Will decent Christians and non Christians agree with me on this? Do my fellow Jews have comments?

Question

Twice in the last 24 hours, I have been amazed at the lengths some 'Christians' will go to. In response to two separate posts where someone is genuinely asking for more info on Judaism, two Christian yahoo users have given links to Christian missionary sites - and pretended they were providing details on Judaism.

I hope the majority of decent Christians will join me in condemning this?

And yep, I'm going to name and shame the two that did it: stand up SAGE and SUZANNE.

Suzanne did it yesterday: someone asked for info about the Jewish Torah/Tanakh and Suzanne swiftly put up a link to a site that totally distorts what is said in the Tanakh.

Tonight, someone else has asked for more detailed info on Judaism and SAGE gave a link to a site that again, has NOTHING to do with Judaism.

Is this being a good Christian, to try and deceive people?

TO CLARIFY - for the non Jews who were asking for the info, they would not have known the sites were Christian, because they were messianic sites; Christianity dressed up as Judaism. But the beliefs were totally Christian. No way can it be right for ANY Christian to try and deceive a person asking for info, in this way.

MAID ANGELA - perhaps it's because some Christians are constantly telling the rest of us that they are so wonderful? Please note, I said 'some', I'm not generalising :)

SILVER MAGE - the people seeking the info will not realise these sites are Christian missionaries - have you ever SEEN one of these sites? :) They are made to seem as though they are offering just another 'type' of Judaism - when in fact, they offer Christianity. Those seeking the info don't know enough about Judaism to realise; that's why it's so despicable that people are misleading them in this way.

HABIB - yes, those sites are totally fine :)

YORIKO READ THIS: Christianity is not 'a sect' of Judaism. They are two entirely different religions. That you could claim what you do reveals you know nothing of either Judaism OR Christianity.

Answer 1

Well as Christianity is just one 'sect' or branch if you like of Judaism- - then what's your point??

Answer 2

Personally, I don't know whether or not that is being a good Christian. However, I can tell you I think it's wrong to push your beliefs on someone else. Thats why I enjoy Judaism, because unlike Islam and Christianity, the Jews didn't go around threatening people if they didn't convert to their religions. Not that there are not parts of both Christianity and Islam that I do not think are great as well.

Answer 3

Comment from a fellow Jew:

The behavior of the so-called "Messianic Jews" is most upsetting. Certainly they're not really Jewish. I'm not sure they're really Christian either.

Anyhow, do you have any idea what's motivating this deception? I mean, why in the world do they want to pretend to be Jewish? What's in it for them?

Also, are they Christians who were drawn to Judaism, or the other way around?

(I'm reluctant to post that as a question. They tend to get into long rants about their credentials, and I don't want to give them another opportunity.)

Answer 4

I just want to say how much I admire you for doing this. It has always bothered me when a question is asked about Judaism and Christians respond as though they know more about the Jewish religion than Jews do! Keep the faith!

Answer 5

I do not see this as being a good representative of ANY religion, to try to misrepresent other religions.

This happens all the time with several of the Pagan Group of religions, so that there are a large segment of the R&S population that constantly has to educate people as to what we REALLY believe (see the question series by Raji, The Green Witch recently for examples)

Answer 6

There are several others as well as the two you mentioned who do this repeatedly..including some others who present themselves as Jews when answering questions asked about Judaism ( giving the "messianic" Hebrew Christian doctrine and web sites ) and when answering questions asked of Christians, present themselves honestly AS Christians. Yet when they're answering questions as a Jew, they react as if it is an INSULT to call them a Christian.



What kind of religious community is this that you're ashamed to identify yourself as a follower of the name of the dogma you ascribe to in belief?

These behaviors are clearly dishonest and to employ them to claim you're leading one to truth is the ultimate in absurdity.

I would think that the "Messianic Jews" would and should be equally offensive to Christians who would not appreciate their traditions being used in this manner. If Christian doctrine is something worthy to follow, a life lived as an example of it's precepts should be sufficient to show the worth. A life lived reflecting willful deception is not something that would entice an honest person to want to follow it.

Because I know so many more Christians in my every day life away from this computer than I know fellow Jews, I know that there are good, honest Christians whose reflection of their faith shows me they honor most of the same values and ethics that I hold dear. If I were to use these people that we describe as my only representations of Christianity, I could not have anything nice to say about it.

I respect the right of individuals and groups to their own beliefs..up to the point where the expression of a belief incites another to hate, to violence, to abuse civil rights or willfully misrepresents the beliefs of others to demonize. Nothing in the Bible forbids me to condemn such violations of civilized behavior openly and respectful tolerance does not mean that I must tolerate every behavior. Some things are not tolerable. Deception is one of them.

Jewish Girl hit the nail squarely on the head. They often attack me when I declare that i do NOT want anyone to take my word for the contextual meaning of a passage they've cherry picked out of context.

shalom :)

Answer 7

You should not be surprised . This is what Christianity does . They hijack many other faiths and religions for their own benefit.

Examples , the Mithrian cult was Breaking Bread 1000s of years before Christianity came along. Dionysus was the original faith were water was changed in to wine . There are about a dozen pre-Christian crucifixion / resurrection saviours that pre-date Christianity .

Christianity is nothing but an amalgamation of pre-existing religions and faiths . There is nothing original about Christianity except its proficiency at duping the gullible into believing .

"When we say that the Word, who is the first-birth of God, was produced without sexual union, and that He, Jesus Christ, our Teacher, was crucified and died, and rose again, and ascended into heaven, we propound nothing different from what you believe regarding those whom you esteem sons of Jupiter." [Justin Martyr, First Apology, 21]

Answer 8

The Jewish religion does not try to convert people to Judaism in fact they make it very difficult. Most other religions feel it is their duty to help everyone to see the light and join them in their beliefs.

I find it very difficult to have faith in any religion that has been put together by man but I respect anyone that has a religion that gives them hope.

Happy Chanukah to my Jewish friends and colleagues

Answer 9

it always seems to me like these people feel threatened by judaism. it seems as if they feel that if a person actually saw the jewish side of things, they would lose faith in christianity, and so they are steered towards messianic sites in order to make sure that they never ever have an encounter with what judaism has to say.

what are these people so afraid of? if christianity really is true, then shouldn't it be able to hold up under jewish argument?

Answer 10

I don't get it.

If someone really believes that they've got the whole and only "Truth" and everyobody else needs to subscribe to it- then say so.

G-d, holiness, spirituality are about truth & honesty. I cannot believe that a religious system would actually advocate subversion.

Dishonesty is the furthest thing from G-d.

Answer 11

Definitely wrong. If people come here seeking information about a specific religion, and you don't like it.....don't try to steer them to what you think is right, just be happy you have your own faith. Your never going to see these people, you've never met them, so just help them in earnest or leave them alone.