Any Gentiles interested in Judaism (not "Messianic Xian

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ruveyn
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25 Jul 2012, 7:03 pm

flipflopjenkins wrote:

KnarlyDUDE09 wrote:

puddingmouse wrote:

Converting to any missionary religion is going to be less involved than converting to a non-missionary one.

Definitely, because it's the goal of missionaries to convince/persuade one to convert. In Judaism, rabbis generally dissuade one from converting.

That's because Judaism is a tool for the genetic preservation of the race that created it. In other words, it's (shock, horror) racist.

Ruth, the grandmother of King David was a convert. She was born a Moabite and decided to follow the religion of Naomi.

Your people shall be my people. Your god shall be my god.

Non-jews are discouraged from conversion becasue:

1. Judaism is a tough religion to follow.
2. It is unnecessary. All that is required is that one follow the seven laws of Noah. That is sufficient for grace.

If I was not already born Jewish, I would follow the Noachic laws. They make sense

ruveyn

ArrantPariah
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25 Jul 2012, 8:21 pm

ruveyn wrote:

flipflopjenkins wrote:

KnarlyDUDE09 wrote:

puddingmouse wrote:

Converting to any missionary religion is going to be less involved than converting to a non-missionary one.

Definitely, because it's the goal of missionaries to convince/persuade one to convert. In Judaism, rabbis generally dissuade one from converting.

That's because Judaism is a tool for the genetic preservation of the race that created it. In other words, it's (shock, horror) racist.

Also, Option 2 wouldn't cost anything.

MarketAndChurch
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26 Jul 2012, 7:03 pm

That its primary concern and preoccupation is with people during this lifetime, and that we are to make better the world. Its preoccupation with morality as well was a big draw for me. Its like religious humanism, based on a book.

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graywyvern
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26 Jul 2012, 7:20 pm

i became interested in Lurianic Kabbalah via the writings of Gershom Scholem. it's the best creation myth i know.

there are two constituents, Mercy & Sternness.

the first universe melted because it had an excess of the former over the latter. it couldn't hold its shape.

the second universe had an excess of the latter over the former. it broke apart into little pieces, but they're still around.

and that is the universe we're in:
more Sternness, than Mercy.

PS http://blogs.timesofisrael.com/the-higg ... -kabbalah/

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Last edited by graywyvern on 26 Jul 2012, 7:49 pm, edited 1 time in total.

ruveyn
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26 Jul 2012, 7:46 pm

MarketAndChurch wrote:

In Hebrew the task of the Jews is tikkun olam, the straightening out of the world.

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MarketAndChurch
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26 Jul 2012, 8:39 pm

ruveyn wrote:

MarketAndChurch wrote:

In Hebrew the task of the Jews is tikkun olam, the straightening out of the world.

ruveyn

and it severely needs it. It is the the modern understanding that most of the world was polytheistic before the Jewish revolution, but from the Torah's perspective, we began monotheists believing in the one creator, and polytheism came later. But it has many aims, or at least the reason the text was written in the first place. It was to undo and destroy polytheism because of the many Gods with competing value systems and ethics. Another is that no book on earth is as preoccupied with goodness and ethics in every arena in life.

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nominalist
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26 Jul 2012, 8:45 pm

outofplace wrote:

I am a Christian, but am interested in Judaism from an academic standpoint. My biggest question about it would be it's view on salvation. From what I have heard, Jews do not believe in an afterlife. I have always wondered if this was true. If it is false, what is the Jewish concept of salvation and how is it attained? Also, if it is false, what is the purpose of living a life that follows the Law closely if there is nothing after this life?

There is considerable variability on the issue of the afterlife in Judaism. Some Jews (mostly in the Jewish Renewal Movement) even believe in reincarnation.

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Last edited by nominalist on 26 Jul 2012, 8:53 pm, edited 1 time in total.

ruveyn
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26 Jul 2012, 8:46 pm

MarketAndChurch wrote:

How do you reconcile goodness and ethics with a bear killing 30 boys for calling a Prophet "baldy"?

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nominalist
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26 Jul 2012, 8:49 pm

ruveyn wrote:

1. Judaism is a tough religion to follow.

Orthodox Judaism is a tough religion to follow, but most Jews are not Orthodox. Reform Judaism and Reconstructionist Judaism are easy to convert to. Jewish Renewal is similar to the new age movement.

ruveyn wrote:

It is unnecessary. All that is required is that one follow the seven laws of Noah. That is sufficient for grace.

That is an Orthodox Jewish idea - mostly promoted by the Lubavichers.

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26 Jul 2012, 8:52 pm

ArrantPariah wrote:

I don't care much for the Jewish diet. I like pork, ostrich meat, clams, lobsters, shrimp, cheeseburgers, etc.

Most Jews do not follow the kosher diet. I grew up having bacon and eggs almost every morning.

MarketAndChurch
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26 Jul 2012, 9:53 pm

ruveyn wrote:

MarketAndChurch wrote:

How do you reconcile goodness and ethics with a bear killing 30 boys for calling a Prophet "baldy"?

ruveyn

I'm only familiar with the torah, more specifically Genesis, I am halfway through studying Exodus so I don't know what is to be learned from that story to be honest. I've discovered that in some cases there is nothing to be read into what I've just studied, and at other times, I misinterpret what I read. I'm trying to follow the text as closely as possible, using Nahum Sarna's and Gunthar Plaut's commentary, and this as my guide:

http://www.jewishpub.org/product/978082 ... volume-set

(they are hard to find, I had to get it off of Amazon for 80 bucks just for the first of the five series).

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MarketAndChurch
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26 Jul 2012, 10:21 pm

outofplace wrote:

I think it references or imply's the existence of an after life quite often in Genesis, and maimonides established that an afterlife existed: Ultimate Reward or Ultimate Punishment. And I think that is all we should really care about, the Christian take is more colorful, a satan tries to make you join him so that you end up there, and there's fire, etc. If there is no afterlife, Judaism, and we might as well become secular humanists.

My belief is that the Jewish take Should Be: God measures people by their behavior. There are no benefits to being a Jew, we only exist to carry on this task of spreading ethics and making a better world. A good pagan and a good christian have every chance of getting into heaven as the most pious Jew.

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KnarlyDUDE09
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27 Jul 2012, 7:07 am

MarketAndChurch wrote:

I love this idea, as well.

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07 Sep 2014, 6:51 am

I practiced Judaism when I was younger, and really liked it. But they broke my heart when I was about 12, as I found out I could never convert. I'd have to go to the USA for the whole conversion process...

I still would consider myself more Jewish than Christian. I have a huge interest in Judaism, and I want to learn more, but because of the lack of materials where I live, I probably never can unless I move.

Are any of you guys fasting on Yom Kippur this year? It's coming up fairly soon.

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