What is my status with God?

Question

I am asking in a manner where “I” represents people like me, in the sense that the answer might apply to me but also more broadly to others.

By “status with God” Interpret as “what consequences may occur by God's intention in my life/afterlife for my lifestyle?”

Me: I am born of a non observant Jewish father and a non observant protestant mother. I am circumcised, and I was baptized.

My lifestyle: I do not consistently keep any religious rituals or traditions. I am not married and I enjoy sex with unmarried women. I am fathering age but have no current intention to marry or have Children but it could happen at some point.

If there are consequences, what are they and is there a method to redemption?

Answer 1

Judaism is matrilineal. That means you're not Jewish; at that point, we just review what Judaism opines non-Jews should keep, i.e. the "Noahide laws."

• Circumcision -- non-Jews can circumcise or not, totally their call.

• You don't keep religious rituals; okay fine! You're not expected to keep any!

• You have a series of short-term intimate relationships? I can't say that's the most selfless or emotionally healthy thing to do, but as long as you're a decent person to everyone you encounter, Judaism says that's fine for non-Jews. There shall not be a prostitute among the sons of Israel is how the verse reads; Maimonides opens up his Laws of Marriage by saying "before the Jews received the Torah [i.e. Noahide Law], if a consenting man and woman want to meet up, have relations, and go their own ways no strings attached, that's their prerogative." I wouldn't call it holy or selfless, but still allowed.

(This may all sounds strange for you, but you're probably thinking about it from a Christian lens.)

Noahide Laws:

• Don't worship anything that's not God
• Don't kill anyone. This includes "don't drink and drive", or any other case of gross negligence.
• Don't sleep with someone who's currently married to someone else; don't sleep with an immediate relative; and don't sleep with anyone other than a consenting adult of your opposite gender
• If you choose to eat meat, make sure the animal is fully dead first
• Don't curse the name of God. (Other questions on this website address whether saying "goshdarnit" or the like counts.)
• Don't steal anything.
• Support good government. Pay your taxes. Obey local laws. If you live in a liberal democracy and have the option to vote and/or serve on a jury, make sure to do those things!

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That's really it. Pretty low bar.

Jewish philosophers talk about someone keeping these basics as a "wise non-Jew", vs. someone keeping them for the right reasons as a "pious non-Jew"; obviously the latter is more deserving of reward; as would be someone who acts in a particularly generous or selfless way. You could ask a separate question of "how do I achieve more reward", or if you're thinking about converting to Judaism, what that entails ... But from what it sounds like here, you're not really sinning right now, ergo not much to say about "redemption."

Answer 2

What a wonderful question! To address your question about the "consequences," which I didn't see addressed yet:

Non-Jews also have a path to the World to Come and I would recommend reading the works of Rabbi Moshe Chaim Luzzato (starting with Derech Hashem, The Way of God in English) to see what that entails in your case, being a non-Jew.

Look at the section: דרך השם חלק שני, בענין ישראל ואומות העולם.

Answer 3

A person is Jewish if their mother is Jewish. It isn't clear from your initial question whether or not your mother is Jewish or if it's just your father.

If your father is Jewish but your mother is not, then you are not Jewish.

If your mother is Jewish but your father is not, then you are Jewish.

In other words, the Jewish status of the father does not matter when it comes to determining who is a Jew and who isn't. (See the question "Am I Jewish?" elsewhere on this site.)

That being said, since you are presumably not Jewish there is no obligation in you to being circumcised or not. Circumcision is a covenant between G-d and the Jewish people, and non-Jews are not expected to be circumcised. So it doesn't matter whether you are or not.

Non-Jews are not obligated to follow the Torah except for the Seven Laws of Noah, which you can read about here. It should be noted that it might be considered idolatry for a non-Jew to be Christian, and therefore violate the first Law of Noah. However you being baptized has nothing to do with your personal current belief, especially if it was performed when you were young.