as judaism has such set rules and values as a practising jew is it ever

[James]

find it restrictive or confusing? from the point of view that there are certain things that you would like to do but cant( whether this be due to jewish rules and values or if you find yourself in a position where you want to eat or drink something somewhere but cant) or find that even you find the rules and texts confusing, people who have answered my questions will know that even now i cant make sense of some of it

[EliotK]

There are many reasons an individual might adopt few, some, most, or all of a religion's rules of behavior.

And there are a variety or reactions of individuals over time, from chaffing, deepening involvement, to abandonment.

There is also the need for a social organization to have a complex set of rules so that adherents can become more involved. These people then become the support and leaders of that group.

It might be Judaism - with arcane rules of kashrut - or bicycling, with arcana involving equipment, routes, clothing, deit, etc.

But these groups and religions only persist over decades if they can continually involve and reward a core group. Having a complex set of core rules is a very effective way of creating the core group.

With this perspective, you see that the point of restrictions and unique rites is to perpetuate the group - just as the point of eating is to stay alive, so that you can then eat the next day.

And, just as one person might rejoice at rain, while another complains, so do religious adherents have a variety of responses.

[TheBlackRabbitofInlé]

The no touching your own penis, even when urinating rule is a harsh one.

"A series of precautionary measures are laid down by the halakhah to prevent the possibility of masturbation. A man should not bring about a voluntary erection, think about sexual matters, sleep on his back, watch animals at sex play, handle his genitals even while urinating, or wear tight pants."

The Jews: Their Religious Beliefs & Practices
P. 134: http://books.google.com/books?id=y3--5jTheDUC&pg=PA128&lpg=PA128#v=onepage&q&f=false
Author: http://pipl.com/directory/people/Alan/Unterman

[Debbie]

I'm speaking from the perspective of someone who became Orthodox after having been raised in a secular Jewish home.
At first I did miss the foods I'd given up but then I got used to it and the kosher market is so varied now that I don't even think about it.
I suppose to give an analogy just imagine that you love a certain food and one day that food is discontinued and you can't get anything else like it,you would most likely in time learn to do without it and you would probably find something to take its place.
The texts by which we live our lives are not confusing but it takes time and effort to learn them but I think it's well worth the effort.

Also remember that there is flexibility within the rules,we are not told that there is only one way to do something, three people may be observant Jews and all do things slightly differently and yet all still be perfectly correct.

[mLevm]

The question is if someone would like to do them or not. As every person can do everything he wants, he might do it (but it would be a transgression) so there is no "Police" who prevents him from. So it depends on the person's will to do or not to do something.
In my eyes it is difficult as a child because then it is more that you are not allowed because your parents told you not to and the appeal through your non jewish fellows is pretty high; especially if you're the only Jew in class.
But as grown up person you generally have a fixed set of values and already defined for yourself which is especially important. So those things that are very important to you are not difficult and you generally do not have the demand to try them out. The problem are those Mitzvos that are difficult for you - and every person have some favorite Mitzvos and some that he does not like and this might be your struggle. This mixture of easy and hard "rules" are our connection to G-d and as we do not know which ones are more important than others to him, we have to try to do our best to do what we can. It definetly does not work out all the time, but that's human and people try harder next time - G-d will understand.

[BlueFoots™]

When we live this lifestyle from birth, it is not seen as restrictive or confusing because we know it, like breathing air, like drinking water, or sleeping.

I can do plenty of things. There's no need to try other non-kosher foods if I've never tasted them before. So, getting a craving for fast food or a big mac, or a BLT, doesn't happen. The only issue that comes up is when working with non-Jewish co-workers who want to go out and eat at a non-kosher restaurant for lunch... and that is easily handled.

[WayneG]

Do you sacrifice the fat calf ? Jesus came and fulfilled the law so you don't have to.
Check him out.