Christianity unlike Judaism was to be universal, welcoming all, rather than restricted to the people of...?

Greg

2011-02-01 00:29:54 UTC

Judaism was supposed to be universal and welcome to all as well. Tribalism and xenophobia took over, however, which wasn't their mission as the "chosen people." They were supposed to be a light to the nations, not a black-clothed lamp shade that blocks and dims light from the nations. They failed. Abraham and David and Christ knew the mission, the "Jews" do not.

kaganate

2011-02-01 16:14:51 UTC

"Christianity unlike Judaism was to be universal, welcoming all"

Correction --

Christianity quotes Jesus to say "there is no way to the father except through me"

and interprets this to mean that all who do not accept Jesus as savior are damned to eternal helfire (or some variation on that theme)

Judaism believes that different tribes have different obligations to God. So Jews have to keep the 613 commandments that make them "a priestly nation" while the rest of the world have to keep the 7 commandments given to Noah. (the Jewish belief is that God directly gave whatever commandments he wanted kept - so all of the children of Noah received the commandments of Noah and all of the children of Israel received the commandments of Israel - this way there is no need to follow some tertiary messenger)

And that all people have a place near God if they strive towards righteousness in their own framework.

As for the second part of your question -- it doesn't seem to fit with the first or I do not understand it.

Christianity began as a small sect in competition with every other group. This competition often seems to have come to a point of violence. Early on, it seems that Rome had suspicions that the Christians were a subversive force - and therefore Christain preachers got arrested and executed. By the 4th century there was a substantial number of Roman nobility and finaly the emperor Constatine's mother converted. This shifted them from a position of mere competitor (and underdog competitor) to the position of the empirial religion -- and they took to that power like fish to water.

?

2011-02-02 20:51:25 UTC

That's strange because I thought that Christianity taught that unless a person accepts Jesus then they are condemned to hell which hardly seems to be welcoming all.

Judaism teaches that a person need not be Jewish to be deserving of the world to come but need only observe the seven Noachide laws as previously mentioned by Melkha.

Also if a person sincerely wishes to convert to Judaism then they would be welcomed.

Cher and Cher alike

2011-02-02 00:43:55 UTC

It's the opposite:

1) Judaism has accepted converts since Biblical days (see book of Ruth for just 1)

2) Judaism holds that ALL people can have a good relationship with God without having to be Jewish. It's based on behavior.

That's a lot more inclusive than Christianity which declares you have to have Christian beliefs.

3) It's impossible to know how Christians were treated in 1st century CE (common era). The only sources are Christian & they have enough facts about Judaism inaccurate & are political enough written to avoid persecution at Romans by pointing at Jews, that you can't tell. Besides anything negative about them was destroyed by later Christianity as it gained power & power to "write history."

In 4th century Christianity was already several centuries into viscious slander of & harassment of Jews. They already had declared Jews to be lower than vipers, & devils in early church father writings, & called for their denegration. They also already had laws about Jews not being allowed to associate with Christians (those came & went at various times.) For more details, see this Christian site:

http://blogs.setonhill.edu/ncche/015101.php

From that site:

":Still, the early church fathers were worried that newly baptized Christians would fall back into their “Jewish ways” or find the practices of Judaism to be preferable to those of Christianity. To combat this so called “Judaizing” of Christianity, they often railed against Judaism; none more vehemently than St. John Chrysostom, who proclaimed that:

[quote of Chrysostom] The Jews are the most worthless of all men. They are lecherous, greedy, rapacious. They are perfidious murderers of Christ…The Jews are the odious assassins of Christ and for killing God there is no expiation possible, no indulgence or pardon. Christians may never cease vengeance, and the Jews must live in servitude forever. God always hated the Jews. It is incumbent upon all Christians to hate the Jews." "

affinity292

2011-02-02 00:19:56 UTC

????

1. Judaism is Universal and welcomes any who wish to convert But... more importantly

2. Judaism holds that one need not be Jewish to be a righteous human being.

3. In contrast, Christianity holds that one must be a Christian to be righteous.

4. Christianity has a history of "welcoming" all or killing them in the process, and this includes other kinds of Christians.

Ambi valent

2011-02-02 20:12:45 UTC

You don't seem to have understood much about Judaism. We don't believe that people have to be Jewish - on the contrary, anyone who leads a righteous life is equally beloved of G-d. Christians, however, hold that all are condemned to some 'hell' if they don't believe in the same way as them. That doesn't exactly sound 'universal' to me!!!

Kevin7

2011-02-02 20:55:25 UTC

The Noachidal Laws of Judaism provide salvation for ALL mankind

?

2011-02-01 13:01:08 UTC

The xtian man/god narrowed the field from just about everyone to a small number of people that will go to heaven. G*D, Noachidism and Judaism teach if you keep these 7 laws you will have an equal share in the world to come.

* To behave justly in all relationships, and to establish courts of justice.

* To refrain from blaspheming Gods name.

* To refrain from practicing idolatry.

* To avoid immoral practices, specifically incest and adultery.

* To avoid shedding the blood of ones fellow man.

* To refrain from robbing ones fellow man.

* To refrain from eating a limb torn from a live animal.

A British Chabadnik was on a train from one place to another and was very tired after lecturing all day, and just wanted to read a book and that's it, and somebody sat down next to him, looked at the book he was reading, and said, "It looks as if we're in the same business." The rabbi looked up and saw the man sitting next to him was a Christian priest. 'Oy, gevalt!' thought the Jew, 'That's all I need! For the next two hours, I'll be embroiled in a theological discussion.' The priest asked questions about several topics, and the Jew asked one of his own.

"Excuse me, sir, may I ask you a question?" He was thinking, 'this will stop the conversation short.'

The priest replied, "Yes, my son, ask."

"I won't be offended by your answer, but please tell me. Will I have a portion in the world to come?"

So he said, "Oh, I certainly HOPE so!"

The Jews said, "I certainly hope so as well. But I'm asking you, in YOUR faith, do I, a Jew who do NOT believe in J.C., will I have a portion in the world to come?"

The priest said, "Well..."

The Jew said, "Look. Don't play games. I won't be offended. Just say, 'yes' or 'no.'"

He said, "Well, it DOES say that salvation is through him."

The Jew asked, "Does that mean, 'No'?"

He said, "Uh..."

The Jew said, "Listen, you're giving me a Jewish answer over here. Say, 'yes' or 'no.'"

He said, "Yes. Which means, 'No.'"

The Jew said, "That's fine. Good. I understand. You've given me a straightforward answer. Thank you very, very much. Now I'd like to ask you another question."

The priest asked, "What's the question?"

"J.C. was a Jew, right?"

"Yes."

"Do you know something? Maimonides in the 12th century says that the pious gentiles DO have a place in the world to come, which means that Judaism believes that non-Jews who are pious have a place in the world to come. Did you know that?"

He said, "No."

The Chabadnik said, "Well, now let me ask you the question. J.C. came to bring redemption to the world. Right? If that's the case, then why did he move from a universal position where EVERYBODY has a chance to get into the world to come to a very narrow position that only a select few who believe in him will have a place in the world to come, if the whole point in his coming was to bring universal redemption?"

The priest said, "That's a bloody good question!"

G*D, Noachidism and Judaism teach if you keep these 7 laws you will have an equal share in the world to come.

* To behave justly in all relationships, and to establish courts of justice.

* To refrain from blaspheming Gods name.

* To refrain from practicing idolatry.

* To avoid immoral practices, specifically incest and adultery.

* To avoid shedding the blood of ones fellow man.

* To refrain from robbing ones fellow man.

* To refrain from eating a limb torn from a live animal.

SUPERSTAR

2011-02-01 08:23:41 UTC

christians always wanted people because demand to preach his gospel for each creature.