A jewish person recently asked us "Is there a Jewish 'faith'?

Question

He said: "I see Judaism as a "community working together to make this world we live in today a better place for all humanity(.) Does the word "faith" apply to us?" I was suspicious of his motives so I answered: "...why does the word "faith" seem to bother you so much ? Because it is so central in Christianity ? It is that, isn't it ? Are you stirring up problems ? So how can you possibly and honesty say "... I see Judaism as a "community" working together to make this world we live in today a better place for all humanity." ? His answer to that was: "For Francis and Heron by the sea: - I think the word IRRITATES ME because it seems to be central to Christianity". My final answer to him is going to be this. As a jew, you need faith to believe that story of Moses and the parting of the sea ! You come here stirring up problems with Christians about our faith with your constant provocative questions ! If we did that we would be called anti-semitic. You are so insecure!!

Let's have your views, please. Thank you.

Heron by the sea, for a hindu you know a lot about judaism. Fantastic !!

Mashuga and Heron by the sea could be one and same person ! Or maybe they are a trinity, who knows ?! They speak like twins !! Twins? Same person ? It is all soooo lovable !!!

With respect, Danielle S...the fact that Christian faith irritates him as of course been totally overlooked by you. Why don't you go to Hindus and tell them "Your beliefs IRRITATE me" Not 'intrigue me' but 'irritate me'. Is it wrong to see through a guy like that ? I think not !!

Before I get out of here... and yes I am a Christian... let me say this... if you talk to someone about THEIR religion,don't use the words like IRRITATE as he did "your beliefs irritate me". I saw through him... and he achieved nothing. Bye

Heron By The Sea -- How can something that does not interest me very much possibly "offend" me ? Indifference is the word. You are implying that by "offended" you have somehow gotten to me. You debate at a very low level, my friend !! Relentlessly attempting to offend... that is LOW !! It shows INSECURITY !!

Answer 1

well, the thing is, being jewish is a little tricky. its as much a nationality as it is a religion, a nationality created by a religion.

so you can be a jew how doesn't believe in god, or you can be a jew who believes in jesus. most just are jews, as in their dna is jewish. they grew up in a community that has a certain way of living. eats, dresses, sings, and thinks a certain way. its gotten so you can separate the faith from it.

to give you another example. i grew up in a polish household, which by default is catholic. the two are also very intertwined because poland has been roman catholic since about 980 AD. i don't eat meat on christmas, not for religious reasons though, its just that when i think christmas i think fish.
in that case though its easy, i can just say that i'm polish, and not catholic. but a jew can't say, i'm a jew, but not jewish. it just sounds silly.

i think that's what the guy may have wanted to get across.....even though he did fail.

Answer 2

I am a religious Jew who has spent many years studying talmud as well as theology.

In a manner of speaking (not what he meant), there is not "faith" in Judaism. Faith is defined as "Belief that does not rest on logical proof or material". (dictionary.com) Judaism is entirely based on logical bases, and there is no place for "leaps of faith" in Judaism, only rational beliefs.

What he appeared to mean, however, is something different, that there is no unique set of beliefs. This is totally untrue. The most well known set of beliefs of Judaism is the 13 principles of belief set forth by Maimonaties (the Rambam), which divide into three larger catagories:

REGARDING GOD:
1) There is a single creator, who is constantly involved in the creative process, and barring His continued involvement, there the world would cease to exist.
2) G-d is perfectly homogeunous, with no different parts.
3) G-d is not physical and cannot be compared to anything the pysical world.
4) G-d is eternal.
5) One can only pray to G-d, not an intermediary.

REGARDING THE TORAH / PROPHECY:
6) G-d communicates with people through the medium of prophecy.
7) Moses was a higher prophet than any other prophet who has, or ever will, exist.
8) All of Torah was directly given by G-d to Moses, who faithfully recorded it. Every word in the Torah is the word of G-d.
9) The Torah is abosutely immutable.

ON MAN:
10) G-d knows, and is interested in, the actions and thought of all men.
11) There is a fair reward and punishment of all deeds.
12) There will be a Messaih.
13) There will be a revival of the dead in the Messianic Age.

These are the principle that the Rambam laid out as the minimum to be able to be said to be a "beleiving" Jew.

That doesn't mean that a person who doesn't believe these things is not Jewish. If your mother is a Jew, you are part of the Jewish nation. However, to not believe in these basic principle means that you are not a "believing" Jew.

Answer 3

Wow, I didn't see the question as stirring up problems at all! I am not Jewish, but I could totally understand the point of the question.

In everyday lingo, people speak of "the Jewish faith." But in Judaism, the word faith is not the most accurate description of the religious views and practices. It does have a Christian connotation. This does not mean Christianity is BAD. It's just that every religion has a right to describe itself the way that it sees itself, and it is an injustice to each religion to describe it with inaccurate words from another religious tradition.

EVERY religion has its own language. In Hinduism, we have our own specific words to describe certain concepts that are unique to our views, such as dharma (not easily translated accurately into English), karma, moksha, samsara, etc.
In Islam, you have a specific vocabulary as well. Buddhism has its own vocabulary. Judaism has its own. And Christianity has its own.

It does not describe one religion accurately to use words from another tradition to try to talk about it.

It is the nature of every field of study that it has its own unique vocabulary. Computers have their own way they use words. Philosophy has specific definitions of words for that field. This is just the simple fact of language. Precision is important.

"Faith" in Christianity has a specific meaning which it does not have in Judaism. In Christianity, faith is the most important thing. But in Judaism, you could technically not believe in the parting of the Red Sea and still be a perfectly good Jew. What matters is what you DO, not what you BELIEVE. This is the only thing that Mashuga was trying to ask about.

There is not "blind faith" in Judaism. Faith in Judaism is based on reason. It has to have some basis, some reason to believe. In Judaism there is nothing meritorious about believing in something despite the absence of adequate evidence. It's probably best to use the various Hebrew words to convey the exact meaning of what you want, whether it's trust, or belief, or whatever. I know there are words bitachon and emunah, and maybe there are others also that could be translated as "faith" but they don't have the same connotation as in Christianity.


I want to know, why does this offend YOU so?

Answer 4

Judaism is a religion. A central belief in Judaism is Tikkun Olam which means repairing the world. (I assume that is what he is talking about)

There are Jews who do not believe but who practice this called Reconstructionist Jews also there is Humanistic Jews.

A typical Jew from either Orthodox,Conservative or Reform Judaism has Faith in G-d. A Jew who is a Reconstructionist or Humanistic Jew may or may not.

I cannot speak for this individual but I assume he is a member or believer in the later. Also as a whole Jews do not base any of our faith on any other group. It is based on Torah.

Answer 5

Thoughts...
I think all Jews before Jesus had faith, right?
And if modern day Jews are Jewish in religion and not only as a race, then they should be practicing their FAITH as well. Jews and Christians both worship Jehovah and so either way you have to have faith!

I'm not sure I understand the question so if this answer makes no sense, I'm sorry lol. If it does, then I hope it helps you :)

Answer 6

Judaism is very difficult to define. There isnt a central authority to define what "faith" is for all Jews. There are Jews in Israel who simply believe in the State of Israel. They have no faith and they are called secular Jews. As a Christian (goyim) I am impressed by the contributions made to civilization by Jews in all walks of life.

Answer 7

Jewish faith is called Judaism, faith in Abraham, Issac, and Jacob. The return of the Messiah, etc.

Faith includes, the nature and character of God, the nature of the universe, etc. Compare that to other 'faiths' like Budahism.

Answer 8

good day..nicely in the beginning maximum Orthodox (no longer messianic Jews) don't think that Jesus is the Christ or the Messiah with the aid of fact Jesus replace into no longer what they expected from a scriptural perspective..The Jews expected a powerful king to show up in there u . s . a . and actually Jesus is King of Kings and Lord of Lords there'll in user-friendly terms be one messiah and his call is Jesus Christ..We ought to undergo in suggestions that Adam and eve sinned interior the backyard of Eden and a few thing mandatory to be executed with sin so if Jesus got here as a powerful king with squaddies and chariots could the Jews have faith then???So if this powerful king regarded and the Jews have been given what they choose what could ensue with the sins of guy??? how could a powerful king look all wearing capacity look going to the bypass to die for sins??thas why Jesus got here as a humble servant to do the choose of God the father this is redeem us from sin on the bypass this is what we choose and that's salvation..So if Jesus got here with the aid of fact the Jews needed could they permit him flow to the bypass???

Answer 9

they believe in God but also believe in supernatural humans as their big rabbites who can give advice to God when he's angry. for some reason they believe they are the people chosen by God and they use this mentality as racism against foreigns. they allow to themselves to use the foreigns because God created all the non-jews for serving jews. jews has been for thousand of years a minority wherever they go. and by that mentality they were fighted unfortunately. they could not dissipate into any society but live in "jewish towns". in 1880's they made a conference to create "zionism" which is pure racism.
Most of jews are very good persons but those who govern them and who guide them are so bad

Answer 10

I think your "final answer", as you quoted it, is very rude and, by the way, very un-Christian.