Sufficient Self's Bible Study Group

[Wannabefree]

Ahhhhh......therein lies the rub my dear Zoldani. Some people professing to be Christian, do not follow the Christian beliefs to a tee, they want to pick and choose what they follow, and that is, just simply put, WRONG. Christ wouldn't turn you or the grandbabies away, and if true followers of Christ, which is what Christians are supposed to strive for, then neither would they, even if they have differences. I have a wayward little sister who is the same way by me, and I totally disagree with some things my parents do as well. Family is funny that way, and I think we all have "those" types of family members in the bunch. Still love them, but no real relationship there. I say ADOPT! I have adopted many "sisters" to take the place of the one that is lost to me of her own choosing I have to have somebody to squabble with!

 

[MarylandFutureFarmGuy]

Maybe I'm pushing this a little bit, but if I were a Christian, I don't think I would mind studying Judaism, For how can you take in your Old Testament, without analyzing how the people who still follow it use it?

Looking at Christianity also makes me reaffirm my Jewish beliefs, WBF, but perhaps that is simply by seeing how it wouldn't make sense with Judaism as a precursor.


also, WBF, Jew's DO NOT think others should keep kosher, I mean you can if you want, but it won't help you in any way

Jew's do not push their beliefs upon others, in fact, quite the contrary. If a person wanted to convert to orthodox Judaism, then the Rabbi will make all effort to discourage that person from doing so. You will never hear of a Jewish Missionary.


makes me think I won't ever be able to dress an animal myself should I expand my "miniature farm"...I'd have to hire a religious slaughterer, and you can't find them easily....

 

[Wannabefree]

MFFG, I agree with you on all points there buddy. Did I say Jews think everyone should keep kosher? Sorry, if I did, I didn't mean that.

I would not be able to do the slaughtering either in keeping kosher, though I could come close to it. Isn't it a matter of a lot of training and even certification to be truly kosher these days? I think so. I could be wrong, but that's my impression, and yeah, kosher butchers are few and far between, and I'd imagine rather expensive considering the need for one for Jews.

 

[Quail_Antwerp]

also, WBF, Jew's DO NOT think others should keep kosher, I mean you can if you want, but it won't help you in any way

Does this mean you believe all Non-Jewish people are going to hell? or, do you believe we are right in our belief of salvation thus we don't need to worry about kosher?

Jew's do not push their beliefs upon others, in fact, quite the contrary. If a person wanted to convert to orthodox Judaism, then the Rabbi will make all effort to discourage that person from doing so. You will never hear of a Jewish Missionary.

Does this mean Jews do not believe in spreading God's message? They don't believe in "going into all of the world and spreading God's message?"

 

[MarylandFutureFarmGuy]

For your first question, the answer is neither. The concept of hell isn't well defined in the written nor the oral torah. Opinions differ widely, there has been input from sages, prophets, and the like...

You won't get any one answer.
However, this is from my synagogue's website:

"The Jewish mystics described a spiritual place called Gehinnom. This is usually translated as Hell, but a better translation would be the Supernal Washing Machine. Because thats exactly how it works. The way our soul is cleansed in Gehinnom is similar to the way our clothes are cleansed in a washing machine.

Put yourself in your socks shoes, so to speak. If you were to be thrown into boiling hot water and flung around for half an hour, you might start to feel that someone doesnt like you. However, the fact is that it is only after going through a wash cycle that the socks can be worn again.

We dont put our socks in the washing machine to punish them. We put them through what seems like a rough and painful procedure only to make them clean and wearable again. The intense heat of the water loosens the dirt, and the force of being swirled around shakes it off completely. Far from hurting your socks, you are doing them a favor by putting them through this process.

So too with the soul. Every act we do in our lifetime leaves an imprint on our soul. The good we do brightens and elevates our soul, and every wrongdoing leaves a stain that needs to be cleansed. If, at the end of our life, we leave this world without fixing the wrongs we have done, our soul is unable to reach its place of rest on high. We must go through a cycle of deep cleansing. Our soul is flung around at an intense spiritual heat to rid it of any residue it may have gathered, and to prepare it for entry into Heaven.

Of course, this whole process can be avoided. If we truly regret the wrong we have done and make amends with the people we have hurt, we can leave this world with clean socks.

Thats why our Sages said, Repent one day before you die. And what should you do if you dont know which day that will be? Repent today."





So essentially, the idea is you should concern yourself with living today and now.





For your second question, I will say this:

In Judaism, there is no god's message. God has entrusted us with the responsibility (and yes, it is considered a responsibility) of following the Torah. The rest of the world shouldn't follow Judaism, as this is entrusted only for the Jews. Even in Judaism, there are those that have higher responsibilities, known as Cohen's (who are descended from the Jewish Priests who worked in the Holy Temple in Jerusalem). If you ever meet a Jew with the last name Cohen, and there are many, then that is why. The only thing Non-Jew's have the responsibility of keeping is the Seven Noahide laws. The Seven Laws of Noah demonstrate that Al-mighty G-d has rules and laws for all human beings, and that G-d loves us all. He does not leave anyone, Jew or non-Jew without guidance. To the non-Jew He has given the Seven Commandments. Maimonides states "Whoever among the Nations fulfills the Seven Commandments to serve God belongs to the Righteous among the Nations, and has his share in the World to Come".

 

[Quail_Antwerp]

Well, seeing as my socks don't have a soul, I'll have to disagree.

The Bible is very plain about their being punishment for sin. Death.

I stand firm in my belief that Christ died on the cross, for our sins, so that we may have everlasting life. I've been baptised, not just in water, but by the Holy Spirit. I've been washed clean by the blood of the Lamb, and it wasn't painful, tortureous, or horrible to endure.

 

[MarylandFutureFarmGuy]

Perhaps I'm missing some type of reference, but what do you mean you have been washed by lamb's blood?

 

[Wannabefree]

MFFG Jesus is the Lamb of God. He died, His blood...cleanses us of sin. You really know nothing about Christianity huh?

 

[Quail_Antwerp]

Revelations 7:14 And I said unto him, Sir, thou knowest. And he said to me, These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.

 

[MarylandFutureFarmGuy]

MFFG Jesus is the Lamb of God. He died, His blood...cleanses us of sin. You really know nothing about Christianity huh?

This is what I know:

Jesus, Mary was the virgin mother, called the son of god, drink wine and eat bread representing blood and flesh, had followers, crucified supposedly by my ancestors (that's rather intriguing), or by romans....heck if I know what happened....uhhh, different denominations take in different parts.....I also know the false history that "the da vinci code" taught me, but I don't think much of that is true...