[geeks] christianity and judaism

[Geoffrey S. Mendelson]

Michael Horton wrote:

> the thought of a heaven or hell to be gained only after death is foreign
> to both biblical judaism and biblical christianity.

In Judaism, that is not true. One accumulates "good guy" points for your
thoughts and deeds while you are alive. When you die you go to an afterlife
which may better be descibed as different levels of heaven than a wonderful
heaven and a burning hell that are the Christian choices.

>  for instance, the
> keeping of jewish feasts was out of thanksgiving to god and *not* fear
> of god.  

Yom Kippur, the day of atonment is exactly that, a day of atoneing for
all your sins of the previous year and begging that you be predestined
for a good year.

The feasts were days of thanksgiving, for example sukkot was the harvest
festival when everyone traveled to Jerusalem, lived in little huts
(sukkot) for the harvest sacrafice (animals, not human), was counted in
the census and paid their tax.

Passover was another feast, celebrating liberation from slavery in Egypt.




> while fear is an effective motivator, it is defective (don't we
> all hate it when our boss threatens us?).  the imagery of god in the
> bible is pointedly that of a parent with a child.  this is a
> relationship that is brought out of love.  (did you ever experience
> discipline as a child from a parent/parnet figure and years later
> realize that it was a good thing?  did you ever get a toy or an ice
> cream when you asked for it?  did you ever have a problem that a parent
> "sat beside" you and helped you through it?)

Good description. Remeber that "sinners in the hands of an agry G-D" was
written in the 1600's and had nothing to do with Jews.

> unfortunately, the theory that one must earn god's pleasure has crept
> into biblical judaism/christianity.  but the old testament knows nothing
> of this theory.  instead abraham is called the friend of god during his
> lifetime.  jacob is called the prince of god during his lifetime.
> david, in spite of his failings and bad decisions, is called a man after
> god's own heart.  

That may not indicate pleasure. Jews have a contract with G-D and are expected
to follow all 613 commandments. Non Jews are excpected to follow only the 
first 10. 

The concept of an agreement between non Jews and G-D, aka the "new testment"
was invented by an exJew (Saul of Tarsus) who went to Rome to preach 
Christianity. It has nothing to do with Jews or Judaism nor the original
Christians. He changed his name to Paul and fouded the Pauline church which
is Christainity as we know it today.

The original Chritsians were the JEWISH followers of Jesus who disbanded
after his death. Some went back to Judasim, some accepted Jesus as the
messiah, but still considered themselves Jews. They faded out and in 
the 300's were absorbed into the Pauline (Roman) church.

Pauline Christianity is a Roman religion with some Jewish rituals, e.g.
baptism, retooled for the Roman masses. It really is a very different
religion than Judaism.

Geoff.


-- 
Geoffrey S. Mendelson, Jerusalem Israel gsm at mendelson.com 
IL Voice: 972-544-608-069  IL Fax: 972-2-648-1443 U.S. Voice: 1-215-821-1838