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I'm aware of what's widely accepted as the truth regarding this issue.

What I don't understand is on which logical basis it's widely accepted.

How can a black Ethiopian and a white Polish be considered part of the same race?

It does not compute.

Despite using the same terms, they're distinct. You can be ethnically Jewish but not religiously Jewish and vice versa.

It would probably be more clear if there were separate terms for "I practice Judaism" and "I am descended from the Jewish ethnic group".

They are not considered to be the same race and yet both can be Jews.

I was just thinking about the Sith in Star Wars, but maybe that comparison hurts feelings again....

> They are not considered to be the same race and yet both can be Jews.

then it's not a race, it's a really obvious paradox

It isn't a paradox, it can be both a religion and a race. For those that consider themselves Jews the religious component is obviously more important. I am ethnically a Jew and yet I am a Christian (not religious, more a tradition and paper thing). I don't consider myself a Jew but some would. For racists that prosecuted Jews the ethnic component was far more important.

Judaism also has an ethnic component as those that are descendants of Abraham are considered Jews. And yet, those that adopted Judaism are too.

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