is barry greenstein jewish?

[DanielNegreanu 141]

That list is defintely not accurate. As for Barry, he is a devoted atheist as is Chris Ferguson. Although Chris is an atheist he signs autographs by adding in quotes "Jesus." I let him know one night that some people may find that offensive and he said he didn't promote the nickname. He then said that he wouldn't sign autographs like that anymore, but of course that was a lie. I've signed tons of hats and t-shirts since and have seen Chris "Jesus" Feguson on many of those hats. I can't say that I was surprised to see that's he'd lied, but it was a little disappointing. Why say you are going to stop when you had no intention to? Did he think I wouldn't find out? His word holds little weight with me. The fact that he is a atheist just makes it even uglier. He tried to justify the nickname by saying that many Mexican families name their children Jesus. However, with Chris, his use of the nickname simply mocks the majority of this country who believe that Jesus was our saviour and died a brutal death for our sins. I'm not as offended by that nickname however as I am of Phil Laak's use of the "Unabomber." What next? We have people parading around with nicknames like "Hitler" and "Bin Laden?" What the Unabomber Ted Kisinski did wasn't funny. If I lost a loved one at the hands of the Unabomber I would be repulsed by the idea that people may be cheering "Go Unabomber." Imagine for a second a mother watching that on TV? How would she feel about it? Exactly.

[Incubus77546 0]

Haha Matusow is a Jew! VINDICATION BABY! :roll:

[TheTorpedo 0]

Google.  Took me 12 seconds..

Why so slow did you need coaching how to use google?

[Smasharoo 0]

The fact that he is a atheist just makes it even uglier. He tried to justify the nickname by saying that many Mexican families name their children Jesus. However, with Chris, his use of the nickname simply mocks the majority of this country who believe that Jesus was our saviour and died a brutal death for our sins. I'm not sure I follow this.People gave him the nickname of a reverd religous figure because he looks like thier mental picture of that figure.What's the offensive part? If someone looked like people's mental image of Buddah and he started signing things "John 'Buddah' Smith" should Buddihsts be offended?I'm not just being difficult, either. I geniuenely don't understand what's offensive.

[dmoneypoker 0]

That list is defintely not accurate.  As for Barry, he is a devoted atheist as is Chris Ferguson.  Although Chris is an atheist he signs autographs by adding in quotes "Jesus."    I let him know one night that some people may find that offensive and he said he didn't promote the nickname.  He then said that he wouldn't sign autographs like that anymore, but of course that was a lie.  I've signed tons of hats and t-shirts since and have seen Chris "Jesus" Feguson on many of those hats.  I can't say that I was surprised to see that's he'd lied, but it was a little disappointing.  Why say you are going to stop when you had no intention to?  Did he think I wouldn't find out?  His word holds little weight with me.    The fact that he is a atheist just makes it even uglier.  He tried to justify the nickname by saying that many Mexican families name their children Jesus.  However, with Chris, his use of the nickname simply mocks the majority of this country who believe that Jesus was our saviour and died a brutal death for our sins.      I'm not as offended by that nickname however as I am of Phil Laak's use of the "Unabomber."  What next?  We have people parading around with nicknames like "Hitler" and "Bin Laden?"    What the Unabomber Ted Kisinski did wasn't funny.  If I lost a loved one at the hands of the Unabomber I would be repulsed by the idea that people may be cheering "Go Unabomber."  Imagine for a second a mother watching that on TV?  How would she feel about it?  Exactly.

daniel- do you know of any michael jackson fans who are offended by your nickname, "kid poker?"honestly sorry if that wasn't very tasteful, just too good to pass up.i'm surprised ferguson lied about something so silly- not that people's beliefs are silly but it just seems immature to me to say you're gunna change something like that and not do it. personally though, his nickname does not offend me (I'm Catholic). He can take up his use of the name with the Boss when it's his time to do that, i guess. I actually find it funny he's allowed that to be his nickname being that he's atheist (though my sense of humor is a bit warped. see joke above).i agree with you about Laak's nickname- it was especially horrible when he was heads up vs Brenes on that one WPT episode and the crowd was chanting "BOMBER!" It just goes to show how desensitized we are. The crowd could have chanted his name if they were rooting for him and not "bomber".

[Mattnxtc 0]

The fact that he is a atheist just makes it even uglier. He tried to justify the nickname by saying that many Mexican families name their children Jesus. However, with Chris, his use of the nickname simply mocks the majority of this country who believe that Jesus was our saviour and died a brutal death for our sins.  I'm not sure I follow this.People gave him the nickname of a reverd religous figure because he looks like thier mental picture of that figure.What's the offensive part?  If someone looked like people's mental image of Buddah and he started signing things "John 'Buddah' Smith" should Buddihsts be offended?I'm not just being difficult, either.  I geniuenely don't understand what's offensive.

Well him being an atheist yet using the name Jesus as a nickname kinda doesnt work. To me its almost like hes playing to the christian crowd by using that name. I know when i first saw it i kinda assumed he was a christian and it was only after reading on sites like these that I found out that he wasnt. I think if your going to use a name especially like that you need to make sure you arent misrepresenting the meaning of the name and in this case Ferguson is. Unabomber is just a bad name and from what ive read..Laak changes nicknames often so hopefully he will find a better one soon

[Big Boss 0]

I'm not as offended by that nickname however as I am of Phil Laak's use of the "Unabomber." What next? We have people parading around with nicknames like "Hitler" and "Bin Laden?"

i remember vince van patten calling tony g the "osama bin laden of poker" in a WPT telecast.

[Fourhead 0]

We're all followers of Mammon, aren't we?I rate this thread a one on a one-to-ten scale.

[Spademan 94]

Frankly, I think the fact that he is an atheist is perfect justification for him using the nickname. If you don't believe that partular story, then what is his incentive for not using the name for fun? I can name, literally, hundreds of religions, thousands if we count the ones that are no longer 'living'. Each one having differing names and customs. If you were to avoid the use of certain words/names/actions in defference to religions you wouldn't be able to do or say much at all. I mean, AT ALL. You wouldn't be able to drive cars, or fly in planes, for example. To be honest, I find it more offensive that you would try to impose your religious reverence of the name on me, or anyone else, who doesn't follow your particular path. Well, not offensive, but hypocritical. It's extremely dogmatic, when you don't abide by the customs of every other religion in the world.Furthermore, Jesus, historically, based on birthplace and region, dates and times... was not a white guy, he was middle eastern. So the likening of he and Chris is folly anyway. But, like some dude I can't remember put it, "If pigs believed in God, they would say God looked like a pig."

[Guest]

The fact that he is a atheist just makes it even uglier. He tried to justify the nickname by saying that many Mexican families name their children Jesus. However, with Chris, his use of the nickname simply mocks the majority of this country who believe that Jesus was our saviour and died a brutal death for our sins.  I'm not sure I follow this.People gave him the nickname of a reverd religous figure because he looks like thier mental picture of that figure.What's the offensive part?  If someone looked like people's mental image of Buddah and he started signing things "John 'Buddah' Smith" should Buddihsts be offended?I'm not just being difficult, either.  I geniuenely don't understand what's offensive.

Well him being an atheist yet using the name Jesus as a nickname kinda doesnt work. To me its almost like hes playing to the christian crowd by using that name. I know when i first saw it i kinda assumed he was a christian and it was only after reading on sites like these that I found out that he wasnt. I think if your going to use a name especially like that you need to make sure you arent misrepresenting the meaning of the name and in this case Ferguson is. Unabomber is just a bad name and from what ive read..Laak changes nicknames often so hopefully he will find a better one soon

Hey I've got an idea.How about everyone on the forum gets up in arms about something as utterly ridiculous as a poker player's nickname.Let's also completely overanalyze said nicknames and jump to alot of conclusions about them!

[dmoneypoker 0]

Date / Time: 2005-06-20 01:05:00 Title: Barry Greenstein vs. "Jesus" Log: Barry Greenstein just took a huge pot off of Chris "Jesus" Ferguson, when he made yet another straight. Greenstein's straights have already sent two home, but Ferguson had him covered, so he is still alive. I wonder who God is favoring at the PLO event?It's just too good these two are battling at the WSOP as this thread rages on.

[steve7stud 0]

Let me simplify this a bit. Judaism is both a culture and a religion. I'm almost positive that Barry was born to Jewish parents which in essence makes him Jewish. Whether he practices Judaism is a completely different story. For the record, I am Jewish. During World War 2, Germany wasn't concerned with people that were practicing Judaism. Either they were Jewish or they weren't. That had everything to do with heritage and not god. My intention is not to get into an argument or discussion about religion. It's an argument that can never be won in my opinion. But people are born the way that they are, like it or not.

[kouta43 0]

This question really revolves around is he Jewish accoridng to whom? According to Jewish law, if his mother is Jewish and he had a circumcision (maybe they should have snipped the mono as well) then he is Jewish. Furthermore, accoridng to Jewish law, once a jew always a jew. Even if you convert to Christianity or some other religon Judiasm will always consider you Jewish. So, it does appear that Greenstein is Jewish.

[thecortster 0]

Betting if Greenstein is Jewish or not is like betting on Ivey being black or not... enough said.

[Batch 0]

My father thinks he is from the name, I bet him 120 dollars that he wasn't, is Barry Greenstein Jewish?Yes or No?

I know he was brought up as jew.Whether he still believes in that?I don't know.

[Incubus77546 0]

My father thinks he is from the name, I bet him 120 dollars that he wasn't, is Barry Greenstein Jewish?Yes or No?

I know he was brought up as jew.Whether he still believes in that?I don't know.

You're probably gonna be down $120... there goes the bankroll! :roll:

[Smasharoo 0]

Oy, this topic is so farblondzhet allready.The guy's Jewish.He's also an Atheist.If the bet was about him beliving in the big invisible man in the sky, he doesn't. If it's about him ever having gotten Chunnakah gifts he has.There, done.Genoog!

[john kane 0]

Judaism is a religion. It's not a race. If you do not believe in a God or Gods...you are NOT Jewish.  You act like if my mother is baptist...I'm bastist...and my opinions and beliefs chan't change things. How silly.  Please separate religion from bloodline. Politics and religion are very much alike.  They both crave power and money.  Nuff said.  ~Lance

totally wrong. totally wrong. Judaism is NOT a religion. It's a race.you are born into Judaism. Even if you are not a praticising the Jewish beliefs, you still are a Jew. Christianity and Islam for example are religions, as you can convert from one to the other. You cannot convert from/to a Jew, only start/end practising Judaism.So yes, you win your bet, and it is a race, not a religion.just to add; in more recent times you may of heard of people 'converting' to Judaism. Like every group, they want to expand, and hence now 'accept' these as equal Jews, however, their is a passage in the Torah, i could spent a while finding it, which clearly states you must be from the land to be a Jew, so although they may want to be considered as a religion for ease of accepting new members, they are by the Torah a race.

[diabloblanco 0]

Is BG Jewish.....?Is the Pope Catholic?

[kouta43 0]

Judaism is not a religion. Is JFarrel back in town? Thats is, without doubt, far more moronic than open folding. Obviously with Judaism not being a relgiion i cant have religous beliefs. Hows the ears coping with that air rattling?

[Municipal Hare 0]

daniel- do you know of any michael jackson fans who are offended by your nickname, "kid poker?"

LOL!

To be honest, I find it more offensive that you would try to impose your religious reverence of the name on me, or anyone else, who doesn't follow your particular path.  Well, not offensive, but hypocritical.  It's extremely dogmatic, when you don't abide by the customs of every other religion in the world.Furthermore, Jesus, historically, based on birthplace and region, dates and times... was not a white guy, he was middle eastern.   So the likening of he and Chris  is folly anyway.

On the money. If everything possibly sacred in history is to be spared from the absurd, we might as well just ban fun outright.Chris seems like an eager-to-please kind of guy, so I can see why he would agree with Daniel in principle but also play along with the "Jesus" thing with his fans. It's not like he can stand up and ask people to stop calling him that – the nickname has stuck. His being an atheist doesn't add or subtract anything to/from the issue. A lot of this is illuminated rather nicely in the "anti-dentite" episode of Seinfeld.

[cdddc75 0]

Is JFarrel back in town?

[Ron_Mexico 4,219]

Calling oneself an atheist is kind of silly. How do you prove a negative? How do you prove God doesn't exist? A more correct term would be agnostic. This is coming from someone who doesn't believe the good book.If anyone is interested, a great book to pick up on the topic is called Farewell to God. You can get it on Amazon. A former mass evangelist bigger that Billy Graham starts to question his faith and writes a book about dissecting the bible and poking holes in it. It is good ammunition against the bible thumper. If you are a bible thumper, nothing will question your faith, because your belief is purely speculation. If you are a voracious reader, its worth a read...DanielI can't believe I just posted something serious.

[elkang 0]

Just wanted to say that most of you would not survive in NYC. As some mentioned, the question should be rhetorical. Barry's also pretty clearly an atheist. I am not qualified to talk about the Jewish experience and identity but I'm finding the Jewish portion of this thread to be pretty silly.I see Daniel's point... but this is the world we live in and being offended comes naturally and is part of this life. Personally, I think the idolatry and some of the mean spiritedness is more offensive than the nicknames used by some pros.

[LuckyMcCatcher 0]

I understand Daniel's point, but it is impossible to please all people, especially Christians, as they are such a disjointed group ideologically that they are fractured and splintered into subgroups many of which are offended by the idea of gambling period, so its really pointless to try and not offend Christians its impossible to tell what might or might not offend.