Who has a better understanding of their religion and god, your average Jew or your average Christian?

Answer 1

most jews are not very religious at all, and many are completely secular. but even a moderately practicing jew would win a debate with a practicing christian easily. i'm judging by the fact that i'm not extremely observant but whenever a christian fundamentalist emails me to debate i always wipe the floor with their faces, figuratively speaking. their problem is they do too much blind, rote memorization and not enough learning and understanding.

Answer 2

I think it is a bit facile to think there is any such thing as an "average Jew" or an "average Christian."

Some Jews and Christians are only really nominal members of their faith. They'll probably have more in common with one another than with their religious counterparts.

There are thousands and thousands of Christian denominations. And even if their theologies are similar, the entire approach taken to religious life and religion's impact on family practices are completely different. A Catholic family that prays the daily office or the rosary together probably has little to make them "average" when considering a Pentecostal family who are more into being slain in the spirit.

The same goes for Judaism, in some ways. Hasidic mystics probably don't have much in common with the folks in the seats at the Reform temple.

I suppose someone could accurately give you an answer if they detailed Christians denomination by denomination and gave them a scored ranking on self-awareness. Such a ranking would probably rank southern baptists, traditionalist Catholics, Maronite, Melkite and Middle Eastern Orthodox Christians pretty highly. Mainstream protestants and non-denominational evangelicals often seem to be poorly catechized, but I base that all on the anecdotal evidence of my own experience, and not objective research.

Most religious Jews seem to know their religion very well, especially if they can read and understand Hebrew.

Answer 3

Neither, as both are severely fragmented into sects and religions. You would have to look at the individual sects to determine which most closely follows the origins of either religion. I would imagine you would not find one for the Jews, as that would necessitate the need of the Levi class to act as Priests and the need of a Temple with the Most Holy covered by a great curtain of woven gold.

Answer 4

Jew

The jewish faith has been tested by many years of persecution. As a result this has lead to a high level of support with in its society. A large part of this is the teaching of their faith and the attempt to understand thier world trhough it.
In contrast Christians live in a more open society and are not watched so closely by their peer group.

under theese circumstances a self professed jew will be far more aware of their religion than a self professed christian. Interestingly the jew would also be likely to have a greater understanding of christianity than the christian would of judaism (and probably than the christian would have of his own faith aswell)

Answer 5

I think Jews probably do. Their religion has been around for Centuries before Christianity and there aren't that many diverse teachings within Judaism as there are in Christianity.

Answer 6

As a Jew I will tell you its Christian.

The average Jew is horrifically ignorant while your average Christian will at least read the once bible and go to Church

Answer 7

Protestant Christians.Like Catholics ,most Jews follow the tenants of the religion but don't study the word itself.They know all the rules and man made regulations,but they couldn't tell you about anything in the scriptures.

Answer 8

that both do, in their own eyes