Jesus, Jesus Everywhere

[QuestioningMind]

This is just something I have noticed with Western people. Many of them practice religions totally outside of any Abrahamic paradigm, but include Jesus. So we have 'Christian Witch', 'Hindu who believes in Jesus', 'Zoroastrian + Jesus messiah', 'Paganism with Jesus' etc. I see this all over.

Is there a reason why Westerners seem to have such a hard time discarding Jesus?

Because all religions are man made and if you're going to make up a religion you may as well include all the stuff that you happen to think is cool and desirable.

 

[RabbiO]

The pharisee's were hypocrites, suppressed the people in a variety of ways, and were overall swallowers of camels who were obsessed with straining out the gnats, making deeds greater than faith....

 

[RabbiO]

You mentioned Pharisees as if all Pharisees was included in the brood. That "brood" was just the ones that Jesus was addressing at that moment.

The same thing that some Christians do. Misrepresent God's love and desire that all people should know Him. More than that, they expressed God in such a way as to actually prevent people from knowing him.

So basically what you're saying, and correct me if I have misunderstood, is that the Pharisees were, for the most part, a swell bunch of guys - learned, devout, loving and wise - but there were a couple of bad actors with whom Jesus had issues.

 

[Kenny]

So basically what you're saying, and correct me if I have misunderstood, is that the Pharisees were, for the most part, a swell bunch of guys - learned, devout, loving and wise - but there were a couple of bad actors with whom Jesus had issues.

Let's just say that if we go by what Jesus said and other accounts in the Tannakh, there are those who follow God and those that don't.

But, so as to not be narrow minded, Christianity has its own too.

 

[RabbiO]

Let's just say that if we go by what Jesus said and other accounts in the Tannakh, there are those who follow God and those that don't.

So, what you are saying is that I have misunderstood what you were saying, that what you were, in fact, saying was that the Pharisees were basically a pretty scummy group of hypocrites, but there were a couple of good actors who were an exception.

 

[Kenny]

So, what you are saying is that I have misunderstood what you were saying, that what you were, in fact, saying was that the Pharisees were basically a pretty scummy group of hypocrites, but there were a couple of good actors who were an exception.

LOL Rabbio, why do I feel like a trap is being set?

I know you have read the scriptures... can you please point to me where it says how many were scummy and how many were good actors?



We can say, there is none good except God.

 

[Father Heathen]

Many anti-christs will arise, saying Christ is here or Christ is there. Go there not. People need to stay near the source to keep the message in tact. Because the anti-christ wants people to stray into all these other religions.

How do we know you that you weren't deceived by an evil force into the wrong religion?

 

[sanraal]

1) If you don't believe in Jesus, at least believe in the things he is doing so you understand those are good things.
2) Hearing is not necessarily the same as understanding (= receiving the words).

But if I'm doing those things and you refuse to believe me, then at least believe in my works. (John 10:38)

As for anyone who hears My words and does not keep them, I do not judge him. (John 12:47)

The one rejecting Me and not receiving My words has one judging him: The word which I spoke, that will judge him in the last day. (John 12:48)

 

[1AOA1]

This is just something I have noticed with Western people. Many of them practice religions totally outside of any Abrahamic paradigm, but include Jesus. So we have 'Christian Witch', 'Hindu who believes in Jesus', 'Zoroastrian + Jesus messiah', 'Paganism with Jesus' etc. I see this all over.

Is there a reason why Westerners seem to have such a hard time discarding Jesus?

Each path is its own perception of itself and others.

 

[Kelly of the Phoenix]

So if one can be forgiven and needn't believe in Jesus, what's the point of Christianity?

(I see you are agnostic, so you may or may not have an answer?)

I like chocolate ice cream. I prefer Baskin Robbins, even though I can get chocolate ice cream in way more than just one place. It's a particular brand of ice cream, that's all.

 

[sanraal]

The point of Christianity is plain simple, that there is an invisible force of love ('God') or higher intuition that we can daily tune in with and that softens our daily decisions in life so that we show some more compassion to others

 

[LeahOne]

Hello Rival.
Heavens, why would anybody want to discard Jesus? He is the Messiah or He isn't.

I have found that "discarding Jesus" is tough to do because Jesus loves us even if we don't love Him. He wants to save us from our sins and show us the way to eternal life. It is tough to turn one's back on the Savior who suffered and died for them.

To be accurate: Jews don't 'discard' Jesus - they don't have a reason to add Jesus to Judaism. Lets be clear on this: Jews practicing Judaism are simply remaining with the Sinai Covenant which Deity informed them His requirement for them. They aren't 'rejecting' anything or anyone , least of all Deity.

As for the wonderful teachings of Jesus: I cannot think of one that's not already part of Judaism. (One must understand that the Tanakh is NOT 'the whole of the Law and the Prophets' - and likely never was.)

 

[LeahOne]

That would be your interpretation. Jesus could never be pinned down. He always taught in parables which have to be interpreted. Here is the 2 Commandments he gave.

Jesus was asked: "Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?" Jesus replied: " 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments," (Matt 22:36-40, Amp).

Notice it says the Lord your God not Yahweh or God of Abraham. All christian religions interpret that he meant Yahweh, but Jesus showed sympathies to the non-Jews of the time and I interpret it as Loving your God. He also states with all your Heart, Soul and Mind. He doesn't stipulate Money, work or rituals. Love your neighbor as yourself again open for a lot of interpretation.

If you were Jesus' Jewish audience, you wouldn't have needed much elaboration. The first is a direct quote from the Torah: it's part of the liturgy right after the 'Shema' (Jewish confession of faith). And the second is a reference to the Torah's 'One law for you and for the stranger in your midst', as well as to R. Hillel the Elder's 'Torah on one foot'- "Do not do to another that which is hateful to you" ("All the rest is commentary......")

The 'Parable of the Good Samaritan' is what follows that exchange in the NT, isn't it? Again, a Jewish audience would have understood two things : 1) Jesus was casting a Samaritan in the role of a 'Yisroel' (Israelite who's not a Cohen nor a Levite) and 2) Samaritans were heretics who had tried to interfere with Ezra and the people re-buiding the Jerusalem Temple.
names
As a Jew, of course, Jesus would have never tolerated a suggestion that Hashem was NOT the only Deity. He could not have been referring to other 'deities' for there are none. (Judaism really doesn't recognize 'demons' or 'fallen angels' or anything along those lines - which come from Zoroastrean influence).

The sages of the Talmud had already declared that 'The righteous of ALL nations shall have a share in the World to Come' (either 'Heaven' or a post-Messianic Earth). And the Torah had already recorded the story of Jonah, the prophet sent to the people of Ninevah to convince them to repent of sins against Hashem. So the idea of Hashem truly being the GOD of all, and of ALL righteous people everywhere being 'right with GOD' was already expressed rather clearly in Judaism's sacred writings.

 

[bobhikes]

If you were Jesus' Jewish audience, you wouldn't have needed much elaboration. The first is a direct quote from the Torah: it's part of the liturgy right after the 'Shema' (Jewish confession of faith). And the second is a reference to the Torah's 'One law for you and for the stranger in your midst', as well as to R. Hillel the Elder's 'Torah on one foot'- "Do not do to another that which is hateful to you" ("All the rest is commentary......")

The 'Parable of the Good Samaritan' is what follows that exchange in the NT, isn't it? Again, a Jewish audience would have understood two things : 1) Jesus was casting a Samaritan in the role of a 'Yisroel' (Israelite who's not a Cohen nor a Levite) and 2) Samaritans were heretics who had tried to interfere with Ezra and the people re-buiding the Jerusalem Temple.
names
As a Jew, of course, Jesus would have never tolerated a suggestion that Hashem was NOT the only Deity. He could not have been referring to other 'deities' for there are none. (Judaism really doesn't recognize 'demons' or 'fallen angels' or anything along those lines - which come from Zoroastrean influence).

The sages of the Talmud had already declared that 'The righteous of ALL nations shall have a share in the World to Come' (either 'Heaven' or a post-Messianic Earth). And the Torah had already recorded the story of Jonah, the prophet sent to the people of Ninevah to convince them to repent of sins against Hashem. So the idea of Hashem truly being the GOD of all, and of ALL righteous people everywhere being 'right with GOD' was already expressed rather clearly in Judaism's sacred writings.

Without an explaination from Jesus you are putting words in his mouth. You can not be 100% postive what he meant.

 

[ronandcarol]

This is just something I have noticed with Western people. Many of them practice religions totally outside of any Abrahamic paradigm, but include Jesus. So we have 'Christian Witch', 'Hindu who believes in Jesus', 'Zoroastrian + Jesus messiah', 'Paganism with Jesus' etc. I see this all over.

Is there a reason why Westerners seem to have such a hard time discarding Jesus?

Those that 'practice religions' outside of the teachings of Jesus are not part of the Christian Faith. The Gospel has to be the center of any religion that professes to be Christian, or followers of Jesus Christ. (paganism IS NOT with Jesus) Although you can bet He is in there trying to save as many as He can. I agree that there are some movements that have started up that believe that we can all come together as one, but in order to do that there would be to much compromise. Which religion will give up their god to worship another religions god? I guess that is why there should be Religious Freedom, and we should respect it in whoever we meet.
ronandcarol

 

[Revoltingest]

This is just something I have noticed with Western people. Many of them practice religions totally outside of any Abrahamic paradigm, but include Jesus. So we have 'Christian Witch', 'Hindu who believes in Jesus', 'Zoroastrian + Jesus messiah', 'Paganism with Jesus' etc. I see this all over.

Is there a reason why Westerners seem to have such a hard time discarding Jesus?

Every time I see your title, I read it as the 1st line of a limerick.
But you're in luck!
I don't feel called to actually write one.

 

[Reggie Miller II]

To be accurate: Jews don't 'discard' Jesus - they don't have a reason to add Jesus to Judaism. Lets be clear on this: Jews practicing Judaism are simply remaining with the Sinai Covenant which Deity informed them His requirement for them. They aren't 'rejecting' anything or anyone , least of all Deity.

As for the wonderful teachings of Jesus: I cannot think of one that's not already part of Judaism. (One must understand that the Tanakh is NOT 'the whole of the Law and the Prophets' - and likely never was.)

Hello LeahOne. Do you think that the blood of goats, sheep and bulls is enough to atone for sin?

 

[Nakosis]

This is just something I have noticed with Western people. Many of them practice religions totally outside of any Abrahamic paradigm, but include Jesus. So we have 'Christian Witch', 'Hindu who believes in Jesus', 'Zoroastrian + Jesus messiah', 'Paganism with Jesus' etc. I see this all over.

Is there a reason why Westerners seem to have such a hard time discarding Jesus?

Thessalonians 5:2, “You know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night.”

Jesus sneaks in when folks ain't looking?

 

[Rival]

The point of Christianity is plain simple, that there is an invisible force of love ('God') or higher intuition that we can daily tune in with and that softens our daily decisions in life so that we show some more compassion to others

You can get this from Judaism or Islam too.

 

[Rival]

Hello LeahOne. Do you think that the blood of goats, sheep and bulls is enough to atone for sin?

Blood isn't always needed to atone for sins. The Torah says that even a grain offering can atone for sin, if an offering is needed. Just make teshuva (repentance). This is enough. The people of Nineveh needed no blood sacrifice and G-d was about to destroy them.