Comparison of Christianity and Judaism

[roger1440]

Jews are all over the spectrum on this, and some are quite well informed on Christian theology, some are not, and there's plenty of in-between. Generally speaking, my experience is that Jews generally know more about Christian theology than Christians know about Jewish theology, largely because American and western culture in general is dominated by Christians.

For example, how many t.v. programs and specials deal with a specifically Jewish theme versus a specifically Christian theme? Most of us know quite a bit about Christmas and Easter, but how many Christians know much about Yom Kippur or Sukkoth?

As for me, I'm very familiar with the Christian scriptures and theology.

Unknowingly, you had proved my point. Orthodox Christian theology teaches Jesus was literality born of a virgin and died for the sins of mankind. “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16) Most people accept this interpretation of the Gospels. By “accept” I mean most people believe that’s the meaning of the Gospels. By accepting this interpretation these same people accept the authority of the Church’s interpretation. My point is the orthodox Church may be wrong with its interpretation of the Gospels. The only way anyone would even consider an alternative interpretation is by reading the Gospels for themselves and ignoring what they have been told what they mean. Few people do this. We are taught to accept authority and not question it.

 

[John Martin]

The Jews have been telling Christians for nearly 2000 years the Christians have it all wrong. Jesus is not the promised Jewish Messiah. Have Jews ever considered maybe; just maybe the Christians have understood the Gospels all wrong. The Gospels are Jewish writings not Gentile. Most Jews read the Gospels with a prejudice. They have a preconceived idea of what the Gospels are about before they even pick them up to read. It’s been drilled into their head from Christians for nearly two millennium; some hot Jewish chick was knocked up by God. This child grew up to save mankind from their sins and so on and so on. I don’t think the gospels are about that at all. I encourage Jews in this forum to read the Gospels for themselves. But before doing so the reader must forget everything from the church and start fresh.[/quote)

I appreciate your approach. It is something every Christian and every Jew should do.
Thank you sincerely.

 

[metis]

Yeah, so true. A few years ago a Catholic coworker had made a derogatory comment about Jews during the Christmas season. I don’t remember what he had said, but I do remember what I had said. I had said to him, “Jesus was Jewish”. He then said to me, “No he wasn’t, he was Christian.” Well, after that comment I had lost interest in the conversation. I really hate entering a battle of wits with someone, especially someone who he unarmed.

I hear ya.

 

[metis]

Unknowingly, you had proved my point. Orthodox Christian theology teaches Jesus was literality born of a virgin and died for the sins of mankind. “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16) Most people accept this interpretation of the Gospels. By “accept” I mean most people believe that’s the meaning of the Gospels. By accepting this interpretation these same people accept the authority of the Church’s interpretation. My point is the orthodox Church may be wrong with its interpretation of the Gospels. The only way anyone would even consider an alternative interpretation is by reading the Gospels for themselves and ignoring what they have been told what they mean. Few people do this. We are taught to accept authority and not question it.

I agree with you, and it would also help if people stopped to think that what they are actually reading are various peoples' rather subjective takes on what supposedly happened, and usually they never witnesses these for themselves. But this approach is a tough one to take since it puts uncertainty at center stage whereas our natural inclination is a desire for certainty.