Fellow Jews (NOT messianics)?

Question

A person whose name I will not disclose sent me an interesting email...
"I think you are brainwashed when it comes to Messianic Jews...Some of them are more Jewish than most odf the Jews in America, both ethnically and religiously...You need to be better educated than to make the ignorant statement you made in that quetion about different sects of Judaism not liking each other... I can guarantee you that I am ethnically more Jewish than you or lets say more of Middle Eastern origin than you and I bet I am much more observant than you..."

I found this interesting as not only does this person know nothing about me, but she also doesn't know anything about the religion she calls her own. My question for you guys is this: What are, and how did you come to form your opinions about Messianic "Judaism?" Were you "brainwashed" or did you have the unfortunate opportunity of forming your opinion for yourself by gathering evidence?

AnLoDeah: no. Then he would have had to believe in himself as a god. Lol! Unless he did....dun dun DUN! :-)

I don't know who to choose as best answer guys. I think I'm going to have to go with the person who told the best story.

Answer 1

Uh, the Messianic Jews, yet another grain of salt to an open wound. First, it were the Coptic Christians who tried to convert us, then the Catholics, then came the Greek/Russian Orthodox Churches, the Lutherans were next to follow, on occasion though rare the Calvinists came in to convent the Jews, and then they were followed by the Protestants, the Methodists, the Baptists, the Mormons, and now introducing the Messianic Jews. I have to admit to my Christian challengers who have desperately tried to convert me to Christianity (here in AL) for the past ten years, you Messianic Jews are not playing fair. I would count your actions close to cheating.
This is what happened to me and my friend and it is a true story.
I was in Wildwood Mall with my friend minding our own business when a group of Messianic Jews approached us. We were not aware at that time that they were Messianic Jews. Before I continue any farther, let me first state that I ware kippa on daily basis, and my friend had a t-shirt with a symbol of his conservative shul and that is how they knew that we were Jews. Anyway, the three men approached us dressed in Chassidic garments i.e. black hat, black pants, white shirt, tsitsit hanging out, the whole shebang. I got exited myself seeing three pious people like that. In AL we have very few Orthodox Jews like that, five families to be exact (if you are a religious/traditional Jew, please come to Al and give our state a try). These individuals approached us and asked us if we have davened Mincha. I was shocked by that question and said, “no not yet.” One of the men mentioned that it was their minhag (tradition) to daven Mincha at 1 pm and if we would help them out. We agreed to help our fellow Jews. Well, they called their wives and children and in between the three men, their five sons, my friend and me we had a minyan.
We davened right there in the secluded portion of the mall. Needless, to say most Alabamians have never seen Orthodox Jews before and now seeing 10 of them praying and swaying, to them it was very interesting so we got few lookers. Everything was going great. We said Ashrei and then went to Amidah. Well, when it was time to repeat the Amida, my friend, some of the Christian spectators and I got the shock of our lifetime. One of the men said, “In the name of Jesus Christ let us pray.” I yelled out, “Excuse me! What did you say?” He calmly turned around and repeated what he said and then began to recite the repetition of Amida. My friend and I began to yell for him to stop reciting the Amida. He continued on without stopping (got to give credit to him for doing that). So, we began to leave the minyan and the other man approached us stating that it was illegal to break the minyan while reciting the Amida. We continued to leave the area, which caused to stop with the repetition. They turned to us and said that we were racist Jews and that we were denying them their minyan, because of their religious believes.
There were several Christians who approached us to find out what the dispute was all about. The Messiancs began to tell them how we do not allow them to recite their prayers in thanking God, because they believe in Jesus and the Tanach. When the Christians approached us to find out why is that. We told them that if they believe in Jesus then they are not Jews, but Christians. We then explained that it was their ploy to convert us into Christianity by any means necessary even if it to corrupt our way of life. Most Christians to our surprise took our side and asked those men and their families to vacate the mall or they would call security on them for harassing the real Jews.
However, I must say this on one hand jokingly and on one hand for real Christian Missionaries attempts to convert me 0/over 110 this Jewish believer over 110/110 over.
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Go Judaism !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Answer 2

I have the misfortune of living 2 blocks from a messianic "temple". Not to make generalizations...but they don't even LOOK like Jews. They look like wasps in Jewish garb. I once had a roomate....turned out he was a born again Xtian....who told me he;d had lots of Jewish friends I should meet (of course Messianics). I've been approached on several occasions by these wolves, and every word from their lips dripped insincerity.

This is very simple. Accepting Christ as your savior makes you a Chrsitian. It doesn't matter what parts of the Talmud you follow. It doesn;t matter how knowledgable you are about Jews. If you accept Christ, you are a Christian, hence the term Christian.

I find them offensive, and I loathe how they pass themselves off as a misunderstood sect.

I am non-practising, and truthfully have forgotten most of what I'd learned as a child, but I am still Jewish. Once you have accepted Christ, you no longer are.

Answer 3

These so called "Messianic Jews"(aka Christians) had their convention here in the Twin Cities a few years ago. Some "real" Jews infiltrated the convention, and found out that fewer than 25% of these people had even one Jewish grandparent. These people prey on the down-and-out, and elderly "real" Jews to convert them to Christianity. Their tactics are reprehensible.

Answer 4

Well wasn't Jesus the first Messianic Jew? So really there is no difference between them and the original christians. Jesus also claimed he was more Jewish than anybody else...
I've never met any messianic Jews personally (I only saw a group of them dancing on Ben Yehuda st. in Jerusalem once and believe me they didn't look Jewish), But I do know that Christianity is considered idol worship (according to halacha) and so I don't think that Jews who believe in Jesus are more Jewish than Jews who don't. Besides lots of J4Js aren't even Jewish (ethnically)

Answer 5

oh please give me the info of that person.

more ethnically Jewish? clearly they do not know the first thing about Judaism that since almost anyone can convert ethnicity is virtually insignificant.

sounds more like Nazi pure race speach. how can you be "more Jewish"


Also I have yet to meet a Messianic Jew who had any knowlege about Judaism before they went in. Oh and if they want observance I can brow beat them with that.

Answer 6

My opinion of them was sealed when I learned that the movement is organized by the Southern Baptist Convention, and their "rabbis" go to a Southern Baptist seminary for education.

Answer 7

I've never met any, but have been told that they are very much like those other pesky Christians who go door-to-door peddling their religion.
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