Is Christianity a sect of Judaism?

Answer 1

No, it's a sect of Greek, Pagan and Roman mythology, modified by Paul. Christianity is really Paulism.


At the time of Jesus of Nazareth, as for centuries before, the Mediterranean world roiled with a happy diversity of creeds and rituals. Details varied according to location and culture, but the general outlines of these faiths were astonishingly similar. Roughly speaking the ancients' gods:

* Were born on or very near our Christmas Day
* Were born of a Virgin-Mother
* Were born in a Cave or Underground Chamber
* Led a life of toil for Mankind
* Were called by the names of Light-bringer, Healer, Mediator, Savior, Deliverer
* Were however vanquished by the Powers of Darkness
* And descended into Hell or the Underworld
* Rose again from the dead, and became the pioneers of mankind to the Heavenly world
* Founded Communions of Saints, and Churches into which disciples were received by Baptism
* Were commemorated by Eucharistic meals

Krishna was born of the virgin Devaki; the Savior Dionysus was born of the virgin Semele. Buddha too was born of a virgin, as were the Egyptian Horus and Osiris. The old Teutonic goddess Hertha was a virgin impregnated by the heavenly Spirit and bore a son. Scandinavian Frigga was impregnated by the All-Father Odin and bore Balder, the healer and savior of mankind.

Mithras was born in a cave, on December 25th, of a virgin mother. He came from heaven to be born as a man, to redeem men from their sin. He was know as "Savior," "Son of God," "Redeemer," and "Lamb of God." With twelve disciples he traveled far and wide as a teacher and illuminator of men. He was buried in a tomb from which he rose again from the dead -- an event celebrated yearly with much rejoicing. His followers kept the Sabbath holy, holding sacramental feasts in remembrance of Him. The sacred meal of bread and water, or bread and wine, was symbolic of the body and blood of the sacred bull.

The celebration of Christmas on December 25 was originally the pagan birthday of Mithras, the sun god, whose day of the week is still known as "Sunday." The halo of light which is usually shown surrounding the face of Jesus and Christian saints, is another concept taken from the sun god. The theme of temptation by a devil-like creature was also found in pagan mythology. In particular, the story of Jesus's temptation by Satan resembles the temptation of Osiris by the devil-god Set in Egyptian mythology.

The Source of the Original Gospels
Theologians have also observed for many decades that two of the synoptic gospels (Matthew and Luke) have many points of similarity. In fact, the writings have many dozens of phrases and sentences that are identical. This observation led to the theory that both gospels were based largely on an earlier document called "Q" meaning "Quelle," which is German for "source," and is comprised of three distinct documents:

* Q1 described Jesus as a Jewish philosopher-teacher, written circa 50 CE.

* Q2 viewed Jesus as a Jewish apocalyptic prophet, written circa 60 CE.

* Q3 described Jesus as a near-deity who converses directly with God and Satan, written circa 70 CE during a time of great turmoil in Palestine.

The authors of the Gospels of Matthew (circa 80 CE) and Luke (circa 90 CE) wrote their books using text from Q, Mark and their own unique traditions. The author of the Gospel of Thomas also used portions of Q1 and Q2 in his writing, but seems to have been unaware of Q3. This gospel was widely circulated within the early Christian movement but did not make it into the Christian Scriptures.

What is remarkable about Q1 is that the original Christians appeared to be centered totally on concerns about their relationships with God and with other people, and their preparation for the Kingdom of God on earth. Totally absent from their spiritual life are almost all of the factors that we associate with Christianity today. There is absolutely no mention of (in alphabetic order):

* adultery
* angels
* apostles
* baptism
* church
* clergy
* confirmation
* crucifixion
* demons
* disciples
* divorce
* Eucharist
* healing
* great commission to convert the world
* heaven
* hell
* incarnation
* infancy stories
* John the Baptist
* Last Supper
* life after death
* Mary and Joseph and the rest of Jesus' family
* magi
* miracles
* Jewish laws concerning behavior
* marriage
* Messiah
* restrictions on sexual behavior
* resurrection
* roles of men and women
* Sabbath
* salvation
* Satan
* second coming
* signs of the end of the age
* sin
* speaking in tongues
* temple
* tomb
* transfiguration
* trial of Jesus
* trinity
* virgin birth

There is no reference to Jesus' death having any redeeming function; in fact, there is no mention of the crucifixion at all. John E. Remsburg's The Christ: A Critical Review and Analysis of the Evidence of His Existence, lists the following writers who lived during the time, or within a century after the time, that Jesus is supposed to have lived:

* Josephus
* Philo-Judus
* Seneca
* Pliny Elder
* Arrian
* Petronius
* Dion Pruseus
* Paterculus
* Suetonius
* Juvenal
* Martial
* Persius
* Plutarch
* Pliny Younger
* Tacitus
* Justus of Tiberius
* Apollonius
* Quintilian
* Lucanus
* Epictetus
* Hermogones Silius Italicus
* Statius
* Ptolemy
* Appian
* Phlegon
* Phdrus
* Valerius Maximus
* Lucian
* Pausanias
* Florus Lucius
* Quintius Curtius
* Aulus Gellius
* Dio Chrysostom
* Columella
* Valerius Flaccus
* Damis
* Favorinus
* Lysias
* Pomponius Mela
* Appion of Alexandria
* Theon of Smyrna

Enough of the writings of the authors named in the foregoing list remains to form a library. Yet in this mass of Jewish and Pagan literature, according to Remsburg, "aside from two forged passages in the works of a Jewish author, and two disputed passages in the works of Roman writers, there is to be found no mention of Jesus Christ." Nor, do any of these authors make note of the Disciples or Apostles -- increasing the embarrassment from the silence of history concerning the foundation of Christianity.>

Excerpt above from http://www.messiahtruth.com/response.html

Answer 2

Christianity comes out of Judaism, but it is not a sect. Read Romans Chapters 9-11, but pay particular attention to 11:11-24. The gentiles are the wild olive branch. Jesus came to show that God's love was always extended to the world. Read Genesis 12 and 15. Then Galatians 3. Romans 2-4.

Answer 3

No. Christianity is a broad range of religious beliefs. I'm not sure if Judaism would be considerd a Christian religion because they do believe in Jesus but they don't believe he is the saviour and they are waiting for the 1st coming whereas many Christians are awaiting the second. But either way, Christianity is not a sect of Judaism.

Answer 4

No, because the Mosaic law has been basically set aside by most Christians because of the new covenant--Christ. But, there are some very interesting similararities.

For instance, in the Old Testament, Isaiah and others talk a lot of the scattering of the 12 tribes of Israel and then their rejoining later. The Jews are one of the tribes (mostly). The reunification is actually very actively going on today, but you wouldn't see it unless you were in the right circles. You'll know a lot more about that some day.

I actually named my firstborn son Asher, who is one of these tribes and the name of one of my favorite fictional characters. I'm not a Jew, but at a family wedding where one side was Jewish, they loved that we named our boy with such a "good Jewish name."

Hassidic Jews believe that the Messiah came about 1,000 years ago through one of their leaders, where Christians feel it is Jesus. The common belief in a Messiah and the knowledge that He will be a Jew is common amongst the Jews and the Christians.

A lot of the separation comes from the anti-semitic ways of the centuries. I found that Wanderings by Chaim Potok is one of the best histories of the Jews I've ever found. The holocaust (sp?) was only a small part of what's been going on against the Jews. For instance, do you know that their foundations in banking and jewelery is based on old racist laws that kept them from owning their own land? That's how they established themselves in these fields and later were killed and persecuted to rob their money from them. But, they've financed the foundations of mosts European nation states.

Anyway, Christians are not really a sect of Judaism because of the completely separate religious doctrines guiding both groups. However, the common moral fiber between the groups is still refered to as Judeo-Christian ethics (don't murder, don't lie, that kind of thing).

I've found that I have a lot in common whenever I speak with Muslims or Jews (I am a Christian). I have a lot in common too with Budhists, but that's because I am part of a group of Christians that very actively believe in and depend on personal revelation, and the Zen-states and insights many Budhists seek are common to my spiritual experiences.

Bottom line: there's more that binds us than separates us.

Answer 5

More like the other way around. The two religions share alot of similarities but have been distinct for thousands of years. However, in recent times, judaism has so integrated and intermarried with christian countries and institutions that jews have become indistinguishable from gentiles.....to the point that many, if not most jews in western countries share significant blood ties with christians through marriage. Add in the fact that most jews in these countries have abandoned the religion of judaism (while maintaining the ethnic identity) and absorbed almost completely the mores, attitudes, philosphies, beliefs and political thought as christians and you have a situation where jews have, in essence, become a de facto part of christianity.

They are "of us" in all the ways that matter.

Answer 6

Some Jewish scholars of old considered Christianity a heretical sect of Judaism. I think it's grown far beyond that now.

Answer 7

It once was a sect of Judaism and early converts were required to become Jews first and then become Christians. Of course, that requirement was soon eliminated.

Answer 8

Christianity is a religion in and of itself. Perhaps your confusion of being the same religion would lie is some common beliefs, such as in the first testament's authenticy in being the word of God. Christianity came into being after Jesus's death after the destruction of the Jews' second temple. Some believed that there was a new way to serve God, not rejecting (according to them, of course) the previous truth of Judaism. Judaism still exists because this belief is contrary to inherent beliefs of an eternal way that God wanted, being that He said so explicitly in the bible.

Answer 9

No because Christianity rejects the validity of the Torah.

it says that the rules in the Bible have been abolished and thus is no way connected to Judaism

Answer 10

Chrisitanity is not a sect of Judaism. Jesus was a Jew and followed the Jewish traditions. The last supper was the Passover meal and Jesus was probably bar mitzvahed. All of the disciples and even Mary were Jewish, but Jesus said that He came to fulfill the law, not to destroy it.

Answer 11

Not a sect! It does have roots in Judaism.