Writersoul: Yes, I see what you’re saying. But you know some non-Jews are genuinely curious about other religions and want to know detail. Some of them might even be married to Jews, or Jewish themselves (through a maternal grandmother, for example — and they think they’re just “a quarter Jewish.”). In some workplaces people sit and talk about whatever for half the time they’re supposed to be working, so there’s often plenty of time to get into specifics. (Whether it’s permitted to chat during work hours is another question…) But I think you’re right in general that a one or two sentence explanation should be good enough in most cases.
If the non-Jews are interested, I don’t see any problem with describing Yiddishkeit in some detail, since if they like what they hear perhaps they will become Noahides. Even if according to some opinions non-Jews are permitted to practice their religions, I’m sure it’s better to be a Noahide. I’m not saying we should necessarily try to convince everyone to be Noahides — perhaps that’s a task better left for Moshiach — but if that’s a side effect of some conversations that seems like a good thing.
Popa, you really think YCT people think religion is all silliness but it’s nice to do the parts you like? I doubt many YCT rabbis would agree with your statement. Even the vegan activist one says he still uses leather tefillin because it’s a mitzvah that’s required to be done in a certain way.
However, I will say I was disturbed to hear that the new Rosh Yeshivah of YCT envisions a unified campus in which YCT is on the same grounds as the major heterodox yeshivas. A minimal amount of cross-denominational dialogue or cooperation is one thing, but creating one campus for all “progressive” yeshivas? Yikes.