Here’s one of my favorite Simpson’s scenes: When Marge wants to tell him that she is pregnant with their third child, Homer interrupts: “Can’t talk now, praying. Dear Lord, the gods have been good to me and I am thankful. For the first time in my life everything is absolutely perfect the way it is. So here’s the deal: you freeze everything as it is and I won’t ask for anything more. If that is OK, please give me absolutely no sign. [pause] OK, deal. In gratitude, I present you this offering of cookies and milk. If you want me to eat them for you, please give me no sign. [pause] Thy will be done.” [eats food]. Is God gonna strike me down for liking it?..he doesn’t dare.
Judaism is very vague, intentionally so, about
“the hereafter”. When our bible was canonized,
this was a deliberate ploy by the rabbis and
it was a smart one - because we are focused
more on “now” and “living” than in some
abstract, post mortem reward. There are
many “movements” in Judaism, Orthodox,
Conservative, Reform and Reconstructionist
are the “big 4” while Jewish Revival is
another potential one and ‘Karaite Judaism’
or a “pure Torah, no Talmud” Judaism is also
another form. The Samaritans of Israel
are not considered Jews even though they
have our torah, are the only “group” still
practicing “Judaism” in anyway resembling
that of old times (sacrfices, priests, etc.).
They thought Mt. Geriza and not Jerusalem to
be hallowed ground. However, there are 13
principles that the RAMBAN codified that
defines the MINIMAL qualities one has to
have/believe in to be considered a Jew.
Look it up on the net, I am too tired to
type them out and explain them all.
As for Heaven/Hell/Satan/etc.
By “Heaven”, Jews do not mean “this cool
paradise with lotsa fruit trees, 75 degree
Sunny weather and such”. Heaven is being
close or near God. After death that is.
God created everything. This includes evil.
So if their was a cherub named ‘Lucifer’
who fell, God was the creator of such and
God knew he would fall. Even “Lucifer”
could repent and be righteous with God
according to Judaism. Because we are all
nonperfect beings. As for Hell, there is
not some firey lake where you burn in
forever according to Judaism. But we do
have a “purgatory” of sorts which a soul
can be “punished” in for up 11 months
and then it has to be freed. Incidently,
the maximal time one can say Kaddish for
a dead relative is 11 months 
Make
the connection!!! There is no “Hell” just
distance from the light of God, being
in darkness, not being revealed to.
But nobody is condemned forever. We have
a saying, on Rosh Hoshanah your fate is
written by God for the coming year in the
book of life. On Yom Kippur, this book is
sealed. Who will live and who will die, who
by famine, who by fire, who by pestilence,
who by the sword. Who will know misery and
who will know greatness. And while once
sealed, it is done, one can lessen the
severity and pain through repentence, prayer,
and righteous acts. Boy, it would be
pretty miserable if God never gave us imperfect
people lots of chances to straighten up.
Even Evangelic Christians will tell you,
God does not want even one to be lost from
his sight. But we have to make the move to
go to him.
One of the things I do for the community I live in is I sit on the Bet Din (religious court that issues conversions, divorces, etc.). And I always grill prospective converts. Not about trivial stuff like how to read Hebrew or what is kosher or not. But I grill them on why they want to be a Jew and what it means to be a Jew. Someone once asked me the same question, why am I a Jew when it is much easier to be something else. A Christian, whatever. Well, I am a Jew because my faith demands no abdication of the mind. I am a Jew because my faith demands all the devotion of my heart. I am a Jew because wherever there is suffering, the Jew weeps. I am a Jew because whenever there is despair, the Jew hopes. I am a Jew because the message of my faith is the oldest and the newest. I am a Jew because the promise of my faith is a universal promise. I am a Jew because for the Jew, the world is not yet completed, people must complete it. I am a Jew because for the Jew, humanity is not fully created, people must complete it. I am a Jew because the faith of the people Israel places humanity above nations, above Judaism itself. I am a Jew because the faith of the people Israel places above humanity, image of the the divine, the Oneness of God. Yes, a Christian is guilty of idolatry before Judaism. However, one can repent up until their last breath. And we assume (least I do) that as they are passing from here to there, before they exhale their last breath, they "see" the Oneness and realize they were in error and repent before they exhale for the last time :-) Have to love technicalities...Brock
Brock makes a compelling argument about judaism and frankly, it makes a lot more sense than christianity. As a matter of fact, both of us coincide with the concept of making this world a better place to live now. But that’s where we part. Why, because the foundation of all of his and xians concepts is the bible. The Bible is riddled with repetitions and contradictions, things that the Bible bangers would be quick to point out in anything that they want to criticize. For instance, Genesis 1 and 2 disagree about the order in which things are created, and how satisfied God is about the results of his labors. The flood story is really two interwoven stories that contradict each other on how many of each kind of animal are to be brought into the Ark – is it one pair each or seven pairs each of the “clean” ones? The Gospel of John disagrees with the other three Gospels on the activities of Jesus Christ (how long had he stayed in Jerusalem – a couple of days or a whole year?) and all four Gospels contradict each other on the details of Jesus Christ’s last moments and resurrection. The Gospels of Matthew and Luke contradict each other on the genealogy of Jesus Christ’ father; though both agree that Joseph was not his real father. Repetitions and contradictions are understandable for a hodgepodge collection of documents, but not for some carefully constructed treatise, reflecting a well-thought-out plan.
Of the various methods I’ve seen to “explain” these:
-
“That is to be taken metaphorically” In other words, what is written is not what is meant. I find this entertaining, especially for those who decide what ISN’T to be taken as other than the absolute WORD OF GOD - which just happens to agree with the particular thing they happen to want…
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“There was more there than…” This is used when one verse says “there was a” and another says “there was b”, so they decide there was “a” AND “b” -which is said nowhere. This makes them happy, since it doesn’t say there WASN’T “a+b”. But it doesn’t say there was “a+b+litle green martians”. This is often the same crowd that insists theirs is the ONLY possible interpretation (i.e. only “a”) and the only way. I find it entertaining they they don’t mind adding to verses.
-
“It has to be understood in context” I find this amusing because it comes from the same crowd that likes to push likewise extracted verses that support their particular view. Often it is just one of the verses in the contradictory set is suppose to be taken as THE TRUTH when if you add more to it it suddenly becomes “out of context”. How many of you have goten JUST John 3:16 (taken out of all context) thrown up at you?
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“there was just a copying/writing error” This is sometimes called a “transcription error”, as in where one number was meant and an incorrect one was copied down. Or that what was “quoted” wasn’t really what was said, but just what the author thought was said when he thought it was said. And that’s right - I’m not disagreeing with events, I’m disagreeing with what is WRITTEN. Which is apparently agreed that it is incorrect. This is an amusing misdirection to the problem that the bible itself is wrong.
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“That is a miracle”. Naturally. That is why it is stated as fact.
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“God works in mysterious ways” A useful dodge when the speaker doesn’t understand the conflict between what the bible SAYS and what they WISH it said.
Here are a few examples:
Who was at the Empty Tomb? Is it :
MAT 28:1 In the end of the sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week, came Mary Magdalene and the other Mary to see the sepulchre.
MAR 16:1 And when the sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Salome, had bought sweet spices, that they might come and anoint him.
JOH 20:1 The first day of the week cometh Mary Magdalene early, when it was yet dark, unto the sepulchre, and seeth the stone taken away from the sepulchre.
Is Jesus equal to or lesser than?
JOH 10:30 I and my Father are one.
JOH 14:28 Ye have heard how I said unto you, I go away, and come again unto you. If ye loved me, ye would rejoice, because I said, I go unto the Father: for my Father is greater than I.
Which first–beasts or man?
GEN 1:25 And God made the beast of the earth after his kind, and cattle after their kind, and every thing that creepeth upon the earth after his kind: and God saw that it was good.
GEN 1:26 And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.
GEN 2:18 And the LORD God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him.
GEN 2:19 And out of the ground the LORD God formed every beast of the field, and every fowl of the air; and brought them unto Adam to see what he would call them: and whatsoever Adam called every living creature, that was the name thereof.
The number of beasts in the ark
GEN 7:2 Of every clean beast thou shalt take to thee by sevens, the male and his female: and of beasts that are not clean by two, the male and his female.
GEN 7:8 Of clean beasts, and of beasts that are not clean, and of fowls, and of every thing that creepeth upon the earth, GEN 7:9 There went in two and two unto Noah into the ark, the male and the female, as God had commanded Noah.
How many stalls and horsemen?
KI1 4:26 And Solomon had forty thousand stalls of horses for his chariots, and twelve thousand horsemen.
CH2 9:25 And Solomon had four thousand stalls for horses and chariots, and twelve thousand horsemen; whom he bestowed in the chariot cities, and with the king at Jerusalem.
Is it folly to be wise or not?
PRO 4:7 Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding.
ECC 1:18 For in much wisdom is much grief: and he that in- creaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow.
1 Cor.1:19: “For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and wil bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent.”
Human vs. ghostly impregnation
ACT 2:30 Therefore being a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him, that of the fruit of his loins, ac- cording to the flesh, he would raise up Christ to sit on his throne;
MAT 1:18 Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: When as his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came togeth- er, she was found with child of the Holy Ghost.
The sins of the father
ISA 14:21 Prepare slaughter for his children for the iniquity of their fathers; that they do not rise, nor possess the land, nor fill the face of the world with cities.
DEU 24:16 The fathers shall not be put to death for the chil- dren, neither shall the children be put to death for the fathers: every man shall be put to death for his own sin.
And I have numerous friends that are secular jews and agree with me.
One more thing. You guys better pray that there is no second coming because jc will close this site and throw Brock and the others in jail. There won’t be any more comedy, TC, Ian King, surge, mag-10, tribex, etc. What a boring world!!!
I wanted to get a piece of this here enlightenment on Judaism 101. I am the Jewish girl who is dating DA MAN, and he misinterpreted or wasn’t sure of my views. I do believe in Heaven, for those who respect and worship G-d, and obey his commandments, and love his Torah and his teachings. Those who do evil, such as those who have forgot their love for G-d and his commandments(WTC terrorists a perfect example) are those who will be punished for being wicked. As you said, it is written at Erev Rosh Hashanah and sealed on Yom Kippur, who will remain righteous and who will be wicked, but G-d is a forgiving G-d and knows that his children are imperfect.
Question for you: Is there now also a movement of Christian Jews and if so what is their purpose or views?
forget other dumb sh%t, ya got a kool chick (no “chick is a bad word” shit), realy, just the fact that she posts and says what she thinks is kool as hell. PEACE. hetyey225
I don’t get it…
so what, what do you care?
Yeah, she has her moments…
seriously, she is as cool as they come.
I don’t like to denigrate other people’s
religion or beliefs unless thet “attack me
or mine”. But I will say there is no such
thing as a “Christian Jew”. Jews do not
believe that Jesus was the messiah. Christians
do. You can’t believe in both. So you can
not be a Christian Jew. Now there are groups
which claim to be “Messianic Jews” like
the JfJ’s but these are not considered Jews
by anyone outside their group and they can’t
emigrate to Israel under the Law of Return.
I do not like the JfJ movement and find them
sneaky and manipulative as I have seen them
at work close at hand. Typically, these
folks prey on older people who are lonely or
new immigrants. They try to tell older people
or new immigrants that they are “Jews” and that
these people should come to their “synagogue”.
They even call their ministers “rabbis”.
And they have a disgusting and highly offensive
recruitment video where they blame the Jews
for the Holocaust and say this happened because
we refused to embrace Jesus as the messiah.
The call Jesus by the Hebracized name of
‘Yeshua’. Basically, they took a Christian
service and did it in Hebrew and decided to
call themselves Jews. Now what is truly
irritating to me (and other Jews exposed to
these frauds) is who is bankrolling the
JfJ’s…do some research It’s a group
who wants to bring Jesus to everyone at any
cost and they have no qualms about lying or
deception because the “ends justifies the
means” and afterall, they are “saving us”. -
Brock
Sorry Christians, much of the bible is grossly mistranslated. Also, astrology, yes astrology plays an important role in understanding some of the cyptic messages in the bible. This is why most priest’s ministers, rabbi’s do not want you to have any thing to do with devil worshipping, satanic, new age astrology. They do not want you to figure the real meaning of the scriptures. Check the following from the book That Old Time Religion, by Jordan Maxwell.
Anyone familiar modern day Christianity must surely know we are said to be living in the last days. This teaching is, in part, based on the idea expressed in Matthew 28: 20 of the King James Bible. Where Gods sun says, " I will be with you even to the end of the world". End of the world??!! Yet another simple mistranslation to clarify with a proper understanding of the actual words used. This “end of the world” is translated differently in various Bible’s. Some say “end of time,” “end of the days,” and still others say “conclusion of the system of things.” So what does all the stalk of the “and times/last times” really mean?
Here is the simple answer. When the scriptures speak of "the end of the world," the actual words used it is not, I repeat, not the end of the world. The actual words in Greek is "Aeon," which, when correctly translated, means "age," that's spelled A-g-E! Any library will have Bible Concordances. Strong's Bible Concordance is a good reference work to use here. Look up the word age in any secular dictionary or Bible concordance. There you will find the word for age is from the Greek "Aeon" remembering that in astrology each of the 12 houses [or signs] of the zodiac corresponds to a 2000 year period of time, called an age, we now know we are 2001 years into the house or age of Pisces. Now, correctly understood, it can readily be said that we today, in fact, our living in the last days.
Yes, we are in the last days of the old age of pisces. Soon, gods sun will come again into his new kingdom or new age of Aquarius [man with the water pitcher -- Luke 22: 10]. He’s right, the new Aeon…. The new age.
Over 2000 years ago the sun was in the house of aries, the RAM or lamb. This is where we get the claim Jesus is the good Shepherd, the lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world.
We are now in the age of pisces. Jesus the sun, is in the house or zodiac of Pisces. The evidence from the Bible are these passages,
And they say unto him, we have here but five loavesand two fishes. And he commanded the multitude to sit down on the grass, and took the five loaves, and two fishes, and looking up to heaven, he blessed, and brake, and gave the loaves to his disciples, and disciples to the multitude. Matthew 14: 17, 19.
But he said unto them, give ye them to eat. And they said, we have no more but five loaves and two fishes, except we should go by meat for all his people. Luke 19: 13
There was a lad here, which hath five barley loaves, and two small fishes: but what are they among so many? John 6: 9. What sign represents the house of Pisces? the sign is the two fish.
In a few years the sun is going to move into the house of Aquarius, what does that have to do with Christianity and Jesus? Because Jesus actually represents the sun we have this passage in the Bible to prove it, "And he said unto them, Behold when ye are entered into the city, there shall a man meet you, bearing a pitcher of water; follow him into the house where he entereth in. Luke 22: 10 You guessed it Aquarius is represented by the man with the water pitcher.
When you see the sunlight's reflection on the water at dawn or dusk, you are seeing the actual physical form of Jesus walking on water. And in the fourth watch of the night jesus went unto them, walking on the sea. Matthew 14: 25 -- 26
So when they had rowed for about 5 and 20 or 30 furlongs, they see Jesus walking on the Sea, and drawing nigh unto the ship and they were afraid. John 6: 19
Do Not let the Christian fundamentalist fool you, it is not the end of all time, it is simply the end of an astrological age. Why do you think priests, ministers, religious authorities are so anti new age -- astrology? They do not want you to figure it out!
From the book That Old time Religion. By Jordan Maxwell
I’d just like to say that it’s quite ironic how so many people are a skeptic, a tough guy, and a critic and try to be their own god, until they are on their death bed, or faced with something really difficult in their life. Then it’s like: “oh crap, I better get stuff together before I croak.” I am sure you’ve all heard the phrase: “There are no Atheists in fox holes.” Anyhow, I have been into biblical research and study for over twelve years now, and the stuff I have seen first hand would make most of you think twice about life. Personally I consider a healthy spiritual life a vital part of being a human being, regardless of which religion you choose(and so do most psychologists by the way). For those of you who think it’s a joke, I guarantee at some point in your life, you will change your mind, because you will be searching for answers. Which religion you choose will be up to each individual of course, but all the talk about Noah’s Ark, and the prophecies being wrong, has never looked into the subject in any depth. If I went to the steroids forum and started spouting “matter of fact” opinions about something I know zero about, I’d be considered a moron wouldn’t I? I don’t think any of you should treat your opinions about cristianity or any other religion any differently. Try to be respectful to the other T-men on this site, and stopping ridiculing something you know zilch about.
Jatu
go read revelations chapter 18 and you may see some correlation to the sept 11 attacks and what is written.read all of revelations and think of some major world events and you will see that all of those 7 seals may have been broken… but i’m personally not too concerned with it… i kind of have the feeling that it isnt the second coming, and if it is …what are you gonna do bout it?lol
I would take a couple of you more seriously if you got the name of the book right. Its Revelation. Not Revelations. There’s no “s”.
Nice posts Brock.
jatu- i was just about to post the same phrase! and i would bet the house its true…