was friends with a Christian guy who could not understand this. His prevailing question to me was, "If God is everywhere anyway, then why not mention his name in the bathroom?" 

Unlike Christianity, Judaism and Islam have a concept of impurity. In certain respects, this is more apparent with Islam. Neither group eats the meat of a pig, though for a Jew to touch a live pig is not necessarily against the law. The sector of the Orthodox Jewish community known as Chasidim, whose belief system revolves highly around teachings derived from mysticism, does have a certain amount of concern with regard to having contact with non-Kosher animals. For example, they will not allow their babies to lay on sheets or blankets with pictures of animals which are  unfit for us to eat. In general, Modern Orthodox, Conservative, and Reform Jews do not have these concerns. However, I am recently finding that there are plenty of Jews who are more modern who are no more comfortable than some more observant. I guess it is a matter of individual experiences and how someone is raised etc. On a side note, prior to my leaving work today, I had two experiences with African Americans within minutes of each other which were totally opposite. In the first experience, I shared the elevator in the building with a man who wanted to be sure Yaahtzee did not bite. In the second experience a few minutes later, I was waiting outside for my bus, and a woman came along who remembered me from before, and was commenting on how she really loves Yahtzee.

Now, here's where these cab drivers are concerned. Now, before I go any further, let it be known that I personally don't feel any of these folks have a valid  excuse to refuse us in their cabs. Even if they are independent contractors, they are providing a service to the general public. And, with this being said, they must adhere to the laws of our land if they are choosing to make this country  their home.

Apparently, it is no joke. If an observant Muslim is licked by a dog, they have to fast for three days, and immerse themselves (or at least where they were licked) in dirt. This being said however, it is my understanding that the Koran provides for concern for those who have special needs and considerations. My sister-in-law spent 17 years of her life in Saudi Arabia. She has told me on a few occasions that the Prince of the country would have given her permission to be trained with a guide dog. 

It is my understanding that a respectable Shaik from Canada has handed down a ruling that cab drivers are permitted to transport blind people and their dogs. This being said, I think a law ought to be passed that anybody who signs up with any cab company to be a driver must sign a contract with the state that they will not refuse service animals under any circumstances. There are other types of jobs these people can work which would not require them to be in contact with animals.

Chaim 

Chaim B. Segal
Customer Service Representative
Sinclair Community College
E-mail: chaimsegal at sbcglobal.net

Every man, woman, every boy and girl,
Let your love light shine, make a better world.
[Daryl Hall & John Oates 

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